The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-06-22
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
What Il Requires Of Women and the Posi-
tioa In which It Places Them.

What Il Requires of Women and the Posi-.
tioa In which 1t Places Them.
II women are called on to vote, they
will feel it their duty to examine pub
lie and political questions; they will
take much greater interest in them
than they now do. They will study
these questions. read about them. talk
about them with each other. with their
husbands and sons; and thus the femi-
nine element will 60 much more into
public life. and woman will become
the companion and fellow-worker with
man in this matter also. Is she has
gradually become his companion in so
many other things For. as We can not
Tail to observe. the progress of the race
has been along this line of develop
ment-in making woman and man
more and more associates and com.
panions in every thing. In the savage
state. woman is the servant and man
the master. In the second or Oriental
state. she i the plaything of the man.
In both the steps of development she
is regarded as an inferior being. inca
pable Of holding equal fompanionship
with her lord aud master. But in the
third step OF human progress which
came from the alliance of Christianity
with the Teutonic races. woman rose
into ,compaaionship. This change has
been steadily going on. She shares
with man in his education. his amuse-
ments. his work. his religion. Her
mind. heart and hand become in all
things more and more allied with his.
AMI who can doubt that this co-opera-
ton gives US a much higher type of So
ciety? All We ask is that another step
shall be taken in the same direction.
and that woman shall become the COM
panioa of man in his political and pub
I c duty. - she already is in almost
every other.
This would be An argument for
woman suffrage in England. France or
Germany. but the reason is much
more coSeat - regards this country.
Where the theory Of government is
that Of an oligsrchy or an aristocracy.
it is Logical and consistent to keep the
power in . few hands But here we
proceed on an entirely opposite theory.
We say Government by few may
be better for time. but it is more
dangerous in the long run" An oil
gsrchy or sristocracy 10 in state of
unstable equilibrium. always liable to
topple over in popalar CONFUSION.
But here No condds the power to the
whole PEOPLE. We take In all interests.
all eonvistionA We let these balance.
correct neutralize each other. and
thus modify all extrsme tendencies.
and then ~ educate the whole people.
So We have . governing power which
10 able to correct its own errors by the
soses Of public opiuios. aud to re-
strain its own extrayagancies. Ithas
the power Of automatic self-regulation.
Thst is our system: and We have to
stand By It whether We like it or not
Our security consists in putting the
whole thought interest opinion. con-
science that there Is into the public
service. You may possibly prefer an
aristocratic government but you can
not have it here. What we must do is
to take this government of the people.
by the people. for the people. and make
it as wise and as just a. we can. by
putting into it every element of hui
man nature. and so causing it in deed
snd truth. to be government of the
largest majority. This nation is found
ed on faith in man. on the belief that
man. in the long run. means to do
right; aud il you can have so much of
humanity interested and active as to
control the influence of local interest.
personal and private ambitions and
party prejudices. you will secure to
the whole people the greatest prosper
ity and peace.
And now we ask. Why should one
half of the people be excused from
taking part in these great and all-im-
portant duties. Why. in govern
ment by the whole. allow one-half to
bury this particular talent in the earth?
! leave it to Others to speak Of suf-
frage As right or privilege. / speak
Of it as duty. No. every right is a
duty. but every duty involves right.
It is sometimes said that whatever is
right is also = duty. Not necessarily.
! may have the right 10 many things
which I consider ineypedient Or nm
necessary. But it is always true that.
wheE it is nv duty to do thing. I
ha~. the right TO do it. l maintain.
then. that in 4 government like ours.
women have no right 10 be excused
from taking a full share with men in
public affairs. And have not the
smallest doub: that their taking Tart
En- political action would tend Ia pu-
rify. elevate. and improve our public
life Not because women are Letter
than men. but because they are Il fer