New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-13
THE BROOKLYN PROTEST.
AN ALBANY wOMAN's sUFFRAGIsT Re-
PLIES TO TT.
JUSTICE WANTED IN THE PLACE OF CH1vALRY
EVOLUTION OF THE sUFFRAGE-A REVOLT
OF TIE SOU =,
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir. The protest of Brooklyn women published
in "The Outlook OF April 2S IL the nucleus OF the
antl-surrage movement. 1t incredible that
a platform Of this character could originate In the
church Of a Beecher. II suffragists are able 10
meet the objections herein presented they VIII an
the principal objections advanced against I'M
partial suffrage. Permit brief analysis OF this
protest from the point of view OF politicai eAuaIity'
!. Suffrage is not n privilege TO De ehJoyeu ou'
duty be performed"
If suffrage a duty II certainly ought 10 pe
privilege. In a question OF privilege there may DC
choice Of action In question OF duty there Is no
choice The straight and narrow way must be
trodden though with bleeding feet and falterinS
step and fainting heart In this great struggle Tor
better social conditions women must not seek lot
ease but to elevate and ennobe humanity Ihose
inspiring words OF Mary Lyon should forever rihs
in the heart: There is nothing in the universe
which / fear but that | snail not know my ""o'e
duty or shall fail TO do H.
H. Suffrage Is a burdensome duty from whlch
women have hitherto enjoyed exemption ana no
ADEQUATE reason has been assigned for deprNihs
them of this immunity.
We hear on every side loud cries about the DUR
dons mposed by franchise Strange to say the cry
comes from the leisure class whose homework Is
done and whose children are reared by proxy Inc
grangers the teachers. the labor unions otfer no eN
cuse on this score. Busy people have usually inc
most time VIII our protesting friends state clearly
franchise? The duty OF voting certainly demands
an ntellgent understanding of the issues OF the dAy
and this every sefrespecting woman should p'sses''
franchised or disfranchised, II sh" would be the
comrade AMI equal of her husband ana son. ms
nrcparatlon for civic duties may be made b.
woren "a by many busy men. In the seclusion OF
home Professional and business men are abe 20
Inform themselves concerning the questions OF the
day without detrment to their chosen vocailons'
Women also can take an intelligent interest without
neglect OF the domestic routine. As for other onT-
dens involved in the franchise. a primary meeting
con,es once n year and the act OF voting requires
little more time than the deposit or a letter III the
postbox; certainly not as much IS Is consumer ~
an afternoon tea.
Ill "Conferring suffrage upon women who claim
{, ,mposes suffrage upon the many, who n'liher
desire It as a privilege nor regard 1t as their duty
This rule works both ways. Because some
women do not wan; the ballo; shall I, be denied
those who do? II the logic OF our protesting sisters
be applied - public AFFAIRS all progressive ""TN
would be al a standsti!l No advance Is ever pro-
posed In which a minority does not hang back but
our public Institutions are not conducted on thS
nrlnclnle DO we close our hish schools because a
minority Of taxpayers rebel against the higher
education At the public expense?
~ "rhe need Of America Is not an Increased
quantity. but an improved quality Of the vote
This "a begging the question since the subject
under consideration is the extension o; the iran
cblse The evolution VI the ba.,ot Is in this vile;
In the early history OF orr country only chnrch
members were allowed 10 vote. then the right Wa
conferred upon male properly -holleTs. at'cr""'l
the extension was made TO men above me age %
twcniy-one. The next step broke down the Color
line Who can. logically. object 10 that iur.h"r
oyolu,lon NJ franchise which c3afcrs this night
u,.,n the daughters OF the Republic The vote 81
the country must be large enough 10 represent al
who are governed. The vote is not large eh""E"
until every one ls represented VINO has ju' CAIN
70 representation Moreover. our seers ana phlA"-
throplsts believe tha, womans suffrage VIII In
urovc the quality OF the vote. Women. ~ RUE
arc more moral than men. II this IS not true why
are there ten men IN the ptniientlar's OF Inv
United States to woman Womans interests
are centred in the home. Few src 20 vicious tha'
they would not protest against The c'4is "h'n
threaten Their husbands and sons fessiml'Hc a.
sumptons concerning The mora quality ~ woman
vote dlqaupear IN The view % facts. Ia those fc'
lions where the prac;lca! working Of impartial sut-
frage has been seen me frhu''s .s'' ~, 80 ,f,un.
to the hgh"st interests OF 50 W ~ -, -. ..
dant testimony a. TO tn~ practical value u "oIh"'
,'zel Homework has moi been neglected. discof ]
has not been caused ~ FANNY -t'. M,i"'. ~ ','ir
lost in de.clcy. They have ~Nrr''se' 300 y.Nt
Ineut shown intelligence AM !ndrl-hi .''r ~ ,,'
choice are jealous OF the rA1Fil ter Oh t4i'-'4"
oIbcr hani We have ~, testimony 90 ia" d"stroyers
Of the home. our brewers and liquor" 'l,,f
qna'y e %. 5' the household not the inalyIuai.
-, :, arc rrrrrsen. Ell b. houfchold aurrtre'
"%,'' az 49,, inrn,rrieI man should De- G.sfIan-
ctt.eJ Tbl. a,,un1cnt rroves too ouch. Tor II The
head II ihe family casts the Noie .oI 'ir " ,,.'
men Of the household Household sunrage IS ,icPr
resented hy the husband ana VIE, " Nl.f, W.
in politicai opinion tn" VIE b. reprc'cnicl oh.y
/ when The husband votes alternately FOR hls WI"
ana hlnisef The principle ~ hodseh3lI , a,t' -,
puts womnn In the position % thosc VINO nav nav no
nositon worthy OF consideration. In the "ld.c 90
NewYolk Nor are .;og, more w9SS" women omen Who
are ind. pendent or breaG-whners Many OF thr i1'
many educating brothers ara SohS, ,.. In
lies are represented by men who are wie .N''S' 81"
! temperate and unlutc.ligent. ..,. ri,
~ Women NOT 50 represented suffer no praci al
! Injustice winch giving the suffrage VII ten'us, q
large percentage suffer injustice Women of ease lg
I more Inc fact that thous1nlt ot tn'lf 1870 -
S ssTEn fa " s6s for rd E1fe o FaS d"o
ton OF the ballot mar tnna,Snr1 =" ~" bower 20
stay the curse. THIS abundant: protection o,,
which our protesting friends speak hAs conn aoon,
Jtcrv DID our college doors swing open OF ihc!n.
selves to women? No. We had to storm ana el,i -
for aimittsnce DID the law protecting Meh~m ;
property drop down from the SKY Aass' c,i ~.
stallion ana Mar Seymour Howell for year pc.
| segcI the Legislature % New ana Moum -,
legal right to her child passed the irG..at3Ir ~
NewYork only lat year IN oniy SIX @i Of her
children The battle We are hsnng no" ~ ho 49,, ,oa
NeNYork STATE acne II Is for and u" men nsce
more than personal aud property rHhis. me IN in
lean idaa Ii
! The Government under which he must i've Inc ma
/ disfranchiscd for crime remaining me P'I9Vt
| and property rights. which the ants Say '"'e
! sufficient for women. I'll,
VII Equality IN character does not ,lInpls
similarity In function. and the duties ana ne o'
men and women are dIvneiy ordered 10 D. "''e'
| emf I'm the State I'm the home , -. .a.
Goethe says that the best father IS he VINO can
be both father and mother II the mother ~ Iaken
| away CONVERSELY the best mother Is she VINO C'I
be moth mother and father n the father u nakher
away The typical home ~ that In which INC lhtne'
and mother have equal power. and where tnc cn Ia
acterlstcs OF both parents find eNpressloh i u"
! OF both men and women are repTesehteud O ,n
! Governments everywhere. SUFFERING pc'duH,
! o. fe,n,ninc characteristics have been ignored
Human development viii not rench the hsmeeSn'
! noint while political life is overwhci;ied WIZ"
in.sculine qualities The equilibrium VIII be ~
tained in developing the feminine elements now
n we study the "dlvlne order as revealed IL