Springfield Weekly Republican

DR. FLEISCHER ON SUFFRAGE
Delivers Address at House-Warming of New Suffrage Quarters

Rev. Dr. Charles Fleischer of Boston addressed an audience of about 50 at the suffrage headquarters in Pittsfield Sunday afternoon on the principles underlying the suffragist question. The affair was to be a house-warming of the suffragists' new headquarters. The speaker started his address by complimenting President Wilson on his bravery in tackling the marriage question a second time; also because he favors suffrage as a citizen. He also spoke of the favor in which woman suffrage is held by the six candidates for governor in this state, and questioned as to their reasons, if it is not popular and a part of democracy. He maintained that it surely must have some favor among the male voters when all candidates favor it. Application of democracy is necessary to bring about just conditions for the human race. Democracy was only the dream of a few 150 years ago, the speaker said, but it is making rapid strides. He challenged the "antis," who maintain that woman should have no vote because democracy rests on force, to prove their contention. The plutocrats and the autocrats are the only ones opposed to woman suffrage, the speaker went on. He criticized the "unsexing idea" of the "antis" and said that too much sex fact enters into the attempts to humanize the race.

"Democracy is a social ideal in the organization of society on the basis of respect for the individual." Distinction as to color or creed is undemocratic, just as is distinction of sex. Democracy is yet an experiment which has proved quite successful as far as it has been tried. Why the objection on the part of the "antis" to the extension of its principles?

Another argument of the "antis" that Dr. Fleischer took up was the one that woman's suffrage would double the ignorant vote, which he characterized as a lovely tribute of the "antis" to their own sex. The vote has made the men of America the most intelligent of any race in the world, Dr. Fleischer maintained, and there is no reason to believe it would not do the same for women.

Dr. Fleischer, in a stage whisper, took up the argument of the autocratic "antis" that woman suffrage would give further cause for fear of the Catholic vote and said that this was always spoken in lowered voice and fearfully. But, he said, the country is not always going to be Protestant against Catholic. Every man is entitled to his place in this country. If one believes in democracy the inclusion of any element does not endanger its principles.