The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-10
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
COL. coNAwAY AGAIN.

FA1RMONT. W. Va. October L.
Editor The West virginian: lin the
edition OF The West Virginian Of Sep.
TENDER 18th there was printed an ar.
ticle against Woman's Suffrage pre-.
pared by ME in which used the fol.
lowing language:
1.-THE National Suffrage Association
publishes and circulates obscene lit.
erature favoring easy and liberal laws
too indecent to be read in the family
elt osSlS ygAsahSSss4 ssAstahsssws West vir.
ginian printed letter purporting to
have been written by Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait, referring to my arti-
Gle, In which she In part says:
ut seems impossible that any hui
man being In this country should be
SO ill.informed as to write such sland.
erous untruth, or that any reader
would believe it."
Also, THE suffrage movement never
advocated" easy and liberal laws"
Whoever says aught to the contrary
not only tells wanton untruth but
defames the character Of the best men
and women this county has known for
quarter Of a century,"
In the edition of the West Virginian
OF October 9Th. an article Is published
under the name of Alice Stone Black
well calling on me to give to the pub.
lie the proof of publication and circu-
lation OF such literature. This, re.
specially submit, entities me to re-.
ply.
am not engaged in any mudsling.
ing controversy, nor am defaming the
character Of any one. as they would
have the public believe. But what
am trying to do is to strip the suffrage
question Of its yelled persuasions, and
show the emotional, irrational and so.
called forensic thought Of its platform
orators and representatives., on home
church and state. when not engaged
in foreign state in a contest Of
Votes for Women"
In this connection am reminded
that before the anti.suffragists made
q single speech in this county the
suffragists published and circulated,
An order to first create q feeling of
prejudice among the people, a ster.
otyped and boiler plate statement,
prepared In advance for general use
In all states, now followed by declara.
tons Of platform ora 'ors, to tho effect,
that those who oppose their new cult
and idea Of thinking on religious and
public questions, are supported by com.
binations Of vice and the liquor In.
terests, which they then knew, and
now know, to be "a slanderous un-
truth" using her language. They for.
got, however, to state that many wo.
men in wet states, who get their mo.
ney from the sale Of ale and spurious
liquors, are spending 1t for the pro-
motion Of suffrage and the Fastening
Of feminism.
II this controversy demonstrates
any one thing very clearly 1t Is the
length to which we may expect women
TO go In misrepresenting and villifying
those who oppose them in politics.
But when they enter into political life
and assail private citizens they are no
longer entitled to the full measure o.
that rule Of chivalry and ethics pre-.
vailing among gentlemen-never to
dispute their word-and must suffer
the pangs of the shafts of truth when
pointed in their direction.
It was Richard Olney, the great
statesman, who said, that public opin.
ION rules In q great county like ours.
That it brings about the enactment Of
laws and their enforcement, and II en-.
acted without the support Of public
opinion they are a dead letter.
The mission OF Mrs. Hale and DR..
Shaw In West Virginia, at this time,
ts one Of vote getting, as representa-.
tiyes Of the National Woman Suffrage
Association, and not an explanation
OF their views on marriage. divorce,
home and state. when moulding public
opinion into law. Therefore, we must
look to the doctrines for which they
stand when not within our state on
vote getting tours, but engaged in at.
tempting to influence the public mind
to their way Of thinking on other sub
1ects affecting the basic principles OF
home and government.
d.. Anna Shaw Is advertised a the