The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-01
llINsptRAT1Or RuN MAp.n

Feeling an inspiration this morning,
I yield to it to write. The theme is
Woman Suffrage, and the question is, Is
woman fit to vote? From certain as
poets Of this question it seems she is not.
In the abstract her right cannot be de-
MED under equal qualifications; but in
the concrete there seems to be some
conditions which forbid her exercise Of
that political function. When we zee
women walking the streets with skirts
trailing on the sidewalk, sweeping and
swabbing over the filth, the question
arises, are such absurd and ridiculous
creatures fit to vote? In nationality
and comfort, excepting the clog shoes,
the dresses Of the women of the "heathen
Chinee" amongst US Nre far in advance
of the swabbers of our own people to-
day. What could be expected from the
votes of women who are so easily led to
the adoption of such strange, barbarous,
elownish, absurd and ridiculous fash
ions? Such women could be led by the
nose by designing politicians to vote
anything, however unjust or absurd, for
any person who can show no more of
reason or common sense than is shown
to-day in the dresses of American
women are only fit subjects of guardian
ship. Our institutions under the mold
ing and management of men alone are
unjust and absurd enough, but what
would they be when brought under the
influence of the reason, sense and judg-
ment, or the lack Of them, as shown in
the foolish fashions of women? They
may be as well qualified to vote as the
ignorant negroes, though that may be
questionable, for the negroes never
adopted such absurd fashions. But the
policy of allowing either to vote before
showing at least degree of develop
ment in the rational faculties is a ques-
ton. (Here my inspiration suddenly
collapsed). NJ.
One thing We most cordially COM
mend about this "inspiration," and
that is its sudden and hopeless collapse.
What blessed thing it is to live in a
free country, to be sure! Here is man
who admires the dress of the "heathen
Chinee" women because of its "ration-
ality and comfort" and no one has a
right to say to him, "Nay." Becoming
thoroughly imbued with the spirit of
''inspiration," he dubs the fashions of to-
day Qadies' fashions) as "strange, bar
barous, clownish, absurd and ridicu-
lous," and in this connection pertinent
ly, or impertinently asks, "What is to
be expected of their votes ?" We may
perhaps try to enlighten his inspired
vision upon that point, when further in
spiration enables him to show the
relevancy between dresses and ballots.
American women are only fit sub
jects of guardianship" asserts our cor
respondent; but he is provokingly reti-
cent on the subject of where eft guar
dians" are to be found. This oversight
is doubtless owing to the "sudden col
lapse of his inspiration" "What," he
asks, "would be the condition of our in
stitutions under the influence of the rea-
son, sense and judgment of women, as
shown in their foolish fashions ?" Echo
answers, what? We, waiting until the
buzzing caused by the fury of the ques-
ton dies away, timidly suggest for the
consolation of the questioner, that
women, SO far as we know, have no in
tention of putting tour institutions"
into petticoats-ballots or no ballots.
"Negroes have never adopted such
absurd fashions" he declares. No; but
white men have, we answer, and for
proof point him to the pictures of the
statesmen of the first days of the Re
public; old Ben. Franklin, political
sage and economist, with his powdered
hair, immense shirt ruffies and snuff
box; the 'Father of his Country" with
his knee-breeches, stunning shoe
buckles, swallow-tailed coat, and long,
silk stockings. How does the dress Of
these shining lights in the nations his
tory compare in nationality and COM
fort" not excepting the clog Shoes"
with that of the "heathen Chinee ?"
We quite agree with our correspond
ent that the 'policy of allowing any
one to vote, before showing at least q
degree of development in the rational
faculties" is a question, and while we
thus agree, we feel sure that were the
question decided in the negative, many
who now boast and swagger and drink,
with ballots in their hands, would take
their places in the ranks with silly
women who trail yards of dry goods af
ter them along the filthy streets, anG
have ''all the rights they want"
Trades against fashion are not new
nor always the result Of "inspiration.' ,
Men inveigh against fashions on paper
because it sounds nicely, and pay cour
to fashionably dressed women because
they look nicely. In the meantime
fashions change, and men and womer
adopt them, and the world jogs on il
this respect pretty much as it did {
century ago.
Speaking of an effort proposed to ge