The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-17
BRYAN TAKES STAND
FOR W0MAN'S SUFFRAGE
Announces Intention Of Supporting
Proposed Constitutional Amend
ment i'll Nebraska.
ISSUES FORMAL STATEMENT
Declares He Would Ask No Political
Rights for Himself That He Is Not
Willing to Grant His Wifc-Stntes
Reasons for Belief He Holds.

Washington. July Is - Secretary
Bryan. in formal statement issued
tonight. came out for woman suffrage.
He declared that he would ask no
political rights for himself that he
was not willing TO grant his wife. and
announced his intention OF supporting
the proposed State Constitutional
amendment extending the franchise to
women. To be voted upon In Nebra Ska
next November
Woman, Mr. BRYAN said. had proved
! herself equal to every responsibility
imposed upon her. and would not fall
society In this emergency. Above all
other arauments in favor OF giving
her the ballot he placed the right OF
the mother to a voice in the moulding
the environment OF her children. The
mother the secretary said. "can just
~ claim the right to employ every
weapon which can he made effective
Tor the protection or those whose in
terests she guards, and the ballot Will
pui within her reach all of the in
strumentalitics OF government, includ-
ing the police power"
GIVES HIS REASONS FOR
RELIEF THAT is IN HI1I
The statement follows in full:
The voters OF Nebraska will, at the
election next November. adop; or re-
ieci proposed amendment extending
Suffrage TO women Oh equal terms with
men. AS a citizen of that state I,
VIII be my duty TO participate in the
decision 20 be rendered at the polls
| have delayed Expressing an opinion
on this subject, partly because | have
been seeking information. and partly
because my time has been occupied
with national questions upon which the
entire country was acting: but now
that the issue is presented in my
state. l take my position. shall
support the amendment. shall ask
no political rights for myself that |
am no. willing 10 grant to my wife.
AS man and woman are cotenants
or the earth. and must work out their
destiny together, the presumption is
on the side of equality OF treatment in
all that pertains 10 their joint life and
its opportunities. The burden OF proof
is on those who claim for one ala adj
vantage over the other in determining
the conditions under which both shall
live. This claim has not been estah-
lished in the matter of suffrage. on
the contrary. the objections raised TO
woman suffrage appear to me 10 be
invalid. while the arguments advanced
In support OF the proposition arc, in
my Judgment. convincing.
he hrst objection which | remember
10 nave heard was that as woman can
not bear arms. she should not have a
voice in deciding questions that might
might require AN army for their en-
forccment. This argument is seldom
offered now. for the reason that as
civilization advances. laws are oheyed
because they are an expression Of the
public opinion, not merely because
they have power and lead behind them.
And as we look back over the past.
we may well wonder whether the peace
movement would not have grown more
rapidly than it has had woman. who
suffers moro than man from the re-
suits OF war, been consulted before
hostilities began.
MAY RELIEVE NONOTONY
or MOMAN'S EXISTENCE
Second. ii is urged by some that
womans life is already full of care.
and that the addition OF suffrage would
either ovcrburdcn her or turn her at
tention away from the duties OF the
home. The answer made to this is
that the exercise OF t,.c franchise
might result in change of thought
and occupation that would relieve the
monotony of woman's work and give
restful variety to her activities And
surely the home will not suffer if the
mother the child's first teacher is
able to intclligently discuss with her