Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-12-03

sending the petition back to head
quarters. This we believe, is largely
the viewpoint of all women in South
Carolina today.
Without any previous announce
ment or any preparation in argument
on part of the petitioners, without
having distributed any literature or
held any public meetings or in any
way educating the public mind on
this question, the petitioners went
forth quietly from home to home
and presented the petition at the top
of which appears these words: eve
the undersigned women of Edgefeld
petition the Legislature of South
Carolina to ratify the Federal Suf-
frage Amendment"
In the early fall Miss Trax of
Maryland spoke in the Court House
one afternoon to a small audience
largely of men. The few women who
were present organized with Mrs. N.
G. Evans as county chairman, their
work being to take census of the
county in regard to this subject
among the women alone as it is their
expression which is desired. The work
throughout the country communities
has not been completed.
To any who have received petitions
we would say that it is time to be-
gin their circulation land we will be
glad to have them signed and sent in
within the next few weeks to Mrs.
Evans.
1t will be interesting to note what
the signers said in connection with
the petition:
Some asked what the petition was
and signed without word, as mere
matter of fact; some expressed great
enthusiasm and said they were very
glad of this opportunity of express
ing themselves; others discussed the
pros and cons, but found the weight
of evidence on the affirmative side.
Some said they had always believed
in the right of women to have her
opinion counted at the ballot box,
still others that they had recently
come to that conclusion.
Of the small minority who failed
to sign, the larger part said they be-
lieved women should have the ballot
and would vote when the time came,
but that either their fathers or hus-
bands were opposed to it, and they
did not wish to antagonize them in
the home.
A few said they had not consider
ed it and would like to have some
time to decide, one or two looked a
little puzzled and said they would
rather not without giving any reason
for not doing so. A very few per-
emptorily refused giving no reason.
One petitioner saw 46 women be-
fore she had refusal. Most of those
who did not sign when asked, said
they would exercise the ballot when
they had the right.
There is very little prejudice re-
naming in the minds of women
against it. If there is any reluctance
at all it is the fear in some cases that
they will displease their families,
and in other cases the old time pref
udice that women have no business
in politics.
Recently in a school a little boy
was asked what politics was and he
said it was some kind of disease, and
when a class mate came home, he
told the incident and said if the
teacher had asked him he could have
told her it was running for office
The latter is a very current opinion
of what politics is, when that is not
the signifcances of the word at all.
One might more worthily be pol
itician if the word is used in the
proper sense, which is student and
of the affairs of gov
ernment, or we might go further and
say one who studies the purposes and
ideals of government and performs
the Loyalty.
Women do not think at all that the
ballot in their hands will bring the
The believe that it will be
a forward step in the gradual bet
terment of the world in that men
have realized that just;"e must be
done to one more of citizens
called women. This class of citizens
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