Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/859

 REVIEWS 845

second upon the issue and the candidates" (p. 29). The reasons alleged are that primaries are in the hands of politicians, and that there is need of direct-primary laws. And the reader may conclude that women in Colorado have not yet got their attention on changing the existing machinery which stands in the way of their rendering the best service to their state, that they are, in a measure, taking the line of least resistance. It is significant also, here, that women are said to take little interest in the character of candidates outside of the question of personal morality and the liquor business. That is, they are said not to have exhibited as yet, either interest in, or good judgment of the ability, public honor, and honesty of, candidates for office. As to the economic effect of equal suffrage, the conclu- sion is, that it has, so far, been slight. A few new employments have opened to women and their salaries in most public posi- tions been made equal to those of men doing the same work. But men still have the best-paid positions. The influence of suffrage on legislation is its most conspicuous effect in Colorado, according to Miss Sumner, although this effect can only be attributed to the votes of women as a matter of probability. The statement is made that the passage of laws has been effected by the votes of women with less effort and in less time than would have been required in non-suffrage states. It remains to be shown, however, that the vote is a more direct means of getting laws passed than lack of the vote, in the matter of actual expenditure of time and effort. The Colorado laws are good, especially for the protection of women and children but the defects in them are also conspicuous ; for example, Colorado has no state provision for factory inspection, and the direct and indirect effect of this on men, women, and children can be imagined. As to the effect of the vote on women themselves. Miss Sumner says, "It has tended to cultivate intelligent public spirit, to enlarge their interests, to develop their ability, etc."

The book is distinctly a non-partisan study in the methods used and in the conclusions drawn from the evidence, although every now and then one gets the impression that the writer has tried to be perfectly fair to the cause of woman's suffrage and in so doing has added an argument or explanation which often does not hold. As, for example, in speaking of corruption in politics, after stating that the vicious element among women not only vote generally at all elections but vote more than once, Miss Sumner adds, "All this, however, is far more a criticism of 'politics as it is run' than of