The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-06-09

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TO me compliment to the sex, but
believe some good reasons were ad-
vanced for it. Even some of its
staunchest advocates, however, doubt if
there will ever be such another build
ing at such another show. did not
believe IN sex in literature or art.
Every book should be compared with
all other books of its kind, and so with
every picture, statue, or musical COM
position. There are few trades or
professions that l do not think women
fairly well equipped for, or capable OF
being prepared for. l cannot say that
| quite like the idea of woman
preacher, tut that may be mere pre-
Judlce; nor DO l think that l would
retain a woman lawyer. But this is
neither here nor there.
In politics l do not think that wo-
men have any place. The life is too
public, too wearing, and too untitled
to the nature of women. 1t is bad
enough for men-so bad, that some of
the best Of them keep out of it; and 1t
would be worse for women. Many of
the women who are enthusiastic in the
cause OF suffrage seem to think that if
they are once given the power to vote,
every vexed question will be settled,
every wrong righted. By dropping
their ballots in the box they believe
that they can set in motion the machin-
cry OF an earthly paradise. 1 wish 1
could think so. 1t is my opinion that
it would let loose the wheels of purga-
tory. If the ballot were the end, that
would be one thing, but it is only the
beginning. If women vote they must
hold office, they must attend primaries,
they must sit on juries. We shall have
women "heelers" and women "bosses;"
there will be the girls of the Fourth
Ward (when it comes to New York;
as we'll as the boys.
What will become of home life, |
should like to know, if the mother and
father both are at the primary" or the
conventionl Who will look after the
children Hired mothers? But can
every woman with political ambitions
afford to pay for resident or visiting
motherP And even if she can, will
such one take the place of the real
mother2 | think not. Cannot a
woman find a sufficiently engrossing
sphere in the very important work of
training her childrenl If there are
any sons among them she can mould
them into good citizens; if there are
daughters, she can guide their foot
steps along any path they may choose,
for all paths but the political are open
to them. | do not think that to be
good housewife should be the end and
aim of every woman's ambition, but
do think that it should be some part of
it ; for am oldfashioned enough to
be pious believer in the influence of
mothers training upon her children.
Read the life of any great man, and
you will see how much of his greatness
he owed his mother. 1t seems TO me
that it is a bigger feather in a woman's
cap-a brighter jewel in her crown
to be the mother of George Wash
lngton than to be a member of Con.
gress from the Thirty second District.
From the day Adam and Eve were
created to the present year of grace
men and women have been different in
all important respects. They were
made to fill different roles. 1t was
intended by nature that men should
work, and that women should share il
the disposition and enjoyment of the
fruits of their labor. Circumstances
alter cases, and women are often-alas!
too often-drlven out into the world
to make their own way. Would they
find it any easier if they had the bal
lot2 Do men find it SO easy to get
work. Ii they do, why are there so
many thousands of the clamoring un-
empIoyedP
1t is said that the laws are unfair to
women. Then call the attention of
the law makers to the fact, and see how
soon they will be amended. l think
that men want to be fair to women,
and a petition will work wonders with
Congressman. Will women always be
fair to women? This is serious ques-
ton. They may on some points, but
the question of chivalry never comes
into consideration between women. 1t
does between men and women, and
the latter profit by it.
speak from experience when l say
that | don't see how women can culti-
vate home life and enter the political
arena. Circumstances forged me to
90 out into the world to earn my own
bread and a part of that of others.
When my mother was living, she Liade
the home, and all went well. But after
that, after marriages and deaths, a
family of four small children came 10
me for a home. don't mean for sup
port, for they had a father living, but
for home. l had to take, as far as
possible, the place of my sister, their
mother. To do my duty by them
and by my work was the most difficult
task | ever undertook. | had to 60 10
S nv office every day and leave them to
! the care of others. Sometimes the
, plan worked well, but oftener 1t worked
ill-very ill indeed. l had seven
people doing, or attempting to do,
I what and two others could have done
: had l been able to be at home and
look after things myself. Suppose thai
. politics had been added to my other
cares? Suppose that had had meet.
ings to attend and candidates to elect
perhaps to be elected myself Wha
y would have been the result? Ever
). direr disaster We cannot worship
God and Mammon neither can we bs
politicians and women. 1t is agains
u nature, against reason. Give woman
everything she wants, but not the bal
Il lot. Opon every field of learning
e every avenue of industry to her, bu
. keep her out of politics. The ballo