Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-08

hour, that they prized their women too highly to have them mix Tn unclean politics, that woman's place was Tn the home, etc, etc, and then 10 proVe that woman suffrage had been fail- l ure said that Colorado where women had voted for years refused to enter
 tain a child labor law to shorten the hours of labor for women. MasSa- | chusetts on the other hand, where only men vote, had passed minimum I wage statute" Very convincing this must have seemed to those who did not know that five states where wom- en vote passed the minimum wage law before Massachusetts did and Col orado, whose canning industries are
 as important as New Jerseys, had passed an 8-hour day law for work | CTS in the canneries, while in New 1 Jersey, where men only vote, the can
 at their work as long as flesh and blood will stand it. Perhaps this was | one reason why New Jersey buried
 down votes for women; they did not l want their women tampering with l their labor laws. New York, too. turn ed down votes for women. and the re- cent disgraceful action of the New York legislature on the laws regulat- 1 ing the canning industries is too well
 known to mention here. In the states 1 where women vote they have ever | been found standing shoulder to shoul- der as a unit for humane laws. The debate was closed by one of the 1 finest and clear cut summing up of 1 the whole question that I have ever seen in print, by one of the brightest legal men in Augusta and will be of great interest to the suffragists of Connecticut. MT Lawton B. Evans said: T am under the impression that
 women are tired of compliments, sions of the main issue. Some men talk to women as if they were chill dren to be petted and talk with them as if they were defectives to be cared l for.''
 lementsimpreomi gfinbetuptomz ?nsth T am also under the impression 1 that women are tired of this talk about the holy mission of motherhood, as if motherhood were any more sa- cred than fatherhood, and as for this belongs at home just about as much as woman does. It is time for us to
 get down to the issue, and consider women for their real values as sensi- ble creatures and citizens of our coun- try. Just because a citizen is a male citizen 21 years old, no matter how ignorant, poor, worthless and venal. he is entitled to vote. Just because a citizen is a female citizen, no mat ter how cultured, wealthy, worthy, or capable and independent, she is not entitled to vote. It does not look req
 sonable nor fair.
 "A woman is a citizen and amen
 able to the laws and she pays taxes
 on her property, she is punished for crime, she is subject to all the laws and protected by them. Men make the laws regulating her conduct, her duties. her rights and her liberties, and she is not allowed to say 9 word one way or the other. She has pei- ther vote or voice in aw-mak1ng or
 in the selection of those who make
 hn hn iS fIuoJY h,,- consent. and we fought the American Revolution and won our liberty be-
 cause we did not believe in that doc
 trine
 Compulsory education laws force
 young women into schools. The high schools and colleges complete their
 education in civics, economies. history
 and business. Yet when they step
 into the world they are met with the
 statement that laborers, and truck drivers and men in similar positions
 in life are more capable of voting
 than they are. Why educate them if
 we are going to insult an intelligence that we confessedly have developed into so excellent state of culture and judgment? They tell us in reply that we would increase the illiterate vote. Yes but it would also increase the literate vote.
 T judge that so per cent of the criminals are men, most of the trunks the lTaHlpS, the thieves, ana generally worthless, come from the voting classes. Our women are the most de- cent and respectable part of a com munity. I believe they also show smaller percentage of illiteracy than men. I cannot believe that woman suffrage will increase, will increase the per centage of illiterate voters
 T hear 1t said that the polls are no place for women. I grant for that some polls I have heard of are not fit places for anybody. If debauchery and profanity at election precincts ex- clude decent women, we will clean up these C1egean stables and have decent elections and make voting day less of 9 riot and more of a sacrament and this women voting will perform a great service to our country He an swered the question of military and civil obligations by saying: 'All men are not required to be jurors. such as lawyers doctors, ministers and teachers. Everybody is not allowed to shoot gun in time of war. In time of war women do their service in hos pltals, in munition plants, etc etc He said also: The interest of the liquor traffic is afraid to trust women with the ballot. knowing they will bring about national prohibition Corpora tions are afraid of women's vote be- cause they know they would be taxed for compulsory education. Corrupt of f1ce holders are afraid of their votes for they know they would hold all men to strict accountability for de- cency. cleanliness, justice and hones- ty. Party bosses are afraid of their votes, because they do not know how they will vote. I wish I dared to give all of this just and cllivalrous address but I fear to tax too far the kindness of the editor.