The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-08-20
WOMEN IN POLITICS.
A Spicy Message to Mary With Modi.
cum Of Truth.


l have received dainty epistle from
Temple, Texas, signed Mary" and
propounding the following important
conundrum:
Should women be allowed the ballot?
Cert.-If she asks for it. l insist
that the woman be given everything
she may happen to want, from ducal
coronet to a pug dog, from Il bicycle to
the ballot. l wouldn't deny her any
thing II could, and couldn't il !
would, because I'm not built that way.
II my fair correspondent will 'fess up
to one and twenty summers, l am con-
scious OF no reason why she shouldn't
don a pair OF bloomers, u stiff hat ard
"a starched shirt, participate in politi'
cal powwows and ysop with her mouth
open for "our party"-lf the perform.
ance will afford her any pleasure. II
she wants to deposit in the urn Of po-
litical destiny an embroidered ballot,
printed with sympathetic ink on Law.
ender silk, with a postscript at the
bottom, and smelling OF ottar of roses
and unadulteratcd demOcracy-then
90 around In day or two and insist
On changing i'll shall fllc never an
objection. But, to the best OF my
knowledge and belief, the average w0.
man would rather have one baby than
forty ballots. The fact that she
doesn't vote-''early and often"-is
prima facic evidence that she doesn't
want, for
"When woman will she will,
You may depend ont,
And when she won't she won't,
And there's an end On't."S
There has been great deal OF talk
during the past three decades anent
female enfranchisement; but l have
yet to see one really representative
American woman clamoring for the
blessed privilege Of saving the coun'
try via the stony path OF politics. Al.
ter having interviewed, as a working
journalist, most OF the leading lights
OF the reform" movement, am In
clined to suspect every woman who
wants to vote Of having fahed 10 an
earnest attempt to get married, or OF
having been SO unfortunate as to miss
her "afiinity" and get tied to some
other fellow. Generally speaking, 1t is
matrimonial failure, the henpecked
husbands and women with voices like
a cat fight, and faces that would
frighten q trolley car, who compose
tho female suffrage contingent. The
exceptions only prove the rule. In
stead Of being a thing OF beauty and
Joy forever, the ''strong,mindcd wO
man" Is almost invariably faded
wall flower. Man doesn't know any
too much himself; but he aspires Il
he the head Of his own household
That is why he lodges women wht
want to take him to educate. He ha'
no ambition to play the tender ant
clinglng vine TO some sturdy femal'
oak. Theoretically, taxation with
out representation" is all wrong
whether the object OF the mulct wea
britches or blOomers; but that woman
who cannot find q worthy husband o
rear q valiant son to represent" he
10 the forum and the ficld should ac
knowledge herself a failure Th
right kind OF y woman may be presses
and repressed, but never oppressed 0
suppressed BY the "tyrant man"
have yet to see a maid In love, Wit
fair prospect Of making . landing;
have yet 10 see q beautiful woman
after whom men gazed % though the
, longed 70 steal hor; l have yet ~ "
q woman with . kindly, sympathsti
face, and low, sweet voice tha
thrills the hearts of men with