The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-28
Shapiro, Hornady anr Ryall Only Candidates FavOring
 Woman Suffrage
OTHERS DECLINE TO
 REPLY TO LETTERS
Mrs. Roden- Redin Sends Editorial to Show What California Men Think
 About Equal Suffrage
 in That State
By rArrIE RuFFNER JACOBS


 By pAT'TIE RUFFNER JACOBS
 Devotees of the dance may be decreas- ing in some places, but Birmingham SUI has great many terpslchorean artists' among them the would-be commissioners The Candidates Side-Step" is the latest evolution or convolution as you preIer to designate it. The side-step is very pretty when well done; it is also easy 'o learn. and requires no experience Ihe hest performers wear gum snoes' s'ah- ite conscience and an air of superiority when indu,ging in side1stepping Ihere is also a great deal of hand-shaRihs as necessary accompaniment.
 There are three candidates for city com missioner who have not yet learned this graceful art. They are Hon. lsadore Shapiro, John R. Hordnady and Scudder Rvau The way the suffragists found out that these did not approve or the sue step was by the simple exped1ent or letter The letter sent to all the cahui- dates in the commissioners race was SD simple, so obvious, so direct, that IL was largely ignored by most of them, inter- ested as they are in the intricate prob lems of city government Their platforms must contain real issues, such as a square deal for everybody" vital reforms as honesty is the best policy; burning questions as justice for all the peepui.
 Pro bunco publicl Fra Elbertus used to say.
 The question put to the 1S candidates was: Do you believe in woman sur frage?''
 The three who replied to Mrs. J. T. Stat ter. chairman of publicity, were of the opinion that women are people, that they are worthy of consideration even in the midst of a busy campaign. and better l still. that the public, the husbands, fathers, sons and brothers who do the family voting ought to know the attitude | of candidates for public office, on all questions of public interest. The first letter received was from MT Shapiro, whose advocacy of equal sur | frage Is too well known to need elabor- ation. He merely replied, q am favorable to woman suffrage"
 | The replies of MT. Hornady and MT l Ryall came the same day, and were as l follows:
 Dear Mrs. Slater: I have delayed an- swering your form letter of recent date because of the multitude of matters that | have engaged my attention, and also be- cause my position is so well known to | the active leaders In this cause that 1t
 scarcely needs emphasizing. I do not l think 1t is an idle boast to say that have been of real service in creating in | terest in this subject. Sincerely.
 "J R. HORNADY." | Mir. Ryali was a little more explicit. 1 My Dear Mrs. Slater: Replying to your communication of recent date rela- l tive to my attitude toward woman suf- 1 frage, I wish to say that I am in most hearty accord and sympathy with this | nd hoIia hat in itq rpQliZa- tion you are merely assuming a part at least of your inherited obligation. I be- lieve that woman should share and share equally in all that concerns her country and her people.
 "The problems of today and tomorrow are hers. and her participation in human affairs will make the world better and 1 politics more pure.
 And please command me at any time. "Very truly yours,
 "scUDDER RYALL." Although Mr. J. B. Gibson has with drawn from the race since the letter of {, inquiry was written, he was courteous. courageous and careful enough to &C., | knowledge it's receipt and to say he was ! favorable to woman suffrage. | On with the dance, let joy be uncon- | fined.
 Those who do not believe In letting their 1 right foot know what their left foot is do- ing are:
 | Messrs. McDowell, Turner. Hogan. | Truss Hankins, Barnard, McCary, Wood and Austin.
 l It Is very interesting to note the edi- | torial comment of the important western papers concerning the eastern defeat of | suffrage. Mrs. Ola Roden-Redin. who is spending the winter in Los Angeles. has , had an opportunity of observing the pride | the men of California take in having en- franchised their women. It Is reflected in the following editorial from a Los An geles paper, which Mrs. Redin recently sent Mrs. Jack Bowron, her sister: Returns from the elections tell that 1 the men of the eastern states are not as gallant toward the American woman as are their brothers of the west. | All the gentlemen of California can say to their brethren of the backward states is that we are sorry for them. In good time, with better education and greater enlightenment, they are going to give the women the ballot. 1 That ultimate result is as certain as was the freeing of the slave. But 1t is going to take many campaigns heart breaking effort and the courage to meet failure with smile.
 
 can tell the states of the east that fe- male suffrage is a complete success. 1 '"To be sure 1t does not usher in the millennium. as some crack k-brained advo- cates declare. It does not wipe out drunk enness, bribery. vice. with one broom sweep. But 1t does make for a purer civic | life and cleaner politics. And it does not bring in it's train the evils predicted by It's !, opponents. | "The California gentleman is not one whit less devoted to milady than he was before he placed the ballot in her hand. If she could have in his eyes greater ! respect and in his heart a deeper love than she had before, she has 1t now. And the good women do not stay at home on election day and let the bad women infiu- ence the poll. The good women do vote. and they cast their ballots in the full feeling of what those ballots mean for Californian government and American patriotism.
 | 50 the men and women of California can only say to the women of the east ern tales:
 l " Keep high heart. Do not be cast down by this first reverse! Victory is cer-
 tain in the end!''
 Dr. Sweet to Preach 1