The farmer and mechanic., 1915-03-02

sense as the men ] would say to him,
They amt no sich animal"
ihe Elements In Opposition.
Inc elements that really oppose
Woman's suffrage are 1. The liquor in
terests who know that women are in
earnest IN oppositing their business
IL was the votes Of the women that |
at the last election carried the only |
four States that voted for prohibition |
and every one knows that in all the |
other States that have prohibition |
their indirect influence has been the |
great motive power for prohibition. If |
they had had the ballot they would |
nave voted liquor out of all the States |
long since. 2. The political machines |
are opposed to equal suffrage for
where they have the men rounded III, |
they fear to lose their control for they
know that they can not fool the wo-
| men as readily. Then there is the
vice trust and those who make their
| profit by handling child labor and by
| depressing the women in sweat shopts
| and all those who are opposed 10 a
cleaning up OF the community morally
| and physically.
| l do not mean to say by any means
| that all who are opposed 10 woman's
suffrage belong to these classes. This
would be untrue and unjust. The
| largest number Of those who oppose
the suffrage dc not belong to these
L
those who are pecuniarly interested in
opposing the admission of women to
the suffrage.
Some of the Objections
] will mention briefly some Of the
objections that are made to this move
ment. First it is said that it is a fad
ana mere temporary deluSion. The
sketch that l have given of what has
been achieved in the last fifteen years
throughout the world and the mar
Velous progress that has been made
in the last thirty days, is a sufficient
answer to this. No movement not
based upon the fundamental economic
} needs Of the age could make such
worldwide and Irresistible progress
: If it were a fad it would be repealed
when experience had demonstrated
, that it was injurious or needless. But
it has not been repealed anywhere and
? on the contrary wherever it has been
tried it has spread to the adjoining
States.
Second, it is said that women are
too emotional for the ballot. When
1 Mr.. Bryan put Wilson in nomination
at Baltimore the demonstrated lasted
for nearly an hour before any ont
q | could he heard, and the tramping AND
g marching and shouting resembled tina
0 Of a lunatic asylum. When Roosevelt
was put IN nomination at Chicago this
e record was more than surpassed
- might mention many other instances
: am not condernning the enthusiasm
n Of the men on these occasions. Blu
l wish to say that the women hav,
q never eQualled such emotional dispia,
$, as that.
h Third, it has been said seriousl
L that if women are allowed to vot
5 they will vote for the handsomes
q man. I now understand why som
y politicians are opposed to their voting
le Fourth, it is urged that the vote
L not necessary for women beca US
III they vote through their husbands. Bu
r do the husbands always vote the view
e of their wives? If they did we woul
!? have a cleaner government and
= cleaner town everywhere. We woul
2. have had prohibition long ago an
p have had it enforced. We would hav
If seen other evils disappear which ar
a now tolerated though forbidden b
l. lay. Who casts the vote that expresse
the views of thed runkard's wife
rs Then there are in the United State
Of 100000 Of adult women who hay
Sc not chosen to marry. What man cast
Sc the ballot expressing the views {
SIS those 100000? Then there are Sc,
to eral millions Of men who have n
~ they vote?
We Fifth, then it is said that ballot
is are a substitute for 1nuskets. an
re therefore women have no right |
III vote. More than pne-haf of the me
u who have a right to vote would /
rejected by any recruiting office in tn
at world. And on the other hand on'
IN half of the men who fight are unde
We 21 and have no right to vote. So thos
ed who carry muSkets and those WI
rs vote are by no means the same ell
IT'S ment Besides if the women do n
is, bear arms they raise the soldiers VIZ
of do carry the muskets and should haN
er a voice in saying whether there shou
he be war or not. IT the women vo
ng they will soon abolish war and it's vi
O. lianies as they are abolisn1ng Hqu'
re and child labor and other iniquities.
re Sixth, it is said that woman's sphe
m is her home, and that she can n
If leave the children to vote. It will II
IA take on an average more than ha
as an hour once in two years for a W
nr man to cast her ballot, and ii She