The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-07
WONAN'S HOUR HAS STRUCK
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Empire, presided over by the descen-
dents of George the Third. If they
possess the patriotism and the sense
of nationality which should be the in
heritance of an American, they will
not wait until the war is ended but
will boldly lead in the inevitable
march of democracy, our own Ameri-
tcan specially.
GAS the most adamantine rock gives
way under the constant dripping OF
water, so the opposition to woman suf-
frage in our own country has slowly
disintegrated before the increasing
Istrength of our movement.
1.-THE edifice of woman's liberty
nears completion. Over our heads,
tantalizing near, hangs the roof of our
hedifice-the vote. What is our duty
Shall we spend time in admiring the
Icap-stones and cornice? Shall we Ia
ment the tragedies which accompan-
led the laying of the cornerstones? Or,
shall we, like the builders of old,
chant, 'Ho! all hands, all hands.
heave to! All hands, heave to-" and
while we chant, grasp the overhang-
ing roof and with a long pull, a
strong pull and a pull together, fix
it in place for evermore?
LET us then take measure of our
strength. Our cause has won the en-
dorsement Of all political parties; ev-
cry candidate for the presidency is a
1t has won the endorse
ment of most churches; it has won
the hearty approval Of all great organ
izations of women. 1t has won the
support of all reform movements; it
has won the progressives of every va
riety. The majority of the press in
most States is with us. Great men
in every political party, church and
are with us. The names
of the greatest men and women of art,
science. literature, philosophy. reform,
religion and politics are on our lists.
I'VE have not won the reactionaries
OF any party, church or society and
we never will. From the beginning
of things, there have been ants. Be-
fore the vote is won, there must and
will be a gigantic final conflict be-
.ween the forces of progress, right
eouness and democracy and the forces
OF ignorance, evil and reaction. That
struggle may be postponed but it can.
not be evaded or avoided. There is
no question as to which side will be
the victor.
"Shal we play the coward then, and
leave the hard knocks for our daugh-
tiers or shall we throw ourselves into
the fray, bare our own shoulders to
the blows and thus bequeath to them
a politically liberated womanhood?
Our movement is like a great Niagara
with a vast volume of water tumbling
over its ledge but turning no wheel.
Our organized machinery is set for the
propagandistic stage and not for the
seizure of victory. Our supporters
are spreading the argument for our
cause; they fel no sense of respon.
sibility far the ralization of our hopes.
Our movement lacks cohesion, organ.
ization. unity and consequent nom.
entum.
Behind us, in front of us, every
where about us are suffragists-mil.
lions of them, but inactive and silent.
were never another convert made.
there are suffragists enough in this
country, If combined to make so ir.
resistible a driving force that victory
might be seizde at once.
( How can it be done? BY a simple
change of mental attitude. If Won are
TO seize the victory, that change must
take place in this hall, here and now,
The old belief, which has sustained
suifragists in many an hour of dis.
couragement woman suffrage is bound
TO come, must give way to the new
me Woman's Hour Has Struck
lnat slogan sets the pace of a cru.
sade which will have its way. It
says: Awake, arise, my sisters. let
your hearts be filled with joy-the
tune OF victory is here. Onward
march
Give heed at once to the organiza.
'uon OF the reserves; and then to the
WORK that they shall do. Organize in
every Assembly District and .uo