University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1914-10-05
SHOULD WOMEN vOTEi
YES.

suffrage pecduSc IL "ouAu
with her home duties must now find
another objection since the leaders
of this movement in America include
many women who perform home du-
ties.
The man who objected because 1t
caused woman to lose her gentility
must seek elsewhere for an excuse
because Americas suffragists have
certainly done nothing unbecoming a
woman.
There is no use saying she has as
much governmental sense or instinct
as the criminal or negro for that is
generally admitted.
Suffrage for woman is inevitable,
their time has come. And the men
who oppose it will just have to take
it as they have taken other ''innova-
tions" in the workings of our govern
ment.
The objection to woman's suffrage
that those indulging would lose their
gentleness is of little value now. Amer
icass suffragists have certainly been
gentlemen. s..
NO.
The demand that women be al
lowed equal part with men in the
tasks of government is based on two
assumptions: First that all women
desire this part in government, or can
be induced to desire it, and second
that all conditions will be greatly i'm
proved by granting suffrage to wom-
en-. Were these assumptions correct
no one would deny the wisdom of hav-
ing equal suffrage. Miss Ashley, the
treasurer of the National Suffrage
Association, says that a rough esti-
mate of the American women favoring
suffrage is 100000 The women who
do not want suffrage are asking why
so small a number as those wanting
suffrage should seek to thrust upon
the majority of those opposed or in
different or ignorant of the matter
something which they do not desire.
Secondly, will conditions be bettered?
That no one knows for certainty.
But we can look at the states that
have woman's suffrage. The large in
crease of divorce is especially no
ticeable in suffrage states; in Colo
rado from 450 to 557 in ten years;
Wyoming 20 to 143; Utah 225 to 3s7.
While these conditions are not
charged directly against the women
of the states, yet the fact remains
that they exist and women would un-
doubtedly rectify them If they were
able. But If the ballot does not give
them opportunity, what does it
amount to?
Do children or foreigners before
being naturalized, suffer because de-
MED the right to vote? Why then
should women suffer because of their
disfranchisement. They are moth
ers, sisters or wives of voters. Does
any woman suffer because of legal
determinations against her here in
Missouri? Because of the babble of
the English suffragists, who are so
touchingly unaware Of our laws that
they conceive us to be living undeF
iAtoASto ooic tyIduuy. DcCdusc tucy /
suffer injustice they take it for grant
ed that we do.
For brevity will classify my OBJ
jections to woman suffrage under
four heads:
l. Where there is substantially
universal manhood suffrage, as there
is in this country. all persons in
cluding women and children are rep
resented by the voters.
2. Universal woman suffrage would
add nothing to the voting Of the pres
ent electorate of this country.
8. The enfranchisement of women
Is not necessary to correct the few
against women.
4. Giving women the right to vote
will have an Injurious effect on the