Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-07-01
DO WOMEN NEED THE BAI.IorY
mrs. L. r. BarnWen Gives Strong
reason FOR an Affirmative Answer.

- Lila nlpIey BarnWell- furnishes
the Democrat with the following in.
teresting article giving some of he,
reasons why she. thinks the women
s, need the ballot:
Thomas Jefferson UNDERSTANDINGS
said, That government is not com
/ plete which denies to it's most enIight-
1 ened women what it freely grants to
It's most benighted men,
Fifty years ago Abraham Lincoln
said, All should bear their lust por-
/ ton OF the burden of government by
no means excluding the women.
Slowly but surely the truth of these
statements is reaching the minds of
multitudes, and the day of Justice to
women by means of the ballot is MT
! far on. Especially would / address
myself to the women of nv own state.
the majority of whom seem to strange
~ misunderstood the honest efforts
Ior good that the women suffragists of
North Carolina are making. Many
think that the suffragists live at con
Ventlons, spending their time in agitat-
ing and speech making.
Quoting from splendid and con-
vincing address of Mrs. Archibald
Henderson, ct is inconceivabfe that
anyone can argue that a woman's
time will be unduly taken up. with
politics. Even a male voter has his
hours of" Thousands of men vote
annually who neither wish nor seek
political preferment. Surely a woman
could cast ballot for what is right
and pure without seeking reward.
Ever since the earliest days OF. plead
ing for this justice women have been
told that they should not have the bal
lot, because they cannot follow it by
service in case of war. Truly the last
few years have exploded that fallacy.
In the awful struggle now going on
in Europe women have taken up the
tools that men laid down. Not only
does she nurse the sick, care for the
wounded, scrape line, make clothes,
reap harvests and serve the armies III
ways, but she has taken
the places of the absent men on street !
cars and taxi-cabs, women are driving
jrays, cleaning streets, acting as tel
egraph operators, bank clerks, ticket
sellers, and faithfully performing the |
duties of scores of other positions.
On the battle field she has proven |
herself daring, fearless, brave, patri- |
otic and tender, as witness hundreds |
Of Red Cross nurses who have calmly /
faced shot and shell in their heroic !
efforts for the relief of suffering, Lucy /
Stone once said, "The soldier risks his |
life for his country, but in every in /
stance some woman risked her life
hat the soldier might be born" I'm |
loubtedly wars will cease when wo-
men have a direct voice in the affairs,
IF government.
But if it be true that women should
levote their entire time to domestic
affairs, it must be true that men
should devote their entire time to bus
ness affairs.
If it is true, as frequently argued,
hat women should not stoop to the
and mire of politics, then
t should be equally true that she
hould not be allowed to associate
With the men who are responsible for
hose conditions.
In presenting the cause we are Of
en- answered by such remarks as L
annot see where it will help me. so. l I
are nothing about it.
Apart from the selfishness of this
|
fact? Let us see. ;
Working women need the ballot to
egulate conditions under which thay
rork. Working men do not believe
hat they can protect themselves with
ut the right to vote.
Housekeepers need the ballot to reg :
late the sanitary conditions under
hitch they and their families must I
We. Men know they cannot get what :
needed for their district unless they j
an vote for the men who will secure I
for them.
Mothers need the ballot to control {
,e conditions under which, their chill
rem are reared. Do men think they {
an control the vicious interests that t
lreaten their children unless they G
IN vote for the men who run their
stricts? @ U
Teachers need the ballot to get just 8
ages. and to influence the manage c
ent of, our SCHOOLS. Men realize that Q
lev can never have better school con- y
tions without a vote for mayor and
.e board of education. 8
Business; women need the ballot to
tain a. fair Opportunity in their bus
ess., Business men we'll understand 8
at they cannot protect themselves
.ainst adverse legislation without
e right to vote. II
Taxpaying women need the ballot p
protect their properly. Men say I
taxation without representation is Q
ranny." =
ALI women need the ballot because 9
ey are concerned equally with men "
good and : bad government, and n
Inallv responsible for civic right
usness. Again it is said 'The ma
rfty of women do not want to vote.
10 majority have ever been opposed n
nrogress. Great reforms have al Il
avs been brought about by the per y
stent efforts of a few.
0I1.o ali nc srWomen will not vote