The Washington herald., 1914-07-19
Country Is Stricken NTH Mania
For Lawn1aking, Not Enforcement

to get her measures enforced. and tc
keep her honest officials from grating
during the two. four or six year period
after the piece OF paper in a ballot
box" has registered her choice. and
handed over her power to some politician
or party. And then, when she asks pub
lie support OF the measure she thinks
! necessary to benefit herself or her child.
she will not be regarded as an earnest
sincere. disInterested woman, working
for the protection OF all the people, but
will be requested 10 explain her political
affiliations, and either accused OF selfish
ambitions. or referred to her party
for Endorsement.
Is Voting RIRhtf
Many women. Of course. don't even
consider II necessary TO promise i'm
provement in government. They demand
tho ballot as a natural right as human
beings" because they are people" and
this country is governed by and for
the people" II the ballot were a natural
right. and not just part Of the official
machinery by which is registered the
political will OF the people through re-
sponsible persons qualified as the State
deems best ft to represent the interests
Of all. a woman-or a child-would have
just as much right" TO vote as any
male creature over twenty-one.
But the fact of the matter is that not
even sex nor maturity is in any sense
the main qualification demanded Of the
voter. Many men who are excellent citi-
Zens are disfranchised all the time. Take
our soldiers and sailors. for instance,
the residents of the District Of Columbia,
and the hundreds OF thousands OF men
who are disqualified by change Of resi-
dence. None of these men can vote. And
none would think OF demanding the bal
lot as right" any more than a pas
senEer on an ocean liner would COM
plain that he was being governed with
out his consent" because he could not vote
on the course to be sailed or the number
OF knots an hour the ship should run. II
the passenger were properly qualified as
a pilot or seaman, under the regulations
found most effective in governing ships
at sea, he would probably get a chance
to help decide such matters. but II would
be no natural right that inhered in his
status as a human being" and as one
of the people" the ship was made to
serve.
Would Limit Freedom.
Likewise, the State demands certain
qualifications in its electorate that eX-
perience has shown as best tending to the
stability OF government. and the freedom
OF the individual; ana up 10 the present,
manhood suffrage. based on alliance,
residence, and responsibility for law en-
forcement and military service, has been
found the best political representation Of
the peoples will.
It is universally admitted that the sta
bility OF our nation is well assured by our
present representative system. On the
contrary, recent disturbances in Colorado
tend to prove that the opposite might be
the case under woman suffrage. But IL
is much less realized that the freedom
Of the Individual Is better conserved un-
der manhood suffrage.
Especially is this the case with women.
As voting is no right" but a necessary
duty. like military service, jury duty, and
the assistance of the police when called
upon to preserve order, the enfranchised
man who shirks II is a coward and oc-
cupies the same position as the soldier
who who deserts his colors. Under the
male suffrage system that obtains in all
Of our States but nine, every woman who
is free from the duty of exercising the
franchise is doubly blessed in this addi-
tion to her right under our government
to life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness" She has all the rights as an
individual for which men are required to
lay down their lives, II necessary, In the