The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-21
SENTIMENT AND SUFFRAGE.

:
noted for devotion to her home, ends a
note of criticism to the editor of the
EAGLE with the query: "Why do you
write so much of the sentimental side of
the question? Why notdeal with woman
as mans equal?'
We reply for the simple reason that
neither the men or the women, on either
side, would calmly submit to the pro-
nounced inequalities which such a dis
cussion would make only too plain.
To eliminate the sentiment inspired by
home, mother, wife and sex, and leave
woman and man in the struggle for ex-
istence, under the rule of the survival of
the fittest, and it would not be difficult
problem to foretell the fate of woman.
She would 60 to the wall in every
human conflict. In the fight that man
has made to subdue nature, from which
he has wrung, through sweat and blood,
ali the triumphs which civilization
boasts, women would have utterly sue
cumbed, and she, with her logically
weaker male mate, have been left
in a state Of savagery more pitiful
than that of the wild beast, if indeed
the race survived at all. Or, upon the
other hand, take woman as she is today,
having escaped, in a great measure, that
struggle whose victory is our present
high civilization, and compel her to con-
test for existence with her brother and
the result would be the same. In the
shop, office and store she holds her own
with her brother, yet but for that
brother there would be neither factory,
merchandise or accounts to be kept, no
more than would there be any home-life
If men only were human factors. When
1t comes to the question of government
these distinctions and inequalities are
even more pronounced. Physically nor
mentally are women calculated or
adapted to the evolving of the magnif-
cent achievements of either mechanics,
commerce or of government. These are
enterprises beyond her functions of brain
or body. 1t may be true that our civil
ization has emphasized rather than di-
unfinished the peculiarities of sex; that
the woman is more refined. tender and
intelligent. her form more different, her
face more expressive, but if SO, these are
due to the immunities secured for her by
The male-by him nurtured ard protected.
Women who in some sense are crowd
ing their brothers out of the shop. office
and store are doing so through the SYM
pathy of man for their sex, and not for
her as human uni. or as an indiyid-
ual. Mans hand in the struggle for ex-
isteuce, wealth, etc, IS against every
other mans, but not against woman's.
whom, if ne cannot encourage. he will
not antagonize. a thousand Miss Sbaws.
Anthonys. Leases and Cougars. couldn't
construct and propel a simple street car
IN thousand years. But, replies some
one, they don't have to. True enough.
and neither do they have 20 go TO war.
make laws or execute them. Still there
are class Of women who would, if they
could, and those named are among
them, despite the fact of mans better
fitness and greater ability in all of these
directions. Ships of state no more than
the ships OF the ocean; the mighty indus
irlal engines, no more than the engines
Of war; are, or can be, guided and
directed by the hand of women. until the
author of sex. from whence springs all
life, ahrogates and reverses His present
fat. Ii women should ever. under sncb
like idle ambition as dethroned their
prototype in the Garden of Eden
force their sex to an even handed
competition in all forms of activity
and Of government with man. not only
she but the race would be metastasised:
marriage, in becoming a conflict, would
cease, and new aud inconceivable
civilization ensue. 1t might be re-
marked here that the apostles of public
LIE for women, are as rule. unmarried
women, or women unfitly mated. We
know OF no exception. And it NAV be a
hard thing 10 say, even conceding that
we are eliminating all sentiment in this
article. yet it is true, that men viii grant
women anything out the right 10 rule
them. Man having drawn such a line
woman Will prove her equality in that
direction only when she breaks that
drawn linedOwu.
So much-and its very little in the
direction of what might lie said of this
woman's rights question, Invested Of all
the sentiment of which our lady cor
respondent complains. For il is true
That IN the settlement Of all questions BY