The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-05-25
OUR SUFFRAGE DEBATE,

The following is the graduating Grafton de-
Hvered by Miss Jennie Kelso at the lola High
School Commencement May 10 ls94l
This age is one of reforms. We had
political reform in Kansas last year.
Ehere is another before the state to-
day, which contains not only politi-
cal element, but social, moral and
q religious element. We heartily be-
lieve that this reform will be vast
improvement. Politically, we think
it will result i'm the elevation of the
political institutions of our land. 1t
will lead to higher and purer criter-
ion, both socially and morally. Re-
ligiously, its influence will be to in
crease the membership of our church
es, and fill our puIpits with highly
educated and sincere pastors. Some
religious writers think that such re-
form is contrary to the will of God.
While others believe that it will ele-
waite woman, and through her, the
church, upon which it so largely de-
ponds for its support.
Why should woman vote? The
first and most important reason is
that there is no good reason why she
should not vote. Our government is
one of the people, by the people and
for the people. Every one should ex-
ercise his right of suffrage unless he
has been lawfully deprived of the
privilege. The criminal does not vote
because he has forfeited his right.
Foreigners who have not become nat
uralized are prohibited from voting
because they are unacquainted with
the principles of our government.
Children are deprived of the ballot
because they lack knowledge and
Judgment. Idiots and insane persons
because they have been deprived of
the right use of their faculties. If
any good reason can be given for the
Acknowledgement of women, then they
should not be allowed to exercise their
right of suffrage. But since no such
reason can be given, they should be
granted this privilege.
Have women not the same interest
and the same patriotic spirit as their
brothers? What advantage would
the ballot be to woman? Let US see!
In one part of school district are
few voters and great number of pu-
pills. In another part of the same dis
al
no pupils. A new school house is to
be located. The many voters locate
the school house and the majority of
the pupils attend school at disad-
vantage. Again, women pay taxes
and have nothing to say as to how
that money shall be used. For in
stance, a woman owns great amount
of city property. This question aris-
es. Shall the street in front of her
property be paved? She, the owner
of this property, has nothing to say
about it. But the renters of the prop
erty vote to have it paved. She pays
for it. The following incident is re-
lated by Mrs. Stanton of New York:
"a clergyman having preached
glowing sermon on the Heavenly In
heritance' was asked by a bright
young woman of his congregation if
woman would have an equal share in
those celestial joys?' Certainly, he
replied, they have souls as well as
men. Their salvation is equally
precious. Jesus died for women as
well as for men, Then, she replied,
why not recognize our equality here
and make our earthly inheritance as
sure as that hereafter, and thus pre-
pare our fathers, husbands and sons
for equality, lest they should get up a
rebellion in Heaven and share the
fate of that arch aristocrat, who Mil
ton tells US, was hurled over the bat
Elements for his self assertion?'
The statement is made that women
can not govern. 1t is at once suppos-
ed that governing is exercised by
physical power. But force does not
appear in the best and highest gov
eminent. Reason, wisdom, knowl-
edge and public opinion govern in hu
man affairs. Because women vote it
does not follow that they will take
the government into their own hands
Voting by ballot in the most quiet
mode of government. The ballot
gives no rude command, but an opin-
ion. On election days the ballots are
dropped into the boxes as gently as
the snow falls. And we rise the next
morning to hail the new administra-
tion. One party goes out aud another
comes into power. How could it
harm women to take part in such a
tranquil formation of government?
Rev. J. f. Clarke in an address up
on this subject says: 1.-The philoso-
pliers who define the sphere of woman
say that her sphere is home, but the
woman who keeps house governs all
the time. She governs her domestics
and her children from rosy morn un-
til dewy eve. This is all right. This
is her sphere. This will do her no
harm. But she must not drop bal |