The herald., 1896-09-27
THE SIXTH AMENDMENT

The secretary of the Woman Suffrage
campaign committee addresses the ed
itor Of The Herald, asking that COM
mittee Of that organization be given an
opportunity to be heard In advocacy
of the proposed sixth amendment to the
California constitution before this pa
per commits itself for or against the ex-
tension of the elective franchise to
women.
Inasmuch as the editor of The Herald,
speaking for himself, has no hesitancy
in saying that he holds to the absolute
right of the female sex to the exercise
of the franchise as clearly demon
strable theoretical proposition. no au-
dience Of the most gifted of its propo-
nents would seem to be necessary, how
ever entertaining and interesting such
hearing might prove. We will go further
and admit that no questions of expedien-
cy deserve any recognition as stumbling
blocks in the denial of fundamental hu-
man rights Our reverence for the rights
of the individual Is supreme, and, in our
opinion, governments legitimately ex-
ist for no other end or object than their
preservation.
Having gone thus far. we pause to
declare that we should deplore the ex-
ercise of the right of ballot by women.
Our reasons are sentimental, but are
none the less, in our conception, cogent
and deeply lodged in the breasts of q
vast multitude of the men and women
who are most genuinely and intelligent
ly interested in the welfare of the hu-
rt.~ ~It 80
believes the true trinity of estates, in
the wholesome evolution of the race, to
! be: The democracy of men, the aris-
tocracy Of women and the monarchy of
God. So long as the eternal feminine
| Is the Inspiration of mankind we shall
have an ever-advancing civilization and
the finest effiorescence of the mind and
soul. Woman's aristocracy and influ-
ence lie in her higher walk and work
Her bitterness" to man is what hedges
her about with the divine right to lead
him up the higher ways. No doubt
Generals Washington. Bonaparte and
Grant had the right to ride in the skir-
mish line of battle. or scale ramparts
side by side with the private soldier. bu
they did not exercise the right, and i
was we'll for the armies they commanded
that they did not do SO. Woman shoult
stand side by side with man as counsel
lor and friend, and should equip hersel
| for the highest co-operation-Mrs VIII
liam Jennings Bryan lends such aid t
her husband-but she can well affor,
to waive the exercise Of the electiv
franchise for higher work. We ventur
the prediction that where one woman
may now influence q dozen votes, afte
she comes into, and exercises, the fran
chise she will have much ado to contro
a vote other than her orvn-A vote for tin
sixth constitutional amendment will b
a ballot cast for according to woma
her indubitable right. That she will
now or upon future insistence, get tn
franchise, is as sure as fate. If she shall
with equal determination and persis
tence. proceed generally to exercise /,
she will do so at the hazard of losin
her acknowledged aristocracy and merg
Ing her diminished self among tn
democracy Of men,
An elevated and elevating womanhoo
Is the hope Of the race. We should a
much deprecate any movement on tn
| part of the sex to divest itself of a res
prerogative, while 1t grasps for a shad
ow, as we execrate the man who treat
woman with contumely or unmanlines,