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Editorial Section. Hearsfs Sunday American, Atlanta, July 4, 1915
THIS WAVE WILL FALL, AND SOON
Copyright 191ft by the Star Company. Great Britain Rights Reserved.
|F you do not believe in woman
suffrage, you do not believe in
the republican form of govern
ment.
The Idea of a republic Is that
the governed shall be governed
with THEIR CONSENT add
have a share in the government.
We properly exclude from the right to vote
ohlldren, idiots and Indians because they are unfit.
Unless you class the women of YOUR FAMILY
with imots, Indians and children, you have no
right to say that any woman shall be deprived
of the ballot.
Two kinds of human beings oppose woman
suffrage—yes, three kinds.
The first kind is the low type of human animal
who despises women, lacks respeot for them, and
in his dull brain conceives that women are not
his equal.
The second olass opposed to woman suffrage is
made up of men who in their hearts really do not
believe in a republican form of government, and
think it dangerous to push it too far. A good
representative of this class is Mr. Stimson, once
Secretary of War, as we shall presently show you.
The third class opposed to woman suffrage is
made up of men who feel that women are better
off the less they think, more amenable to religious
teaching if they don’t know much, and generally
more subservient to their betters.
These gentlemen are fond of quoting St. Paul,
with his “let the women keep silence. * * *
And if they will learn anything, let them ask
their husbands at home.”
They are fond also of quoting dear old Timothy
and his
“Let the woman learn in silenoe with all sub
jection.
“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to
usurp authority over the man, but to be in
silence.
“For Adam was first formed, then Eve. —
I Timothy ii:12:13.
We respect and preach a HIGHER authority
than Timothy. Namely, Timothy's Maker. He
did not say that he had given the world and
“dominion over it” to Adam, but TO MAN AND
WOMAN, as it is written:
“Male and female created He THEM.
“And God blessed THEM, and said unto THEM,
Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth,
and subdue it: and HAVE DOMINION over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air. and
over every living thing that moveth upon the
earth.”—Genesis i:27:28.
You will observe that the Creator of Timothy
and Peter, and of all the ladies and gentlemen
now living, did not say that He had made Adam
and given to HIM dominion over all the beasts,
including Eve, The Lord said that He made
THEM and gave THEM the right to rule the
earth. He knew what He wanted, and if He
had included Eve with the other "beasts” to be
ruled by Adam He would have said so.
It is about time for the female half of “THEM”
to do her share of the ruling and the having of
dominion.
Until now man, with help from Timothy and
others, has classed woman with “the fish of the
sea, and the fowl of the air,” and treated her as
one of the chattels of proud man.
It may be true, as Timothy says, that Eve
tempted man, and that man ate because Eve
tempted him. But if that proves anything it
proves that man is not fit to vote, and that woman
at least had more brains and will power than he
did then, as she very often has now.
So much for the three classes that oppose votes
for women—they represent rough brutality;
Toryism, sorry that the average man can vote,
dreading votes for women, and unconscious
hypocrites who feel that it pays to keep women
ignorant and in convenient subjeotion.
You will please forgive all these Biblical quota
tions—Bryan started it.
Now for the distinguished Mr. Stimson. once
Secretary of War, who feels called upon to tell
why HE opposes woman suffrage—although
nobody cares very much. Without knowing it
he reveals himself as a reactionary, one opposed to
the republican form of government and to the
idea of rule by those that live UNDER the
government.
He says, in explaining why HE opposes votes
for women:
"I am opposed to woman suffrage because I
believe It would throw an additional strain upon
the efficiency of popular government which
would tend to make It less competent to grapple
with the Increasing problems ef to-day.”
Mr. Stimson believes that letting everybody
cote makes it difficult for the noble class to rule
satisfactorily. Republican government he con
siders a rather dangerous mistake, and one not
to be pushed too far. He says:
“Popular government Involvee a constant
balance between efficiency of government on
the one elde and the dlffleultle# In the way of
prompt and effective action Involved In popular
participation therein on the other.”
This jne&ns that in his opinion superior gentle
men who have to run things are bothered some
what by “popular participation” in their wise
proceedings. They are hampered by the common
mass who lack the high intelligence of the nobles,
yet, unfortunately, have the power to vote and
Interfere with “the governing class.”
Mr. Stimson condescends to explain why all
the MEN in New York were allowed to vote and
says this:
"If undue emphaele on one elde of tht* balance
Is permitted at the expense of the other side,
our whole structure may topple about our ears.
(Suffrage In New York State was extended to all
classes of men because It was believed that the
general contentment to be derived from having
all classes of the community share directly In
the Government would outweigh the certain Im
pairment In efficiency of government which
would come from the participation therein of an
Increased mass of electors untrained to con
certed and effective action.”
You are mistaken, Mr. Stimson All men in
New York and in other States were allowed to
vote BECAUSE THEY DEMANDED THE VOTE
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The Same Ignorance That Once Opposed Votes and a Share in the Government
for Men, Now Opposes Votes for Women.
Throughout All History, Ignorance and Arrogance Have Tried to Hold Back the
Waves of Justice and Public Opinion. But One After Another, the Big Waves Fall,
the Tide Rolls in and Those That Stand in the Way Are Swept Out of Sight.
So It Will Be With the Dunce on This Beach. He Holds Up His Hand Con
temptuously Now—Soon You Will See Him No More.
AND GOT IT—just as the women will do in spite
of you and others who oppose republican govern
ment.
Dear Mr. Stimson thinks that it was perhaps
as well on the whole to allow the poor and baser
;lass of MEN to vote, because their interests
differed from the prosperous, intelligent men and
it was just as well to have their Interests repre
sented at the polls.
But Mr. Stimson thinks—we quote him—
“It leems to me perfectly clear, however, that
there la no such divergence In the Interests ef
men and women.”
Indeed, Mr. Stimson, there IS a divergence of
interest between the men who run the canning
factories and the women who work there like
miserable slaves with their little children.
And is there not divergence of interest between
the organizations that keep up the wages of men
and do nothing to keep up the wages of women?
Is there no divergence of interest between the
men who make it legal to establish whiskey shops
on every oorner to eat up the money that should
go to children and the women who see their
children hungry because the money that should
feed them is spent for whiskey?
Is there no divergence of interest as regards the
public gambling matter? Don't you suppose, Mr.
Stimson, that if women could vote, they would
impress very vigorously, for instance, upon Mr.
Whitman the fact that it is not politically safe
for him to allow a few rich men to maintain a
public gambling dive that makes thieves of the
sons of women?
« * *
Needless to say, dear Mr. Stimson is worried
about the family. He thinks that if you allowed
mamma to vote she would suddenly become wild
and crazy, and “bust up” the family circle.
Says he:
“Furthermore, to aeeume that her Interesta
as a class do, or In the future will, diverge from
those of man le to challenge the fundamental
assumption upon which modern civilization
rests—the unity of Interest of the family.”
Don’t worry about the family, Mr. Stimson.
It wouldn't do the least harm in the world for
husband and wife, father and daughter to dis
cuss public questions, decide on the welfare of the
community and VOTE FOR IT.
On the contrary, you would increase the
strength and the unity of the family if you gave
to the husband and wife, to brothers and sisters
the same political influence, and if you made of
every family unit not only a beautiful moral pic
ture, BUT A GREAT POLITICAL FORCE
Next, Mr. Stimson reveals his horror at the
thought of allowing ignorant women to vote.
8ays he:
On the other hand, the paasege of the woman
suffrage amendment In New York thla Fall
would mean the Immediate participation In the
government of thle State of some two million
voters, the vast majority of whom are not only
utterly without political experience or training,
but have not even had the slightest experience
In those matters of business which naturally
lead up to and train for public affairs.
To this the two millions of women will answer
properly: ‘‘Speak for your own family, Mr. Stim
son, not for us.”
There is the milk in the coooanut. Mr. Stim
son thinks that women are TOO IGNORANT to
vote. And he says they don’t know enough
about “business affairs" to cast a vote. That is
queer.
Mr. Wilson, the college professor, didn’t know
much about business affairs—not half as much
as any one of ten thousand women in New York
State working for a living, or running a business
for herself.
Yet Mr. Wilson was lifted out of his study, put
Into the White House and is running the busi
ness of the whole nation.
First, Mr. Stimson and many like him do not
believe in Republican government, and regret that
high intelligence has to submit—as Mr. Stimson
submitted when the people beat him for Gover
nor—to the votes of the Ignorant.
Second, Mr. 8timson represents the large class
that witftout knowing it despise the intelligence
of women, consider them ignorant and undesir
able.
If you should ask him, “Are the members of
your family fit to vote?" he would answer im-
, patiently, “Certainly, certainly; don’t ask such
a foolish question. I am not discussing the mem
bers of my family ”
But. Mr. Stimson, the voters are going to dis
cuss the members of "THEIR FAMILIES," And
we believe that this Fall, and if not this Fall, cer
tainly very soon, you will find that the average
little man in your State of New York, for in
stance, thinks that the women of his family are
quite as good as the women of your family, and
quite as fit to share in the vote, and quite as fit
with their ballots TO DEFEND THEIR LITTLE
INTERESTS AS ANY OTHER WOMEN OR
ANY OTHER MEN.
Remember, Mr. Stimson, and all the rest of
you who without thought oppose woman suf
frage, this one Important fact. The votes are not
given to the masses of the people merely to get
their valuable wisdom in government.
Many of them lack wisdom, that is true. Many
do not understand the complicated questions of
economics and finance.
BUT EVERY ONE OF THEM KNOWS WHEN
HE OR SHE IS UNHAPPY.
Everv woman knows when an administration
leaves its street dirty, and is intelligent enough
to vote against that.
Every woman knows when a city is infested
with gin mills that make drunkards of men, and
is intelligent enough to vote against- a gin-mill
administration.
Every woman knows when the schools are neg-
lected, and is intelligent enough to vote against
those who negleot the schools.
Mr. Stimson, when you give the vote to all the
men, you compel men in office to consider the
welfare of ALL MEN.
And when the nation gives the vote to women,
it will compel selfish men in offioe to consider the
welfare of ALL WOMEN.
Is it not desirable for men In office, often cor
rupt and heartless, TO BE COMPELLED to con
sider the needs of women, of mothers, of daugh
ters, of children in the mills?
Mr. Stimson sums up thus:
I am, therefore, oppoied to woman suffrage
and ahall vote “No” when the question le tub-
mitted next November.
Firet—Because It is not needed to right any
substantial grievance or wrong In woman's
present condition.
Second—Because by Introducing a large ele
ment of voters into the electorate who are en
tirely devoid of business training and experi
ence It would powerfully tend toward Ineffi
cient government at tho very time when ef
ficiency le moet needed; end
Third—Beoauee In thle State It would moet
certainly tend to throw a disproportionate
amount of political Influence and power Into
certain localities and cleeeea of citizens of
the State as against ether localities and other
classes.
Mr. Stimson vote* In the State of New York,
hence his reference to the election next Novem
ber. We trust that a majority of his fellow oiti-
zens in New York State will answer next No vein,
ber. We also vote in the State of New York.
We shall vote In FAVOR OF VOTES FOR
WOMEN.
First—Because it Is woman's RIGHT to vote.
To deny her that right Is dishonest, to despiBO
her because she is physically weaker reveals the
mental attitude of a savage.
Second—Because nine tenths of all men in
office care for nothing except holding the office.
When you give women the power to vote, you
will oompel men In office to think about them
and their interests—which they now neglect.
Third—Beoause government is no longer a mere
matter of force, of fights and brutality. Govern
ment is not merely a policeman, but a house
keeper.
Women possess the moral sense that men laok.
And the moral sense of women is needed in gov.
ernment.
Fourth—Taxation without representation is un
just, and it is disgraceful that the men who .
fought against that injustice when inflicted upon
themselves by England should inflict it now
upon women.
Taxation Is not the mere laying of taxes by
the government. That is a little thing. The
REAL taxation is the tax-that the Trusts, the
great Industrial organizations lay upon the pock-
etbook of woman when she buys meat, oil, sugar
or any other necessary.
To compel women to submit to these taxes of
financial corporations without permitting them
to vote for the regulation of those corporations
is a crime.
Because it is JUST and WISE, women will vots
all over the United States, and soon—and ths
country will be made infinitely better by their
voting,