The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-07-18
Bryan Vje1Us on Suffrage
Are Given More IN Detail
Says That In the Coming Election In Nebraska He VIII
Women To Have the Ballot andG Gives His Reasons

oAyoH III ioEihti statement Issued
last night came out for women suf-
frage He declared that he would ask
no political rights for himself that he
was not willing to grant his wife, and
announced that his intention of sup
porting the proposed state constitu-
tional amendment extending the
franchise to women to be voted upon
in Nebraska next November.
Woman, Mr.. Bryan said, had proved
herself equal to every responsibility
imposed upon her and would not fail
society in this emergency. Above
all other arguments in favor OF giving
her the ballot he placed the right of
the mother to q voice in the moulding
OF the environment OF her children.
"The mother" the secretary said. "can
Justly claim the right to employ ev-
cry weapon which can be made ecect-
I've for the protection Of those whose
interests she guards. and the ballot
Will put within her reach all OF the
instrumentalities Of government, in
Guiding the police power
The statement follows In full:
The voters of Nebraska will. at the
election next November. adopt or re-
'ject PROPOSED amendment extending
suffrage to women on equal terms
with men. AS a citizen OF that state
1t Will be my duty to participate in the
decision to be rendered at the polls.
I have delayed expressing an opinion
on this subject, partly because I have
been seeking information, and partly
because my time Ahas been occupied
with national questions upon which
the entire country was acting; but
now that the Issue is presented in
my. state, Itake my position. ! shall
support the amendment shall ask
no }political, rights for myself that I
q ninot willing to grant to my wife.
lAs man and woman are co-tenants
of the earth and must work out their
destiny together. the presumption Is
on the side of equality of treatmen: in
all that pertains to thei- joint life
ard its opportunities. The burden
of proof is on those who claim for one
an advantage over the other in deter
mining the conditions under, which
both shall live. This claim has not
been established in the matter of. suf-
frage, On the contrary, the objections
raised to woman sucrage appear to
me to be invalid, while the argments
advanced nspport OF the proposition
are in my judgment, convincing.
The first objection which I remem-
ber to have heard was that es woman
cannot bear arms she should not have
a voice in deciding quel,tions that
= forcement.- This argument Is sell
dom offered now. for, the. reason that
as civilization advances laws .aare
obeyed because they are an express
sion of the public opinion, not merely
because they have powder and lead
behind them. And as we look back
over the past. we may we'll wonder
whether the peace movement would
not have grown more rapidly than 1t
has. had woman, who sucers more
than man from the results OF war.
been consulted before hostilities be-
gan.
"It is urged by some that woman's
life Is already full of care and that the
addition OF suffrage would either over
burden her or turn her attention away
from the duties Of the home. Tho
answer. made to this Is that the exer-
ciso oil, the franchise might result In
change o Thought and occupation
that would relieve tho monotoay OF
woman's work and give rcstful varie-
ty to her activities. And surely tho
home will not suffer If tho mother.
the child,s first teacher is nblc to in
telligcntiy, ,digcuss with her family the
science OF government and tho art OF
successfully administering 1t.
,"Third. Many well meaning. men
and women affirm TINT :snffrago would
woik a harm to woman by lossening
the respect In which she IS held. This
argument would have more weight had
had It not been employed against ey..