Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1914-03-20

The musical numbers by Mr.. and
Mrs. Hayden were enthusiastically re-
eeived, and both responded to eneores.
Mrs. Beard spoke of the fact that a lit
tile over year ago the league was or
ganized with a comparatively small
membership. The society has grown
steadily, and now numbers over forty
members. Mrs. Sheppard pointed out
the need for women TO use the school
vote which they already have, and ex-
ert their influence for the best possible
management of the public schools.
Mrs. Hepburn spoke earnestly and
eonvincingly, with great enthusiasm
for her subject Her unassuming man
ner, her perfect sincerity, and her clear
logic held the attention of the audience
throughout her address.
Mrs. Hepburn said in part: One
morning two years ago my little boy
went to school carrying great mes
sage. As soon as he sat down he raised
his hand and the teacher said, "Whai
is il, Tom? Unless IL is very import
ant uou Spcdh boWS htiu 'oii o"aAt
avery important "Well, then what
is it?b the teacher said, and Tom re-
piled in joyful itGnes, 1.-THE women Ct
California have got the VOTE"
Now why do you suppose that little
boy was interested in the fact that the
women of California had got the vote?
II was because he had heard his father
and his mother talking about IT,. He
knew that we were both vitality inter
ested In IL and that was why he cared
so much.
That little story shows one OF the d.
rect results of women's taking an in
terest in public questions. II brings
them into the home. 1t makes the
home a centre for the discussion OF the
great public questions OF the.day. And
never until that is done shall we be
able TO rescue politics from the low
standards and ideals that surround
politics in our cities today.
Children must be brought up In an
atmosphere lilled with vital interest
in public questionsA Then when they
grow up we shall have our cities gov
erned by statesmen instead Of by polit-
ical bosses and ward heelers.
Just as long as the average boy gets
his first knowledge of politics from the
ward heeler politics will be dirty
business and just as long as men
have for mother, wife, sister, sweet
heart or daughter human being who
does not count politically we shall
have indifferent voters leaving the af-
| fairs of all of US to small company OF
grating politicians. 1t Is well
known fact that in the places where
| women vote the votes Of men have
been greatly increased and the general
interest in public questions has been
greatly stimulated.
Ii has always seemed TO me that one
of the strongest reasons for giving wo-
men the vote was TO bring the discus
sion OF public questions into the home.
If you make the mother responsible, II
you make 1t her duty to go and vote at
election tine then you give her good
practical reason for learning some
thing about public men and measures.
You give the husband, too, a good
practical reason for taking the trouble
TO talk 10 his wife about 1.-THE questions
of the day suppose one iof you men
here tonight was interested IN the cleo.
ton OF certain man and your wife
was a wouldn't you take more
trouble TO talk 10 her ab0ut this man
and his platform than you do today.
The politicians, too, begin TO take a
great interest in the education OF wo-
men in regard to public questions
when women have the vote. Mrs. w.
W. Ranney, the wife Of a former min
lister of my city, who went TO Colorado
| TO live about three years agosand has
recently come back To Hartford on a
visit came in to the suffrage headquaF-
| tiers a few days ago and told me some
very interesting things about the work.
ing of equal suffrage in Colorado. She
said, among other things, lthat the pol
/ iticians were In the habit OF sending To
I, the women's clubs and asking TO be
allowed to speak before them telling