Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1914-10-23
Many Gather TO
Hear Debate on
" oman Suffrage

5 Before an enthusiastic and atten-
tive audience which filled to capacity
the court room Of the court house,
Daniel Y. Brennan, exponent OF wo-
man suffrage, and F. T. Cuthbert, op-s
ponent Of equal suffrage, met Monday
evening in a joint. debate, when the
issues of this great proposition which
well be passed upon November 3rd,
were set before the people Of this city.
aS The equal suffrage arguments were
very ably submitted by Mr.. Brennan,
mis- remarkable ability coming as a
surprise to many Of this city, this be-
ing practically his initial bow before
q Devils Lake audience, while Mr..
Guthbert, with his acknowledged abil-
ity as an orator, defended his case
with arguments which are being used
by the anti-suffrage associations in
an attempt to defeat the movement. ~
Mr.. Cuthb bert opened the depate, de-
voting nearly his entire time to dis
5cussing fundamental government and
the right Of either men or women to
vote, arguing that the vote was not a
right, but rather a privilege confer
red by the government upon ceratin
persons, and withheld fom others. s
He also asserted that government
was. founded upon force, and therefore
they who could not enforce the laws,
had no right to make them, meaning
that for the reason that a woman is
not physically fit to take up a rifle and
go to war she should not be allowed to
vote. HUI X 5:5@. 3 ;:..s & s
# The majority of women, said Mr..
Cuthbert, do not want to vote. 1t is
only the few who are abnormally con.
stituted physically, mentally or NOR
ally who want q voice in the govern
ment and wish to place this additional
responsible lity and burden pom L wo-7 7
men who alfeaady have too much to do
in their homes to; bother about the
import duty and other political ques-
tfons. \ They who advocate woman suf'
frage take view of the, socialist and
feminist and declare that man and wo.
man are constituted alike. This view
I is contrary to the laws of nature and
II Ia a mockery on the scheme Of Provi:
dence, who has created men and Wo-
men Tor different work, p He quoted
Herbert spenc as saying that when ne
/ q. large number of people for any
length OF time follow one course there
must be some fundame entail, underly
ing good in it. Woman has always
been sheltered and man always had to
20 out into the world to strive and
fight for his existence and that of his
dependents. :sgs3 s5 ~ !. !5ss 81
In opposing these arguments MT
Brennan replied that every man os
twenty-one years and in his rlgh1
senses considered the. ballot Alright
and that il it were taken away from
him he would resent the deprivation
not as a man relinquishes privilege
butas one who has lost a right, one
y who has been wrongfully discriminat
ed against. Every reform, every steI
i in advance has been fought bitterly
and the very people who are toda,
/ opposing woman suffrage think alons
I. the same lines as did those who op
posed giving the ballot to the work
+ ing man, the abolition ,of slavery. ant
the higher education of women.
\ q; 81. stThe majority Of women do wan
the vote said Mr.. Brennan. I'm max ma
4 ing the. statement he did, Mr.. Cuth
b bert overlooked the eight million work
h wonlen in the United States todas
who are forced out into the econom
world and who need the ballot f 10 .
III SELF protection. And in addition to th'
working women who have no one t
represent them there are other Womel ne
who are property owners and other
still who have defective and drunke' t
husbands. Il. a .5.s., B
In replying to Mr.. Cuthbert's assei
tion that unless women can hight the ne
should not vote, Mr.. Brennan brough
what was undoubtedly the most 1 en-
phatic and dramatic climax Of tn
evening, when he pictured the par m
which women Of Europe are playiln
i In the great conflict which Is now " + raf
! ing there,using 1t to prove his poilnl pill
that If the women vote greater car
will be shown in plungingsa great n ~
I tion into war, the greater portion 9
the suffering OF which is born by tn
"a women. Il. 5-E:sjs sS,..
The following are some Of the a a
# guments used by Mr.. Brennan in s SUI s'l
port Of his contentious.
Every argument in favor OF MAJ MAJ
hood suffrage is an argument IN fave
OF woman suffrage" |" 5 ss5:5 s.=
"R the lack Of manhood suffrage s.
the past mas been an Injustice TO maj
the lack Of woman suffrage has bee