The evening world., 1894-05-14
FAYORS GIVING THEM The BALLOT,
Dixon Thinks o Few Women az Members Of
the Last Legislature Would Have
Had a Good Effect,

iteV. DR.. A. c. Dixon, in opening his
sermon at Hanson Place Baptist Church.
brooklyn, yesterday. declared he could
not conceive any reason why a woman
should not be Mayor of the CITY of
Brooklyn, or Governor of New York
when a great country like England is
ruled by n woman.
Inc discourse was merely a prelude to
a sermon which Rev. Mr.. Dixon Is pre-
pairing for next Sunday, the subject of
which will be, woman in Home,
church and State" The subject taken
yesterday was: Shall Woman Have
the Ballot" Among other things, he
said:
Il find that my %prejudices are all on
one side, while reason is on the other.
1t Is difficult to make reason prevail
against prejudice. On the other hand.
1T is quite an easy matter to make preiu-
dice prevail against reason.
Il have given considerable thought to
the objections to woman suffrage /
have seen in the newspapers. One of
these Is that 1t is unscriptural to give
woman the ballot-that man is the head,
that there can be but one head, and If
you give woman the ballot you have two
heads and then there is a ballot with
a monster.
That does not follow. You may be
the head of a great firm in New York,
and all your clerks may vote. The fact
that they vote does not place them at
the head of the firm. Your headship
is just as perfect as If you never went
to the polls. Voting may be the hand
rather han the head. Woman was
made n helpmate for man. Surprising
that she can help him by voting rather
than by trying to take the position of
headship in the family That is merely
the Scripture relation.
There il nothing in the Scripture as
far as ! can see against giving woman
the privilege of expressing her sentiments
and protecting herself at the ballot
box. 1t does not put her in equal au-
thority at home with the father. The
latter at home Is head. although his
sons vote. The father just the same re-
tains his position as ruler Of the family.
Another objection urged strongly Is
that 1t will give to woman responsible
ties that she ought not to be compelled
to assume. If she votes, she may be b
Mayor, to be Governor, or, perhaps,
President of the United States. Fur
Their, she must bear the burden OF de-
Tending the ballot.
Woman has a responsibility which she
cannot well put off. 1t is that of
wealth; have not as yet heard woman any ~
a better ownership to it than her hus-
band. She may dispose OF 1t without
rellins a h' trade, i he must Mne" call u T@soI his
wife to sign the necessary documents.
When a husband dies, his wife gets part
of the estate. If the wife dies and does
$40 la,,anth ANYTHING IN har h1lQhl nd.
it is impossible for him to get a cent;
Suppose a woman has to defend the
ballot? She does 1T now. The women
during the war did as much fighting as
the men. True, they did not take a mus
ket, sleep in bitches and tramp for miles
to meet the enemy, but they, urged the
soldiers on with their sympathy and as
s%istance. -
"As for jury duty, preachers, lawyers
and doctors are excused from that, and a
woman might be also. In Columbus, a
town in Georgia, four-ittns OF .he popu-
keepers and the rough male eiemen IN
general have the power to elevate to the
offices whom they choose.
could be elected to the Legislature. They
would then lay open some. OF the Things
which the rascals do there, NOT SO
many bills of rascality would be passed
If these good wives ana mothers had
las for Mayor, / would like to see a
woman elected to that office in Brooklyn:
IL we could get a woman of stamina, of
plety, of brains and religion. such as
Frances willard, and put her, in as
Mayor, Governor or President, whatever
might be the weakness in other dlrec-
lions, there would be some conscience
about keeping the law and what could
be done for the uplifting and publication
of the people. ,
she could be Mayor of Brooklyn or
Governor of New York or President of
the United States.
1t Is SAID ina II me paliot were siVsn
forward, while the good one would re-
main shuddering behind. That is ex-
actly the case with the men. Some of
you before me are a trifie too pious to
vote"