The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-09-18
Letter by a Maine Woman.



tude Of the W, G. T. L., and on the No.
mans suffrage question. Not understand
ing myself bonored ~ an interview,
was perhaps not so careful as | should
have been ~ make my ideas on thes-
subjects plain. The items given in last
SATURDAY. Journal rather lead me 70 more
fully and directly state my position on
these topics Of quite general discussion.
In regard % the W. c. T. l., | fee, In
deed, with thousands, that rs leaders
have curtsiled IL. power for good. Con
tlnued On its original basis Il seems ~
me that ii would al this time have count
ed on It's lists TWO or three .ines its pres
ent men bership. As j, IL, many, u
course, feel themselves excluded by the
present obligations and restrictions, and
some continue 10 It's rank with great loss
Of enthusiasm for its work.
Dissension and disunion could but fol
low the departure Of the Union from IL
original stand. making q partisan organ
ization Of It. The e1igencles Of the Gaze
demanded the formation Of new body.
The non-psrtisan union was called into
existence. J doubt not that It will hold
true to its platform which Is 8 most ad-
mirable one.
The two unions, sctusted only by high
motives, will doubtless each labor IN the
ways that seem 70 it best, for the uplift-
ing Of humanity.
Il was Of womsns suffrage that re-
marked that felt it 70 be mistake the
cause has heretofore been presented not
only in our own legislation but in the
legislatures Of other states, by women
who have in public speech and printed
page antagonized the Representatives
Of the two parties composing hose leg
islatures and who alone held the power
to grant the boon.
Human nature Is much the same the
world over, and men generally are not SO
likely to grant favors, or TO so promptly
meet demand. for justice, when those
who present claims have upbraided them
and the institutions dear 70 their hearts
70 which they must maintain loyalty.
Third party adherents who have heaped
denunciation upon the political parties
holding legislative power, should not
expect TO receive from such Legislatures
prompt hearing or favorable decision.
The little street Arab knows better than
to call man bad names and then ash
him for silver; or to pelt the windows
with pebbles and then ask admittance at
the door.
5lhD las ever ltiu LIE ltI tItss VI pO-
li.icAl power, whether justly or unjustly
1t is to little purpose TO argue, the
fact as 1t stands Is sufficient for present
consideration.
Now it is patent that woman never can
share that power until those who hold
the position. freely open to her their
privilege Of directly managing the affairs
Of he hQ
a voice in politics, she will obtain It only
by being polite: Il use the word In its
best sense to be wise, prudent, sagacious.)
The truth of the story is that We ar.
not yet out of the barbarous age. Man
kind cannot be counted fully civilized.
until wars and rumors Of wars have ceas-
ed. Until crime is driven out from the
light of day into dark holes and corners
and trembles there, until justice and
mercy are melted to all.
But mankind is progressing, and l be-
lieve the time Is near at hand when wo-
man will as quietly go up to the ballot
box with her husband to deposit her vote,
as she now goes with him into the house
of the Lord. And in casting true, pure
vote. she will as truly be serving the
Master.
Through the workings of 8 wise Prov
dence, woman has not been permitted
TO mingle In the rude crowds contestin 2
for the control of civil affairs. In the
drunkenness and osths, and shooting and
stabbing aifrsys centered about the hust-
ings and in mass meetings and mobs, she
would have been rudely treated. she
would have become more or less OF the
crowd. her sweet purity would have been
furnished, men would have ceased to hon
or her.
But say some Had woman from the
first had part IN these things she would
have been recognized a power; law and
custom would have meted out to her her
rights and privileges. The record of the
past would not have been SO dark.
Even SO. But it has been that while
man wrsugled and reused grim war, she
has spun and wove, kept the house swept
and gsrnished, she has morning and
night called down Gods watch upon her
absent husband. and has gathered her lit
tie ones about her knee to teach them
of heavenly things. Her heart has gone
out to the poor and needy, and her min
istrations to them have been sweet and
abundant. And largely through her gen
tie influence has man become more just,
more noble more true. The time now is
when he himself begins to feel that il
would be pleasant and good thing to
take with him his mother, his sister, his
wife, to cast into the balance for the up
lifting of the world,
A voice says, but there Is an ignorant
and vicious element among women of sill
countries, and surely 1t is with US. True.
There is an ignorant and vicious element
in al countries among men, and the lead
ing classes Of men hsye not generally
sought TO lead this element higher but by
subterfuge, bribery, or promise OF this
or that advantage have sought their
votes for partisan or personsl advantage.
Woman will never do ,his. With her
the missionary spirit Is strong. In mis-
sionsry organizations of all kinds | sup
pose there are at least forty women to
one man. Women of pure and noble pur-
pose, well trained in the Work OF the
past, will reach out their hands with
greater love and sympathy and earnest
ness to their sisters bound In the chain
of ignorance. and will teach them of the
new responsibility that comes to them
with their newly given power will
through the duty thsy owe their husbands
and the love they bear for their litt..
ones, lead them to exercise that power
for good and with loving hands vii
keep them until they stand upon true
and intelligent basis.
| belong to no organization that ha:
emblszoned woman's suffrage upon it
banner; have had but little to say upoI
the topic at any time; and these few
thoughts are rather unexpectedly calleC
forth to utterance.
There is one most happy thing about {
/ ,i,a In
one may only glance at it or may read /
at will Now think that those of my
sisters who choose to acquaint thenlsel
yes with my views, will generally agree
with me that women who would Obtain
1.-THE right to vote, or indeed any gooC
gift from our legislative bodies, shout,
wisely choose the ones who shall presen
their cause that their choice should fa'
upon those who have not given seriou
offence to those whom they petition; an
that their representatives standing for
great organization Of women pledged t.
do all In their power to further the caus
of the third party, and, under existing
circumstances, not likely to meet witt
success.
have written more lepgthily than in
tended. There are other things that
would like to say. but time and space do
not permit. will only add that the Ma
sons, Odd Fellows, Grand Army OF tn
Republic and its relief organizations, th'
Good Templars, Sons of Temperance, Ma
tional Temperance, Society, the Daugh
tiers Of Rehekah, the Eastern Star, the
la. O. L. W., the various great labor or
ganizations and many other leading bod
les exclude partisan work or influence o.
apy hind from their societies. Let thes,