The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-07
Beatrice HarraieI'S Plea for
Right OF Suffrage for
All Women.
INFLUENCE AT THE POLLS.
Believes That tie Sex Would
Become a Power in
State Affairs.


| EEftIII1C SPECIAL
RY BEATRICE HARRAHEE.
! Now York. oct MY sympathiy- are OBJ
yiug~.y with the wntn,u's movement. !"r l
am a modern prod.rt myself. havia" had q
nigh school ard COLLEGE education and being
"a gradual. Of London University. " q
young girl I thought over these questions
and always wanted to do independent work
in the world.
| grew up in an atmosphere OF broad
| views. Ny father felt that Ii was simply .
natural thiu- that all VIII" had the ability
should have the liberty 10 shape "a career
for themselves. lfo used t. laugh at the
"shriebrrS." not because Of their demands,
hut at the absurd idea Of calling them 10y
such a name for demanding siInpl" rights ~
human beings. Possibly 1 uu more inter
,stri I'm tn, educational sid" OF IN" quo t.Cn
than in any other. college training j. great
j. Ca b. desired for WnrIrn. ard tine ',Imi-
ratiuus. even II Il girl tails ia them. arr OF
great value. They ar, a sort of literary
~ mrastics to strengthen and expand her
mental muscle. II l. "a great pity that OK
lord and Cambridge stand out against con-
fcIriIE TIER degrees on WuIIoh, ami most
unfair when on. remembers ir@t these cd
foundations owe So much Ia the past L. the
generosity of pinua women.
Tho teaching ADVANTAGES of 4 woman's
university may 10" excellent. hut its degrees
would not carry tn, same Clehvt rs thu~' or
oXfoTi and Cambridge. You cannot found
a now university any more th'tl you 'ii
make - u,~ cathedral. Both may be built.
l:t they viii inevitably lack the prestige of
the old. II may be merely u sentimental
prestige. hut there ii g..
Found "a nircrsity.
~ tn" same time, BY all means found 4
Woman University; it viii gain IN prestige
a. the years "a by and may be- useful for
women a century or two hence. tut "a; pres
eHt il j. foolish u give in To- any arraU""-
meut short ~ the granting t" women the
degrees Of the older universities.
II Is Impossible TO d"Ema;ize "u the gIes-
ton whether tho limitations Of sex render
women incapable of following the various
trades and professions with success The
simplest plan Is To- t'st wourU's cspIbili-
ties by throwing open all tic professions
and trades without restriction and woman
will then find her level; lat 10 place bar
ri-rs IN the way OF those G,Siruus If enter
i-g upon certain occupations. simply on the
superstition that tnoy VIII be- uuibl" to- work
In them. il absurd. Let them try. II is oh
viouS that what L woman cannot 90 snc
cannot.
l am very optimistic on the economic side
Of the problem. I b,IiCy" THAT as time goes
On men and women viii come more and
more 10 share the work uf the world Co.
Ecthcr. ard the wages will settle salts
factorily. TECs" who are bCst ver-.i IA
prof S+iDIai work or skilled in q trade viii
command Ia" higher rates Cf enumeration,
Toe they mon or women. IT seems f~:ui;icss
10 say this class OF work i for mon only.
ana that for women. hecrusa. after all. il
~ principally usage and custom which have
determined The difference. For example. II
The East women ARE the burd n-besrers. yet
III The " 1T We GcvcrS" the order 10 q certain
extent: hu; while people talk O.: the d,.ira-
htlity of projecting women from rough
work and from hat calculated 10 oycrtaX
their physical powers. they overlook tho
fact that some branches OF domestic work
arc equally trying.
Wages and Suffrage.
In the question If payment ans tho ethics
Of equality one woUld scarcely think that
ordinary Justice would he disrupted, but [
know that tho ethics OF equality are too
often ignored.
To return to the educational side of the
question, a university woman who has taken
= degree and obtains a scholastic post docs
not. up 70 the present. get as high u salary
as the man doing the same work and hold
ing only the same qualification. II seems
to me that equal waE"s Tor equal quality Of
work Is the fair basis 10 20 upon. ana
women should not he backward in advanc-
Ing their claims. for the world IS apt TO
take people at their own valuation.
OF course. women ought to have the suff-
Idsc. there can be no question about T..
Why should Sex be 4 barrier to the exercise
OF the franchise? The majority OF women
are as we'll abb" L. record an Intelligent
vote II m" ffttt"E LUMBER OF men. lII on
the ground Of abstract justice the oVpor-
tunity Of voting at parliamentary elections
should be given. SUmo people say that
women have no right to 4 voice In imperial
affairs. because they do not personally as
siSt in tho defense OF the country. but. con-
sidcring that they furnish the soldiers and
pay a large proportion OF the taxation sprut
on war. their claim 20 Ice heard is manifest.
! attach great importance TO women OBJ
tanning the franchise. because on that all
other questions hinge. While women are
uureproseEtcd in the Legislature their Inter
ests will bc neglected by the lawmakers. |
am not ut all an eTratic person. and dislike
the Idea Of 4 woman uEseXing herself in
any way. but IL seems only natural TO me
that u woman should live in tho world free
ly. and that there should not be any OK
these restrictive laws imposed upon her be-
cause Of sex. Women fulfil their duty In
the world. and ought not to DO treated like
irresponsible children.