Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1916-05-02
QUIZ FOR FARMERS
and their WIVES
Some Things That Every Man
andWoman on a Farm Is
Fully Aware OF
NOW UNEQUAL PARTNERSHIP
Women Of West Virginia Should Let
Men Know They Want to Vote
and They VIII Vote.

And now come the opponents OF
equal suffrage with the threadbare
and overworked talk that the extern
sion of the franchise to women VIII
interfere with "women's work" This
so-called argument is so hoary with
age and has been refuted SO many
times In the equal suffrage states
that 1t is an insult to the intelligence
of West Virginians to press it at this
time.
Every woman knows, and most OF
the men know 1t as well, that any
work that needs doing is womans
work. Especially do the women on
the farms of this state know that
there is no broad line of distinction
between her work and that of her
men folks. Who is there that ever
lived on a farm but knows that ev-
cry one of the following propositions
is absolutely true2
Every Woman Knows
When the men are late coming
home from market she does the
chores.
When they are busy with the hay
she milks the cows.
When an extra hand is needed in
the harvest she helps in the field.
Her outdoor activities are not al
lowed to interfere with her house
hold duties. At such times she often
works far into the night. long after
she and her men folks have returned
from the field.
And she knows that her dignity
does not suffer and that she losea
none of her womanliness.
When taxes are due she draws on
her butter and egg money hidden
away in the blue sugar bowl.
To help pay off the mortgage she
spends long winter evenings putting
patches on the boys trousers.
Does this not prove that the farmer
and his wife are partnersH II part
ners, they work together, and II they
work together why not vote togetherf
There is no class of women in the
state that works so hard and whose
work is so nearly Identical with that
of their husbands and sons as that
Of farm women. With a practical
identity OF work, what becomes OF
the argument" that voting will de-
tract from the sweet womanly dig.
nifty of the wives and mothers? II
cannot be possible that anyone con.
siders doing the barn chores any
more dignified than voting. 1t cannot
be possible that anyone thinks that
an equal partnership is at all equal
when one can vote bonds upon the
farm, which is the common stake OF
both.
The men of West Virginia are too
chivalrous not to listen to the request
of the women for the extension OF
the suffrage to them. The only dan.
ger is that the arguments favoring
the amendment may not be brough,
forcibly to the attention Of many who
will be called to vote on the question
next fall. Right here is where the
women themselves have a work to
perform. II they ask for the vote
they will get it. There is nothing
that the men Of this state will not
give to the women if the men believe
the women want it.
Wives, let your husbands know
how you feel about this question OF
voting. Let him know that you
want to be an equal partner with him
in the stake which you both have In
the soil. Let him know that the vote
will be a double protection to you II
by any chance the hand of death
should leave you alone with the part
nership thus broken. II you thus let
him know how you feel about it, he
will vote for the equal suffrage
amendment in November.