The herald., 1896-10-15
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Editor Herald On the Sd of November
the voters of California will decide at the
ballot box whether or not one-haif or
the adult population of California-the
women-shall have equal political rights.
The fright" TO the ballot is not denied
IL is wholly a question of privilege, or
abstract justice.
I read, over and over again, a very learn
ed disquistion on sex speciailzation'.
under the subject of woman Suffrage.
by Abbot Kinney. which appeared IN
The Herald August 80 Perhaps no other
opponent of "equal rights to all and spe-
cial privileges to none" has taken high
er ground than he. For this reason
desire to note and refute some OF his 1ai-
lacies, to the end that right and justice
may prevail.
Mr.. Kinney contends that woman suf-
frage is wrong because religion IN al
forms denies politics to woman.
We do not agree that the Chrls.lan re-
ligion denies politics to women" A
religion which denies equal rights TO
all' is not founded on truth. does not
promote Justice. and must be false. Ihls
principle is FUNDAMENTAL
Mr. Kinney lays down an old MAXIM.
that mo rights are long maintained ny
those who cannot defend them. Thls
maxim Is obsolete. 1T was ne RUE OF
brutal past, when government and inci-
vidual rights were maintained by force
alone. Many states. including Mexico
and Switzerland, have maintained their
national autonomy for centuries SIM
ply by the sufferance of other and
mightier powers. Again, the women OF
this country. though weaker than men
physically, have not only maintained
the rights granted them century ago,
but have steadily gained more rights
from '.liege lords" Surely, when made
equal with man before the law, she will
have less trouble to defend her rights
than when disfranchised.
In this tremendous struggle TO en-
franchise one-half the human race, pos
sibly Mr.. Kinney forgets that II IS a
battle of brains and not force, OF equal
rights. regardless of sex. Their devo-
ton to duty, their love Of home ana
country, and ability are not questioned.
But Mr.. Kinneys most serious mistake
is in the assumption that giving the pal
lot to women will destroy the sex spe.
cialization," and thus deteriorate ano
sterilize the manhood and womanhooo
of this country. I call 1T an assumption
because it was not proved. If the ballot
seriously affects the female sex, by what
law can the male sex escape its baleful
effect? If voting degenerates women,
can man be exalted by the same process?
Most certainly not If voting causes
woman to be sterile, will it not cause
mans sterility, or will it ntlke him
virile? Mr.. Kinney's premises cannot
be true, that giving the ballot to women
will result in degeneracy of childhood
and sterility of the sexes. His premises
are false. Degeneracy, sterility ana ma
tional decay spring from other causes
than extending the right of sufrage 10
Intelligent citizens. Where wealth. con-
fAx
the means of production and distripu-
tion. and the masses become dependent,
there degeneracy, sterility and national
| decay will follow, as day follows night,
and in this way only will these eHects
of decaying manhood and Womannoou
become manifest. AS Mr.. Kinney as
| cribes the decay of the older civilizations
| to a want of "sex specialization" per-
NIT me to quote from Sir Archibald Al
| lison's history of Europe: "The two
greatest events in the history or man.
| kind have been brought about by sue
| cessive contraction and EXPANSION IN IN:
| circulating medium of society. Ihe ran
| Of the Roman empire, so long ascriDeu
! in ignorance to slavery, to heatnenism
| and moral corruption, was in reality
| brought about by a decline in the silver
and gold mines of Spain and greece.
| What was true of Rome was also true
of most of the great nations of antiquity
| Goldsmith we'll said: mere Wediln az
1tEurau1a ties men decay"
+ Mr.. Kinney admits that sex speclah-
zation" is most morked in the higher CIV
| ilizations Therefore, to argue that CIV
King the ballot to women will result IN
| degeneracy and sterility Is to argue that
| the ballot is a corrupting influence, that
| IL is a stride backward. 1t cannot be
| true, The freer the ballot the Wlder
| the order of intelligence. 1t Is proven
by the history of the race that man $
| advance and elevation must be co-equai
with that of woman-neither sex can
advance beyond the other
H. Mr.. Kinneys opposition Is all based
fcn theory-against which we present the
| facts of history. We present to the
| world the object lesson of Wyoming,
(which for twenty years mas mace mar
! and woman equal before the law. The
effect of woman suffrage where tried is
4 marvellous. In Wyoming crime, lnsah-
| itys and divorce are on the decrease
4 whereas, in states where equal Suffrage
is denied, all these increase more rapidly
Y than population This fact demon
strates the wisdom and salutary effect
of equal suffrage. Against these facts
Mr., Kinney alleges that wyoming. is
impotent to maintain order, and recites
! that the military arm of the government
had to be employed to restore order
That is no answer to the facts above re
cited. Many states have been in like
condition of chaos approaching anarchy
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois
/ Kansas. Iowa. Tennessee and even Cal
Il ifornia hawk- hAAn forced to usGthAkmu'