San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-26
A WOMAN'S PLACE.
SAN ANTONIO, AUGUST "a.

In view of the meeting soon to be
held, to organize National Woman's
Suffrage Association in our city, L
would like to draw attention to a few
points in regard to same:
First.-Itis unconstitutional to deny
us the franchise. There is not line
or word in the constitution fOrbldding
women to vote, but properly inter
preted, gives equal rights to all. In
the preamble it says: 1--WE, the peo-
pie of the United States, in order to
justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defence, pro-
mote the general welfare. and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves
and our posterity, do ordain and es-
tablish this con stitution for the United
States of America" Please tell us
what we are IL We are not people? AS
we are not children or idiots, think
we must come under the head of peo-
pie, and we desire to establish JUS
tice" and to ENSURE domestic tran
guilty." bat fear domestic tranquil
ity will not be very tranquil unless
you allow us the franchise, because
we cannot much longer endure the in
justice of taxation without representa-
ton and the sooner men unders-
stand that we are in earnest in our
demand to be recognized as people,
and equals of our fathers, husbands,
brothers and sons the sooner domes-
tic tranquility will be secured. We
revere our fore-fathers, yet our fore
mothers did their full share in the
work of establishing justice, "pro-
viding for the common defence" and
promoting the general welfare"
When the liberties had to be gained
by the sword men naturally come to
the front, because they are fighters by
nature, and women were content to
furnish such assistance as they could,
and none will deny the value of our |
assistance. And now |
because ballots and not bullets are to
govern, is it justice to deny woman's
right to vote on the tlimsy preteXt of
sex, and of sparing us the trouble of
and if we don't
swallow that bit of taffy they tell us
plainly that they were born TO govern
and we to obey. Yet they call this
"a government of the people for the
people and by the people," and that
t derives it's power from the consent |
IF the governed, not from one-half of
5he governed, meaning all, if not why
are we taxed and responsible to the
avs equally with men? o, but you
say, aside from all this, 1--WE think
too much of woman to allow her to
ningle in politics." You might as well
eat her food and eXpectit to nOurish her
as to do her thinking and have it sat
sly her. A long as we have brains
we must do our own thinking. now
would you like to have some woman
do your thinking and tax your prop
erty and hold you amenable to laws
as we are treated: You would not be
content any more than We are. Yet
we hold the position of suppllcants
though we seek to conserve every
purpose of good government, by every
means in our power. We have given
our government no trouble, and have
proved ourselves capable of every po-
,ition, formerly held by men, that We
have occupied. Look at the army of
workers, side by side with men all
over our land, and in almost every in
stance woman's work compares ia
with mans. Capacity is
better test than sex to determine who
ought or ought not to vote, and gen
orally, those who wish position are
better qualified to fill it than others.
For instance. at the centennial eXhib-
1t in 1876 woman was engineer of an
engine there. A man IN my hearing
"better take the thing
away from her before she blows it
and herself up.n L wondered why?
Men have blown I'D hundreds of en-
yines and we put the blame where it
belongs on incapacity or carelessness
not Oh sex, but she did not blow itup,
no accident occurred, she proved her
self competent to run that engine.
Why should she not have the right
20 do 50 as well as man? Women
must not vote because "if they vote
hey must bear arms in case of war;
If there are men enough to defend us
and run the ship of state, in times of
peace, might it not be we'll to have a
reserve of female mentality to guide
our ship safely, while much of its
muscle and brain are en-
gagged with the foe? Many instances
are on record of the wives and daugh-
.ers of ship captains bringing the
vessel safely to port, when sudden
1eath had left the craft without a
and the sailors were
truly brave and noble to obey aud
submit to the leadership of ca pacity,
Irrespective of sex. Gen tlemen do
you fear to give us the franchise?
Hear what Mrs. l.. Nj. Johns, of Kan
sas, says concerning municipal suf-
rage there: "Some of us voted with
our husbands. some voted against