The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-22
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

The annual session Of the Woman's
National American Suffrage Association
was in session at Washington City all o.
last week. Charles Sumner, quarter of a
century ago, said that woman suffrage was
obviously one of the great questions Of the
future. and would be eventually decided
by the wish OF woman herself" The pro-
motors of this cause need to start an edu-
cational campaign among themselves. If
the majority Of women in this country
actively sought the right of suffrage it
would not long be denied them, but unless
they do, woman suffrage does not appear
TO man like strictly practical question.
Further, let US ask why do not the
majority of thinking women ask for
the suffrage? They do not ask for it
because they know that woman suffers
civic, social or legal wrongs that suf.
frage is necessary or serviceable to right;
they do not ask for it because they per-
ceive that women in politics when they
exert any influence at all simply duplicate
for good or evil the influence of their men.
The Southern woman was as calous to
slavery and its cruelty "a the Southern
man; the Southern woman was a more
ignorant and emotional. and therefore a
far more intensely bitter and reckless rebel
than the Southern man; the Mormon
woman as fanatlcal a defender of polygamy
as the Mormon man.
Beyond this, the utter incapacity of the
average woman to understand why
statute cannot wipe out sin and obliter-
ate every vice that Is not a crime makes
crank" women the natural allies of those
fem nine-mi nded masculine cranks who
are the prime movers for the passage of
sumptuary laws. whose logic is as lame a.
1t would be TO legislate horse thieves ont of
existence by enacting that nobody should
own any horses. II there are no horses
exposed 10 view there will be no horse
thieves; if there is no wine offered for sale
nobody will ever get drunk. Women
have the suffrage IN Wyoming aud have
always had it; and there they Just dup!i-
cate the average public opinion of their
men; the men are not disposed to make
any special crusades against gambling. the
liquor saloon or the Jciai evil. and so the
women rise Just about TO the level OF their
men on these subjects and merely duDu-
cate the masculine vote.
The system OF human slavery il, its
frlght!ui brutality and sensualty ought In
have touched the women of the South at
least to as eloquent protest rs has been
uttered against ntem perance. inhuman
criminal codes and noisome prisons. The
Southern woman knew that slavery mean.
cOncubinage At her own door; she knew
that under its baleful influence her hus-
band. her father. her brother and her son
we're ialrly melted IN sensuality she knew
that slavery meant the pollution of ha-
own home; she knew it meant the sale NJ
tender children from the parents. separa-
zion .! husband and wife. perpe;uation Of
poiygamy and the enforcement Of brutal
barbarian lust. Yet the Southern woman
was not only silent against slavery tina,
so.ied her own garments with its slimv
touch and filed them with its foul odors
but she was as hard and cruel TO her slaves
as any Southern man of her own social sta.
ton. The most awful cruelty ever practiced
upon slaves was the work OF q Southern
woman and society leader at New Orleans
who oa.y escaped !ynch.ng for her crimes
by highL The Southern woman was a
more savage and relentless advocate o.
rebellion than the most reckless Of South.
ern ''hre eaters" The bitterness Of a
Southern woman after the war was so
outrageous IS 70 once excite the disgust
and the grave rebuke OF Gen. Robert f.
Lee Why was this 500 No, because
Women are naturally more heag.ls.s than