New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-02

"o Woman n Suffrage Movement In the United
States and Discussion OF ' aSvoca at.s BY
Helen Kendr!ck Johnson. octave PIP '-'
Appleton GO.
Tho author of this animated volume taxes u
pouant point of departure. Meeting one oi ''''
ravorite assertions of the suffragists' nancy
hat the function they claim Is "a leg"''h"'c o"'
<rowth of the fundamental principles OF our gov
,rn,oart" she declares CURLY that II is nothing
of the sort and proceeds to give her 'e"'o'''
Anneal;pr 10 history sh points out that women
have sat upon thrones. that III moharcn'o"' -
tries they have again and again enjoyed SUD-
stantial privileges. and she cites the AuSUo-
Hungarian and Italian monarches as giving the
err,raes IN wonen. with restrictions, TO thls
da,.. In, she hastens to add that the SWISS 'c
,uhl,c AZ the present time has only menhoVu
suffrage and that at all times Il denoc!auc
for,, o. government has excluded women from
i;s c,uncils She reminds US Of the women VI
f,uoalism who when they were land o"htrs'
had the same rights mobiles; ana shc h'is"'
have ins;anced the Italian great i@dlcs Oh al
even later time. These. like their predecesS'i''
could raise sodery, coin money ana aui'i'i''a''.
Justice In both civil and criminal pToceeoi"e''
But Mrs. Johnson continues. in proportion 10
IN. ar,stocrat;c power lost It's hold. women were
exempted from those services ana gaiheo Al
moral influence"
While the reader Is casting about Tor more
explicit solution o: this transition OF certain
REPRESENTATIVES of the sex from more OF iesS
despotio power to more or less OF supJeo' '0
dillon. our author leads UP acutey 10 TIE o'O
argument Of force. advancing H. however VIC arc
honnd "a admit. with what looks like an I'M
consciousness Of It's true character. o'aoi'''''
aha ,ays. els one of the highest virtues that any
DerlQpS
necessary. 1t con have no stability II II issues
Ancrses that II cannot enforce The only way
N avn,d such DEGREES is 20 make sure that De-
hind away law and every policy adopted stanos
a noxer SO great that no power In the iaho
c,n ovsrtnrow Il The only such power possible
,ons,stsof amajori,y Of the men. Therefore. the
only safe thing for the government 10 90 ID u
carry out the ascertained VIII or majority Vi
TIA men. This does not always secure ioeaiiy
rood laws but 1t does secure stability ana aVo'os
revolution. The majority may blunder' Out they
,rn the only mower that can correct their own
hlunderH" Now, In making this point MIS-
johnson may Justly claim that IT Is paseo upon
her notion of the necessities Of civilization ana
It certainly wears convincing air. But IL must
ba remembered that while In the present volume
the passage is put forth definitely against the
srpnnent OF the suffragsts that the ballot is
q reward for fighting service, 1t also 1orins INN
IN the chain of reasoning which is brought
against the claims of the suffragists as whole.
They may very plausibly ask of Mrs. Johnson
II this passage does not confirm their main con-
tention. that male suffrage is nothing more nor
les, than the apotheosis OF the strong. Their
Question would the rcore seriously demand at
tention inasmuch az the gist Of this book lies
IN its tacit expression of belief in the survival
Of the strongest, in the domination Of those best
fitted by their intrinsic powers to hold in check
all the rest
Mrs Johnson has obviously an earnest hope
that the home will engage the enthusiasm or
women more and more and she brings her book
70 a conclusion on a fervid plea for that institu-
ton.
With the steady Improvement in machinery
and in education, the wife and mother can be
more and more relieved Of work But the nome
depends much ever upon her love, her
skill. her care. She now has means. which sci
ehce has just taught the world, of learning now
provide, on proper principles for children,
how to dress sensby. cook wholesomely. make
the home sanitary. Nursing is fine art now.
and comforts be placed within the reach OF
every invalid, if the mother knows how TO do it.
If home is to be hosptable and a centre OF social
influence all the artistic and homely powers are
demanded. If the family is 10 be well dressed
the mother must attend TO 1t. If home IL TO be
beautiful the mother and daughter must make
1t so. In these days there is little need Of siav-
"a
thought and self-cuture. such men would
find ii hard To make The long and enforced
retirement Of maternity may prove time for
most valuable improve nent. In our social life
there Is too little culture that is the result OF
absorption by quiet process Of mental assm-
lation. The place where this can be best
achieved IS the home. Nature meant
that women should have periods Of quiet. Let US
honor our own natures exalt our opportu-
mites. love and lead our lives. and so bless
the world and the republic through perfected
homes.
1t Is a sanguine picture drawn by Mrs. John
son in these lines. Whether 1t VIII appeal TO
women everywhere in the United States is a
question which DOUBTLESS the authors an
tagonists would have much to say. IN the
mean time they have TO reckon IN this book with
q spirited and courageous opponent. who has
made her pages readable. II she has not made
them all equally lucid The style OF the book
Is on the whole clear. but the argument might
have been stated with greater simplicity and
copcision