The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-02-08

We Cdu SEC NutNt 10 oilt Hhoib NOiibS-
ton to make and after the word
color" should be inserted the word
Sex" thus briging to the problem of
the nations housekeeping, mans will
ling companion, helpmeet and equal.
"The right Of citizens to vote!"
What does it mean? Who is a citizen
of the United States?
You will find the answer to the
last question in the Fourteenth
Amendment. "All persons, born or
naturalized. in the United States and
subject to the Jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens of the United States and of
the states in which they reside" Is
woman a "persons?" Is she not
either born at naturalized in the
United States? Is she not subject to
the Jurisdiction thereof?
The remark is frequently heard,
81 do not wish the woman love to
dabble in the dirty mire of politics.
If politics is a filthy mire, pray
whose slatternly housekeeping has
made it SO? DO women prefer hus-
bands besmirched with it? Surely
not. Let me tell you what they pre-
fer. When conditions are not what
they should be they desire to prove
themselves the true helpmeets and to
help their husband clean up whatever
offends them and to work alongside
with them to perfect the affairs of the
nation.
Man admits his inability to keep his
country in order when he describes
its management, the highest privilege
which it bestows upon him, as filthy
What real woman wants to stand
upon a pedestal anyhow and to be
protected" from the cares of modern
progress? She desires, rather, to help
to do the things that are worth while
to share this short life with her
"equals"-mind you, equals" not lin
feriors" nor "superiors."
Because a man follows the mercan-
tile business, does it follow that he
may not read and think over the issues
of the day, and, once a year record
by the ballot his opinions of their So
luton? Must a blacksmith speak OF
think of nothing but his forge? Is he
any less successful in his labors be-
cause he walks to the polls OCCASION
ally and states his wishes about the
laws which are to govern him?
1t is hard to understand how any
one, really desiring our nation to rise
to the greatest height of freedom, car
wish to postpone the entrance of wo.
man into political life How can We
afford to leave out any element Of
power, especially one which is admit.
ted to represent the finer, nobler anC
more refined side of humanity.
In the crisis which the world is fac.
ing today, the conflict of nations, the
injustice of the present system is mos
clearly brought to light The sex
which has borne the children, reared
and cared for them, is completely L.
nored and driven before the whirl
wind OF war, as the chaff is blown be
fore the storm. The sons, dearer t.
her than life itself, are snatched from
her protecting arms to feed the mon
ster.
All that the women may do is L
organize themselves into peace
leagues, composed, thank God, of wo
men from nearly every nation under
the sun, and to protest against sucl
Tyranny.
| Perhaps this is the lesson which oul
Heavenly Father has for humanity, il
this upheaval. Perhaps He wishes
mankind to understand that all tn,
finer, better elements of humanity
must be considered, as well as a com
plete living tolerance with each 9th
er's shortcomings, before the highest
most perfect form OF democracy cal
exist upon earth. So long as tn,
gentler sex is ignored, while coars
terminals are allowed to precede her
such results as we see following
Kaiser Wilhelm's attempts to rule wo
mans sphere and to arbitrarily limi
woman's sphere to the "three KS,
may be expected.
Those who are already sharing tn
great privileges of our blessed coun
try should be glad to share them witt
others. Let us each, then, strive h
aid the progress of our nation towar,
that coming day when she will be al
example for all the world Of liberty
freedom and justice, administrate
with the consent of the governed, tn
day of complete prohibition Of all evil
which degrade and destroy.