Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-25
Prot. Macy on Won,a,, Suffrage

\ monarchy, but he perceived that the
j spirit Of the age called for republican
forms Of government. and BY his e.
forts to insure for US An enduring re-
public he placed himself In i position
Ito command the lasting gratitude OF
future generations.
1t is the duty of every citizen to take
account Of the spirit OF the are in
which he lives and then to devote his
powers to the securing OF the best
which conditions offer. One refuses Ia
regard this obligation and persists ia
acting only upon his individual opin-
ions when they are in conflict with the
spirit OF the age becames thereby an
obstructt0nist, dead weight on
society. The greatest Of all teachers
rebuked his disciples for their failure
to discern the signs OF the times In
which they lived.
4 The signs OF the time in which we
live now point unmistakably to the
final close Of the long ages OF agony
during which woman has been trans-
formed from creature without
soul. q slave, mere adjunct to her
lord and master, into an independent.
equal co-worker with man. This work
viii not be completed until enfranchise-
ment has been perfected ana that IL as
inevitable as are all the processes OF
evolution. Why then should any mere
man in the state OF Iowa vote against
bringing that disgraceful chapter In
mans history to righteous ending?
The question to be decided In June
! 10 not whether Iowa shall have woman
suffrage: the question Is whether our
state shall hold a place near the front
rank In the procession along with
England. Australia, New Zealand. the
Scandinavian states and numerous
American states. or whether Iowa
shall stick in tho mud and finally be
dragged into the procession at its tail
end. We need now the full and equal
CO. operation OF all citizens to assist
in getting the state out Of the mud. to
assist In making clean and wholesome
cities and villages, to aid in perfecting
the best possible system OF education.
All that is required 70 make the vote
unanimous il that men OF the state
shall follow the ordinary rules OF COM
duct in the business world. A thou-
sand men may be engaged In a busi-
ness enterprise involving numerous
complicated problems. They agree
upon a distinct line OF action which
every nah Loyalty supports. even
though IL may be contrary to his In
dividual opinions. Effective govern-
ment requires the hearty cooperation
of all It's citizens. This Is az true OF
democracy as 1t is OF despotism.
Despots secure unanimity by the
heads Of dissentients: but q democ-
racy is compelled to rely upon per-
suasion to secure unanimity.
OF government involves continuous
war. either actual or threatened. There
can be no lasting peace until one or
the other method has been accepted.
In actual warfare government by force
has an immense advantage over Cow
eminent by persuasion. The hardest
lesson which democracy has to learn
Is to avoid waste OF energy in fruit
less debate. The men of Iowa have
now the one opportunity Of their lives
to make a notable contribution to the
learning Of this lesson. A majority 4
vote In favor of the amendment would
mean nothing distinctive. but a. unAni- y
nous vote for the amendment would
mean that a considerable proportion
of the men OF the state had sacrificed
individual opinions in order to make
an end of useless and wasteful Do.
bate. Already thirty years have besn
worse than wasted over the question
whether enfrAnchisement OF women
shall be complete or only partial Tho
actual question to be settled now IL q
thing In itself Of little Importance IN
comparison with the demonstrations OF
willingness on the part OF many
thoughtful citizens to forego the i'm
sistence upon their own individual
- Ill xkH snssf- ~ fS~g
good. No great merit 10 implied in q
mans voting according to his personal
preference. but to sacrifice individual
conviction for a greater good does In \
volve merit Of high order.