The Project Gutenberg eBook, Are Women People?, by Alice Duer Miller

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Title: Are Women People?

Author: Alice Duer Miller

Release Date: March 23, 2004 [eBook #11689]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

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ARE WOMEN PEOPLE?

A BOOK OF RHYMES FOR SUFFRAGE TIMES

By

ALICE DUER MILLER

AUTHOR OF "BLUE ARCH," "THE MODERN OBSTACLE." ETC.

TO V.B.W. SLAVE-DRIVER AND FRIEND

Introduction

Father, what is a Legislature?

A representative body elected by the people of the state.

Are women people?

No, my son, criminals, lunatics and women are not people.

Do legislators legislate for nothing?

Oh, no; they are paid a salary.

By whom?

By the people.

Are women people?

Of course, my son, just as much as men are.

To the New York Tribune, in whose generous columns many of these
verses first appeared, the author here wishes to express her gratitude.

CONTENTS

TREACHEROUS TEXTS

CAMPAIGN MATERIAL (For Both Sides)

WOMEN'S SPHERE

A MASQUE OF TEACHERS: THE IDEAL CANDIDATES

THE UNCONSCIOUS SUFFRAGISTS

TREACHEROUS TEXTS

ARE WOMEN PEOPLE?

A Consistent Anti to Her Son

("Look at the hazards, the risks, the physical dangers that ladies would
be exposed to at the polls."--_Anti-suffrage speech_.)

You're twenty-one to-day, Willie,
And a danger lurks at the door,
I've known about it always,
But I never spoke before;
When you were only a baby
It seemed so very remote,
But you're twenty-one to-day, Willie,
And old enough to vote.

You must not go to the polls, Willie,
Never go to the polls,
They're dark and dreadful places
Where many lose their souls;
They smirch, degrade and coarsen,
Terrible things they do
To quiet, elderly women--
What would they do to you!

If you've a boyish fancy
For any measure or man,
Tell me, and I'll tell Father,
He'll vote for it, if he can.
He casts my vote, and Loui