The Osceola times., 1888-08-04
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A PLEA FOR SUFFRAGE.
The True signlfcssss,of the Mc.Nment
to Enfranchiss Women.


One Of the weakest objections urged
against women suffrage IL this: that
women have no right 10 vote because
they would not be stle TO fight in de-
Tense of the country in TINS of war nor
be OH TIC police in time Of peace. But
there are mauy waysot defending, aid
ing and protectmg.the codiiTy besides
fighting. All men over forty-fye years
OF age are exempt from serving in the
militia. On t.sA principle they ought
to be deprived of their V0.ess SO, also,
all Justices and clerks of courts Oi rec-
Bro, registers of deeds and OF probate,
ministers ard practising physicians,
conductors and engiDe.driyers. and
members of fire departments sra ex-
empt, Ought they not to be allowed
to voteg 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 armyp This OBJ
joction appears futile, whan we remem-
bef that The largest part Gf The male
population arc not soldiers and do not
serve on the police, and that opinion
more than force defends nation,
Most OF the objections to woman sufs
frage are anachronisms. They should
have been urged against teaching girls
to read and write, against allowing
them to study ana think and act for
themselves. II these Objections have
weight, they tell against the position OF
women in all civilized and Christian
countries, md would logically remand
them to the scclusi0ns Of Mohamme-
dan harem. .etst.aif iEf+l
Let us imagine ourselves present at a
meeting Of the Ulema, or great council
Of Moslem theologians and lawyers,
who have veto on any decree of the
Sultan Suppose that q message is
brought from th5 nalace, saying that,
in the opinion Of the Caliphi the time
has arrived for comforting on women
the privileges enjoyed by their Euro
pean sisters; that, as 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
go to public meetings. to listen to lee
lures, receive visits from men in their
homes, and to attend social gatherings
where tnen and women meet together.
Conceive of the CONSERVATION which
such proposal would cause. A vouer-
able doctor of the law would probably
rise and say: 81 am filed with unutter-
able establishment at this proposal.
This would be a reform against nature.
Does not nature itself teach that home
is the sphere for woman? Is she not
made subject to man, and win not GO
ing out alone and unveiled make her
independent, take away all her woman
ly modesty, and turn her into "A mascu-
line woman? Has not the Koran de-
clared that she must stay at home,
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, il
she takes lessons and listens to lectures,
who will fake 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 conqared like Saladinp. BE-
si1as nttrs NvnrsaV bara MOT apty.l fa..
lthis liberty When the majority desire
it 1t viii 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, the peace Of the
household would be destroyed. We
might, perhaps, trust Intelligent and
virtuous women TO 90 out alone; but
think Of the street being full Of ignor-
ant, turbulent and noisy womenl Mans
proper sphere OF development is public
life That Of woman is privacy and re-
tirement. Besides, what reason is
there for such a change9 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 a prccipicc. This movement is op-
posed to the divine order Of things. 1t
can do no good, and may do great harm.
Let us, then, refuse our consent to such
revolutionary proposition. "
Some women say: I'VE have not
time to DO our domestic work and TO
take care Of our children. DO not lay
on " this additional burden of public
duty But women have as much time
as men. The women whom know who
DO the most for the public, in hospitals,
in education, in charitable institutions,
often do quito as much at home as
other women. 1t is not time that is
wanted in this world, it is power. And
whatever enlarges, elevates aud edu-
Gates women will give her so much
more power that she viii do her do.