The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1894-08-03
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
Senator Hoar Olives Good Rsasons Why
/. sunssgs should Re Conferred
Upon WomAa.

Il
Tho August number OF tn Csatsyy has 4.
controversy on woman suffrage, Senator Hoar
advocating the bestowal Of the ballot upon
women, and Rev. J. n. Buckley giving his
reasons for believing such course dangerous
and inexpedient. An abstract OF Senator
/ Hoar's arguments follows:
lam not one Of those who arc impatient
with the slow movement OF the cause Of wo-
man suffrage. Its advocates sock 10 change
relation which has existed from the f0un-
dalton Of the earth. II Is but century slnco
the experiment Of government IN which all
share was we'll under way, and even In that
every sixth man was . slave. Many persons
now living remember tho time when II was
| not considered safe or decent that . married
woman should control her own property, or
that any woman should speak In public, or
| attend public banquet, or practice medi-
cine, or engage In many other honest and
praIseworthy occupations Tho changes Of
| The last fifty years have demolished ono by
one most Of the prejudlces and most Of
| the arguments which woman suffrage has
| now 10 encounter.
| right Of suffrage is denied to women by men
| because Of tyrants desire to keep to them
selves the rule OF tho state. There are somo
| exceptions, but think II 10 chiefly an honest
desire for the good Of the state, and an hon
est desire for tho welfare Of women, that
we have to deal with. We convert mon 70
our cause almost as fast o. we convert wo.
| men.
Nobody that know Of proposes 70 compel
| reluctant women TO vote. The proposition Wa
have 10 deal with Ia to allow such women TO
vote as may desire TO- and upon the same
terms and conditions a. arc prescribed for
men. You may have any provision TO seruru
intelligence, to secure education, to secure
property qualification, require residence IN n
state, or the payment of taxes Is c0ntribu-
tion TO Its maintenance. All these thIngs this
governing power In tho state must settle.
What we say is, as we say about negro suf-
frage or Indian suffrage, thatwhere these
conditions exist the. question Of sex, as tho
| question Of race, Is totally immatcrial.
All the evils of misgovcrnment affect wo-
men, ard, In many cnses, affect women far
more than they affect men, while women arc
ordinarily free from the temptation which
would lead to their continuance.
There cannot be found, either In our con-
situations. or In the discussions Of this sub
jcct by great philosophers, any definition OF
the right to vote which docs not include wo-
| men.
have never seen anywhere any we'll con-
| pidcrcd statement Of the conditions upon
cept these:
az A stake In the country:
(a) Attachment to the country;
(3) Capacity TO judge Of the character OF
| candidates;
~ Capacity 10 judge Of the public inter-
est;
C5l Contribution to the cost of the govern
| ment;
G) Capacity to serve II In public ofilcs;
"a Capacity to bear arms In Its defense;
Isl An intelligent interest In public affairs !;
Q) Sufficient education.
Senator Hoar then takes up these condl-
lions one by one, and argues that they arc IA
we'll fulfilled by women a. by men. lie id.
mits that women cannot. perhaps, bear arms
10 the defense OF the country, but still he
holds that fair share Of the burdens Of war
fall upon women, and he points to the classes
Of men who are exempted from war by reason
OF their occupations.