Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-11-09
An Appeal.

existing condition of society to deny to
women privilege that is so vital to
their welfare. The entire structure of
our political theory is found upon the
assumption that every element o. the
community which shares insthe respJnsi-
biIities of its life and suffers from mis-
takes in the administration of its affairs
is justly entitled to animmediate share
in discriminating lis course. If there
is ever any justification for limiting
application of this principal in practice,
it can hardly be found in anything short
of incapacity to understand and to
accommodate ones self 10 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 native-borr i.
but to the alien 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 everything that concerns
children the most vital of all our in
terists form their custody and educat-
icn to matters of hygiene and punish
ment, with whatever has to do with re-
lations of men and women, from the
laws OF marriage, divorce and inherit
ance to the regulation of the liquor
traffic; with all that relates to con-
ditions of labor-from factory regula-
ton and the regulation of child labor
workmens compensation laws. In
very truth, in respect to everything IN
the world that affects the life of the
population as a whole the interests of
woman, her responsibility to suffer
from the effects of bad government
are greater and are more directly in
volved than are those of man. Every
day of the worlds progress she is more
deeply immersed in those interests and
those Iabors which we call 'the affairs
of men" and every day makes her stake
in the life of the community and her
need for direct influence IN it's coun-
ellis proportioDately greater. Directly,
or almost directly, she shares every
burden of modern society and many Of
those burdens she cares without any
aid from men
Among the women of this country
there is den and for the privilege of
the franchise such as never existed
among any equal number of men; and
because women need it and wish 1t and
are capable of using it, it is unjust to
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 uiti'
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 seeur'
ed and that the occasions of disorder
discomfort and inefficiency will be avoid
ed; and particularly is this true wher
thee element Immediately concerned
comprises those who best know th'
fundamental conditions Of everyday
existence, who suffer most from stht
mistakes of those in power and who 81
far project the consequences Of theii
suffering unto the lives of others.
We believe moreover. that it is fun
damentally opposed to the interests o.
the State and Nation that half of theii
citizens are by the conditions Of thel
lives deprived Of that interest IN the
scope. the compositions and the admin
istration Of government, which 10 thu
greatest stimulus TO the cultivation o.
the activities that broaden the intelli
gence. increases human sympathy AM
make in every direction for the i'm
provetnent both Of state and Of It's IN
dividual citizens. The state need
maximum Of possible wisdom and pat
riotism in all of its citizens and hoy
can it achieve this better than by CIV
ing to women the greasest incentive Z
love it and to serve it? And what wis
dom is better than the intuition 0
woman or what patriotism higher thai
ner aspiration for the future Of tn
land that is to be the home Of her son
and daughters?
Finally we cannot sympathize wit
those who, concedIng that this privileg
Of the franchise must some time b
, accorded, prefer to yield it grudgingl
/ and only when the demand no Ionge
. can be denied. We do not believe j
making what might be the occasion Q
! gratitude the cause of resentment no
: in subtracting from the usefuInes
of the z It by postponI & it, enjoyment
, The sooner victory IS gained ~ To
, struggle for the right women I
, vote. the sooner will be set free IL
public service in other directions til
energy which il now devoted to tina
struggle ard whic h viii continue to b
devoted to il until the right is wen
, Because then. women are justly er
: filled 10 the suffrage; becaUse the
] need it; because great Dumbe' Of thel