New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-04

TWO VIEWS OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

THE wOMEN's CONQUEST OF NEW,YORk' ,o ny
Member OF the Committee OF SaieV Vi i'V'
PIP. 81 Harper Brothers.
What is common sense? Almost Invariably ea0"
party TO a controversy declares MS TO DE the co'"
mon-sen-e side Of IT, and Identifies common sehSe
with some sort Of abstract perpetual and universal
truth OF which OF course. he is himself the repos-
tory and guardian. There is no more iormidaoie
weapon in all the armory Of dialectics than th's
Nothing be more crushing to your opponent
than to tell him he is devoid OF common sense MOI
more conclusvey triumphant for yourself thah 10
claim q monopoly thereof The oracular definition
however seems TO be far astray. Common sense Is
no infallble touch, zone abstract law and proph-
ecy The late Laureate measured II more truly wheh
he spoke Of "the common sense OF most lheie was
a popular belief that the earth was nat an"
fixed, and that the sun moved around H. maj was
the '.common-sense" view Of the solar system ana
CalIleo's notions were as contrary and repugnant
20 the common sense OF his period as are bro'ner
Jaspers to-day. As good Republicans we peieN" IN
the rule Of the majority. and we believe tha' 'ne
majority is generally right Matthew Arnolds eio-
ouent essay on Numbers the contrary notw'tn-
standing But We are scarcely prepared 10 say INA,
the majority never makes mistake; else "ouio
our Government be more perfect than IL u.s.
In applying so-called common sense to the con-
sideration Of woman suffrage. therefore, pr 'acoo'
makes no valid appeal to nfallibe distractions but
merely 10 the current beliefs and practices OF her
fellow citizensf indeed. citizenship be properly an
attribute Of her She seeks to sno" 'ha' 'he
logical sequence of those beliefs and practices Is the
granting of the suffrage to women her u'i" u
argument Is partly historical. partly analogcal In
1896 only seven vocat.ons were open 10 women
They might be teachers seamsresses. dressinaKerS'
milliners aiors factory hands and household serv-
ants In 1854 no less than 354 subdivisions OF IN
dustry open to them. into whch more '''''
100000 women had entered Thus women are no
longer an exclusively dependent class. Ihey haNe
become largely disappearing and industrlahy
and heir
the personal service OF their male relatives Again
a generation two ago all d woman property
real and personal even her clothing ana gll's re-
ce,ved nv her in childhood, were by law handed
over 10 the absolute control Of her husbano' ever!
cent Of her earnings belonged to him; she couu
mako no will give no power of attorney, make no
contract engage in business, and she had no
control guardianship over her own chiiure"' ~
day all this Is changed. and the wire Is recogh'%eu
bv law as the equal partner of her husband and
not as serf or chat'el. Here. then. Is legai
emancipation noteworthy as the industrial AS
for the progress made in intellectual affairs, II is
80 much in evidence as scarcely 10 neea He''io''
Men now living remember when there was not one
high school for girls In America Even young men
remember when women in this very city were In
shifted and almost mobbed. for seekins 10 STUDY
medicine To-day wome,s seminaries and COL
leges are legion co-education prevails in ieaoine
universities in America. England ana FRANCE.
women are taking far more than their numerical
OF academic hOnOrS.
way In all the learned professions with creoi' "
themselves and with profit TO mankind
The old order then. has changed. and given piace
to new and the logical sequence 10 ms lhuus.'"
legal and intellectual emancipation, DIT jacob ar
cues is political emancipaton-the right 10 'o'e
and TO hold office II is observed that the Oppose
ton TO this last step is practically Identical win
that offered IN turn to each preceding one Inc
Examinations against woman suffrage on BIBLICAL
grounds are an echo of those similarly made on
similar grounds against woman's desire 10 own
property to engage in lawful industry, and 70 ac-
ou,re intellectual culture. Many to-day remember
we'll how an English Anti-Slavery Convention re-
fused 10 recognize two delegates from America DE-
cause they were women, and all pubhc luiC'io.
for women was ''in defiance OF COO ORDNANCE
And Immediately thereafter the Congregational anu
Methodist churches of Massachusetts were ciosed
.,rs, anti.slavery societies because the latter
sset aside the laws OF God" by allowing women 10
sneak In public. Divine Providence was also APP
nealed 20 against the foundation OF Mount HoiyoAe
SEMINARY: and even within the last score of years
+he higher education of women has been In emil
80, nlaces solemnly denounced as menace 10
good morals and an offence 10 the CHRISTIAN re-
iieon Seeing thus that only old ana OIL
beaten foes are TO be overcome. ana that 'he prog
ress OF thought and OF events 'Droadehs Slowly
down from precedent to precedent" DIT jacob
concludes that the contamination for which she
- nowerfulIv pleads is both inevitable and immi-
nent. ur.
The various arguments against woman su"'aee
which as we have said are CHIEFLY OLD ana hacN
neved are met by Or. Jacob cleverly II not oo''-
.,,nc,nvlv To the most Interesting and important
NJ these her answer is at least satisfactory we
.urnose that In all the controversy over this SUD-
feet that has ragged during the past season 'nc'i'.
paraby the strongest contention OF the anus
- heen that 10 grant the suffrage to women
.xould merely increase the quantity ana not I'M
prove but rather actually degrade the quah'y oi
the nopular vote since the illterate and immoral
women voters. under the manipulation OF corrupt
bosses would outnumber the virtuous intehlgeh'
and INDEPENDENT. This consideration Is undehiaoiS
,,,er,inent md has much weight with thoughtfui
tmen and women. DR.. Jacobs answer TO IL Is we
,reSret to see nothing but "tu quoque. NUMBERS
she frankly comedies, will be changed, bnt not pro
porttons and the ignorance OF ignorant women uii-
fers I'm no wise from that OF ignorant men IL tne
illlterate or vicious man has right 10 vote the
,literate or Vicious woman should have the same
right Having made possible the existence OF an
.yu In one-half of the community, we should not
hesitate TO let the same evil extend through the
other half as we'll That's what DR.. Jacobs u
ouooue" practically amounts to. and we repeal
the result is not satisfactory. II Is distinctly ois
appointing. We are made TO understand 'i'"' ii
.o vast a social and political revolution no CIVIC
heneAts are to proceed. Politics will be as corrupt
as ever. The proportion OF incompetent anu u
worthy voters will not be lessened Ihere VIII W
- ,rnrovement no reform, no progress. He that
is righteous VIII probapis DC 'iS"'''"'
also he that is unrighteous VIII be uhrigh'eou'
.,ul As nm abstract principle. we may be per
shaded that women should be permitted 10 snare IL
tho evils which their brothers do But on the com
mon-sense ground OF promoting the common good
what appeal does such an arrangement maze
Though sounded in the pubic ear from no" u'','
doomsday. II wou'd sCarVe'! many "
guard OF converts.
mt the absence OF good implies at least pos
.ih,,itv OF the presence OF evil. IL woman suraS
,vill do the state good, there Is danger una,
will do actual harm. for great forces are Se'uo"
-, 7, the second OF the two volumes befor
-. ne have an entertaining II sometimes gre"
-a..a nnr,rayal OF the imasIned results OF exten