Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1890-03-01

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suffrage would be raised by admitting women.
1t is said that woman would not have time to
inform herself intellgently upon the questions
that come before the voters, without neglectng her
household duties Yet we are constantly told by
opponents of suffrage that woman ought to Gin
fuence" her husband to vote the right way and
how is she to do this unless she has informed her
self sufficiently to have some idea of what the
right way is? The objection rests upon an exag
gerated idea of the amount of time involved.
What would be required of woman who should
faithfully fulfill all her political duties? To read
the daily paper; to talk over the questions dis
cussed there with her husband and friends; to at
tend perhaps two or three political meetings in the
course of year; and on election day to cast a
vote. There are few women who really could not
find time to do as much as this if they wished.
Frances Power Cobbe says: II think nearly all
women of the educated classes might afford at
least so much time to politics to be able to form
an intelligent opinion and give an intelligent vote.
Men who perform the most arduous professions
find time to do this, and there seems no adequate
reason why the busiest housewives or daughters
should not do the SAME"
Some persons have an idea that woman suffrage
would lead to general reign of RIGHTEOUSNESS, to
'the abrogation OF marriage and parental respons-
Utility" 1t is hard To find any rational warrant
for this extraordinary assertion. II women were
allowed to vote tomorrow, the majority Of them
certainly would not vote for the abrogation of
marriage or of parental responsibility. 1t will
hardly be claimed that at present women as
class hold less strict views on the subject of social
purity than do men. Is there, then, anything in
a deeper study Of political and social economy
that would incline them to more lax ideas on this
subject? On the contrary, wider knowledge
would reinforce woman's instructive adherence of
impurity with reasons and arguments Of the
weightiest kind immortality among women does
not result from education and responsibility, but
from feebleness, frivolty and ignorance. What
ever tends to strengthen and broaden womens
minds tells directly in favor Of virtue and pure
living.
1t is said that if women vote they must hold
office. If the mother of young family were
elected to Congress, we are asked, what would be-
come of her children? The granting Of suffrage to
women would not abolish either nature or common
sense. The mother of a young family would not
be likely to be asked to 90 to Congress, and
would not be likely to consent if she were asked.
She is in the same position as many men whose
business cares would make it impossible for them
to take office. But she might have very definite
idea as to the sort Of man whom she wanted to
send to Congress to represent her and her chill
dren. Is there any good reason why her opinion
should not be counted, along with that OF her
father, her husband and her brothers? l believe
that many prohigate and drunken Congressman
would be weeded out, to the great advantage OF
the nation, if the mothers in their districts had
votes. When we speak of women being eligible
to office, what does this mean? Simply that if the
majority of the men and women in any district
would rather have given woman to represent
them than any other person, and if she is willing
to serve, they shall not be forbidden to elect her.
Is there anything very shocking about this! The
fact that women as we'll as men would vote on the
nominations would be a sufficient guarantee that
only women of good character could be elected.