, 1874-10-15


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EDUCATION AND THE BALLOT.
Tho two most interesting features Of tho
American Wonan-suffrage conyonton's Cho
Boston wihg) proceedings thus fnr llaro been the
report OF tho Executive Committee lnnte by
Lucy Stone, whose husband, 5lr. Blackwell, or
ganizca the hnHocfation after it's seccsHion from
tho Now Yorn concern, and tho opening address,
delivered by Mrs. Julia Wa.l t[owo, whose ut
torances are always worthy OF consideration.
Tho report does not call for auy Bpocial comment
except thae tue facts Of progress aro for tho most
part trivial and hayo no Immediate bearing upon
Wo1nan Suffrage, such, for Instance, rs tho
ToHtor'e md tho Smith Bisters' resistance to ta1-
ntion, SO ruLuous 10 the lattcrs co,gs the School
Board aquabble In Boston tho Granger move
mont; tho Temperance crusade and tho rlgita
OF women to preach in tho pulpit. az tho toa-
parties only resulted in an increased
consumption Of tea, as the Smith
aiRtera lost thoir cows, ns tho women In Boston
lost their p!aees on tho School Board. az tho
Changers arc on the waue, as tho Crusaders did
moro harm than good and as woman ia still Us
far nway from the pulpit as ever, one caauot but
admire Lucy Stone'a cheerful view OF what con-
stitutee progrcs1. Mrs. Howea address, 1t IN
only fair to Hay, WAS Il temperate thoughtful,
and at times eloquent paper, although it's priu-
cipal force is,emotonal Ttoro Ia but one atrone
point which deserves notice, and that ~ as fol-
lows:
Men and women say atkc: ait il not education
that demoraEzcs and ttisar9 women. It IL want
OF eucatlo want Of object rant Of right knowledge
Of e,dr ant nethode." And how shall re acquire
this nnleSs we taught? And how shAll We ba
taught unless provision IL made for ue? And how
ahnll pro7isoa bc male for uuleka o ako our
sclres by voting fosis?
10 one will dispute Mira Howo's statement Of
tho wants Of woman. Sho states them vory
forcibly, y,-wsut Of education, want Of object,
want Of right knowledge Of euds and methods.
Thls Ia conceded by every QUO. Mrs. Hove'a iu-
fsrencest however, are open to criticism. She
puts them very neatly bnt tho conclusion IL
jumped at. She would obtain all these wanta BY
suffrage. Tho ballot ia tho panncea for all tie
ills that fe1naie flesh ia heir to. 1t Ia all very
we'll to Soy that voting will relieve theao wan.a,
but wa are inclined to add anotAor how to
Irs. Howo's " hows," aud as.s: "How will suf.
fragc remedy the condition OF woman'B lach Of
education = Whit possible educational adyau-
tage would she gain by voting which sho daes
not already haye without voting? Educa-
tion is vi free to tho female as to
the male, II It Ia not improved, 1t
IL the fault Of the female rather than
tho fault Of tho want Of suffrage. There
il no law against 4be education Of woman.
may be established oil over the land, and employ
the beat and most Bkillful teachers, mud there ia
no ono to say: Why do you 60? Thero may bo
prejudice against co-educatton Of tho se1ee
and vo,y Obvious prejudice, baacd upon moral
rather then educational rcasons; but doea this
huder the education Of womEu? Mrs. Howe
herself iH lady OF scholarly education ind q
high degree Of culture. sho has net the want Of
education, Of object, nor Of right knowledge OF
ends and methods, md no have never heard
that she found any obstacle in ths WY OF OBJ
taining that education. II woman wauta to
10 educated, there il no power in tho
land that cau hinder her. II aha
wants tho ssmo oducntiou as q man, she can hays
it, aud thoro ia nothing to prejudice 1t except
lac!; Of means, which operates with equal force
against men. II Mrs. Howe had voted oil her
lifo, ehs would not have secured any Of tha
wants which sho haa stated moro fully than sho
hap them HOW. Aud Mrs. Howe Is lot all oxcep-
tlon. Thcss wants. like many others set forth
by tho wo1nan-aufrng!Bts, may ba bad for the
taking. Womon who hnve wanted to be doctors,
lawyers, teachers, poets, Bcupsors, painters,
| musicians. architects, or anything else. have
| found 10 difficulty. The only 1e9usitea are
brains altl money, and d man hgs to layo both
these repuisitions also. It does not need tie
! ballot to effect this. Airs. Howe would dc
| mora objective work for women II sue
would asaait tho manner, rather thar
! the matter Of education. The evils which need
remedy azo tho fashionable nonsouso which
tlou, tho low standard which women themselves
assnme tho superficial education with which tue
majority Of Them are coutcntod, tho false ideas
which prevail In tho family, tho tyranny oi
fashion. These nro the stuuabllng- blocks which
stand in the way Of ttue female educa.
tion, and all the voting .u tho world
will not remove thom. There il more
hope for tho future OF women ia the Womhn'E
Congress- which mcets IL Chicago to-day than IL
all tho Bufrsago conventions. The subjects
| which they propose for discussion and action,-
| such a. Is tbs Monetary Enterprises that Woma,
| Can Engage ill.," "Tle Combination Of Intel
! lcctua! Culture with Household Management
mud Family Duty" "Tho Physical Education oi
Gtrls," "1udustEal aud Scientific Education o1
Women" ,"-aso OF vital intercss. and all OF then
can be obtained aoonor Or Inter without tue
ballot.
Thoro arc It present In Californts soyeral yer,
prominent Eastern Capitalists xs guests OF tA.