The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-08-10
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
woMAN.s LOGIC

WoMAN's LOGIC.
The Responsibility OF Suffrage ~ Viewed
by . Mother---Reasons Why Women
Should Vote.
There is an old adage, eff you want
q thing well done, do it yourself. II
suffrage is duty, should not intelli-
gent and conscientious women attend
to it for themselves rather than leave it
to many less capable persons' Though
men often feel participation in politics
q burden. has any man every been dis
franchised from choice? 1t is quite
true that there are many women who
do not yet desire to vote, not yet har-
ing been educated to consider it their
right and duty to do so; but the time is
within the recollection Of many when
the pro-slavery advocates claimed that
many Of the negroes were unwilling to
be freed. Many women hug their chains
from about the same motives. But, as
it is quite true that there are men
who neglect to vote, it follows of course
that women could also who failed to
appreciate the sacredness Of the duty.
The fact, however, that many men
neglect to vote in no way affects the
franchise Of men neither should the opin-
ions of a portion of womankind affect
tie rights and privileges of women. II
suffrage is an inalienable right, it should
beaccorded to women without regard to
the individual wishes or opinions.
Reference is made to military and
fireman's duty, as suggesting other OBJ
jections. Are these tests applied to
men? Were not many men represent
ed by substitutes in the last war? How
is Il with the lame or blind men-are
they DISTINGUISHED? The male inmates
of the poorhouse are brought to the
polls here; but sensible women, owners
Of property, widows without sons or
brothers. are taxed, and taxes are i'm
posed in municipal elections contrary to
their interests, against their wishes.
without their being permitted any voice
III tuc udttcI. AAO" "Ouiu q Antsu iCCA
who was voting in his place of resi-
dence for a candidate who would repre-
sent his ideas in regard to the manage
ment of municipal affairs? Would he
consider voting under such circum-
stances duty or privilege? Surely a
privilege.
1t is true that a married woman is
often sufficiently represented in this re-
spect, but then why not give municipal
suffrage to widows and spinsters? That
has been done in conservative Eng
land. As for jury duty. can you tell
us why q woman should not be tried by
a jury OF her peers: As Miss Anthony
had told us, NO woman has ever been
granted trial by jury of her peers;
women are tried by their superiOrs."
After municipal suffrage was granted
women in Kansas, lady-and doubt
less there are many such-whO was
wealthy. childless. having very good
husband, declined to register. ''She
had all the rights she wanted. Mr.. -,
the husband. could represent her. A
year after, the narrator of this story
was again in that town. Mrs. - was
ready to register, declared her deter
mination to do so. What had wrought
this great change? Why. this woman
had beautiful grounds around her home,
that she took great pride in, and in that
place the cows were permitted to run at
large, and would get into her fine door
yard and commit great damage. So
she wished to register. so as to vote for
q man for council who would be in favor
of an ordinance against the COWS. But
of course her husband could represent
her? No! he only cast one ballot, while
if she voted it counted two against the
COWS.
After hearing about the relief that
Kansas mothers experienced when they
were able to drive out the saloons and
could permit their boys to be out freely,
knowing they were safe, one declared
herself to be like the woman in Kansas,
though the wish to vote was not from a
desire to preserve dooryard. but to
protect the boys, not from COWS, but
from the dram-shop. And for this.
where is the mother, when she under
stands the possibility that is open to
her, who will not merely desire to vote.
but, more than that, will beg to do so?
And if it is possible by this means to
protect our boys. is it not duty to
NOte?7C Christian Union.