The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-05-30
WOMEN WRITE THE EAGLE"

One might be led to think, from the
aggressive spirit Of the dualistic cam
paign being now carried forward III KAN
sas by imported hyphenated clacquerz
and the din kept up by LEGAL pop guns,
| that the eccentric delirium was sweep
| ing everything before II. Nothing like
| it was ever witnessed anywhere. 1t is a
regular double -barreled campaign, two
meetings being held each day at two
different places and for two days IN
each place. Nothing is heard i'll the
papers Of the localities where these
rallies are in progress bat the clap-trap
and ciish m ciaver of ''enslaved and
downtrodden SEX ''taxation without
representation" Fright to trial by
peers" equality before the law" fair
"chance in the race for life, Selfish
mans inhumanity," and much Ike rot.
The real truth, the true incentive
for all this effort OF a class
of peculiarly constituted women,
alone is not recited. But it Is not all
one way. The silent half is the big half
and among women it is certain that the
great majority are neither amused or
convinced. The trouble with the right
side of the question is that every element
in woman's nature which renders her
averse to publicity restrains her from
voicing her convictions. Last Saturday
the editor Of the EAGLE was in receipt of
two letters from women, one of them
resident Of this city, the other of Larned,
both endorsing, in unequivocal terms
the position of the EAGLE Oh female suf-
frage, both saying that they wrote only
for our encouragement but neither au-
thorizing the use of their names. Be-
lieving that they will not object to ex
cerptS from their letters, we quote, as
they 60 to show tha1 it is only the mock
modest advocate of the vagary who is
shocked at our homely and plain Ian
guage:
To the Editor OF the Eagle.
my DEAR SIR-Will You accept -my
heartfelt admiration for your expressed
sentiments on woman suffrage, my keenest
appreciation OF the arguments sustained
by you. Woman has a grand work IL
life-some of them could find it in being
less idle with mind aud body, others by
being less industrious with their tongues
If woman is to WELD the ballot it will be
at the expense of greater dissentions than
the present offers. God made man the
head of woman rs also the head of govern
ment. Briefly these are my sentiments" "
The other letter is quite long in which
the writer not only declares convictions
but sets forth the arguments. We quote
a few sentences:
MY DEAR SIR:-If had a vote il would
be an emphatic mo- Woman Is wiser
than man in many things, interior to him
in very few, but that has nothing to do
with II problem which INVOLVES public
responsibility aud the neglect Of private
ones of equal importance TO the race, L
could vote as underStandingly as five out
of ten men 1 am convinced. but the power
OF the ballot III woman's hand would not
be increased for good. It's an obligation
with no adequate return for the wives OF
the land; would be a burthen for gran
interest TO girls who hope to
be the center of home. All
the men vote. including father, husband
aud brothers, and where, therefore, Is the
distinctive advantage or honor for mother
wife and sisters in it? l would not shrink
particularly from gong TO the polls but
nature didn't endow me for shouldering
all that logically grows ont of that act.
There is enough OF public life for women
alresdy, and what with charities, churches
aud social demands l fear toe many. Men
cannot or viii not take our places in these
any more thau they could in house
hold duties and in wlfely burthenS. for
children are born and must be nurtured
into manhood and' womanhood What
the character of that manhood aud woman
hood Will be rests almost wholly with the
mother. | say let the responsible |
iiy of mems work aud duties remain with
them, all the demands Of the childless,
husbandiesS and the discontented of my
sex TO the contrary, notwithstanding |
Once the barthen imposed and we
would never nd ourselves of il legally. |
and to personally attempt TO dodge or
evade the duty of voting TOR your male |
friends choice or against his euemy would |
lead To troubles that a womnn's heart |
would avoid Upon tue whole ! am with |
you heart and hand. preferriug that the |
men folks do the voting aud meet all the |
responsibilities of the ballot, Including |
making laws whereby they can put their |
property in their wives hands for the sake |
OF a home ami their children. and can CO |
the fighting also when necessary"