The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-11-20
A Woman Elected 20 OAace fn
Illinois. 1
Prom the CHICAGO Tribnne.

T. notwithstanding the Ilf-directed efforts
of some OF the professional advocates Of
women's rights, who are doing more tc
hinder. than advance their cause, and
notwithstanding the laments of many OF
1.-The victims over the expressions to which
they are subjected by the tyrant man, the
evidence goes to show that their cause is
progressing, and that the great ball of
the world, at which they have been tug
gTng so long, has really commenced to
move-so slowly, perhaps, that they do
not notice it. The mistake of these
strenuous and somewhat hot-headed cham
pions has been, that in their eagerness
they have sought to leave man out in the
cold, by seizing all the rights of man at
one fell swoop-such as holding office,
voting, fighting, going down town nights,
haSing0 separate deor-key, preaching,
pleading before jurors, marching In pro-
cession, and going into voluntary bank
ruptcy. They should have been content
to get one at a time, which would certain
ly pave the way for others. Thus, by
making haste slowly, in due course Of
time the whole catalogue of rights en-
ioyed by man, both the advantageous
and the disadyantageous, would belong
to them, They have now only to look
about themselves to see how the world is
moving, and that, if they only keep quiet,
the memorable laws of circumstance will
work out their salvation.
The recent election in this State affords
one conclusive proof of the slow but sure
progress of the movement. In April
last the State Legislature passed an act,
which went into force i'll the following
July, providing "that any woman, mar
ried or single, of the age Of twenty-one
years and upwards, and possessing the
qualifications prescribed for men, shall be
eligible to any Office under the general or
special school laws of this State" What
has been the result? At the very first
election where women have had an OPP
portunity to avail themselves Of this law,
they have done so in the most liberal
manner. They have not allowed the
grass to grow under their feet. They
were on hand early at the nominating
conventions, and, when they failed to
get nominations through lack of courtesy
on the part of the stronger sex, they ex7
ercised the sovereign right of boiling,
and entered the field under their own
colors, bound for a free fight and no IA
vors, and with no other platform than the
very practical one, "Let the best woman
win." At the recent election there were
thirty-iour ladies running in thirty coun-
ties of this State for the office of County
Superintendent of Schools. That, at
least, may be called good start, under
law only eight months old. In Alexan-
der and Mercer counties, two ladies ran
against each other; and in Cass county
there were three contesting the field, and
the victor not only defeated the other
two, but two men, also, who had not gal
lantry enough to withdraw and let II g
three ladies have the field to themselves. |
As an indication of the good time coming,
the head lines of the Aledo Democratic |
Banner, published in Mercer county, are
Under a defiant rooster,
with head and tail erect, occur the follow
ing startling announcements "The |
Whole Autobiography Ticket Elected"
Z" Cornstalks VIII Make Sugar +" g Miss
Walker Defeated by Thirty-one votes; 4"
"sBfiss Frazier ElectedF;" g A Certain |
Bachelor Happy" This tells the story |
and leaves the reader at lib
erty to imagine the Joy of Miss Frazier
and the certain bachelor" and the cor
discontinue of Miss Walker
and the ''other Teller" Under the new
regime, the sewing circles and evening
meetings and the Sunday night vista
tons Of young gentlemen in school dis |
tricts will no longer be the tame affairs
they have been. A new element enters |
the social circle which will not disturb it, |
but heighten its enjoyments, for the cleo
ton Mercer county shows that ga certain |
is happy, Notwithstanding the
fact that Miss Frazier is elected.