Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-22
Conducted ny
MISS DAISY DoANR
Tor the Douglas County Hqual Suffrage
Association.
Suffrage in Colorado

George Elliott Howard, professor Of po-
litical science and sociology in the Unit
versity of Nebraska, has come out with
an emphatic article on the success ~ suf-
frage in Colorado. He says in part: THE
spersistency with which corrupt politicians
the predatory and other vicious interests
have misrepresented or fashfied the rec
ord OF equal suffrage In Colorado Is posi-
lively unique in American social history.
With the abundant evidence now avail
able II is hard TO understand how any
Intelligent person not serving the inter
ests mentioned can continue to attack
equal suffrage on the ground of Colo
RADIOS experience.
During the first seventeen years of
equal suffrage in Colorado usss-1slm no
less than twenty-six statutes for the bet
terment of the living conditions Of men.
women and children were secured through
the direct influence of the women voters.
Among the more important OF these
statutes are laws making the mother joint
guardian Of her children; raising the age
OF consent for girl to IS; making wife
deSertion felony: requiring one woman
on the asylum board; establishing a state
home for dependent children, and a state
industrial school for girls. in each case
three Of the five members of the board to
be women: providing for factory inspec-
ton; for inspection of maternity homes
and lying in hospitals; creating the model
juvenile court system; installing. a drastic
compulsory education system; restricting
child labor; making parents Joint heirs
OF their children; providing for the in
Discriminate sentence, out of which meas
ure grow Tom Tynan's famous honor
and-trust plan now. being studied and
initiated by several other states. g-'
Some of the laws just mentioned are
far In advance of Nebraska legislation on
the same subjects. The following three
measures, Of this period, find no place in
the Nebraska statute book; laws fixing
penalty for failure TO support aged or
infirm parents; making 1t a crime for
parent or other person to contribute to
the delinquency OF child; and establish
ing state free employment bureau with
ofsices in all the principal towns.
Have women voters bettered political
conditions in Colorado? No sincere per-
son who knows the facts will deny it.
During the three years, 1s10-1s13, has
taken place a veritable revolution in
which women were the controlling force.
pirect legislation in the state and com
mission government Cor cities. even n
Denver. have been sanctioned. A nom
partisan victory with 10000 majority over
the combined corrupt republican and
democratic machines has been won. BY
securing municipal water plant, the
first breach has been made in the Denver
piunderbund.
The enlightened laws enacted in these
three years constitute a Quick triumph
for social fighteousness unequaled any
where in the land. except in equal suf-
frage California IN 1913 These include
pensions for mothers; an eight-hour
working day for miners and for women;
the 'headless" ballot: statewide civil
service or merit system; a minimum wage
commission; mininu onthly wage of $50
for teachers, while doubling the length
OF the school year: worlnen's accident
compensation; a law against loan sharks:
strong nonsupport act, with nonsupport
an extraditable offense: a statute validat-
ing the wills OF married women; ana a
law making the so-calIed third degree
a felony.
2. Are some Of these laws far I'm adj
vance Of Nebraska legislation? Without
doubt they are. Nebraska has no civil
service act; the state still sanctions one
OF the worst forms OF the ballot with
party designations. A minimum waxe
for teachers IL not provided for. The last
legislature created q minimum wage
commission-but with Joker: no money
appropriated for putting it in operation.
lour child labor act-secuned ebIefIv
through the work Of women--is not en-
forced by the male officials. II IA =
dead letter Our very inefficient statute
provides. not pensions for mothers. hut
money to aid parents of dependent or
neglected children; yet male Judges are
refusing or negiecting TO put In IN force
The third degree Is not made a felony:
and no proper check is put upon the loan
shark's' sinister trade. Nebraska has.
not an eight-hour but a nine-hour law
Tor working women 19l3). Only In case
OF night work for public service cor
poration' Is their toll restricted 10 eight
consecutive hours. thus covering n neat
Joker with the word CONSECUTIVE
Under very unfavorable social and
industrial conditions Colorado women
have made good use of the ballot Nav
we not trust the women OF Nebraska 10
DO as welI?'
charles s. Thomas. formerly governor
OF Colorado. and now senator from that
state, says Of equal suffrage: ITO the
bread winning portion OF the female sex
the ballot Is boon. She is a factor
whose power must be respected. Like her
brother. she must be reckoned with AZ
the polls Hence II is her buckIer against
industrial wrongs, her protection against
the constant tendency TO reduce her
wages because OF her heIplessness. II no
other right existed for comforting thia
right upon womankind. this, TO the man
Of justice. should be all sufficient. Who
ever accepts the doctrine OF the DECLARE
ton Of Independence must believe IN the
right of woman to vote"