The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-29
THE WOMAN'S COLUMN
Reasons Advanced in Favor of
Equal Rights for Women.
Women in Government Ofice-Ihe Will Of
q Married Womsn-A Theatrical Mans
Idea Of WOmon-H omely But Useful

Editor Homdn'5 Column. Morning Call:
He who assumes that women sutfraglsts
wish men to fall down and worship woman,
70 place her on a bed Of roses and exempt
her from work, to lift her into any place,
80 raise her above all labor, domestic and
maternal cares, and to relieve her from self
support" entirely misunderStandS their
claim or wilfully misTepresents them.
Neither do they hold the men of this genera
ton responsible for the present unjust state
Of things-itis legacy from the past, as we're
slavery, the divine right of kings, and many
another wrong. Men are responsible only
for continuing the wrong, for doing in law
90 the women whom they claim to protect
as they would on no account be done by.
The n0blest men were the first to see the
wrong and TO wake uD women, and many
women do not now see it. Ii their per-
sOnal surroundings are desirable they do
not see the principle of injustice because 1t
has not been applied to them. This war Is
not at all war between men and women,
it is a war for humanity, and men and
women are ranged on both sides. Women
sufragiSts deprecate waging
THE BATTLE on SEX LINES,
Or drawing invidious comparisons between
men and women, but opponents usually as
sail along that line, and so the comparison
passiyey submitting to Injustice; but they
are indiVidualiZed and helpless; tradition
and the unconscious sentiment OF the world
are against them, 50 she must be very brave
who ventures her Duny strength with the
risk of losing comfort. and men have no
present gain in espOGSlng their cause, so it
speaks we'll for the world that so many men
and women, our ableSt and best, stand as
its representatives, and it speaks well for
the cause that though some good people
oppose, ignorance, crime and vice fight it en-
maSse. To make our case, We must state
facts; If men choose to sustain tue wrong
they make themselves our opponents, not
otherwise. There Is no antagOniSm be-
tween men and women; the battle is be
tween justice and injustice. Women SUI
fTagists, men aud women, constantly labor
TO give women chances for Self-suppOrt;
they think each human being should sup
port sell, and no more approve OF mems
supporting women than of women support
ing men. That to which
THEY DO OBJECT
Is, expecting women to work twelve aud
fourteen hours per day, denying to them
any pay and claiming to support them.
The women who wear shiny aG0rnments
and never work are in some respects worse
of than others when they are not true COM
pani0ns and counSeoTs; they occupy about
the position OF fine pictures brIc-a-brac, or
expensive horses or dogs, ornamental, dis
play Of the owners vanity, and such posi-
ton Is worse even than unpaid useful labor.
One critic says The law is mora lenient
10 woman than TO man." Do Widows fare
better than Widowers? Is the wife deprived
Of personal ownership, Of her earnings, OF
the control Of her children. better of III law
than the husband who can claim all that she
has lost? Is she who has no hold on
court, Judge or jury safer than he who
makes and unmakes these officials? The
man never lived who would be willing to
exchange his legal rights for those of a
woman, and 1t is an insult to make such as
sertiODS IL assumes gross ignorance on the
part OF women. Women are robbed Of
property, Of chances il married of self
ownership. s ballot is simply a choice,
aud why should half the community have
no choice as regards
THE DEGREE OF PROTECTION,
No choice as regards the public influences
that mold their children and themselves too
This talk OF indirect influence is nonsense;
Government controls everything; it fixes
the conditions on which we live with Othe IS {;
our chance 10 earn our earnings; by its con-
troll over sewerage and the quality Of food it
influences our health; It mUldS our intellec cts
through The school system. and the mora! or
immoral Influences encouraged by Govern
ment do more TO shape our souls than do
the churches Government has a hold on
US al every point. We are all enmeshed in
politics and the ballot is the only means by
which our opinions can De brought TO bear
upon this all-im portant environment. The
Maha had more influence upon the govern
ment Of New Orleans than all its women,
because It's mem berS and their SympathiZeTS
had ballots. There Is the grace of truth in
saying, I've have women in our power, we
choose 10 keep them there" but mere trick
cry in asserting that women have no con-
Germ IN Government; that a ballot makes
no difference; that women do not know
enough to vote. Women who constitute
tw0-thirdS of our church members and not
one-seVentielh of our criminals, whose chill
dreu rarely learn their vices at their mothers
knee, who manage to keep respectable ia
deepest poverty, would not lower the stand
ard of politics. Evil knows it and therefore
opposes almost en- masse. S. s.
GiLog. Nay, 1891