The Lakeland evening telegram., 1920-08-25
SUFFRAGE FOR WOMEN

Il 6Ox AUhVD IOAs VO1UAAS
The Tennessee legislature having
ratified the suffrage amendment, and
it being the thirty-sixth State to take
such action, it may now be fairly as
sumed that suffrage for woman has
arrived. At the time this is written
there is some possibility of a recon-
sideration Of their action by the Ten
ncssee solons; but Of the final result
there is no question , Indeed. for
long time we have regarded as in
evitable the success of the suffrage
movements. Given one per cent Of
active fanatacism on the one side, and
ninety-nine per cent. Of passive in
difference on the other side, and the
outcome is never in doubt.
The Evening Telegram has never
opposed suffrage for women. TIL.
proposition has been one we could
touch only at an infinitesimal point OF
contact, and we have considered it
useless to discuss such problems, ex
cept in a tentative way, concerning
ourselves mostly with local matters,
upon which we felt we might exer-
cise some influence-albeit we take
occasion whenever we may to venture
a reminder Of the eternal verities
which make for the peace and prog
ress and sanity of mankind We have
always said that whenever the wom-
en- Of this land really wanted the bal
let they would have it. It seems that
so far, at least, as the women of the
South are concerned-it has been
given them before they want it; and,
for the most part, in a nationwide
sense, before they are ready for it.
We think we know the women Of
the South. They are, above every.
ting, womanly. That it is which
more than any other thing, constitutes
the ineffable charm that has made
them the adored, the sheltered, the
honered Of men. 10 us-and we be.
lieve vast majority Of Southern men
share the same sentiment-there. is
something shockingly incongruous in
the idea Of the association of women
with politics. Travel and observation
have somewhat sophisticated us, and
the sight of short-haired, betrous-
cred, or cigarette-smoking woman no
longer surprises. But we never see
such a woman but that we thank
God that there are so few of the sex
who ape masculinity. Old-fashioned
and behind the times we may be; but
we contend that womanliness is the
true bloom on the peach. the delicate
frost on the grape that we would not
Rave brushed off oy contact with
those. things that might mar its eth
ereal perfection.
And so, amid the Thoops and hur-
rahs that usher in THIS new era,' the
doubt intrdues as to whether either
men or women have profited so vastly
by the exchanges that are involved
For two score years and more we
have watched the frantic gyrations o1
the "long-haired men and the short
haired women hearkening more OF
less dispassionately to their perfervif
pleas and protestations, as their nos
trums, one after another, have beer
thrust upon the attention of some
what weary world, as panaceas fo
all political and social ills. We gran
that in the main those reformers wer'
sincere and well-intentioned. w
grant, also, that some of the thing
that have been brought about by then
have been in themselves good am
beneficial But we have sometime
wondered if we are not paying to-
dearly for our whistle-if, in havin
some alleged benefit forced upon us
we are not called upon to sacrific
something far more valuable.
Perhaps, as we are assured, wome'
will exert purifying influence i
polities-though we have ever oh
served that tossing a sound apple in
10 a barrel Of rotting ones has re
suited in. the decay of the good ap
ple without affording salvation t
those already unsound. But it Is nc
SC much the influence of women ur
on politics that we question as 1t
the influence of politics upon women
Can any fancied advantage in the az
iustment of public affairs onset
possible deterioration in the woman