The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-09-01
EQUAL SUFFRAGE
FOR THE WOMEN
The State Should Realize a
Great Opportunity Is Being
Lost Without Such Suffrage
miss ANNIE FORBES LIDDELL.
Charlotte. n. c.

ton of equal Suffrage. put 10 Il great
people it seems as 1oreiSn ana
far away as the Home Rule agitation
Many of us who admit the justice and
abstract right Of Equal Suffrage do
not realize the immediate need. Nor
do We consider how it would affect
our own local conditions. Ho would
Equal Suffrage affect North Carolina!
Some of us will answer that North
Carolina does not need il, tina the
women of the West may vote If they
like. but thai here at home there is
little occasion for considering the
matter at all. OF course 1T IS com
ing We all agree to hat, some with
the JOY of hope. others with
forebodings of disaster, for there are
always those to whom whatever IS
is right and whatever is not is danger
Gus. We are inclined to add, however.
that it will be a long time before it
comes in North Carolina. And y I
why should it be?
A great many men Will say When
the Women Of North Carolina want
to vote l think hey shoul be al
lowed to do so, but unless the majority
of the women themselves ask for it |
do not think they should be given
suffrage"
With the first part of this remark
there should be no quarrel. When
the women of the State want to vote.
surely they should not be denied. Why
however, must the majority of women
wish the franchise in order t secure
it. You can not force the ballot"
upon anybody, but YOU can deny it to
many. Should the minority who wish
political equality with men be denied
it because the majority are Indifferent
or even opposed to assuming their
share of political responsibility?
1t would be quite as logical to say
When the children of North Caro-
lima want to go to school We will pro-
vide hoo for them, but unless she
majority Of the children wish to be
educated we will not force education
upon them" The average child does
not appreciate the value of it's edu-
cation at least until it is in the high
school, and frequently not even then.
None the less after the physical neceS-
stiles of food, clothes, sleep and shell
ter the child needs education, train
ing, above all things. 1t is the duty
Of the State to realize and provide for
that need. The child must be taught
to be a useful and efficient citizen re-
CARELESS of its own indifference. More.
over, the child's Indifference or even
opposition is due to ignorance. II
does not see the advantage of goine
to school and it does not want to go
Later On, however, it appreciates the
value of training.
In public affairs women are chill
dren. They have not been trained
to become real citizens. 1t is natura'
that they should in many cases be in.
different even a~ntagOniStic to eQua
! suffrage, its advantages are not al
ways obvious and it's Responsibilities:
would be great. The State should
realize, however,. that it is wasting {
r great opportunity in allowing at leas
half of its population to ignore tn,
t duties of citizenship. More than tina
! it should realize that it is making
: terrible mistake in allowing tn,
: mother of children no part in tn
q government. 1t is not only because o
t the valuable service they could rem
G der, but more especially because t,
them is entrusted the training of tn,
younger generation. One great weak
ness in modern conditions is that ma
ness in modern conditions is tina
many of our best citizens are littl
interested in citizenship. AS tn
care Of the child is left more an.
more TO the mother, and he become
n what she makes him far more tina,
g what his father makes him we ca,
but infer this Indifference to politics
SO much depiored, will increase un
less the mother of the child. her
@ self a responsible citizen, teaches he
son the duties Of citizenship.
1nITYT N 4