The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-06-04
MISS BRONSON
SPOKE AT CHAPEL
MISS MINNIE BRONSON OF NEW
YORK, SECRETARY OF NATION
AL ANTI.SUFFRAGE ASSoClA-
TON, ADDRESSED FARGO COL
LEGE STUDENTS TODAY.

Miss Minnie Bronson, a prominent
nti-suffrage speaker. addressed the
students Of Fargo college at chapel
this morning. Miss Bronson is a native
of Iowa and was educated there put
has recently been living in New
York.
Free speech and the right to a
diversity of opinion are n oaslc
| principles of our government. we
Who oppose suffrage do not doubt the
| sincerity Of those advocate it and we
| insist that they shall not doubt u
sincerity. We are all working for the
good Of humanity, but our methods
differ. The same incidents that nave
made some of my friends suttragettes
have made me oppose the movement.
They look upon it as progress ana
democracy; we see 1t as an experiment
or retrogression. We believe suffrage
means duplication of effort n con-
sequent loss of power; n we are not
parasites or idle women who know
| nothing and care less about the con-
ditions of modern life and the need for
reform. We have studied the sub
ject.
"a history teacher said to me recent
ly that she is opposed to this move
ment because history shows that Wom-
en- have had a large part in politics
only in the infancy or the decadence
OF a nations life. 1t was so with
Greece and Rome. When the women
ceased to take part in public life, they
increased in moral power and strength.
New Zealand and Australia, where
female suffrage is said to be success
full, are still in a primitive condition
and only English speaking people are
allowed to vote. This is very different
from conditions in the United States.
1.-The suffrage movement began in
184S in the Women's Rights campaign.
Many radical schemes and Vagaries
originated in the east at this time,
Mormonism, Millerism and the Shaker
excitement.
Since that time the movement has
changed it's NAME. It is nc longer a
campaign for women's rights, for they
have now in many cases better rights
than men. Now the campaign is all
for the ballot. AS for the enthusiasm
that has carried it into action in many
cases, in Oregon those who voted for
it were about on~e-seventh of the total
number of voters. In Wyoming, where
suffrage was adopted in 1869, there
was, at at that time, n female to
every 5S square miles. In Idaho n
Utah, the Mormons have put
suffrage in as a very effective means
of extending their power.
we believe that women's influence
should be felt in public affairs and in
schools, but it is more effective if
brought to bear in other ways than
through the ballot. If women get the
ballot, they will at once break up into
parties. The great Federation Of Wo-
mems Clubs is being weakened now by
the suffrage controversy. If politics
enter the effect will be still worse.
Now women are an undivided group
and have great power.
IF a woman has the vote and goes
to the legislature to advocate some
measure, 10 she is a democrat, the re-
publicans will tell here to go to her own
party men for support. If h goes
merely as a representative of some
good n great u without regard
for party, she can enlist the help of
both sides. This Is not theory. The
woman who started the great move
ment for clean streets found this a
fact. Miss Emily Bissell, the head of
the tuberculosis work in Delaware,
went on this principle in securing an
appropriation for the organization
from the legislature.
Remember this: Women can de-
pend thoroughly on men. the voters of
the future, if they do their work we'll
now in raising them"