The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-17

" III " Va OAiAoA
sunrage does belong. II seems at present
70 pc between the devil and deep sea: The
Ietter which has been turned down" by all
OF the religious bodies read thus:
The utter powerlessness OF the religious world In
CoVernmentai Affairs Is frequently ~omment upon
by both the church and the secular press, Allow
me 70 call your attention 10 the cause Of this fact
small, IS owned and conducted by men. The great
their agents and attorneys at Washington and at
every state capital. not only to secure laws in their
be in!mical to their interests. In addition TO the
capitalists themselves the vast majority OF their en-
toas can pGiinio one Of the political ,ips Scales ,.' The Weight
OF oolh money ana ballot. on the Other hand, the
churches, the charities, The schools. the reforms,
minority or voters In their membership. however
,SrsS NAV ~ may De. IL Is. therefore; 9ut a simple
the great material interests into one scale With votes.
and an the great moral and spiritual Interests into
NE other practically without votes. the latter must
Kick the beam. The representatives In any legis-
lative body have no alternative they must comply
WIN 'ne demands OF those who gave and can take
IL Is generally admitted tina, We stand at a moral
mens, for the suppression Of drunEenness and in.
morality. such laws are virtually dead letters on the
statute books OF every state IN the linton. THIS IS
50 not because good men do not try to have good laws
enforced, but becauSe there are no, enough such men
10 make a balance OF power sufficiently strong 10 re
elect officers who have faithfully discharged their
duties, Since all classes Of men are now voters,
there Is no possible way OF obtaining this needed
ihi VI ppN'i 'N''pt Wy NV tulIhH'lAlNNN'ht w
women, who already form the vast ma!orlty OF mem
bcrS In every educational. reform or religious asso-
citation. hut Il surely is not necessary for me to
argue this point with men whose NE work II is to
study how to better the conditions OF the world.
There is not a minister in Christendom who
can deny the truth Of every one OF these asser-
tons. All OF them are honestly trying to bet
ter conditions, but they are backed by u votelesS
constituency, Yet hen you call their attention
70 this fact. and suggest that they use their
influence to put the ballot into the hands OF
that element which forms at least three-fourthS
ct those who know or care what the minister
wants done, they say: %. no; that is a purely
abstract question and entirely out of our juri9-
dtction." They fail To see that II won,an had
Il vote tir pastor ) opinion on political questions
would DE worth as much ~ that Of any ward
heller in the town. which Is not now the case.
When Miss Anthony is urged not 10 waste
her precious time and postage stamps ending
letters 70 these conventions she invariably le-
plies: IF | had worked IN AL the past fifty
years only where i expected immediate returns
j should have done no work. All this keeps
w the agitation. 1t sets people TO thinking
Oh the subject and that Is what they need,
Verify she Is rightly named the Great Agitator.
A well-known author of law books criticises
that part OF last weeks article which calls
the English common law the most brutal
code ever framed" He says il is not a code.
Technically that Is true. but It's brutality re-
mains unchalieneed la English the term
common law" Is used in distinction from IN"
written or statute saw passed by Parliament,
In the early history OF the United states the
TWO lOTlItu Tue UdNl- VI US JAllnII NNltllNc
ard were known a. tho common law. II
was barbarous in many respects, but IN none 50
much As in its treatment oil women lord
Bru. Igham, one of Great Britains most eminent
j%urists, said of this common law 1t is a dis
grace to the civilization and the Christianity
Of the nineteenth century.
This common law was very largely the out
growth of the old Canon law made by the mediae-
val church. Charles Kingsley. himself canon
OF Westminster. said; This Will never De u Iood
world for women until the. last remnant OF
| gan ~ an ~ l. GyNaVf from tho FnEp nj the earl"
After many Of the most obnoxious features
of these laws had been repealed In ENGLAND
they were still in force in the United States.
and they yet prevail In some OF our States
at the present time. Fifty years ago women
| began to Stagger up from under tins load which
had been placed on them Tor centuries, pun
the backs Of women to-day are still bent be-
cause those OF their mothers we're broken-Wlth
the sanction Of Church and State,
Mrs. Chapman Gait, President of the National
Suffrage Association, the Rev. Anna Howard
Shaw, Vice President at large, and state speak
ers have been holding a series OF meetings
In Michigan. Gov. Plngree sent a corclil
message, which closed by saying:
know OF no cause why women should not be given
the right TO vote II they desire It neither do ! see why
men should enjoy. a special privilege IN the matter
OF voting, especially as the expenses OF maintaining
the Government are shared by women property own
ers The growing evils az eaucgses ana election,
would also be materially lessened by the presence
OF women at the polls
The news columns OF the Detroit Free Press
| gave enthusiastic aocounts of the splendid
| addresses, the fine audiences. &c. but this Is
| all the editor could find TO say:
The equal sufragists OF Michigan are welcome;
but they weary the brethren. Not that there Is any
thing Inherently worri;ome about womankind' No.
AZ per poet, they chase the clouds OF life's tenn
pestuous hours they strew Us short but weary way
part and pour rich balsam on the heart. And all
that sort Of thing.
vote. Culture they have. and conviction and patrio-
tisIn and independence Of thought and action, and
ing booths. But their am billion TO ballot with the
brethren IS too bad: Just the same
We hope the equal suHragIsts who are with us
will get as much pleasure as they give with thelr
charming presence; but. really me keeping Of ne
reformrrs, the police and the inspectors should be
expected 70 look after now.
Some other time. perhaps. &c.
We trust the speeches OF the ladies We're more
| dignifed than thls editorial. II they had made
any adverse criticisms. on men how quickly
the Free Press would have taken exception,
M 70 ridicuie before his audience. This is
| quoted merely to show why the worm turns
| once in a while.
We will try to find some excuse for the barring
| out Of the Massachusetts, colored delegate
al the biennial of the Federation of Women's
tons OF men forbid colored members. that
| churches have been rent In twain by this Ques-
| tion and that the laws of various States. in which
women have had no part. provide for these col
| ored distinctions. We expected better things
| Of women and they have disappointed us-that
is all. That a great majority Of the federation
and all the officers. except the President. are
| from the North, and that the Massachusetts,
delegates acquiasced makes this action the
more humiliating, The Southern women owl
IDENTIFY were "in the saddle" This occurrence
recalls the ante bellum days when the negroes
worst enemies were north OF the Ohio River.
and A very large contingent resided In Massa-
At the recent National Suffrage Convention
and the celebration Of Miss Anthony's birth
day two OF the finest addresses were made by
colored women. One or more are on the pro,
gramme every year, and they have, the full
privilege Of membership. Frederick Doug
lass addressed the first Woman's Rights Con-
vention ever held, In ls4s. There never has
been In that rganization any al 'tinction OF
race, religion or sex, But. then Its members
| are very strong-minded and do not appreciate
! these fine determinations.
That Was a splendid meeting In New York
To observe the closing exercises OF barnard Col
ieue and celebrate its afhliation with Columbia.
The announcement. by President Low that
the Dean Of Barnard was now a member OF the
University Council and that more women
, would be added IA more professorships were
established was "A noteworthy utterance. IL
| brings out in bold and unpleasant contrast the
rs,ent action Of the Cornell trustees in deciding
tnAt no woman should have a place on the fac
NV Of that institution, and displacing the very
efficient woman who was already a member
Of that body.
There must be- n mistake in the announce
mcnt that a Chinese laundryman Is q candl-
hate for the city Council In Toledo, Chinese,
irnntirs. idiots, criminals and women are pro-
bihitad from voting and oflce-holding in Ohio.