New-York tribune., 1896-11-24
THE FEMININE HALF.
ELIZA SPROUT TURNER. OF PHILADELPHIA
ADVOCATES RESPONSIBILITY FOR
WOMEN

Mrs Eliza Sprout Turner of Philadelphia. when
interviewed yesterday on the subject. How would
the responsibility If politics affect women said:
Mr. Lecky In mis- work on Democracy and Lib
erty.' finds of danger in the increasing
influence OF women in politics. lie thinks their ten
dency In trying TO reform the world would he
over-egislation They have thrown themselves for
instance. Into the question of temperance In such
way as 10 considerably alter its prospects And
the same IL true OF vviscction. which they dis
posed not only TO guard but to abolish. thus DOOM
Ing thousands of human beings TO untold
amount Of preventabe suffering. There have been
he says. ages In which insensbility TO suffering
was the prevailing vice of public opinion in
own. perhaps more is TO be feared from wild gusts
OF unreasoning. uncalcuatng. hysterical emotion
Il think that common fairness coInpels us 10
acknowledge the at least partial truth of these
opinions. Because by nature
compassionate. because in their more domestic
lives they distinctly the immediate results Of
intemperance. of immortality OF cruelty. they are
more likely to be tempted until they learn rs
futility) to over-legslation and over-coercon. to
sweeping the whole world clean OF sin and error by
grand whisk OF the broom OF the law. When
1t comes TO the wild gusts OF emotion however
doubt II we could much exaggerate the methods OF
our brothers-their little ways at a nominating
venton. for instance. where the correct thing Is
for the delegates to climb chairs and tables. TO
screech. 10 howl TO roar TO break into sobs 10
embrace each other, ETC. by way OF expressing
their political opinions not about any question
which could be called ethical either. our dolngs
could scarcely be more hysterlcal than those IN the
bedlam OF any city bourse: and should find II
hard 10 he more uncalculating than Con-
a short time ago. on receiving the message OF
the Prrsiden; concerning Venezuela when without
pausing to consider consequences. without stopping
TO compare the unimportance of the issue with the
awful results Of possible war. they set TO work on
their resolutions OF approval. which were TO give
he ne q a III les "A o.
children starting FIRE.
The fact is would do better say that 'un-
rca asoningness T. tendency Of the human race.
and then can AFFORD 10 admit that the feminine
half the differcnc. OF the conditions In Which
IL has been reared and from that absence OF Re-
sponsibilit, which always makes people more reck-
less in the expression OF opinions has been thus
far even more disposed than men 70 speak without
consideration Make every woman responsible. let
her realize that when she says man ought to bc
hanged sh" f. helping TO hang him and that when
she advocates war sh" j. helping TO send the men
10 the field. and after the first wantOnncss Of
power especially of tho supposed power TO lcgis
late sin and suffering or of the world. her sense
Of accountability will steady her And then II Will
surely not De- amiss that sh' Will bring IN" humani
tartan si-w OF pOilca! question more frequently
10 the 'front.'