Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-14
"WHY I BELIEVE IN VOTES FOR WOMEN''
Opportunity the Signal for Woman's
Achievement
Assembly nOmina


Opportunity for American women
during the past half century has
been a signal for their achievement.
1t il a considerable span of years
from 1854 to the present day, but 1t
was during that year that women
from various parts of the country
met In Philadelphia and decided to
petition the Legislatures asking for
universal suffrage, for reform in the
laws regarding property rights, for
the improvement of educational ia
cilities for women and for the open
ing of the channels of industry to
them. In the time that has elapsed
since then many of these things have,
through the persistence of women,
become accomplished facts. With
Justice and right upon their side,
their efforts have been rewarded by
success But there remains one thing
more for them to ACCOMPLISHING ex-
tension of equal suffrage from one
end of the nation to the other.
The demand which women have
made for education has been followed
by the opening to them of academies,
colleges and professional schools. In
every large city of our land there
are women doctors, women lawyers,
and, in fact, there is scarcely a pro-
fession into which they have not en-
tered with credit to themselves and
benefit to all. This universal spread
of education cannot fail to make bet
ter citizenship, both through it's
direct and indirect influences, which
are reflected in the social, political
and economic life of the nation.
Many Wondrous Changes.
Industrially the past half century
has seen wondrous changes. Fifty
years ago few occupations were
opened to women, but today there
are approximately 300 kinds of In
dustry IN which they are actively
engaged, and in many of these they
work side by side with the men. This
change has been brought about par,
TALLY by the necessity for self-sup-
port on the part of women and the
fact that they have been obliged to
work at a lower wage and under
conditions at which men would rebel
Thus necessity and MISREPRESENTATION
has been greater impelling force
than mere demand for justice.
Their labor has been, and still Is,
oftentimes more profitable to the
manufacturer than that of men, and
consequently has been fostered and
increased until it has become one
VI luc ulOSl Important oiSIuenIS III
the economic life of the nation. From
these conditions have arisen the need
for adequate remedies, sympathetic
ally administered. In the procuring
Of these remedies women have felt
that as they were greatly affected
that the ballot, the great American
weapon, should be extended to them,
thus insuring to them a part In the
political life Of the country COM
mensurate with their Industrial re-
sponsibility and needs.
American Principles.
Space prevents entering into an
analysis and discussion of the rela-
tion of women to the republic, but it
Is sufficient to say that when the
American principle of government
was established 1t contemplated the
broad plan of full representation of
the people In legislative and admin
istrative affairs. The welfare of the
people was placed paramount and the
property rights of all were intended
to be founded upon equity and JUS
tice. Upon these two general prop
ositions women are entitled to a just
share in the political organiza ton of