Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-07-26
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

question and its probable effect on gov
ernment if realized. For reasons
which follow and which it seems must
appeal to the best judgment and COM
mon sense, the writer of the article
argues that woman suffrage would add
complications to political conditions
already existing which would be to the
last degree prejudicial to the welfare
of the country. Extracts from the
article follow:
There was time when the AmeTi-
can people fattered themselves with
the pleasing thought that they had sue
ceeded in finally solving the problem of
democratic government. The public
mind is no longer in this state OF self
congratulation. The number of Amer
lean citizens who are much troubled by
the miscarriages of democratic govern
ment in the nation, in the states, and
especially in our municipalities, is very
large and constantly growing. We do
not believe that many of them would
seriously think of substituting for the
present form of government another
form not democratic. But we are very
sure, the idea that the evils We now
complain of can be cured by further
extensions of the suffrage, is, after the
experiences we have had, entertained
by but very few, if any. thinking men.
On the contrary. the belief is fast gain
ing ground that in the characterization
of our institutions by enlargements of
the suffrage we have gone fully as far
as the safety of the republic will war
rant, and that it is much more adVisa-
| bic to sift the body of voters by educa-
tional requirements and the like, than
to expand it by indIscriminating
additions.
when woman of higher character
| and culture asks US why she should not
have the right to vote while a pIanta-
tion negro or an immigrant knowing
nothing of American institutions or of
| the English language has that right,
the appeal to our sympgthies is very
strong. But calm reason tells US that.
after all, the highly educated woman
and the plantation negro and the ignor-
ant man from abroad do not stand
upon the same level of comparison.
If woman suffI age meant only the en-
| REIMBURSEMENT of the women of high
character and good education, there
| would be little opposition among the
men, providing such women actually
| desired the ballot. But the introduce
| tion of woman suffrage also means the
| enfranchisement of those classes who
| correspond in character and education
to the plantation negro and the ignor-
ant immigrant. And now, admitting
that among the men enjoying the right
to vote there are very many whose
mental and moral fitness for the exer-
else of political privileges is at least
| doubtful, the question arises whether
it would be wise to increase in so
sweeping manner, as it would be
done by the general enfranchisement of
women, the proportion of persons of
doubtful fitness in the voting body.
1T is no answer to this question
| that as the ut women would be enfran-
chised with the unfit, the proportion
| between the fit and unfit would, in the
voting body, remain on the whole
| about the same.
"Ole of our troubles is that among
male voters the so called better classes.
tire well educated and refined. take
generally a much less active part in
that political activity which has di-
rect bearing upon the exercise of the
suffrage, as well as in the act of vot-
ing itself, than the less well educated
and refined, the So called lower classes.
Another is that many voters are ipnor-
ant or careless of public questions, or
easily reached by dangerous influences.
or apt to be controlled BY personal con-
siderations or blind party spirit, or
have only one object in view, and sac
rifce to it all others. Now, if men of
refinement are deferred from the nee
essary political activity by the rudeness
OF the contacts inSeparable from If.
is it not probable that refined women
will he still more deferred? Is i not
probable that even more fsEnaie than
male voters would bs ignorant or care
! less d public questions, OF easily
reached and controlled By extraneous.
especially sectarian, infln noes, or per
sonal considerations, or anything that
appeals more to the emotions than to
reason2 Is il net probable, in one
word, that while doubtless a limited
element Of excellent quality would be
added to TIE voting force, not only the
positive quantity but the proportion in
it Of the element to which some of our
most serious troubles are owing. would
be largely ineFeasedg
Woman suffrage may eventually
come It may appear at some future
time even very desirable. But will it
not be wise to get more light On the
problems which COW perpIex US, before
adding to them. without the possibility
of recall, a new complication which