Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-06-16


damental, but an expedient, and cited
the law of evolution as a basic rea-
son for his stand. Upon what prin
cple of Justice, he asked, do men
declare that the principles of evolu-
ton have put women on the same
intellectual moral and social plane
with men, and yet when women de-
mand ads the next forward step in
the march of progress the right of
self-expression by means of the bal
lot, assume the responsibility of
checking her evolutionary develop
ment by the ukase, Thus far shalt
thou go, but no farther"
Through woman suffrage, Mr..
Colby declared, would come a new
era. in society, inasmuch as the in
stinct of women is always fr pres
ervation and conservation, while
men, who for generations have spe-
cialized in business instinct" have
not reflected in the legislation Sc
cured through man-made votes, the
most humane and uplifting senti-
ments of the day. Before and
after statutes in Colorado were
cited as instances of the remedial
= legislation obtained by the suffra-
gists.
John A. Matthews, taking up the
cudgels for the ants, disputed the
suffragists' definition of voting as a
right. No less an authority than
Justice Holmes. of the United States
Supreme Court had ruled, he de-
clared, that was voting was not a
right. AS to the charge that women
had no voice in the making of laws,
Mr.. Matthews contended that the
motive power behind the law was
public opinion, and that in the re-
sponsibility of moulding public opin-
ion women shared as potently as
men.
Two Alternatives.
That the granting of the franchise
to women would either wean her
away from her own particular sphere,
over which no one else could so effi-
GENTLY preside, or result in hasty,
considered balloting, were the two
alternatives presented by Mr. Mat
thews. Against the latter possibility
he solemnly warned his hearers to be
on guard, declaring that there is no
greater menace to the republic today
than the apathetic, negligent vote,
cast at the eleventh hour, with no
more than twenty minutes of consid-
Grafton.
Women in industry were claimed to
have no bearing whatever upon the
suffrage question, the whole matte>
' being entirely one of supply and de-
mand. He further declared that these
economic conditions could not be rem
edied by legislation and in support
of his contention, pronounced Mr.. COL
bys statistics from Colorado to be out
of date and far behind the times.
Miss Price strengthened Mr.. Mat
thews's position by presenting a for
midable array of statistics which
sought to prove that women's sur
frage in the Western States had been
a failure Montana and Nevada, potn
suffrage states, were "the wettest,
blackest spots upon the map ac-
cording to the speaker. "There is no
relation whatever between equarty qs,n,
and voting" she contended Ine
greatest victories won by the weaker
~ sew have been won without the bal
lot. Modern suffragists demand the
baIlot &c a right, " she continued.
"Whence comes that right? This is
matter of permanent expediency
and representation. government
exists for the purpose OF dehnins ana
restricting rights. .ha
sneaker 10 exist in the suffraglst
nrona ganda These were enumerated
es an overestimation of the impor-
lance of government, overaccentua-
/, tion unon the ballot and the theory
that the sexes have different inter-
ests. but must perform the same ser
vice to the State. ut is the interests
of the sexes" the speaker ciaiiaeu' .to
chat are identical. And representa-
tion for women is not necessary 10
nrotect these interests, shared alike
Nv men and women"
Moulding Public Opinion.
pofarri,e to women's effectiveness
4 IN roollding public opinion, Miss Price
haid that under the present regime
.,as-,an yvare much better Qualihed 10
,rarform this service, free and un.
hammered by political Affiliations ana
nsrtisan viewpoints, than Woulu pe
the case were tney enlr n ho.' GO :
SIoraover differentiation of LABOR was
esoantial she continued, and suffrage
t,s, taking women away from the
,,5ne would impair her od-giVen
Twice as the mother and home-
Mrs. Hepburn, the next ana last
sneaker. promptly took up the gaun,-
lei in defense of women
i,on,' mission. True enough, sne
= Soted nome was the best place for
and motherhood her highest
i.,ion hut with the granting or tne
sn,sabise would she spend all her
..tln IN voting? If, on the other hano'
llln9 Mr. Matthews had pointed out
as as negligent, apathetic, twen.y- :
.,iauta vote was SOLl6 "
mn tba greatest menace TO the eiec-
+e TUE ene inst let her devote some oil
toaa'tii toat time she had at her disposal for
that tl1, ttla1r,mulation of mon bipartisan,
tne nolitical public opinion, 10 tne
nohipJtp hidet Of how she would vote upon
election day. racord # was
1T +be suffragists who were respoi'-
not tne che declared, for the re-estab..
S,l,ent slp,g, nj of the divorce colony al
Bann llsnmene hut the man-elected legisla-
na heno' wbich in final session before the
ture, sne wi,r enacted as much OF the the
aeirse eeirfv' legislation as they were a,o ape
dirty ,+ over'' before the cleansing
to- 70 pas of womens votes should drown
10y o'. nnholy protests =,
a, tnels .sue lsuffragists," she declared IN y,
,.s,ng aare not protesting againss
closinee tl. n5eecial work God has given s US
.nc so sr we are only asking lor ene :
oopssp' tS aG' under mS modern conditions to
% among mon those to put forth D0Ss1s