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20 The Commoner VOL. 13, NO. 28 IV. lessoned tho power of the saloon in propriations for education. Several politics. In the twenty years since years ago I addressed a circular to the state Equal women were given the ballot in Col- superintendent of public orado, no saloon keeper has ever instruction or the state commission- er of education in every state been elected to the Denver city coun- women whero By Alice Stone Blackwell, Editor Woman's Journal cil, though before that it was com- had the school vote, asking mon. Mrs. Deborah Knox Livings- about the results. The large major- ity replied favorably. The Wiscon- When a change la proposed, peo- secured in the different suffrage ton, national superintendent of sin superintendent ple aak "What good will It do?" The states since women were enfran franchise for tho W. C. T. U., points gave a striking experience of tho enfranchised states chised would bo too long lim- in of Washington instance. In Madison, the proposal for the out that the state to build a much, has alroady answorod this question its of this article. It can be ob- there has been a gain of 115 dry needed new high In regard to equal suffrage. In the tained from tho National American towns since equal suffrage was school building was carried by the words of Sidney is idle Woman Suffrage women's votes. The old building was Lanier. "It Association, 605 granted, in California a gain of 475, rickety arid to argue from prophecy when we Fifth Avenue, Now York. etc. In Colorado, within four years a firetrap. The Nebras- can argue from history." (5) tends to modify a too ex- ka superintendent wrote: It Las had It after the granting of votes to women many good no-licen- results. Tho following rosults are common clusively commercial view of public the number of se towns was For example, in to all tho suffrage states: affairs. G. W. Russell, chairman of more than quadrupled, and it has the voting of school bonds whero (1) Equal suffrage haj broad- tho board of governors of Canter- increased still more largely since. better School buildings were an ab- ened womon's minds and led them bury colloge, New Zealand, writes: Commenting upon solute necessity, the bonds could not the defeat of have been to tako a more intelligent interest "Prior to women's franchise the dis- state-wid- e prohibition in Colorado carried without the votes in public questions. Julia Ward tinctive feature of our politics was last year, Ellis Meredith, the head of the good and intelligent women. Howe sent a circular lottor to all tho finance. Legislative proposals were of Denver's reform election commis- The instances are too numerous to ministors of Ave leading denomina- regarded almost entirely from the sion, and herself a strong advocate mention." tions in tho four oldest suffrage point of view: (1) What would they of the dry policy, wrote in the How the Movement Has Grown states Wyoming, Colorado, Utah cost? and (2) What would be their Woman's Joun.al of November 16, and Idaho and to all tho editors. The first suffragist in America was She asked whether tho offects of Mistress Margaret Brent of Mary- woman suffrage weio gocd or bad, land, who in 1647 demanded "place and she published tho rojilts of her and., voyce in the assembly," as the inquiry. She received 624 answers. executor and representative of Lord Of these, sixty-iw- o wore unfavorable, Baltimore. In 1774, during the sit- forty-si-x In doubt, and GIG i favor. ting of the first continental congress, Tho replios from tho Episcopal Abigail Adams of , de- clergymen wore favorablo, more than stined to be the wife of one presi- two to one; from tho Baptis' minis- dent of the and the ters, more than seven to one; from mother of another, wrote to her hus- the Congregatlonalists, abo"t eig" t band that she longed to hear that to one; from the Method' ts, more the colonies had declared their in- than ton to one.; i:nd from the Pres- dependence, and that she hoped the byterians, more thai, clove to one. new code of laws would be more The editors were in favor, between just to women than the old one. If eight and nine tD one. While many not, she added playfully, "We are other good rosults wore mentioned, determined to foment a rebellion, the point upon which (here was tho and will not hold ourselves bound greatest unanimity was that the bal- by any laws in which we have no lot had had a good effect upo the voice or representation." The first women themselves, in broadening prominent man in America to come their views and stimulating them to out for woman suffrage was Abra- inform themselves on questions of ham Lincoln. In 1836 he published public importance. in the Sangamon County Journal a

re-s.O- stating (2) It has given women added Ct letter to his constituents, and dignity. Women of all the that he was in favor of granting the iif enfranchised states, from Mrs. Sarah ballot to all citizens who possessed Piatt Decker down, Have testified to certain qualifications, "by no means this. As Mrs. K. A. Shoppard, pres- excluding Jiemales." ident of tho Now Zealand council of In this country the specific wom- of "women puts It: "A young New Zoa-land- er an's rights movement grew out in his teenB no longer regards the anti-slave- ry movement. The his mother aB belonging to a sex that anti-slave- ry society was rent in twain k must be kept within a prescribed over the question whether women sphere. That the lads and young might speak against slavery and men of a democracy should have serve on committees. The brunt of their .whole conception of tho rights the fight for the right to speak was of humanity broadened and meas- borne by Abby Kelley Foster of Ma- ured by truer standards is in itself ssachusetts and Sarah and Angelina an incalculable benefit." Griinke of South Carolina. Frances Margaret (3) Woman suffrage has made it zzr J Wright, Ernestine L. Rose, harder to elect candidates of flag- 4?a Fuller and other earnest women of equal rantly bad con-cod- ed Copyright 1913, by wrote und spoke in behalf character. This is John T. McCutcheon. eight even by A. Lawrence Lewia, al-mo- Bt THE FIRST ONE EAST OF TIIE MOTHER rights for women; and for . OF WATERS" Lucy tho only respectab''-- man in (Illinois la now among the Woman Suffrage years, beginning with 1847, Colorado who has written against States.) From tho Chicago Tribune Stone, a farmer's daughter, lectured equal suffrage. In his art'cle. in tho through the -- United States to great elo- Outlook, which anti-suffragi- sts effect from a audiences with singular the commercial standpoint? 1912: "It is because u: der our local and have republished as a tract, he says: The woman's view is not pounds nor option quence. She was the first person by pence, law conditions are so good public at "Since the extension of the fran but Jier home, her familv. Tn and dry territory increasing whom the heart of the chise to women, political order to win ho- - vote, politicians so fast large was deeply stirred on tho parties tho that many people feel we shall come have learned the inndvisability of had to look at public matters from nearer regulating woman question. nominating public offlce her point of view. the traffic in this The rights con- for drunk- so-call- local woman's Her ideal was way than by ed prohibi- first ards, gamblers, notorious libertines, not merely money, but happy homes, total vention was held in Seneca Falls, N. tion, with the police power Lu-cret- ia liquor sim- and a fair i. all Y in by retail sellers and men of chance in life for her the big towns opposed to it." 1848. It was called ilar discredited occupations, because husband, her intended husband, and (8) Mott, Martha E. Wright, Eliza- It has increased the moral and Mary Ann the women almost always vote them her present or prospective family." law-abidi- ng beth Cady Stanton and Louis D. vote very largely, while down." Brandeis, at tho legislative Increasing the vicious McClintock. Mas-sacluse- and criminal rights (4) It has boon a help to women hearing on woman suffrage tts The woman's in vTot very little. Women first national in securing moral, educational and last spring, said that he in tho convention was held in Worcester, :" united States constitute more suf- legislation. had formerly two-thir- than by humane Tho legislative been opposed, but was ds of the Mass., in 1850, and attended committees of the state federations now convinced that women's church members fragists states. The votes and less than six per cent of pris- from eleven of women's clubs in all 'the enfran- were needed, especially to help in on the call was headed by , ana population. in- chised states have learned this by the solution of our economic prob- (9) signed by eighty-nin- e persons, experience. lems. It has increased propor- wen-de- ll Tho testimony to it tion of tin cluding Ralph Waldo 'Emerson, ?, comes with especial weight and em- (6) voters who have had more Lloyd Garri- It makes elections and politi- -- moroly elementary Phillips, William phasis from women who had worked cal meetings more orderly. The Hon. rwK. education. son, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cad' for reforms before and equal to the growing tendency Davis and after John W. Kingman of the Wyoming take boys out to Stanton, Paulina Wright suffrage was granted, and who .have supreme court has said: of school early in or-- many other men and women of note. "In caucus Int0 so- seen the difference. One of these, discussions, tho presence of 2?Jh J)Uti thm businss, the The first local woman's -- ights a few of every Bristol, Mrs. Alice Park of Palo Alto, Cal., ladies is worth a whole squad of state in the ciety was organized at South after noting the greater responsive- police." .U',JUU, Ul sraauaung more girls N. Y., by Mrs. Emily P. Collins, in ness of tho solons year, than boyssometimes two this wrote: (7) It promotes temperance. times as many. or three 1848. "One vote is worth a ton of voteless Equal suffrage organization r has nowhere brought (10) It leads to The first national tafluence." Such testimony could be about state-wid-e prohibition, bettor enf orna- aiming at woman suffrage was tne multiplied almost indefinitely. but it ment of the laws for A has everywhere led to an extension of women the protection American Equal Rights association, . specific list of all tho improved laws of dry and children 1866. Lu- territory, and has markedly (11) It he?ps to formed in New York in 1. get adequate ap cretia Mott was the president, ana t T M