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Show FATHER PHELAN'S VIEWS. "Family suffrage; or, no babies, no ballots." This is the propaganda of the Rev. D. S. Phelan, editor and priest of St. Louis, whose epigrammatic observations and caustic and virulent analyses of questions of public moment in the Western Watchman Watch-man have made him a national figure. The clergyman clergy-man advocates one of the most novel and original bills ever submitted to a legislature relative to women wom-en and their rights. This measure, which Father Phelan says he will submit to the next session at Jefferson City, asks for family suffrage in Missouri for the purpose of encouraging large families. Father Phelan will also submit suggestions relative to women co-re-spondeiits, prohibiting a divorced husband from marrying the co-respondent in the ease. Should this measure gain the approval of the lawmakers of Missouri, the standards of woman's importance will be materially changed. "In some states," Father Phebn asserts, "women's "wom-en's suffrage is based on the question of whether they are property owners. A man or woman of property is supposed to have more interest in the welfare of the state than one who has no such stake. But the giving of a new citizen to a nation offers a greater pledge than the richest land owner. Political Po-litical economists could tell us the value in dollars and cents to the commonwealth of a new-born babe. On this principle we would have three kinds of suffrage suf-frage mankind suffrage, family suffrage and property prop-erty suffrage. I would give every family an additional addi-tional vote for every child born into it. If a couple cou-ple has ten children Ave would give the' family twelve votes. In case the couple agreed politically, we would permit the father to cast the whole twelve votes. If the couple were divided on their views of politics, we would give the wife her own voteand the votes of all her daughters, and the husband his own vote and those of all his son3.- This would give the women suffragists all they now demand and -more, but it would disfranchise the childless. It would encourage large families.' " !:- r. Vmjii.-Krir ..j.. .n- 1 '.'i-f ..,1 .,1-1. -" ' |