The morning call., 1891-05-08
A QUIET CHAT WITH SCISSORS"

A QUIET CHAT WITH SCISSORS"
What Some Prominent Men Have Had to
Say About the Rights Of Women.
Editor Wom0'S Column, Morning Call:
Mr.. or Mrs Scissors understands that
women suffragists believe, first, that
"women have an equal right to voice in
the conduct of the affairs of state; second,
that woman is mans men.al equal in all
things where mind is essential to the rise
and progress of the human race; third,
that il is the duty Of man and society to
place her in a higher position than she now
occupies fourth, that "her present sphere
is due to the unjust usurpati0n of authority
by the other sex" To the first, answer
yes; we do believe in the doctrine that "all
men are born free and equal" and that our
inherent freedom and equality should be
held sacred until forfeited by nluTing an
other, then because of the injury, for the
good of others. Individual liberty should be
cuTtailed; but that no interference should
ever be permitted while one uses his talents
or his freedom withoptdoing harm to others.
The ballot is the symbol of freedom; for it
men have given up guns and swords, each
man ceasing to be standing army for him.
self, and securing protection by joining
with others to select guardians of public
safety; but so long as women are not al
lowed a choice, SO long they Will not be pro-
tected, so long
THEIR INTERESTS
VIII be unrecoCnized. a single woman by
eur laws has personal freedom, bat without
q ballot her business is hot protected, and
she is the helpless pre- of sharpers. Shop
girls factoTy-girlS, servant-girls, women
authors, doctors, lawyers, ministers, teach
ers, every grade of woman workers, can
tell of numerous removable obstacles
heaped in their way. hard enough at best.
because they are women, therefore power
less and safe prey. OutrageS against
women have many Of them no penalty, and
the most horrible sins against women little
or no redress, while Government ignores
such systems as white slavery, designed eX-
pressly TO dupe and trap unSuSpecting girls;
and children are not as We'll protected as
horses. Married women, because 6allOtlesS,
are not free at all; they do not own their
persons their earnings, their children; they
cannot locate their abode or select their
aYOcatOn, no matter what their need may
be, If the husband chooses to oppose. Men
make one set of laws for themselves; an en-
tTely different set for women. Why is it?
If they made one set Of laws for both II
would be more tOleTahle. Il would look as
If they are willing to share the good as well
as the evil with the women whom they pre-
Tess 10 protect; but men would not for a
day live under the laws which they make
for women because they have
THE POWER TO CHANGE THEM
Judge Timothy Walker answered one who
asked him, What is the legal position of
women IN American " Write out as best
you can the definition Of legal slavery, and
when you have done that you have the legal
position Of women" Benjamin Franklin
said: They who have no voice or vote IN
the electing of representatives do not enjoy
liberty, but they are absolutely enslaved to
these who have votes ana to their repre-
seDtatlYes." Charles Sumner says: " The
ballot Is the great guarantee, the ballot is
BeacemakeT, scn0Jimasttr, protector.
Show NE a creature with an erect COunten-
Rnce and locking to heaven, made IN the
image OF God, and | show YOU a man who,
Of whatever country or race, whether dark
ened by equatorial sun or blanched with
northern cold, IS an equal W II you before
the Heavenly Father and equally entitled
with you 10 all the rights Of human nature.
You cannot deny these rights without inn
piety, you cannot deny these rights without
peril 10 the republic" Charles Summers
last effort was to prevent the disfTanchiSe-
ment Of the women of Utah, and il was not
done until some time after and he said:
10 all my antl-slavery speeches the prin-
ciple of individual freedom is enuncidted.
Put woman where l have put slave aud you
have
MY OPINION OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE"
I quote the opinions Of men as regards
WUman'S legal position, because woman has
never had power to express authoritative
opinions, and also because she is plaintiff.
SuhragiSts do not claim that any one is
anotheTs mental equal in all things" or that
men and women are identical; they simply
claim that they have the same needs, the same
inherent rights 10 life. liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness" ana should have the
same chance to decide in regard to the quail
ity and secarIty OF their rights. They be-
lieve that the elevation and progress Of the
race demands free mothers, that If as much
thought and care were expended on the
human mother as upon the brute mother
great load Of evil heTedity now fOstered
alike in SONS and daughters would be
avoided; that women are the proper ones to
decide these questions that pertain to them
selves, and that the ballot is the lever which
alone can make their opinion felt on public
sentiment and through that on individual
action. SUhragiSts do not believe that 1t is
the duty Of anybody TO place any one any
where they believe only IN letting each run
his or her race untrammeled, hands Off Ii
people cannot do thing
THAT IS SUFFICIENT
No law but the law OF their being. the
higher law written by their Creator is
needed 10 prevent their doing what they
cannot do; but il they can do that is the
to do II if it be not an evil thing. and it is
mOnstr0us for law to interfere 10 prevent.
We believe in no boosting, in no hinderng,
simply let each do what he pleases until he
pleases to do wrong, then for the general
good restrain him. Scissors fourth PROPOSE
ton is self-eVident, women are envelOped in
injustice, tangled in law. and as long as
men make all the laws they are certainly
responsible. These conditions are the re-
suit Of an evil past, in which men as we'll as
women were the sport of despots, the
despOts usually having their turn in prison
or on scaffOld. For ages men allowed them
selves to be mere fighting machines, not
smart enough to turn their arms against
their masters; at last an elect few saw the
truth. Providence favored by mantling the
rulers with unusual stupidity and raising up
for the oppressed a shining hest OF bright
men and women who solved the problem of
human rights, worked one CT two practical
examples and left US the formula. Women
ask that their question now be solved Dy its
just principles and instead of quarreling OF
clubbing letlS seek tile truth in all honesty.
GHTog. Nag g. 1891 s. $
CRABWGSE PROGRESS.