Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-10-13

Two communications on the suffrage
question have been just received by
the Evening Star. Both writer's op-
pose votes for women. One letter Is
from E. @. Keasbey, the lawyer. The
other writer's name is over his IN
itials, c. S.
Mr.. Keasbey writes:
To tie Editor of the Evening Star:
Votes for women That is the
way they put it on the posters and
the banners. Not Politics for women
nor offices for women. There are
plenty of people who would willingly
let women have the votes who would
not like to see them go into politics,
and would not expect them to take
their share of the seats in the Legis-
lature nor to bear an equal part in the
administration. But equality in the
suffrage means equality in the legls-
lation and administration. Equal suf-
frage does away with political jn-
equality and involves equality of re-
sponsibility as. well as Of privilege.
Merely Means.
Most people regard woman suffrage
as merely the means by which women
NAV help to say how the man shall
run the government, or at least how
they shall not run it, but 1t Is not well
that half the voting population should
vote for policies which they have no
responsibility of putting into effect.
''If the women vote they should also
run for office and take their full share
in the government. If they will not
do this, what becomes of political
equality? And yet, the impression is
that though the women vote, the
actual work of the government is still
to be carried on by the men. 1t is not
quite realized that in amending the
constitution by inserting the words
.or female in the suffrage clause,
we are adding the words or She and
or her in every place throughout
, the whole constitution where the
words he or him occur.
In voting for woman suffrage we
are voting for political equality and
the abolition of all distinction of sex
in public affairs with all that 1t i'm
plies. A woman may be governor,
senator, an assembly woman, judge,
a sheriff, a coroner or constable or
even a juror or grand juror, IL the
statute which now calls for good and
lawful men for jurors were repealed
or superseded
Brings Work.
Votes for women means politics
III
ical committees, women running for
office and serving in any office to
which she may be elected by both
women and men. If it is necessary
for their own protection or for the
welfare of the state that women
should assume these responsibilities
and the great body of the women are
anxious to obtain real political equal
ity, the men will not keep it from
them, but they should be careful not
to imposes the responsibility unless
they are satisfied thu the women
generally are willing to take it and
that it is needed for their protection
or for the welfare of the te. The
responsibility will rest october
19, not only on those who so to the
polls but also on those who stay at
home for-the result of the election is
determined by majority of the votes
cast and not a majority Of the whole
electorate and the right to all the
women to vote once given could never
be withdrawn.
"EDWARD @. KEASBEY,
'Viee- President Mems Anti-Suffrag ge
League of New Jersey.
October II, 1916"
The other anti contribution reads:
ITO the Editor of the Evening Star:
ITO all the excitement and worry,
caused by the war and it's depressing
effect upon our daily life, as well as
upon business in general, the ever
harassed citizen of this and other
States is called upon to give his yer-
dict for or against women suffrage.
Like all so-called uplift move
ments, this question has been thrust
upon us with q persistency truly
astonishing. The issue, II seems TO
the writer, could we'll have been post
poned until peace in Europe and nor
NAL conditions in America had re-
turned, thus relieving, at least to
certain extent, the strain of the pres
ent time.
Anybody would think the solution
of this question to be so pressing and
Of such tremendous importance at
this hour, that a delay, no matter
how we'll justified, might endanger
the welfare of the human race.
Benefits Are Described.
"The voters are being told again and
again what a benefit women suffrage
would be to the State and the COM
munity, what the women voters would
do, to regenerate the human race, to
elevate and ennoble mankind, to clean
politics, to remove evils to stop wars
and iniuuities, to better the lot of the
working classes, In particular the one
of the female workers in factories and
shops, etc, etc.
1--WE are also being told again and
again that il is a crying wrong, an
utter injustice, to deprive women of
their political emancipation, that 1t
was theirs by right, that good
woman had as much right to vote
as a. good man, and unquestionably