The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-30
REED is FOR THE WOMEN.
The Speaker of she Hou.e on Record III
Favor ofXyoman Suffrage.

Favor ofWoman tuiIrhge.
In 1884 Thomas B. Reed, of Maine.
was a member OF the house commItte
on judiciary. and in a minority report
on woman suffrage bill, written by
himself, made use Of the following Ian
guRge:
"In civilized countries, when It was
proposed that women should own their
own property, that they should have
the earnings OF their own labor, there
were not wanting those who were sure
| that such proposition could work
| only evil to them, and that continually.
It would destroy the family, dfscordnnt
interests would provoke dispute. and
the only real safety for women was In
the headship OF man, not that man
wanted superiority for any selfish rea-
sons. but to preserve intact the family
relations for woman's GOOD
To-day woman's property belongs
to herself; her earnings are her own;
she has been emanoipated beyond the
widest hopes OF any reformer OF TWEEN
ty-five years ago. Almost every Voca-
| ton is open 20 her. She has proven
her usefulness In spheres which the
nature" worahipped by the conserva-
tives OF twenty-five years ago abso-
lutely forbade her to enter Notwith-
ing all OF these changes the family cir
Gle remains unbroken, the man child
gets as well educated as before, and the
amelioratlng influence of women has
become only the more marked.
Thirty years ago hardly any politi-
cal assemblRge OF the people was
graced by the precence OF women. HAD
It needed law to enable them 10 be
present, what an argument could have
| A. 1
| could have been shown that the coarse
ness, the dubious expressions, the gem
eral YulgRrity OF the scene could have
had no other effect than TO break down
| their purity OF word and thought which
women have, and which conservative
and radical are alike sedulous to pre-
serve.
and yet the actual presence OF wo-
men at political meetings has not de-
based them, but has raised the other
sex. Coarseness has not been difused
through both sexes. but has fled from
both. To put the whole matter in n
short space, the association OF the sexes
in the family circle. in society. and IN
business. having proved improving TO
both, there Is neither history, reason,
nor sense 10 instIfy the assertion that
association in politics would lower the
one or demoralize the other
ut is sometimes asserted that women
now have great influence In politics
through their husbands and brothers.
That Is undoubtedly true. But that Is
Just the kind OF influence which is not
wholesome for the community. for 1t Is
influence unaccompanied by RESPONSE
bilIty. People are always ready TO
recommend to others what they would
not do themselves. II It be true that
women cannot be prevented from exer-
cisIng political Influence, 10 not that
only another reason why they should
be steadied in their political action by
that proper sene OF responsibility which
comes from acting themselves?
I'VE conclude. then, every reason
which in this country bestows the bal
lot upon man is equally applicable to
the proposition 10 bestow the ballot
upon woman, that in our Judgment
there is no foundation for the fear that
woman will thereby become unified for
all OF the duties she has hitherto per-
formed"