Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1914-1915, 1914-10-29
women
SHOULD VOTE
By Alice Stone Blackwell.

By Alice Stone Blackwell.
1. BECAUSE it is right and fair
that those who must obey the laws,
should have a voice in making them,
and that those who must pay taxes
should have a vote as to the size of
the tax and the way it shall be spent.
2. BECAUSE the moral, education
al, and humane legislation desired by
women would be got more easily if
women had votes. New York women
have worked in vain for years to Sc
cure a legislative appropriation to
found a State Industrial School for
Girls. Colorado women worked in vain
for n till they got the ballot; then
the legislature promptly granted it.
8. BECAUSE laws unjust to wo-
men would be amended more quickly.
It cost Massachusetts, women IS years
of effort to secure the law making
mothers equal guardians of their chill
dren with their fathers. In Colorado
after women were enfranchised, the
very next legislature granted it. At
ter more than half a century of agita-
ton by women for this reform only 16
out of 48 states now give equal guard-
ianship to mothers.
4. BECAUSE disfranchisement
helps to keep wages down. Hon. Car
roll D. Wright, National Commission
er of Labor, said in an address deliv-
cred at Smith College: "The lack of
direct political influence constitutes a
powerful reason why women's wages
have been kept at a minimum"
S. BECAUSE equal suffrage would
increase the proportion of educated
voters. The high schools of every
state in the Union are graduating
more girls than boys-often twice or
three times as many. (Report of Com
missioner of Education.)
G.. BECAUSE it would increase the
proportion of native-born voters. Ac-
cording to the census of 1910, there
are in the United States 129 men Of
foreign birth to every 100 women,
while among Asiatics the men out
number the women two to one.
z BECAUSE it would increase the
moral and law-abiding vote very
much, while increasing the vicious and
criminal vote very little. Women form
a minority Of all the criminal and VI
cious classes, and a majority of all the
classes working for human advance
ment.
8. BECAUSE it leads to fair treat
ment Of women in the public service.
In Massachusetts the average pay of
a female teacher is about one-third
that OF a male teacher, and, in almost
all of the states it is unequal. In Wy
oming and Utah, the law provides that
they shall receive pay for equal work.
(Revised Statutes of Wyoming, Sec
ton GA; Revised Statutes of Utah,
Section 1852
9. BECAUSE legislation for the
protection of children would be Sc
cured more easily. Judge Lindsey, OF
the Denver Juvenile Court, says: eve
have in Colorado the most advanced
laws of any state in the Union for the
care and protection Of the home and
the children. These laws, in my opin.
ion, would not exist at this time if il
were not for the powerful influence Of
woman suffrage"
10. BECAUSE it is the quietest
easiest, and most dignifed and least
conspicuous way Of influencing public
affairs. It takes much less expendi,
ture of time, labor and personal pres,
ence to 60 up to the ballot box, dro1
in a slip of paper and come away, thar
to pursuade a multitude of miscellan
eous voters to vote right.
II. BECAUSE it would make wo
men more broadminded. Professo,
Edward H. Griggs says: "The ballo
is an educator, and women will becom,
more practical and more wise in usinl
.. it."
IL. BECAUSE woman's ballo
would make it harder for n~otoriousl.
} bad candidates to be nominated o
elected. In the equal suffrage state
, both parties have to put up men o
, respectable character or lose the wo
mems vote.
10. BECAUSE it would increas
women's influence. Mrs. Mary G. {
Bradford, of Colorado says:
!. "Instead of women's influence bein,
lessened by the ballot, it is greatly in
creased. Last year there were S
! many members Of the legislature wit
bills that they wanted the club wome
to indirse that the Social Science de