Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-01-07
8 melville suarual.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
short Answers to Common OBJ
iectlOnS.

cent from which woman are excluded
Shal. we exclude woman from the
cars, because tie car is apt to be
dirty place? When man takes his
wife and daughter into the car il
brings decency. 1t will be the same
at the polls.
9. "I'olitics dreaecessarily corrupt
hag." Then why not advise good
men, as well as gcod women, to quit
voting?
3. Women are sufficiently repre-
sented already, through Neir influence
on men," Then why was it that the
Common law of England, (which
Lord Brougham called "a disgrace
to any heather nation" 50 far as 1t
related to woman, prevailed almost
universally until the Woman's
Rights" agitation began, twenty-five
years ago? 1t was not till woman
began to talk about the ballot that
any changes began to be made in the
laws; and they have no security
against the repeal of those improved
laws, except the ballot in their hand.
4. III conien roted, ii ,contd dioide
families" But families and nations
have quarelled twice as much over
religion as over politics, ever since
the world began. Ifyou allow wo-
men to choose their own religion
why not their own party.
). Hon,en Uo'tld only cote as
their husbands or .fdthers do" Many
women have no husbands and no liv-
ing fathers. If they have, and vote as
these men do, no harm will be done.
If they vote differentfy-as they are
very likely TO do on questions of
temperance, religion, and the right
10 control their own property or
their own children--then this objec-
ton falls to the ground.
6. "Ihe best Women WiU not pote."
Will they not? Then they are truly
not the best women. Women who are
really conscientious will not shirk
their duty when the time comes,
depend upon 1t. Was there a loyal
woman in the land, who would have
staid Mt home If a voter, when Abra-
ham Lincoln's reelection was at
stake?
7. The most refined ,comen wiU
MT vote." Many of the most refined
women whom the land has produced
have gone as missionaries, taught
schools for freemen, visited the Five
Points In New York, entered into
bar-rooms to persuade their husbands
away, or tended hospitals during the
war. Refinement that takes the
place of conscience is weakness, not
strength,
&. :" Bad iconlen tDiH cote" They
may and will vote, as bad men vote.
But they will not vote in. the. open
Of bad women; for vice
in women, by instinct and pol
icy, conceals itself and passes under
another name. The worse women
are, the more strilsingly they will
counterfeit virtue, when they come
to vote; rely upon 1t.
8. ~ should not Uish TO hear mn
itife speak ia toarn-naeeting." Nor
would she like to hear you, unless
you said something worth saying.
But you are often willing to pay
other mems wives to sing In public,
and II a women may properly uplift
her voice to sing nonsense, why not
To speak sense?
10. II tciH turn ,con,en into men.
Happily you cannot do that. 1t is
b ecause women, after all, are differ
ent from men that we deny the right
Of man to represent them, make laws
for them, Judge them in court, and
spend their ta2-mbney. If they are
the same with men, they have the
same rights; If they are distinct from
men, they need the Ballot to make
laws for themselves. Take which
view you please, II comes to the same
thing.
IL. "a ,coman ,oho takes proper care
IF Ae, household has no tinss 10 kno,g
lnyhsiag about politics" Why not
my, A man who properly supports
lis household has no time to know
about politics?" Men are
'pt to claim their own days work is
harder than that Of their wives.
IL. /" Politics lie beyond the sphere
.f aoomen." That is always the ex--
use for excluding DISTINGUISHED
lass. Bancroft says the original
liarter Of Delaware put the govern.
dent into the hands OF royal coun-
IN IN tho uronpdc fhat t,oi;ffnS ia