Newspaper Page Text
(This paper was written for The
News by Mrs, P. W. Davis, of Lex
ington, Ga., one of the state’s lead
ing teachers and educators.)
This Equal Suffrage Movement is
the first organized protest against
the injustice which has brooded over
the character and the destiny of one
half of the human race; and it is,
perhaps, the most magnificent reform
that has as yet been launched upon
the world. Nowhere else, under any
circumstances, has.a.demand ever yet
been made for the liberties of one
whole half of the human race. It is
fitting that we should pause and con
slder so remarkable and significant
a circumstance, and that we should
discuss the question with seriousness
and deliberation. True, it strikes a
great and vital blow at the whole so
cial fabric of every nation, but to my
mind this is no argument against it.
The time has been when it was the
duty of the reformer to show cause
why he appeared to disturb the
quiet of the world, but during the
discussion of the many reforms that
have been advocated, and which have
more or less succeeded, one after an
other—freedom of the lower classes,
freedom of food, freedom of the
press, freedom of thought, reform in
penal legislation, and a thousand oth
er matters —it seems to have been
proved conclusively that government
commenced in usurpation and op
pression; that liberty and civiliza
tion at present, are nothing else than
fragments of rights which the scaf
fold and the stake have rung from
the strong hands of the usurpers.
Every step of progress the world
has made has been from scaffold to
scaffold and from stake to stake. It
would hardly be exaggerated to say,
that all the great truths relating to
society and government have been
first heard in the solemn protests of
patriotism or the loud cries of crush
ed and starving labor. The law has
been always wrong. Government be
gan in tyranny and force —began in
the feudalism of the soldiers and the
bigotry of the priests and the ideas
of justice and humanity have been
fighting their way like a thunder
storm, against the organized selfish
ness of human nature. And this
equal suffrage movement is the last
great protest against the wrong of
ages. It is no argument to my mind
therefore, that the old social fabric
of the past is against us. Neither
are we called upon to show wiiat
woman’s sphere is. In every great
reform the majority have always sai(
to the claimant, no matter what he
claimed: "You are not fit for such
a privilege.” Martin Luther asked
of the Pope liberty for the masses
to read the Bible. The reply was
that it would not be safe to trust the
common people with the Word of Got
"Let them try,” said the great re
former; and the history of three and
a half centuries of development and
purity proclaims the result. They
have tried, and we have but to look
around us for the consequences.
Woman stands in the same attitude
She says, "You tell us we have lit
tle intellect; give us a cfiance. You
tell us we shall only embarrass pol
itics; let us try.” The only reply
is the same stale argument that was
said to the Jews of Europe, "You
are lit only to make money; you
are not fit for the ranks of the ar
my or the halls of Parliament.” Lis
ten to the eloquent appeal of Lord
McCaulay: "What right have we to
take this question for grunted?
Throw open the doors of this house
of commons, throw open the ranks
of the imperial army, before you
deny eloquence to the countrymen ot
Isaiah or valor to the descendants
of the Maccabees.” It is the same
word with us: Throw open the doors
of Congress, brow open the court
houses, throw wide open the doors
of the great colleges and universi
ties and give to women the same op
portunities for culture that men have
and let the result prove what their
•capacity and intellect really are.
When women have enjoyed for as
many centuries as men have, the aid
of books, the discipline of life and
the stimulus of fame it will be the
time to begin the discussion of these
questions. What is the intellect of
woman? Is it equal to that of man.’
Till then all such discussion is mere
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
beating of the air.
Of course, great minds do, in rare
instances, override all obstacles, and
make a way lor themselves, yet who
can tell how many Miltons nave died
‘mute and inglorious.” However,
magnificent the natural endowment,
me discipline ot life, after all, is
necessary to complete the miracle.
Did not tne marvelous achievements
01 Napoleon glow out of ills hope to
be classed witii Caesar and Mal-
Ooiougn, out ot Austerlitz and Jenna,
out ot ms natLe lielus, ms turone ana
ail tue great experience ot that event
lul life, .uahe possible lor woman
the same experiences, immerse her it
the same great interests and pursuits
and u twenty centuiies shall not pro
uuce a woman Charlemagne or Na
poleon, fair reasoning will then air
low the conclusion that there is
some distinctive peculiarity in the
intellects 01 tne sexes; but centuries
must lay tne lair Oasis for argu
ment. rerhaps tnere may be just
lu re, on tne pait of the stronger sex,
as men are pleased to call themselves
a siirniking consciousness of not be
ing quite reauy lor tne battle, a
tacit confession of risk to tneir fan
cied superiority, it tney consent to
meet tneir sisters in tne lecture hall
or the laoratory of science. Among
tne mightiest intellects of the race,
from Plato uown to tne present tune,
some ol tne rarest minds of Germany,
nance, England and America, have
one alter tne otner yielded assent to
tne fact, that woman is not iden
tically, but equally endowed witn
man in all intellectual capabilities.
Now really, isn’t it, as a rule, the
second rate men who doubt, perhaps
because they fear a fair field?
He either fears his fate too much
Or his deserts are small,
Wlio fears to put it to the touch
To gain or lose it all.
From the beginning we have re
joiced to call our country free, the
land of the free and the brave. Have
we really believed in our freedom.
We have called ourselves a Republic
and so we teach the children in the
schools; and yet we are not a Re
public today. We get in the habit
of repeating things, one after the
other like magpies, and so we speak
of this Great Republic of the United
States, whereas thte United States
has never been a republic. Take
your lexicon and read the definition
of a republic. You will find that a
republic is a form of government in
which the laws are enacted by repre
sentatives elected by the people.
When have the people in this coun
try, save in the states where women
are enfranchised, ever elected
their representatives? Never in
our whole history. Men have
elected their representatives. Men
are indeed people, and very excel
lent people so far as they go, but
they are not quite half the people;
there is still more than half of the
people, who have not elected their
representatives. Hut we have never
read a definition of a republic as a
government in which one half of the
people elected a representative to
govern the whole of the people. That
is Aristocracy. We have been try
ing to evolve a republic out of a moil
archy, but we are not yet fully evolv
ed. We learn from the history of
our country that men have not al
ways ruled in this country because
they were men. They have ruled be
cause they were some particular
kind of men. The first men who
voted in this country after the Pil
grims had settled here, were church
members. A man did not vote be
cause he was a male, he voted be
cause he was a particular kind of
a male. He had to be a member of
some church. After the Revolution
ary War, when the State Constitu
tions were framed the word “Tax
payer” was written before the word
“male,” so that, if a man were not
a church member, he could yet vote,
provided he had some property and
paid taxes. And the process of evo
lution continued until that great
Democrat appeared who saw that rap
idly increasing wealth in the hands
of a few people would endanger the
liberty of the masses, unless the
working men had the power to pro
tect themselves by the only weapon
known to a republican form of gov
(Continued on last page)
The Winder News, Thursday, March 23, 1916,
Now Well
"Thedford’s Black-Draught
is the best all-round medicine
lever used,” writes J. A.
Steelman, of Pattonville, Texas.
”1 suffered terribly with liver
troubles, and could get no relief.
The doctors said I had con
sumption. 1 could not work at
all. Finally I tried
THEDFORD’S .
BLACK
DRAUGHT
and to my surprise, I got better,
and am to-day as well as any
man.” Thedford’s Black-
Draught is a general, cathartic,
vegetable liver medicine, that
has been regulating irregulari
ties of the liver, stomach and
bowels, for over 70 years. Get
a package today. Insist on the
genuine—Thedford’s. E-70
Cannot Praise Them Enough.
Many sick and tired women, with
aches and pains, sore muscles and
stiff joints, do not know how that
their kidneys are out of order. Mrs.
A. G. Wells, Box 90, Route 5, Rocky
Mount, N. C., writes: “I am tak
ing Foley Kidney Pills and cannot
praise ttiem enough for the wonder
ful benefit I derived in such a short
while”. Sold everywhere. Advt.
UNION SCHOOL.
This is one of the schools that
comes to the new county of Barrow
from Jackson county. It is located
four miles east of Statliam and three
miles south of Oak Grove school.
The school was organized in 1899 in
Jackson county. The school district
embraces a part of both Barrow and
Jackson, but is mostly in Barrow.
The title to building is in the trus
tees. Union school district has had
lccal tax for several years, which
was not changed when Barrow was
created, the lines of the district re
maining as they were originally laid
off.
Some of those who have taught
Fannie May Carter, Norma Booth,
Mary Henry, Pearl Crayton, Mary
Britt, Katella Frazier, Susie May La
nier, and Lollie Barnett. The pres
ent teachers are Miss Eula May
Booth, principal; and Miss Ida Lee
Ross, assistant.
These are energetic teachers and
are doing some splendid work. They
have the school’s interest at heart
and have succeeded in bringing the
enrollment up higher than it has
ever been before. There are fifty
seven enrolled at present. This is on<
of the line schools between Barrow
and Jackson, and has several boys
and girls enrolled in the corn and
canning clubs of the two counties.
The trustees from Barrow are S.
M. Booth, Oscar Harrison and W. S.
Hunter; J. J. Wages is one of the
trustees from Jackson.
Iron Fence
CHEAPER THAN WOOD
llDdlfnlMlilHlHlHl
■WIBIM
WE REPRESENT
The Stewart Ironworks Company
CINCINNATI. OHIO
"The World’s Greatest Iron Fence Works"
THAT is the reason we can sell you
a neat and substantial Iron Fence
so cheap you can’t afford to put up a
wood, wire or any other kind of Fence.
Can Take Your Choice of 300 De
signs at All Range of Prices
J. W. Nichols, Agent
Winder, Ga.
-RtMLMBER-
I am still agent for the standard
magazines of today - The Ladies
Home Journal - The Saturday Even
ing Post - The Country Gentleman.
These magazines need no intro
duction, for they are too well known
But you see people sometimes
forget to renew thru the agent and
you have to remind them to do so.
So if you need any urging, let me
know, and I will be glad to come
around and urge you.
JULIAN E. ROSS.
GOSPEL NEWS SONGS
No 1, IS NOW READY
The book for all religious work. Price 15c per
copy, $1.50 per dozen, sl2 per hundred, all
delivered. Send all orders to
Gospel News Publishing Cos.
P. O. BOX 148 MONROE, GA.
J. H. House Geo. Thompson
PEOPLES FUEL CO.
High grade Domestic Coal and Wood.
Blue Gem a Specialty
Call to see us or phone us your order.
PHONE 65 WINDER, GA.
FER TILIZERS
We will handle the brands of Fertilizers manufac
tured by the following old reliable companies:
EMPIRE STATE CHEMICAL CO., Athens Ga.
SWIFT & COMPANY
ROYSTERS GUANO COMPANY
FURMAN FARM IMPROVEMENT CO.
MORRIS FERTILIZER CO.
See us for the best Fertilizers on the Market.
Griffeth, Smith & Autry
OUT OF THE RACE
When one wakes with stiff back,
pains in muscles, aches in joints, or
rheumatic twinges, he cannot do his
>est. If you feel out of the race,
tired, languid, or have symptoms of
kidney trouble, act promptly, Foley
Kidney Pills help the kidneys get rid
of poisonous waste matter that
causes trouble. Sold everywhere. Ad
GREEN & MICHAEL
417-421 Southern Mutual Building
ATHENS, GEORGIA
LOAN DEPARTMENT
We have money lo loan on real
estate, security in any amounts desir
ed at 7 or 8 per cent interest. Rate
of interest determined by amount of
loan and character of security. Ap
ply in person or by letter.
STOP IN ATLANTA
AT HOTEL EMPIRE
Opposite Union Depot on Pryor
St. Renovated and refurnished
throughout. Reservations made
on application. Hot and cold
water, private baths, electric
lights and elevator. First class
accommodations at moderate
prices.
Rooms 50canii d it
JOHN L. EDMONDSON, Prop.
FOR SALE
The Celebrated 100 day
Speckled Velvet Beans
Mature early. Prolifie
beans and heavy foliage.
They will grow on poor
land. Make more food
and improve your laud at
the same time. Ask for
prices. C. C. GREGOR Y.
SB. E.
Patrick
Watch Maker
Wages Drug G
Winder, G
— l ———————————— rmm
Coming and Going of
SEABOARD TRAINS.
EASTBOUND
No. 12 11.04 PM. No. 18 7.00 PM
Nc. 6 5.41 PM. No. 30 9.55 AM
WESTBOUND.
No. 11 6.13 AM. No. 17 7.54 AM.
No. 5 4.21 PM. No. 29 7.00 PM.