The morning call., 1890-05-23
WOMEN DON'T WANT TO VOTE"

That Is What the Automaton Has
Squeaked When tho String Was Pulled.
Editor Woman's Column, Morning Call:
Very many see that to name our Govern
ment republic while one-half of its sub
jects are not allowed a voice in its manage
ment is a misnome yet they complacently
assert that nothing better can be DONE de-
cause women do not wish self-representa-
tion," in other words women don't want
TO vote" That is not true. More women
have petitiOned for the ballot than for any
thing else; again and again have petitions
of thousands of names been sent both to
Congress and to our State Legislatures
asking for women's REIMBURSEMENT; one
was long enough to go around the Senate
chamber in Sacramento, and several have
been stretched around the Senate chamber
at Washington yet our Representatives tell
us that when women want to vote they can :;
that men are simply holding US back be-
cause we cannot be induced to come for
ward; and people ignorantly repeat the
falsehood. A great many women do want to
vote, If their names on petitions mean any
thing; but should it be true that only a few,
only one wishes to be free, or should it be
true that none see the connection between
the ballot and
Personal INDEPENDENCE,
The fact that women are responsible
human beings, endowed with talents
for which they must render an ac-
count, is reason why no one should inter
fere with the freedom Of the owner TO do as
each pleases with her own until that free
dom is used to injure another If we have
duties we have rights, and those rights are
invaded when we are circumscrlbed by the
will of others; the theory of just govern
ment is mutual concession for the good Of
all, with the consent of those who concede :;
denial, repression Of rights is not republi-
can in It's nature, II is legacy from our
feudal ancestry and hostile 10 the spirit OF
freedom. Through 10 fault OF the present
generation men mOnOpOliZe all political
power, as not long since they monopolized
business, education and freedom to walk
the streets; now many women ask to share
that power, they wish not TO rob men, but
simply 10 have their own, and the claim Is
so just, so in accordance with our political
theories, that our wiSeSt men see and
recognize the right, helping in every way to
secure for us what we lack Of equality. AS
a rule women who have experience, who
are inclined to take respOn sibility, who are
philanthroplc, ask for equality, but there
are many
TOO IGNORANT TO SEE
That equality would ease many causes of
woe (; there is always large class of both
men and women who ShIrk pioneer work
"
are many 50 situated that their advocacy Of
the subject would point to personal griey-
anees; and there are some so happy in their
| home life that they feel no burden, and
have Il false idea that it is not loyal for a
vile to say anything of rights, fancying
that such claim Is areproach TO husbands,
whereas no sensible husband feels thus.
He knows that lie is not Responsible for i'll
| berited conditions more than his wife, but
| that both are responsible ii the inequity
pOnrluHP Con SiGprlnp that the hallot a N
| abstraction to many, that 40 per cent of
| men-otten our most eXemplary-Stay away
| from the polls because of corruption; that
| religion has been divorced from politics and
| the latter given up to evil, no wonder that
chained woman has not seen, what most of
her brothers have not seen, that politics is
simply national State or city housekeeping,
an absolute necessity but of varying quail
ity, according to the housekeepers; that the
" hlthy pool is not politics, only the en-
vironment OF our most important earthly
science, and that
NO TRUE PATRIOT CAN REFUSE
To rescue the science and give it proper
management If women, as a rule do not
wish TO vote they need not, no one proposes
compulsOn, but If one wishes TO represent
herself there should be no bar. 1t was pro-
posed that women be allowed TO attend the
public schools, and 1t was declared that
women did not wish it, but the schools
were opened and the girls flocked in. 1t
was plppOoCu " OpCH COIICeto anu pIOltS-
sions, the same objection was made,
women don't want them OPEN" but it did
no harm to open them, and women by ac-
cepting the advantages showed whether
they wanted higher education or not, and
the only way 10 ind what they want is to
let them choose fog themselves. When, a
Jew years ago, it was proposed that women
be allowed TO hold property, to vote In re-
gard 10 bank stock or other joint property,
Tue same automaton was pulled, and as
| usual squeaked women don't want it, /;
many women said the same, but the law
allows them to control lands and stocks
Many are glad to do so, and justice to them
does not prevent her who prefers from
trusting the management of her affairs to
some man. No one is interested in all
things; some vote on one thing some on
another; women do not all think alike more
than men; but they show as much unity on
the subject as men, aud no class of dis
franchlsed men ever worked so hard for
liberty as have many of the most cultured
women OF this country. SIS.