Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-08-22
woMAN,s LETTER.
p.marks Concerning Politics and
Children.

GAilulthe
Il is a relief to see that men "n
,,.lr nolitics" are, as rule aOan
doning tHeircld tabitSof abusing AM
ii,,,lpg each other because 0
Marty. And while it is gratifying II
,h,t marty has less influence oI
,ooinations than formerly, 1t makes
ore a little apprehensive, and w
women have concluded that there is
yorv important issue at stake, elsC
t,o men would never for moment
,h,ndon the eyer-varying pleasure
and interest Of recting all past deeds
=, ri,,,t and wrong, land especially
mron,, committed by the nominee oT
his supporters.
No. men are turning their attention
N the "moncy question" Some of
them understand IL thoroughly, some
think they do; but to the greater per
ccnt of them it is Greek, and the
nbrase "lG to t." is IN especially diff
ecnlt massage. The most of the men
tnow as little about its meaning as
we women do, and we are not sup
nosed to know anythlng-at least,
about politics, or what is best for our
country. Most men think we SHOULD
he content, too, to allow ignorant
Italians and half-bred Indians TO
helm form our laws. Some of us are
not True, we know we've enough
else 20 occupy hand and brain. The
average woman Is combination Of
cook, laundress, teacher and nurse, to
say nothing OF seamstress and great
many other "esses." Nevertheless,
most of US could find time to instruct
ourselves in intelligent balloting, and
would doubtless make greater sue
cess Of IL than an ignorant foreigner,
and would not place so great pecun-
iary value upon our vote.
But then! this Is the old debate OF
0wOmans rights" Some OF us want
to vote, and say so; Others do, and say
they don't, because they can't; and
yet others don't care whether they
can orcant. The first are the sort of
women who are very angry for few
minutes, and then are sunny temp
cred again; the second are the sulky |
sort, who are provoked II they can't |
have what they want, and are too
proud and sullen to ask twice. And
the last? o, they are the "contented"
sort. Deliver us from many OF 'eml
II we women were voters, think we
would devote few hours to learning
what 'l6 TO l" means, instead OF
standing on the street corners and
harplng on the trouble that will fol-
low the adoption Of the "gold stand
ard,"Or the good that will follow a
distribution of "free silver"
man told me a story a few days
since which l would never have told
on another, were l a man, 1 would be
so ashamed Of him. He said one man
said to another, "Why, IL we get
distribution OF free silver at the rate
Ofl6t TO every man and woman will
receiver SIG, and each one of their
children SIG, and / tell you, I'll
vote for free silver every timel II
EnOw which side OF my bread is
outtered" Well, l doubt IL, don't
yonY There is one comforting assur-
ance, however, and that is this;
although that mans children may
not know any more about the re-
Spective sides of their slice OF bread
"nen they are born, their mother
VIII probably be able to instill a little
knowledge in their respective brains.
one can at least teach them not to
ueK The butter all off the one side,
And then howl because they must
'neh eat the dry bread. And when
'ney get to squabblIng over a chair,
One Oi them squalling because the
O'uer is In his chair, she can and
'uould make them understand that
'uey must not be selfish. She must
'e@oer that they are embryo politi-
''aiiS' and must eliminate such selfish
''alls from their characters for the
sAAe OF household peace and the