The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-05-21
Political Rights and Duties of Women
r,,,ma,e kt,ec,s Of Woman Suffrage.


| have assumed that the concession of
the ballot, pure and simple, will not be
satisfactory to those bodies that represent
what is called the Woman's Cause. Sena-
tor Hoar, perhaps the most conspicuous
man who has appeared as their champion,
specially says: 81 am quite willing to
agree that no class of persons who are per-
mitted to vote should be excluded as a
class from holding office -
We NAV as we'll consider what changes
in human society, and especially in the
character and fortunes of woman, the
new order of things sought to be inaugur-
ated will be likely to bring about.
Immediately, and in one generation, not
very many or considerable Character,
that has been slowly nodded by certain
influences, acting for long periods, will
not be modified Immediately by the with
drawal of those influences. Whatever
deterioration occurs, whatever new hard
ships make the lot of woman more tragic,
will only appear after adverse influences
have had their full term of operation
Neither in readjusting the duties
toward society of the sexes respectively
are men likely to insist that, in taking
full political powers, women shall sur
render any or all of their present immu-
mites and privileges. The relation of the
contracting parties is not one that will
make any such rigid and hard bargain
possible But that surrender will newt
ably be brought about by the indignant
disdain of the women, who will have
effected the social revolution, at being the
recipients of any privileges which differ
entiate their situation or hamper them in
their complete development. The newt
able ultimate result of subjecting the two
human sexes to the same laborS, the same
employments, the same cares, will be Just
the same as when domestic animals have
been subjected for long periods to the same
conditions: sexual differences, physical
and mental, will tend to disappear, and
the two branches of the race will approx
innate common type.
Shall Women Hold Public Offices?
An objection to employment in public
office good as against four ffths of the
female sex ought to be good as to the
whole sex, just as if it were a question of
enlisting women as soldiers, or shipping
them as seamen, OF engaging them as
miners or engineers-a disability affect
ing the greater number would be likely to
disenable the whole.
This is the situation. The great body
Oh HltH-lHP uleU III lue prime OF Inelf
physical and mental powers--have no en-
Payments OF duties imposed upon them
by Nature Incompatible with the strict
performance of the obligations of public
office. A man may be a punctual and in
dustrious executive officer, a stuciious
Judge, a commanding general successfully
conducting campaign, and be no whit
less faithful and helpful husband, a wise
and provItent father. This very excel
lence in these purely private and domes-
tic virtues, while it would add to his popu-
larity, would never be thought Of as i'm
pairing his efficiency as a public servant.
Now it happens that women during the
same period of their physical and mental
prime are by their ruling instincts and
their dominant sentiments assigned to
duties which leave neither time nor
faculty for any absorbing and responsible
public station. 1t might be invidiouh TO
say that the best women are in this cate
cory of disability; it must be said, how
ever that the women whom men think
the best-at least the best to be wives and
the mothers of their children-are not
eligible to public office. George F. Tai
bot, in Appletons' Popular Science
Monthly for May.