The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-07
WOMAN and The BALLOT.
THE QUESTION BEFORE THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE.
The Reasons Advanced by the AdVO-
Gates OF the Measure for
Its Passage.

HnulNNAONs May Os-lnt INC lOIlly
OF the House Judiciary Committee in
reporting adversely upon the proposed
woman suffrage amendment TO the
constitution submits but formal re.
port recommending that the propo i
ton lie upon the table. The minority
report, which is signed by Messrs. F.
B. Taylor, Hepburn, Caswell and Ran
ney, comments upon this fact, but
says; The importance OF the cues
ton OF woman suffrage is forcing its
full discussion everywhere, and the
silence of the comm ttee will have no
tendency to withdraw it from public
attention. In a government by the
people, continue the minority,
the ballot is at once a thing OF
sovereignty and the means of ex-
pressing power. Women are peo-
pie, end we submit that they
are neither morally nor intellectually
incapable, and that no necessity for
their Acknowledgement can be sug.
gested, ON the contrary we believe
that they are entitled 10 immediate
absolute acknowledgements. First, be-
cause their own good demands it.
Give means and inducements for
broader and better education, includ-
ing knowledge OF affairs which she
will not fail to sysil hefself of TO the
uttermost, and which will odd 10 her
means of prot5 ction for her person
and estate The history OF woman is
for the most part history of wrong
and outrage. Created the equsl
companion of man she early
became his slave and still is in
many parts of the world. In many
so-called Christian portions of Europe
she is to day yoked with beasts and is
doing the labor of beasts, while her
son and husband are terving in the
army protecting the divine rights OF
kings and men TO destroy and slay.
Man has not been conspicuously UNI
just to woman in the past nor is he
now, but he believes that she is in her
true sphere, not realizing that he has
fixed her sphere, and not God, as he
imagines. III the "unspeakable Turk"
should be solicited to open the doors
OF his harem and let the inmates
become free and human, he would be
indignant, doubtlessly, and would
swear by the beard Of the prophet
that they never would 10 degrade
lovely woman, who, in her sphere,
was intended as the solace of.glorious,
superior man. Yet, rs man advances,
woman is elevated, and her elevation
in turn advances him. No liberty ever
given her has been lost, abused or re-
GREETED. Where most has been given
her, she has become best. Liberty
never degrades, slavery does Second,
woman's vote is necessary for the good
of Others. She is the enemy
of foreign war or domestic turmoil !;
she is the friend of peace and home.
Her influence for good in many direc.
tons would be multiplied if she pos
sessed the ballot. She desires the
homes of the land to be pure and
sober. With her help they may be-
come so, without her what is the
prospect in this regard Under tho
wise and sole administration OF
woman, well may she cry out, "Watch-
man, tell us OF the night, what its
signs of promise are" We do not
invite woman to toe dirty pool
OF politics, nor does she intend to
enter that pool. Politics is not nee
essarily unclean. Ii il is unclean she
is not chargeable with the great crime,
for crime 1t is. Politics must be puri-
fed or we are lost. To govern this
great nation wisely and we is not de-
grading service. To do this all the
wisdom, ability and patrio' ism of all
the people is required. No great
moral force should be unemployed.
But 1t is sometimes said that woman
does not desire the bal OF. Some may
not, many do not, perhaps a
majority. But such Indifference
cannot affect the right of those
who are not indifferent. The conser-
vative woman, who thinks that the
present duty is as burdensome as she
can bear, whsn she reads of what can
be accomplished for her country and
for mankind by means OF the ballot,
will as frequently thank God for the
OPP ortun ty and will as zealously dis
charge her Obligation az will her more
rad cal sister, who has long labored
and ferven'ly prayed for TIE coming
OF the day of equ lity of rights and
duties.