The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-09-24
MRS. YOUNG'S SPETSH
At the Constitutional Convention Al
Able Document.

Able Document.
Governor Evans introduced Mrs
Virginia D. Young, as zone Of ou1
own citizens Mrs Young made
lengthy, strong and forcible presents
ton of the cause so dear to her. The
following portion of her address show'
its character. She spoke as follows:
Gentlemen OF the Constitutional ConVsn
ton:
Because believe in the inherent goodness
and greatness-of every man to a certain e1-
tent, and of the instructive justice that tugs
at his heart strings. I come before you with
confidence to make my plea for the upltt o:
women. -
As men and women we are but halves OF g
great whole and the whole suffers when in
justice is done to the half. An article in the
September number Of Harper's Magazine
flnGs the raison d'etre for the late horrible
Armenian massacre, in the religion pfo1essed
by those barbarians.
That religion embodied inthe false prophet
Mahomet, had for its cornerstone the degra-
dation OF women. This man, who in bis
later years of conquest and absolute power,
'.changed his wife every day" made it
fundamental tenet of the r"lision he taught
that women were to be the puppets for the
qualification OF man passions, and this atti-
rude has continued to characterize the rela-
tionship Of men and women IN AohammedaD
countries to this day.
DR.. Thompson testilles that children born
in the harem learn from mothers to hate In
tensely as the earIies: Of all lessons, and
what wonder that this hate jucarnates itself
infa nation Of highwavmen and assassins who
practically deny all true goodness among
them, and are ready when oppo rtuaity offers
to massacre unarmed men. WON en- and chill
dren by wholesale.
turn from this repeliant picture to MY
native State. where it has been customary to
set up woman on pedastalto be Worshlpped.
Well we are very practical these days in
this State. and very few families can afford
to have the woman part OF il setting up on
pedestal all day doing nothing for se]fsnp-
port and help Of the family. The exiSencies
OF the times have sent women and girls Of
the most refined and exclusive ideas out into
the world. where no degree Of the ''shrjnk
inc." or "IearDng" or "spiri.' can save
them from encountering men on q purely
business basis.
These business men have An immen5a ad-
vantage over hr:inesS women. be'ause they
vote aud the women cannot. I h-ljeve every
man in this convention. when he reflects Oh
this disadvant"ce Of working wolnen-L mean
all vino do anything, whether teaching or
keeping house, believe. say. that when
yon gentlemen give your minds to col@!der-
ing this injustice YOU will hasten to wipe it
out.
Some Of vou have daughters who are the
light Of YOUR cyes Thank HEAVIER. it is So
How can YOU withhold from these beings.
dearer to YOU than your own lives, what will
he to them A shield ana defence il their
struggle for eXistenCe!
Nv brothers. il is beranse Of the awful cor
ruption of politics that we women (who keep
tho churches going and the preachers from
starving. and who don't Increase the penI-
tertiarv 70: ces1 want to come il with mops
and brooms and food OF pure water to
cleanse away thu corruption.
iou arc not Our equals III the power OF
putting the rights. though l freely admit
Your superiority in many things. But try
us in this crucial time and see if we don't
make this MAGNIFICENT State Of ours such a
safe and wholesome habitation that emf
grants will begin to flow in--those emigrants
that have been kept out by reports OF the too
ready pistol and the prevalence Of mob law.
Gentlemen if You knew how hard I have
worked to get statistics 10 present you as to
the amount Of property owned and taxes
paid by women in South Carolina you would
svmpathze with me | know. 7 do not
H..
edge will confirm what say about the very
large proportion OF taxes paid by women in
South Carolina, but supplement aud so far
bevond my own knowledge. OF all the men
and women I've written TO earnestly entreat-,
ing them to secure figures from the auditors
books. very few have responded with the
figures. but many have written to be excused
because Of the ''greatness OF the task. stat
ing that to arrive at the number Of women
taxpayers ard property owned by them would
require two days hard work 10 the country
I have. however. Il reliable list Of taxes
paid by women and property own by them
IN three counties-Newberry. Lexington and
Florence.
In Lexington the property returned by
women for taxation fouts up S52S. 400: in
Florence county $3.50. 900 or 20 per cent. Of
whole. The women Of Of NeWbeEry pay
SS.9G1.42 Of taxes Oh property valued at
S770.76I do not doubt that there is
similar portion or even larger, OF prop
erty owned and taxes paid hy women in
nearly every county in the State.
Voting is not matter Of physical strength,
is it? It seems to me it's matter Of ludg-
1nent, principle, and I cant see how you can
get round ailSittiUg our qualifications in
that linz. since YOU have opened the doors Of
the South Carolina College to women, and
blessed be heaven, recognized the value OF
the States daughters'by providing the Girls
Industrial College as ~ Offset to Clemson.
From what I can leaSH OF the history OF
South Carolina. ours was among the very
arst OF the original States t., raise the cry:
ave will not Eay taxes to q ScNernn1ent N
which We are not represented
Aud vet. nv brothers. that is the cace Of
the ta1-psying women Of South Carolina to-