The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-07-18
Woman Suffrage, Pro and Con.

In tho last number OF The Fortnlghtiy
Review are two lively papers on the OPP
posite side of this question. That in its
favor is by Millicent Garrett Fawcett,
widow of the blind postmaster general
of England, and herself author Of an
elementary work on political economy.
Tho two papers have been brought out
ut this time by the bills before parlia-
meut TO extend the suffrage still further
to women. Widows and single women
who own property have for several years
voted for all officials except members OF
parliament. The bills mentioned pro-
pose to extend to the same class Of women
the right to vote for N. P.'s also.
Relative to the time konored belief
that women are best OF in the scclusion
of home, and should therefore stay there,
Mrs Garrett points to the fact that en-
actly those nations where women are
thus kept In the background arc the ma
tons that have made least progress,
notably Turkey and China
She declares emphatically that it is
nothing but "selfshness writ large" for
women to bury their talents and interests
In their homes and families, and let the
world go to the dogs.
Ionce heard lady, the wife Of . member Of
parliament, say, at q moment when we seemed to
DO on the brink Of q war with Russia, that she
would rather there were O war than general
election She would rather that IS than that her
81 = - = IL
Fupted, and her husbands digestion upset, that
thousands Of homes should be made desolste,
that tens Of thousands Of brave men should lose
Ehetr lives, and their wives and children should
Taste the bitterness Of widow and orphanhood
The first thing that women earn from bearing
some part, however humble in national life, Is to
care for other homes besides their own, to learn
how Law and social customs affect other peoples
children and to test every proposed alteration In
the law, not as t may affect their personal inter
estS, but according 70 its bearing the well be-
Ing Of others, In q word It extends their sympa-
thics and eA4arges their horizon
Whatever tends to cramp tho develop
ment and hinder the liberty of one sex
must inevitably react to the injury Of
the other. the lady declares. The tend
ency to sentimental politics which wo-
men might be expected to indulge will
be quickly corrected by acquaintance
with real politics. AS evidence that wo-
mcn will exercise good influence In
elections, Mra Fawoett quotes the reso-
buttons passed by the Atchison, Kan,
women previous to nominating con-
Dention. They declared that they cared
moro for principle than for parties, and
parties that expected their vote must
give them good men to vote for.
Thus far Mrs. Fawcett.
ME. j. 8. Stuart Glennic tlen takes up
the weapons for the other side. He calls
his paper The Proposed Subsection Of
Men," He then proceeds to present an
argument against woman suffrage In
England which Is certainly new tc
America. He calls attention to the well
known fact that there are nearly mill.
ion more women than men in Great Brit
ain-oveH half q million, Mr. Glennie
says.
Tut suffrage IN the hands Of women
and Great Britain would have on hel
hands something like tho present negro
problem in the south. The triumphant
majority of women would instantly
seize on and control everything. The
small minority of men would be no
where, and the political subsection Of
man would be complete.
Then he attacks another point H.
tells us that before the Christian era wo
men enjoyed equal personal and prop
erty rights with men under the ancien
Roman law. Christianity was a ere
igious revolt against all the emancfpa
tOry principles of the Roman turists ane
edicts of the Roman pretors." Christi
anity in its triumph destroyed these ant
the rights of women and established thei
subsection, Dir. Glennie says. Now, how
ever, the tendency Is the other way, bacl
towards the independence women On
joyed In the old Chaldean and Egyptial
civilization.
In some particulars which Mr.. Glenni
mentions property laws are more favor
able now to women than 10 men. Adde's
TO these favoring conditions place tn
ballot in women's hands. Then, remem
bering the preponderance Of women i
plumbers In England, what would happen
There would be not danger merely, bu
the ciearest certainty Of social and politi
cal disaster"