The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-14
THE CITIZENSHIP OF WOMAN.

OF WOIh"INs
English People Are Fighting the Battle
in Favor of Waman's Rights.
Editor IFOmdn'S Column, Morning eau:
The English are fighting the same battle
for woman's rights that We are, and Ii is IN
structiye to see how much alike people are;
the radical appeals to the top of the head,
the obstructionst plants himself in the path
and says: THUS far and no farther
The Manchester Guardian thus answers the
same objections that are made in California.
Mr.. Smith gave list which Mrs. Elmy thus
answers: Mr. Smith argues that the claim
for manhood suffrage having already been
preferred, we should not, if women be fully
enfranchsed, be able TO resist tine claim Tor
full adult suffrage. therefore he refuses TO
recognize the citizenship of any woman at
all, and declines to say A, lest by and by he
should be led on to say B. Yet Mr.. Smith
would admit to full political rights every
ad ult male person, however ignorant, brutal
or degraded. while outlawinggevery woman;
mo matter what her intellectual and moral
fitness may be. or how great her services 10
the nation and the race. A lib raj ought to
recognize that the wider the ba lis OF repre-
SentItion the greater the injustice to any
excluded class. He reasons, women are so
ignorant" True, it is because we long to
KNOW, u Dp, W no IUuCu llldL 10 uUh
us that We ask for our
POLITICAL EMANCIPATION.
For the education which it will bring in its
train, for the opportunity to do our 1ull
share of service tn humanity. But we are
not exceptionally ignorant, even on domestic
questions, as lea9ehOd acknowledgements,
proportional representation, Tree trade veT-
sus far trade, monometalism versus blmetai-
Ism, nearly as many men as women are aDle
to give sound reasons for the faith tAat Is in
them. Mr.. Smith suggests that the future
vote of the colonies of India may be settled
by the vote OF millions of women VINO could
hardly point out these places on the map. III
Is rather late to traveSty an ancient sarcasm
of the Golden (ilIst applied to gentlemen OF
the House of COmmon,) and plead the want
of geographical knowled &c as reason Tor
refusing women parliamentary FRANCHISE.
For good or for evil the tide OF emigration
from these Islands has compelled almost
every woman to learn by heart some store OF
geographical knowledge. To almost every
home letters come from afar; sometimes Inc
loved ones return, more often other loved
ones GO and join them, so that distant lands
are no longer places On the map, but Nv
ing realities, in which are bound up hopes,
Tears, joys AID SORROWS. Moreover, 1t is not
by the direct vote of men that ST. Il questions
are now settled, SO this assumption is
trick of rhetoric. What is the parliament
tary franchise which We ask?
IL 10 81 LILLE
Yet imports SO much? 1t is simply the
right OF saying, from time to time, which
person out of a limited number from which
10 choose, we think on the whole the f.test
to be trusted with the management + us OF
that part of our atfairs-legislatlon and gov
eminent which we cannot conveniently
manage individually for ourselves. To make
such choice wisely no knowledge OF re-
cOndlte questions Unnecessary, but simply the
possession OF that keen perception ami cor
rect judgment of character which no one de-
MES to women, bat which on the contrary
is accorded them III high degree Has
woman no concern in legislation affecting
her status in marriage? Her relation to her
children? The conditions of divorce? Is
she not affected by the multiplication OF laws
touching her at every point Of her domestic
life? Can she afford to be Indifferent TO i'll
dustrial or educational legislation, which
may place her at disadvantage as compared
with mans? 1t is idle because it Is not
true 10 alege that there is no fearnowadays
OF women not receiving their due. These
WHO have given tile best years OF their lives
to the task OF Influencing legislation In the
direction OF justice to women, and TO tile Sc
curing of
SOME OF THOSE MEASURES
OF which Mr.. Smith expresses favor, know
as men cannot know, how ineXpressibly
hard has been cur task, how long delayed
Our success, by the fact that being an ''un-
supplantS, and never claim as equals the
bareSt Justice 1t would take long TO out
lire the defects OF the remedial measures
which have been passed, defects due largely
to the fact that the masculine mind, domi-
mated by inherited ana cultivated sex bias,
cannot of itself give Cue consideration 10
the feminine point of view. ketr0greSsiye
and injurious legislation is common ana
numerous wrongs Inherited from the past
need tn he set right. For these reasons We
demand parliamentary representation. Mr..
Smith conde>cends to ask If we have con-
sidered the effect on young men OF canvass
ing for the votes of fallen women" a
fallen woman in every case presupposes
fallen man." Does he propose morality
test in the case of male electors or TO dis
franchise them all because of the gross, the
fragrant. the notorious pIoiiisacy of others?
If not, why should such test be applied TO
women? Put an end TO the economic de-
lendrnce of women upon men and the
flOodgatps Of immortality close. He urges
women would make politics sentimental"
Is there no ioom for sentiment, no mead for
the exercise OF that sympathy which de-
velopS sense of justice, M real want Of the
free play OF humane emotions? Must poll
tics always be a mere game of party strife
and never rise TO the dignity of an applied
science TO social relations" Surely there IS
no difference between English aud American
comm sense. S. S.
GiEroy, NoUcnber, 1890.