The record-union., 1896-05-31
A WOMAN'S VIEW.
Why She Does Not Advocate Woman
Suffrage.

In regard to woman suffrage. which
seems just now to be one ofthe questions
of the day, let me speak from the stand
point of a woman who would advocate
| 1t under certain conditions. l do NOT
consider it necessary that women
should vote, but l do think that there
are many women who are just as capa-
BILE of exercising the suffrage as the
most intelligent of the stronger sex;
and they certainly have as much right
| to the elective function in all affairs of
| Government as the man who, soon after
! landing on our shores from q foreign
| land begins to exercise a right con-
! ferred at least sixteen years too soon
| by a Government which denies the
| right to half of its own people, and
which 1T only bestows to the other half
after twenty-one years of residence un-
! der the American flag.
| Many men seem TO be of the opinion
that women have no right to express an
opinion on any subject of Importance,
and this may be partly responsible for
the stand that women are taking. Many
| inquire What will become of the home
II woman takes part in the elections? ?"
There are many who do not care to
actively participate in public affairs
and to whom the restraint of home is
not irksome; indeed I am happy to say
that a ma jority, while capable of under
standing the great questions now sup
posed 10 be exclusively considered by
men, are willing to devote their lives to
their homes, reserving only the small
space of time demanded by society and
the exercise of the right Ito vote. Are
not the children of many of the "but-
terflies of society" left to the care of the
nurse from morning until night scarce
knowing a mothers care? This is be-
cause the demands of society are
stronger than the claims of the little
ones ait home, and not because of the
interest taken in political affairs 1 do
think that the advancement of women
in this direction will effect a great
change among those just alluded to.
know many ladies who conduct both
business and the home properly. Why
rot exercise the duties of the citizen,
the wife and the mother so far as the
usual objections to this course are con-
cerned, which to my mind any true
woman may take. If business man
has a wife who is a business woman
is 1T not gratifying to him to know that
SAASAS ID OAiC 4AllO WilOSG HduOS ne MAY
safely intrust his business affairs?
l do not presume that it would bene-
ut the country politically if women did
vote, for the reason that while there
are many women of broad views. there
are others who, like a great many men,
allow petty jealousies to influence them,
and this is one reason why do not urge
their right to suffrage; but state the
o.cste II 4 ~,
trust wholly without prejudice Fur
thermore, l think that we should be sat
lsfied as matters now stand; we have
fair representatives of nearly every
masculine profession. We have lady
doctors, lawyers, etc, among them Mrs.
Clara Foltz, the Portia of the Pacific
Coast, Mrs. Frank Leslie, a business
woman and WRITER, and many others.
If the majority of women were like
these we might talk of women voting,
but as it is, think that we had better
leave that to the sterner sex I do not
consider women who take an active
part in public matters less womanly
than those who are never known out
side of the home circle, and / say with
Mrs. Frank Leslie, Let them cultivate
the manly virtues of justice, honor,
courage, self command, while not let
ting go their own birthright of tender
ness, patience. faith, self-devotion.
Cassandra, in Palermo Progress.