Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-11-30
WOMEN As POLITICIANS.


Woman suffrage seems to be the approved
thing in the Territories. Whether the women
of the frontiers are more energetic and mas
culine than their sisters of the more cultured
sections, or whether the other sex is more
gallant where there are few women than
where there arc many, VIC do not know ;
but it is probable that both considerations
enter largely into the soluti IN Of the woman
suffrage problem in the far West. The lat
est Territory to swing into line on this great
question is that of Washington, aud, IN many
respects its accession IS the most important
Of any yet acquired by the female suifrag-
is. party. Washington Territory is more
like one of the States than any OF It's sister
Terri orics. Its population is made up
mostly Of immigrants from such solid and
| we'll Governed common wcalths as Iowa,
| Maine, New York, California, Ohio, and
Indiana. The Territory has decidedly
Republican tendencies. 1t has been well
governed, is not burdcncd with debt, and
Is well provided with educational insti.
tutions, including a prosperous university.
The obtaining of the right TO vote ia such
| a community is, therefore, the greatest tri.
umph yet scored by the woman suffrage
party. The trial 20 be made here, will, il
seems TO ue, be finally conclusive as to the
fitness Of women to act in political capac-
ity. If the experiment fails here, as ii has
failpI ubnrn allen II trnulI nj
though the question Of woman suffrage
might be considered settled for once aud all.
We arc willing to allow that the women
have hardly had fair show, So far. They
have been compelled TO make the expert
meat under the most trying and unfavorable
circumstances, and under humiliating re-
srictions. They have had no sort of chance
in the Eastern States, aud We can not blame
them for refusing TO undertake the race
while so hopelcssly handicapped. In the
West thoy have had comparatively fair
charcc, so far as mere legal restrictions arc
concerned, but their opportunities have been
very slight. 1t is no. TO be wondered at that
in Mormon community like Utah the wo-
men hare been unable to accomplish any
good at the ballot-box. There was not
the remotcst probability that they
would, when the privilege of voting
was granted them. Iu Wyoming Territory
women have had the right to vote for more
than fourteen years, and are also eligible to
Office but what could induce a pure mind
ell woman to have enythng to do with pub.
lie matters, in such thoroughly corrupt
and irredecmablc community as that of the
Territory of Wyoming? 1t is almost like
requiring Of her modesty task like that
which the beautiful Lady Godiva performed
for the suffering villagers.
Theoretically speaking, We do not believe
that women are political creatures" They
have not in the first place, the practical
horse sense" necessary to deal with poiti
cal questions; they arc decidedly too good to
be coarsencd and brutalzed by the neces.
sary ACCESSORIES of the ballo,-box; and
finally, and chiefly, they have Infinitely bet
ter business to attend to in their own special
field of life's wOlk-the home. What Influence
Tor good they cannot there communicate to
the political welfare of their country, through
the channels OF 1--we and purity, they certain
ly cannot contribute directly by dropping
their printed preferences Into the ballot
box, side by side with the men who
haunt the polls on election day. Let the
women OF this country exert their combined
influence for good, according to the methods
designed for them by an all.wse Providence
through the gentle bu, powerful ministries
OF home and social life,-and politics will
take great deal better care Of themselves,
and he better conducted, than il they were
upset by whole legion of short. haired angels
in blOomer costume.