Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-08-27
AUGUSTA LOCALS
SUFFRAGE SPEAKER
Mrs. Mead Speaks in Market Square
Saturday Evening for Cause

Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead of Boston
author of Millions England swords
and Plough Stories and former presi-
dent Of the Massachusetts, Equal Suf-
frage Association, addressed an au-
dience in Market square Saturday
night.
Mrs Mead called special attention
TO the fact that Maine women will not
have to pay a poll tax if they get the
vote. In California. after four years
Of the women voting without poll
tax, the mems poll tax was removed.
She said that no man with the best
intentions in the world can vote for
the women Of his family unless he is
allowed an extra vote for each one.
His vote is not increased in force il
he has a dozen female relations to
represent. A man can represent
woman or a woman represent man
in the legislature but neither can rep
resent another at the polls The mot
to hung across the street, Women in
the home, men in the government"
should be Women in the home, men
in the shop and both at the polls in the
interest Of ALL" Voting does not put
a man in the government" Only
legislators and officers are in the gov
ernmert. No one is asking to put
women in the government. The sole
question is their right TO help select
those that shall be in the government
and thus protect themselves as no dis
franchised class ever can.
One of the most dangerous of old
fallacies is that bullet is behind ev
cry ballot and that "all government
rests on force" No government rests
on force, though all governments use
force as they use a dozen other things.
Government depends primarily on
the consent Of the governed. Sanford,
Me. has 10000 inhabitants and three
policemen. The reason that there are
only three is that the citizens give
their consent to the government and do
not rob and kill each other because
they do not want to. Otherwise, a po-
liceman would be needed for every
family. Government depends far more
on the farmer. miner, manufacturer,
on the school teacher, banker, legisla-
tor and judge. on the editor. preacher
and on money than 1t does on the SOL
dier. Imagine the chaos and the i'm
possibility Of government If the rail-
roads and newspapers and banks clos
ed permanently, tomorrow Were il
not for schools our country would he
ruled by an illiterate mob. Instead
Of republic we would have anarchy.
The Kaiser's army would be impo-
tent. naked starving mob fighting
with its fists were 1t not for the real
things on which all government rests.
If only the soldier is to vote then dis
franchise nine-tenths of the clergy and
all men over 45 years old A woman
who has borne a soldier and fed and
reared him should not have him turn
on her when he gets to be 81 and
says: Mother, when you can kill some
one, you can vote
Every political party has come out
in its platform for woman suffrage.
Nineteen states give presidential suf-
frase and II states. Alaska. Alberta,
Manitoba, British America and On
tario have the full suffrage.
Maine will resume her old place Of
leadership in New England IL she toins
the progressive states Of the middle
west and far west and achieves a full
democracy instead Of a half democ-
racyN
When 40 millions Of men are called
out Of productive work to destroy. the
women who take their places and pro-
duce should have the ballot for pro-
lection. Russia gives all its women the
same franchise as the men and Great
Britain has decreed that 5000. 900 Eng
tsh women shall have the ballot and
this in war time Let America achieve
democracy at home while nghting for
II abroad.
Mrs. Mead depiored the folly Of the
picketers in Washington and said as
per cent of all sufrragists repudiated
their actions and were ashamed ~
them Just as all good men repudiate
the lynching and rioting of which men
have recently been guilty.
Mrs. Mead was introduced by Rev
". J. Layton. pastor OF the Methodist
rh. ~At. x~.A