New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-26
A REPLY TO MRS. SMITH.
1o1-1sE GORDON MAKES FUN OF THIS
1sI-FFRAGIsT AND HER VIEWS

ANTI-SJFFRAGIST AND HER Nlh""'
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
cir. Tho communication OF one Mrs. Laban Ed-
ward Smith fresh from Cripple Creek WIN"
spreared in the columns OF the woman "S
49, &, ~ ouch a remarkable nature as TO call forth
vigorous express ons from a large circle Oh "oH"
who have read it. Mrs Smiths pecnllar views vi
the suffrage question have even stirred UP inc uh
usually calm depths of my own emouohS' anu
hog leave TO look into some OF her Opinions WIN "
view of getting at the reasons WHICH she Hiu'e nav
hack of them In the first place. Mrs lapah
Edward Smith likens womanG suffrage 10 'ne
vermin Of the Egyptian plague" and says that II
has contaminated every social pleasure and rune
ton touching feminine LIE" This Is oroao ana
sweeping assertion. and since can most e"pha'
ically state that my own social pleasures an"
t,pct,ons. have never yet been rufied-let
aIone "contamina ted"-by the suffrage 'Vermlh
referred TO- must beg leave TO assert that Mrs
Smiths general proposition is not wholly seawor'hv
and has sprung leak somewhere
social pleasures and functions" must mean tho
ordinary Interchange Of personal courtesies which
enable us TO mingle together and to know each
, o,hor as We 60 through life. The numerous recep-
,,ors h,rcboons balls and dinners which attended
during the last winter in no way marred ny
the suffrage "vermin." 1t makes ones plood run
cold to merely repeat the word One or two OF me
receptions were In Colorado. too. DO you not thinK
"verrnn' ra Their an ill-advsed word? II suggests
orous and wholesale use OF rough on rats in a
general crusade for the determination OF Inc pest
Ie. us hope that the Colorado woman harDorS no
rurderous schemes within the nnermost recesses
Of her gray matter Along toward the close OF her
concentration Mrs Laban Edward Smith an
nounces this as her hnal conception Vi INC SItu""
ton" t. O.. woman's suffrage:
a voman's first and highes: duty Is TO the chhd
OF her love and her husband.
This "a no doubt a pretty theory for tho woman
ls,,or
20 res hui what about the woman who Is entirely
,,rsrnnrcd with them? No provision whatever IL
made for her Yet Bill Arp would say. she IL
q numerous creature Therefore. | cannot see no"
tho bright progressive woman can be expected 20
devote her "hrst and highest duty to the child or
her love- and her husband. when she hasn't either
ore Moreover. these two superluous possessions
cannot he procured on a moments notice so. unless
Mrs Labar Edward Smith will write again and
kindly suggest what is to become Of the millions OF
women who are still enjoying life Of single blessed
ness she leaves half the population Of the world
nearly ignorant and wandering about In state
that calls for first ana hghest duty WhhteNer'
But to proceed.
Mrs Laban Edward Smith says, further that
! when a woman is devoting her time, talents and
money 10 "the child Of her love. and her husban J.
these duties wholly fulfilled. leave no time for the
study of civics. Turning from them at evening
when the reading lamp burns soft on the table.
she will not find relaxation in the knotty problems
OF statecrat but rather In the pages OF our beau
| titul American magazines which spread such
monthly feasts for their readers.
Now here is another awkward situation. brought
about by that reading lamp burning soft on the
tahe" Here again due credit is given to the
woman who owns lamp but no notice whatever
20 taken of the one who hasn't any. what about
The millions OF women who do not possess a
reading lamp" and who prefer az illiterate gas
,et or an electric Hight 10 burn soft upon tnelr
literature? | am beginning TO fear that am a
renrchensible kind of woman, since possess
neither child husband nor reading lamp and
naro very little for tables" but our beautlful
American magazines" next claim my attention
and cannot refrain from blinking that cyics at
80, Is free from Illustrations OF Corbett and Fitz-
simmons directions for knitting lace suitable for
iIIow shams and other similar monthly fensts."
on the whole: one can plainly 2erccey,e, me un-
,n,,,,tcot lion has had upon one Of The Tribune
| rnaders who lacking the child OF her love: and
har husband - possessing no reading lamp and
ngt ~ mind scorning tables seems wholly shut
W., ,rnm that bright particular" band OF women
Who shine like unto the glory Of the evening star
,Whr.rou0bout Mrs Smiths antl-sufrage symphony.
VIII not DR. Putnam Jacob and dear AUNT
| susan" and other similarly minded sisters speak
| ~ our cause? Yours truly LOUISE GORDON.
1 New York. April -. 1871.