The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
The Eternal Question.

Of suffrage aroused much opposition TO
her reelection on the part Of the suf-
fraEists. which shows definitely how un-
willing the suffragists are to acknowl-
edge any man or woman on their own
merits or on the results OF good work
which they have accomplished. The suf-
fragists even went so far as TO open
quiet campaign to place Mrs. George
Bass. Of Chicago, a suffragist, in nominal
tion in opposition to Mrs. Pennybacker.
Mrs. Pennybacker's reelection did not
depend upon her past good and efficient
leadership. but upon the question of suf-
frage-votes for women! The sufTragists
have shown all over the country a de-
termination TO ignore fitness in ofice
for the one desideratum, belief in woman
suffrage.
Oh Nth His Head.
II a public oficial is competent. fear
less-off with his head IL he does not
bow to votes for women. He may he
the best Senator. the best governor. the
best mayor known in his part Of the
country. nevertheless, no more considera-
tion OF patriotism should save him.
Mayor MitcheI's political future is DOOM
ed since he dared say on May >:
New York is not an equal suffrage
State. but many Of us are quite con-
State in It's recognition of the rights of
women. !. myself, am convinced that
women do not require the suffrage to
achieve entrance into public life. and
that they will not suffer materially for
lack Of it" This greatly displeased the
suffraCists and they are saying that his
speech will come home to roOst' when
they get their vote in 1915.
II would he interesting To record how
many women have made a searching and
ANALYTICAL study Of our form OF gov
ernment How many women who are
clamorinE So keenIy for the vote can
discuss intelliEentlv the technical and
fundamental functions by which the
Federal and municipal machinery is kept
moving Is it natural to suppose that
women with their many inherent duties
towards home and State have either the
time or the desire to follow to a final
ANALYSIS the possibilities involved in
new law or to study deeply the probable
results of a technical political measure
and its relation to the people in its
adoption? Do not the suffragist con-
fuse the desire to vote with the desire
for the right to vote2 Are they honestly
and genuinely as much interested in the
underlying principles of good government
as men? Do they fully realize the inn
portance Of preserving the independence
Of the judiciary and representative
form Of government?
Women are not inclined to be dispas-
sionate. Unconditional. clear-headed, un-
biased thinkers in questions of great pol
icies, huge financial propositions and
tremendous enterprises upon which the
sustenance of millions are dependent
and until they have proved their ability
to act more quickly, think more deeply
and Judge more wisely than men have in
policies, women voting
would seriously complicate the great task
which our present form Of democracy
already entails. No State has yet shown,
where women have voted, any beneficial
and directly prominent good results from
women vOting-nOthing more than what
might happen in any state where they do
not vote. The only real practical proof
of votes for women is in the States where
they have It and have had 1t from two
are entirely lacking to Justify their
claims. they are moving on with band
aged eyes and obsessed minds
suGrari.tS Marching BACK"
The suffragists are marching straight
back to aboriginal days when woman
ruled village. camp and home, raised
and trained the children. in fact, did
everything but hunt. fight and gamble
and they call IL progress. II women
centuries back decided that this worlds
work avs really a cooperative affair
and shifted the burdens Of government
onto mans shoulders, they undoubtedly
waded through slOuChs Of experience to
reach that conclusion and the modern
woman will have to wade back through
those same hSsyy morasses to reach