The herald., 1896-05-10
The Most perplsxing Question

In the Sunday issue of The Herald
April H. there were many sparkling
drops that fell from the pens of inter-
ested minds upon suffrage. They were,
indeed, like the sparkling champagne.
full of the tonic 1t so imbibed in the
working of time. 1t has helped to tone
up and uplift the suffrage question for
woman. Aunt Sally was bubbling over
with her good thoughts, while Mr.. Ben
S. May was not lacking in his chivalry
with other minds who became imbued
with the ideal glories and privileges ac-
corded to the capacity and fitness of
womanhood. Distinct as she is in GUS
tom, responsibilities, prejudices and
conservatism, suffrage, as / understand
1t, is to vote, and to vote is to express
freedom of thought, which is liberty.
Free will is not the liberty to do what
ever one likes, but the power of divin-
ing whatever one sees ought to be done,
even in the very face otherwise of over
whelming impulses. There lies freedom
indeed. Here is the problem of this great
question OF suffrage. Why is it that the
sons of this great nation for one mo-
ment think it just to prohibit their
mothers, which is womanhood to be
debarred of their right of free express
sion of mind, Mother is the leader
of races who ascend the mountains of
thought, and stand in the clouds of
Gods secrets, to see the light of knoWl-
edge and hear the laundering words of
heavens laws. 1t Is that knowledge
we should dedicate to that reason which
God has given us to impart. and to use
to the best advantage of man. 1t is
gratifying. indeed, to see that the dawn
is becoming clearer each day, and to
more fully understand that loyalty is
an acknowledged virtue. All will will
ingly admit that woman in her true self
could not progress without this pedestal
upon which she has so strongly built
her temple. Her ideal dreams. mental
pictures and visions for the future gem
erations to follow, and to grasp the
knowledge that woman has a nature
which must be independent of the him
ORANGES of this terrestrial life. She will
no longer hold herself in the darkness
that she is the weaker part of life. This
tree, has yielded it's most perfect fruit,
and is acknowledged by the apprecia-
tive and leading thinkers. Woman has
proved her courage and strength in
every possible way. If there are a few
who would run from mouse, there are
thousands who have calmly met the
storms of battles. the fires of persecu-
tion. the rack. the sword and cross. The
foremothers of this nation stood firmly
10 their helm in the time when it tried
mems souls. They faced the toma-
hawk. they nursed the wounded while
the bullets and cannon balls flew
all around them. and millions have
mounted the pyre of their deceased hus-
bands and sons. We need not go
through a list of their virtues and capa-
bilities. which equal and often surpass
those Of men. But we are now entitled
TO ask, for what reason are women
counted as interiors? BY what right are
they. as members of free community.
deprived of the common privileges of
citizens? If on intellectual grounds. we
answer. all men who fell below the intel
iectual capacity of the cleverest woman
should be also subject to their disabili-
lies, We fear however, that in such case
there would be few qualified citizens
left But the truth is. no incapacity
Whatever Justifies the present barbar-
Dus condition of things in statute laws.