Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-12

IN possible without it. When officials
ticipation and consent Of all, then
those who have no voice in their Sc
lections are subjects, not citizens.
Women are citizens They are a part
of the people and in Maine a very
superior part intellectually. and they
ought to have the right to help elect
those who shall represent them and
to help make the laws under which
they shall live and to which they must
render obedience.
Jefferson said Government derives
its just powers from the consent OF
the governed" Can it be truthfully
said we are extending just powers to
the governed when we deprive one
half Of our people from exercising
any part in the government, by re-
fusing them the right of expression in
the selection Of representatives to
make laws that govern the whole
people: The right to vote is simply
the right TO share in the directing of
the affairs of the government which
mas been formed to promote the gen.
eral welfare. The right is inherent in
every individual and to withhold the
exercise Of that right from any in
dividual except from those unfit to
exercise it, as the minor, the insane,
the criminal or the idiot, Is an in
fringement on the natural God-given
rights of liberty. The patriots Of 1776
declared that taxation without rep
resentation was tyranny, and yet up
to now We have continued to impose
that tyranny upon women property
holders, and at the same time while
the women Of our state are helpless
by being denied the privilege of hav-
ing any voice in the expenditures of
public money obtained by imposing
taxes upon their property, the scum
and riff-raf Of the land, the thug, the
moral leper, take their place at the
ballot-box and impose such burdens
OF taxation upon the property of wo-
men as their irresponsible fancy may
dictate. Yet we talk of equal rights
and equal privileges.
1t is often said, woman's place is
in the home Then she should be given
the vote to protect her home Every
function of government that affects
the cost or condition of living affects
Ii.
Every financial or Industrial depress-
ion lays its crushing weight upon the
home-maker and the home keeper as
well as the bread Garner.
The people and their representa-
tives are dealing with food problems
clothing, water, gas, fuel, electricity
for both light and power, the liquor
question, child labor, and a hundred
other problems that vitality affect and
deeply concern the home and child
hood. Without a voice in the selection
OF representatives and the making of
laws, women are helpless to protect
their place-the home, from the evil
forces which are at work to DESTROY
its purity. The women of Maine need
no argument or defense from me of
their intelligence, their civic virtue,
their moral character or their ability
to exercise the rights of full and equal
citizenship with men, and ] would not
insult their womanhood by any such
attempt.
! wish it might be my privilege to be
present at the hearing and present
my convictions at length in support
of the proposition to amend the con-
stitution Of Maine to enable women
to be placed upon equal citizenship
with men in the full exercise of these
privileges which she is SO eminently
qualified to perform with great credit
TO herself and honor and glory to the
State. With the hope that the Leg
1slature OF Maine in its wisdom will
not only recognize the justice of the
resolution but the resulting benefits
TO the State that would unquestiona-
bly, follow the granting of woman suf-
fraee, and with deep regret that will
be unable to be present at the hear
ing to assist all l can. am, with great
respect, sincerely yours.
O Gardner