Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-11-04

troncDl9e upon women ana IN ofook
that the reasons which infiueuce us to
action may be called to the attention
Of the largest possible number of ouI
fellow-voters. we have endeavored tc
formulate very summarily those con-
siderahons which we regard as partic-
ularly cogent. They are the following
We believe that 1t Is unjust in the
existing condition of society to deny to
women q privilege that is so vital to
their welfare. The entire structure Of
our political theory is found upon the
assumption that every element of the
community which shares inlthe RESPONSE
bilities of its life and suffers from mis-
takes in the administration of its affairs
is justly entitled to an immediate share
in discriminating its course. If there
is ever any justification for limiting
application Of this principal in practice,
it can hardly be found in anything short
of iucapacity to understand and to
accommodate ones self to establish in.
situations. 1t will not be claimed that
the women, upon whom we depend to
rear our sons and to educate them in
patriotism and true conception of
civic duty are disqualified by lack of
intelligence or of devotion to their
country's institutions to enjoy a privi-
lege which has been so freely accorded,
not only to the unschooled nativebor /,
but to thealien immigrant, often wholly
unfamiliar with both our political in
situations and our habits of polit cal
thought.
Women need the right to vote. They
are vitality concerned with every mat
ter that touches the household. from
housing and sanitation to the cost OF
living: with every thing that concerns
children the most vital of all our in.
terists-f form their custody and educat-
icp to matters of hygiene ard punish
ment, with whatever has to do with re.
| lations of men and women, from the
la VS. of marriage, divorce and inherit
ance to the regulation Of the liquor
traffic; with all that relates to con-
ditions of lsbor-from factory regula
ton and the regulation of child labor
workmen' q compensation laws. L.
very truth, in respect to everything in
| the world that affects the life of the
population as whole the interests OF
woman, her responsibility to SUITE
from the effects of bad government
are greater and are more directly in
volved than are those of man. Every
day of the world progress she is more
deeply immersed in those interests anC
| those labors which we call 1.-THE affairs
Of men" and every day makes her sake
| in the life of the community and her
need for direct influence IN it's coun-
ellis proportionately greater. Directly,
or almost directly, she shares every
burden of modern society and many Of
those burdens she cares without an,
aid from men.
Among the women of this country
there is dem and for the privilege .ot
| the franchise such as never existeo
among any equal number of men; ano
| because women need it and wish it ano
are capable of using it, it is unjust t.
deny it to them.
Again we believe that it is desirable,
in the interest of the State, that WON
en- should be given the suffrage. The
interest of any people is best served by
| frequent resort to the advice and ulti.
mately to the direction of all those
affected by its laws and their admins.
| tration. To consult the whole body OF
citizenship increases. the chance that
| the real good Of the whole will be, secur-
ed and that the occasions of disorder
discomfort and inefficiency will be avoid
ed; and particularly is this true when
| the1 element Immediately concerned
| comprises those who best know the
fundamental conditions Of everyday
Existence, who suffer most +. om .th.
mistakes of those in power and who SC
far project the consequences of theil
suffering unto the lives of others.
We believe moreover. that it is fun
damentally opposed to the interests Of
the State and Nation that half of their
citizens are BY the conditions of their
lives deprived of that interest In the
scope. the compositions and the admin
istration Of government, which is the
greatest stimulus TO the cultivation OF
the activities that broaden the intelli-
gence. increases human sympathy and
make in every direction for the i'm
provement both of state and of its in
dividual citizens. The state needs
maximum of possible wisdom and pat
riotism in all of its citizens and how
can it achieve this better than by Civ
ing to women the greasest incentive to
love it and to serve it? And what wis
dom is better than the intuition OF
woman or what patriotism higher than
her aspiration for the future Of the
land that is to be the home of her sons
and daughters?
Finally we cannot sympathize with
those who. concedlDg that this privilege
of the franchise must some time be
accorded, prefer to yield it grudgingly
aud only when the demand no longer
can be denied. We do not believe in
making what might be the occasion of
gratitude the cause of resentment nor
in subtracting from the usefulness
of thegift by postponing its enjoyment.
The sooner victory is gained in the
struggle for the right women to
vote, the sooner will be set free for