The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-08-20
Claims The Women
Entitled To Ballot
From Tuesdays Daily.

houses of iil-repute shall spring up
within a few blocks of my home over
night. and other matters of city gov
ernment that effect me personally.
declared Mrs. w G.. Trafton in her
address before the meeting Of the
Blue Earth County Equal Suffrage
association held at DIR. ]. w. An
drews' library yesterday afternoon.
and her sentiments were seconded by
the women and men present, all prop
erty owners. and vitality interested In
the city's welfare.
The meeting proved very success
full there being a good attendance, and
some very interesting addresses Civ
en-. Mrs. J. s. Hotaling, president OF
the organization presided. and intro
duced the speakers. The program
opened with several beautiful selec-
lions on the victrola. after which re-
ports were given by Mrs. W. J. More
hart. county organizer. who gave fiat
tering accounts of the suffrage work
in Lake Crystal. Amboy. Mapleton and
ether places. Mrs. Stoddard, secretary
of the association. reported that a
subscription to the Woman's Journal
had been secured for the public Ii
brary, and that In future those who de-
sired to refer to this popular suffrage
paper would be able 10 find copies
there.
Will Send Paper TO Rest Room.
Mrs. J. w. Andrews stated that she
intended to send the copies OF her
Journal to the rest room. in order
10 .t.ln rnnizn this
rlace will be able TO read II. Mrs.
Morehart state that the association
had secured space at the MankatO fair
for headquarters during the fair Sep
tCmber 1918. and this space would
be used as a rest room by women Wis
iting the fair, suffrage literature TO
be on hand there for distribution. The
pres dent read excerpts from letters
from suffrage headquarters at st.
Paul. and from Mrs. Albert Mcmahon,
state organizer. asking that n meet
ing of the Southern Minnesota asso-
Citations be held here this fall. II has
been decided to hold this big conven-
ton meeting during fair week. and
to hold the programs in n tent to be
erected upon the space provided at
the fair grounds. Definite arrange
ments will be made later. The address
of the afternoon was delivered by Mrs
w. G.. Trafton, a recent convert to
suffrage. who explained with clear
and convincing arguments the rea-
sons why she had Joined the suffrage
movement.
Believed in the Inherent Right.
Mrs. TraftOn said that her first rca-
son for joining the suffrage move
ment was because she believed i'm the
inherent right of women to n voice
in affairs. from the standpoint of
Justice. BY historical examples she
showed how women had risen time
and again to ask for this right. Every
one I'm the United States has been
given the right of suffrage. with the
exception OF the insane. the criminal
and the women. Mrs. Trafton showed
how suffrage was the offspring of civ
iliZation. and referred TO the obstacles
before women were al
lowed the right to enter colleges and
obtain an equal education with men
Women for a long time have been
coping with the evils OF the day. the
tie ldDOT uutE-
ton, and other questions OF equal
moment. They desire to get at the root
OF matters. and are clamoring for the
right TO have hand i'm the direction
OF the laws by which they are gov
erned. Out OF the sixteen non -suf-
frage states. said Mrs. TraftOn. eleven
lie I'm the southern and southeastern
portion OF United States. where edu-
cation. is very backward. and the peo-
pie illiterate and mostly negroes.
The Machine Organization.
The third reason given by Mrs.
Trafton for her conversion to suffrage
was the study of the people who OPP
POSED II, which she found was large
~ the machine organizations. and
liquor men. She had found that suf-
frage was supported by nearly all or
that were working for
the uplifting of the country. and
against evil. Her fourth reason was
her desire to have something to saw on
Of national and municipal
government. She stated that she de-
sired to have a part in the decisions
on the negro voting question. should
this come up, and on the immigration
ana other matters. She also desired
to have a voice in the matter of the
men who should sit on the Mankato
city council, and the matter of the
lighting OF her section of the city.
which she remarked was remarkable
Tor its absence OF lighting al this
time. Other matters OF political sig
nificance that affected her personally.
and over which she at present had
no part in the control, had caused
her to desire the vote. The highest
civilization would never be attained.
she said, until men and women work
ed together in equality. The women
who are working for suffrage have
the centuries of the past to contend
with as they have piled up customs and
Ideals that must be overcome when
any new movement is started. Mrs.
Trafton compared conditions of the
illiterate states OF the south with
the ADVANCED and high education of
the suffrage states. and the non
suffrage states suffered much in the
comparison. She told of the suffrage
movements in other countries. and
closed her excellent address amid
round of applause.
Work Of Congressional Union.
Mrs. w. j. Morehart told I'm detail
of the work OF the Congressional un-
ion, and how they were working for
the passage of the national amend
ment TO the constitution giving suf-
frase to women, and how the con-
greSSmpn were heinp yieftad and thai-