The Forrest City times., 1895-08-30
woman's Suffrage Again.
FuTToR rINEs;-

YOU print an extract from the Commercial
Appeal which, ii the assumptions made
by that journal are true, may likely prove
the corp lie grace of the womans suffrage
movement. The editor OF the Appeal
most frequently violates in their entirety,
the negative precepts which he prescribes
for the government of others. Thus. he
frequently mathematics those. who, for
lack OF argument, arrogate to themselves
supreme knowledge and deal only in irony,
while nearly everybody realizes that his
editorial page, devoid OF sarcasm, would be
far from Interesting.
He assumes, in the first paragraph of
the article republished, (11 that the ma
jority of people Is tired of serious talk
concerning the rev woman: (2) that the
majority of people is tired OF talk not Sc
rious; t3) that the new woman is a
craze; l4) that 1t is lunatic craze Isl
that it will eventually "go down." (6j
chat IT is nauseating subject to discuss
His faith in his first assumption is very
slight else why does he devote column
OF his paper to the discussion of ques-
tion OF which the people are tired OF Sc
Cious talk. We fully agree with him that
the majority of respectable people are tired
OF having the question considered in any
i
subject which should never be treated in
a spirit of lerty, it is that concerning the
rights and relations OF the sexes. 1t is
because the Appeal editor fails to realize
this fact that he falls into the error of his
sixth assumption. OF course it is a nause-
ating subject when treated under the cap
lions, The 1t Movement, Sovereignty
in CriRoline," and such headlines, which
go far to disprove the gallant editors tow
ering reverence for women. His third
presumption is worthy of no comment.
The Appeal IS enthusiastically fighting
for principal which is much more gener-
ally characterized craze than the
wOman's suffrage movement. His strict
ares upon the bigotry and arrogance OF
those who persist in terming his tenet a
craze, may be allowed to apply to himself
in this instance. His fourth assumption
is a reflection upon the character of those
supporting the w0mans suffrage move
saent, which shows his inability to con-
ceive of AN opinion not embraced by him.
self. In every community the woman's
suffrage cause is espOused by women
whose intelligence and social standing is
the very best. 1t Is no surprise that an
editor, who thinks and says that an Opin-
ion not shared by himself emanates from
an unbalanced mind, considers any move-
ment espoused by the EDITORS .'lunatics"
as too nauseating to merit discussion.
The fifth assumption that the woman's
suffrage movement will fail of consam-
matien is palpabiy false. With three
states already refusing to deprive woman
of any Of her rights, many others making
sufficient admissions to stultify all OPP
posers of full suffrage, and the tendency
very perceptibly in favor of national SUIT
rage, we are unable to appreciate the in
tination that civilization will recede.
1t is incomprehensible to some that men,
who pirate of the natural love OF freedom,
who curse the despots that fail to appre-
'ciate mans inherent desire to be indie
pendent, aud who idolize martyrs to the
cause ct personal liberty, should presume
some Innate deficiency in woman that pre-
vents her enjoying the same desires.
Why Independence should be extolied as
All unsurpassed virtue in man aud nau-
seating vice i'm woman is inconceivable.
Why dependence should be considered
cOwardly i'm man and angelic in weman
surpasses our understanding, except upon
The assumption that man is inherently in
dependent ana woman inherently DEEPEN
dent-an assumption which nature abun-
dainty disproves.
The potency Of the article is contingent
upon the hypothesis that the attainment of
suffrage for women would overthrow the
institution of marriage. just how this
theory can assume an aspect of truth in
the minds of intelligent people is difficat
to see, but, that it does, is seen in the fact
that Bishop D0ane and the Appeal editor
embrace such theory. We can readily
understand why the editor of the Appeal
should subordinate principles OF abstract
right to questions of egpediency, but why
Bishop Doane, whose function Is largely
educational, should pursue such a course
is ineKplicabte. Yet it is a fact that he
does, else why should he harrow up Wis.,
ions OF "manishness, NEGLECTED homes
and the bribery of females, instead of ad-
vancing argument tending to prove that
women have no right to vote. The last
conjecture is unworthy person who has
any discernible confidence in the purity
0f woman, and a lack of confidence in
woman stamps one as the most hopeless
pessiRist 1t Is expected that conserva-
tive should wish to retain all existing GUS
toms, but one who has any respect for
truth never bubbles over results when a
question OF right is involved. Would the
extension OF suffrage to woman be attended
by evil results ? The evidence very largely
prePonderates on the negative. Expert
ence, a very powerful evidence in the trial
of such matters, throws all its weight or
the negative side in the instances of Wyo-
ming, Colorado and Kansas, whose statute
books show q decided superiority over
those Of other states. OF course, this dec
iaration will appear absurd if you blind
yourself to facts and believe all that the