Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-08-16
A PLEA FOR SUFFRAGE.
tn" True Significance of the Movement
to Enfranchise Women.

tn" True Significance of the Movement
to Enfranchise Women.
One OF the weakest objections urged
against women suffrage is this: that
women have no right TO vote because
they would not be able to fight in de-
tense OF the country in time of war nor
be on the police in time of peace. But
there are many ways of defending. aid
ing. and protecting the country besides
fighting. All men over forty five years
OF age are exempt from serving in the
militia. On this principle they ought
to be deprived of their votes. So, also,
al justices and clerks of courts of rec
ord. registers of deeds and of probate,
ministers and practising physicians.
conductors and engine-drivers, and
members of fire departments are ex-
empt. Ought they not to be allowed
10 vote? Who served the country more
nobly in the war than the women who
went to the front as nurses, or who
worked for the soldiers at home. or
those who took care of the homes of
those who were in the army? This OBJ
lection appears futile, when We remem-
Der that the largest part of the male
population are not soldiers and do not
serve on the police, and that opinion
more than force defen:s nation.
Most of the objections to woman SUI
frage are anachronisms. They should
have been urged against teaching girls
TO read and write, against allowing
them to study and think and act for
themselves. If these objections have
weight, they tell against the position of
Tomen in all civilized and Christian
countries. and would logically remand
them TO the seclusiCns of Mohammc-
dan harem.
Let Us imagine ourselves present AT a
rueeting Of the Ulema. or great council
Of Mosiem theologians and lawyers,
who have a veto on any decree OF the
Sultan. Suppose that a message is
brought from the palace. saying that.
III the opinion of the Caliph. the time
has arrived for comforting on women
the privileges enjoyed by their Euro
bean sisters; that, rs the mothers who
are to guide the rising generation, they
should be allowed to inform themselves
concerning public affairs. and for that
end to go out unveiled in the street. to
90 TO public meetings. to listen 10 lee
lures, receive visits from men in THEN.
homes, and TO attend social gatherings
where men and women meet together.
Conceive of the CONSERVATION which
such a proposal would cause. AveneI-
ahle doctor OF the law would probably
rise and say: 81 am filed with unutter-
able establishment at this proposal.
This would lie a reform against nature.
Docs not nature itself teach that home
is the sphere for woman? Is she not
made subject to man. and will not GO
ing out alone and unveiled make her
independent. take away all her woman-
~ mOdesty. and turn her into a masc,i-
line woman? Has not the Koran de-
obey her husband. keep the house,
nurse her children? She has no time for
any thing else. If she goes to public
meetings and places of amusement. ii
she takes lessons and listens to lectures.
who will take care of the household in
her absence? This proposal assumes
that she is equal with man: but what
woman ever wrote poems like Hafiz or
Saadi. or conquered like Saladin. Be-
sides. our women have not asked for
this liberty. When the majority desire
it it will be time enough to think about
it. She already has all the influence
she needs. She influences her husband
and children at home. II she Went
abroad. she would get new ideas and
new tastes. and hence would arise
family disputes, and the peace of the
household would be destroyed. We
might, perhaps, trust intelligent and
virtuOus women to go out alone; but
think of the street being full of ignor-
ant. turbulent and noisy women! Mans
proper sphere of development is public
life. That of woman is privacy and re-
tirement Besides. what reason is
there for such change: Has not the
world gone on well enough without it?
Why encounter unknown dangers?
Why not leave well enough alone:
Brethren, we are standing on the brink
of . precipice. This movement Is OPP
posed to the divine order of things. II
cando no good, and may do great harm.