The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-06-20
TAXATION AND vExATiON.

TAXATION AND vExATiON.
support Of Government. Yet Denied
KcpresentatIon-The slayish Condition
Of Woman.
In recent letter to tho Woman's
Journal, Rev. v. O. Gee, Of Bowling
Green. KY, says:
Il am asked to give my position on
tho subject OF equal rights for men
and women ] do SO with pleasure.
The natural rights Of both sexes be-
lieve TO be identical. Each can SUR
render certain rights by any formal re-
lation it enters into BY the marriage
vow. both husband and wife act on this
principle. or at least should. according
to the divine economy, and surrender
In measure certain natural rights,
each agreeing to keep the stipulation.
II entering into this covenant, volun-
tarily. OF course, there is only one point
OF difference between the two; the wife
surrenders TO the guidance OF the hus-
band in controlling the general inter-
ests OF the family whenever there be
an honest difference of opinion in such
matters They both should 60 hand in
hand. bearing and forbcaring, consult
ing together on all subjects pertaining
to their welfare and the welfare Of
those dependent upon them; neither
should keep from the other any plans
or designs contemplated. but be ever
free and open to each other, and when
n decision has to be arrived at, affect
ing their common interests. and on
which there is an honest divergence OF
opinion, the husbands counsel should
prevail. as I believe God has made him
the head Of the family in this regard.
This does not teach the inferiority OF
the wife. as ! conceive. but in all unions
or cooperative associations there must
be a head, and in accordance with
Gods plan this has been given in tho
marriage covenant to the husband under
the conditions stated. This headship,
mark you, is confined strictly to the
family circle, family duties and family
interests, and only in the sense stated
There are other obligations outside
Of this relation Of marriage. binding
upon both. and for the proper exercise
OF these each is only responsible to God.
These obligations are Of y religious.
social and civil character. The wife
should be as free and independent in
arriving at correct conclusions, when
ever any proposition affecting her du-
ties or relations in these directions is
presented for her consideration, as the
husband is; just SO she keeps inviolate
tho VOW she made to him ut the con-
nubial altar. She has duties to the
church, duties to society, duties to the
State, just as binding and obligatory upon
her rs the husbands are upon him, and
whenever any OF these rights are In
fringed, her rights. both from natural
! and religious point Of view. are tramp
led upon. So / claim that If woman
should be deprived Of the ballot, then
man should for the same>rcason. His
peculiar prcrOgatives in this matter are
altogether assumed and arbitrary.
Why should he have any better right to
make laws for the governing Of woman
, than she should have to make laws for
the governing Of him? If she has no
voice in the enacting of law. then she
should rot be amcnable to the law.
I'VE are, Of course, here speaking OF
human and not divine law.) Else we
shall make her but serf and Il slave.
conceive it the worst kind Of slavery
for IN intelligent and reasonable being
to be amcnable to a law which it has
had no voice in making or determining;
and yet VIC boast OF our FREQ and great
country, the land of liberty! 1t IS a
land of freedom with vengeance,
when onc-half Of the people rule the
other half And again, ] would say
woman should either be allowed the
franchise or be exempt from taxation.
Taxation without representation or
voice in the government was the ground
! Of our severance as u nation from the
mother country. Consistency. truly
thou art i jewel!
Il wish / had the time TO enter into
an argument. both from Scripture and
reason, for supporting the position here
taken. will in any event take the lib
erty of referring to one Of the most
flimsy and silly objections. to my mind
that is often raised against equal suf
frage. and that is the indelicacy or i'm
modesty in woman's presenting hersel
at the polls to cast her ballot, when The
same objectors often go with theil
wives and daughters to a circus. ant
there submit to all kinds Of crOwdinf
and pressure, just to hear the drOl
| witticisms of a clown and witness IN
delicate performances of various na
lures; and these same people thinl
nothing OF ladies visiting theaters ant
looking on ut the ballet dances. I,
me the two latter are much more oh
jectionable than the former; but,
ministers and ladies could have the op
portunity of exercising more influenc,
ON our politics. why could not the Law
be SO arranged as TO allow poll to b.
opened in church building. and then
after i devout prayer TO Almighty TO,
for guidance and direction, have boil
men and women deposit their votes ii
the fear Of His holy name and in con
formity to His divine will? am cranl
enough to believe that this viii
be the case before many decade
shall have passed BY, and that al
Christians will learn to sanctify thei
politics as much as they do their re
ligion.
Af~,~n~ IL