The broad ax., 1917-04-14
EQUALITY IN ALL THINGS.
By Thor J. Benson.

by IHOT u. beuSOu'
formerly an assistant city prosecuting
attorney, assigned to the near
South Side District
Police Court.)
Julius F. Taylor, editor of The Broad
In these troublous times it is well to
bark back to original principles and
urge that the people live up to them
SO as to avoid political breakers in the
coming days, after the world shall have
laid aside its brutal and forcible con,
tentions on the battlefield, and taken
its issues back into the more peaceful
forums.
1t is our boast individually and as a
community that we, in the words of the
declaration of independence, this the
august chart of human rights, that
"we hold these truths to be self evi.
dent that all men are created equal.
endowed by their creator with certain
inalienable rights, among which are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi,
ness" But, are we really accepting
these self-evident truths as our guide
to our conduct If we are honest with
ourselves and candid, we must say that
we are far from it.
For this reason 1 think it would be
justifable, notwithstanding the fact
that we have countless organizations in
the interest of some part of the move
ment for greater democracy in pOliti-
cal, industrial and social discussions
and positive reforms, to form another
organization to take such an appella-
ton as "The Political, Industrial and
Social Equality League of the South
Side of Chicago in order to propagate
sentiment that would induce our repre-
sentatives in public affairs to come
nearer to the spirit of equality among
the citizens of the different races and
religious persuasions living within the
territory mentioned in the name. As
far as the form of name is concerned,
that is not of the essential part, but
the idea sought to convey is that we
must treat every citizen as equal, be
he a person of means or one without
means, so that the latter as well as
the former may have an opportunity
to present any reason he may have to
the electorate, why he thinks he could
we'll serve the community in certain
elective or appointive position. And
while the franchise has lately been ex-
tended to a very considerable ad-
ditional number of people to some ex-
tent, and full franchise will likely
soon be extended to this large number,
at the same time the movement might
well go further and extend the fran
chise to all persons above the age of
secondary school graduation, eighteen
years. Why, our laws permit girl at
that age to control her own property
and compels boys, if needed, to serve
in the militia, and then why should
we withhold the franchise from them
for three yearsi Then again to en-
courage motherhood, it would seem
well that a mother having charge of
her minor children, either exclusively
or in cooperation with her husband,
should have the right in addition to
casting her own vote, one vote each for
her minor children. This would bring
the franchise to every member of the
community, and would be pure de-
mocracy.
Then also the necessary information
should be furnished to each individual
at the public expense, enabling him or
her to act intelligently on any ques-
ton presented for decision at the polls,