The Washington herald., 1914-03-01

Ask a suffragist to tell you why sh'
works day and night. buttonholing thii
Senator or that this Representative oil
that, and spreading suffrage propaganda
in almost every conceivable way, some
times encountering toughs who would
give any normal woman fright-anc
all just for the right to vote-and see Il
she hasn't an answer for you right OF
the bat" as the vulgar saying goes
Naturally, there are many active suf-
fragists in the National Capital. espe-
cially during a session of Congress- Tnt
fact that the nations lawmakers are
here makes Washington the logical base
of operations for these women, and tne
earuestness and energy of the suffragists
are impressed upon almost everybody
they meet during their work.
There must be some reason for all thls
eadeavor The Washington Herald IN
vited a number of these women-to con-
cisely set forth their reasons Tor waning
the franchise, and there was READY
cheerful response. They were asked "
ten wby they are suffragists in 800 words.
and The Washington Herald takes pleas
ure in presenting through its columns tne
answers
NO1eu
All members of the Congressionai
2 committee of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association were inter
viewed and answered the question: why
am a woman suffragist!
Mrs. Mednl Mccormick. chairman OF
the Congressional committee, Is the
daughter of the late Senator MARX
Hanna, of Ohio, and was associated wlth
him both in politics and business Sne
understood much of what he was doing
in all of his great activities, ana par
ticularly in the work he did in connecuoh
with the Civic Federation. Senator hanna
took particular pains to better the con-
dition of his many employees and in thls
Miss Ruth Hanna took a conspicuously
active part and studied sociological con-
ditions Her interest in this line led her
into other channels, and she became con-
WINGED that the welfare of humanity de-
manded that women should be placed
upon an equality with men in the matter
of suffrage. and have an equal voice IN
everything pertaining to the government.
Mrs. Antoinette Funk is one Of the best
known woman lawyers in the country.
She practiced fourteen years in Chicago,
during which time she handled many
criminal cases. although criminal practice
was not her speciality. She is one OF the
best woman orators in the country, and a
most convincing speaker, whether on the
stump or in argument upon her favorite
topic, which is equal rights for women.
Mrs. Sherman NJ. Booth became presi-
dent of local suffrage association in a
suburb of Chicago, and the manner in
" Hhich she organized the association at
tracted so much attention that she was
selected by the State president as chair
man of the legislative committee, which
went TO Springfield and put through the
Illinois suffrage law. Both Mrs. Nc
Cermick and Mrs. Funk are associated
with her in this work, which is every
where recognized as one of the greatest
legislative achievements of women The
story of the way that legislation was
accomplished is one of the most inter-
esting chapters of political history. 1t
was for this reason that Mrs. Mccormick,
Mrs Funk. and Mrs. Booth were chosen
members of the Congressional committee
to represent the National Association in
Washington.
known throughout the country because
she has been the author of many i'm
portant books. She came from Virginia
to Washington and has long been en-
gagged in suffrage work. She is one
of the first women that ever made a
plea before Congressional committee in
favor of woman suffrage, which stands
today as one of the many unanswered
arguments which the women have made
for equal rights.
The statements following are concise
expressions of opinion of four Of the
women who compose the Congressional
committee:
Mrs. MedIH McCormicI<.
BY Mrs. Medill Mccormick, chairman
of the Congressional committee:
my activity in
/ learned first the necessity for the
ballot in the case of the working wom-
en-. This was particularly borne in
upon me during my work at the Uni
versity Settlement, in Chicago. under
the charge of that sincere suffragist
and great woman, Mary Mcdowell.
Later, when l commenced to think
about these things, / found that in
terest in political activity was not
confined to the working woman alone.
but that all women, whether bread
winners or homekeepers, or whatever
their walk in life, needed the ballot.
for their own development and for
their own protection, and, in order
that their family duties as daughters,
women, and mothers might properly
be performed. l came to recognize that
a democracy in which one-half the
people govern the other half is a farce,
and so 1 am a suffragist- The senti-
ments of Jefferson-No nation can
succeed while it withhOlds from its
most enlightened women that which
il bestows freely upon its most be-
nighted men'-appeals to me-"
Mrs. Antoinette Funk.
BY Mrs. Antoinette Funk:
Il was born a suffragist, 1 guess. Any
way, l cannot remember the time when
! did not believe in it. My mother was
a member of the Illinois Equal Suffrage
Association, and all of my family be-
Iieve in political equality between the
classes. never have been able to rec
ognize an argument against it. It al
ways seemed silly for any one to ques-
ton the justice of it. To me II is OBJ
viously right, and when any one says:
Do you believe in suffrage?' 1 feel like
answering: Does fire burn. or is water
wet?' l have never yet heard what is
called an argument against equal suf-