Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-07-18
Ghe gepnbliean.
THE PROBABLE EFFECTS OF
FEMALE SUFFRAGE


families devoles, upon the death o.
their husbands, are laid under seri
Gus disabilities by the system which
now prevails of settling estates
when the death of the husband
occurs the expenses of the family
continue but the income is diminish
ed. Valuable contracts negotiated
by the husband are at once suspend
ed-the widow is not to complete
them however much they may be to
her advantage \ forced settlement
of the estate is compelled, and al
most always at a ruinous waste OF
property, the joint earnings of the
wife and husband. At least lawyers
and courts who now consume much
of it, did nothing in acquiring it.
By such forced settlements many
women and children are reduced to
Strengthened circumstances, some
times to want ifnot even to beggary,
when if the wife had been allowed to
carry out the joint plans of herself
and husband the estate might have
been saved. This policy which has
been continued for generations,
wouil no doubt be changed if women
were allowed to vote. This would
create a revolution in business and
in the social standing of females.
Wealth is power. The amount that
would thus change sides and be ac-
cummulated in the hands of women
would be enormous. 1t would eff
feet the whole structure of good
society. Whether a revolution so
sweeping would be beneficial or in
furious remains to be tested.
Another change that might be
looked for in case women Were heard
through the ballot, would be the sup
preston of intemperance by strin-
gent and rigidly enforced prOhibi-
tory laws. The suffering endured
by the female part of community has
made an abiding, deep, indelible i'm
preston upon the heart of the sex.
If ever they WELD the ballot the
power will he in their hands to wipe
out this long INDUCED vice and it
will be done, no matter how drunk
ards may thirst for fiery poison,
their longings will be UNDECIDED and
their pleadings will fall on ears made
callous by the long endured anguish
of unappreciated wrongs. Do men
of common sense believe that wives
will remain dashed to the embrace of
drunken husbands, or that they will
quietly look on and see ti0ir sons
become drunkards when they have
the power to prevent it? They will
possess and WELD the power when
they WELD the ballot.
Another material change that
would likely result from entrusting
the ballot to women, would lie an
invasion of every branch of prof
liable industry. Sources of wealth
so long and so wrongfully barred
against them, would be thrown open
to competition, and capital, now
mostly concentrated in the hands OF
the male members of the state, would
be more equally distributed among
females.
When this is attained a degree of
security, independence and self-reli-
ance would be felt by women
known to them in the present dis
tribntion Of political power. Much OF
the edeminacy now called delicacy,
much of the stupid softness passed
off for refinement, and much of the
lolling aflectation called tenderness,
would be sloughed off from the female
character and appearance, aid more
truthful and genuine exhibition of
self would result.
But the length OF this article de
tiers from further inquiry into this
subject. 1t is manifest that changes,
radical and important, must result to
the constitution Of society and rela-
ton of the sexes, by cntrusting the
ballot to the hands of women. We
have noted some, others can he i'm
agined. If on the whole, after full
discussion. it is thought best for the
race to concede this great and vital
power, it will he done, ifnot, it will
be withheld. We have brought the
subject before our readers so that
when the time for action arrives, as
it certaily will, they may be prepared
to act justly and decide for the best.
In conceding the ballotto women,
a general and impartial law will con-
fer it upon them without regard to
color.-Rensssloer Telegraph.