The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1922-05-17
Not Seeking $3.50 Basis

Possibly some of the women who
were delegates to the republican state
convention took the matter too seri-
ously or possibly they may have been
rather representative but some of
them must have been conscious of a
slightly unpleasant undercurrent.
Candidates were to be nominated
for nine Offices and it certainly does
not seem that the women were mani
Testing unbecoming ambition when
they sought to have the convention
endorse one of their number, especial
ly when the office in question was
that of clerk of the supreme court.
This is an office which many men who
have been in politics for years and are
thoroughly familiar with affairs of
our state government believe that a
woman can fill with entire satisfac-
ton. The two women who were can
didates for this office, Elosie Callahan
and Grace Kaercher were considered
by experienced men of good judgment
who were intimately acquainted with
them to be capable of performing the
duties of clerk of the supreme court.
Of course it did not necessarily follow
that Miss Kaercher or Miss Callahan
was to be preferred to any of the men
who we're candidates for the same Of
fee; not even the most ardent femin-
list would presume to suppose that.
But on the other hand it was disap-
pointing to find apparently intelligent
men who took just the opposite posi-
ton and were strongly opposed to
either of these candidates merely be-
cause they were women. Either ex-
IRENE attitude is to be severely con-
demned. Happily the two roll calls
and the final result proved that the
unpreiudiced delegates were in the
majority.
One of the dailies in commenting on
the convention announced: women
find state convention fulfills hopes of
fifty fifty politics" We do not be-
lieve the majority of women went into
the convention with that basis in
mind. Certainly not at this time, and
probably never, will it be wise for the
men and women to hold to the fifty
fifty idea. The women are as yet
amateurs at the political game and
they have not as large representa-
tion in the field as the men.
However, when the majority OF
women are keeping their poise in the
political game as well as they are and
are not making spectacles of them
selves by rushing frantically for Of
fees which they are not capable OF
filing. it is neither generous nor pru-
dent for the men to assume too su-
perior an air and refuse to admit their
qualifications for any position. If the
men adopt that attitude, it will force
the women to retaliate by supporting
every woman in the field regardless Of
her qualifications or political affilia-
tions.
We are thankful we can express the
above sentiments with no fear of them
being considered as a plea for the
women of this county. We are mere
lv speaking for women in general be-
cause there seems to be tendency for
some men who are fair and generous
to their own women to cling to the
old-time prejudice against their VEN
turesome sisters with whom they are
not personally acquainted. 1t would
be impossible for the men of any pol
itical organization to extend more
consideration to the recently fran
chised voters than have the republican
leaders of this county. They have Of
fered the women of Mile Laos county
far more political recognition than
they ever sought.-Grace A. Dunn.