Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-07-30
WHAT POSSIBLE VALUE WOULD
SUFFRAGE BE TO WOMAN

~ a. EOSSABLE AbDE hOGLD
SUFFRAGE BE TO woMANe
We are often asked the question, "On
what do you base your assertion that the
ballot can achieve so much for woman.
1t has not say they, done much for man;
in this country all white men vote, and
yet the masses are wretchedly fed, housed,
clothed and poorly paid for their labor.
Ignorant alike of social and political econ
omy, their voting Is mere form; practi-
cally they have no more to do with the
government than the masses in the old
world who have no representation what
ever.
These Wholesale philosophers, and We
meet them every day, are incapable Of any
patient process Of analytical reasoning.
If the moment a man is endowed with
the Suffrage he does not spring up into
knowledge, virtue, wealth and position,
then the right amounts to nothing. If q
generation Of ignorant, degraded mer,
whose noses have been held TO the grind
stone all their days. do not vote at once
With the wisdom of statesmen then Uni
versal Suffrage Is a failure, and the despot
and TIE dagger the true government
The careful reader Of history viii see
that With every new extension Of rights a
rev step in civilization has been taken,
AMI that uniformly those nations have
been most prosperous where the greatest
number Of people have been recognized in
the government Contrast China with
Russia, ENGLAND with the United States.
Where the few govern, the legislature is
for the advantage Of the few Where the
many govern the legislation viii gradual.
ly become more and more for the advant-
age of the many, as fast as the many know
enough to demand laws for their own ben
eft. This knowledge comes from an edu-
cation IN politics; and ballot in a mans
hand and the responsibility Of using it, Is
the first step in this education. Even if
man sells his ballot, there is power in pos
scssing something. that a politician must
have or perish. The Southern slaves must
have acquired new dignity in the scale
of being when Judge Kelly and Senator
Wilson Travelled all through the south to
preach to them on political questions.
The thinking men of England, as they
pbilosophize on the abuses Of their gov.
ernment, see plainly that the only way to
abolish an order Of nobility, law Of prim-
ogeuiture and an established church, is to
give the masses a right by their votes to
pitch this triple power into the channel
for all the bulwarks Of aristocracy will
one By one, be swept away with the edu-
cation and enEranchisement Of the people
Gladstone, John Bright and John Stuart
Mil see clearly that the privileges Of the
few can be extended to the many only by
the legislation Of the many All the benc-
fetal results of the broad principles they
are advocating to-day may not be fully
realized in a generation, but, to the phil
osophieal mind they are as true now as if
already achieved
The greatest minds in this country too,
have made most exhaustive arguments to
prove the power of the ballot and recog-
nized the equality Of all citizens, in our
/ Declaration Of Rights, in extending suf
rage to all white men, and in the proposi-
7 ton to farther extend it 10 al black aca.
/ The great Republican party lin which are
many of the ahlest men of the nation de-
I clare that emaneipation to the black man
4 is a nlockery, without the Suffrage When
/ the thinking minds on both continents are
agreed as 20 the power Of the ballot in the
hand Of every man, it is surprising to hear
educated Americans ask, "What possible
4 value would Suffrage be to woman? When
( in the British Parliament, the suffrage was
extended to a million new voters, even
Lord Derby and Disraeli, who were op-
posed to the measure, said at once, now,
I if this class are to vote, We must establish
schools for their education. showing the
increased importance Of every man who
/ has voice in The government and the
new interest Of the rulers in his education
/ Where all vote all must be edueated our
public schools system is the result Of this
principle in our government When wo-
men vote, Harvard, Yalean Princeton viii
throw vide open their doors
Women are not anomalous beings out
side al law. that one need make any spe-
ciaI arguments to prove that what elevates
and diguifes man viii educate and dignity
woman also. When she exercises her
right Of Suffrage, she viii stldy the sci
eaca of government gsin new importance
/ 10 the eyes Of politicians, and have fee
pass in the world Of work. IF the masses
knew their POKER, they eoall turn the