The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-04-17
COOLIDGE URGES
THAT WOMEN VOTE
PRESIDENT IMPROVES OPPOR-
TUNITY TO GIVE SOME
TIMELY ADVICE

Washington, April 15.-An ap
peal to the women of America tt
exercise fully their newly gained
right of suffrage in the coming ma
tional elections was made by Presi
dent Coolidge in an address Monday
night before the thirty-third conti-
mental congress of the Daughters OF
the American Revolution. The presi-
dent said, in part:
The president combined with this
appeal a warning against departure
sin this current trouble period" from
the American system of government
providing for coordinate legislative,
executive and judicial authority and
for government by the majority. He
made no direct reference, however,
to the recent clashes between depart
ments nor did he mention specific
ally recent combinations of the dem
Ocratic minority with insurgent re-
publicans to override the republican
majority in congress.
Call to Preservation
The American people, the presi-
dent declared, may well be summon
ed ''to the preservation, the guard
ianship, and the gradual perfection
of this system" of government which
assures to the people Equality
against the tyranny of any despotic
executive and the tyranny of any
despotic legislature"
Pointing out that American wo-
men this year for the first time are
able to know long in advance of the
national elections that they are to
have the right to ballot, Mr.. Coo
lidge asserted that the country wants
not only the votes but the influence
of its women in the coming elections |
Every voter ought not merely to |
vote, but to vote under the inspira- |
ton of high purpose to serve the |
nation" he continued. "It has been
calculated that in most elections only !
about half of those entitled to vote |
actually exercise their franchise and |
what is worse, a considerable, part |
of those who neglect to vote do it |
because of a curious assumption of |
superiority to this elementary duty
of the citizen. They presume to be
rather too good, too exclusive, to
soil their hands with the work of
politics. Such an attitude cannot
too vigorously be condemned Pop
ular government is facing one of the
difficult phases of the perpetual trial
to which it always has been and al
ways will be subjected. 1t needs the
support of every element of patriot
ism, intelligence and capacity that
can be summoned.
Votes Not Unbecoming
"I suppose that even among the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
tion there are some women who sin
cerely feel that it is unbecoming of ,
their sex to take an active part in
politics. 1t is a little difficult to
comprehend how such an attitude
could be maintained by any women
eligible to such society as this, and 7
sufficiently interested in the society I
to participate in it's work. I(
Nevertheless, there are such and c
to them | want especially to direct !;
an appeal for different attitude :
toward the obligation of the voter. !
I am much less concerned for what
party, which policies and what candi-
dates you vote, than that you shall
vote, and that your vote shall repre- :
sent conviction. When an enlighten-
el electorate acts, I have no fear of =
the result. y
'Here in America we are living a
under a form of democratic-republi-
can institution which believe to be &
the best that has yet been thorough
ly tested. I say this because our n
system has gone so far in carefully h
the different departments "
of the government. G
''To the preservation, the guard h
ianship and the gradual perfection "
of this system, the American people il
may we'll be summoned. From its
earliest establishment, our govern Ii
ment has been an example to other IL
peoples. wherever they might be, S,
seeking the way of enlightened free ii
dom. 1t is for us to direct the pro- A
cesses of our public life that our in g.
stitutions shall continue worthy of a.
5he admiration and imitation of other
and the sure defense G
If our own liberties in this we shall ,
render our greatest service to hu-
nanity.
Must Keep Inspiration
eve shall succeed if we keep al
ways before us the high purpose
which prevailed tat the beginning of :,
,ur government We shall need at !,
Ill times, and we need particularly =,
n this current troubled period, to !;
leep clearly in our thought the con- ~
.eption of our system as the most -
nearly perfect mode of guaranteeing d
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