The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-11-02

In the alignment OF the co%ntendins
forces in the struggle for equal SUI
frage as given by Mrs. Benedict W.
have on the one hand the brightest
pest and most progressive men and wo
men in the world. Most Of the
churches, all Of the political parties
the national and state educational as.
sociatlons, the farmer and labor or
CARNATIONS, in fact most every asso.
citation OF men or women who have for
their object the a~lleyiating OF suffering
or the lettering of human conditions.
On the other hand we have many good
well-intended people, ii is true, but
with them are associated the corrupt
political machine everywhere, the
liquor dealers association, the crooked
politician and the vice element gen
orally. / don't believe anyone can sue
cessfully question the correctness of
this alignment.
But feel that she has left out the
most to be feared of all the forces ar
rayed against equal suffrage and that
is Big Business, the so-called invisible
government. After their defeat in
New York and New Jersey the women
made a thorough investigation to find
out if they could find the sources from
which the immense slush funds were
derived by which the ants were able
carry on expensive and vigorous cam
paign of speaking and advertising, and
they found to their surprise that while
the liquor dealers and other interest
ed elements were contributing their
hundreds Big Business was contribut-
ing its thousands. To many this seems
almost unbelievable. 1t is easy to see
why the liquor dealer, the crooked
policeman and the white-slaver should
be opposed, but why should these big
interests find it advisable to spend so
much money to bring about the wo-
~ . utltlN Lili 10 W maj NiC NOlCl
no thinks wants to know.
Do you suppose for a moment that
it was because they were afraid il
would make women any the less wo-
manly or that it would be detrimental
in any way to the interests of the
home or good government or civiliza-
ton. If you do you are easy" Is 1t
not rather that they see in the women
vote a menace to their power of ex-
ploitation. Largely through their
ability to control the peoples vote
they have been able to appropriate to
themselves the largest part of the ma
tons wealth, 80 per cent being owned
by a mere handful of men. To pcrpetu-
ate these conditions it is absolutely
necessary that they retain this control.
This is becoming more difficult with
each succeeding year. The voter is be-
ginning to show signs of revolt.-the
political boss (the corrupt tools of big
%business) is finding it more difficult
"to deliver the goods" The people are
beginning to think and act independ-
emily realizing as never before the
dangers threatening our very exist
ence as a free and Independent nation.
II 1t any wonder therefore that preda-
tory wealth should be so opposed to
any extension of the right of fran
chise? They would rather see this
right restricted than enlarged. I'VE
have too many voters already" being
n of their campaign arguments. But
these exploiters would not only lessen
the vote, they would make the present
less affective il they could. In this
connection the story told by Miss Bron-