The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
ILLITERACY AND VOTES FOR WOMEN

Mir. sam Wallace, an ardent suffragist from Hefins district, as he styles it, has sent the following article relative to trip recently made for suffrage in that section. take the liberty of calling it an article on social service, as it clearly shows three things: How one man was able to overcome illiteracy even when an adult and make himself a decided fac tor in his own and other communities; how hard it is often to overcome mere prejudice and, last of all, because I reit- crate what Mir Wallace says that Ala bama should lead all illiterate states in giving votes to women. Women will un- doubtedly prove with the ballot the sue cess of directed efforts in education and with the cooperation of all the people make for the betterment of the state:
 The State Woman's Suffrage association has just completed two weeks educa- tional tour along the Southern railway to Heflin and from there across the coun- try to Wedowee and Roanoke, thence along the Atlfhta, Birmingham and At lantic railroad. It's able young speaker, Miss Mary Stallworth, from Mobile, a native of Alabama, is an indefatigabe worker. She lectured two and three times daily, holding heart to heart afternoon talks with the women besides
 Everywhere large audiences greeted her, her modest ways and convincing argu- ment won for the cause, and left in her trail an invincible army of workers for votes for women."
 But there were a few thorns in her path. One man forbade his wife and daughter to attend the lecture under pen atty of disinheritance. The daughter went and afterward joined the associa- tion.
 At another place Miss stallworth was denied the privilege of speaking in a holy Baptist church. Thanking God for re- serving the universe to Himself she de-
 ivered the message under the blue can opy of heaven.
 On all of these routes she only met among ministers two back numbers--a
 Baptist and a Methodist-whose early training had so dulled their ntellects they could not read the Scriptures correctly. They refused to acknowledge that these were not Gods commands, but prophecies that man should rule over women and
 woe unto you daughters of Jerusalem, etc. Neither would they read the Bible where it proves Jesus Christ was the first woman suffragist.
 But the crowning feature of all was at Wedowee, where that good, faithful old soldier of the cross, pr. J. R. Hood, in- troduced Miss Stallworth to the large au dence in the courthouse. He has been life long woman suffragist anti-vice, whisky and tobacco and a faithful fol- lower of the Lamb. He is now s3 years old, His father died, leaving a widow and large family, he, the oldest, being only IA and a poor, new farm with $50 still to pay on it.
 Ditching and draining lands were un- known then A spring freshet came and destroyed their crops He dtched the bottoms to drain off the water, re-planted and raised big crop, which led to suc- cess. After the debt was paid and his mother and family fairly well off. when 1s years old he married lass of r. As the Scottish poet sang, so did they. T ne'er loved a lassie but one, she neer loved a laddie but me-" All they had was on their backs as they moved into their sin gle room log cabin he had so neatly pre- pared for them. He had no education, had never been to school, could neither read nor write Theyiworked hard on the far mand studied together until he was ordained a Methodist minister. few years later he was called to church in Philadelphia, where with herculean ef- forts he became a shining light and was acknowledged to be one of the best learned men in America.
 There he had the honor of introducing 1 to a large audience the first woman public speaker for the Woman's Christian Tenn perance union in America. while many prominent ministers shyly looked down from the gallery to see which way the cat would jump.
 1 Later he again had the honor of intro ducing for the first time to an immense | gathering woman, the first representa- tive of the Salvation Army in America, bearing a written commission from Gen | eral Booth himself.
 | But the last (who dare say the leasD, l introduction of woman, the first to a | Wedowee audience of the Womans Suf- | frage association, was one of the happiest events of his active life. x
 l After a long, successful life having been married about 57 years, his help
 mate left to meet their Savior and to pre- pare another home for them in heaven six years ago.
 Perhaps there is not another family on
 earth can produce a record like theirs.
 In a glass frame is picture of pr.