The herald., 1894-05-09
A DECIDED RIFT IN THE Lutte,
Political Education Club Wo-
men VS.. the Suffragists.
Some Reasons Why Men Should
Teach the Budding Voters.
A Reply to Some Causttc Comments on
the Educational Movsment-Eo
Competition With Other Or
ganizations Intended.

All is not smooth among the so.called
strong minded womsn Of this city. There
are number OF women's suffrage clubs
and kindred organizations hereabou's,
formed for tho purpose OF advocating
female Suffrage, and it appears recently
some women, who are OF the opinion
that m en-soms men-knew few things
worth the having. have got what they
call political Educational Move
ment," at which number of men we're
billed to lecture to wnuld-be women
voters, on politics. Now some of the
suftragists think they knew enough to
teach Judge Cheney, Judge Widney,
Judge McComas, Judge Variei and the
other eminent jurists selected rs lectur-
ers. and object to having any men tell
them what they ought to do, and have
given voice to these objections.
Herewith 10 given q reply to these OBJ.
jectors from O. A. L., q young lady who
is quite prominent among women who
think. She states her case briefly and
to the point, rare aud happy gift for
women who write for newspaperh
EDITORS HERALD:-A curious miscon-
ception seems to have gone abroad
among the Woman Suffrage and Politi-
cal Economy clubs OF this city, regard
ing the political educational movement
started several weeks ago. They as.
sumo that this Saturday night course OF
conversational lectures is trying to COM
pete with them in their own chosen line
1T. -. T.. H., kAv
such an erroneous Interpretation OF the
work OF few earnest women got abroad
it is hard to say. The idea dominating
this new plan is in the frat place to
avoid all capitalization into clubs or
factions, and to meet for the purpose OF
informal conversation and study, not
only upon law and legislation. but alec
the vital topics OF the day. Saturday
night was chosen in order that all
echool-tsachers and women OF PROBES.
Ii this conflicts with the meeting OF any
particular club, it was certainly unin-
territorial.
1t appears, however. that instead Of
being rejsiced that specialists of learn
ing and intelligence are trying to assist
women in making their cause popular
by first understanding the questions and
problems which they are bound to meet
sooner or later. and giving valuable time
and thought without any other purpose
than sympathy, these ladies take re-
sentful attitude and choose 10 be aus.
picious of their motives, and quote Latin
to testify that they have long ago laid
aside the swaddling clothes of law as it
is prescribed by the specialist Alas,
we fear that it is difficult yet for the vast
majority OF would.be euffregists to COM
prehend the fret principles of suffrage,
and as q recent speaker on the question
said. they require TO suffer more befoTe
they will think and act in conformity
with their ideals.
Such men as Judge Cheney, Senator
Cronin, Judge Widney, Judge Nc
Oomas. Judge Variel, and other special
ists, who are expected to fjciate as
leading speakers upon specific topics
during this Saturday night series OF
lectures, are not men whose motives are
to be questioned. They will simply en-
deavor to give in plain, terse statements
such information as months OF text
book study would not suffice to teach,
and both meu and women may profit
ably attend the course which Is mapped
out for the season. In the face of their
courteous readiness to answer the re-
quest OF women who first conceived
this popular course Of politics, the in
situation Of their charitable" conde-
scension to teach is unworthy on the
part of the "W. 81" to say nothing OF
it's injustice.
Woman's success in her effort at free
expression politically depends as much
upon her power to dominate herself ss
upon anything else. If she cannot begin
this work impersonally and with the one
aim to understand the law before pro-
posing the amendments, che will simply
20 on repeating the mietakes OF men in
tellectually and morally.
Suffrage clubs exist, but by their own
confession fail in making their cause
popular and enlist but mere handful
in their work. The majority of women
show great apathy towards their work
and why? Because the majority OF
women are too engrossed with home
duties and society to undertake the
study of politics as study.
It is for this very reason that this pop.
ular lecture course WAS planned, and not
with any intention of competing with
any one Of the little energetic bodies OF
women who are working with organized
effort.
The course is open to both men and
women, but as women, by reason of their
leisure from the stress OF business cares,
were supposed to devote more time and
interest to the lectures, the circulars
were especially addressed to them. But
there is nothing exclusive. even by i'm
pication, in their wording, since the
fact is recognized that all higher educa-
ton leads to equal suffrage.