Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-08-05
Woman in Politics.

The Republicans seem to have two tones
to their voice. In public they boisterousiy
prophecy an easy victory in 1892, put ~
private they have to whistle to keep tneir
spirits up.
They haven't any doubt, they say, spou5
their ability to roll up big majority, anu
snow the Democrats under, but all the
same they are going into the contest Win
heavy premonition of trouble and disaster:
The tidal wave of last November stili
roars in their ears, and the prospect OF
fighting that tariffiss all over again, WIN
no new facts or arguments at hand, Dut an
increasing popular conviction that IL Is
blunder, is somewhat diEcouraglng.
The most ominous opposition to the he
publicans next year, however. Will come
from the women OF America. II the Demo-
cratic party, plus three-quarters of all the
women, are arrayed against them, Gabriel
NAV as well hang up his trumpet, for no
resurrection blast will ever reach them
The possibility of such contingency is the
nightmare of the present political situation,
and it has so chilled their rampant hopes
that nothing but a force pump can supply
them with enthusiasm.
A mere man is not seriously affected by
the price of articles necessary to we'll
ordered household. These details are out
of his province and he hands over to the
| wife the responsibility of making pur-
chases for the family. He has other things
| to think of and willingly throws aside the
| cares which are developed by daily run
ming expenses.
| But it is different with women. They
are as sensitive to any advance in price as
| they are to any siur on their children. They
feel deeper obligation than any man can
to live within their weekly income. MT.
Mckinley may possibly persuade husbands
| that dime here or nickel there ls
small thing to grumbe about, may con-
| vince them that cheap clothing makes
cheap men and that high taxes add to the
prosperity of the country. but ne can
play that himsy sort on the women. Iney
will chase his theories out OF the mouse
| with broom handle-we speak metaphor
cally. of course-and meet his cajoleries
with tempest of indignant denials.
Tkey want to know if they and their
children are better off when they are forced
to paw thus much extra for every dozen
eggs, thus much extra for kitchen utensils
and thus much extra for the WOODEN
garments which keep them healthy and
strong. These are solid facts with which
they pelt the suave and glib protectlonlst,
and he has not been able to make answer
| What interest have we, say they, IN Your
monopolies and trusts and what not? 80
far Is we are concerned, the country is
| better off when every article we need can
be bought at fair price. You may talk
with slippery rhetoric about 1.-THE home
MARKET and "foreign trade" about
'shigher wages and blooming manu-.
| factures," but what we want is the COM
forts of home for reasonable sum-. Your
Mckinley bill promises great things, but
| they are a good deal like Mr.. Micawber's
PC ID fortune, which never stunned up
So far as we can see, your boosted pros
perity is in the hands of few, but as fol-
u.s. our husbands earn less aud we have to
pay more to keep alive.
To ID sure, the women can't vote. II
they could, Major Mckinley would travel
on a corduroy road through Ohio and wish
ne had meyer been born before he reached
the end of his journey. Like the Irishman
who casually remarked to his wife that he
had appointed her funeral for that day
week and would see that the corpse was
ready, they would warn the Major that the
time of his departure had arrived and they
would make sure that the door stood open
for his exit
| All of which means, 10 the las analysis,
that the element of danger which threatens
the Republicans in the next campaign is
the common sense of the common people.
They don't believe that high price is bet
ter than low price, and they will cay SO
at thu pols.-NeW York Herald.