The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
WOMEN'S PART IN POLITICS.
E0UlL sUFFRAGE RIaHTs GRANTED
IN WEST AUSTRlLIl.

Show that Voting by Women Has not
Brought About the Evil Consequences
Prsdicted-Its Workings in Colorado.
The news that the Legislative Council OF
Western Australia has passed an act granting
full parlime ntary suffrage to women 10 causing
great rejoicing among the friends OF equal
rights In America. It marks the end Of a long
struggle. In West Australia. az in Victoria and
other Australian provinces. q bill enfranchls-
ing women has again and again passed the
popular branch OF the Legislative Assembly
by a large majority, only to fail by
close vote in the Council. tho non-rep-
resentative upper house. New Zealand in
1893 granted full suffrage to women.
both married and single. and in 1895
similar action was taken by South Australia.
Since It became clear that the results were
good and that none OF the predicted disasters
had followed. the pressure for equal suffrage
In West Australia has become stronger, and
the upper house has at last yielded 10 the In
svtable.
The air is already full OF the sounds OF the
approaching fall campaign. and as the politi-
cal pot begins to boil with its usual intensity.
we hear again the familiar argument
that women are too emotional to vote.
The Boston Budget solemnly declares that
the delicate constitutions OF women could
not stand the strain OF political excitsm emit.
and professor OF Smith College lately prophe-
sled that whenever women were allowed to
vote they would find themselves ''on the high
road to the insane asylum" Experience. how
ever. docs not show that political excitement
is more dangerous to women than to men.
Just after the last Presidential election coll
lection OF interesting items was published. re-
porting the emotional behavior Of a number OF
men during the canp aign.
In Philadelphia a tailor. believing that
the "gold-bugs" were pursuing him. ended
his life with carving knife. In Brook
Ign an unemployed man. becoming con-
WINGED that there would be no work
for hinsunless Mckinley was elected. and that
Bryan was likely to win. shot himself. In Chi
cago. dentist a lawyer. a boy. and a laboring
man were deprived OF their reason by political
excitement. A Populist leader at Rome. Ca.
had to be shut up in an asylum. and Ken
lucky convict went raving mad under the
hallucination that his services were impera-
lively needed on the stump. At least six fatal
or serious shooting ARRAYS marked the State
election in Georgia. In Kentucky. West vr-
raes at s
dead at Mr.. Bryan's Il, meetings. At Madison
1T a who
had come all the way from San Francisco on
an airship for the express purpose OF killing
But from the three States where women
voted for President. 1t was not reported that
eitement.. or committed suicide. or drew a
bowie,knife or revolver 9pon , 2 a. political op-
Wyoming for eleven years. the census showed
that In all Wyoming 1 there were only three
hear psope talk might
that men were fT9m POLITICAL excite
story q the boy whose iit.is sister had ionnd
an apple and was beginning TO- eat It. Hs
consternation. and told her that the Oh cho fs
va. soming. that the apple was green. and
and die; The child. in alarm. threw down the
fruit: which her brother at once pick Cd up and
eSSd s'' a.faa
won't the cholera catch you. too2" No." an
sss s S Eis hf B69s aon H
cholera"
At this season. all the political parties are en-
couraging the formation Of women's political
clubs. and urging the women to do their utr1 ost
TO educate the male voter. and bring him to the
polls. The very men who are most afraid that
women's reason would be unhinged by political
excitement II they had a ballot. are pressing
women to make political speeches. to ride In
political PROFESSIONS. and to hold and attend
exciting political meetings. They are more
atas en- IN
women" to take part In any political society or
sad ths
Gil, No woman may become member OF any
political society. and the presence OF single
cause it's dissolution BY the eysr.prssent police
agent" Yet. L war were to break out between
An epidemic Of intense political excitement in
sex than could an epidemic Of smallpox. This
being the case. 1t 10 surely well to give women
S ors Sa her zss
TO knowledge.
Miss Jane Adams of Hull House. Chicago
said at q reception given her by the Equal SUI
fraRe Association:
Our civic duties are like all other duties
We cannot cast them Of But 1t 10 hard to ex.
pect devotion from those who have no sense o
responsibility. The movement for woman
suffrage is an ethical movement at bottom. L
Is hard to hold to our ethics unless We can pu
them into practice. Otherwise they tend t.
clip away and become Intangible. But we dc
not want the civic side OF our nature to be
come intangible"
Several letters received within the last few
days from Colorado lay stress upon tho effeo
OF equal suffrage in stimulating this sense o
civic responsibility and duty In women. Mrs
Frank N. Briggs. President OF the Women
Club OF Victor. COL. writes:
Before answering your questions vii
state that am one Of those women who d
not care for the ballot but. realizing that Their
are many OF our sisters who must take man
place In the world, I now believe that the
should have man. privileges. Realizing ais
that woman's influence 10 largely for good fl
other directions believe 1t should be In this.
81 do not find that equal suffrage has In
creased corruption In politics. The pollin
places are certainly moro quiet. orderly and re
spectacle. The women's vote Is not decreasin
but rather increasing. particularly in munic
pal elections. do not End that the bad an
ignorant ", nen vote moro generally than tn
better class.
AS for marring the happiness OF the hom
the woman politician Who negleotS her HON
and children 10 q woman who in her very n,
tAre would be going to the same extreme
some other direction were she not interested
politics. There are q few such women In tn