Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-30
BLANCHE WEST MAKES
REPLY TO ELTHU ROOT
Camden Suffragist Turns Ma
chine Gun of Logic on Pro-
tagonist of the "Antis"

More than 81 years ago Elihu Root de-
livered a speech that made the suffraglsts
as mad as it made the antis glad. In
reckoning up the reasons why the fair
sex should not be permitted to go to the
polls, he said some sweet things about
woman and the home-no. not particu-
larly original, even in 1884, but MIR. Root
said them, and therefore they had
weight.
The "antis" thought so. at anv rate
They seized upon the speech with avidity
and nave been using II as part of their
propaganda. This year Elhu reiterated
the statements contained in 1t.
Miss Blanche |. West. a Camden suf-
fragist, declares she can stand II no
longer. The Senator in her opinion has
been awaiting In the cloud of sentiment
tality long enough. Somebody ought to
nave turned machine gun of logic on
him years ago, she asserts, and SO. taxi
ing his contentious piece by piece she
SUBJECTS them to Il Kidding process that
makes II look MS though the Senator will
have to get Il new vchicle If he wants
TO fly in the anti" atmosphere His 1891
model, according to Miss West is ouite
worn out and utterly worthless for prac-
ttcal. modern purposes.
The right of equal franchise" she
says, may not be a natural one I'm the
sight of the Hon. Iihu Root. but In the
sight of every fair-mnded person. man
or woman, II Is Il most Just one. and IN
the years to come. when surface has be-
come universal act those who were
most earnest IN their condemnation viii
wonder how they ever could have looked
upon it as anything else but the natural
result of progression in nobler ana
broader form.
THE question is most assurcdly one
of eXpedlency. the exponents of the
cause having In mind the wide dlfferentia-
tion of sexes, seeing in the differentiation
the elimination of n model form of gov
ernment or democracy. The feminine mind
will take up and introduce questions
which man in his commercial field does
not think Of. or, II he does merely
brushes aside as unimportant.
"Woman's nature is essentially her own;
It was put into her at the time of creation.
and she could not change 1t IL she SO
desired. Therefore. the mere taking upon
herself the functions implied in suffrag &c
does not give her the power of lifting and
tossing aside inherent qualities as she
would n cloak.
"'Tis true the political field is full of
contention, bitterness, heart burning, ex-
citcment, etc, but what field in life does
not contain at least two or three of those
elements. III tne arena OF COntllCt VIII
cause woman to abandon all the nobler
and swceter characteristics. Of what
value has her life been? We all know
that metal is put into the fire in order
that 1t may be nodded into the desired
shape. The woman who would allow po-
litical duties to make her hard. harsh.
unlovable. repulsive,' would easily be
overcome by those qualities in the gen.
eral struggle of life.
~ Forpnd
into the world of strife or business
through no volition of their own, but
from the fact that the natural protector
has been taken away from them, or. as
is often the case. refused to assume
those obligations. or else he is not in evi-
dence at all. Investigation and study
of the question from all sides has re-
vealed the need of woman suffrage as a
protection in instances where men have
failed to act that part, for men, l am
sorry to say, are not all like the Hon.
Elihu Root, and have often, particularly
in Industrial fields. taken advantage OF
the gentle creature and forced her to
labor under conditions that those more
fortunately situated shudder to think of.
at Is not that woman Graves to usurp
or partake of the functions of men; her
object Is a rather worthicr one than that.
But she feels that. MS she is capable of
holding the reins of government of the
home in her hands, the bearing, shaping
and framing of future citizens. so she is
to be trusted with the casting of the bal
lot"