Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-15
Equal Suffrage Will Broaden Horizon" Says
Mrs. Patterson

the opinion of all of us, and it is this
unanimity Of opinion. of conviction,
that is helping to win the day We will
all have about the same thing to say
about suffrage, as you will see as you
| continue sounding the partisans of the
| cause, not because we are parrots, but
because the principles of the movement
are unique. There are no differences in
our judgment of a universal theme.
And for all my advocacy of the doc
trines of equality, political and social,
l am none the less interested in my
home and my children
ITO my mind, what is wrong with
government, man made, is the very spr-
! II OF government. ] really believe that
the United States administration re-
fleets too strongly the greed or. rather.
! the mercenary nature, of individuals
As d rule, men. whether they be just
plain business men or lawmakers. think
too much of their pocket books and very
little of the issue. And that is the
greatest flaw in legislation 1t is good
bye to humanitarian measures, charity.
justice or any sort of idealism, and
really hope that when women get a
word in politics some appeal will be
made to the heart of the nation, and
not only TO their pocketbooks.
FRIENDS have asked me repeatedly
why l an SO Ceeply interested in equal
suffrage. !; is because want a com
pleter life and / wan, II for all women.
[ object to being classcd with criml-
mails, insane, Chinese and minors. I
want my papers OF citizenship. | am
as much entitled to them as the for
cigner who had been here five years.
at the present time, women are not
as completely posted on political mat
tiers and the workings of the legislative
machinery as they will be when they
have been voting for awhile It's like
Mother, may / go out to swim" The
average man didn't know much about
political matters until he had the ballot.
Many Valid Objections.
Those who are opposed to the vote
for women have advanced the argument
that equal rights would mar womans
normal life. That isn't true. Political
activity would not mar, but broaden.
The ballot would be a more direct edu-
Gator than women's club meetings or
attendance at sociological, ethical or
travel lectures.
Many valid objections have been
found to universal male suffrage, but on
the whole ii seems to be a better meth
Cd Of government for a people with
public school system than restricted
male suffrage This being 50, think
that all women not insane or criminal
should vote on the same terms with
men.
Equal suffrage will broaden ard
deepen the outlook of women on life,
and therefore 1t will broaden and deep
en- the outlook of their children. 1t will
make the next generation more compe-
tent. Then. too, equal suffrage will
tend gradually to remove present dis
elimination against women. first politi-
cally, then economically.
1.-The brewers and distillers believe
that it would result in the spread of
prohibition and for that reason contrib
ute large sums to the anti-suffrage
cause. They are business men ana
the results which they fear are by no
means directly traceable to the states
where women's suffrage now exists.
I'VE must consider the situation from
the point of view Of the home. Poitical
equality will make the home atmos-
phere better When a man realizes
that his wife is his political equal he
viii treat her with more respect and no
less affection. It's human nature.
THE domestic laws should be con.
trolled by the best citizens, whether
masculine or feminine. Women believe
now in this principle and will continus
to believe in it after they are able 10
enforce it.
Votes for women will have another
good effect Woman's mental attitude
will be changed She will become less
Of doll and will dress less like a doll
Il honesty believe that the modem
tendency of the educated woman Is 70
interest hersef in the vital issues of the
day. This question is not even de-
batable'