The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-01-22
WOMAN SUFFRAGE"

OF American history when wv oman
Suffrage" is acknowledged, and was
put into effect for the first time at
the presidential election held Novem
Der 2, 1920. Well may that day be
remembered by those who have been
working for the ballot for Woman
Suffrage ever since Susan B. Anthony
first pleaded for the cause.
] will not here acknowledge my
position with regard to Woman Suf-
frage but rather mean to discuss it
from both sides. First, let it be
known that Susan b. Anthony want
ed equal suffrage rights for women
through Federal Amendment of the
constitution of the United States.
Such an amendment would naturally
enfranchise all women of various
races and for this reason was oppos-
ed by some states, who chose to con-
troll the privilege of voting by state
rights. But after these years we
have been granted the right of ballot
| by Federal Amendment Let us con-
sede that this was the quickest way
to arrive at equal rights, who will
venture to say it will be the most
satisfactory? l sincerely hope it was
not Federal Woman Suffrage which
Just recently caused the state of H.
linois to offer for inclusion in their
state constitution the right of mar
rage within that state, of white and
colored persons on perfectly equal
basis.
Yet let us hope that nothing may
ever be done to cause dissatisfaction
| in the ranks of woman voters be
cause it was so granted.
Now that we may enjoy the priv
| lege fought for so hard these many
years by those staunch champions OF
equal rights, let us strive to use this
precious privilege so that it will not
only advance the cause for whicr
women have been working SO hard
but let us hope that it may redounc
to the benefit of this glorious coun
try of ours, and its entrance into al
lmatters political be of everlasting
benefit to all.
| Sometime ago / was interested II
an article which appeared in one O
our Southern magazines entitled
l"Needed. Broom. According tt
the author the whole system of pc
litics in practice is protection. Al
the gambler is interested in an alder
man. so is the financier in presid
ent. A person who says politics Il
too dirty to dabble in is always tn
lone who later criticizes the govern
ment. If politics is dirty, it is only
because good men and women REFUSE
to do their part of the work. Let
be known that until Americans rea
lie that government is as importan
as food. clothing and shelter, ther'
will be little improvement. In poll
tics there is always a difference II
parties which is matter of geogra
phy or inheritance. If man hal
been a Democrat, he goes on being
Democrat, even if he doesn't know
definition for Democracy. We are al
Of us, doubtless, more or less famllial
with the words Of Decatur's immorta
toast, when he said:
i sour Country!
/ Nav she always be in the right!
i But, right or wrong,
/ Our CountryP'
/ This. to the minds of the Twentieth
Century politicians, seems, in man.
leases at least, to have become,
| "My party!
: Nav she always be in the right!
But, right or wrong,
My partyl'
Women have one advantage owe
men. "a clean slate" Political move
ment has not become a hardene
tradition with them, they have n
false gods to bow to, nor are the
forced to hide behind the shadow o
IThomas jefferson, one of the creates
and most progressive men OF the age
Women are free agents, they cal
vote for whom they please and mar
their ballot as they please. II me-
were given the same opportunity
might be possible that they woul
lexercise prudence and some degree o
wisdom in voting, and if they die
political riffraff and demagogue
would be swept away, 1t is strang
that with all the perplexities an
responsibilities before them and man
centuries Of. practice behind then
that men despite their incessan
lboastings are frequently led to tn
q shambles with rings in their noses
For the first time in the histor
of the United States, national mem
4 orial is to be erected in honor 0
4 services to women. Thus are Susal
b. Anthony and her co-workers +
be honored by statue placed in tn
rotunda of the Capitol at Washington
& by the National Womans Party a
Ia To- Eob~,,o~, No