The herald., 1896-05-31
Tic Times Oppnsitlon

Tie Times Opposition
In a recent number Of the Times its
editorial pundit declares that concern
to be 'unalterably opposed to the en-
franchisement of women. If that pro-
clamation of hopeless stupidity correct
ly fixes the intellectual status of the
Times, it is of course, quite useless to
call attention, with view to its instruc-
tion or amendment to the "Smart-Al-
eek" duncery that characterizes most OF
it's utterances on the subject. Unal-
terable opposition to any measure
whatever, that has not been demon
strated to be unjust and wrong, results
from either mental feebleness incapa-
BILE of thought. or willful, assinine OBJ
stinacy Of refusal to think, and to hear
and consider the thoughts and argu-
ments of others. In either. case
Times would be but an ilde waste
of thought. But the stale inanities
served up to it's readers by that journal
istic Wiseacre as reasons for persisting
in refusal to do simple justice to one
half of the people-and that half un-
ceive and mislead some of those readers,
and therefore it may be we'll to briefly
notice them.
1t seems from the Times statement
that it's unalterable opposition to the
enfranchisement of women Is based,
chiefy,on the assumed opposition there
to of the six"-an assumption not sup
ported by any better evidence than the
smpering testimony of few weaklings
who do not understand the matter much
better than the Times itself, and who
are no more capable of forming an in
telligent opinion upon 1t than he who
begins with unalterable opposition.
The fact is that all bright, we'll informed
and spirited women are very earnestly
in favor of such enfranchisement, and
are ready to do all in their power to Sc
cure it as a matter of right and justice
to women, and as a means of educating
such men as the Times editorial fabri-
Gators up to a possibility of understand
ing what Justice is. and how unmanly
and mischievous 1t is to refuse it to any
class or Individual. They. and all wom-
an suffragists, believe that the COM
plete enfranchisement of women
is not only duty to them, but 1t Is
also duty the men who now possess
all political power, owe to society, to the
state, to mankind and to God and their
faith in the final and early triumph of
manifest right in the elevation of wom-
an to full and perfect equality with man
before the law, is strong and stead
fast The talk about woman's opposi
tion to her own investiture with the
powers and privileges of full citizenship
is the silliest sort of chatter. 1t is not
truthful. But if the majority of women
We're so much under the repressing and
narrowing influence of men like the
Times people, as to be adverse to their
enfranchisement. that discreditable cir
cumstance would not he worthy of any
consideration in determining the re-
quirements OF duty in the matter. IT
some women do not desire the elective
franchise for any reason. good or bad.
that fact cannot possibly be thought
by any intelligent man to justify or
excuse his wrongful Withholding of such
franchise from those who do desire and
demand it-or. in deed, from the foolish
women who do not want it, 1t Is not
something to be bestowed upon women
as d favor. a compliment or an express
sion of affection, which may or may not
be accepted and valued. 1t is right in
herent In their humanity and citizen