Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-17
BRYAN WOULDG|
BALLOT TO WOMAN
Secretary of State Comes Out
for Equal Suffrage in
Nebraska.
SUPPORTS WILSON'S VIEW
THAT ISSUE is FOR STATES
But Wants No Political Privilege He
Would Not Confer on
His Wife.

secretary Bryan has come out strongly
In favor. of equal suffrage. at time
when the suffrage advocates have de-
clared war against the democratic party
because its leaders have repeatedly re-
fused to support the effort or passage of
a federal amendment against discrimina-
ton on account of sex.
In a statement Secretary Bryan says
he favors giving the ballot to women
because:
Woman has proved herself equal to
every responsibility imposed upon her.
He would ask no political rights for
himself that he would not be willing to
grant to his wife.
And because:
THE mother can justly claim the right
to employ every weapon which can be
made effective for the protection of those
interests she guards. and the ballot will
put within her reach all the instrument
talities of government. including the po-
lice power.
Mr.. Bryans support at this time is par
0cuarly significant because a proposed
, state constitutional amendment extend
ing the franchise to women is to be voted
upon in his home state. Nebraska, next
November: because it supports the Presl-
dents reply to the club women who re-
he considers suffrage a question for the
states to decide. and because 1t Is be-
I. Geved by suffrage advocates that Secre-
tary Bryan is striving to appease their
wrath against the democratic party.
Mr.. Bryan's Views.
Mr.. Bryan's announcement of his suf-
frage views is as follows:
THE voters of Nebraska will. at the
>y>
n proposed amendment extending suffrage
to women on equal terms with men, AS
a citizen of that state it will be my duty
to participate in the decision to be rem
dered at the polls. / have delayed eX
pressing an oponion on the subject partly
because I have been seeking information,
and partly because my time has been &C.
cupied with national questions upon
which the entire country was acting. but
now that the issue is presented in my
state ! take my position ! shall support
the amendment. 7 shall ask no political
rights for myself that | am not willing
to grant to my wife.
LAS man and woman are co-tenants of
the earth. and must work out their des-
tiny together. the presumption is on the
side of equality of treatment in all that
pertains to their joint like and its op-
portunities. The burden of proof is on
those who claim Tor one an advantage
over the other in determining the condi-
Rions under which both shall live. This
claim has not been established in the mat
ter of suffrage. On the contrary. the OBJ
|jections raised to woman suffrage appear
to me to be Invalid while the arguments
advanced in support of the proposition
are. in my Judgment. convincing.
Answers Objections.
''The first objection which l remember
to have heard was that as woman CAN
not bear arms she should not have
voice in deciding questions that might
lead to war. in enacting Laws that
might require army for theil enforce
ment. This argument is seldom offered
now. for the reason that as civilization
advances laws are obeyed because they
are an expression of the public opinion.
not merely because they have powder and
lead behind them. And as we look back
over the past We may well wonder
whether the peace movement would not
have grown more rapidly than it has had
woman. who suffers more than man from
the results of war, been consulted before
hostilit:es began.
Second 1t is urged by some that
woman-s life is already full or care. and
|overburden her or turn her attention
away from the duties of the home The
answer made to this is that the exercise
| Of the franchise might result in a change
| of thought and occupation that would
relieve the morotony of wonlan's work
and give restful variety to her activities
And surely the home will not suffer
| II the mother the child's first teacher
IL able to intelligently discuss with her
family the science of government and the
art of successfully administering it,
Third. Many well meaning men and
women affirm that suffrage would work
harm to woman by lessening the re-
spect in which she is held. This argu-
ment would have more weight had it not
been employed against every proposition
advanced in favor of the enlargement of
won4n'S sphere. This objection was
once raised to the higher education of
woman but it is no longer heard. The
same objection was offered each time the