New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-25
SHE WILL NOT VOTE.
COLORADO WOMAN FROM CRIPPLE
CREEK AN ANTI-SUFFRAG1ST.
SHE BELIEVES IN THE DIVINE BALANCE OF
THE SEXES" AND SAYS WOMEN ARE
CHASING AN IGNIs FATUUs.

THE SFNE9" AND BAIb WOMEN ARE
CHASING AN IGNIs FATUUs.
TT is a far cry from the Rocky Mountains to the
East, and tho voice Is feeble In the tumultuous
clsmor excited by the subject, still may not be
deferred from sowing my convictions in the mighty
seedheld Of opinion 1t Is not my custom, as Ian
Macaren' puts It, to conduct my emotions In pub
lic but woman's suffrage. like the vermin OF the
Egyptian plague. has so contaminated every social
pleasure and function touching feminine life that
must speak" Such were the words yesterday of
Mrs. Laban Edward Smith. fresh from Cripple
Creek, Col.
Mrs Smith who is on a short visit to this city. Is
stopping at No. 40 West Ninth-st. She has with
her her little girl, who was born in Altman, FL
Paso County Col Mr. Smith Is one Of the mining
experts of that district Coming from tho paradise
OF women suffragists. the position OF Mrs. Smith
az an ant-suffragist is almost unprecedented But
she is uncompromsingJ opposed TO women voting,
and asserts her views and opinions IN no half
hearted way. Surely she must be a brave woman
who can come to New-York. where so many OF her
impatient sisters clamoring for their rights"
and openly and unhestatingly declare herself
against them. But let her speak;
81 maintain that the duties that fall 10 me a
wife and mother fall alike 10 other women so
circumstance" she continued. Love is a passion
that comes unbdden, and in tho face of nineteenth
century observation-disclosures. starched shirt
fronts and female clerical workers-the majority OF
the daughters Of the sons Of mon marry and be-
come mothers. From what rank, then, arc we to
EXPECT our public women We have Them but at
the time they making their transit across the
political meridian the question arises. Is there not
a duty nearer them left unfulflled? The strain Of
the politician is not In my blood; no more is there
that of argument When ! am bcseged by the en-
thuslastic sufragist TO know why don't want to
vote. ! am always without my weapons. simply
say that when every sacred instinct of my nature
rises in revolt against thing know 1t Is wrong.
The story has tricked TO through the press that
the majority OF women in the East do not want TO
vote and am prepared to believe 1t. have an
abiding and an affectonate confidence In my sex,
and while some may think for the nonce that they
want this thing their intelligence and intuition will
eventually bring them back into the primeva God
formed feminine rank.
I'm no section this broad continent are women
80 hampered in Attempting public affairs as In tho
West and in no other section do the lines OF life
fall so crooked to the housewife The ordinary help
is the society girl in certain circle who dances
by night and dozes the housework By day.
Rurdened with this sinecure, the mistress Of the
house must needs turn her hand TO tasks perhaps
new but imperative. For instance. have never
yet in my Western experience crossed n hired girl
who could DO trusted With the bread-making OFTEN
domestic help OF any kind IS not TO be obtained.
"A large number OF the reading, thinking women
Of the eaual-sunrage States of the West live in
mining camps. Only those who have lived this ex-
perlence can know just what this means. There
follows always in the wake Of strike rowing,
vagrant class OF people-mere jewellers In tents
whose lawess offspring are intermittent scourges
OF the schools In these advanced States OF voting
women the pubc-school teachers will tell you
that the standard Of infantile morals Is shockingly
low Confronted by this evil, the vigant mother
converts herself into teacher. thereby using time
that might otherwise he devoted to the study OF
public affairs. My argument Is that in no locality
can the conscientious wife and mother find time
for the mastering Of these weighty subjects. much
less in the rugged West
~ argue further that God drew the line between
the provinces Of tho the breadth Of the feni
nine horizon is not moro limited. only set In dis
tinct latitude When woman begins to clarnor for
rights beyond what she finds there, she Is chasing
an ignis fatuus What could be more divinely per-
feet than this plan OF the feminine province? In
II there is everything to satisfy tho true woman
1t holds the love and protection OF man: the sweet
est passion Of earth. motherlove, and Its requital
,he blessed responsibility Of creature comfort and
the highest gift OF all, influence, and the wisdom
10 WELD II for good.
~ watch for Bishop Doanes articles with hun
eerng from month TO month. In them usually
find just what want to say myself but somehow
cannot Discussing this last expression OF his with
a bright woman an enthusiastic politician. she
exclaimed:
"'B,shop Doane Is narrow
..On this subject ne Is quite broad enough FOR
me- rejoined
From the beginning have set my face against
this thing and a life in the midst OF voting women
has not tended 70 reconstruct my views Once
witness election day in Western town and you
turn forever sckened OF female intrusion on mas
cul,ne territory There are befagged carriages
galore giving voters q free ride to the polls. and
seated IN these vehicles are women from every
walk OF life You wonder you watch the pro-
cession pass by II there 10 lucid conception OF
their mission in the brain.
ain discussing this nm de steele issue. more than
two-thirds OF the women 1 meet agree with me that
they do not want 1t
Il vote because the right OF suffrage has been
thrust on me- and | feel to shirk II would be like
Sinking any other serious duty is expression
often heard Hearing this so repeatedly. you get
the idea that even those who DO vote do II under
protest.
There are ever constant and recurring evidences
that woman is a failure in public affairs. In a
recent issue OF THE Rocky Mountain News" the
State dairymen cry aloud that they are opposed
any moro women dairy commissioners. and make
q unanimous appeal to the Governor to give them a
man. Within the last month. the president Of the
National Educational Association inveighed against
woman In difficult public positions.
she has a sphere far above the oleomargarine
question and ward problems. In the west In
all other localities class distinctions and In
these classes to be found the conditions hostile
TO the movement. The rich woman In the West
Is usually the society woman. and her time Is given
TO tho fulflment OF the engagements incident to
her life. The world runs smooth for her and she
does not elect TO vex her soul with tho study OF