The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-07-23
BRYAN FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Makes Statement in Behalf of Votes
for Women.

Washington, July 6.-Secretary
Bryan in formal statement to-day
came out for women suffrage. He
declared he would ask no political
right for himself he was not willing
to grant his wife, and announced he
would support the proposed State
constitutional amendment extending
the franchise to women to be voted
on in Nebraska next November.
Woman, Mr.. Bryan said. had
proved herself equal to every re-
sponsibility imposed on her and
would not fail society in this emer-
gency. Above all other arguments
for giving her the ballot he placed
1.-The right of the mother to a voice
in the moulding of the environment
of her Children
The mother" the Secretary said,
"can justly claim the right to employ
every effective weapon for the pro-
lection of those whose interests she
guarantees, but the ballot will put
within her reach all the instrumental
ties of government, including the po-
lice power"
Equal Rights Argument.
Gas man and woman are Gotten
ants of thu, earth" the Secretary said,
"and must work out their destiny
together, the presumption is on the
side of equality for treatment in all
that pertains to their joint life and
it's opportunities. The burden of
proof is on those who claim for one
an advantage over the other in deter
mining conditions under which both
shall live. Objections raised to wo-
man suffrage appear to me to be
invalid, while the arguments advanc-
ed in support of the proposition, in
my judgment, are convincing.
"The first objection remember to
have heard was that as waman can
not bear arms she should not have
voice in deciding questions that
might lead to war, or in en-
acting laws that might require an
army to enforce. This argument is
seldom offered now, for as civiliza-
ton advances laws are -ebeyed be-
cause they are an expression of the
public opinion. AS we look back
over the past we may we'll wonder
whether the peace movement would
not have grown more rapidly had wo-
man been consulted before hostili-
ties began.
Home Win Not Suffer.
Second, some urge that woman
suffrage life is already full of care
and that admission of suffrage either
would overburden her to turn her. at
tention away from home duties. The
answer made is that the exercises OF
the franchise might result in a
change of tn light and occupation
that would relieve the monotony of
woman's work. Surely the home
will not suffer if the mother. the
child's first teacher is able to in
telligently discuss with her family
art of successfully administering it.
the science of government and the
Third, many well-meaning men
and women affirm that suffrage
would work a harm to woman by
lessening the respect in which she is
held. This argument would have
more weight had it not been employ
ed against every proposition ad-
vanced in favor of the enlargement
of woman's sphere. The oDJ' on
once was raised to the higher euu "a
ton of woman, but it no longer is
heard.
These objections, however honest
ly advanced, have proven impotent
to retard woman's progress.
And are not the second and third
objections refuted, to some extent at
least, by the fact that in the States
which have adopted woman suffrage,
land in the other nations chat have
adopted it, there is no agitation for
return to the system under which
man has a monopoly of right to
vote? Is it not fair to assume an
effort would be made to correct the
mistake if woman's suffrage really
had failed to give satisfaction to the
people where it has been tried?'
The Haskell Convention.