The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-07-10
WOMEN IN TH a DEPAKTME NTs.

WOMEN IN THE DEPAKTMk NTs.
Texas is most liberal in the opinions
of its people. Ia no other Southern
State would bill, making half the
employees of the departments of the
State government women, have re-
ceived the almost unanimous assent of
the press and people. If the women
asked it, Texas would concede the
privilege of suffrage, at least to those
taxed, in municipal elections and in
all elections affecting schools. II
women voted the best men would be
the gamers aud the worst the losers,
but then the sex itself might lose
purity and potency. Such at least is
the argument, and however eloquently
Mrs. Cady Stanton, who is expected in
Austin this fall, may portrayithe benef-
cence and wisdom of woman suffrage,
many years must elapse before the
daughters of this commonwealth go
TO the polls. The reason is that they
do not ask the privilege. Since such
great numbers of the best women OF
the South have been compelled to rely
upon their own RESOURCES for bread,
there are not few who advocate the
assumption by the sex of the priv
ileges Of voters. 1t was said
that the negro could never be free
until he WAS armed with the ballot.
He would never be respected, Republic
cans declared, by the paIty-leaders
aud demagogues until he welded the
personal power of voter. The result
has been the infinite pitiable degrade
ton of ofliceseekers while the negro
has assembled in nothing the scale of in
telligence, power or responsibility.
Whether the sex would be the gamer
by having access to the ballot-box may
therefore be questioned. If women
voted they would have no reason to
fear that they would not hold every
office for which they are fitted, and
however respectful the people to the sex
the Difference of politicians would be in
finitely greater, and woman would oc-
cupy TO this extent a higher position
IN social life than to-day. If the wo-
men of this district had been voters
when Hancock and Jones were candi-
dates for Congress the result OF the
contest, since there are more Demo-
cratic than Radical women, would
have been wholly different. But there
is time enough to discuss this question
when the results of this universal wo-
man suffrage Is seen in Wyoming, and
when we have listened to the profound
philosophy of Mrs. Stanton.
It is stated that young men and even
older persons having wives and daugh-
tiers are actively engaged in button
&>holing members of the House to pre-
vent the passage in that body of the
bill Approved almost unanimously by
the Senate. N-These men would not
hazard the loss of cierkships, and are
interested in saying to members of the
House that the sexes cannot be safely
associated during business hours in
business offices. This, whether true
or false, does not affect the question.
Women have equal rights as citizens
in this behalf with men. II she choose
TO take the chances of cont animation
by contact with the irresistible young
gentlemen of the departments it Is her
right to do so. II she fall it Is her
calamity. But why here rather than
elsewhere2 Poverty has befallen us.
Slavery is no more. Women of the
South, brave and true, have entered
upon new life of self-reliance. They
are engaged in avocstions of which,
twenty years ago, our mothers and sis ;
tiers never dreamed. They are clerks
and saleswomen aud mistresses of he
tells and of boarding houses and mil
liners and mantuamskers, forced into
business relations with men every hour
they live. They do not fsll, but rise
in the e, { nation of honest sane pee
pie, and they will not when eHsconSea
in comfortable chairs in the depart
ments Of the government. But then
there is no knowing. The beys may
be unscrupulous and irresistible. II
this be true, since we love our wives
and daughters sud sisters and would
give them.first the choicest opportuni-
ties for self-maintenance and indie
pendsnce, we should discharge all
males aud give the clerkshlps to wo-
men alone.