Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-07-17

their power? Whether the numerous or
CARNATIONS of the country, especially of
the West, are the legitimate ch llrcn of the
grange, as some claim, mttters not. Their
existence argues well for the future. show
ing as it does that farmers are bcginnn NJ to
think for themselves ami are breaking
away from the enthrallmcnt of prejudice
as well as the tyranny of party. When
these lusty youths of the prairies have be-
come sufficiently soberel to he entirely
sensible, their gran mother, the grange,
unveXed by the biu.h thit now mantles
her cheek, may be very prou to call thcm
her children.
The right kind of political education in
cludes history and civil government. 1t
| includes knowle lge of underlying princi-
pies as well as everything facts. l requires
also a vare and vast amount of general
information And who IS there better
suited to all these conditions than the
farmer? He is natures child, with all her
infinite opportunities and possibilities
spread out before him. Why should he,
and how can he grow small and warped
and ignorant! He can, even while absorb
| Ell in common toll, be grand as the mount
aims that guard his home, lofty as the hills
| he cultivates brave as the living forms
that surround him, constant as the march
| of the seasons, true as the steel of his axe
or hoe, and just as well informed, sef-re-
! speeding and intelligent as are those of 9th
! er avocatiOns. This does not lead to long
| ings, vague and uncertain, for irresponsible
! power so characteristic of the Italian an
archst, or the Russian nihilist 1t means
this, that reason, Judgment and intelligence
are at the helm.
There is one point upon which | wish to
| speak. | have thus far refrained from
| touching the question of woman suffrage.
You may think even this brief paper not
! quite complete without some allusion to
! this moOted question. You may also ask
should not political education be equally
| applicable to those of both sexes, male and
female Now we believe it should be, if
women are to exercise the right of fran
chise, as we also believe they should with
| certain obviously necessary restrictions.
| However, we cannot ignore the facts or
shut our eyes to the unwilingness mani
! festel on their part to exercising this right
| of voting whenever and wherever the priv
/ ilege has been granted. Limited observa-
! ton has taught most thinking men that
women do not as whole, or even as fair
| sized minority, care to exercise what has
! been callel so glowingly the inaienable
| right If it were left to the women them
selves, and that cruel tyrant, man, had no
voice, We believe there would be very
weak showing in favor of political equai-
! ty carrying with it the right of franchise
for the sex. Not more than three out of
| the "a states would vote YES, while in IL
sure there would be uttere an ovprwhrm-
| ing no. Besides, it is becoming more and
more apparent, even to the casual observer,
| that much of the talk concerning the rights
of women is the mercst sentimentalism Of
class of 'hobbyistS' not vet quite capa-
bic of properly exercising the rights they
already possess. |, for one, have read the
! glowing utterances and the "glittering gen
eralitieS'' on the rostrum and through their
organs, have submssively accepted what
considered my fair share of their unreal
soning abuse; have also heard their case
stated in their most adroit and persuasive
manner, though usually distorted and some
what savoring of eNaggeration. and have
to confess that the women who are doing
most and are succeeding best in making
pleasant homes are not those who most re-
| vile men. or cldmOr most for rights that
| would he # questionable utility in the
economy of their domestic lives. There
are fanatical women as well as tyTannOus
men.
In the art of law making and in the ad-
minstration of the laws the farmer ought
to be well informed. Thus, and thus only,
will his interests secure recognition and his
rights be regarded. This. then, is the po-
litica education the husbandman needs,
this the character that will make his very
name the synonym of all that is noble and
grand, this the training that will lead him
to respect the rights of Others while ieal-
ously guarding his own. Only intelligence
and conscience can make him truly and
grandly free. No chains for the body and
no letters for the mind should be his mot
to, but intelligence, conscience and re-
sponslbilty in all things. Thus will he be-
come blessing to himself, an honor to his
calling, the pride and glory of his country,
and thus, and thus only, be fitted to use
for the highest good that smallest, though
most omnipotent unit of political power,
the ballot,
That weapon that comes down as still
As snuwtakcs fall upon tn" sod.
Yet executes a freeman will
As light ing does the will Of God.