Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-14
A PLEA FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
The Ballot Would Not be a reform
Against Nature."

Other Side of the Question.
Editor Egery EUeRing: My attention
has been called to u lengthy article In
your issue of June 9th, entitled "a
Reform Against Nature, &c." and
signed "Isobel II. Floyd" Now | AIN
preiudiced in the start by her signature.
A woman who would so disfigure the
grand old Spanish name of Isabella as
to write it with an 50" in the middle is
a woman who is striving after some
thing-notonety suspect.
Twenty-one States now have munich
pal woman suffrage, two States have
full woman suffrage, and the terrible
evil, decrease in population, has not
come upon them.
Woman suffrage will no more affect
the motherhood than manhood suffrage
has affected the fatherhood of the race.
What if the race does grow less In
quantity; if it improve in quality iii
were a consummation devoutedly to be
wished" and no device could more
surely bring about this desirable result
than the comforting of suffrage upon the
sex to whom it is now partially denied.
The same arguments which are now
being advanced against woman's en-
franchisement in this country are being
used, and have been used for centuries
in the old world monarchies, against
universal manhood suffrage.
"Have women the inherent qualities
to fill these offices to the satisfaction of
all concerned?" she asks, Historically.
Now, Mr.. Editor, in your short and
eventful life, did you ever know any
man to fill any office to the full and
complete satisfaction of all concerned,
especially the Office of Presidentl Is
the present incumbent of the Presiden-
tial chair fulfilling the incumbent's
duties to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned?"
"Woman to gain anything by enfran-
chisement would have to use ii, have to
go on the field of battle and meet men
on their own ground" Women are
already in the arena. In vain their keep
ers shout shack to your old dens of
ignorance and servitude." AS well shout
that cry to the tiger that has tasted
blood. Women are already, as we have
said, enlisted in the oncoming battle for
human rights, which is even now rend-
ing the air with the din of coming strife.
Women are no longer the mere slaves
of mems passions and prejudices. Our
great system of free public education
which has operated alike upon the
minds and characters of both sexes, has
made it impossible that the subserviency
of woman to man because of intellectual
superiority, can continue any longer.
Women are distinguishing themselves
in every State, as lawyers, doctors,
lectual enfranchisement has come. Shc
| ha9 1aA bu lIa Nf Ca1G oh ~ Ha
which man had for centuries sought To
make impregnable, around thefeuntains
of learning and knowledge. And who
fall back ION to light, and on to
freedom" 'Tis the universal cry, of the
winds that sweep the ocean, and the
storms that smite the sky.
""ris the old, old cry that led from
Edom Out Of darkness, out of bond.
age. On to light and on to freedom
oh, still, that cry doth come, and ye
cannot, aye ye dare not, bid the plead
ing lips be dumbr'
The safety of the republic demands
, the enfranchisement of her daughters
Our wisest statesmen see this, and are
aiding with tongue and pen the politi
/ |
"Isobel" seems to labor under the de
lusion that, Immediately upon obtain
ing the ballot, every woman will BE
comeia politician and an offlce-seeker
ignoring the claims of marriage ant
motherhood
Woman's enfrauchisement will M
more cause her to ignore Ghese claim
than mans enfranchisement has caused
| L. k,,s ssn . Nhn ala nf
and fatherhood.
If we would harken to such voices a.
: that of "Isubeln we would at once begir
; an iconoclastic crusade. All the uni
versity anneXes and women's colleges
all the coeducatonal institutions, in
cludlng our free public schools, thl
pride and glory of our land, would havt
.. to be destroyed. All that the emanci
pators have builded in the last two cen
turies would have to be torn down.
class which cannot take any part in tn
government of the republic does NO
: need so much and such costly education
If all this careful training and de
! ! velopment does not fit its subjects TO
citizenship of what use is it! The at
= traction which draws and binds togethe
: the sexes-sometimes for good, some
|
the head, but in the heart, and tn
? granting of her just rights to womai
= will have no more effect upon tn
natural relations of the sexes than tn
right to attend the church of her choic
!, has had. That is beautiful and touch
ing picture which "Isobel" draws of tn
> father and mother alike welcoming int
I the prepared home the little ones, an
the sweet, gentle, graceful, ignorant
helpless mother watching over the broo
!, while the strong, manly, couragcou:
capable father goes forth to battle fo
!. daily bread. But how often is til
) picture reversed? How often does tn
brutality and imbeciltY, to say nothin
of misfortune and death, of that kingl
: being, the father, drive the mothe
forth to become the bread-winner fo
y the helpless brood, and often, oh hoy
: often, the king himself condescends t
5 become pensioner upon her labor!
y Now and then we meet with an intel
ligent American citizen who insists tha
+ the war of the Revolution was all wron
:. and that it would have been better 10
y this country to have remained subjec
a to Great Britain. We occasionally SC
citizen of this republic going over t
y England and becoming Il citizen of tina
monarchy, but do these isolated case
T. have any weight with the majority
IS We think not. A strong belief in man
g right and ability for self-govcrnmen
still prevails. When this agitation 4
r, the woman suffrage question has bC
6 come one of the extinct controversial!
n such articles as that of "lsobcl's" wi
c be shown as literary curiositics, just a