The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

IA W s4Sdlli15toH rs pO~S-4sIa-+ PoA@sAN-A
! factor, however, woman suffrage has no
standing in any Of the great civilizations
/ Of the globe. IL has fewer friends than
| 1t had twenty years ago among the emil
| nent thinkers Of the world. Herbert
/ Spencer, who stands in the first rank OF
! original, independent modern thinkers, in
| his last volume, Ethics of Social Life, +"
! recants his former doctrine Of the equal
! ity Of the sexes, and now holds that for
| fundamental reasons the spheres of the
sexes must be kept apart, and especially
| must the participation Of women II gov
| eminent be limited. The grant of rights
| and privileges under the Law 10 women,
especially TO married women, he thinks,
should not be extended. but rather re-
| gtricted, and that so far as these newly
granted legal rights make women indie
/ pendent OF the domestic relation, they
/ work mischief.
| Mr.. Spencer wonld give women munich
| pal suffrage, but no further electoral
| privileges. such as the right TO vote for
members Of parliament or its equivalent.
He does not believe that suffrage IS a
fundamental right of anybody, aud he
denies the exDediency under existing con-
ditions of giving votes 10 ali men. He con-
slders, therefore, the question OF woman
suffrage 4 mere question Of expedieney,
and concludes that the maintenance of
the essential rights Of both men and
women in the event OF woman obtaining
the suffrage would be less rather than
! more satisfactory. Mr.. Spencer does
not believe women capable of per-
forming the duties OF legislators.
simply because they are women, and
as such lack the qualities essential
to wise Law making. Mr.. Spencer points out
that nen. whatever political power they
may in any case possess, are al the same
time severaily liable 10 the loss of liberty,
10 priyation, and occasionally 20
death consequent on having to defend the
country. II women, along with the same
political powers, have not the same liabil-
tiles, their position is not one OF equality
but one Of supremacy. Unless, therefore,
women furnish contingents to the army
and navy, such as men furnish, it is mani
fest that, equitably considered, the ques-
ton OF the equal political rights" of
women cannot be entertained until there
is reached state of permanent peace.
Mr.. Spencer denies the validity of the
plea that without immediate enfranchise-
ment women cannot obtain legal recog-
milton Of their equitable claims. In his
opinion this plea is not countenanced by
experience. During the last thirty years
various disabilities of women have been
removed with but little resistance from
men. Comparing the behavior of men to
men with the behavior Of men to women,
it is manifest that in modern times the
sentiment of justice has been more opera
tive in determining the last than in deter
mining the first. Ill-treated classes Of
men have had 10 struggle far longer before
they obtained from the classes who i'll
treated them the concessions they de-
manded than women as class have had
to struggle before obtaining from men as q
class the various freedoms they ask. They
have obtained these without political
power; and there is no reason to doubt
that such further injustice as they COM
plain of-chiehy in respect of the custody
Of children-may be similarly removed
without making the gigantic consutu-
tional change which some women seek.
Mr.. Frederic Harrison, also in the first
rank of modern English thinkers, agrees
with the views of Mr.. Spencer, and in q
recent public address said:
The family was the real social unit What So
" IN no 4 of
family, and IN the family woman was as COM
pletely supreme as was man in the state. and
for al moral purposes the family was more
| beautiful, more useful. than the state. To keep
the family true, refined, sfFect.onate, faithful.
was grsnder task than 10 govern the stste;
AMI il was a task which needed the whole en-
ergiss and the eusire life OF woman. To mix I'D
so sacred duty wiki the gTOsser occupations OF
politics and trade 10 undt her for IL as con-
plesely as II the priest was 70 embark in the
business OF mouey-lendsr. That such primary
social truths as these were ever forgotten at az
was one OF the pOgtents OF this age of skepsi-
elsu, Of mammou-worship and vainglory
Professor Z. D. Cope, of Pennsylvania.
in profound essay published before the
appearance OF the work OF Spencer or the
address of Harrison. expressed identical
views.
On June Il, ISIS, the late United States
Senator Wadleigh. of New Hampshire. re-
ported against the adoption OF eonstitu-
tional amendment comforting the elective
franchise on women indiscriminately, on
the ground that It would make several
millions OF female voters, totally inex-
perienced in political affairs, quite eener.
ally dependent on the other sex; all in.
capable of performing military duty, and
without the power 10 enforce the laws
which their numerical strength may en-
able them 20 make; and omparatiyeIv few
CT whom wish to assume the irksome and
responsible political duties which this
measure thrusts upon them"
Senator Wadleigh held il would be I'M
just, unwise, impolitic, at the demand of =
very small portion OF our population to
impose v,.s burden on the great mass Of
no; wish for It, IN order TO grstify com.
paratively few who DO.
Senator Wadleigh, very able LAWYER,
added that without female suffrage legisla.
tion has improved and still IS improving
the condition Of woman.
Tie disabilities imposed upon her aT the
common law have, one By enc, been SWEPT
away, until IN most Of the states she has the
fall right 70 her property, snd al or ns.rly g.,
tce rights which csn lie granted without i'm.
pairing or destroying the marriage relation
These changes have been wrought ty the spi-is
oi the age and are not generally at least, the
result OF any agitation BY women
ii their eva bShslf. Nor can
women Justly complain Of any p2T;ia,ity in
the administration OF justice. They have the