The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-20
National PrOhibitiOnistS May
Have Female COntenderS.
More Time for Campaign, st.
Paul Convention Is Told.
-FOUR MILLIONS MAY VOTE
And Majority of Them Are
Against Liquor Traffic.
WOman's Desire for Self Ex-
preston, Says Mrs. Hyde.

St Paul, July 20.-Mrs. Florence
Shown Hyde of Chicago, who has mad
charge of the work among women in
behalf of the Prohibition party. out
lined plans for the campaign to win
the women's votes, in an address be-
fore the convention proper today.
Mrs. Hyde said in part:
IT want to emphasize that we are
facing presidential election in which
100000 women have the privilege
of voting; that these women and the
women Of the non-suffrage states are
being orga nized continually as women
in behalf of every kind of political
propaganda. That the wOmeSls or
CARNATIONS of various kinds are being
taken into consideration more ana
more by politicians and office SEEK
ers; that women are for the time be-
ing at least going to band themselves
to work for the changes in govern
ment which they want as omen; that
the first consideration of the woman
voter and the woman civic worker
who is rot a voter is bound to be
given to the obtaining of legislation
which will give equality in law, which
will ever up the scale of justice.
There is no doubt but that ma
jority of women are against the liquor
traffic and would give to prohibition
their first consideration if properly
organized. Shall we ask the women
to lose their identity when they join
the Prohibition party or shall we give
them an opportunity to speak ana
work for the things which they want
as women-make them feel that they
amount to something as a distinct
force Take it from me the feminist
movement which is based on woman
desire for self-expression for indi-
Vidual action, will not tolerate any
thing political which even appears to
mean woman's loss of identity Men
have had an opportunity this long time
for full and free self-eXpression and
when it has been denied them they
fought, bled and died to regain or
preserve it.
In our educational propaganda
among the women we must recognize
the other issues for which our plat
form will undoubtedly declare, and
show them that the other things which
they want for the benefit of the child
and the home, hinge upon the solution
of the liquor problem, that the Pro-
hibition cause is the central axle on
which revolves the program of human
cCuserva ton.
II believe that it is to the interest
of the party to put forward many
women candidates. In the first place
we have many capable women who
are available, who have more time for
campaigning than does the average
man candidate. Secondly we can get
more publicity for a woman candidate,
and thirdly. we should emphasize that
we stand not only for giving the baliot
to women, but for giving her chance
to help administer our government.
Let US catch the vision of the OPP
portunity that is ours. We have al
ways believed that the women would
vote with us if they had a chance. and
they will if we can get our PROPOSE
ton before them squarely and fairly.
In Illinois where women have separate
ballots because of our limited suffra ge
we know that they voted dry two to
one as a separate issue on the ballot.
The only reason that these same Hi
nois women and the women in other
suffrage states have not voted the
Prohibition party ticket is because
they have been misIed by non-partisan
theory of political action, which they
have heard so many of the good men
of their acquaintance advocate"