The Meeker herald., 1894-08-04
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
Senator Hoar Gives Good Reasons Wh,
sufYsage Should he Conferred
Cpou Woman,

Upon Woman.
The August number OF Tie Century has a
controversy on woman suffrage, Senator Hoar
advocating the testo.al OF the ballot upon
women, and Rev J. NJ Buckley giving his
reasons for believing such course dangerous
and inexpedleut. An abstract OF Senator
Hoar's arguments follows
| lam not one OF those who are impatient
with the SLOW movement of the cause OF NO
man suffrage Its advocates seek to change
| a relation which has existed from the foun-
datlon OF the earth 1t Is but a century since
| the experiment of a government In which all
| grown men could be admitted to an equal
share was well under way, and even In that
every sixth man was slave. Many persons
nov living remember the time when 1t was
| not considered safe or decent that a married
woman should control her own property, or
! that any woman should speak in public, or
attend public banquet, or practice mcdi-
/ cine, or engage In many other honest and
praiscWorthy occupations The changes OF
! the last fifty years have demolished one by
one most of the prejudiecs and most OF
the arguments which woman suffrage has
now TO encounter.
Nor am one of those who think that the
right Of suffrage is denied to women By men
because OF n tyrants desire to keep to them
selves the rule OF tEe state. There are come
exceptions, but ! think il Is chiefly an honest
] est desire Tor the WcIlarg ~ FfffItNf, tifty
we have to deal with. We convert men to
our cause almost as fast as We convert wo-
men.
Nobody that / know of proposes to compel
reluctant women TO vote. The proposition we
have to deal with Is to allow such women to
vote as may desire to, aud upon the same
terms and conditions are prescribed for
men. You may have any provision to secure
intelligence. to secure education, TO secure u
property qualification, require residence In 4
state or the payment Of taxes a contribV-
tlon to It's maintenance. All these things the
governing power in the state must settle
What We say H. as we say about negro suf-
fracc or Indian suffrage, that where these
conditions exist the question Of sex, as the
question of race, Is totally mmaterial.
All the evils of misgovernment affect wo-
men, ard, in many cases, affect women far
more than they affect men, while women arc
ordinarily free from the temptation which
wouldle lead to their continuance.
There cannot be found, either in our con
situations. or In the discussions of this sub
iect by great philosophers, any definition Of
the right 10 vote which does not include wo-
men.
have never seen anywhere any well con
.dercd statement Of the conditions upon
whlsh the right to vote ought 10 depend OK
crpt these;
tll 4 stake IN the country:
cll Attachment 10 the country;
lap Capacity TO judge Of the character q
candidates:
a. Capacity to Judge Of the public inter
est;
80 Contribution to the cost Of the govern
meni;
iGl Capacity to serve II in public ofics;
"a Capacity to bear 0rms IN its defense:
tsl An intelligent interest 10 public affairs /;
t9j Sufficient education.
Senator Hoar then takes up these condi-
iions one by one, and argues that they are as
well fulfilled By women as by men. lie nd
init. that women cannot. perhaps, bear arms
IN the defense of the country, but still he
hold, that fair share OF the burdens of war
fa'l upon women. and he points to the clasFc.
Of men who are exempted from war by reason
Of their occupations.