The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-08
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Lecture by Col. T. W. Higginson.

Col. I. W. Higginson delivered lecture at
Congress Hall, last evening, for the benefit OF
the temporary home for women. His subject
was Woman Suffrage.
The speaker began by relating domestic
scene," as he called it, the time, two days ago,
the place, Massachusetts,, and the scene Illus
trative of the quiet and legal voting by gem
tlsman and his wife for school committeeman.
The inconsistency Of permitting women to
vote on the question Of education and forbid
ding her to vote onany and every other cues
ton was touched upon at some length
The Colonel betrayed slight scepticism
concerning our famous Maine Law, lightly
speaking of it as an ''eccentricity." The sign
of Temperance" coffee house near his hotel
excited his wonder as to the need OF tenn
perance" coffee house in State where. ac-
cording to law, there could be nothing else
He remarked that woman suffrage, like the
Maine Law, was not near so formidable as
imagined when seen in actual operation.
Out of SO simple thing as school suffrage
for woman will come logically and inevitably
municipal and national suffrage for woman.
Woman suffrage then instead of being thing
remote, far off and in the air, is near by
geographically and chronologically.
The lecture, though it might be more apply
described as talk by a well-bred and educated
man on theme that he believed to be
vital and necessary to be talked about rather
than as lecture, was, it goes without saying,
radical in its exposition of the right of woman
to the suffrage. The lecturer said in substace:
mn AZ - 81, Of in,
society violated all the proper conditions be-
tween the sexes. No doubt many in oriental
countries and some here would keep up the
exclusion the invisibility of woman. That
woman has served the world best who has
kept out of sight" This old theory is not now
practically recognized in society, in business
or in the church; though some sigh for it, The
point for adjustment now is the question OF
suffrage. 1t involves greater SOCIAL change
than to admit her to school suffrage or to the
learned professions
What are the grounds for the suffrage and
what what the objections? The reason is not
the angelic superiority OF woman. II this
were so we had better leave her
question of superiority or inferiority.
Woman needs the ballot for two reasons-her
self-respect and her self-protection in repub-
lican community. Over Mohammedan
mosque is an inscription, "Let no fool, mad
man or woman enter here" This inscription
things should be brought about where woman
should not be classed with children, idiots and
criminals Year by year certain fundamental
principles are growing in power over the
world They are mo taxation without rep
reservation and all government proceeds from
the governed" Senator Hoar, who is per
haps the abest man whom New England con-
tributes to the public service, says that he be-
came convinced of the right of woman to the
suffrage because he never heard man argue
81 he r;obt WI did nj few yniDutng
deny all these axioms of government.
The Improvement in laws relating to woman
has been due to the enlightenment and educa-
ton of woman, her discussion OF and demand
for the suffrage. Every concession by iegis-
lature to woman has been confession that
men are incapable of legislating for women.
do not agree with John Stuart Mill that the
subordinate position OF woman is due to the
tyranny of men. 1t is rather big brother at
titude. This attitude was naturally assumed
in DAYS Of physical violence and force but man
ners have changed and it is now question OF
barbarism VS.. civilization
The lecturer alluded to the degraded condi-
ton of woman under the common law, and to
the harshness and cruelty OF some statute laws
Hardly year passes but the improved legisla-
ton in regard to woman is threatened. He
gave graphic and witty sketch Of q typical
eastern town where the more energetic OF the
young men had "gone west" and had forgot
ten to come back and marry their old school
was almost monopolized by the women. In
every one of our country towns there is vast
amount of unused energy and leadership among
the women, Can we afford to spare one half
of the race?
The lecturer aimed much clever sarcasm at
the argument that women should not vote be-
cause she cannot Ego soldering" quoting
Mrs Stanton's retort to Horace Greeley's COM
mittee-"We do not defend our properly per-
sonally, but hire policeman" If you carry
out the theory that only those shall vote who
are fit to bear arms, most of the members of
the learned professions will be dsenfranchised.
According to the statistics obtained In the
drafts for our civil war, the majority of the
lawyers are not fit to bear arms; not one
fourth of the editors, not one clergyman in
twenty will be permitted to bear arms. Ac-
cording to the theory OF physical power the
only consistent political body was that which
sent John Morrisey to Congress.
consider with Wendell Phillips that the
problem of woman suffrage is the grandest
launched upon this country. It will remodel
your idea of the theory of government, it will
supply new light by which to read history,
and new idea of your duty to the political
demands of to-day.