Birmingham state herald., 1895-10-13
CUBA GREY ON HER CRITIC
Regards the New Woman With Sentiments Akin to Fear.
ABOUT SUSAN B. ANTHONY
Not Until Southern Gentlemen Look to South ern Ladies for Heroic Sacrifice in Some
 Dark Hour Will She Vote. Z.
Editor State Herald:

tsdltor state Heral0.
 In the Birmingham Times of October 2 appears an article headed Cuba Grey, and Womans Rights" The article treats thusly: Some of our contributors have thought Cuba Grey man. She is not so. She is that old paradox, woman She writes lengthy articles to newspapers on political subjects, such as silver, and the surpassing superiority of democracy, and in the next breath argues against woman in politics." Being in doubt as to whether "a woman" penned the par agraph quoted above, Cuba Grey scarce ly knows just how to proceed In reply. Venturing upon the supposition, how ever, that my critic is of the feminine sex, l shall endeavor to dispose of .strik- ing remarks in order of precedence l am somewhat tyro in the art or dls- cussion with women, as my mental dl- plomacy has hitherto been enlisted in controversial encountre with masculine wits. I may fail ignominiously when plying the lance, with feminine combat ants of the .alarrningly advanced school The new woman" appalls me, and I regard her with sentiments aKih to fear and awe-just as men generally regard her. I am always in quandary as to whether she might ban me from po- lite society on the ground that my bon net and dress fail in requirement Of latest style" or that l have resented the recent fad of "breader education for women" The new woman assumes "Hessian boots' in conjunction with crimping irons, lace, frills and men cravats. How can I properly decipher her singular makeup? Part woman, part man! Both fish and fowl, still not swimming consistently with fish or fly ing equally with fowl. First diving in water, then plunging in the air, goes the advanced woman" What might she not do with me did I approach her in spirit of wreckless temertty? The men are very naturally terrified at her ap- pearance in the theater of action. So am I. The critic who mentions me in the Birmingham Times columns says that I am the "old paradox, woman. Now in fact 1 am termed woman but I will here quote the exact definition assigned the word paradox by &C., cepted authority of dictionary Par adox-an opinion or assertion, apparently false, but not really so." Am apparent ly false, then, and not really so? l ask my Times critic that home question. The critic states that Cuba Grey "ex- claims against the fiery ordeal of vot- ing" Cuba Grey exclaimed against such ordeal for delicate southern ladies',
 not for. women of the world at large. Cuba Grey does not propose to dictate what women of other than her own na- tive section should do.
 If women of other clmes have found their men so deficient in every essential of manliness that women are forced to the doubtful eXpedient of claiming polit- ical suffrage, then let those women and men wrangle over the matter. Southern men have not as class, ever cast aside true manliness to such extent as to jus tfy southern womanhood in any scram- ble for ballot rights, If southern men err in individual instances some blame must attach to them, but southern womans S i,t6 t6nt, ,nrf md m n 1n- dicate to her the most beneficial course to be pursued under grieVous circum- stances. No redress could be obtained at the ballot box for wrongs of domes- tic character, but considerably exercised feminine influence might avail much Tn such state of affairs. The press Is al ways gallantly placed at the disposal of thoughtful women who may desire to protest against injustice to their sex. Legislators may read such protests and treat their contents with respectful de- liberation. Women are not cut orr, or hedged, by the laws which men enact, if they only desire to elevate the status, mentally and morally, of other women. We may, each and every one of us, de- liver our profound minds of vagarieS, or sound ideas as the case may be, through press columns or by medium of printed works treating of our pet theories. Brave men are quite indulgent to us, and here express appreciative gratitude upon that score. Ine says tlot OhS swallow does not make summer, neith- CT do capital letters take the place of facts in an argument" Critic continues: "Should the ballot be given women in Alabama Cuba Grey would not be com pelled to exercise the undesired right. even though the principle involved in casting a vote is one and the same thing with writing political articles" Now. Cuba Grey does not resort to capital letters" as substitute for efficient ar- gument, but only to emphasize certain points in argument. Cuba Grey would not rest under any danger of being col Jared" by police force and taken to the polls there to deposit an unwilling bal lot. Neither would southern men have been carried forcibly to the polls subse- ouent to the surrender, when recon struction" was progressing by means or the lately enfranchised negro; but still all true-souled southern men reanzeo the stern fact that they must vote-eVen m conjunction with utterly ignorant ne eroes-unless they were willing to see their loved section turned over entirely a prey to interruptions, fanatic republi- canism.
 If costs those naughty southern spirits terrible sacrifices of much that was ln- herent in the way of manly pride, put they grandly swallowed pride of race and marched to the lately vitiated polls, actu- ated by the loftiest type of patriotism. l cannot forget those heroes, and all that they have struggled to protect southern women from. What would have proved our fate had we been left to the mercy of ignorant negroes. whose kindly natures were being melted to heinous deeds by republicans? Miss Susan B. Anthony was quite exercised just then over the 'liberation of the negro" Pity it is that dear Miss Susan could not have had about six we'll freed negroes crammed down her never-to-be exhausted throat immediately after the surrender. The "gods" neglected to evince their affection for divine Susan, as she will assuredly never "die young" I wish sincerely that she had captured the gods love-" how ever. am sorely tempted to indulge in interdioted ''invectives" when think of Susan and her pack of hyenas turned loose upon poor vexed America. will never "vote" until see that 'southerh gentlemen" look to southern ladies" for heroic sacrifice in some dark hour that threatens the south with even more ter rife danger than she has already been subjected to. Until that hour arrives am fully willing to trust female rights and privileges to the manliness of my best friends-trus southern men. The