The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1886-07-15

Womaa SEEFass TEDDY and Yesterday.
Those who contend that woman
suffrage is reform against nature. /"
often inquire % the advocates Of this
movement. Why, u woman suffrage Is
natural and Inherent right, women
did not begin 30 exercise the franchise
IN the beginning, - men did? To
this we reply that the beginning Of
the nations with whose history we are
most familiar, belonged to an age Of
muscle snd bFEWn ; an age 60 which
the struggle for existence was a bat
tie with the elements and wild beasts;
when physical strength and courage
were the Grst essential The very
first attempts ct government we're CO.
ercive. The idea o. self7govsrnment
was Of late birth and SLOW growth.
Government being entirely . matter
Of physical force, It b easy 20 see
how women, being generally smaller.
and physically weaker than men,
were without any part In the begin
ming OF government. But ours Ia an
age OfsplFIL Mind Il growing to-day,
and the conditions bearing upon wO-
mans place 10 government are en-
tlrely changed. Brains and good
morals are wanted now instead Of
siueW. Women can support these.
In early days, the people needed only
the legislation Of the hattie Ak against
hostile tribes and wild animals, and
the brOad-aX against the elements
Nov, with the advance Of elvliIza-
ton, comes the finer fight against
vice the struggle, not for life, but for
right living and In the legislation Of
to-day the need Of the women ele-
ment IL growing more and more APP
parent. It IL q question Of brains"
and Is forcing itself upon the atten-
ton Of the whole civilized world. II
has time and progress IN It's favor
aud must ultimately result in the en-
reimbursement Of women on equal
terms with men.
Sweeping assertions are unsafe.
Some one says 'shOW me = Democrat.
and I'll show you sn anti woman sui-
fraglst." Here the use Of the tradl-
tiOnal grain Of salt Is demanded. Il
may be possible that Kansas Demo
Gratis are generally opposed to woman
suffrage, but here and there we do
ind strong and sincere advocate Of
the cause among the Democrats. In
the New York Legislature the cause
had Is many Democratic a. Republi-
can friends. Equal suffrage is Of no |
party. Even among PrOhibltlOnlste /
we find bitter OppOsers 10 woman suf-
fTsge, and the Third party In Ohio
last year refused 10 pot an equal suf.
frage plank In their platform. The
Republicans Of Kansas adopted q wo-
man suffrage plank In 'S2, but re-
Pented itself at the next opportunity.
And 50 equal suffrage Il OF no party,
except In New York, where there Is
an Equal Suffrage party. Il is posi-
BILE that the non-paTtisanship Of the
equal suffrage organization initiates
against Its success.
Equal suffrage is Ofno church but
gathers its adherents from all church
es, In spite Of sll attempts Of various
church governments 10 discourage
every movement In that direction
inside their own realm 50 that you
cannot point TO any one church and
say, "shOW me q member Of this or
that church and I will show you an
antl-sRffragist." There IL no such
line 20 be drawn between the
Protestant andlCathOlle churches, for
Catholic divines agree with
Protestant diVines that It Is
both right and expedient that women
should be vested with the ballot.
A popular assertion among speak )
srs on equal suffrage Is 'shOw me the
nan who drinks, smokes, chews or 1
yambles, aud Tll show you an anti
luffagist." Several grains Of salt
wanted here IL the male advocates |
II woman suffrage were only those !
Who are gulltless Of these vices, there
would be no hope that woman suE !
rage would ever gst enough votes % }
make lt q law, because the proportion G
Il men who are guilty OF one OF ell OF I
hese three Vices 10 thOse who are
utility Of none OF them, ia fearfulIy c
'reat. It Is true that strongest sup 9
'Ort OF woman suffrage comes from 7
be best aud brainlest men and wO- >
men, and that The bltterest opposition 4
nmes from the worst and most lRuo- Il
ant elements Of society and from ths y
liquor League. The Liquor League !,
eciares against IL as q matter Of o
Ourse. The best interests Of woman n
nd the intent Of the Liquor League Z
cling entirely antagOnIstIc, but, In a,
Dnsistent g. Il seems, individual
lends Of the nqncr trafio, and even 81
ANY addicted to the drinking habit.
re In favor Of the enfranehisement Of =
omen. m
Miss Willard o. 0s-gPoFatloa. ~
In the great efrrRnIe bat vvaan canf. -