The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-08
THE SAGE OF BATTLE.

with a right to express their conyic-
tions, through thee only discovered
symbol of free opinion-the ballot.
to southern women and those women
of other deliquent states who have
been tardy in comforting the franchise
upon women, there comes also an OBJ
ligation,-such an obligation as may
not be denied, Such a duty as no
woman who is loyal to this section and
nation, may shirk.
The women of the United tates, al
most to a woman were opposed to
war. But when it was found that
under the old order Of things it was
war only that might uphold the honor
of this country, the women of the
United tates responded as unit,
and the work of the women during
the period of hostilities was a wonder
ful evidence of their singleness of
purpose and ability, as we'll as will
lngness, to serve.
Today they have come to face an is
sue OF equal importance. They have
had placed upon them an obligation
they may not more shirk than they
may relinguish the duties of wife
they are called upon to pledge one
once more their faith, to give once
more their allegiance, and to bind that
pledge with the ballot.
It is not light privilege that" is
theirs. 1t is a sacred obligation, and
one that may not be denied by any
woman who has the interests of this
country at heart. There are today in
80 nF oe
illiterate men who are casting their
ballots for the good or the i'll of this
country and there is in this country,
the intelligent vote of millions of
women has remained unutilized.
When Mrs. Carrie Chapman Cats,
president Of the American Woman
Suffrage Association. succeeded DR..
Anna Howard Shaw to that office,
she made the statement that one of
the most sacred duties of that asso-
citation of suffragists was to impress
upon the women Of this nation the
duty that is theirs in taking an in
telligent pat in the affairs Of their
country.
Upon the women of the South there
rests a peculiar and special obligation.
The South has for years been demo-
cratic. While the meaning OF demo
crat" and republican, may have
changed in some degree, in the South
it is still true that upon democracy
depends the future of this section.
Certainly at this time in the history
of the nation. 1t may be that in flu
ture years, when the two great par
ties of the ntaion have eliminated from
their political systems certain at
tributes that it may not be necessary
to maintain the solid south" But
that it is necessary today, can hard
ly be controverted, by any thinking
man Or woman, who has made a study
of present conditions, not only in the
South, but throughout this country.
Without the acknowledgements of the
women of the South, this section
would have been so handicapped in
the coming national election that the
outcome is hardly problematical We
should have seen an end of the demo-
cratic party in the South. With the
intelligent vote of the women of the
South, there can be no doubt but that
the South is again saved to democ-
racy.
The vote OF the women of the north
and west is problematical The vote
OF the woman of the South may be
counted upon for a democratic ma
jority. IF SHE VOTES. And she
must vote, unless she is willing to
stand before the world, sponsor for
the failure of the democratic party
in the November election.
1t is perhaps natural that women.
long made the subject of jest, of SLAM
der. of attack, direct and indirect
may come into this new political lfe
with some feeling of resentment. But
II she Is as big as the obligation which
has been laid upon her, she will nut
by remembrance of past discrimina-
ton, she will forget the petty in the
fulfillment of that which is great
enough to submerge any recollection
or past injustice, and she will cast
her ballot for that which is right and
just and best for her country. her
state and her municipality.
IL has been said of southern women
that they will not vote. This has been
dlsproVen in every town or state
where women have had opportunity
TO vote. In Alabama eight thousand
women registered in jefferson county
alone, afterward forming a great vic
tory parade.
1t is believed that the women of
Florida will be quick to register and
VIII be come an intelligent part of the
political life at once, this ASSUMPTION
being based on the fact that Florida
was the first southern state to con-
Ter municipal suffrage upon it's women
ana that more cities in Florida. give
their women the franchise than in
any other southern state. The women
nave voted intelligently on nunicipal
affairs and there is no reason to he
l1eve that they will display less intel
ligence in national affairs.
Whatever feeling there may have
have been in the south against the
woman vote, and that feeling has been
strong, for the sake of the nation AMI
particularly for this part of the conn
try, that feeling must give way be
fore the acknowledgment that the
woman vote is needed, and that m
less the vote of the women is trans
lated into active service, unless the
women of the South participate in