The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-13
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
WOMEN IN POLITICS.

TO women was only the periodical re-
eurrence OF a movement which, in vari-
GUS forms. has sought 10 engraft upon
political institutions the right of women
20 vote since the earliest days 1t found
no place In modern history until very
recently. and has made one of its
strongest fights in England. II would
be much more logical there than in this
country. because in England the right
70 vote depends upon Il properly quail
1ication. In order to be an English
eiector, man must either own prop
erty or pay "a certain rental, SO that as
property Ia the basis. it would seem only
just that women who have separate
property should be entitled to vote
not as citizens merely. but as tax
/. payers.
Theoretically there is no reason why
women should not vote. They are on
the average as intelligent as men: they
have the same interest in good govern
snent as men. but there is an instructive
shrinking from the idea of women TAX
Ing part In public affairs. and this re
pugnance Is as frequently to be found
in women themselves as in men.
Piutarch relates that the Roman
women Of the time of Numa were com
plained of Is too bold in their behavior
and too masculine even TO their hus-
tt<.s. IA
selves absolutely mstresses in their
houses. may. they wanted a share In
affairs OF state. and delivered their
sentiments with great freedom concern
Ing the most weighty matters"
The extent To which women have de-
sired 10 and have been permitted to
participate in public affairs has varied.
but most nations have never recognized
the right of women to vote History
teens with incidents OF the influence of
women upon popular movements. espe-
ciaily In the way OF social amelloraton.
but this has usually been traceabie to
the sympathetic In women
When their sympathles are enlisted
they are az daring as men and more
heroic In seif-sacfifice. but. It must be
confessed, not more Just than men and.
too often. far less tolerant of the other
side
Johnson said that If we require more
perfection In woman than in man II Is
doing her honor The one great dis
unction he made was that women have
not the same temptations as men; they
may always live in virtuous company.
while men must mix In the world in
discriminatory. The one nation In
which women figure uonspicuously In
public affairs Is that Of Sparta hut
while their Efforts resulted in the pro-
duction Of a race OF athletes and war
rsors. 1t Was at the sacrifice eventually
Of every attribute which makes the sex
lovabie. chaste and clcvating In time
everything was sacrificed % the craze
Of having sons who should htz stout Of
limit and heart. and even the domestic
ity Of homie gave way before the pride
OF having many sons and staiwart.
The Spartan women. starting out
gradually with noble AMI patriotic
purpose became the scandal Of sheir
age. and Aristotle inputes to their IL
eea5lousness ana inteuperance in the
end ihe ruin ~ the state.
Under the Roman laN woman was re-
xarded as a sex created - please and
obey, and Roman women were usually
condemned e q perpetual t9te}age: Yet
II IS Remarked ~ Tytler as somewhat
extraordinary THAI most ~ the revolt
tlons II that state owci their origin a.
women. II WAS - I woman tia. Rome
owed the abolition e .he regal dignity.
- a weFaan IL owes, delivery from, the
tyranny ~ the deee;uv.rl. and. later.
The change ny which plebe3ars became
earahle q holding the hishes, OFFICES.
The ancient Germans treated their
women wish high esteem and rsua.
dence, we svv told. and ~for3ly believed
that ia ihrir breasts resided a asn,.lty
snd wisdom mere ihan human" The
wives - soldiers were regarded as their
comrades Hn3 accompanied thass, T. bat
tis. An equally Vigorous illustration Z
less rleastns is that given BY t:!hhan =,
hiS history 81 Nome When the Go;hs
surrendered Kaveana 10 che Romans
malsituaes a. tan and robust Bar