The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1914-10-29
Mrs. LaFoLLETTE
or 4llRRRAaE

Mrs. LaFoLLETTE
Mrs. Robert LaFollette's sub
iect in hep discourse here was
brief resume of the speech:
"My basic reason for believing
il in equal suffrage" she declared.
lis that it makes better homes.
The home is the foundation. Of So
ciety. Government exists for So
ciety. Next to the home the church
the school. government is the
most intimate persuasion and i'm
portant factor in our common
lives" Y
There was time when tradi-
ton and law failed to recognize
women's rightful place in the
home. the church, the school. But
gradually as civilization has pro-
crossed, the old ideals have chan
ged. Woman has assumed her
rightful place in the home, she is
no longer silent in the churches,
indeed men would find it almost
impossible now to do without wo-
mans help in church work. The
schools too. are open to women ON
an equal footing with men. 1t is
not so very long since the ques-
ton of equal education was. q dis
puted one. There were plenty of
ants, and only after a long. hard
struggle were the doors of the un-
iversities opened to man and Mo-
man alike. We have now outgrown
those preiudices as to ~fome,
church and school. but when we
come to government they skilfsex-
list, and this is due. to custom.
When we analyze government it is
not mans problem, nor q .wo-
mans problem, but familysprO-
blem.
In pioneer days when women
spun and wove and everything
was made in the home. it was an
independent unit and did not af-
feet the individual much but now
that economic conditions have
changed legislation effects, the
welfare of men and women alike.
A large share of city and town.
ship government is really public
housekeeping, and woman can
not take care of domestic affairs
except as she takes an interest in
public affairs.
DR.. Wiley says it was women
knocking at the doors Of Congress
for 20 years that secured the pure
food law and that the law will
never be what it should be until
women get the vote. Women of
United States are working for hu-
man betterment and they hn1 II
great waste of time and energy to
beg public officials for better leg
islation. And as women try to he
of higher service they almost I'M
animously agree that they want
the suffrage in proportion to their
numbers. More women have asked
for the ballot than any olsen
franchised class in the history of
suffrage.
The following organizations
have endorsed equal suffrage: Ma
tional Federation of Women's
clubs. w. G. +. u. The National
and State Oranges, the National
State Union League and the Ma
tional and State Federation of La
Ool nave EclCIdiy clluOlSou Ouudl
suffrage. The National Teachers
Association. The National Library
Association, The Sunday School
Association and many church or
carnations have recently adopted
resolutions strongly favoring suf-
frage. These widely distributed
purposeful organizations repre-
sent millions of good, intelligent
women. How can an-orn say that
women do not want the ballot?
Nothing could be further from
the truth than that women want
this power because they wish to
be like men. 1t is because they are
different. and have their woman's
point of view that they ask for a
share in making the laws that
govern them. The views of men
and women are not antagonistic
but supplementary. Men think
more in terms of dollars and cents
and women in terms Of human
welfare. A government by women
wholly would be as undesirable.
Working together you get a bet
ter balanced government Just as
you get a better home. better
church. a better school. where
men and women share the respOn-
sibility. Mrs. LaFollette then
spoke of the fundamental princi-
pie of our constitution. Taxation
without representation which is
surely violated with regard to- ,wo-
men owning property. This argu-
ment surely must appeal to all
fair minded men. She ridiculed the
idea that women should keep out
of politics in order to make their
influence for better conditions and
better laws more effective. Then
why not disenfranchise every 9TH
er man and say to one half of the
population: you use your nom
partisan super political influence
with the other half to make them
vote for the right kind of laws and
government" Who will volunteer
to be disenfranchised to create the
sentiment? A laugh went around
the room at this. the men evident.