Omaha daily bee., 1914-06-16

The suffraRe QuestiOn.--I.
SOUTH OMAHA. June i5.To the Edi-
tor Of The Bee: II seems to me that one %
cur most pressing needs at this time is a
a law that will compel every legal voter 70
cast a vote At every election. A penalty
heavy enough should be provided for fall
ure TO vote. so that IL will be an object
for every legal voter 70 cast a vote Many
times men are elected to office who would
not stand the ghost OF show II every
one OF the so called good citizens" would
turne out to vote. What we need more
than anything else in my humble esti-
nation Is that ali now entitled to vote
shall be compelled to cast their ballots.
We need II more than we do a larger
number Of voters.
Without discussing whether women
should vote or should not be given the
franchise, / will discuss other features OF
the question at this time
II is my opinion that the wishes OF the
women themselves should be ascertained
and II II is definitely ascertained that
even 90 per cent Of the women want the
elective franchise. then will be time
enough 10 settle the question OF allow
ing them unlimited suffrage.
There has not been any instance shown
yet where even q per cent OF the women
OF this country ask the right OF suffrage
Some leading women anti-suffragists
claim that not even 10 per cent Of the
women ask for the suffrage.
Wherever women have the right to vote
an exceedingly small proportion OF them
exercise that right and the number seems
to decrease rather than increase. have
are entitled to vote. The first time about
1900 OF them voted; at the second cleo
tion but twenty women voted And that
seems 20 be the rule in every state where
they exercise the right Of suffrage. After
most strenuous efforts of the suffragists
In Chicago this year in hauling women to
the polling places and csjoling them and
almost forcing them to go to the polling
places. less than 20 per cent OF the Chi
cago women exercised the suffrage and
the votes we're most OF them largely cas-,
in the questionable districts of Chicago.
The chairman, or rather chairwoman, Of
the general suffrage committee expressed
great disappointment at the poor show
ing OF the women, but said they will try
II again. In my opinion she will be still
more disappointed the next time. for the
vote will be much less IL the general
history OF suffrage Is any criterion.
We are told that ideal conditions will
prevail II suffrage Is given TO all the
women Of the country II suffrage Is
given them / hope such will be the case
But things have not been materially
changed In any state where women vote
We have been told for years that condi-
tions In Colorado we're highly ideal and
that state was cited as a model for the
whole country. But when the deplor-
able conditions in the coal mines came
upon the country and when scores Of
lives were lost in the battles fought in
that region. the suffragists claimed that
such conditions came about on account
OF the great majority OF the men over
women in Colorado. do not believe
the suffrage question had a thing to do
with II and It would have happened just
the same II there were a million more
women than men in Colorado
have been told by men who have been
in Colorado when elections are held that
the leading suffragists of high personal
standing Go not hesitate to go right into
the questionable districts OF Denver and
haul the residents to the polling places.
In recent elections in Illinois a number OF
the larger cities and towns voted dry
without the woman vote. notably Gales.
burg. In my view, when the majority
OF the people favor a reform 1t will be
brought about whether women vote or
not for public opinion will prevail.
am not one who believes the country
will 80 TO ruin II we have full suffrage,
for the women Of this great nation have
been Its bulwark Of defense and strength
In times Of war and in times OF peace and
they are just as much interested in the
welfare Of the land as the men. II
seems to me that It is more question
whether women want to vote than
whether they should have that right.
With your permission. / viii discuss this
question further in another letter.