The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-05
THE MASSEY BUSINESS COLLEGE,

that made women slaves. that made
them beasts OF burden, that made them
pets and playthings but that-thank
heaven-is gradually passing away.
The whole logic OF the thing lies I'm
a nutshell Either women should vote,
or men should not vote. why do l say
this? l say it because human ingenuity
cannot suggest % single distinction De-
tween the sexes 500 far as the right or
voting is concerned. They are equally
intelligent so far 1s the intelligence 20
vote is concerned. They arc equally
competent to Judge of the merits Of
measures and the comparative merits
OF candidates lis there any doubt that
the women of this audience are equal
in these respects 90 the average voter.
or That they are as We'll prepared 20
pass ON tho comparative merits of Rob-
inf1n and Prince. Blaine and cleveland.
free rum and prohibition. civil service
reform ana tho spons system free
trade and protection. free and equal
suffrage and fraudulent elections? Shall
wo trust the man who does not know
the multiplication table, and De afraid
OF Mary Somcrylle who measures the
stars2
Men ana women have an equal stake
in the government and laws they each
hold property to hc protected and taxed.
they alike have children to Dee educated.
and lives and limbs 90 Doe made secure.
thov follow many of the same husi-
ncssos and urofes -Ions. they do much
of the same labor even to tine extent
0f the BARRIERS shop on one Sand and
Tho cook-stovo on the other, they have
each shown ability as queens and kings
as administrator ADD rulers 1s bureau
clerks and agauf- Shakespeare owe
IDENTIFY thought ho was doing uO ~ioloncc
to human nature WHOM Inc made Portia
not only 4n upright but pro-cnlinont
judicial authority.
am told chat you viii find many
street in our Mass C1usetts towns ON
which of thc adult residents majority
are women owning property on which
they are taxed Tor the municipal eN-
pcndiuree n which they have ho voice,
while of the male minority. not iuirc-
ouenuy more than half are persons
having mo- visible property paying Only
a pol-tax. some OF them the employees
Of the women. and yet boy their major
vote actually the controlling numerical
clement Tho mere statement OF this
frequent fact is ar once am Illustration
and demonstration OF the case. And
yot in every such community the ave-
rage intelligence and competency of Tie
women U.s. 40 the very least equal 10
chat of the mon. Some of the women
don't know much Some of tho men
don't know much some Of the women
would NOT vote if they could, and as
many OF the men d0 not vote although
they cam some of tho women would
vote as they wore led or mislod. as
many of the mon do the same thing
Most of tho women DOB these instances,
would if they were voters exercise the
suffrage with care consricnuousness
and understanding. and advantage, ana
the mon do nO more These same men
and women meet together many tlnca
year and engage in tho same interests
not only in private life. but I'M public
relations If there is an industrial or
agricultural fair or a village improve
ment enterprise. they arc equally active
Both furnish members Of the school
committee. one as good as the other
not only i'm matters of instructions. but
even in The way OF schooIhousc repairs
and the grading Of the grounds They
minele iu church meetings and in inls
rosnect we au know that women are
the salvation OF the enterprise They
own stock fro the same bank and rail-
road and vote with common intelligence
0u their shares They crowd into tho
same han t0 attend lectures and balls
They go 90 the same theatres. and unite
I'm local dramatic entertainments, the
women usually a little quicker nc their
parts They hold offices IN the same
savings bank and insurance company
the women subordinate c.crk-hirs. 90 o0
sure. but capable. if they had the Same
business traiu.ue oi anN. place MOST
significant OF an. they 20 to the same
poIuicd meetings listen 60 the same
stump-spoaksrs and Of "a hot campaign
comes. engage with the some acrlmony
and pa-slouatcness boo political debate,
discussing men and measures 30 tire
street corners an1 lighting ~ out around
the family table. the household not infre-
ouently divided against Itself.
ln view of thls what patience can
Doc had when some hardshcl tells us
that this is au SOD. Dut the h"aycns
would fau society would be- ruined, the
State would collapse. " the same wo-
men, once iu March and once Do 30
vembcr should enter decent town
hall or ward room-aIl the more decent
for their nresoncc-Walk to bailol- &.
box. and put into 20 piece of printed
raner EXPRESSING in concrete form the
results of their previous considerations
] can understand we'll enough why one
man should be afraid OF ignorant sue
fringe and desire additional educational
qualifications bat while that test would
exclude many men who vote. 81 would
include women who do not ! can un-
dorstand why another might demand
tho test OF property or loyalty or age,
but every such test would still be With
ONT distinction of sex.
Riehr or course 30 is the denial Of "a
right and everybody knows o. ITO
deny % right is an outrage. 10 is idle
20 mystfy This matter with rctnemcnis
about natural right and artificial right
Somebody has suggested that wo-
mDn ago NOT iaruCudrizcd Boz The De-
ciaratior of Independence or the Con-
stitution. Neither are slaves. Even as
To- them some used 90 argue that free
dom is not natural right that children
are not free. that offenders against the
law and insane persons are not free.
and that freedom is a matter Of eXpe-
dent discrimination. As "a matter OF
common sense you and / know that IL
we contribute out of our property 90
common fund. III we are taxed for
common enterprise. II our sights, our
liberties. our persons. our children. are
affected D. certain laws. we ought TO
have voice in the arrangement and
AZ YOU doubt this. try the experiment
with "a body OF men and see what viii
come of IL.
II 10 is a right. why should 10 be de-
MED? When yet i'm the history OF the
world has IL been found that what is
right Is fnexpedient2 Somebody says
that few women would vote II entran-
chised. Well. H. often happens IN an
election that more than half the men
refuse TO vote. But If one man or wo-
d rl