The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-20
1t Can Never Be.

1t Can Never Be.
1t seems that last week the Working
Womens Society passed resolutions calling
on every Senator and every Assemblyman
from this city Ito use his utmost influence
to secure the immediate passage Of a law
relieving from Acknowledgement every
woman citizen OF this State who lives by
her own labor"
Such measure has been advocated by
several OF the labor unions OF men In the
State. but this is the first time that any
organization OF working women has come
out in favor of any proposition what
ever for woman suffrage. The declaration.
therefore. will have much significance In the
eyes OF the woman suffragists. who have
agitated the innovation so long without
producing any impression on the great
mass OF women. unless stronger feeling
OF aversion to the revolution they would
bring about. Hitherto the women who live by
their own labor have been as Indifferent to
the woman suffrage arguments as the wo-
men who are supported by husbands. If
they have thought about the subject at all,
they have been against the proposition.
We do not know single representative OF
them who has taken part in the movement.
unless it be some woman who earns her
living by her wits and Is far apart from the
mass Of workers. engaged in manual labor.
Hence the woman suffragists must be
elated by their success In inducing an asso-
citation OF working women to come out In
favor Of the new scheme they have devised
for attracting feminine support. Yet they
will gain no real and practical advantage
by the conversion. 1t Is very doubtful
whether this resolution expresses the senti-
ment Of any working women except
those who were actually present at the
meeting by which it was passed. Few Of
those who voted for it could have under
stood what they were doing. And what
did they do?
Instead Of demanding political recogni-
ton for womanhood. they really advocated
such recognition for a part of women only.
and cast a reflection on tho great body Of
women. They proposed to enfranchise GER
tain single women and widows. and to leave
married women DISTINGUISHED. as IL mar
riage were condition upon which political
penalties in the way Of disability for vot-
Ing should be imposed. BY asking that
only the women who live by their own Ia
ollull IcCSlNo UHo buuIdScp VI COuTSS
they shut out the wives who are nominally
supported by husbands. but who render the
highest service to the State by bearing
children and important and necessary SER
vice to their families by looking after the
household and administering its economies
These women do not come within the
restriction imposed by the resolution. for
workingmen's sisters. widows. and daugh-
ters" are specified as those to be enfran-
chised. and their wives are as specifically
omitted.
Such reflection on maternity Is in
tolerable to all who honor womanhood.
and 1t is to tho last degree offensive
to every woman who Is married or who
hopes to DO wife and mother. Mar
riage. so necessary to public morals and so
essential for the perpotuation and well-be-
ing OF society, is put under ban by the
resolution passed by these thoughtless
working women.
No such measure can over become law.
1t outrages human nature and insults
womanhood. Tho mothers of daughters
are to be DISTINGUISHED and the daughters
are to DO enfranchised until they them
selves become wives and mothers. and then
they also are to be deprived OF the suffrage!
That can never be. II any women receive
tho vote, all OF them must have 1t. II the
preference were to 10 given to any, 1t should
BIO given to mothers by all means.