The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-28

" Il 0AGECt<0 l4o @lkn " - u =
it, certainly should think / ought TO do so.
ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS.
Under no imaginable circumstances could I go
to the polls or exercise the right OF voting.
American women enjoy without restraint every
| civil, social, ethical, aud intellectual right COM
pstible with feminine delicscy and refined Chris
tian womanhood, and to invite them into the
arena Of politics woold prove subversive OF all
domestic quietude, loosen the Ties that link them
TO their true kingdom-the home heartn-and
prove as disastrous to harmonious social order
az did the wooden horse to the households Of
Troy. 'Woman's right to vote" would involve
the forfeiture of womans privilege OF command
ing the reverence and deferential homage of
mankind. Feminine opinion is a powerful polit-
ical factor when expressed gently IN the sacred
precincts of home, by dropping ballots OF noble
aims, and exalted principles and sentiments into
the open hearts and minds Of brothers, hus-
bands, and sons. but wrangline and wrestling at
ELECTION polls' would inevitably resolve the
whole question of womsn's political influence
into one Of IIsre numerical valuation.
AUGUSTA EVANS VIII son.
1 am in favor of woman suffrage, and would
vote If the right were extended TO me, for many
reasons, based on the advantage TO be derived
there.rom by both sexes. One of my weightiest
reasons for it is, that / think il would be the
surest means Of securing for women the simple
justice of equal pay for equal work. Facts
show that voters alone have their interests prop
OEiy udE0cos " CAoA1p tOt "aA4O u ioOou0N0
volunteers of the late war WHO stay at home and
vote are a privileged class on whom honors and
e~molumeDts are hesped, and very justly. the
regular army, who fought none less bravely,
but who are non-voters are treated with scant
consideration; in time of peace, moreover, / be-
lieve that the exercise Of suffrage would train
women to higher thoughts and aims, aud intro
ducs q refining influence into politics so that
women would be made stronger and men finer
thereby. MARY l. BOOTH.
1 should most certainly vote if I had the legal
right to do so. Lucy STONE.
For the sake Of other womer who have wrongs
to right. and to exert an influence in the direc-
ton of progress and reform, / should go to the
polls and vote. Interested In all topics of the
time; education, religion. politics. the liquor
question. social purity with one moral stand
ard for both ssxesl l should gladly endure q
little discomfort or criticism for the privilege of
declaring my convictions by a vote.
KATE SANBoRN.
The sense of duty alone would induce me TO
vote if ! could, but never should do so from
choice. The ballot-box receives woman's best
aid when she exercises her influence upon her
husband, brother or father to vote honestly and
for the highest and best principles. If the polls
are surrounded with such sn impure atmos-
phere as to make respectable men dread going
to them on election day, surely women would
have no place there.
u III
Would women vote2 I confidently answer
yes. Msjorities of men must be in favor of
woman's vote before it will be granted, since
only by their will can this change come. When
they have grown so l~arge-minded and generous
hearted es to welcome woman to a place beside
them upon the throne of government, women
will not be at all backward about coming for
ward King Majority will find his suit not less
successful than have been those of lesser kings
since time began. In some of the States women
have voted. much to the terror Of the illicit
saloons and the liquor traffic, and women all
over our country are gaining some dim idea that
for one-balf the race to be wholly governed by
laws made and administered by the other half Is
not fair play. FRANCES L. WILLARD.
have always believed in the right of woman
suffrage, and when, a few years since, the right
was first given in Boston to vote upon school
matters. l complied with the conditions, aud
voted. ELIZABETH p. PEABODY.
/ have never desired suffrage for women. /
think woman has her sphere, and man his
sphere, and that these spheres are not inter
changeable. Nevertheless. if suffrage were Civ
en- to women, / fear that / should feel il my
duty to vote. But I, for one, would prefer that
no such additional burden should be laid upon
me. LOUISE CHANDLER MoULToN.
Whatever my opinions as to the Importance or
desirability to women of the ballot. if the polls
Wc<o OpCnDa ~ = eACuiu OO4Aeod "
vote, for the same reason that ! Insist every
man should vote now; namely, that the intelli-
gence of the country shall be represented as well
al its ignorance. OLIVE THoRNE MILLER.
DO not admit that any man. or body of men,
can extend TO me the right of self-govern-
ment. That right" like the right TO breathe.
is already as much womans as mans; he simply
denies her the chance to exercise il. Should op-
portunity arise l should most certainly vote
not as o privilege Rraciously granted by my
masters, but as a right and a duty.
ELIZABETH AKERs.
have only to answer No.
CELIA THAXTER.
have not yet been convinced that the grant
ing of the right of suffrage to woman would,
on the whole, be to her advantage, or to that
Of the state. But when (f it ever does) the
voice of the Commonwealth calls her daughters
to the polls. il will be their manifest duty to
obey it, as it Is that of her sons now.
JULIA c. r DoRR
would not 60 to the polls and vote If suffrage
were extended TO women. / believe in the Just
ice of the ballot for woman il ihe majority of
women desire it, and when they wish it they will
get IL without trouble.
EMMA D. E. N. soUTHwoRrH.
! have always been In favor of equalizing
LIES chances to q greater extent than now ex-
let DeLWoou mhO anu WOmhn, ana IL the use OF
the ballot can be made the INSTRUMENT to bring
about a moro uniform scale OF services and.
compensation, i for one. say let Us have it.
Mrs. WINFIELD S. HANCOCK.
II by the laws of our country women were
entitled to vote, 1 should certainly consider it
my duty to do 30. Mrs. JAMES 7. FIELDS.
Would / votel Bless your heart! I do vote
every year, as by the laws Of Massachusetts, /
am allowed to vote for school committee. 1t is
but a crrmb from the loaf, the whole OF which
belongs to me. Nevertheless. I hravsly deposit
my baggarly and semi-pauperized vote, aud
then. Ike Oliver Twist, reach up my hand for
more MARY A. LIvERMoRE.
II the right of suffrage was extended me
would / go to the polls and votel No! / would
shrink from IT, | believe woman's work aud life
should be in the peaceful, hallowed precincts of
her own home. Men should face the storms and
strife incident to anything pertaining TO political
life. Ideas. sweetly and wholly feminine in
woman, is the rose bloom which jewels her ex-
istence. LAURA Z. HOLLOWAY.
There are so many other ways in which WON
en- can make their influence felt, that | have had
no strong personal interest in the question of
suffrage. Yet l see no insuperable objection to
q woman's expressing her opinion, through her
vote, upon any matter touching her own condi-
ton or the public veal. and IL ! possessed this
right / should certainly use il. With the free
dom and universal education our country affords
women will Inevitably become a powerful factor