The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-15
HOMAN'S SUFFRAGE.

To the fditor Times DcinOcraL
want to thank you for your editorial In your |
issue OF May 2 "Momen and Minors Ia Tax kltc |
tons" You favor strongly the iunrhise Ot woman
In such elections DO you favor the franchise OF |
women Ia elections for school taxes, school rus' |
tees and superutendenu OF oducationl Are you |
ia favor OF women being made eligible i0f |
Office ~ superlnlendcnv OF education ana |
school irusiees7 Mill you please give, your opin
ion In an cditorlal9 Ii will interest hundreds Of
women, for recently the W. C. ]. U. OF Mississippi |
and Louisiana resolved 10 petition their Legsla |
turo Tor an educational qualification Tor the nan
chlre, and that women may vote on all school |
questions aud hold Office on school boards
surely n womAns children are an valuable 20 her
az her property. II she should vote 70 protect her
moneycd Interests, should she not vote In The IN
tercst VI her own flesh aud bloodf respectfully
Mrs. MoiLlE MCGEE SSELL
To this The Timo Dcroaai replies We do not
believe In female suffrage, and are cmphaioally
opposed TO sixteenth amendment TO that effect
II would not we fear, purify our elections, ~ some
Optimls,s hope or correct the many political Ills
tia, exist There are ugly features about politics
today that We hope to zoe connected with time but
We do not believe that this N ~ lie done by throw
lug open the suiimgo TO women The experiment
has been frequently tried, and has not proved
success. While nearly all countries have extended
TIE laws In regard TO women, have increased their
privileges, granted them u voice Ia the management
OF the schools, etc, full female suilrage-lho
right Of women 10 participate IN all ooctions-h
growing weaker, as the vote IN The British iarlla
mont aud the Legislatures Of the New England and
the Western states before whom thk question has
been Tor some yean, has shown To our corru'
,pondcnt. therefore, we reply that We ARE opposed
h women suiimge pure aud simple
At the same time, The Time Dcm0crd' has always
desired IN sec women Interest themselves In The
public schools. aud urged upon the Governor
months ago that some recognition be given them
BY the appointment Of one woman OF Iuorc On TIE
school Board.
TAe Tine. D,mocrai falls 10 answer the most
important question Of Mn snell--"lhe eligibility
OF women for once as Superintendent Of Education
aud school Trustees" The w. G I. a. Of Mis,is.
dppi aud Louisiana viii petition the next Legisla'
turo for this,aGd we have very little doubt but
that II will be granted. The question was before
the Tennessee Legislature, aud that State has
adopted IL, and tho superintendent Of Education
In the city Of Memphis Is young lady. who gives
universal satisfaction. while wcdo not 20 10 the
full extent Of female suffrage, we are In favor Of
women voting ON Oh school questions aud holding
once on school boards and rs Superintendent Of
Education. ncridioH (uis) Draocral
Roth The Meridian Dcaocraiand The Nor
O,l,mn Tines Democrat avoid Mrs. SHELLS
leading question, ri she lwomanl should
vote TO protect her moneyod interests,
should she not vote TO protect her own
flesh and blood?" For, as she says, pre-.
ccdng this question, surely n woman's
children are as valuable TO her IA her
property" The Mrdian Democrat con
codoa that woman should DO permitted
to vote for school trustees and super
intcndcnis, seemingly Obvious Of the fac
that II women are in any sense or degree
eligible TO such positions and TO vote for
persons TO Ill them they ought also to be
eligible TO al other positions and TO vote
Tor persons 10 an them. But We, nevcrtho-
less, congratulate our Meridian contempt.
mry in having got that far ON the road to
absolute freedom. There is hope for him,
and We can zee q modicum oi hope in ouI
brother of The Nct Orleans Tmfs- Dymo
crdi, who, when he admits that IN,
Governor OF Louisiana should appoint
women to serve "a members OF the schoo
board OF that State, admits the eligibility
OF women TO fulfill the mostlacrcd Of pub
lie trusts and obligations, aud therefor
admits her ability 10 discriminate, manag,
and conduct public affairs, which Ia oqua
to a concession Of her right TO hold office
aud II TO hold Office TO vote, SO much 70
that phase Of tie question discussed b.
our contemporaries. As 10 the other
involved la the statement by Th
TimJ. D,mooai, that "lhe cxpcrimcn
(oi sufIJagcl has been frequently tried
and las not proved a success We mus
also take issue with cur contemporary
who Is willing TO admit women Of PROF
T. 1 rity 10 vote In "tax elections that IL, b
, is willing tina, the property should yol,
p woman's suffrage, In any degree, Is
. growth. And Il has grown. II has nc
II lost Ia the aggregate. In places, lik
e Washington Territory, there has beer
!, as We might say momculary rcuogrc
B. sion growing out Of the opposition Of tho'
Is who could not use the women vo,er
y aud In England Il has recently bee
20 decided that women may serve on Po'
Il law Boards and School Boards, but N
4. In Aldcmmic Boards, but they can yo
10 In municipal and county affairs N
10 Judges held that "lo admit women 10 ~
Is office Il is necessary 10 show that parli
o, ment has In that instance removed the ii
w qualification, and removed Il expressly
In. Bu, this is not rcirogmding. Tho wont
80 against whom this decision was render
IN had asked for the suirugcs OF al the qui
hc fled voters Of their districts Ia Lond
10 aud were elected members OF the n,
I'd county government which In turn elect
'ss Board Of Aldermen, Of which Miss Con
by was elected a member by the casting "
se. other colleague, Lady sandhursi, whoscs y
he In the county government being succo
Iys fully contested by Mr.. Bcicsiord HoI
.us both ladies were ousici from Office. u
ID. this, rs We have said, Il no, retrogradiI
an So Ear from that the freedom Of woman
80 gaining In every part Of the world. II |
'de growing conviction that women arc In !
oil the equals Of men, that itis a gross libel
al tho intellectual ,,,i,.. u ...,.,...,,, a., ri