The Sentinel=record., 1914-07-17
SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS HE WILL SUPPORT THE PRO-
 POSED AMENDMENT.
MORE POWER FOR WOMEN
Is Needed in the Protection. of Those Near and Dear to Her and She Should Aid in Making Laws and Shaping Public Policy.

Washington, D. C., July 16.--Secre- tary Bryan. in a formal statement to- day, came out for woman suffrage He declared he would ask no DO itical right for himself he was not willing to grant his wife, and announced he would support the proposed state con Istitutional amendment extending the franchise to women to be voted on in Nebraska next November.
 Woman, MT. Bryan said, had proved herself equal to every responsibility imposed on her, and would not fail society in this emergency. Above all other arguments for giyinig her the ba lot. he placed the right of the mother to a voice in the moulding of the environments of her children
 "The mother" the secretary said, ''can justly claim the right to employ every effective weapon for the protec- tion of those whose interests she guards, and the ballot will put within her reach all the instrumentalities Of Government, including the police power
 "As man and woman are cotenant of the earth" the statement says. and must work out their destiny to- getaer the presumption is on the side of equality for treatment in al that pertains to their joint life and it's opportunities. The burden of proof is on those who claim for one an advan- tage over the other ia determining conditions under which both shall live. Objections raised to woman suffrage appear to me to be invalid while the arguments advanced in sup port of the proposition, in my judg- ment are convincing.
 "Tle first objection l remember to have heard was that as woman can not bear arms she should not have voice in deciding questions that might lead to war, or in enaeting laws that might require an army to enforce. This argument is seldom now, for as civilization advances laws are obeyed because they are an ex- lpression of the public opinion As we '~NN 'RNh CftA tht past we Hay we'll wonder whether the peace movement would not have grown more rapidly had woman been consulted before hostilities began.
 Second, some urge that womans life already is full of care and that the addition of suffrage either would overburden her or turn her attention away from home duties The answer made is that the exercise of the franchise might result in a change of thought and occupation that would relieve the monotony of womans work Surely the home will not sui fer if the mother. the child's first teacher is abe to intelligently dis cuss with her family the science of government and the art of success fully administering it.
 Third, many well meaning men and women affirm that suffraee would work harm to women by les. sening the respect in which she is held. This argument would have more weight had it not been em ployed against every proposition ad vanced in favor of the enlargement tof woman's sphere. This objection once was raised to the higher eduea ton of woman, but it is no longer heard.
 These objections, however honest. ly advanced, have proven impotent to retard womans progress.
 And are not the second and third objections refuted, to some extent at least by the fact that ia the states which have adopted woman's suffrage (and in the other nttions that have adopted it there is no agitation for a return to the system under whici man has monopoly of the right to vote. It is not fair to assume an ef fort would be made to correct the mistake If womans suffrage really had failed to give satisfaction to the people where it has been tried.
 Tt is not my purpose to discuss the subject with elaboration at this time, but I desire to present the ar gument to which I give the greatest weight. l pace the emphasis upon the mothers right to voice in moulding the environment which shall surround her children, an en- lyironment which operates powerfully