The record-union., 1896-06-08
THE SUFFRAGE PARADOX.
Sensible Views Expressed by a New
York Woman.
Words That Every Man and Woman
in This State Should Read and
Ponder Upon.

The following from the pen OF Pris-
ella Leonard appears in "HarperS $
Bazar:"
1t is doubtless a shocking thing for
| woman not to want to vote, Wnen she Is
| informed by her self chosen representa-
tives that she was born with it, that 1t
Is as native to her as her eyes or tongue
and that it has been forcibly torn from
her, leaving her mutilated and help-
less. But suppose she doesn't think SO,
having, after all, a mind OF her own
and power to judge for herself! suppose
she sees clearly that suffrage is not
right native to man or woman anywhere
in the world-that it is a privilege, ac-
corded to the full-grown man by GER
tain Governments, in return for which
he renders military duty to the State
and certain other duties to the COM
munity in which he lives? Suppose
she recognizes that if the Government
gave her a vote she could not help to
enforce the laws she helped to make?
Suppose She does not clearly see that 1t
would give her any advantage, but that,
on the contrary, it would leave her open
is shielded by the present system Of
things? Suppose all this-what then?
But" say the suffragists, woman is
without representation in the nation.
She is worse off than the most ignorant
negro, more helpless than the poorest
immigrant True, if she stood alone.
Most false, if the family be recognized
as the unit of the State; for as long as
the daughters are shielded, wives cher
iShed, and mothers held in honor, so
long woman will be represented, and
fully represented, by the intelligent
thought of the best men. Women are
not class apart; it is most mis-
chievous and dangerous theory that as
sumes that their interests can be sep
arated from those of men. And what
ever heretofore has been done toward
the advancement of women has, as all
must concede, been done by men and
with the consent of men. Has woman
suffered in consequence? Has she ever
lacked champions? On the contrary,
it is safe to say that the vast majority
of women are most truly and fully rep
resented through the men of their fam
lilies. Even widows are generally
mothers Of sons, or have brothers; while
single women, who are the small mi
nority, are usually "set in families" as
daughters, sisters and auntS. The
women who stand really alone are so
few as practically to have no right to
influence legislation for the many. 1t
would be absurd to force the ballot upon
nine hundred and ninety-nine women
because the thousandth needed it. Spe-
cial legislation for such cases would be
the less ridiculous arrangement of the
two.
The working woman is the great card
Of the suffragists. Let us look at the
statistical facts concerning her num-
Der and her disabilities. In New York
State the working women are less than
one In ten of the total number Of adult
women. The Government census shows
that the average age of the working
girl is % years. After 25 few remain
workers, almost all being absorbed
again into family life. Just here we
see why the average rate of working
women's wages necessarily falls below
that Of men; since, IL the trained work
ers are continually falling out Of the
ranks, and young and ignorant recruits
crowding in to fill their places, the rate
half-skilled labor rather than the
higher rate which trained and perna-
nent labor commands. All the votes in
the world therefore would hardly help
the working girl in this particular
tanned special legislation in her favor.
THE statutes of New York" says
Francis Scott, contain a large num-
hcr nf io1 uicir 70
of female employees in factories and
mercantile houses. In the city of New
York, if any man fails to pay the wages
Of female employe, up to $50, not only
is none Of his property exempt from
execution, but he is liable to be i'm
prisonedt" The same authority, In
speaking Of women, either married or
single, who are in business, says that
their earnings are their own sole and
separate property" and that "a woman
engaged in business cannot be arrested
in an action for a debt fraudulently
contracted" or even arrested at all In
a civil suit, except in cases in which
it is shown that she has done a willfuI
injury to person, character or prop
erty." "All women judgment debtors"
married or single, also "enjoy certain
erty under execution" from which men
| are not exempt, unless 1t is shown that
they have and provide for family.
Surely, for a small and fIuctuating class,
the woking women have secured unu-
sual privileges without the ballot.
AS for taxation-all minors are taxed.
and there are more minors than voters.
And the wall of taxation without rep
resentation" applies more nearly, one
would think, to the man who is taxed
| for property in six States and can vote
in only one than to the average woman
who has no taxable property at ALL Be-
sides, what have such man-made things
as taxes to do with an inalienable per-
sonal right, which is the foundation
stone Of the suffragist doctrine? If
| you argue from rights, you mustn't
bring In taxes, but then women, even
| advanced ones, are not logical when
excited. If they were they wouldn't
| compare England, where all suffra ge
| Is carefully restricted by educational
and property qualifications, with Amer
| lea, struggling already under an i'm
| mense, unassimilated, ignorant vote,
which they calmly propose to double.
On their claim Of Unborn rights, AN ed
ucational or property qualification for
| women here would be impossible; we
| must make all women voters or none.
And which class would be eager to hold
office? Who that studies our political
| life does not know that the surest ele-
| ment in politics is the ignorant vote
That is always cast, always polls its
| full strength, and Is always fatally
loyal to unworthy leaders, while the
| intelligent vote Is capricious and un-