The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
THE CAUSE OF WOMAN.
BROTHERHOOD" AMONG ANTT-sUF-
FRAGISTs AND SUFgRAGISTs.

srmner and the Word male" in this Four
teenth observation-disclosures n Suffrage
Amendment to the Massachusetts Consti-
,ution-A Woman on the Floor OF tho
Warrington House of Representatives.
Mrs, Helen Kendrick johnson emphasizes
IN. statement made In a former article in THE
suS that school suffrage is not partial sut-
,r.oe in the sense OF being a step In the direc-
tlon OF constitutional suffrage" . " but
that "a wide gulf is recognized by lawmakers
between the delegated vote that can be swept
.vay by the Legislatures elected by the con-
,ti,ntlonal voters, and the sovereign vote which
4, Exercised by constitutional voters only"
ANY limited franchise certainly is entitled to
he called partial suffrage and a step toward
the full ballot. While It is true that this dele
0a,ed vote can at any time be swept away. It
4. equally true that. while there Is an annual
ar bl.nnial change OF Legislature in every
state, In not a single Instance has one OF these
legislatures revoked the action Of its prede-
.essor in comforting some form OF suffrage on
women. The case cited In Kansas City rested
m A mere technlcality as to whether certain
onres we're municipal or township. II the
former, then women we're entitled to vote for
them, as they have the municipal but not the
township suffrage. The question was raised
not 10 sacredly guard the constitutional fran
cnise from women. but simply to prevent cleo
ZION contests on the ground OF Illegal votes.
The wide gulf recognizedb by lawmakers be-
tween the delegated and constitutional vote
for women" exists only in the vivid imagina-
tion o! the anti-suffraglsts. The reason Leg
islatures do not grant the full suffrage is be-
eause there are grave doubts in the minds of
legal authorities as to their right to do so. II
the question is submitted to the voters as
an amendment to the Constitution. not
only can there be no question as to
is legality, but all uncertainty Is
removed as to the danger OF any
future Legislatures taking away the privilege.
Nearly a dozen different State Legislatures
have submitted this question to the voters.
several of them more than once. Indeed. the
National Suffrage Association has had to in
sist that women shall not ask their Legisla-
lures to take this action until their States are
thoroughly organized.
The suffrage advocates would far rather SUBJ
nit their question to the sacred guardian
ship" Of the Legislatures-the lawmakers. the
picked men OF the State-than to the mass Of
voters. 1t would have been almost an impossi-
bllity to carry negro suffrage in any State by
popular vote. Even in Kansas, whose soil was
drenched with the blood OF those who fought
against slavery. the proposition to enfranchise
the negro was defeated by a large majority in
1857. The leaders Of the suffrage movement
have been striving for years to secure a six
teenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution.
In order that they may plead their cause before
the Legislatures instead Of having to do so be-
fore every individual voter.
One OF the most amusing features in the So
called arguments Of the anti-suffragists is the
calm superiority with which they talk about
their motherhood" They do a great deal Of
playing to the gallery in their touching refer
enees to "prattling voices, baby bands" &c.
One would suppose from their sentimental
illusions that they had a monopoly on mother
hood. This is no new thing. Atthe beginning
ofthe crusade for the rights of women, fifty
years ago. 1t was dinned into the ears of
the leaders dd nauseam. Miss Anthony
grew so tired of it that in 1890 she
prepared a list Of sixteen of the
most prominent OF the suffrage advocates who
we're the mothers Of sixty-six children. The
list was headed with Elizabeth Cady Stanton's
seven and Lucretia Motifs six. While the size Of
few generations ago. 1t can be easily shown
that those of the. suffrage advocates are up to
be.iefin Equality OF rights units a woman for
motherhood. BY a great majority y Is the
pm n2Id, r Of o the country mrsD wing for are neDi h rdi II ths
conditions that surround their children, .
There. is an absurd assumption on the part
of certain people that to be II mother implies
some superiority of character, On the con
trary. it requires neither intellect, morality
nor physical perfection to become q mother.
The feeblest in mind, morals and body may
and do bear children. 1t is a mere natural
and iUfe does not impiV any superior Qualities
whatever in a woman. But to be a capable
mother. equal to the, highest duties which are
now recognized as belonging to that office
this is indeed a grand achievement. But this
standard has changed. is changing all the
ior the physical welfare OF the child.
inspired by the love and watehtnlness which
added In time the religious or ethical training
which is especially within the province of, tine
mother. Then. after centuries OF. struggle to
secure an education for herself. she began to
direct that oil her children: and finally she ac-
tiers the same educational privileges which the
fathers had secured for the sons. 1t was a
long. hard fight. but the battle has been won.
Then came another to secure for the girls an
Opportunity to make use OF their abilities in
Tie wage-earnipG and bread winning occupa-
being made the women. saw. in the agony. OF
helplessness, the agencies on every, side which
and destroyed those characters which they had
developed through years Of devotion and sac
T nnSsr v IGeR t Tsd,.z dsus sIS9 shG Iab a5Tedd'bb ecaSss
oithe restrictions imposed on account Of their
seY, And 50 The mptheTs-still the mothers.
hers, demand justice and liberty and
equality for women as well as for men :: de,
mand them in the name OF motherhood. OIL
childhood. OF the home.
When the Fourteenth Amendment to the
Federal Constitution was under discussion
there was a wide difference of opinion as to its
application. It's declaration that all persons
born or naturalized in the United States are
citizens thereof, and no state. shall, make or en-
force any law which shall abridgc the privileges
or immunities of citizens" was construed by
many to grant the suffrage to women. Thad-
deus Stevens made a vigorous effort to have
women included In its provisions: Section ,,
added to this amendment, virtually destroyed
this hope. for II declared:
Representatives shall be apportioned among
the respective States according to their re-
%Enective numbers. counting the whole number
OF persons in each State. But when the right
tovote - is denied To. any OF the male
Inhabitants = : , the basis OF representa-
ton shall be reduced in the proportion which
the number OF such male citizens shall bear Do
the whole number OF male citizens 81 years oil
age in such State
This was the first Introduction OF the word
male" into the Constitution OF the United
States. and Charles Sumner is quoted as saying
that he covered nineteen pages Of foolscap in
the effort to keep 1t out and yet enfranchise
ths black men, Had it not been inserted II
entra9chised. as every state would have per