The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-21
ASK CLERGY TO AID
VOTES FOR WOMEN
Equal SUFFRAGE LEAGUE OFF
VIRGINIA SENDS OUT
OPEN LETTER.
THREE REASONS GIVEN
MISS BLACKWELL TELLS xGR-
GINA MINISTER'S CONSENSUS OF
TESTIMONY SHOWS FRANCHISE
HAS GOOD RESULTS.
THREE REASONS GIVEN

The Equal Suffrage league Of Vir-
ginia is seeking to enlist the support
| of the clergy Of the State and to all
ministers circular letter is being
sent The letter. written by Miss
Blackwell. is being mailed from State
headquarters of the league. between
Broad and Grace. The letter reads
as follows:
The clergy are educators of pub
lie opinion. They should give their
moral support to the equal suffra ge
movement for three reasons: First.
because il is just; second, because in
practice 1t makes for righteousness:
third because of the unrightetousness
of the methods and interests arrayed
against it.
Many Replies Favorable.
Its abstract justice Is generally
conceded. Its practical good results
are established by the consensus of
testimony from hundreds of clergy
men In the enfranchised States. Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe in 1910 sent cir
cular letter to all the Episcopal eler-
gymen and to the aptist. Congre-
gational. Methodist and Presbyterian
ministers in the States where women
vote, asking If the results were good
or bad. She received GA replies OF
these, sixty-four were unfavorable,
fortysix in doubt, and 616 in favor
The answers from the Episcopal cler-
gy were in favor, more than two to
one; from the Baptist ministers. seven
to one. from the Congregational min
listers, about eight to one; from the
Methodist ministers. more than eleven
TO one. These figures speak for them
selves
The ministers were practically
unanimous in saying that the ballot
had done women good by broadening
. &a.i.. tr.A tna ty,y ~ RI IA n
a more intelligent interest in public
questions: that 1t had made them more
Intelligent companions for their hus-
hands. and better able to instruct their
children. A large number said that
1t had prompted temperance. had help
ed to secure liberal appropriations for
educational and humanitarian pur-
poses, and had made it harder for no.
toriousiy had candidates to be norni-
mated or elected This last result Is
conceded even by Mr.. A. Lawrence
Lewis, one of the very few respeeta-
bic men in Colorado who have ever
written anything against woman suf-
frage In his article in the Outlook.
which the suffragists have print
ed as tract, he says:
Women Vote Bad Ones Down.
Since the extension OF the fran
chise to women, political parties have
learned the inadvisability OF nominal
ing drunkards.- notorious 1ihertines,
gamblers. retail liquor dealers and men
who engage In similar discredIted oc-
cupations because the women almost
always vote them down.
Mr. Amos r. Wells, editor of the
Christian Endeavor World. wrote to
twenty-five ministers--most Of them
doctors OF misunderstanding their
names at random from among his
subscribers in the enfranchised States.
He asked them whether equal suffrage
was working we'll. fairly we'll or bad
" One answered that it was working
badly. and three that 1t was working
fairly we'll All the rest were posi-
tive, and a number Of them enthu-
siastic in declaring that II was work
ing we'll They specified the same
good results as the ministers who re-
Piled to Mrs Howe---the enlargement
OF womens minds. the defeat of bad
candidates and the strengthening of
the temperance cause by the women's
votes"