The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-22
Woman i'm Politics.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
She is there, or nearly there, and would
have been much nearer but for the mad
ness of some Of her profesSed friends.
Over the constant protests OF the level
headed a few would-be leaders began e.rly
TO insist on having a political party for
their special crotchet. They could not walt
the slow movements of the masses, but
must leap at one bound to the consumma-
ton of their scheme. OF course, they be-
gan to denounce everybody who did not
follow their leadership. and to teach that
none were friendly to their views who did
not train with them. After decade or so
the party gave up the ghost, but the lead
ers sought alliance with a morbund party
of very much the same breadth OF thought,
or, rather, the other party sought to boost
itself into a little longer life by taking on
the 'remains' of the disbanded party.
Now, old Lndley Murray's rule, two mega
tives in English destroy one another and
are equivalent to an affirmative is as true
in grammar as ever. but this experiment
in politics shows that two negative parties
uniting in one destroy one another, and are
equivalent only to zero, or whereabouts.
1t is due to the truth Of history 10 record
that from the first the more intelligent
women and men who favored equal suffrage
and all that II implies never sympathiZed
with either Of these mad schemes. They
al once that il Handicapped them in
their earnest l2bOrs 10 educate the mill
lions TO the point OF obtaining and sustain
ing such legislation would make their
thought a reality. They refused TO 80 with
il into a separate party, and they equally
refuse to go with its self-declare1 god
father. Nevertheless, there mas been q
gradual asserting TO the essential thought,
OF the rights or women 10 Whatever beiones
to the race in spite or the exhibitions wihch
the Leases and the Cougars OF the times
have made OF themselves.
"A
worst OF il, Il Is home born. Mrs. Rumor,
who by the way does not always tell the
truth, Is saying that some home organs
cation OF women, most reputable In Is
personnel has determined not TO be happy
unless one or more women are put on the
city School Board. i am sorry. There is no
doubt that there are several women in the
city who are equal, IL Tot superior. 10 the
very best men now on mat board, or likely
10 be put on ii at the coming election.
Their long connection with the schools and
with school work gives them exceptional
hardly do better than 10 elect them But
they should be elected because OF their SUI
perior fitness. not simply because they are
women. The proposition, as l understand
II is TO elect a woman because she is a
woman. and If reports are trae. commit
tee OF women are hunting for the person.
That is all wrong. They may hit upon a
good society woman or leader OF one or
more clubs. and Yet make n great mistake
as 10 special fitness for the office IL IS
well to remember that this Office requires
a personal fitness. Almost anybody may
corder. for deputies can be hired TO DO the
work. but to be a good Mayor or a good
Judge, or good county commissioner, or a
good school commissioner requires a per-
sOnal fitness. Let Us hope that the sisters
Will not insist on asking Us 10 vote FOR a
woman because she Is woman and
leader I'm some department OF social life.
but because she has the best available
qualifications for the office Can svca a
woman o. found in esther OF fhe di---f-ts
soon 10 elect new members? L.. L. SEE.
INDIANAPOLIS March Al