The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-04-07
SUFFRAC|STSACRff
PROTECT SCHOOLS

sum- ag1stS Agree, Protect the SCHOOLS.
The agitation against equal suffrage
in Nevada, cloaked under the charge
that the College Equal Suffrage league
of the state university is "introduc-
ing politics into the schools by en-
couraging thought on woman suffrage
through an essay contest, is as Presi-
dent Stubs characterized it, only
tempest in a teapot
The attack on the college league
would be laughable were it not COM
bined with a serious effort to crush
freedom of thought and discussion in
our school, right that our ancestors
struggled and died for.
When Is Woman Suffrage "Politics?"
An amusing feature of the attack
is that papers which last December
chonicled with large headlines the
fact that equal suffrage had been de-
feated in debate in one of our high
schools, without even the suggestion
that the subject is politics. when it
meets an adverse decision, now raised
this hue and cry when our cause is ad-
vancing and there is every likeli-
hood of favorable decision by the
electors. The discussion of equal suff-
rage is not "politics'' when it suits
our opponents, and it is attributed to
women, but which like many failings
is common to the human race.
The Much Discussed Letter.
Following is the letter sent out by
Miss Clara Smith, president of the
College Equal Suffrage league of our
state university, which started the
teapot boiling:
"To the Teachers of the State of
Nevada:
"The Equal Suffrage League of the
University of Nevada, desirous of pro-
noting an interest in the suffrage
question, have formulated a plan
which you will find below, and ask
your cooperation.
'sLet each child in the school, who
is old enough, write an essay on Stuff
rage. Then let an afternoon be set
apart for the reading of these essays
and we would ask that the parents be
asked to hear them. Another condi-
tion is either the best of the two best
are to be published in the county
newspaper and a duplicate sent to us.
For the best essay in each supervised
district prize of five dollars will be
given. All essays must reach me by
April Goth, when the whole club will
choose the winners.
"Under separate ccover we are
sending literature which we hope will
be of use to you. Let each essay be
accompanied by the superintendent
name.'
1t will be noted that no stipulation
is made that the essays shall be for
or against equal suffrage in Nevada
or out of it. No effort is made to
bring the essays down to a local is
sue. The frank object of the contest
is to "promote interest in the suff
rage question.
Woman Suffrage Not Partisan
Politics.
The disingenuous quibble that the
College League is trying to force a
political question into the schools, and
that our schools must be protected is
as absurd as it is unfair. Our op-
ponents are trying to confuse public
thought by their use of the word
"politics;' they suggest that our
question is one of partisan politics,
which they well know, it is not.
The rule that politics and religion
shall be barred from the schools means
tat no political party shall aggradize
itself through the schools and that no
religious sect shall do so, and suff-
ragists are the first to agree that
the rule is a wise one. The Republi-
cans or Progressives or Democrats
will benefit by discussion of woman
suffrage in our schools just as much
as the Episcopalians or Baptists or
Congregationalists will benefit, which
is not one iota. Our opponents know
that we are not partisan organiza-
tion, that there is not a vote among
MS, that so far as the Nevada consti-
tuition goes we are political outlaws
dependent for success on the support
of the men of all political parties.
We are an absolutely non-partisan or
ganization.
Opponents Draw Schools Into
Politics?
We have no doubt that there are
many sincere and honorable people
who fear the results of equal suffrage,
but may not the action of our oppon-
ents be interpreted as an effort to
draw the schools into politics, as an
attempt to crush freedom of thought
and freedom of discussion of great
public question, because they fear the
success of suffrage at the polls next
November?
ANNE Fl. MARTIN,
President Nevada Equal Franchise
Society.
(The above, which constitutes a
portion of an article from the able
pen of the state president of the
Equal Suffrage society is published
solely for its news value, at the per-
sonal request of its author.-Ed. Sill
yer State.)