The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-03-09
THE lola REGISTER.
FRIDAY. MARCH 8. 1894.
OUR SUFFRAGE DEBATE.
Some More Contribu-
tons to the Cause
Of Equal Rights.
BAYARD, KANS.


ED. REGIsTER:-I have been read
ing with interest the articles on Wo.
man Suffrage, but had not intended
to take any part myself, but j. H
Wilson i'm his article makes some
statements to which I would like to
reply.
First, in regard to woman's 'mOral
right" to vote. Woman has as much
moral right to vote as thousands OF
men have. No matter how well edu-
Gated, how intelligent and well in
formed woman may be, when she
comes to the polls any blear eyed
drunken loafer has at present better
moral right" to vote than the wO-
man, and can say, "stand back, L am
one of the Lords of creation, and your
SUPERIOR. Our forefathers said,
'Taxation without Representation is
tyranny; yet thousands of women
are taxed without the right to vote.
In the first case it caused a war, and
now it will cause not a war, but a
revolution in politics. Women are
placed in the same rank with paupers,
criminals and idiots, for these are the
classes that are not allowed to vote.
Is there any moral right in this? 1t
is true that according to Genesis, wo-
man was the first to sin, but she was
first tempted, and we do not know but
that man would have sinned first il
the devil had approached him first.
1t is also true that Sarai called A b.
raham Lord" doubtless Hagar did
also, probably SelomOn's thousand
wives called him Lord" but surely
Mr.. Wilson would not have us go
back to those days and customs. II
woman was the first to sin, she was
the mother of him "who should save
his people from their sins", was great
ly honored by Him, was the most
faithful of his diciples for we are told
that "his disciples fled" and thewomen
followed him. 1t was woman that
was first at the sepulcher, and it was
Mary Magdalene that was the first to
hear and tell the good news of Christ's
resurrection. We are living under
the New Testament dispensation and
think women have at least equal
rights with men. Paul says women
should be subordinate to man but We
have no reason to believe that this
was more than his opinion as a man.
He argues that woman is the weaker
and must stay at home, where man
can protect her. In ancient times and
perhaps in some countries yet, when
might was right, and men had to cap
ture and protect their wives, by their
strength and prowess, and when the
work was all done by muscle alone,
such reasoning was good, but now in
everything excepting those pursuits
demanding mere physical strength,
woman not only equals but often ex-
cells man. Instead of man "laboring
and toiling" to provide living for
their wives, the most Of them work
Just as hard as their husbands, and
there are thousands of women that
toll bravely along "breasting the
hardships of life" to support a man,
and often he takes her hard earned
wages to spend for intoxicating
drink. Will a woman make any
worse wife or mother because she has
d voice in making laws for the pro-
lection of her sons and daughters?
We think not. but on the contrary,
will give them a better mental and
moral training than the Spartans did.
Woman's Suffrage is steadily gain
ing ground and we believe the time
is not far distant when the United
States constitution will read: 1.-THE
right to vote shall not be denied or
abridged on account of SEX"
Kansas has always been in the
front rank, let us keep her there now,
and give women the right to vote.
f. NJ. HOSLEY.