The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-18
Woman Sufra ge.


The warning uttered by Cardinal Glib
BoNs in his Lenten sermon last Sunday on
Marriage and Divorce" beware of un-
sexing yourself" should reach the ears of
every woman of the type spoken OF as
strong-minded 1t is the most concise ex-
preston of the general sentiment of this
country in regard to the woman suffrage
agitation that has been uttered. The euf-
frIge movement has never been strong
one, and it has required the constant effort
OF a number of the sex, whose physical
construction compels them to be women
in spite OF themselves, to keep it alive at
all. The vast majority of men look upon
it as harmless delusion which serves to
occupy the attention of certain class of
women who enjoy this Sisyphus-liks
amusement and who, in the natural sphere
of women, would be like the proverbial
square peg in the round hole. Many men
are outspoken in their denunciaticn OF the
movement on account of its tendency to
lower the general mass of womanhood.
Occasionally one will find man who
openly indorses it and asserts his belief
that there is no difference between the
sexes except physical. These men will
generally be found to have other rather
peculiar views.
With the exception of that irrepressibIe
few who enjoy the rotoriety resultir
from conventions, petitions, resolutions,
etc, in which they take leading parts,
little expression has been had from the
women of the country. They seem to
have given little attention to this icono-
elastic effort to thrust them out of their
homes into the streets and public places;
to involve them in the intrigues of politics
and to make them. fguratively speaking.
mans enemy instead of his idol.
Although some of the western states
have made some movement toward grant
ing women the ballot, the exulUation felt
over this victory was quickly crushed by
the chagrin aroused by the petition which
a large number of Chicago's best women
forwarded to the Illinois legislature the
other day protesting against the bill ex-
tending municipal suffrage to women and
denouncing as false and pernicious all at
tempts to secure legislation in this direc-
ton. AS an expression of the true feeling
of the womanly woman in this matter, this
is document of great value and infor-
nation to the public at large. We reprint
few extracts to show its tenor:
Busy in the cares OF their homes, women
have neither time, strength nor inclina-
ton TO enter the public arena and defend
themselves against doings which they
earnestly believe to be pernicious and de-
structive of the true power and influence
of women in their homes.
When women share with men the bur
den of labor and government, communism,
with all that it implies, is al eady begun.
We regard the question of property rights
of a comparatively few women as one of
minor Importance compared with the
vastly greater right OF women in general
to maintenance and protection in the
home, while they are engaged in the adj
sorbing offices and duties of womanhood;
and this paramount right of woman is
threatened with entire destruction by the
socislistic doctrines above cited.
We exhort you to remember that above
all human laws stand those great natural
laws inherent in the universe which no
that these laws have forever established
dir erenee between the powers and privi-
leges of the sexes, to disregard which is
to invoke the penalties by which
they are relentlessly enforced. We
beg you TO consider that the revolu-
ton OF France could not override
these laws but fell. crushed under the bur-
dens; that in SO faras any political body in
this country has attempted to do so it has
suffered defeat and we believe no greater
misfortune can attend the forming labor.
party of this country in its attempt to
secure legislation in the interest OF farmer,
artisan and laborer than that it should
espouse the false and pernicious doctrine
OF the political rights of women.
We pray, therefore, that, no matter
what argument to the contrary may be
urged upon you as legislators for the COM
monwealth you will stand fast by that
bulwark of liberty, home; remembering
that the same power which says to all
men behold God is your Father and all
We are brethren" has joined also the hus-
band and wife as one flesh Tor the orderly
bearing and rearing of children and the
maintenance of society, and has given to
each his own distinctive and equal V hon.
orable share in the labors and rewards of
life.
These women say that they have con-
suited with many OF their sisters through
out the state. and that the majority are in
perfect accord with the sentiments ex-
pressed in the petition. We believe il
they had consulted with every woman in
the country the result would have been
much the same. The struggle necessary
for the existence of the movement is
proof in itself that the women OF our
country do not believe in this theory.