Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-08-02
A PLEA FOR SUFFRAGE.
The True Significance of the Movemen
to Enfranchise Women.

The True Significance of the Movement
to Enfranchise Women.
One of the weakest objections urged
against women suffrage is this: that
women have no right to vote because
they would not be able to fight in de-
tense of the country in time of war nor
be on the police in time of peace. But
there are many ways of defending, aid
ing, and protecting the country besides
fighting. All men over forty-fve years
of age are exempt from serving in the
militia. On this principle they ought
to be deprived of their votes So, also,
all Justices and clerks of courts of rec
ord, registers Of deeds and of probate,
ministers and practising physicians,
conductors and engine-drivers, and
members of fire departments are ex-
empt. Ought they not to be allowed
to vote? 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 army? This OBJ
lection appears futile, when we remem-
ber that the largest part OF the male
population are not soldiers and do not
serve on the police, and that opinion
more than force defends nation.
Most of the objections to woman suf-
frage are anachronisms. They should
have been urged against teaching girls
to read and write, against allowing
them to study and think and act for
themselves. II these objections have
weight, they tell against the position OF
women in all civilized and Christian
countries, and would logically remand
them to the seclusions of a Mohamme-
dan harem.
Let us imagine ourselves present at q
meeting Of the Ulema, or great council
of Moslem theologians and lawyers,
who have veto on any decree of the
Sultan. Suppose that a message is
brought from the palace, saying that
in the opinion of the Caliph, the time
has arrived for comforting on womer
the privileges enjoyed by their Euro
pean sisters; that, as the mothers wh(
gre to guide the rising generation, the.
should be allowed to inform themselve
concerning public affairs, and for tina
end to go out unveiled in the street, II
60 to public meetings, to listen to lee
lures, receive visits from men in thci
homes, and to attend social gathering
, where men and women meet together
, Conceive of the CONSERVATION which
such proposal would cause. Avener
able doctor of the law would probabl
rise and say: 81 am filled with unutter
!, able astonishment at this proposal
, This would be reform against nature
) Does not nature itself teach that hom
is the sphere for womanp Is she nc
made subject to man, and will not &C
ing out alone and unveiled make he
: independent, take away all her woman
{ ly modesty, and turn her into mascu
: line woman? Has not the Koran de
clared that she must stay at home
. obey her husband, keep the house
q nurse her children? She has no time fo
D any thing else. II she goes to publ
: meetings and places of amusement,
: she takes lessons and listens to lecture
8 who will take care of the household j
her absence? This proposal assume
8 that she is equal with man; but whi
|, woman ever wrote poems like Hafiz {
= Saadi, or conqured like Saladin? b
4 sides, our women have not asked fl
: this liberty. When the majority desil
1 1t it will be time enough to think ab6'
1t. She already has all the infuen,
\ she needs. She influences her husbar
and children at home. II she we
: abroad, she would get new ideas al
;, new tastes, and hence would ari
: family disputes, and the peace of Il
! household would be destroyed. v
! might, perhaps, trust intelligent al
virtuous women to go out alone; b
think of the street being full of ignc
ant, turbulent and noisy womeni MAJ
proper sphere of development is pub
!, life. That of woman is privacy and /
tirement Besides, what reason
there for such change? Has not t
world gone on well enough without
:. Why encounter unknown danger
:. Why not leave well enough aion
Brethren. we are standing on the bri
>. of a nrscipicaL This movement L {