Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-04
WOMAN sUFFRA0E-A PROTEST.
A Paper Read by Mrs. II. G. Toler Be-
fore the Sorosis Society.

A Paper Read by Mrs. II. G. Toler Be-
fore the Sorosis Society,".
1.-THE following paper was read by
its author, Mrs. Il. G. Toler, at the
last weekly meeting of the Wichita
Ladies' Parliament, which, falling into
our hands, is presented to our readers
ED. EAGLE.l
In an organization like our Hypatria
club, made up as it is of varied and
characteristic material. there is, Of
course. and rightly, too. according to
the eternal fitness of things, wide
diversity of opinion, especially on the
much abused "woman question"
There is so much to be said for both
sides of this subject aud it has been
already handled SO ably and valiantly
and with SO much confidence from one
standpoint, that l stand somewhat
timidly. half anxious, yet half afraid,
to raise my voice from the other side.
feel, too, that this awkward state
ment or half apology for my audacity
will be openly derided by my stronger
minded sisters whose thirst for
progress has made them, perhaps, over
confident in the Importance of their
own views. Now, don't wish to
be understood as ''tsking the other
side" as in bottle-but only standing
with the unconverted yet, and calling
a sort of halt with this progressive
army. am loath TO confess it, but
the sad truth is, some of us are so
dull, so Delighted, so blind or SO
stubborn, and some so abjectly indif-
ferent that we fail TO see the real bene-
fit to be brought to we woman by the
use of the ballot. Mind, we don't say
we wouldn't vote if we could. l dare
say most all would-the same tickets
that our husbands debut, the real
benefit, it seems to me, has not yet
been pointed out. know that sew
eral of my sisters could just now open
their lips and sw eep me off my very
feet with tides and waves and torrents
of eloquence, could fame up in fiery
faith and consume me with burning
imagery of "tyrant mans cruelty to
woman. OF tyrant man who has
trampled on us from the beginning of
time, OF false, perfideous man! who
only woos to enslave aud load us with
the letters of base seryitude, and to
whose hard and flinty hearts the
cIanking of our chains bring only
throbs of pride and vain self glory.
OF the intolerable decree of fate
which compels woman to be the slave
or plaything of despotic man; of the
interminable innumerable procession
of neglected wives, oyer-worked
mothers and Tilted maidens, the vic
tIms all of false. tyranical, cruel,
man.
And, while we vainly attempt to
stem the current. perhaps with faint,
ooh, but see here; wait a minute. !
say you know, you don't mean my
husband. None of my mankind are
like that" For poor, foolish things
that we are, we don't know any bet
ter than to wish to judge all men by
the particular standard of excellence
as appearing to us in our own particu-
lar specimen of tyrant.
But the stern and relentless voice of
the reformer sweeps on: "NO matter,
all men are tyrants. They were created
SO, and long continuation of power
ON their part and abject obedience on
che part of woman has made them ill.,
tolerable. The wrongs of one woman
are the weongs of all. Blind, besotted
creatures: wretched tools of horrid
that you are! Ye sec not
your own degradation and shame, but
hug tighter 10 your b0sOms the clank
ing emblems of your slavery, the in
famous insignia of your serfdom.
Rise. rise, tear Off your chains! Strike,
strike, for the ballot boXc This, and
volumes and volumes more until our
brain grows confused and we begin TO
think, perhaps there is something
Maybe we are cruelty treated,
and had never found it out; and we
brace ourselves up, determined TO be
brave. or dignified, or rebellious, or
something-indeed we have very
idea of what we do in
tend 10 do, when, alas,
for our weakness, our mis-
cradle weakness, we have been
'clingers" too long 10 attempt 10
stand on the strength of a moment,
Tor a single look of anxious tender
ness from our tyrants, a single care
worn exprcssion-yes, al the first
sound of our baby's voice-we wilt;
We are vines again. and if our thoughts
we're exp ,essed in the language of
ryrant Man, they would read some
Thing like this, "Oh, hang the ballot
BOY" And we hold every worldly
standard cheap, and see sfresh in our
own homes a vocation as genuine and
as TO cause our fictitious
deal to look hollow naked and empty,
md if we have any remorseful twinges
or so ingloriously deserving the new
,ause, We comfort us with thinking
hat very likely, alter all, we might
make a worse mess of il than the men
,ver did.
Now, my dear sisters, l know I'm
lot getting at what want to say in
-ery able manner, but that is my lack.
md not the fault of the cause L plead.
nut il does seem to me that YOU make
90 much of some things and not
,nough of others in your arguments
or equal suffrage. Don't take away
he ground from under our feet until
We have something as good or better
o stand upon. Why should you say,
Shall our daughters be slaves of the
,itchen?" which, of course. is only a
Ugh pressure way of saying, "Shall
hey know hour To cooE and Keen d.