The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-07-25
WHY THE EDITOR OF THE
HERALD WANTS SUFFRAGE?

That question can easily be an
swered in seven simple words--BE-
CAUSE I AM A FREE-BORN AMER
lCAN CITIZEN. That should be suf-
ficient and in these days when women
are taking their place right along
side OF the men in bearing the bur-
dens and responsibilities of war and
wal, work. we believe that II will be
sufIicient and that when the men Of
Oklahoma 20 to the polls next No
vember they will cast their ballot in
favor OF equal suffrage and an over
vhelming majority in favor Of the
suffrage amendment will be the re-
suit. II seems that argument in ia
vor Of the amendment should scarce
ly be required or necessary but, IL II
Is necessary, there Is plenty OF good.
strong logic that may be advanced.
First and perhaps greatest Of all. Is
that old and very good reason for
which our forefathers fought-'Tax-
alton Without Representation"
Then, to say nothing OF their volun-
tary service In war work. in the Red
Cross. Y. NJ. and Y. w. C. A., Lib
erty Loans. Stamp Drives. and War
Funds OF all kinds, they are expected
and required. equally with the men.
TO invest in Bonds, Stamps, etc, and
II IL right that they should. II their
citizenship is recognized In all these
channels. why not recognize II at the
ballot box?
Even though wOman's influence
would not improve the ballot one
iota. (though statistics where equal
suffrage prevails shows that It does
do sol. we should still say emphatic
ally that woman was entitled to fran
chise II she wished II. The fact that
a woman is presumed to be human
being, that she has a mind and a
heart, lat least few OF them do. al
any rate as great per cent as dc
the sterner sex). entities her to the
ballot and to our mind, they should
demand Il. not on the ground that
they aresgoing to revolutionize the
whole system and eliminate all that
Is rotten and corrupt, but because. as
we said in the beginning, they are
FREE-BORN AMERICAN CITIZENS
capable of choosing between right
and wrong. and with the ability tG
accumulate property by their owr
labors and to conduct business
whether legal. professional or com
mercial, In a business way. While
the editor OF The Herald will un
Questionably live Just as long and b.
reasonably happy II she never casts q
ballot In q general election. yet We
shall never concede but that Il wal
our perfect right to do so inasmucf
as ever since we have been the pos
SCISSOR Of taxable property, whethel
much or little, we have been regu
larly assessed for taxes on the same
we have contributed to every funt
for the benefit OF public improve
ment or advancement and have as
sumed our obligations to the govern
ment cheerfully In the support of thu
Red Cross and the purchase OF Lib
erty Bonds and War Savings Stamps
to an amount greatly in excess o
what we were asked to do on pr,
rata basis OF the town and county
and we have done II all with fund
provided absolutely by our owl
labors. II not another woman II
Beaver county or the great state o
Oklahoma wished to vote (but tn
great majority of them wish to do S,
and will vote, too, II given the right
we should stili feel that We wer'
entitled to vote II we so desired. IL