The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-22
MRS. CHAMP CLARK
PRAISES SUFFRAGE
Ballot Is Weapon to Accom-
plish Much Good
CHANGE COMES FAST
State After State Will Fall Into Line
Until the Conservatives Are
Forced to Accept the
Inevitable
CHANGE COMES FAST

There are those who think suffrage
should be given to women matter of
right. There are those also who think
it should be given them that they may
uplift humanity, and there are those
who believe that 1t should be given them
because it is just and also because of the
good women may accomplish through
the ballot.
To the latter class belongs Mrs. Champ
Clark, wife of the speaker of the House,
who was in Birmingham yesterday with
Mr.. Clark.
Il believe equal suffrage will be the
greatest leveler that could possibly be
exerted, she said, land l believe that
the equal enfranchisement of men and
women will do more to do away with the
double standard of morality between man
and woman than any weapon that could
be welded.
CHANGES IN PROSPECT
TT will do away with inefficient chill
dren, and the burden upon the govern
ment of imbeciles and degenerates to
great extent. When men recognize wom-
en- as their political equals, they will.
I believe, recognize the fact that
they are capable of discussing
and assisting in revising openly and
broadly certain conditions that well need
to be revised. l think it is absurd that
subjects that are the foundation of every
life and of life itself are barred from
discussion between intelligent men and
women. The only way to overcome evil
is through education, and education along
broad lines. This can be greatly facili-
tated, / believe, through granting to
women the right of the ballot"
Mrs. Clark believes that the time is not
far distant when universal suffrage will
be a thing accomplished.
"Why, I can remember the time when
the first automobile came to Bowling
Green" she said. Senator Vest and
some friends came to see us, and, do
you know, they said the sight of the ,au-
tomobile worked up such emotions among
the people in the country through which
they passed that they did not dare tell
them they were friends of ours for fear
it would keep Mr.. Clark from being
elected to the office he was seeking? We
had an old horse that when she would
see an automobile would turn square
around and look in your face and run
wild. 1t wasn't very long, however. be-
fore the very people who had jeered at
the first automobile were driving their
own cars, and within very short time
the old horse had gotten to where she
would stand still and almost let an au-
tomobie run over her.
SHOCK AT FIRST
so, you see, that's the way it will be
with suffrage OF course. there's a terri
BILE shock at first, and the conservatives
win hold out a trifle longer than is
necessary. But after it has come, and
people generally recognize that it's come
to stay, why they will just get used to
it and take it for granted, like our horse
took the automobile.
with 100000 women already allowed
the privilege OF the ballot national suf-
frage is an assured thing.
1T isn't possible that an imaginary
line shall divide the voting sister in the
one state from the rsonvoting sister in the
other state, and that such condition will
remain.
1T is simply question of getting the
more progressive states to grant suf-
frage to their women and then the con-
sentative states will have to topple in
whether or no. At any rate, it's coming.
and coming fast"