The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-09-15
REGISTER AT ONCE
The Governor Elect Of Florida Cells
on All the Women TO
Register


When the secretary of state at
Washington officially declared the
ratification Of the Susan B. Anthony
amendment TO the federal constitu-
ton, by sufficient number of individ-
ual states, the women Of Florida
thereby acquired equal political right
with the men. There were many of
us who believed that the question Of
suffrage was a question for consid-
Grafton by the states of the Union
rather than the national government.
However, the way by which woman
enfranchisement has been attained or
the individual attitude any of US may
have assumed in the past respecting
it, it is now closed question. It is
idle therefore, from a practical stand
point, to discuss our individual atti-
tude, either as to the route by which
it came to US, or as to the merits Of
the question itself. The pre-eminent
fact is that more than one hundred
thousand women IN Florida have been
given the ballot, and whether you win
ii or not. or whether they welcome It
or not, nevertheless the responsibility
of citizenship is now upon them. Is
it not the duty of good citizen to
register and vote? Win the women Of
Florida met this. their first test. by
exercising their legal right of voting
in the coming election hope SO. As
the nominee of the democratic party
for the high Office of governor. ] want
to suggest to them not only the pro-
priety of their voting. but likewise
the duty to do so imposed by funda-
mental law There is nothing compli-
Gated in registration or IN the casting
of ballot and so far as educating
the women of Florida for a proper
exercise of their new found privilege,
I am sure they do not need It any
more than the men. In a government
ike ours. deriving its just powers
from the people, it is Of first impor-
tanee that the voters should fanail-
iarize themselves with both candi-
dates and issues. Only BY this means
can they intelligentIy serve the coun-
try in the exercise of the right Of
suffrage. However, the women of
Florida do not need lessons IN citizen
ship any more than the men.
assume that there will be much
discussion in the various clubs, civic
bodies and other meetings Of the
women as to the proper eexrcise Of
the right of the ballot There may be
movements for q league or combipa-
tion whose purpose viii be to vote,
as far as possible, the women as
body. In other words, make Of them
class electorate / trust that the
representative women Of our state
viii exert their influence against such
policy. Glass voting is never de-
sirable because it always loses sight
of the general interest. Naturally I
want to see the women OF Florida vote
the democratic ticket, not only be-
cause the democratic party stands
for progressive legislation along so
cial, moral and educational lines,
those things IN which women are
supposed to be specially interested,
but also because it has shown con-
structiye leadership IN the solution
of economic problems as well. feel
sure that the political party which
loverthrew the reign Of republican
nisrule following the period Of re-
construction after the civil war viii
appeal to the women as the proper
one for their affiliation. Whatever
political party they may desire to af-
fliate with however, would ike to
suggest again the obligation which
now rests upon them Of registering
and voting. IF they fail to register
now. then they preclude themselves
from participation not only in the
looming election, but also perhaps
school elections and such other elec-
ltions as might be had before the time
for general registration again.
Cary A. Hardee.