The Portland daily press., 1899-07-15

Women PlysiolOgicaIIy DIsqusl-
ifled for the Ballot. ~
sasrsssto the international congrs..
OF Women.

IL has been deemed fitting that the
women In the United States Of America
who have concerned themselves in oppos-
Ing the extension OF the suffrage to. their
sex, should be represented In this gather
| ing.
AS there Is In England strcng bodr.
who with us are convinced that the bet
terment of-society, either politically or
socially, Is not to be achiesed by such an
extension. We have chosen that they
should deliver our message for us. That
they graciously do so is another proof
given by this Congress of the unity aud
sympathy which bind us together as
women. The development Of our sex is
what We are all working for along our
different-lines. Differences OF opinion as
to those lines Of work only give occasion
Tor that temperate discussion which
Eealthfuily quickens every cause. Our
contribution to this discussion OF the
suffrage win be brief history OF the op-
position movement in the United States,
and an equally brief statement of our
position and our reasons therefor.
Almost, II not quite, oo-existent with
the active struggle for the extension OF
the suffrage to women. which began
about fifty years ago. there has been a
quiet but persistent opposition to that
movement on the part of the women
who believed that the highest and best
progress was not to be attained through
political equality. The two forces met
year after year. the suffragists retiring
defeated, but never disbeartenef, after
each encounter.
There were many inattsrs and some still
remain In which the laws were specially
unequal toward women, aud active
suffragists have frequently been associated
with public spirited men and women. un-
affiliated VITA the suffrage movement In
bringing about the gradual reforms
which have taken place In va rious States
IN woinen's legal status. Because Of their
ong association with the lecture platform
and the general use OF the lecture as a
mtans OF nItructicn In our country.
thtse art est and sincere suffragists es-
| tablished n considerable reputation which
seemed to imply n more widespread in
dorsement of their opinions than has ex
listed at any tine. 1t was not, however,
until 1894 and 1895 that the suffrage nQi-
| tation 10 the states CT New York and
Massachusetts, became clnmcrous enough
| to demand action. The women agitating
| for the suffrage, which with us means
universal suffrage, without qualification
of any kind, and excepting only criminals
| and idiots, assumed tha privilege of
speaking Tor all women and we, feeling
that such a position was without warrant
and being convinced that great silent
majority OF women was opposed 10 such
| an assumption. formed Associations op-
posed to the Extension OF Suffrage to
women and defeated the amendment
l nf r.sd for Eo of n af
stituticnal convention OF New York in
1894. A victory was also won in Il. 5 In
the adverse vote by the people of Massa-
chusetts ON the question sis Woman
Suffrage expedientY' Other states rapidly
followed the example OF New York and
Massachusetts Iowa. Illinois and Wash
ington have formed organizations, and
in many other states there Is partial or
ganizati0n,
1t has been difficult to convince quiet
and conservative women that organiza-
| tion which by It's publicity did violenc,
to their lives and traditions was really
necessary. and it has been no part of our
work to institute an active propaganda
for public persuasion and debate. But
wherever the work of the snffragists is
particularly active, there we reach the
women who silently oppose, and give
them what help we can TO make their up-
position known In the quarters necessary
to accomplish the defeat of suffrage effort.
SO much for the history of our organiza-
tion. Now word as TO why such organ
ization exists at all.
The fact that we are represented here,
In Congress called together for the ex-
press purpose of considering the Woman
Question as a whole, Is u profession on
our part of a share In that great work:
and IL Is because the Fart of the question
with which we are identified Is important
to that whole. that we welcome the invi-
tation to place ourselves ON record here.
The fact OF sex, its influences and con-
sequences Is the guide TO every question
to be considered by this Council. In ac-
cordance with the laws o; nature ths
differentiation of the sexes has been de-
termined and cannot be altered by man
CT evolution. This scientific attitude
must be conceded. This two sexes in the
human species are fixed types and any
thing interfering with the essential line
of. difference which has ever EXISTED cam
not be considered as progress in the right
direction. We all wish to cultivate our
womanhood to Its sperfect ..development
Every step taken toward that end should
be welcomed. Every step which leads
away from 1t should be opposed This,
then, Is the vital principle Of our opposi-
ton.
The ballot, at the present time. implies
service to the state ewhich women may not
give and retain unimpaired their place in
The ballot implies military service,
police duty, jury duty, the holding OF
public office, the sharing in the public
deliberations regarding the formation of
the laws. and membership in the cody
which finally passes the laws.
The great majority OF men aud women
marry, and we therefore consider thi
question from the point OF view of this
majority. Some OF the considerations
which follow apply to all men and all
women because OF their physiological
differences; some. again. apply only to
that large. majority OF the married above
mentioned.
Some few exceptional women have per-
formed military duty, but 1t would have
to be person both daring and ignorant
who would insist that a woman could
perform such work without an expenui-
ture Of strength out Of all proportion to
the value of her service. The years Of
military servico-from eighteen to forty
are the years when women are prepared
by nature to be mothers, and are, there
fore, because of their very womanhood,
whether they become mothers or not,
untitled for the service for which men are
specially lifted during the same period of
their lives.
The same argument can be used against