The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-03-11
A FTER diligent effort for the past
~ so Years it is surprising that we


~ 80 years it is surprising that we
have given women the suffrage
in only three states, namely, Colorado,
Wyoming and Utah.
a WHY woman should be excluded
from voting can only be accounted for
on the ground that the press generally
has been disposed to ridicuIe the idea of
women having the ballot and women
themselves have been Indifferent, in
some cases through organization, pro-
testing against being given the right of
suffrage.
Men in general could not be expect
ed to interest themselves very actively
in the giving of that to women which
they did mot want themselves and yet
many reformers of both sexes have
labored zealously for the securing of
the ballot for women we'll knowing
the great benefit that would be con-
fcrred thereby.
Observation proves that il given
full and free opportunity woman will
completely equal man in intellectual
effort. The illustrations which prove
this are on every side.
The girls in school are as bright as
the boys. They take as readily to
mathematics and the abstruce studies
but they cease educational advance
ment, generally in their teens, from the
fact that all the higher institutions
of learning have been closed against
them and public sentiment has been
opposed to their entering upon the
higher range of study which would
bring out their full mental capacity.
The facts are that when woman has
turned her attention to literature,
government or art she has become
: distinguished.
In all the range of fiction no book
has been more widely read, had great
-erzaence or done more good than
.'Uncle Toms Cabin" In poetry no
author has taught more lessons or
stands higher than Ella Wheeler Will
: cox.
'cLaugh and the world will laugh
with yo",
Weep and they turn and go;
They wano full measure of all your
pleasure
But they do not want your woe.''
IN all the field of government af-
fairs no sovereign has ever ruled more
wisely than Queen Victoria.
Searcn the records everywhere and
we find that woman in any official
position to which she has been called
has performed her work as faithfully
and as ably as man would have done
in the same position. Is she the prin-
cipal of school? The testimony is
that she is thoroughly efficient. Is
she the superintendent Of the schools
in the county? She leaves no stone
unturned to do her duty completely.
Is she postmistress? Everybody is
accommodated, her reports to the
higher authorities are explicit, and
she never runs away with the funds
which belong to the government.
No To- :,
as Il physician she is highly compe-
tent, combining nurse and doctor with
never ceasing anxiety for her patient.
As legal counsel she is rapidly coming
to the front, and in the pulpit and
on the rostrum her talent and fitness
for the place have long been recog-
nized.
And yet with all the examples Of
equal ability with man the male legis-
lative salons will take up the question
of woman suffrage from time to time
in the different states and after chew
ing up a plug of battle-aNe and smok-
ing on the subject they adjourn to the
saloon, joke over how woman woultl
appear at the polls where they go to
vote and decide that woman has no
business to meddle with politics.
And SO the men are running the
affairs of the country, with liquor
consumption steadily on. the increase,
with gambling so universal that a
man to buy 4 drink or cigar must
shake dice or whirl a roulette wheel
in order to know who is going to pay
for it.
Yes, this is a mans government, SO
conducted that there is no safe place
to deposit money, no certainty but
the railroad train will be held up and
the passengers robbed, no chance tc
hold an important office without con.
tributing to a corrupt fund to get llt
place. Yes, this is Il mans govern
.1nent, with every Jail and prison ano