The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-08-31
Woman Suffrage at Pionios.

Col. Il. w. Higginson writes in the
Vomdn's Journal: We are now at the
time of the year when outdoor gather
ings begin to be the order; walks, pic
MICS, sails, excursions. The charm of
the woods, the graceful beauty of the
rural lakes, the delight of rivers, the
glory of the ocean, are just reasserting
their power over the children of the
earth.
Youths and maidens everywhere, in
boats or in charges" are going forth by
land or water to enjoy themselves. 1t
constantly becomes needful, on those
excursions, to settle some small points
rs to the arrangement of the party-to
decide by vote whether they shall take
their outdoor meal upon the rocks or
down by the water; whether they shall
return by dark or wait till the moon
rises. How is this vote taken? BY
what is called ''manhood'' suffrage?
Never; it is pretty sure to be put to vote
among the whole party.
1t may seem trivial matter, but it is
not so, even to the young people them
selves, much less to the anxious papas
and mammas who are wondering why
Della does not arrive. Least of all to
the philosopher should it seem trivial,
for it really involves the foundation of
human society. Here, if anywhere, are
matters conducted on first principles.
The picnic is an institution not known
to our statute books; it is one of the
few things which our legislatures never
even attempt to regulate. 1t makes its
own laws, subject only to the instincts
If
If there is any physical inequality be-
tween the sexes it shows itself even
more at the picnic than in common life;
for it is the young men who usually row
the boat or stumble through the bushes
with the WATERFALL. At the picnic, if
anywhere, they should draw aside by
themselves and settle by vote, without
consulting the young women, the fate
of the enterprise. Yet they never do it.
The argument appears to me irresist-
IDLE. | appeal from Philip drunk with
power ON election day to Philip sober as
cold tea can make him on q picnic. 1t
is plain that in this generation, at least,
the sense of equal humanity in the SEX
es is so strong that it asserts itself even
when the sexes are Mt play together, and
are resting that play on its natural foun-
dations. II does not involve any argu-
ment or discussion, that women should
vote on these occasions; they do il rs a
matter of course. They are not regard
ed as weaker vessels;p the young men
are not viewed us 1.-THE noble sex," in
the phrase of the old French grammars.
All are simply doing what seems natur-
| al; nobody thinks of anything else.
That the young men can pull strong
er oar; that it is the young women who
have contributed these delicious buns
from Aunt Nancy's favorite receipt
these are justly subordinate matters;
both contributions are needed. Both
James and Almira are within the sphere
which nature ordained for them in go
ing on the picnic; and whether they
supply the buns or the oars is a wholly
secondary affair.
The essential contribution for either
is that he or she should be fresh and
| joyous human being, ready to take hold
of everything in hearty way; should
be, in a word, picnickable. The cele-
brated William Pitts brief summary of
wife's proper virtues, as told in Rog-
ers' "Recollections," was this: "A
wife should be of an amiable character.
She should sing" Surely this is a good
formula for the virtues of either sex
at picnic. And sooner or later, no
doubt, we shall transfer the habit of
singing in happy unison from the picnic
to the state.