Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-21
ACCOMPLISHMENT, NOT REpRlsAl.

ACCOMPLISHMENT NOT REPRlSAL.
Some very interested and intelli-
gent women were canvassing candi-
dates the other day. They wanted to
know about the candidates. Did Nate
Kendall ever oppose woman suffrage
was one Of the immediate questions.
He did many years aSo when nine
ty-five women out of 100 in Iowa re-
fused to interest themselves in the
question. Later he assisted the cause.
Mr.. Herring's opposition to woman
suffrage is of very much later date
than his.
When the intelligent women go ov-
er the suffrage records OF candidates
they should confine themselves to
very recent years. The Times Re-
publican used to urge the suffragists
Of the state to make a showing by
petition OF the names of women who
desired the vote. If women wanted
have it but it wanted them to say so
The fact Is that only q few years
ago the legislatures and the news
ppers and male voters generally had
no line on the desire for or against
suffrage of the women Of the state.
There was no general demand for the
voting privilege evident. A very
small minority Of the Iowa women
seemed interested. There are ap-
proximately 600 900 women voters in
Iowa. Had one-third Of the women
signed petition or made evident
their desire to vote it is altogether
likely that Iowa would have been an
equal suffrage state ten years ago.
The better plan for the new citi-
zen-and that equally for the male
voter-the better plan is to seek
reasons why candidate should be
elected rather than opportunity for
reprisal. One of the weaknesses of
the American electorate is that we
vote against one candidate instead
OF voting 'for' another. Not that the
record Of men in office and their
votes as representatives should not
be carefully scanned in the light OF
circumstances and conditions but
that the ability. character, and for
ward policies OF candidates and their
trustworthiness are far more import
mt as q guide to new and older vot-
ers than q vote for or against wom-
an suffrage two decades ago.
Nate Kendall Is as able, trustwor-
thy and clean q candidate as could
possibly have been found among Iowa
public men. His record liz progress
sive, straightforward and unimpeach-
ably clean in politics He is able. He
will If elected be the governor Of the
state and not of coterie,. lie is
fair minded man with a Fair mans
record. Business will find him fair.
Labor has already Endorsed his fair
ness. He has had an experience in
public life in the assembly Of his
state and in the national congress.
Much is expected of the woman
voter In her Influence upon political
life and political morals. She is ex-
pected to bring better day. Her
outlook and her service point for
ward to accomplishment and not
backward to imagined injuries and
political grudges that have no foun-
dalton In reality. She is expected to
bring keen intelligence to the booth
something that politics has never
lacked-but tempered with a sinceri-
ty and recognition Of common well
fare that politics too often lacks.
The woman have 30 much citizen
ship work ahead Of them that they
can not afford to sort over old griev-
ances which in the case OF the re-
publican candidate for governor is
not q grievance at all.