The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1896-12-17

Np1sesp~c4 t~@&r ~
II \ not that thsy SsaS ~ dividcn q
political honoss would b distuthed By
fhem-fOr geninseo q the female sex
en- not numerous enough to disturb the
.sbaJance Of power hut be must shnd-
der to think Of ~ object horn 10 well
6tted to hecOme IN time some man'st0n-
der and aheitctod wife, and ding lula
bies to her h6bies ninging herself into
biz pursuits With - shandon whichiar-
gues IN time would destroy essentially
Ill womsnly feeling.
Nature has her strong oaks and her
clinging vines How long would 1t re-
quire the vine to become the sturdaY
oakf Never In al time, since God
formed 1t IN the beginning to Irvine
around and adorn the rough and mas
sive stem.
Despite these facts, our friends 'sof the
Opposition" seem to have renowned all
exercise Of reason and common sense,
and plead for 3 condition for women
calculated to extinguish oil that Is soft
and lovable-in : word, all that is
,cotndnly, with an Obstinacy worthy OF
the n0blest ambition.
Women need safeguards. How Ia
mentally true. and the more familiar
her contact with man, the fewer they
bec0me-fOr her strongest supports, her
~self-respect and her delicacy, must
eventually 60, after waging with men
fierce fights for power in political CAM
paigns. After q few conflicts, mans re-
apect would wane, and eventually end
In nm abnormal condition OF things
which it is not now possible to estimate.
These are the dangers which will be-
set the female voter. Women who take
upon themselves t0oppose the time-hon-
ored usages Of the world, WHICH are the
safeguards of female honor and happi-
ness, and have arisen, al they conceive,
above the wisdom Of mankind, gener-
ally possess q self.confdence greater
than their good sense.
When were women, rel in the
worlds history, 30 safe, 10 honored, 80
happy as n0wf Occupying q plane so
far above man, able to reach mp to the
very skies, and. when she will, helping
him IN to o place by her side-exalting
him, sharing with him the delights Of
her W pure and elevafing mind.
There she stands between heaven and
earth, the embodiment Of what is most
admirable, most lovable, most trust
worthy in human nature. Should she
descend, would she not forfeit her place
in mans esteem and abdicate the glori-
GUS throne adorned for ages by the
noblest Of her sex?
God forbid that fate should so place
these highest creations Of His Eternal
Goodness that the gentle eyes which
should be a reflex Of beautiful and noble
thoughts and feelings, shall ever grow
hard with speculation, or forget how to
shed tears Of love and pity! But such
IL the induratinp influence of the d
snits Of men: and if she ioin in them,
the yesuf must Je similar.
Az have said before, there are many
graye truths to present in the consider
alton of this fateful subject. , 1 have n
deayored to show, first: that suffrage
would tend rater TO degrade than to
serve women. I shall now take nj her
nhvs;cal Organization. and see if it will
snnnort her in the character of citizen
for where there is citizenship there are
not only privileges and prerogatiyes, but
duties involved.
Conld she ever become cornoreally
enuni IN the nos;tion Of soldier. sailor. or
nnlicemany1 ~ wonld she saw: NJ rele-
rate to men all offices Of this nature. /
nm looking for soft places-for honors
and emoluments accruing from higher
sources. / would be a Congressman. a
G@overnor. a .Juduey,
M. ladies. Won m,,st accept all. or
nothing. IF Won have snbt The nerve.
conrare and physical ehdurance FOR
these Rnrd nlaces Won ara ka1st A poorly
eou;n,,ed mentaliysfor III = you. aspire
to. ftSEgvSNe ROdssI made 4u mad, that
yOurHould kill your wound moody God
has made the sexes 10 emit ely different,
physically. that It GEMS q Esurd to men,
ton 1t. In woman, the MUSCLES and the
nerve forces differ greatly from those IN
man. Her muscles are softer, and con-
tract with less energy, and are more
easily wearied, Her strength is to
mans as 1G to 20. The delicate ma
chincry Of her nervous system is what
constitutes her weakness, and yet, her
strength, These give her her enchant-
ing characteristics Of s~ensibility to emo
tions which man recognizes as a con-
trasf to himself. The delicate muscles
shape the beautiful u~ndulating outlines
of her body, and give her her lovely
proportions and symmetry.
Developed muscles destroy the lines
of beauty, and God intended that these
charms should be preserved; and any
disregard Of this law will beget only
wonder. Women can never success
fully fight against the ordinances Of
God. Her maternal instincts are the
strongest He implanted in her heart;
and the idea Of mother is synonymous
with tenderness, compassion, gentleness,
loving kindness, patience, mercy and
u~nceasing watchfulness-the reverse of
man, who is rugged, stern, and thought
less. The woman has, for this reason,
been endowed with her singular moral,
mental and physical organism that she
may prefer the lot assigned her. That
bodily pcculiaities peculiarize the
$780, $50 a. sElllI