Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-18
sy WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN

BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BG9AN
Copyright, 1920, by The Wheeler
Syndicate, 1ncD
1t seems very probable that the
Suffrage amendment will be ratlned
by the necessary thirty-six states
even if ratification is not completed
before the conventions are held, it is
quite. certain that it will be cOmplet-
ed before the election. But even it
national suffrage should fail to be
accomplished in time to admit all
the women of the country to partici-
pate in the election, con ~iderat lie
majority of them will vote this fall
by virtue OF states constitution ors
state statutes, and the early enfran-
chisement of women is as certain as
any future event can be.
Tennessee is quite sure to vote
for the national amendment next
winter although the state. because a
special session is not authorized by
the constitution, will be unable to
Wi it's name upon the roll of hon
or now. Florida, too, is quite GER
tain to ratify although immediate
attention is prevented by constltu-
tional pro. sion which denies to the
eessrislatures zthe..ssright to ratlty
rIeas19re! tina ts III %sub omitted before
the siegfsfatufe was elected. Besides
these There are Several states which
are certain to frfatify if special ses-
sions are called. ~. s ~,
: Assuming therefore,. that univer-.
sal woman suffrage is a matter OF
few months, u It is worth while to
consider. the effect of women's en-
trance in the arena of politics.
Many well-meaning men nave
stoutly resisted the proposed en-
REIMBURSEMENT of woman out of fear
that the exercise of suffrage. might
in some way work to the injury of
the home. This argument lacks
force, first. because it is a prophecy
with nothing in history to support 1t,
and, second, because it is in line
been made to every advance step
taken by civilization. There was a
time when the education of the
masses was believed by sincere peo-
pie to threaten the destruction of So
ciety That was the aristocratic
the Lord intended only few. to be
educated-just enough to do the
thinking for the people while the
uneducated would devote their time
to the drugery of life; Now. unlVer-
sal education is the ideal of civiliz-
ed countries and we wonder how any
person could have brouG himself
to the point of condemning a large
majority of his fellow mer to the
ni~ht of ignorance.
The strongest argument
Even after the value of education
for men was admitted, some good
people were afraid to extend educa-
ton to women for fear that it would
make them Inconsistencies them. as
| It were. But now the young women
of America: on the average, carry
| their school education to higher
point than the young men, as any
one will realize who visits the high
schools. And who now doubts the
value of education for women
When I visited Mexico some twenty
school with the boys. | MENTIONED
the matter to President Diaz, and he
promptly replied. 1T is more i'm
portant that the women shall be ed
ucated than that the men shall be
because the mother is the child's
| first teacher"
In like manner there are many
good people in Asia who really be
Iieve that it would demorelize society
if women did not veil their faces, al
though visitors 30 Oriental cities
soon begin to suspect that the thick
ness of the veil varies i'll inverse
proportion to the Woman's beauty
| the fairer the face, the thinne" the
veil. Even in Asia the women are
breaking away from this custom anc
who. in this country at least, vii
doubt that woman is better because
! Of Ter dCQU11 WALL SOClCIS dIN
| that society is improved by her pres
snce! IL no country can there be
| found better mothers amt wives tar
| in the II ted States, an! nCre We
come nearer to universal education
and woman's face is not concealed.
The strongest argument in favor Of
suffrage is that it has been success
! full wherever tried. -Four of oul
states have had woman's suffrage fol
more than twenty-five years and il