The Monitor-register., 1897-04-02
Our Motherless Governm mt.
ELIZABETH BoYNToN HARBERT.


In 1775 Abigail Adams, the ''great
woman of the Revolution" and pioneer
woman suffragist of America, received
from her husband, President John Adams.
a letter of sympathy in regard to the
death of her mother, in which occurred
this remarkable passage:
"Your mother had a clear and penetrat-
ing understanding and a profound judg-
ment, as we'll as an honest, a friendly and
a charitable heart. There is one thing,
however, which you will forgive me if |
hint to you. Let me ask you, rather, if
you are not of my opinion ? Were not
her talents and virtues too much confined
to private, social and domestic life ? NV
opinion of the duties of religion and
morality compreheuds a very extensive
connection with society at large, and
the great interests of the public The
benevoleDce, charity, capacity and
industry which, exerted in private life
would make a family, a parish, or a
town happy, employed upon a larger
scale in support of the great principles of
virtue and freedom of political regula-
tions. might save whole nations and
generations from misery, want and con.
tempt"
In that simple statement is contained
the foundation principles of the woman
suffrage movement, i. e: First, the
recognition of individual rights, duties
and responsibilities; and, Second, that
the State is but an aggregation of indi-
viduals and homes, and that whatever
elements secure peace, purity, justice,
love and harmony in the home, will
secure the same conditions in the govern
ment or State.
What is the condition of our national
home to day. The opinions of mothers,
wives, sisters and daughters upon temper
ance, morals, education. and an equitable
adjustment of labor and capital are not
counted, and pitiable conditions eusue.
Millions more Of the peoples money
expended for liquor than bread; the tenn
perance laws enacted in many localities
not enforced; and, as a result, many dis
Jricts of the 8 tate merely an aggregation
of drunkard's homes!-yes, worse, an
aggregation of %drunkards' homes from
which the mothers have been driven!
And this fact seriously affects the labor
question, the interests of the laborer.
We are constantly told that one source
of trouble is hat tie supply exceeds the
demand. Change the chanLel of the nine
hundred millions now expended annually
for liquor, and exchange it for food,
clothing, homes and comforts for the now
starved, ragged and homeless families of
the drnn kard, and a new impetus is given
to labor, an immense opportunity created
for industry. Then might the three mil.
lion self supporting, toiling women, to-
day working more hours for less wages
than their brothers who vote, hope to
secure justice.
When the opinions of women are
counted upon education, methods will be
speedily devised whe reby to every child
shall be secnred industrial, moral and
intellectual training; also opportunity.
development, protection and a home; and
when the mothers come to the aid of tn
fathers, the fearful conditious now exist
ing will cease, and the world will recoe-
nize that this is not the woman question
but the human question. 10 a republic
if the sovereign people are drunk the
government is drunk. If the sovereign
people are ignorant, selfish and urinst. |
the laws enacted by them will be unwise, |
oppressive and unjust.