The morning call., 1891-11-01
A SETBACK FOR WOMEN.

The New York Sun, which has always
been disposed TO make fun of the agitation
for women's rights, draws attention to the
recent apostasy OF Herbert Spencer and
Frederick Harrison on that issue. Both
have been known as advocates Of the
equality of the sexes. Both now assert that
il their iUatured opinion it would be a mis-
take TO confer the suffrage On women, and
the most curious feature in the case is that
neitfer has any new reasons to urge in
justification of the change in his opinion.
All the points they make against women
were urged at the time when Spencer and
Harrison re-echoed John Stuart Mil in
asserting the absolute equality of the sexes
and tie answers which they then made to
the conservatives may he urged with equal
force against themselves to-day,
Mr.. Spencer declares that woman is unfit
TO share mans control of the world in con-
sequence OF her sentimental pity for wrong
doors and her propensity TO cringe at the
feet of authority; but even if she could
overcome these weaknesses, she is still in.
capacitated by her inability TO take up arms
and fight. All society rests at bottom on
force; the ultima ratio in every case is the
sword. AS women are inferior in physical
force to men, and cannot draw the sword,
they must perforce remain in a position of
dependence. This is Mr.. Spencer's present
view Of the subject. Mr.. Harrison appears
to have recanted. in consequence of his dis.
coyery that sexual equality would simply
unsex women, would destroy their femi-
ninity, would uprOot the family relation,
and would convert women into mere fe-
male specimens OF the genus man. -.
We remember that these very arguments
were adduced at the time VIXEN Spencer and
Harrison were trying to persuade the En-
glish to grant women the suffrage; and it ia
not apparent that the reasoning by which
they were cOnfuted has lost any of its force
since then. If women are inclined to pity,
so are civilized men. 1t is only the savage
in whose breast compassion finds 10 place
AS to the alleged tendency OF women to
bow to authority, when men would inquire
and resist, the fact was denied. That all
authority must in final resort. rest upon
force is true, but in these days OF death-deal-.
ing machinery it is not necessarily physical
force. a girl, with 32-caliber revolver In
her hand, can con vince John l.: Sullivan.
Az to the argument about political equality,
unsexing women that was said to be
metaphysics. A woman would not be
less woman, 10 all intents and purposes.
after having voted for members of Con.
gress; and woman who made her political
duty an excuse for neglecting her husband
and her children would neglect them under
any circumstances. These arguments were
thought. in the days when Sp ncer and Har-
rison set them ont in their clear. crisp style,
to be pretty conclusive. 1t is hard to. see
why they should be less effective now: !:
Still the desertion OF women's cause by
Lwo of its most eminent champions is
straw which shows that the tide for the
time at least has begun to ebb. ALI reforms
move by fits and starts. Blunders in the
conduct of their advocates set them back,
and to the faint hearted they seem to be
blocked forever. 1t will be hard for mod
ern preacher of women's rights 10 reply to
the knock-down argument that two of the
most advan ced thinkers of the present day,
after having committed themselves to that
side Of the case. have seen the error Of their