Woman’s Suffrage and Improvements

Woman’s Suffrage and Improvements

While opinions differ very widely upon the wisdom in general of granting the right of the ballot to the women of the country, one very significant fact has made itself apparent in connection with the matter of projected improvements and the issuance of bonds for the prosecution of the same by municipalities. It is this, that where a proposed issue brought before the voters before the adoption of woman’s suffrage has been defeated, in spite of the fact that it was for a needed improvement, in nine cases out of ten the same matter when again voted upon—the suffrage amendment having, in the meantime, been made a law—has been passed by a comfortable majority. The exact psychology of the feminine mind we do not attempt to analyze —what mere male can? But this fact remains, that where a needed improvement relies upon the added vote of the women of the community to insure its passage, it is almost certain to become a law. Whether this is because the passage of such a measure touches more intimately the pockets of the male population, and the benefits to be derived, the imagination of the female, we do not pretend to say. It is the fact alone that we are dealing with, and that is that it is easier to accomplish an improvement involving the expenditure of the people’s money with universal suffrage than without. The explanation we must leave to the scientist and the psychologist to elucidate.

While opinions differ very widely upon the wisdom in general of granting the right of the ballot to the women of the country, one very significant fact has made itself apparent in connection with the matter of projected improvements and the issuance of bonds for the prosecution of the same by municipalities. It is this, that where a proposed issue brought before the voters before the adoption of woman’s suffrage has been defeated, in spite of the fact that it was for a needed improvement, in nine cases out of ten the same matter when again voted upon—the suffrage amendment having, in the meantime, been made a law—has been passed by a comfortable majority. The exact psychology of the feminine mind we do not attempt to analyze —what mere male can? But this fact remains, that where a needed improvement relies upon the added vote of the women of the community to insure its passage, it is almost certain to become a law. Whether this is because the passage of such a measure touches more intimately the pockets of the male population, and the benefits to be derived, the imagination of the female, we do not pretend to say. It is the fact alone that we are dealing with, and that is that it is easier to accomplish an improvement involving the expenditure of the people’s money with universal suffrage than without. The explanation we must leave to the scientist and the psychologist to elucidate.