New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-30
WILL hrs. SMITH REPLY
NETWORK WOMAN SCORES THE COL
ORADO ANTI-sUTFRAGIST
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: certain Mrs Loban Edward Smith. OF
Cripple Creek Col. has expressed herself IN you-
columns as being strongly opposed to woman suf-
frage and bases her objection OH the assumption
that wonan's sphere is the home. and that II heT
duties to her husband and children are properly
performed she will have no time for any DINER
Let IL be granted that she Is right
There still remain difficulties In the way or nc
cepting her position. and with your kind permits
son Mr.. Editor. I would fain call her attention 70
| them. 1t may be that she remove stumbling
block that others sea In this particular pain 10
feminine perfection and happiness.
couple OF years ago. az the annual congress o.
| the Medlco-Lcga Society. a medical member OF
that honorable body stated in a paper which no
read before the house, your correspondent being
present. that not one man In thousand could
marry without endangering the life OF the woman
he led to the altar and promised to love and cher
ish. This Is not isolated assertion. and II Mrs.
Smith cares to investigate the subject she will hnd
plenty more startling ones. Now, In the light OF
these facts what becomes OF won1an's sphere as
defined by Mrs. Smith? II her duty is where the
lady from Cripple Creel. has placed IT, she can
scarcely In charity. be blamed for Sinking and
| refusing to enroll herself in this noble army OF
martyrs
But even supposing her to be th,rsting for mar.
tyrdom, or at least conscientious that she will
not let circumstances Of such little moment as
those set forth above stand between herself and
her first and highest duty another difficulty ORE.
sents itself
Mrs. Smith speaks OF duties the duty Of
wife and the duty OF a mother Now the woman
who has not been fortunate 10 mate with this
one In Thousand may be able to perform the FIRST
OF these duties but what becomes of the second:
Tor surely the first duty of mother is to that
her child is well born. and the nine hundred and
nnety-nine scarcely be desirable as fathers be
they ever so satisfactory husbands.
Does Mrs. Smith Of this diem.
ma? She. of course. has secured the In
thousand. and is in the happy position OF being
able TO fulfil her mission in ife but what does
she propose to do with those who have 10 choose
from the nine hundred and inety-nine? Possibly
she has found as little time for scientific for
political study, but she cannot have overlooked a
point so vital TO her argument, though, as
she Go PRESSES she mas so it'll skill as loslcan
Sunday must have been an oversight and,
write again and let her suffering sisters have the
benefit or her superior knowledge; so that they
formed feminine rank" without taking their lives
IN their hands or committing a crime against pos
If Mrs; Smith is unequal the task, will not
that right reverend and learned gentleman for
ing not the good Bishop Of Albany come 70
to woman,s sphere is precise and accurate that
It is not in reason to suppose that he would be
getting into it, Let hope that he will be able to
clear eL up this difficulty as well as several others
tnat seem TO so many women to exclude them from
their .'dvinely appointed sphere" the holy estate
Of matrmony.
But II neither the lady from Cripple Creek nor
the BishOp or Albany can solve the problem, Il
seems not unreasonable to suggest that they cease
their plants and endure best they may mel
ancholy spectacle of women chasing the political
lgnS fatuus' or any other that may commend
Itself TO Them for they occupy selves
some way, to say nothing OF getting their bread
and butter.
And now as to Mrs. Smiths premises. With all
due respect to her sacred instincts" venture not
only to question their correctness but 10 assert
that whatever Of truth they contain tells against
her position. Her argument is based upon ar un-
deniable truth-namey, that the task Of moulding
the character of future generations is almost II NOT
quite the most important thing in life, and dim
and underlined feeling that this is the part
or society in general Is what CLOSES the ABB
surdity OF such statements and gives them ap.
pearance Of plalsibity.
Mrs. Smith forgets and many other people forget
that fathers are as necessary IL the world as
mothers, and that so long a dependent
upon men, they will neve- be able to control hered.
ty. and without that there is little hope for the
future OF this poor. afflicted human family.
III Mrs Smith Is at all interested in the rights ~
children therefore. she will try in every way 10
bring about the absolute Independence OF her SEX
whether 1t be politically. financially socially
Tor, even from her own point of view, she can
scarcely say that this is going out OF her sphere.
am Mr., Editor, yours truly
New-York City, April q. MIRIAM DUDLEY