United States.
The United States is a great republic composed of more than 100,000,000 citizens under the protection of one flag with forty-eight stars which represent the forty-eight states of the union.
"A citizen might be termed a member of a large society called the United States."
Every man, woman and child is a member of this society, unless an alien, an idiot, or convicted of some infamous crime.
The members of this great society when they reach the age of twenty-one have a duty to perform which should be a sacred one. In this society citizenship is defined in the national Constitution in the fourteenth amendment. "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."
One of the first duties of a citizen is to vote. If we fail to vote we have no right to complain of the condition of affairs, and how our government is managed.
It is a privilege to be a citizen of this great country and a member of this great "society called the United States." It should be a greater privilege to cast our vote in every election and know we are doing our part to keep up the government.
There are four ways which we, as citizens, can help maintain our government:
"First: Vote at every election, read and be interested in public affairs.
"Second: Help to manage public affairs and be ready to hold an office, if you are the choice of the people.
"Third: Try to understand public questions, so you can vote intelligently and criticize justly.
"Fourth: Remember to pay your share of the expense of doing the work."
There are now over 27,011,330 voting women in the United States, soon to take part in all elections, and share the responsibility as well as the privilege of suffrage.
In maintaining this great government of ours two parties are necessary to keep the wheels moving. As has been said, the two dominant parties now in existence are the Democratic party and Republican party.
We have learned that parties are means of securing united action among the voters who think alike. It was Washington who said: "The spirit of party unfortunately is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind."
There must be organization under the direction of leaders to secure united action.
Let the women of our country come forward and identify themselves with the party of their choice and organize under competent leaders, showing to the world we not only deem it a great privilege to vote, but are willing to share the responsibility of making our government the best in the world.
Will you do your bit to keep this great machinery moving onward and upward?
CHAPTER XI.
Why Should Women Vote?
I
It is important that every woman who possesses the constitutional and statutory qualifications should exercise her right to vote; because it is only in this way that there can be a fair expression of the political sentiment of the qualified voters on any question.
Another reason is that the right to vote is not only a privilege but a duty that is imposed by law, and where one is entitled to exercise that privilege, the failure to so exercise it is a failure to perform a duty on the part of the voter.
Then, if only a small per cent of the women were to vote, and a large per cent of the men were to vote, it would always be problematical as to what effect the consensus of the women's opinion would have had in the result, if a full vote had been polled; and this questionable result of an election is one of the dangers incident to the exercise of the right of suffrage. If the women manifest anything approaching a unanimous desire to participate in the exercise of this governmental function, it will have the effect to increase the public confidence in this government and its institutions.
Men and women without regard to race, color or social condition, must take their turn exactly alike at the polling place. Each ballot has exactly the same weight in the election, and the ballot of the poorest man counts just as much as the ballot of the most influential citizen. The voting place is the leveling place, and when women realize that the exercise of suffrage gives not only the equal right to vote, but also allows equal expression of opinion, then the better purpose of woman suffrage will have been accomplished. This equality is not a condescension on the part of women, but it is the exercise of a right under the law, to call for the fair expression of opinion from all the people of every social and political standard, without reference to mental ability, social standing or business prominence. Therefore, it is the duty of every intelligent woman to vote and use her influence to get the women interested in voting and doing their part in keeping up the government. We know that the lower classes will all vote and many floaters will be found in such classes, so it behooves the intelligent women to do their part. The vote is the equal right of every one who is qualified under the law, and every qualified person has one vote, and that one vote from each one is the thing which the Constitution is most zealous to secure and safeguard.
We appeal to every intelligent woman of the United States and especially in Kentucky to take part in the coming campaign. Organize under competent leaders and let your organization extend into every precinct. See that the voters register on the first Tuesday in October, or the special registration days, then on 2nd day of November go to the polls and vote for President and Vice President of the United States.
Women as well as men in Kentucky can vote for President and Vice President if twenty-one years old and over, unless an alien, idiot or have committed some infamous crime. We have suffrage so far, whether we want it or not, and let us, as intelligent women, not forget the duty it carries with it. We love our government and the good things it gives, as schools, good roads, protection of life and property and the many other things. Should we not be willing to do our part to get these things, or must we be a sponger, a coward, or shirker and let our fellow man do all? Should we fail to vote and help maintain our government we certainly will come under one of these heads, that is if we are able to go to the polls and register and vote, and fail to do it. If you are absent from the county or state you can vote by mail. There is no way to escape our duty unless providentially hindered.
In Kentucky there are 1,201,185 voters, of which 663,454 are men and 537,731 are women. The white female voters are 477,731. The negro female voters are 60,000.
There are 13,225 foreign born white males of voting age, that have been naturalized.
Let us train ourselves for good citizenship and serve our nation, state, county, city and town in every way possible to make our government one of high ideals and the best in the world.