Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-14
TOLD IN CONGRESS
HOW WOMEN AIDED
PASSAGE OF LAWS
Representative Taylor De-
scribed Beneficial Legislation
Enacted by Female Influence.

On April "a, 1912, Congressman Ed
ward T. Taylor made speech in the
House of Representatives on the
question of granting votes to the
women of Alaska. After listing $50
laws which he claimed were directly
due to the women voters of Colorado,
he said in part:
"In addition to the above laws there
are many others not specifically men,
toned, and there are great many
beneficial provisions in those laws
that l cannot take the time or space
to give in detail. In reality, it would
require fully one third of the last ten
volumes of our Colorado session laws
to fully describe the laws that have
been enacted as q direct result of the
influence and energy of the women
of the State generally and the splen-
did and indefatigable efforts of the
various women's organizations, espe-
cially the legislative committee OF the
Colorado Federation of Women's
Clubs and the same committee of the
Women's Club of Denver. Anyone
can check up or verify my reference
to these laws by examining the Col
orado statutes or session laws in any
large library.
II might mention many other gen.
eral provisions like the establishment
Of q county visiting board in each
county, composed of three men and
three women, to examine all county
institutions and supervise their sani-
tary and other conditions; requiring
woman physician in the insane asy-
lum; requiring inspection of private
eleemosynary institutions by State
board.
1.-The women'S influence makes it
much easier to secure liberal appro-
priations for educational and hui
manitarian purposes.
Most of the visiting boards of the
various institutions where people
are inyoluntarily confined are comN
posed partially of women, and they
make those boards very efficient and
prevent them from becoming political
boards.
women always take an active in
terest In the enactment and strict
enforcement of good public health
laws, and laws for the moral welfare
of society. Whenever they have
chance to express their sentiments
there Is never any doubt as to the
result Every politician knows in
advance what 1t will be, and that is
the reason some of them loudly pro-
claim that woman suffrage is fail
ure. Equal suffrage Is failure with
some kinds of people. A married
woman's heart is always In her chill.
dren and her home-the foundation
OF the republic, and any measure az
fecting either is not a political ques-
ton with her for a minute. There
Is only one side to 1t, and that is
the right side. A woman's vote is
always a patriotic vote.
In fact, the most wise, scientific
and progressive laws of any State in
the Union for the care and protec-
ton of children and women in their
personal and property rights, for the
humane treatment of the delinquent,
dependent and unfortunate classes
and for the enforcement of the laws
and betterment of society are on the
statute books of Colorado today
II do not claim that the women are
entitled to all of the credit for the
enactment of all of these 100 laws.
The newspapers, our governor, Judge
Lindsey and other patriotic sons have
devoted many years of their lives TO
the enactment of these laws and the
betterment of our beloved common
wealth. But the mothers and daugh-
ters of Colorado have, in my judg-
ment, been the controlling influence
that has brought about the enactment
of most and have greatly assisted
toward all of them. In fact, they
have indirectly assisted in the pass
age of great many other good laws,
and those $50 are 100 good reasons for
the women having had voice in their
enactment. have simply mentioned
those as recollect it, that the women
took the most active interest In and
for the passage of which l think they
are entitled to the main credit. The
women are also entitled to the credit
Of bringing forward, through their
various clubs and organizations,
many other beneficial measures at
every session of the Legislature, but
many Of which have thus far failed
to pass. They will, however. not stop
until they pass them. 1t should be
remembered that we in Colorado have
all OF the powerful influences that
always work against all reform legis-
lation that they have in all other
States, and no reasonable person ex-
poets the women to be able to over
come all Of those Influences and ac-
complish everything in eighteen
years.
THE women of Colorado will con-
tinue to vote. The women of the
world will continue to advance The
man or woman who tries to stop
them will be Justly relegated to
oblivion. You politicians had better
remember those three statements,
because you will have occasion to
reflect upon them. This Is an age Of
individual liberty, and the male sex
Is not humanity, but only half Of 1t.
There will be no backward move
ment in the fight for equal rights
Not one foot of ground that has been
gained will ever be surrendered. And
the people who try to make a little
temporary notoriety by an attack
on the sex are doomed in the end
to disappointment, defeat, and igno-
minious humiliation. The continued
disfranchisement Of women Is q relic
OF antiquity that belongs to other
days. Purblind politicians and peo-
pie who cling to prejudice in spite
OF facts as plain as the MONDAY sun
may keep on fighting and misrepre-
senting the good women of the suf-
frage States, but they are coming to
be as absurd as old Canute when he
placed his throne on the beach and
| commanded the waves to recede."