Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-07

down the present vote, but feeling th
weakness of my cause when confronted b,
the mass of ignorance, the weight Of part,
selhshness that will not loose its grasp TO
even brief moment, for fear that its oppo
nent may gain point and the genera
demagnguery pervading all political classes
l am convinced there is no power in thi
great sovereignty to cleanse the Augean sta
bles of our political system except through
the ballots of Independent voters, who car,
more for purity than Office, more for decenc,
than power, more for the general good O
society than party, more for the diffusion o.
useful knowledge than political prejudics
and tenets, more for home and the comforts
that surround and adorn il than political
caucus and the curses that follow it, more
Tor lecture rooms that hotel balconies, more
for measures than for men, more for that
which is right than that which possibly may
not be wrong, more for statecraft than party
craft, more for that which tends to develor
race morally, socially, physically, intel.
lectually rather than financially.
five can weed out the rank grasses in
our political meadow, with the sycles now
in use, well and good, but if resort must be
to the TRANSMISSION of other seeds which will
gradually root out the rank ones, then wo-
men must eventually vote; not to satisfy
her wishes but in response to the demand OF
men.
Woman, as a political factor, will purify
and not dominate over the ballot box. am
not female sufiragist, yet am more in ia.
vor of women being the balance OF power
in elections rather than ignorance and vice
stupidity and cash. There is more declam.
alton than argument in the opposition to
women voting, more prejudice than reason,
moro assertions ofthe manifold neompetency
than proof Of it, more rhetoric than logic.
] have never comprehended the force of any
reason urged against women voting. 1t
may be said am dull of comprehension.
While this would be witty, it would not be
argumentative.
Women voting will be no greater shock
than the coiored vote was. 1t is within the
memory of most men that our great OBJ
lection to "nigger voting" was that it would
become fashionable for white girls to marry
''niggers." 1t is said that the per cent of
mulattoes is not as great now as Il was s'be-
fore the wah"
Women voting cannot be so great a shock
to our refined and tender sensibilities as were
the fast married Women Statutes" con-
terring equal rights on women in the pos
session of property, and twas urged against
this. legislation that the result would be to
break up families, destroy the tender rela-
ton Of husband and wife, have two heads
IN family, lessen the husbands authority,
etc. But how has il resulted?
On the broad prairies of Kansas, the
Married Women Statutes have tendency
TO make the marriage relation, in the Ian
guage Of Samavil Weller, .'morc tender" for
the reason that the ',she" lin many cases)
owns everything, and the "he" works for
his wife year by year, and goes on the wit
ness stand and swears that as q inancier and
''money-getter" "she" has no equal. These
diabolical married Woman Statutes" have
enabled many women onto raise a
family and keep the alleged head of the
family out of the poor house. A woman
who is the practical head of family, and
has all the property in her own name, Tex
cept that which is exempt from execution)
ought to vote.
A yeoman, with whom / conversed on
this question, almost had an apoplectic fit
so great was his indignation. He said no
woman who wanted to vote should ever eat
at his table; as a matter Of fact, his table and
kitchen furniture, team, wagon and harness,
household plumber and homestead are in his
wife's name and threatened repeal of the
married woman statutes, would shock him
worse than an electric battery.
/ am aware that much merriment has
been created by rhetorical picture Of
man going to church with consta Bile, or to
the opera with justice of the peace, or on a
bridal tour with county or state official and
l am also not unmindful that there are many
ladies who would deem themselves insulted
If certain officials that have served in Sedg-
wick county should have offered to go with
them. | am not ignorant Of the fact that
the duties of officials are of such a nature
that they require sagacity, tact. statesman
ship. honesty, sobriety, and general COM
prehensiveness such as the female brain is
TO be too "addle-pated" to compre-
bend; nor am / ignorant of the fact that
some years ago, in response to demand,
the legislature of Kansas passed law with
especial reference to the punishment of
in county officials.
The law makers evidently would not have
passed the law unless inebriety was becom-
ng common amongst officials. The recog-
aition of this habit tends to prove that our
political system needs overhauling, and
change in the quality of voters viii result in
he repeal of the act against drunkenness in
officials. The passage of the act was pub
ication to the world of our shame and po-
itical degradation, its repeal will be decla-
alton of official sobriety.
Yours. fora change in the quality Of voters.
X** Y = 4 =.