Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-20
A SURPRISED WOMAN.

To the Editor Of the EAGLE.
You have perfect right to your opin-
ion on the woman suffrage question,
although I am surprised to find one of
the leaders of the Republican party in a
progressive state like Kansas holding
such antiquated notions. As new
conner, ''a mere locker on in Vienna,
perhaps it is none of my business, but as
woman and Republican, l want to
protest against the constant slurs of the
EAGLE at the noble men and women who
are the leaders in that great and glorious
movement, the suffrage reform. The
fact that the status of woman has
changed and that she now enjoys privi-
leges unknown to our ancestors, Is due
to the unselfish efforts of these reformers,
and l believe posterity will do them JUS
tice. There is no argument In sheer.
Sneers and ridicule are the only stock In
trade of the opponents OF woman suf-
frage. Miss Anthony Is an old maid,
tee hee, and SO on ad nauseum. The
woman suffrage question is not to be
snlckered down; it has come to stay.
You say the presence of woman IN
politics has already been demoralizlng.
1t is not so that have read history.
There never was purer patriot than
Joan OF Arc, or better rulers than Eliza
beth and Victoria. Woman has always
played part in politics. What we want
is that she should have fair, open. hon
orable and sensible part. You prefer
that she should play the part OF an in
triguer and fool. "De gustibus non est
diSputandum!' Which is the most REIN
ed and ladylike, think you? for a young
woman to make political speech or
quietly deposit ballot, or to ride in a
gaudy chariot bearing the pathetic in
scription in letters foot long, Fathers
save us from negro husbands" or If she
be a Republican to wave f1imsy rag
and hurrah for maria and the kid
Bah, girls, if you can't have a sensible
part in politics, DON have any. When
they want you to be goddess of liberty
tell them to dress up boy, or white a
divinity out of gate post. Tell them
the idea of a goddess of liberty who can't
vote is too narrowing to your feelings.
You say that Mrs. Logan is opposed to
woman suffrage. If she is after the con-
spicuous part that she has always
taken in politics, it is the most disgrace
full and she is the most illogical woman
in America.
You say that you do not want a wo-
man to stump the state of Kansas for the
Republican party. Let me tell you that
the Republicans of other states have not
always been so squeamlsh. During the
last presidential campaign, the state CEN
trail committee of Indiana employed
woman from California to stump the
state, and it is claimed that she gained
more votes than any of her male COM
petitors. If they are wise, they will do
the same thing this year. And a year or
SO ago the Republicans of Massachusetts
employed Mrs. Ligermore to make
speeches in company with the Hon.
John belong, Edward Everett
Hale and other prominent men to
prevent the Republicans from
History sometimes repeats itself and it
be necessary in Kansas.
If anybody is in the wrong box it is
the editor Of the EAGLE. All the great
leaders of the Republican party have
been suffragists. Horace Greeley, Wen
dell Phillips, VIM. Lloyd Garrison, Oil
yer Johnson, John Brown, Abraham
Lincoln, Henry Ward Beecher, Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe, Senator Hoar, Fred.
Douglass, and scores of others. The
editor of the EAGLE might be proud to
enroll himself in such illustrious com
pany. Whenever the Republican party
ceases to be the party of progress its
days are numbered, and whenever the
women are driven out of it it will give
up the ghost mighty quick.
Yours for Harrison and woman suf-
rage. LAURA E. SANDEFUR.