The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-04-18

! spect, namely the ballot.
After nearly seventy-five years
struggle for equality with man befoi
the law, and after literally centurie
of unspeakable suffering, women al
still bound hand and foot by the fe
tiers man-made laws have put upo
them. Let me enumerate some on
of the legal injustices towards wome
that one hears of almost every day:
al fathers disposing absolutely {
the children the women have borne.
b. Failure to protect girls by fl.
ing the age of consent in tender year
with leniency towards unchaste mel
g unequal divorce iaws-the hu
band legally able to divorce his wi;
for unfalthtulness only, while the wi
| must prove extreme cruelty In add
ton to unfaithfulness;
d. the widow having to divide h
husbands property with his famii
but the Widower receiving the emit
estate of his wife;
e. the father lnheriting the emit
property of an intestate unmarri,
child; the mother getting nothing;
fl less pay for the same work
all occupations;
g taxation VIII hout represent,
ton.
A bright woman said to me toda
81 don't want to vote, am content
AS | looked at ner l thought of tn
awful question asked ages ago
Cain, Am | my brothers keeper :
Do you know, my dear contented lad
that 20 per cent. of all women al
wage-earners; do you know that it M,
been demonstrated over and owe
again, as was most painfully shown !
the recent shirtwaiSt strikes in Phils
delphia and New \ ork, that Wome
Wage-earners have no rights wnlc
the capitalist, or the policeman on Il
beat, are bound to respect? Russia i
self has never witnessed more higi'
handed proceedings, more outrageolf
trampllng in the mlre OF her RICH;
of her citizens than the poor sewn
girls in Philadelphia ana New Iol
suffered, many OF whom, TO our shan,
be it sald, mad fled to US from Russj
for protection.
| will leave this fruitful theme 1
the women who Will tell you Of the il
Justice the law and the laws admin,
traitors have done, ana are stili uolE
to these our fellow-citiZens for the
minds are stored with the facts of Dl,
ter experiences, their hearts an
aTlame for this just cause, and the
have force of expression which hi,
grown rare among men, VINO sect
even ashamed to talk any longer {
righteousness and of justice
Recently, as one OF the invading p,
titloners III behalf Of women to u
Maryland legislature, | stood me-,
several representatives. while the W
men addressed them, and / notice,
the audlDIy expressed aStonishme4
Of the men, DIT the eloquence wit
which the women expressed their q,
sire TO cooperate in the domestic ect
nOmy OF the state. The little grou
OF men burning for a righteous caus,
and ready TO die to rectIty gresI
wrongs, Is but sorry handful cat {
our 90 millions, but there is a sma'
army OF line women waiting for III
opportunity to render effective servlc,
Home, says superior man, is IL
sphere OF woman" Miss b" Sa
one Of my friends recently to lad,
u woman : place is at home rocKl'
the cradle. Il agree with you Do
tor" was the spinster's ready repit
"aMi what shall put in mine?"
Now it is a fact that many wom;
have no home, and no means of &C
qulring home under the present eCg
homie conditions, but speaking TO
those women who are so fortunate a
to possess homes, | am IN favor O
giving the ballot to women precisel
because woman is the honemakel
The average woman knows more abou
the home and its interests than me
do, just as the average man know
more about the details Of bushes
than women do. AS the kind of law
made and the quality OF the official
elected to enforce them affect tn
home as well as business, laws shout
be Trainer and officials elected to en-
force them affect the home as we'll a
business, laws should be framed an
officials elected by the votes of wome
and men conformity. The interests O
the home are subordinated so long a
the franchise Is limited 70 men. TIL
votes Of women ought to be counte
on all questions dealing with the car
of children, with education, temper
ance, immortality, crime, dependents
public health, peace, and many othe
matters affecting the state throug
the home. What a world of mora
righteousness daily goes TO waste, o
account Of the disfranchisement o
women, Let US be brave enough an
wise enough to give the home make
a vote.
For my part, am most thank fu
that modern education and economi
conditions have produced such corp
of women capable of doing grea
things, women like Florence Kelly
our own Mrs. Booker, my sister. Mrs
Robert P. Bradford, doing social ser
vice in Philadelphia, Jane Adams
Chicago, best citizens, and host O
others. Social service is a new occu
patton Tor women, ana everywher
they are entering into it. Highly edu
Gated, well equipped, strong wome
stand in the market-place crying, VIII
will employ us? Can the state wit
safety let this vast treasure of mora
efficiency go? Can it afford to los
the services of such citizens, more pre-
cious, | believe, on account of their in
corruptible hearts and purity of mo
tive, than that of any numericall
equal body of men in the country?
do not believe the nation in its trues
and highest sense can survive, if W