The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-03
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
Upon Current Tcpics-COmpiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.


WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND THE PRESS.
Pyon, the Cleveland Leader.
Whatever we may say or think in regard to
the propriety and feasibility of the woman
suffrage movement, it is impossible for any
candid observer of the signs of the times to
avoid remarling that it has become a practi-
cal question of our present poltics-that 1t
has passed the period of theory and specula-
ton and is already live issue. While the
movement was led by ''such charlatan and
mountebank as George Francis Train, to
quote the language of his Cj-deUdnt co-worker,
Susan b .Anthony-and by the people of the
ReUoL1ttion, who seemed to think that they
advanced the movement by abusing men
and fighting the fifteenth amendment, the
public naturally concluded that the PROPOSE
tion was one undeserving any serious consi-
deration; but when a national delegate con-
yention meets of the magnitude, dignity,
and importance of that which assembled last
week in this city-when such names as those
of George William Curtis, Henry Ward
Beecher, William Lloyd Garrison, George f.
Hoar, Julia Ward Howe, Lydia Maria Child,
Grace Greenwood and 7. w. Hlgginson are
added to those of the old leaders and workers
in this cause-and when national associa-
tion is formed, resting upon permanent
basis, with active auxiliary societies In every
State in the Union, we must conclude that the
reform had reached a stage when 1t Is to be
carefully and practically considered, and
where every thoughtful man and woman, de-
sirous of the good of the country and of man.
kind must make up his or her mind upon it.
And we are glad to discover, both in the COM
ments of the press and in the social inter
change of thought and of opinion, that the
subject is no longer treated as q chimera or q
sensation but is becoming recognized as one
of grave and immediate importance.
Among our Western papers it is noticeable
that there is growing opinion to favor this
movement The Indianapolis J0urRGL the
leading Republican daily of that city, de-
clares itself heartily in favor of the move
ment. The Toledo Blade advocates it
warmly. 1t says that it does not ''dread the
coming of the day when the wives and daugh-
ters of the free men of this land shall deposit
their ballots in favor of the measures and
movements they deem important for their
country's welfare. We see no evil results
likely to arise from their SO doing. Women
take part in many religious, benevolent, and
other societies with men, and they lose no.
thing in character or moral worth in SO doing
Young men and women are educated in the
same schools and colleges, and institutions
allowing them to recite in the same classes
are the best governed and most pros
porous of any in the land. The bar
barous, superstitious, and corrupt ages
of converts and cloisters have happily
gone by Experiments enough have been
made to show that good and not evil comes
from allowing woman freedom to do all the
good her mind wills, or her hands can do.
A good woman will vote only for the persons
that she would be willing to hold up as ex-
amples to her sons and daughters. She will
vote only for measures that will tend to the
welfare of the idols of her heart and home
There are bad principed and ignorant
,e,f 1,1t1 hiD1y f1,a, ylN1n
every really good cause would gain substantial
aid from their accession to political power.
In such declarations, in the general respectful
tone with which the press treats the move
ment, so different from the sneers at strong
minded women, in which it was wont to in
dulge, and in the general tone of discussion
in regard to the subject among the people, il
is to be perceived that quite new era in the
discussion of this question has arrived.
HOME COMPETITION THE REMEDY.
From the Toledo Blade
General Brinkerhoff, in his free trade lee
ture, laid great stress on the fact that we
were now paying more for our iron, salt, coal,
and various articles which enter into the arti-
cles we make and use in this country than we
should in case free trade was inaugurated. 1t
would have been we'll had the General stated
also that the effect of American manufactures
in the history of the past forty years has
been to reduce largely the price of all articles
which we have undertaken to manufacture
So long as England had a monopoly she made
all she could out of our necessities. Human
nature is Just as selfish in Europe as it is in
America European manufacturers are no
working for pure benevolence If, as Genera
Brinkerhoff alleges, our manufacturers ar,
taking advantage of high duties to
charge an exorbitant profit on thei
goods, they are doing no NOR,
than Englishman ufacturers do in the absenc
of competition. 1t may be, and doubtless is
true that in many respects the details of ou
tariff need revision. The duties on salt, coal
paper, and few other articles may with pro
priety be reduced. But that is not the poin
in dispute between free-traders and the friend
of protection. The free-trader desires heav
duties on the poor mans luxuries, tea, coffee
and sugar, which we DO not produce largely
and very light duties en- things that we d
produce. We would pursue the opposit
course We would see to it that our ow
household was properly provided and pre-
tected in their industry and the fruits of thei
willing labor. Their interests are those c
the European capitalist and the America
importer. Ours are those of the manufaC
turers, operatives, and farmers of America
against all combinations which oppress an
oppose true American interests.
We desire not the oppression Of the cor
sumner. If the tariff needs revision, let it b
carefully revised in the interests of home il
dustry first, having at the same time du
regard to revenue and the interests of til
consumer. But the remedy, after all, for I'll
consumer is to multiply home production
Let capitalists invest in manufactures. If ire
or cloth manufactures are making such eXorb