Northern Oklahoma College - Roundup Yearbook (Tonkawa, OK)

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l ff the law continued upon the statute book for twenty years. I 1889 when it was admitted to the Union the constitution contained this idea. Pennsylvania wants equal Sufffagey because, She SaYS, it will correct the notorious evils of the common- Wealth. A. Caswell Ellis says: Sooner or later it must b,e recognized that the duties of a true mother to her child and her home are not confined to the kitchen and the back-yard, nor can she evade the responsibility as a citizen by turning it over to her any more than the husband can successfull f t ' tl f als to his wife. 5 uin over ie amily religion and mor- Jane Adams says, If women would fulfill liel' traditional responsibility to her own childreng if she would educate and protect from danger factory children who must find their recreation on the streetg if she would bring the cultural forces to bear on our materialistic civilization, and if she would do it all with the dignity and directness fitting one who carries her own immemorial duties, then she must bring herself to the use of the ballot -that latest implement of self-virtue. May we not fairly Say the Amercian people need this implement in order to preserve the home? Some people have said that women are disqualified physically to do the actual work of the government, YVe do not expect it. What we do want is some one with sufifiicient knowledge and common sense to elect honest men to oiiice to attend to these things. VVomen do not need to cease to be domesic because they take an interest in public affairs. There is no state that requires one to bear arms to serve as jurors as a qualification of Suffrage. Men cannot represent women, because women are unlike men. VVomen as a class have tasks, interests and occupations which they alone can edequately repre- sent. What! Would you have the women unvoiced in the governmental affairs? Have nothing to say of hers and her own child's protection? One fifth of the earth's territory is established under Woman's Suffrage. The women vote as independ- ently and as intelligently as the men. They do not neglect home for politics. There has been no harm come to men, women,children, or to the State, but on the con- trary much good has been accomplished when women have been given equal suff- rage. ' There are five reasons why we should have Woman's Suffrage: 1. Because we are for democratic government. 2. Because woman's moral influence is needed in public life. 3. Because modern industrial and commercial life has taken woman out of the protection of the horiie and she needs the protection of the ballot. 4. Because we need woman's house-keeping instinct in municipal affairs and in matters pertaining to Cllildfen- 5. Because of justice. 133

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'I' ' f 'j ,Q 1 ? 1 CL',,szt,o iw fs .,-,rag me vga usda Woman's Place Irma Johnson, '15 Do you believe in manhood suffrage? Well then, why don't you believe in woman's suifrage! You ask us to walk with you, dance with you, marry you, why dont you ask us to vote with you? If Women haven't brains enough to vote with you they haven't brains enough to be in your home. In the ideal Republic, Plato says that women should have the same education as men and do the same work. To one who has not made 21 Study of the history of universal suffrage the present agitation seems doubtless some sudden and unprecedented activity on the part of a group of people. To those who have not made a study of the question of suffrage, from the time of the Greek republic to those of our oWn,thepresent agitation is but a final scene of the great drama of the growth of democracy. The right to vote is a right which has been extended as civilization has in- creased. In England bef0re 1332 Woman was a political enigma, today she is stepping in to occupy a position equal to man, In Saxony women vote on the Same terms with men, in Russia they vote on all eleCt.iVe offices and on other matters for which men are permitted to vote, and in practically all the rest of the countriesguch as, Vlfegtphalia, Prussia, Switzerland, Roumania, Italy, and Bohemia they vote by proxy on the various offices open to them. Tgday Conventions are held frequently, and the requirements for voting are restricted. The Wgmen have as Clear 21 title to the ballot as the men have. They are g-0V'e1'1'1ed, but Without their Consent, S11H'1'2.gG is Pl right of l3Ofl'l SGXQS alike. The denial of the franchise to woman degrades her to the same category with idiots, lunatics, and criminals. To this George W. Curtis says: A woman has the same right to her life, liberty, and property, that a man has, and she has consequently the same right to an equality of protection that he has. If I have a natural right to my life and liberty, I have the same right to everything that protects that life and liberty which any other man enjoys. Iask the same for every Woman. Women cannot be adequately protected while men alone make the laws. Vot- ing is the quietest, easiest, most dignified and less conspicuous Way of influ- encing the public affairs. They need the lO2lllOt to protect their business interests and to get the social and personal rights that are now denied them. Woman's mind would be broadened and elevated by a study of public ques- tions. Woman's suffrage would increase the strength of the home element in politics, secure the election of better men to oiiice, and introduce higher moral standards into government. You cannot expect women to move mountains but they can have an influence for the betterment of politics and cleaner oiiicials, improve the conditions of election booths, better the atmosphere of primaries and conventions, improve the conditions of Women and children, suppress gambling and restrict the sale of liquor. In England women have exercised municipal suffrage without detriment and with great, advantage., In Wyoming the results have proved so satisfactory that an 132

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1 9 1 6 V 425-1 ,1 Today and Tomorrow A warm, drowsy September day was drawing to a. close. I sat, or rather, lazily reclined, in a large comfortable chair on the shady porch, vainly searshing my tired brain for some new subject for a story. Yes, I wanted something new-something with real life pictured in it. I lnonged for an inspiration from the poets' world As I sat musing and thinking, a soft, warm breeze blew across my face, bring- ing with it that dreamy, soothing fragrance from myriads of clover blooms, and the drowsy, contented hum of busy insects from the meadow below. That gentle breeze proved itself my master, and ere I was aware of its presence, sleep had overcome me, and had borne me away into the mystic valley of dreams, far away from the stern realities of life. I had stepped into another world it seemed, and stood in silent awe and wonder as I gazed at the scenes before me. ' Words can but poorly express the wondrous beauties which greeted me on every' sideg and the atmosphere was pervaded with a peaceful stillness-such a contrast to the busy whirl and mad rush of the world of mortals. I had a sudden inspiration! Now I could find a subject-a beautiful subject for my story. It should be one that would tell of fairies, Bowers, beautiful green valleys and winding paths, sing- ing birds, and all the other wonders of nature whch were scattered around me so abundantly. As I was gazing around, trying to make up my mind where to begin, I heard a soft rustling sound near by, and glanced around just in time to see a quaint, fleecy little body jump lightly from among the the bright blossoms of a bed of golden rods. Althugh I had never seen fairies, I judged that this was one, for such dainty, pure, sprightly creatures are found only among the wee folk of Fairyland. She advanced to meet meg gazed into my face for a moment, and then, with a graceful bow, intro- duced herself as Pearl, the Dreamland Gu de. . And you, I suppos, she added in a.soft, silvery voice, are from the land of mortals. E I Yi-BS, I P1f1SW9I'ed, and I am here tfying to find something new and inspiring about which to write a story. There seems to be so many new and beautiful things, I hardly know just where to begin. Maybe you can help me, if you will be so kind, I shall be delighted to help you if I can, she answered smiling. You want something new and inspiring. Let me see.. Do you see anythng here that you do not have on the earth below? No, I answered, glancing around in vain trying to find something different from anything I had ever seen before. I .suppose we have the same things but somehow they all appea ' so much more beautiful and perfect here than we have been used to seeing themf Yes, that is true, she answered, but come, let us walk around and maybe an inspiration will come to us. Hand .in hand we wandered about under the rustling, waxen, leaves of mighty treesg o'er the soft, velvety carpet of moss starred with daisies and buttercupsg along winding paths close by the banks of clear, rippling streams, until, at last, we 134