Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1914-03-20

work Is desired that evening.
what legislation for the benefit of wo-
men and children they would try to
forward If elected To Office When pol
iticians are dependent on the votes OF
women for election TO office they natu-
rally think about what the women
care for in making up their platforms.
| They see TO it that their platforms con-
tain some of the things that interest
women. They have to If they wish to
be elected.
| Lit used to be asked "Who will mind
the baby while the mother goes to
voteY' and the answer was "The cam
didate for office will do that.u AS a
matter of fact in the equal suffrage
states UT Is quite customary TO have
trained nurses at the polls to take care
of the babies while the mother goes in
TO vote and the polls have been placed
in schools, grocery stores, churches or
| private houses instead of in saloons as
in the old days. Going TO vote has be-
come quite as easy matter as going to
shop, to church or TO the theatre and
surely IL should be when you think
what voting means. The result is that
from IS TO So per cent OF the women In
i the equal suffrage states go To the polls
/ on election day. Political platforms
contain some of the things that women
care about and politicians have TO
measure up To the women's standards
as we'll as the mems.
/ There Is an excellent article in the
Century for March and In the Provi-
denee Sunday Journal for March s, tel
ling what women have accomplished
in the ten states in hisscountry where
! II
what IL means TO any community TO
have the point of view of women count
in public affairs.
II is pretty serious thing for a state
not To have the point OF view of wom-
en- count In public affairs. We have
had some striking examples of IL here
In Connecticut.
The politicians here in Connecticut
do not waste their time considering
what women want and talking to wo-
mems clubs. You cannot blame them
for IL does not matter what the women
think here on election day. Men are
elected TO office entirely regardless OF
them and their point of view.
Let me give you AN example of just
why women in Connecticut need votes
now--not ten years hence but now
and why every man aud every woman
W nv ua1 ttiS bNSb iHbtiS5te vi .out btutt
at heart should do everything possible
to arouse the pubic conscience and
give women some control over the men
who make our laws, spend our taxes
and govern our cities.
About two years ago public trial
brought to light the fact that in Hart
ford, a stone'e throw from the police
station, was the market for one of the
biggest White Slave traders lin the
east. We learned that 1855 girls, little
young girls from II years old up, had
been shipped to our city in about eigh-
teen months. Fusco, the keeper Of the
resort, said that although it was diff
cult now to get girls from New York
that he could get all the girls that he
wanted from the small cities Of Con-
necticut. The policy of our city tow
ard the social evil had made possible
this terrible condition. Moreover, the
policy of our city was one that had
been condemned by all the Vice Com
missions that had reported during the
past twenty years, as one that facilita-
ted the traffic in women and gave pub
lie sanction to the debanchiug of our
boys.
Just before the election of the mayor
a number of women held great pub
lie meeting. IL was In the biggest the
atre In flown and there were at least
fifteen hundred women present and
few men. 1t was obvious that the
women were the ones who felt most
strongly about the mates We passed
resolutions calling upon the candidates
for mayor to tell what policy they
would adopt in dealing with the social
! evil If elected To office. Neither one OF
them even replied.
n -. Al. a. Il
! been more striking demonstration Of
the need Of womenis having votes. III
we had been voters would they have
replied? OF course they would They
would have had TO. They could not
have afforded 10 ignore US II they had
been trying to get US to vote for them.
As 1t was they could ignore our request
and the mayor of our city was elected
| without giving any assurance as TO
what his policy toward this evil would
be, not even that the old policy that
had proved so disastrous TO the lives OF
women not be returned TO. Is 1t sur
prising that thousands OF men and
J women in Connecticut are working for
woman suffrage in dead earnest?
There was social hour after the
speaking when the members of the
league and their friends ,eajoyed meet
ing Mrs. Hepburn and discussing with
her the various questions relating to
equal suffrage. Under the direction of
, Miss Katherine Byrne, Miss A. Nc.
Kenna, Mrs. w. Whitney, and' Miss
Gertrude Jones, of the entertainment
committed, abundant refreshments
were served, consisting Of dainty sand
witches and delicious cakes Of every
sort, olives, candy, and fragrant coffee,
all contributed by members of the
, league, who in their eageFuess for po-
! litical tights have not forgotten their
housewifely accom- plishments.
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