The Washington herald., 1914-05-31

ballot. No more striking proof Of this
can be addnced than the present status
of suffrage and prohibition. Women have
undoubtedly furthered all the legislation
tending toward temperance. Moreover,
the woman's organization most identified
with the prohibition movement, has also
been in favor Of woman suffrage for a
number of years.
In spite of this fact. the conditions Of
suffrage for woman and State prohibi-
ton have not been realized together in
one instance. Ten States have prohibi-
tion and nine have full suffrage, and one
partial woman suffrage. Out Of these
twenty States. Kansas only IL both pro-
hibition and woman suffrage-and Kan
sas went prohibition three years before
women got the vote. Prohibition workers
officially indorse woman suffrage. yet
they have never been able to get prohi-
bition In a woman suffrage State. Why7
No one can contend that 1t Is because
the two movements are inimical. 1t is
because woman, the sincere and disinter-
ested citizen. can get her reforms en-
acted into law better where she cannot
vote-in male suffrage States. Does this
not show the folly Of asking women to
''vote for what they want" when she
without a vote?
Better Have Direct influence.
suffragists admit that women have ac-
complished much without the ballot
Yes" they say. you have done a great
deal, and you have got all you want
from Congress and the legislatures. but
these indirect ways are SO undignified-
how much better to have direct iniu-
ence."
II the women of America stand for
o. l.
fiuence. 1t Is they alone who use direct
methods and straightforward action-in
male suffrage States. It is the men who
need the lobby, the political pull" the
party influence. II the men want any
thing they go to a boss or party
leader to get his o. K. first; and
through him. or some one to whom he
refers them, they finally get at the COM
mittee they want to inhuence-if their
party has any influence with that par
ticular committee. We go straight to
man of committee, as circumstances re-
cuire. We have no favors to ask and
none to return. We make a plain state
ment of our case. and the reasons why
our commonwealth should have certain
laws, back II up by evidence instead Of
pull" and the legislation is obtained.
not because 1t is advocated by party or
furthered by political sanction. but he-
cause lawmakers realize that a measure
which has the approval Of numbers Of
nonvoting and honest women is required
for the public benefit. Is there anything
indirect ABOUT this? When. for Instance,
the Woman's Municipal League of New
York City went to Mayor Mcclellan and
said in effect: Never in our memory
have the streets been so dirty" the
mayor could not reply: well, you are
a Tammany organization. why don't you
see your friend Murphyr' nor "As Re
publicans. 1t Is evident that you are de-
termined to ind fault with everything
this administration does." Instead, he
was obliged to consider Il Reasonable
and disinterested protestant the street
cleaning department got busy. Yet the
sunrasists are trying to convince women
that they must vote to get pure milk,
Compare the legislation for the pro-
lection Of working women and children
mat has been effected through the efforts
OF single nonpartisan civic organizations
IN the male suffrage States with what |
women have not been able to obtain by |
.drcptng q piece Of paper into ballot |
Socialists Are slffrasists.
Yet The sufragists, without q stne,e
excaasive achisvsmsnt n sovs1msut !