Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-07-26

lists, OF WOmdn'S lack OF the prestige
of citizenship. A thoughtful study
of successive boys will teach you
that it is trait developed at GER
tain stage of their growth, and
springing directly from those
changes which mark the dividing
line between the boy and the man.
1t is Gods law implanted in their
mental and moral constitution, and
as such will sooner or later compel
our respect.
Has nature, then, given woman no
redress for this SUFFICIENTLY to the
physical pre-eminence of man?
Yes, verify. Her power is dominant
in the realms of morals; but it is
true the world over, that the higher
the evolution of moral power, the
more perfectly is it emancipated
from the methods of force, the more
entire is its reliance upon the
HIGHER AND PURER METHODS
of love. Love, then, is the secret
spring Of the woman's control over
the man. Those very tides of
strength and yirility by which the
destiny Of the world is accomplished
break in helpless subsection at the
feet Of the woman whom he loves.
BY an memorable law of his nature
he must seek the constant refreshing
of his manhood at her hands; and
he will render her just the return
for this inspiration and uplifting
which she demands. She may, too
often does, throw away her scepter
altogether, ignorant Of its wonderful
power; or she may seek her com
pensation in gold or luxury or fine
apparel; but that is her own fault,
and the misfortune of both of them.
If, as the price of her love, she ex-
acts honor, integrity, high purpose,
noble living, then indeed is the
world blessed in the love of these
two. Aye, and so is God honored,
for it is the order in which He has
set the souls of men and women, as
He has set the stars in theirs. AS
mother, sister, wife, friend, woman
holds or may hold the destiny of
man in her keeping. II is her Office
to supply that subtle inspiration
which, acting through his love
nature, purified and enabled by her
influence, Will, by Gods grace, re-
deem him from his besetting sins,
and make him the willing servitor
of the being who embodies his
higest ideal. This is natures method
of giving control over man into the
hands Of woman, and the history of
human life is made up Of instances
where it has been power in the
hands of good women for good pur-
poses, or of evil women for evil and
destructive ends. You propose to
enfranchise all women, the bad as
well as the good; but when the
former class find that
THE NEW METHOD OF CONTROL
is less effectual than the old, it APP
pears to me to be a foregone con
clusion that they will fall back upon
natural methods, and then you viii
have an element introduced into
politics which will tax your reform
atory powers to the utmost, aud in q
manner you have not anticipated,
and beside which intemperance will
seem q minor evil, because it will
attack the very Foundation of the
home itself.
Nor is there any need of this un-
natural and roundabout method of
reform. The experience of the last
twenty-five years has proved that
whatever legislation is demanded
for the amelioration of the legal
status Of women or for the pro
lection of the home can be procured
far more speedily and etfectually by
means of the votes o. men than
through any advantage which might
be gained by woman suffrage.
1t is your frequent plea that you
wish to see mother-loye and mother.
wisdom applied to affairs of state.
So must we all of us, as women who
| love our race. But I realize two
things, first, that much of the wis
dom that now rules in legislative
halls is truly that which has been
inculeated by mothers in quiet and
obscure homes; and, second, that to
transplant the root of home love
and influence to public life would
be as fatal to il as to try to force
the rose of Cashmere, rich, fragrant,
beautiful, instict with life and sweet
ness in its own native valley, to
grow on cold Alpine heights, or on
the arid wastes of the desert. God
has not so ordained its nature and
destiny. Woman must utilize her
wisdom concerning public affairs by
first applying it to the hearts and
cousciences of the men whom God
has placed nearest to her, and, so
s;vifea and energized by their mas
culiue strength, it shall be laid upon