The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-05
THE WOMAN'S COLUMN
Would Woman's Vote Be Infiu-
enced by Personal Interest?
How One Brave Woman Acts in a Lonely
0nce-Hin,s to Girls Behind the Counter.
Girls Who Go Away From Home.
wOMAN's VOTE.

Would 1t Be Influenced by Personal In.
terest the Same AS Mans?
Editor Woman'S Column. Morning Call:
A writer for the Woman's Column has sug-
gested that every mans vote is influenced by
possible reasons that concern his own per-
sonal interests. and asks g Would woman's
vote steer clear Of like temptations and
motives?" Why should it? For what is
vote but to express ones choice as to public
management, to make public methods SUBJ
serve private interests? The very object of
vote is to represent ones interests. to help
decide what method will best aid the in
dividual. Why should not a woman, like a
man. vote for what she believes will help
her? Woman's especial interests are her
home, her children, her personal oppor-
tunities for education, a chance to use it
and to enjoy the fruit of her earnings.
Probably she would vote with reference to
them, and why should she not? Each votes
according to his calber: the coward the I'M
wise, the vicious-for peace without purity;
for present ease without thought of results;
for vices hoping to make worldly gain by
debauchlng the public. The philosopher,
the statesman, studies the science OF govern
ment, real politics, learns the laws of eceno-
mic life, laws as fixed as those of astronomy;
he understands political economy, in which
these laws are made plain; he knows the
value Of production,
THE RESULTS OF WASTE,
The impoverishment that comes from evil
practices; learns that the golden rule is the
exponent OF political science, the only source
OF permanent prosperity, and with his
large vision he sees beyond his immediate
gain and casts his ballot for the things that
are Of permanent value, and the nation
rises or tails as the virtues or the vices pre-
vail. A ii vote for self, as is proper, for self
PSuelial Int the "a ho
no high purpose, no true idea of what is
good for himself, wrecks all he should hold
deai fer debauching pleasures, and the
| other recognizes that nothing is good for
him that is not good for every one else; that
good brings evil to no one, and votes accord
| ingly. Now, voting does not make n good
| man less good, a BAG man worse. 1t is
| power; in all power lies the temptation to
| misuse. The COED will use the power ior
| good, the evil Will devote it to evil as he
| does Intellectual and physical strength.
| But the misuse is no argument that one
| should be shorn of the strength IF the ballot
| because some une else has abused tie power.
| Fix penalties for the misuse Of power and
| apply them when deserved; but it is a
| dangerous thing to dlSfIanchise by whole
| sale or by class. All have an equal interest
| in government and nothing but
INDIVIDUAL UNFITNEss
| Should be a reason for disiraDchisement
| The writer adds: The burden OF womeu'S
otSIiio w uC bdotu OH tlit IdlilS
of men. They do not seem to comprehend
| that men themselves are in tIaitjacket
| OF social and industrial slavery, etc" Sen
| sible people know very we'll that our present
| conditions are Inherited, the result of past
| needs ard customs. Until within century
men, like women, were the slaves of ruling
| class; men 10 fight they knew moi for what,
| women TO produce the fighters. Gradually
| the men learned to combine and turn their
| arms and training against their masters :;
HI w ND IN hair q -farc hx-hn 10
| of affection, by children, unaccustomed to
| conblne, unused TO arms, are still living in
| the feudal ages, so lar as law is concerned :;
| those worst off too wretched TO reason, and
| those in the power OF men too noble to be
| dcspotlc, often ignorant OF the lDlquitieS
| rractieed on powerless women, are Indifferent
| because they cannot feel for Others woes"
| Ii men were plac. in the legal positions of
Women they would not fail 10 call it tyranny.
| To their credit they have self-resprct enough
| TO resent injustice, and if they perpetuate this
system OF laws. based on heatheniSm, which
now prevails,
WHY ARE THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE ?
Men DO not need to remain in "a strait
Jacket OF social and industrial slavery; the
ballot gives one the same chance as another
aud no civil law Can put good sense and
high purpose into voter; law can only un-
manacle him, leave him 10 his own course,
and if he does not know enough to run in
the right direction it is his own misfortune
Va iduit law CdllbOL Dtlp MN. All MOEldH
asks is hands off; let me do anything the
Lord gave me ability TO do, if it be good;
punish NE by Acknowledgement only when
l do wrong" Men sell themselves 10
slavery through their votes. They swear
about monopoies, then elect the biggest
monupolist available 10 make laws for them.
They storm about taxes, then vote for all
the iniquities of Sodom and work to build
Jails, poOrhouseS, asylums and rcforma-
tories; they multiply courts and policemen;
they cherish such institutions that their
children ale pretty sure TO grow up extra
VACANT and non-productive. But only use
full production enriches country, and use
less expenditure always impoverishes, it
kills the goose that lays the golden egg"
They distrust the swarm of middlemen, the
agents, dTumniels, etc, who lake the lions
share Of the producers profits, then vote
them into uffiee. Let voters take a course in
political economy, cease TO sell themselves
to the highest bidder, and they will cease to
be slaves. They can help themselves
through the ballot. SIS.