The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-02-17
Woman Suffrage.

woman suffrage.
| To the Editor of THE HERALD:
Can you find space for a few thought,
upon this subject. so little understood
in our Territory7 Your paper has ,
wide and constantly increasing circula.
ton, and would be glad to have it.
readers, especially the gentlemen, see
both sides OF this great question before
oondemning it. Do not think for one
moment that the home life is to be in
vaded by remorseless foe and your
domestic comfort, SO priceless TO eyery
man, disturbed. On the contrary. we
| believe that the pleasure of home will be
greatly enhanced when women become
more the companions of men, learn to
comprehend the subjects which engross
their attention, and give sympathy for
the many hours of weary brain work.
which, to great extent, the wife is en-
tirely ignorant of. 1t may be the bust
ness or everyday life to him, or it may
be politics, brain tearing and life wear
ing.
In either case, the good wife at home
realizes little if any of these anxieties.
Her own domestic cares so completely
engross her mind. that she feels it is
she who is carrying the burden of life
most heavily, and in not sharing his
confidence fully she fails to give sym-
patty when, did she know, it would
come spontaneously. I do not say
that the wife can always take active
part in politics. Circumstances must
govern cases, and the mother of young
children certainly finds little time to
devote to other cares. Still, after they
are reared, comes time, a golden harvest
In her life when, if her mind has been
soWn with fruitful seed, it may bear
fruit. L once heard of a washer woman
who every day of her life bent over the
Washtub, to earn livelihood. She
bore son, who at the age of 10 years
was most remarkable mathematician.
His mother had been STUDYING mathe-
mates. The occupations of the hands
makes little difference; but, mothers.
do not let your thoughts dwell in the
suds! There is in woman q character
when developed, most heroic, as for in
stance the Spartan mothers. .e
A purely feminine element. One
shrinks from masculine women; for the
stronger woman is in her womanli-
ness, the more she advances Womsn's
cause. When she trenches on mans
domain she admits a want In her own,
and consequently exhibits weakness
which shows inferiority. Men are not
usually proud to admit that the women
nearest to them are weak-minded and
yet sometimes smile at the mention of
strong minded women.
believe when women take more in
terest ID public questions, and become
familiar with the laws that govern
them, there will be new fouId pleas
ure In the home life, where now the
husband seeks in club life the society OF
his own sex he may find both agreeable
and instructive society by his own fire.
side. Woman is by nature intuitive
and frequently jumps at conclusions,
while men with plodding reason, q
slower process, will reach the same re-
suits later on. So, are they not ad
mlrably suited to work In harmony ?
Woman solves the problem and man
proves ii, if not by the rule of three, by
the rule of two.
It has been argued that women as q
rule have no time for politics. When
women learn TO systemetize their time,
as men do, they will find that much
idle time is consumed in the little
nothlDgs OF life. small talk, etc., and if
women really once become interested
in the public questions of the day they
will hnd the time to discuss them. Be-
cause q woman is tied at home with
little children Goods best gifts) there is
no reason why her thoughts should be
tied. They can range world wide, and
the larger their scope the more intelli-
gent will be the little ones looking 10
her for instruction. When we see
q man of master mind, instinc-
lively we look for the mother who bore
him. She may have lived in obscurity
aAd poverty as the mother of James
Garfield did. but hers was q strong,
active. far-reaching mind. knowledge
ia power, and certainly there is nothing
unwomanly in the study of the use Of
the ballot, so that when the time comes
that women shall have her rights re-.
stored, she may know how to Intelli-
gently use them. And for young
women unfettered ny family cares, the
STUDY of politics would be instructive
and interesting too. 1 have never been
able to understand why the question of
sex should prevent the full and free ex-
preston of intelligence.
An earnest worker for the cause OF
woman suffrage
CnARLoYrE Ives KIRBr.
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