St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-11
woMAv sURFR4GE IN coxaREss.

loTe JudSe because OI her persistent mpor-
tunities. And it now seems probable that
the much derided cause of woman suffrage is
to succeed in having an audience before
Congress, and perhaps for the same reason.
The important position, to which the cause
of female suffrage has arisen, may be judged
by the fact that Senator in the Congress of
the United States representing the great VOL
VERNE state stood up in his place III the Sem
ate, and with pleading tongue and howery
eloquence, presented the claims of the gentle
applicants for suffrage. Senator PALMER
must have good deal of the qualities of hero
and martyr in hims or he could never have
summoned the courage to have made himself
the butt of rdicule and the football Of para
graph jokes for years TO come. II makes no
difference how much merit Senator PALMER's
proposition to bestow suffrage upon the fe-
male community may possess, the fact re-
mains that men have not progressed far
! enough yet beyond The barbaric ages TO be
/ entirely divrsted of the prejudice against
admitting woman to full and perfect equal
/ ity with Themselves prejudice that marked
the ruder ages of the world. Indeed, woman
/ herself. with exceptional instances, has not
! vet attained such full appreciation of her
mental strength as to desire to assert her
equality with man. And it may be possible
thai she never will, for somewhere in the
early history of the human race line of dis
| tinction was drawn by an Omnipotent hand,
distinctly tracing an inequality between the
sexes. To one was given physical strength
aud robust constitution, aud the nerve TO
I al IL, fha sf- If ar1d
/ gather the laurels of conquest. To the other
was given the fragile form, the tender senti-
ment, and the feeling Of dependence and
desire to lean upon the strong arm of the
more robust companion. Whether the act OF
suffrage will make ii necessary to break down
these distinctions which nature has created,
or whether It will not interfere with the feel
! ings and sentiments which exist in the
female heart, is problem to be solved. And
until solution is reached By the pUlitico-
economists, female suffrage will be held in
allegiance, and as long as it is so held will
continue to be the subject of joke and ridi-
/ cule.
Senator PALMER seemed to be imbued with
4 sense Of the magnitude Of the subject he
was discussing, for he stated at the very out
set OF his remarks that the resolution
/ being discussed involved considerations
! Of the broadest step in the progress
of the struggle for human liberty that
/ ever had been submitted TO any ruler or leg
islative body. 1t is not known whether, in
the fgurative language employed by the SEN
ator, he meant to use the expression of
"broadest step'' in describing the progress
of the struggle for human liberty, to convey
the impression that the movement was going
sideways or switching off on a side track
until the clouds Of prejudice rolled by, or
whether be really meanta forward movement
and drew on his knowledge Of the pedal ex-
/ tremitles of Chicago women for figure to
illustrate his idea. That, however, is a
matter Of small consequence, and we will
follow the Senator little further In bis argu-
ment. He then went on TO tell how little
band Of women had been knocking at the
doors Of Congress for about thirty-seven
! years, begging for the opportunity 10 exer-
/ else the right Of franchise. The Senator
rather gave the thing away by abiding to the
! ''little band Of women" II he had shown
that IL was a general uprising OF the female
Senate Is too wise not to have known upon
general principles and common experience
that when woman wants II thing she Is
going to have it, Aud If the dav ever comes
that the women unite without discussion in
demanding suffrage, there will be no contro-
vrrsy about 1.-THE thing will just be handed
right over the same a check for spring
! bonnet or winter wrap. But To
| keep pace with the Senator IN
his illustrious argument. He next
dwells at length upon point which no one
can dispute, OF II th,y could they dare not
do it. 1t was a picture worthy the study of
an artist to see the form of the Wolverine
Senator rising to the full measure OF its hefi,
with flashing eye and voice trembling with
the intensity OF emotion, startle the Senate
/ by the announcement Of a truth beautiful
in Its conception and indisputable in its
conclusions. 'Our sisters have brains as
well us hearts" The country is with the
Senator on this point. But when he alluded
to the possibility Of holding political meetings
In parors Instead Of stables, after woman
suffrage shall have been adopted, 1t must
have made he gentleman, even though he
be Il Michigan senator, laugh In his sleeve a
the joke he was getting OF on the average
VAIL politician.
| The speech Of Senator PALMER, however,
was quite pretty, il IL WAS not practical. He
has made himself immortal In the eyes of
the little band Of women whose cause he
| Plead so cloquently. Aud II he does not re-
ceive lots Of awfuly sweet flowers as the re-
ward of the great effort of his life, there will
be no incentive FOR Il man TO stand up before
the American people aud ask the govern
ncni Ia bestOw upon women that which the
fair Oucs themselves 30 not want