"Laws that have been on our statute books allowing fathers to will away their unborn children; laws allowing the father to appoint guardians of whatever kind or creed over his children, leaving the mother powerless. And what shall we say about the abominable laws made by men everyone of them, that legalize the sale of drink?"
"Well, a woman is a woman, Jean, and the polls is not a fit place for a woman," and the judge set his lips very firmly.
"That is the assertion you made at the outset, father. It is no argument, and much as I respect you, I can hardly accept it as final. You know, father, that if polling places are not fit for decent women, neither are they fit for decent men, and the sooner decent people get around and clean them up, the better it will be for the country. Come, now, if you have a sound, logical reason why women should not vote, bring it on."
"Well," said the judge, "even admitting that the advent of women in politics might have a cleansing effect, women do not want the ballot."
"What women?" demanded Jean.
"The majority of women."
"How do you know they do not?"
"It is to be supposed that if they were clamoring to any great extent for it we would hear of it through the papers."
"What papers? Papers that oppose it to the bitter end? I can show you papers by the dozen and the score that would enlighten you along this line. Women do not ask, but rather they demand, the ballot. But this is begging the question. If it is right for women to have the ballot, it is right, and if it is wrong, it is wrong—that is all there is to it. Now, father, tell me the reasons."