The Washington times., 1914-07-17

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
door has opened. and woman, IN
stead Of suffering degradation, has
risen. ....
These objections, however, hon
estly advanced have proved impo-
tent to retard women's progress. May
not the fears sincerely entertained
% by the opponents of woman suffrage
be found to be groundless as those
: that once forced the widow in east
d. ern India to ascend the funeral pyre
or those that now exclude Moham-
medan women from the social bene-
fits and responsibilities which the
women Of the Christian share?
. Works Wherever Tried.
And are not the second and third
objections above stated refuted, to
some extent at least, by the fact
that in the States which have adopt
ed woman suffrage land In other ma
tons that have adopted it, there is
not agitation for return to the sys-
TENS under which man has a monop-
oily Of the right to vote?
II one were In doubt as to which
side Of the controversy to take, he
Dc klSlnR Wel9hI
to the fact that organization and en-
thusiasm are on the side of those
who favor woman's suffrage. Or
ganization Is an evidence Of earnest
ness as we'll as of a comprehension
OF a subject.
las for myself. I am not in doubt
as to my duty. II Is not my purpose
to discuss the subject with elabora-
ton at this time, but ! desire to
present the argument 10 which l
give the greatest weight. Without
minimizing other arguments ad-
vanced in support of the extending
of suffrage to woman, place the
emphasis upon the mothers right to
a voice in molding the environment
which shall surround her children
an environment which operates pow
erfully in determining whether her
offspring will crown her latter years
with joy OF bring down her gray
hairs in sorrow to the grave
Right of All Mothers.
The Creator has placed upon the
mother a burden which she could
not shift il she so desired. and He
has given her the disposition to bear
it. Her lift trembles in the balance
at the child's birth; her active years
are given to the care and nurture OF
her children; her nerve force and
vital energy are expended in their
behalf; her exhaustless love Is
poured out upon them. Because the
wealth OF her existence 10 bestowed
upon them. they are a part Of her
very beins-'where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also
For a time I was impressed by
the suggestion that the question
should be left TO the women to de-
eide "a majority to determine
whether the franchise should be ex-
tended to women: but I fnd myself
less and less disposed to indorse this
test. Samuel Johnson coined an cpl
gram which Is in point here, namely.
that no mans conscience can tell
him the right Of another man. Re-
sponsibility for the child's welfare
rests primarily upon the parent: the
parent receives in largest measure
the blessings that follow from the
child's life. If that life is nobly EN-
ployed. and upon the parent falls
the blow with severest force II the
child's life is misspent. Why should
any mother. therefore. be denied the
use of the franchise to safeguard the
welfare Of her child merely because
another mother may not view her
duty IN the same light"