The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-23
BY Mary Augusta Stafford, President
Florida Equal Suffrage Assn.

There are many good reasons why
this great commonwealth wish to
vote.
Florida women love their state.
Although they are denied the privi-
leges of full citizenship they appre-
ciate the wonderful possibilities of
Florida and want to have its OPP
portunities improved They know
that this cannot be done without
their help They believe in Democ
racy and Democracy means the rule
pf the people, but the rule of one
sex alone.
Because Florida women are people,
they want the ballot. Self ex
preston of the individual is the very
essence of democracy. There is no
real democracy where women are de-
MED the ballot The democratic
trend of modern civilization necessi
tates votes for women. Florida
women would like to have their
state as democratic as it claims to
be They would like to have direct,
as well as indirect, influence in build
ing the ideal State that is on the way
but cannot arrive while one-half
of the people are disfranchised be-
cause they are not men.
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democracy, and governments derive
their just powers from the consent
OF the Governed Florida women are
governed therefore they cannot fail
to realize that so long as their con-
sent is neither asked nor given by
means of the ballot, so long their
state will continue to exercise unjust
powers. The State rests ultimately
on Justice for the State is composed
of humans and justice is the founda-
ton stone of individual character.
''What doth the Lord require of
thee, o, man. but to do justly, to
love mercy to and walk humbly
with thy God?"
Many say Equal Suffrage is just
but it is not eXpedient. 1t will de-
stroy the home. Facts disprove this
this Dry The scientific method of
testing theory by experiment, suf-
frage has been tried for nearly fifty
years. Wyoming homes and those OF
other Equal Suffrage States have not
been destroyed by woman's vote,
Why do Anti-Suffragists continue to
talk of woman suffrage as an expert
ment? Equal suffrage is an approved
fact in nearly one half of the terri
tory of the United States. What
are mere theories about the results
of a fuller application of democratic
principles in view of the actual eX
perience of the Equal Suffrage States
which do not suffer from any of thu
dire consequences predicted if thei
women We're given the ballot.
Florida women are proud of Flor
ida and wanted their State to b.
the first one in the South to enfran
chise those whom it's rhetorician
call angels, but who know them
selves to be human enough to GRAY,
freedom and Justice.
The women taxpayers OF Florid;
have greatly increased it's wealth
and intelligence 1t is natural TO
them to feel as our forefathers fel
that taxation without representation
is tyranny, but Florida women d'
not wish to think that their hus
bands and brothers approve OF ty
ranny in any form, political or other
wise.
Florida needs more people Flor
ida women are proud of their State
wonderful resources. They know
that the browning glory OF a State /
not found in its soil or its climate
but in the noble men and womel
" no inhabit it, Florida women ar
fully aware that political, intellec
than physical advantages are con
sidered by the most desirable home
seekers, and want the ballot to hel
improve these conditions. 1t humili
ates Southern women to have thel
sisters from Equal Suffrage State
say, Yes, Florida is beautiful
State We would like to make on
home there, but we shall not go un
Ill we can go without sacrificing on
full citizenship
Florida women consider them
selves as much entitled to the ballo
as are the women of tie great north
west. They know that the rapid
growing portion of the United State
where women vote, will have NOR
influence than will the section whcr
one sex alone has the ballot. Mum
beers count. In word, Florida wo
men no longer are willing to b
ranked hy their own state with tn
insane and the idiotic, or those VIII
have been convicted of bribery, pei
jury. larceny. or any infamou
crime. =" See general election law
Considering their disfranchis'
n,ent, the women of Florida are d.
Ing quite as much To promote
h.,