National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-28

ability we, as sex, would by no means
differ from men as class OF voters. The
same is observed among them and IL ia yet
to be seen whether women ne mass VIII
as slowly and as awkwardly make use OF
the higher privileges and power OF the
ballot.
But voice and vote is the present neces-
sity for women.
This Is the demand OF property-holders
among women; Of aspirants and applicants
among women for legal claims aud selfsup-
port. II is demand forced upon us by
our country-moro so by our own national
capital and Congress; to still greater de-
gree the forced necessity ushered In by the
political ofIlceholder and the political
ofllceseeker.
Moral-Women must be not only some
body's sweetheart or wife, but she must be
somebody's constituent-clothed with the
ballot.
THE WORLDS OBJECT LESSON.
The Bartholdi statue, "Liberty Enlighten-
ing the World" the gift of sister republic,
is to be dedicated on September 8, provid-
ing our Congressional representatives do
not return the gift to France, because Of
the economic spasm suddenly wrenching
the pilots of the Democracy. AS though
on Parnassus's rugged height the arm Of
the goddess Is outstretched like wand,
charged with electricity, to thrill the ma
llOhb 1unhluu. lHO
dess Of Liberty has climbed TO this crown
ing point by afortuitous turn Of fate, which,
like all incidents Of history, glide into their
places for a sublime purpose.
This great event becomes an object lesson
to illustrate to mankind now and forever,
so long as stone and bronze shall endure,
the inconsistency OF woman's status to-day
before the world.
Woman without liberty, representing lib
erty woman, coequal with man In the
social, moral, and mental worlds, stands not
coequal In the liberty OF the law. The
statueis Liberty Enlightening the World, but
not In the name OF woman, nor is IL woman
enlightening the world in the name Of lib
erty.
The goddess represents the parb Of wo-
man, and the exaltatlon OF liberty, but not
the condition Of woman, nor the browning
possibilities Of liberty.
Liberty, woman has not, socially or be-
fore the law, and will not have until the
scales OF justice outbalance all her wrongs
and liberty is more to woman than name
In the present and dream for the future.
This great event places woman before the
world as a symbol OF that which she is not.
And elevates her, only in name, to the
pedestal OF liberty, where she ought to
stand, and represents her In the browning
attitude of enlightening the world in the
name of liberty, where she could stand
and will.
Let not bronze belle flesh and blood
Let the hablliments Of liberty change as
In night time, before the day Of Its dedi-
| cation, TO some underlined, purely neutral
| expression, which shall symbol that which Is.
Or while the shadows of night are dis
| persing, and the grey dawn Of new day is
| gathering for women let liberty assume the
role, and garb OF man, in bronze, on can
vas, in ideality and symbol-as In reality
and life.
That when the day sun is risen on the
dedication Of that statue, Its grandeur rs
| gift and type may not bellttle woman
kind, and set forth to the world the para
doxical and inconsistent sphere and statu s
| OF woman to-day.
| Otherwise, the erect and lofty figure Of
Liberty Enlightening the World becomes a
semblance Of the unreal, and the symbol Of
| lie.
George Eliot has said: GLOW can the life
OF nations be understood without the in
ward light OF poetry-of emotion blending
| with thought n Let the American nation,
while slipping Of the nectar Of poetry as
centering in this statue-a link OF liberty
betweentw two republics-and as centralizing
about the occasion Of its dedication, enter
into broad and impartial thought amidst
the grandeur Of the emotions awakened.
This result will teach the nations that con.
sistency is jewel here wanting, and not
worn by the Goddess of Liberty Without
this the statue and the dedication become O
misnomer and mockery in the name Of
| woman.
The great poet OF the nation, whose hands
join ours In this event, has said:
1.-THE nineteenth ia woman's century"
Let It so be. And as breath OF rever
ence is waited over the newly-openet
mausoleum Of the great Hugo, and as
benediction upon the two nations con
cerned In this dedication, let the voice o
man utter prophecies for woman, which II
the not distant future will resolve them
selves into deeds worthy the name, O
fury, which inspired lips have said SHOULD
see her glory. OCTAyIA,