Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25
and observation of the miseries


cast solid vote against dram selling spd
angel of Revelation who cams down
the key OF the bottomless pit
closes The doors Of the 10 eco drinking
| tionate numbers in every town ana hamlet
in the country.
10 the bsr6ssic age there were two
| hood and nEtiousl diffarenccs-y,z :,
combat and arbitration. The ballot l-
/ the arbitrator of modern civil ,tion.
J Back of this, in the instance we ine CINE,
stand morality and piety, as represented
by her who is the exemplsr of bo,h. Who
do1b that the but half conquered savage
! IN msa would resist the decree, re-
! ] ct the result Of arbitration, aud
! hy to srms2 Statistics prove only too
! sadly the inadequacy of prohibitive stat
| utes 10 effect their purpose in states
where they have been already passed.
| What magic hiss the pr nted ticket when
| dropped from q w0man's hand above that
given bYA mans? The existence of the
moral influence upon which such stress
! frage is as thoroughly understood now
as if proclaimed by q million new votes.
Who are to enforce the laws her exercise
OF the franchise will but emphasize, if
the strong arm Of municipal and state
governments cannot carry them into ex-
ecution now.
Politics, we are told, are the Augeen
stables; woman's moral right, as typiaed
by the ballot, the Peneus snd Alpheus
thst would sweep them clean. Cograte
tropes oy the hundred illustrate the lead
ing facts OF filth on one side, and purify
ing force on the other. Respectable m5n
shrink from exposure to that which is q
synonym for moral malaria. Diminishing
gallant platitudes for moment, let us
inquire what catholicou does woman pos
sess that will bear her unframed through
the infected air? Sac is but human, and
by the very delicscy OF her spirit
usl being more susceptible 10 external
influences than the "nig brogher." Sac
may better politics. Will politics better
her? How will they affect natures thst
have grown tender and sweet in shelter
ed homes, and Learned modesty in retire
meni? It is not the cuticle alone that
varies in color and texture with change Of
latitude; the constitution ia modified and
organs resdj usted TO meet the altered
conditions. Whether or not men think Of
these snalogies, it is our duty TO weigh
the probable consequences 10 ourselves
OF measure so radical as active partici-
patton in political life.
This is what the ballot presupposes. II
our Cooperation in the needed reforms Is
to be confined to deposIting bit Of paper
at stated seasons in prescribed precincts,
as fancy, Judgment, or the nearest of klu
in the male line maY dictsts, the ceremony
will be nothing else, and an idle one. W.
must act intelligentlY and bravely, or the
river-fow will be spiritless trlckte
that will make of fllth-hesps qusgmife
To form our own conclusions We must
study the subject from all sides-Uen as
well IS PRINCIPLES, cases as well as cir
cumstsnces. HSve We the strength TO
oeSr the sdeed cares, the hardwood to
resist Influences sdjudged by good, wise
men to be debasiDg? These are suggest
ed considerations for sober, virtuous wo-
ne Under their pressure large num-
Der of the mothers and daughters of
Massachusetts addressed a petition to |
the General Court Of the Commonwealth |
some years ago, with this heading:
ave respectfully protest against the |
imposition Of political duties upon
women"
That covers the debstsble ground for
many. Weighing the benefits and draw
backs OF the proposed change, they re-
gard the former as equivocal, the latter
IS positive, and decide that lie duty of
voting would be an Imposition" That
1t will be made duty, il the right OF sui
trsge be officially bestowed upon women,
cuts into the sensitive COZ science. For, in
sll this talk of filth ana purity, we singu-
larry enough leave out of sight the flctor
tbs. 81! women are not good Moreover,
that mGuY who are rIghthearted are
weak and illiterate. Copscls ntious IN
other respects, they will nandlt. he novel
privilege Of the ballot with NO JUST sppTe-
cation OF i!s worth or the consequences
Of misuse. We know the women whose
votes may couaterbalance thosee c. jurisls
md statesmen with whom political econ
omy has been 3 lifelong study.
Ms.rons ard daughters in the high
Or wa ks Of life may object to shout
tering the motley crowds about the polls
Bridget, baby in arms; Dinah, shrill and
important, will haunt the precincts all
lay; Katrina will lock up the grog-shop,
u Vic bolIOIs uOuEC "
run Itself, long enough to drop vote in
the distiller's interest. The $4,000
abandoned women of the metropolis will
nsve weight in contests where money
tells for more than political faith or per-
;onal integrity. With them vote will
De marketable commodity, IS will be
their services at the polls.
Do dreEmeTs and artists count upon
he instant regeneration OF demagogues
who sctuple at Dothing that will forward
heir designsf Oae party or the other
will coalesce with thiy new and, if posi-
Die, bsser element. When to partisan
esl is joined feminine ingenuity, we may
De ASSURED that, despite police and re-
'pectable householders, virtuous women {
will be KEEP. sway from the polls.
Womanly artitice will be brought into
,lay elsewhere to accomplish the same J
Somebody must stay at home
Win house and babies. That looks like {
n insane sentence, but 1t Is the
Inottiest ploblem with which the
Suffragist has to deal when {
AIKEN in the length and breadth of its (
meaning. In this one minor instance 1t
that mistress and maids will
lot be apt to'vote the same ticket. As q
ule, their politics will be as diverse as
heir stations. A low order Of intellect