The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20

| linen since men learn TO read and write AND
study arithmetic, history and geography, women
must be kept In ignorance OF these things or they
will cease TO be womanly. Since men use theiI
| tongues TO talk. and occasionally to sing or "a
| speak In public II they have gift for H. women
must not talk, and Mrs Darlington Booth must
not preach. and Jenny Lind must not sing. un.
| der penalty Of Initiating men" Since men amuss
themselves by sketchng and paint pictures II
they have talent for It, women must not sketch.
ana Rosa Bonheur must not paint Since men
use their pens 10 write letters and sometimes 10
wnte books, women must not write letters and
Elizabeth Barrett Browning ought TO have left
tho inditing Of poetry to Mr. Oppenheim This
Is the reductio dd absurdum of the argument
against equal righta A few centuries ago Mr.
oppcnheims ideas were held almost universally.
Now they have been abandoned by the majority
OF thinking people Yet many Of these same
people still cling ogically to the belief that wo
men Will be turned into men II they do what men
dc" In the matter OF voting
10 combat Mr.. Oppenhcim's assertions about
women's education would be what Carlyle calls
attacking extinct Satans" 1t is a waste OF time
In what he says about the ballot however he
VIII md moro sympathzers Let us consider
MS objections TO equal suffrage He says: "The
majority OF tho women of the United States are
swayed by the heart and not by the head" A
woman who is influenced solely by her heart and
not at all by her head Is quite unfit TO be a mother
AS an indignant matron remarked on reading
an article OF this sort " II woman were nothing
but bundle OF emotions sheiwould not be At 10
bring up children" woman with too little dis
cretion to bo trusted with a ballot must certainly
have too little discretion to be trusted with the
rearing and education Of family In the recent
debate in the House OF Lords on the question of
letting women be municipal councillors, the Lord
Chancellor said. "We do not expect patience or
prudence from women" But what sort Of bringing
up can a mother without patience or prudence
give to her children? The opponent of equal
rights are not agreed on this point and contra
dict themselves Thus Prof Harry Thurston
Peck lately declared that women were especially
fitted to bring up children because of their infinite
patience" yet he asserted in the same article
that they would fail in scientific re-
search because they would lack patience to
wait for definite results Women are clearly
meant TO be mothers, and the proper discharge
OF this function requires plenty of sense II then,
women have been created incapable OF sense. il
Is the most serious defect yet discovered in the
order of nature. Mr.. Oppenheim to the contrary
Notwithstanding. most women have heads as
well as hearts. and use their brains as they have
according as they have been taught well or ILL.,
The more intelligently they use them the better
II is for their families
II Is doubtless true. however that the majority
OF women are more influenced by their heart than
the majority Of men. This is one Of the reasons
why women should vote. The political life OF
the United States to day is not suffering for want
of any Of the qualities in which men are especially
strong. There is no lack OF business ability
executive force. or "smartness" in any form. But
politics is suffering from a dangerous lack OF
humane considerations The business interests
which appeal more especially TO men, are we'll
looked after. the humane interests, which appeal
more especially TO women, apt TO be slighted
greater infusion Of heart and consci, nee is dis
tnctly needed. Women are natural compliments
Of men. and the elements now lacking in our
politics Just the elements in which women
strong. 1t is very cheap wit which finds II so
droll that a woman should vote. As for their
aiming at distractions without allow
ance for circumstances that is not
q disqualification, but a qualification. HUI
man society Is made up OF partialites Each
citizen has an interest and view OF his own, which,
II followed out to the extreme. would leave no
room for any other citizen. Ono man is timid
and another rash; one would change nothing
and the other Is pleased with nothing; one wishes
schools another armies: one, gunboats, another
p e " ~ p ''sS.
ana some'nihg ID done IN FAVOR OF .hem all.
every one Is nan Vote; out the next elec'or be-
hind MIN brings the o'her or corresponding nall
IN MS mana. a reasonable result Is haa. NOW.
mere Is no iack' am sure OF me expectancy OF
OF 'he interest," OF uade' OF OF IMPERATIVE class
interests being neglected, lhere Is no lack OF
votes representing the physical wants. II the
wants, the passions the voices are allowed a full
VOTE through the hands OF nail brutal in'emp-
tues, the aspirations, should be allowed full
NJ n,n.pbap, thiplyo yop,an ava ton r,uch