The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-12-14
GrecnrIIIe Ideas Of wOman's Suffrage.

acquaintance ran up to me and hand
ed me a dainty card on which was
printed list of topics for discussion
at the next meeting of the Literary
and Social Club. | took it and after
a little chat, went on until came 10 a
garden gate at which sto cd mother
and two young daughters. We ex-
changed greetings and bits Of election
news, Gt was the memora BILE Monday,
and BY the way, | heard at least six
women wish that they could vote for
law aud order) and then they spied
my progremme and the girls begun to
look over 1t. | saw the red lips curl
and their pretty noses upturn at the
first topic ON the list. "Woman's Suf-
fragew said they, 1--WE never will dis
cuss that p sBut whyT asked l. "Be-
cause cried all three ''that is not sub
ject for women to talk about.n @Butn
l said "it is one of the topics of the
day and there is no reason why you
should not discuss it," ave don't
believe in it nor approve Of it.n
"But' | asked "do you knew why you
do not believe In it? Do you know
anything about it?" They said they
did not "Then, my dears," said l
"why not post yourselves and be
ready to give an intelligent reason for
the faith that is in you. You need
not approve of thing in order to
discuss it." Just here two married
ladies and young girl came along
and stopped to hear what we were
talking about. On being informed,
young lady number three also express
her scorn Of such topic for discussion
and declared that she would never,
never vote, and nobody should ever
compel her to do it." "There is sister,
said she pointing to one Of the mar
ried ladies, "she could be scared in
to any thing. If she went to the polls
with her mind made made up to
vote for q certain man and tho 9TH
er side should throw q fire-cracker at
her, she would do whatever they
wanted" Here the sister interrupted
with gentle but decided dignity and
said that doubtless she would be
dreadfully frightened by the fire.
cracker, but If she had vote she
would use it conscientiously and no
intimidation could change 1t. "Welr'
continued number three, "it would
not make any difference anyhow, for
every woman of you would vote with
your husbands no matter what kind OF
an old crank he was" This the mar
ried women would not submit to (al-
though all were opposed to the suf.
frage idea) but insisted that each
would vote her own convictions. "If''
said Que sour husbands should prefer
the candidates of our choice, of course
we would vote with them but not
otherwise Hero another lady cross
ed the street from her pretty cottage
and joined our group; a women OF
strong common sense and clear judg-
ment, ofwhom neighbors and friends
ask counsel in times of doubt or
emergency. She also was unaltcrably
opposed to women's ballot and said
that If she could have her way she
would wipe out the whole subject
and It should never be mentioned
again. "While | am not In favor OF
universal suffrage" | said to her "yei
| see no objection to equal suffrage,
For instance, you have lived here all
your life and have paid taxes fol
many years. Why should not you
have the right to say who shall expend
this money as well as the numbers Of
ignorant men who now vote and yel
do not own a dollars worth of prop
erty and care not who's in Office? In
Canada, single women and widows
now have municipal suffrage" She
admitted that this was reasonable and
the younglady said thoughtfully that i
they could find anything CT the sub
ject they would try to prepare for ths
discussion at the meeting and will
a promise to send them some litera
ture ! parted from them.
Not long since was where two
women were discussing woman's suf
frage and one remarked that when
the women get to voting in this coun
try, she would emigrate TO England
"But said |, "the women of England
now vote on certain questions" Il
might have reminded her that th,
ruler of the realm, the President, il
fact, Is wolnan.) She opened hel
eyes wide at this state Of things in
conservative old England, and the 9th
er said in hopeless tone "then ]
want to 60 to Heaven
Now have not been q suffragis
long myself, but Mother Wallace CAV,
me some ideas, and my reading fol
several years past has shown me tina
distillers, brewers and liquor men gen
orally are bitterly opposed to woman
ballot and dread it moro than they d.
prohibition. This has inclined me :,
1t, for, some how, | am constitutional,
in favor of everything they oppose
The shallow argument that womei
would lose their delicacy and refine
ment by going to the polls has neve
had weight with me. | see that th'
places where men and women go to
gether are cleaner and purer than thos
where men alone congregate, ant
should 1t ever be the duty of womel
to go TO the polls the men who cherisl
and protect them will see to II that al
is decently and properly arranged fol
them
In Boston last year when the righ
of Americans to have the facts Of his
tory taught their children was men
aced, the women (who had had vot'
OIL school questions for some time bu
had not availed themselves Of it) aros'
to the need of the hour, and twenty
thousand registered and although thu
day of election was cold and rainy
more than seventeen thousand voted
with the good men, and the result wa
that the worst man on the new schoo
board, elected by their help, was bette
thar the best man on the old board
The Women of Beacon Hill and Bacl
Bay came out and stood beside thci
humber sisters. All voted early ant
the election was one of the quietes
ever known in that city.
Another argument that secms TO mi
equally groundless Is that the ballot II
a.. h..Jo = = ....u.. ..~1..t.f ....ta III.