Evening journal., 1917-02-20
SAYS women OF State.
don't Want TO Vote.
tcontinued From Pago opel

look as il it were coming.
"The Suffragists say. tho men VIII
not give il TO us We ask for justice.
I do not believe for one instant that
the men of the United States would
refuse suffrage to women year IN ana
year out. unless they were convinced
that the women Of this country ala
not want t. No. gentlemen, every
man who goes 20 the polls and votes
against the ballot for women does so
because he knows his wife or his
mother or his sister, or his sweet
heart. does not want 1t. Therefore.
granted that numbers prove the wom-
en- do not want suffrage. whore would
be the justice in granting e. would
il not be the greatest injustice 10
force the wishes OF the minority upon
tho majority?
we women who oppose suffrage
have work az home with our chill
dren. with our charities. with our so
cial interests; VIC cannot give all our
time 10 anti-suffrage as so many OF
our opponents can. We cannot show
the zeal or make the demonstrations:
we are really the silent picket; but
We arc thinking just the same.
women on our side. that college girls
and high school girls are all in ia
vor OF H. Suppose this 10 be the
case-docs It prove anything? Do the
young women Of the country, who
arc unmarried, know what IL is 10
sit up with a sick child. night after
night? DO they realize that marriage
entails duties aud work OF which they
know nothing? DO they realize tho
hours OF enforced idleness that must
come 70 every one Of us who have
mothers? Il is largely on account Of
experiences of the past that We feel
n n solemn duty TO warn the young
women OF the present generation ere
Il Is too late.
Take. for example. the death OF
Mrs. Boissevain-a splendid type Of
young American womanhood whose
life was absolutely throws away be-
cause she could not be made to roa-
lizo that at times the strongest wom-
an must take care Of her health Her
death is one of the most complete
examples Of our belief that women
cannot keep pace with men in politi-
cal life. and at the same time fulfill
the duties Of a wife and mother
I'VE have not the fortunes OF
wealthy women at our disposal. in
this State. or in the United States
No Leslie millions have been left us,
but here, In our own Diamond State,
we have raised money enough to pay
for q house-to-housc canvas IN the
City OF Wilmington. We have made
an Impartial count of Ant-Suiiragists,
Suffragists. and Neutrals, and the re-
suits show that at least the women
OF New Castle County do not want
10 vote.
Gives Result Of Census.
"In New Castle County We have TO
report as follows:
"1S.Os7 women are opposed TO
equal suffrage; zoos women want
suffrage. and "A women are neutral,
or Indifferent Z
These names can all be youcheh
Tor and as far as possible, are the true
unbiased count of the City of VIII
mington and New Castle County
These statistics represent women q
years OF age. or over. and both white
and negro women were canvassed inn
partially. so we claim the majority
does not want suffrage.
I'VE believe Il would involve great
or expenses &C elections, with no cor
responding benefit to the women Of
the State. The Suffragists laugh at
this. but figures prove that In Chi
cago. the only State in which the
count is kept separate. II cost the
City OF Chicago 100000 to bring out
the women's vote for Mayor Thomp-
son. and the women voted exactly as
The men would have done, hence the
vote was only doubled.
"In the City Of New York IL is es-
limated that the women's vote would
cost over 81 500 900. What is 10 he
gained by this? The Suifragists say,
we need parks. we need pure milk
we need schools for our children
Would they have us believe that the
fathers of these children are forget
full or unmindful of the comforts and
necessities of their children or their
wives2 And how, after all. would
voting help secure these benefits
Would not the wonderful progress We
have made as women during the past
hundred years be impeded by turning
the body OF non-partisan women into
political factors. and thus every time
We ask for a reform of any kind, oil
for charitable assistance, bring into
the masculine MIND the query. "Wn
they vote for me or viii they vote
against me?' Immediately we have
lost the direct and unremitting power
for good which we otherwise would
have had.
Now, il we increase the cost ol
election by letting women vote We
will be expanding money that other
wise could be spent on good roads
public schools. public buildings, pure
milk. etc. 20 say nothing Of retard-
ing the election returns by doubling
the work of counting the ballots. We
would destroy the efficiency of the
family from an economic point of
view; We would cease to recognize
tne family as the unit Of our civili-
1s1ion Ia destroying the supremacy
or the head, for as we know. no fam
~ can nave two heads any more
nan business OF a county or a
SoIernment In fact. We would be
u-ahlns TWO people do the same work
When one could do il alone. We
would put double burden ON yom-
thhmd, because VIC say politics need
houseolesning-I believe tho wav ~
make clean politics is TO bring mn
honorable men, and this can only hs
done at tho mothers knee an,
through the influence for good ths
We can secure in our homes. and !,
this work a woman can be of IN
greatest benefit to the state-fa
more SO than as an ofice-holder !
a politician.
What Could Be Gained.
Thus we see no benefit to n