New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-03
WHAT THE BALLOT CAN DO
Another Discussion of the Question
That Never Downs.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Il is really most extraordinary what
wild and impossible interpretations are sd.
vanced by the anti-suFragists for the simplest
and clearest ideas and statements Of the SUI
fragists. In your issue of the 22d there are
two letters side by side-one, which | have
already commented on, from Everett r
Wheeler. in which Mr.. Wheeler interprets the
demand of women for the ballot as a unIver-
sal desire on their part 70 "go into politics.
and one from Annie Riley Hale, in which she
interprets the phrase "educative force Of the
ballot" as a belief on the part Of sufrsgise
in 6 certain miraculous power resident in the
ballot. which instantly endows its fortunate
possessor with the ability TO do "readIn'
'rtin' and 'rithmetic," and possibly even
cCmplete university education.
Sufragists are not insane. We realize quite
as well as do the anti-sufragists that the
ballot is not modern variety OF Aladdln'
lamp. | know practically nothing OF the Nor
mon women, and the phrase "other aoleet N'
male voters in the West" is far too indehnhe
to waste time and space over, but do Ano"
something about the "yenal male voters IN our
Eastern states" In past times we have a.
lowed a vast number of mentally and moraHy
degraded aliens, the scum of Europe to enter
this country and become citizens. IhS
should never have been allowed to DO So ou1
unfortunately, it was made possible for them
by corrupt bosses and politicians, who desired
them in order to strengthen their own power
These aliens form the class OF when Afs
Hale is speaking. We do not pretend NAV
such people can be educated 70 be ntellgeh'
md worthy citizens, either by the urge OF 'ns
ballot or by anything else. To compare me IN
telligent and morally fine women Of TINS eoun'
try to them is ridiculous and insulting "nA'
we do claim is that the granting OF the oa1,O'
10 women who are intelligent ard moral'
sound will stimulate them, as II has sumuIaV
ed the women voters in most Of our suHrags
states, TO take a greater interest IN quesuOH'
of public welfare. !,
As for training women TO be etiicient ah'
intelligent mothers and home makers no"
it POSSIBLE for women, who for decades ns''
been carefully shut up within the hons
sphere" and shielded from all knowledge o.
the progress of the world, TO understand tns
modern developments in infant hygiene
scientific food preparation or any OF me o'n''
advances in knowledge which have oeen
maGc during that period? The anti-suHragsss
desire TO keep women in that "home sphere.
The suffragists want to force them out OF
tc take an active part in the world, ~ner'
they will have the opportunity 70 acquire US
knowledge which will make them efficient ana
Intelligent mothers and give them the yarlsa
equipmen, required for the early training =.
the young minds and souls intrusted 70 tneH
care. And this can only be done by gFihs
them the ballot. 1t is too late for anything
else
There is only one other point IN Mrs maze
letter which want to mention and tnat
her obvious perversion of the meaning OF 'ns
sentence which she quotes from Ellen hey
Renaissance of Motherhood" THE soe,alp
pernicious, racially wasteful and soul-"ithe'.
ing consequences of the working OF mothers
outside the home" does not refer TO theIr F0V
ing, but to their shaving for their daily ofe''
in factories and sweatshops
JAMES R. KEENE TAYLok'
New York, July "a, 1915