The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-04-21

BY MRS F. F. VICTOR.
believe have never written word
to try to prove that women have right
to the ballot. When it comes to a mat
ter of rights between men and women,
would simply ask to know how men
acquired the authority to either grant
or withhold rights from us. Never
having acknowledged such authority, l
have nothing to say about my right to
express my wishes by a ballot if 1
choose. Why I have never chosen is
another matter, not under consideration
at present. But have, now and then,
tried to point out to women some of the
obstacles to be overcome by them to a
proper ana judicious use of the ballot
when they get it, as take it for granted
they sometime will. One of the great
est of these is the unfounded confidence
women have in their moral influence,
unaided by any actual power. We have
all heard, ever since we could remember,
about the influence that women WELD
over society.
Influence is of so subtle a nature, that
every separate atom of the world of men
and women may be said to have some
influence upon the other atoms, infini-
tesimal though it be. Therefore, I
will not undertake to say that women,
together or separate, have no influence
on that human institution called soci-
/
ETY.. But OUer it?-there I make dis
tinction, and take an exception. And
L am prepared to deny that women
have governing influence of any kind
in society-moral, religious, educational
or political. All the women who, by
circumstances, have been forced into
contact with affairs, are thoroughly
aware of this fact. Only those women
who, being sheltered behind a well-to-
do husband or father, and who have
lived all their lives willingly ignorant
of their true relations to society, salts
fed, since creature comforts were pro-
vided for them, to accept whatever was
told them as the truth-only these
women, it seems to me, can really be
so unthinking as to put any faith in
that empty pretence-their influence.
would like to appeal to any candid
woman in this assembly by the ques-
tion: What one thing in society-in
your own familiar town, where perhaps
you have spent your life-is any better
for your being in it? know what you
will say. You will answer that you
have done a certain amount of work for
your church. know you have. When
men became too Indifferent to furnish
the means for carrying on the church
business properly, the women of the
church held a caucus, and hit upon
some expedient for forcing or coaxing,
or even cheating them out of little drib-
lets of money which could be applied to
the support of the church. But, when
this was done, what was accomplished ?
These women (who perhaps did not
need any saving) went to church, and
the men stayed away, satisfied with
having contributed few dollars, or d
few bits toward keeping up the piety OF
their wives Here, suppose, is where
, the influence comes in-by vicarious
church-going.
, You will tell me that you have
worked faithfully in the cause of tenn.
perance. Very well. But what have
, you accomplished Have you reduced
the liquor traffic one gallon? You will
say that you have brought your chill.
} dren up we'll. Your daughters are vir.
r tuous, industrious, and accomplished
e That is good as far as it goes, but what
about your boys? Oh, you brought
/ them up well, too; "but it is so difficult
to keep boys in the right path ~ JUS
so; but what about your boasted infiu
ence? If it is not sufficient to keel
your own boys in right paths, how fa
r can it extend over the sons of othe
1 women? And then, how much inf1u
ence have you to prevent your daugh
2 ters from suffering through the wrong
doing of other women's sons, who hav,
J, been as hard to restrain as yours
r Very likely you have taught you
daughter that a woman's influence j
I sufficient to correct slight aberrationi
r in her husbands conduct, If he love
: her. Upon this representation sh
r marries a young man who says he love
her, and how could she be so rude as t,
}. doubt his word? She loves hinl-tha
b she knows-and would be willing t.
sacrifice much for him. And so sh
g wonders and weeps at his waywardness
y which she finds her influence made
e quate to cure, and blames him, wher
: she ought to blame false teachers 70
II causing her to take>the fearful chances
/, You are driven now to look about yol
: for some sphere where you are truly in
fiuential. You lead the fashions in
certain set; and you are known to kee
a good table; while yOu are rather liter
l. ary, and all that. What does all thi
q amount to? You are rather more soci
ety's slave than less noted woman
but not one whit more its mistress
ANY man who chooses may snub yo
any day with perfect impunity. Yo
could not punish him corporeally, if 20
n wonld hecaOse he is the stronOer