The San Francisco call., 1896-03-28
the good will and cooperation of the men of
our families and otherwise

the good will and cooperation of the men of
our families and otherwise.
am fully convinced that we endanger all
the good that might be done by Juggling in at
all times suffrage for women. And you ask for
TOO much. Sufragists are always asking some
thing from the Legislatures which they don't
get. 1t would be wiser and more digniied if
they confined themselves to some necessary
law which would probably be given them. and
then endeavor to strengthen their position on
that line.
Of course the idea is il we could vote the sa-
looms would be closed. Do you think that our
vote would close them when we have not been
able as yet to educate our sons to keep out of
them?
Suppose the right to vote were ours. There
are thousands OF women belonging to the
foreign class who partake of beer and wines,
ana yet do not make practice of becoming
intoxicated They would be detriment to
the temperance cause, for they would consider
any prohibitory laws an infringement upon
their rights; and, as matter of course, they
would vote their own way.
Bishop John H. Vincent, founder of Chau-
tauqua, says the curse of America to-day is the
dominated partisan vote, the vote of ignor
ance and superstition. Shall we help matters
by doubling this dangerous mass?
Until we fully master our own dominion
rule our children and our households wisely,
cope skillfully with the warning elements
there and make living a little easier, charity
more intelligent and education q shade more
practical, it seems as if we might well spare
ourselves other irksome duties and confine
our attention to obtaining more conspicuous
mastery of our own province. There is enough
and in schemes for education to occupy those
whose energies demand wide sphere.
Simple voting can be done without any great
expenditure of force; but to attain any real
power woman must affiliate with men, at
tend meetings and caucuses-she must enter
into politics just as man would.
To me it seems as though that would not be
pleasant to most women.
l have heard women say, with great deal
OF decision: ooh, certainly we should not
hold office. The men should do the work of
governing, but it would be our duty to see
tina: good men were put in Office. It's our
duty to vote, because that's the best way to
show what we think ought to be done by the
men who govern"
This, from my point of view, is very unequal
suffrage. Half the controlling power to be
ours, and all the work and responsibility to be
theirs.
And how should we know when good men
were nominated except by a knowledge of
their phases of character, gained by hard work
before elections, going to primaries, pulling
You cannot simply vote for the candidate
you consider the best man, without regard for
anything but his personal trustworthiness and
ability. You have got to know something be-
sides.
The best man, where political Office is in
question, is the ore who will have the most
power to legislate for us toward the best result
and that makes it necessary for US to know
something of his ideas and habits, his wisdom
and tact and what influence he might have on
other politicians and with the people, as well
as with regard to his knowledge and con-
scientiousness.
In fact, it means work that the generality OF
women are not fit for and have not the time
for-if they are good wives and mothers And
If they do not do this, and more they simply
vote with blind eyes, for men whom they had
no share in selecting, or they duplicate the
vote of men they consider intelligent. /, for
one would not wish to vote In this manner
just mere echo.
/ think if suffrage is ever given to US, you
will find there will be more bitter ADimosities
among women, just as much despicable wire
pulling and jealonies, as among men.
If the good women vote, the bad, depraved
women Of the slums and the demi-monde will
also vote.
There are more of this class who will avail
themselves of suffrage than of the other, and
they will be under the control and in the pay
OF vicious men, who will use their influence
for the worst, to be sure.
Then there are thousands of women who will
vote just because they can, without regard to
anything else-with no more regard to the re-
suit of their vote, than a cat; and none of you
blessed women here need say:
aren't you ashamed OF yourself Mrs. Nolte,
to run down your sisters?"
It's the truth. don't mean to say there are
not women capable of voting inteIigently
(notably the sisterhood here at presen u, but
they are few and far between, and don't be-
lieve but what the majority Of the dear, good
the laws of the land, while we bring up our
children to respect them.
The paper was received with mingled