Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1915-02-17
FARMERS UNION ON
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
To Unsex the Human Race by Law
Would Be a Tragedy to
Mankind.

Fort Worth, Tex, Feb. 17.-Advo.
Gates OF the woman suffrage measure,
which is now before the Legislature
for consideration, have requested the
officials OF the Farmers Union to
state the position OF the organization
on this subject. w. ID. Lewis, presl.
dent OF the Union, has accordingly
issued the following statement:
"The Texas Farmers Union, In CON
yention assembled on January IA and
10, 1914, passed a resolution opposing
woman suffrage, and !, therefore. feel
II incumbent on me to express the
thoughts that, no doubt, were in the
mind OF the convention, with n view
to defending our position and to pro.
woke an intellget discussion OF this
issue.
THE views Of a member OF the
union are no test OF loyalty TO the
organization and every farmer should
and will vote according to the die.
tates OF his own conscience, regard.
less OF the views OF his associates.
But 1t is the duty Of every farmer to
carefully study the problems OF gov.
eminent with an open mind and a
heart that will respond to reason. and
It Is from this viewpoint that ap.
proach the subject.
1T is gratifying to note that Il is
not the farmers wife who Is clamor.
Ing for the ballot. She Is too busy
trying to make happier homes. mold.
ing the minds Of future citizens and
sharing with her husband the cares
OF life to indulge In political gosslp.
The ballot will give her no relief
from drudgery, give no assistance in
clothing the children or bring 10 tho
home additional comforts, conven.
iences and opportunities IN life. II
Is as rule, the city woman promoted
to idleness by prosperity. who "a
leading the sufiragette movement.
From many standpolnts. perhaps
n woman has as much right 10 vote aa
a man. So has she as much right
to plow MS a man: she has as much
right to work IN n factory as n man.
she has as much right to shoulder
n musket as a man. but We would
rather she would not do so from
choice and we regret that necessity
oitlmes compels her to earn n living
by engaging in gainful occupations
We do not consider misfortune n
qualification for suffrage or a business
accident a reason for granting fran.
chise
We are opposed to women at the
ballot box the same as we are opposed
to women in the field. In the factory
or In the army. and for the selfsame
reasons. We had rather see her plant
flowers than SOW wheat: gather bon.
quets than pick cotton, and rear chill.
dren than raise political issues. al.
though she may have as much right
TO do one as the other
Sex qualification for suffrage NAV
nave its. apparent Inconsistencies No
general rule adjusts itself perfectly
TO all conditions. Il Is a favorite
argument advanced by the proponents
OF woman suffrage that many cul.
tured and noble women are far moro
capable Of intelligently exercising
sovereignty than a worthless negro
nut the South never was anxious for
negro suffrage, and culture and re.
fnement, and even morality. while
desirable virtues, are not the only
qualifications for franchise.
The primary, inherent and insep.
arabic fitness for suffrage is support.
ing family. The pillow handle. the
forge and the struggle for bread af.
iord experience necessary to properlv
mark the ballot. Government 70 n
great big business and civilization
from the very beginning assigned
woman the home and man the bust.
ness affairs of life.
There has been much freakish leg.
islation enacted during the pas,
decade that no doubt appeals to
woman's love for the ridiculous. but
to undertake to unsex the human
race by law is the height of legislative
FOLLY and tragedy to mankind"
CORN THE MONEY CROP.