The Yale expositor., 1901-02-08
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE AND THE HOME.
A Paper Read by Miss Sarah Mo-
kenZIe at the Farmers Institute
held In Yale. Jan. 10. 1901.

1t has always appeared to me that
those who foster universal suffrage are
certainly dealing with the last and
highest power of the human intellect,
namely, reasoning Their sylogism con-
sists of the following propositions: 1st,
Suffrage is right to vote; End, man
votes; and Sd, (conclusion) therefore
woman in order to be mans equal,
must vote.
But, friendsl have they not omitted
the weightier matters, the means and
the end. the cause and effect, in form
ing their conclusion?
Suffrage may well be classed q means,
but have we thought of the end? 1t
may well be called a cause; but, alas
have we contemplated its effect if plac-
ed in the hands of woman? Let us see
what the ends, the effects of woman's
suffrage would be; see what it is in
those states which, as prominent cler-
gyman expresses it, "Only serve as hor-
rible examples, and warnings to the
states uncursed."
With many, / believe that women
should vote at school elections, that
she should have guiding voice and
hand over all charitable, educational,
and correctional institutions of the
state; but give woman the full right of
franchise, and you hurl her into the
midst of politics. And politics is an in
stitution so corrupt that the sage warns
the young man to beware of it, to shun
| it, to flee from it, if he chooses TO lead
| a life of integrity and usefulness.
Who would wish to pollute the fair
name of woman in the politics of to-
day? God forbid that we shall ever see
the day when woman-the harbinger
of home shall be dragged into such
| pollution.
1t has been said that all politics needs
| to purify it is womans vote; that her
entrance into the field would soften
the combat and ciyiliZe the combatants;
| that her participation in politics would
cleanse political ways; that the stuffed
ballot box the saloon keeper with a
| pull, and the purchaser of fraudulent
votes, would pass away as darkness
when the dayspring arises.
An eye witness asserts that eight
years of female suffrage in Colorado
has failed to accomplish any good; that
it is incapable of doing good; that it
never can change the results of any
election, for the better class of women
firmly believe that "A house divided
against itself cannot stand" So the
wife and sister vote as the father and
brother vote. And who can say but
that they all vote according to their
honest convictions. For what lady pres
ent tonight will say that her leige lord,
with his superior knowledge of the in
tricacies of government, and with his
broader understanding of political
questions, does not vote for the best in
terests of himself, his family, and his
state; and if she were given the right
of suffrage would cast different ballot
from that of her husbands?
Then there is another class of women,
and to be impartial we must admit that
there are many, far too many unprin-
cipled women; women, who when they
have joined fortunes with a political
party, because of their finer, more emo
tional nature, they will become the
blindest partisans, and by their emo
tions are made absolutely destitute of
principle in things political, and in
stead of purifying, politics would be
corrupted hundred fold by their pres
ence.
A word as to the injustice of womans
suffrage. The nineteenth century has
indeed been an era of wonderful adj
yancement of woman. She has risen
from the age when she was considered
mere creature to be admired or to be
cast aside without thought, until to-
day, true, noble womanhood receives
its just reverence, Difference, and pro-
lection in all walks of life.
To-day the leading professions recog-
nize her ambition and her ability, and
as a bread winner and wage Garner she
has far outstripped her brother. She
has crowded him out of store, factory,
school-room, and office; and would it
be just to GUST him from the legislative
hall, the judicial bench, and the execu-
tive chair?
No one can fail to admire plucky
woman, who when thrown upon her
own resources, shows that she is able
to make an Independent livelihood.
There are professions and occupations
that woman seems peculiarly adapted
to; but no matter how Belva A. Lock
wood, or Harriet Prescott Stafford will
extol woman in her rightful place in
trade, in the professions in the army or
in politics, we palmer thinking people
can see that there ought to be divid
ing line. God has designed man to be
the bread winner; but today the man
with family to support, the man with
ambitions for home in the future, has
TO compete Will JLe young WOndu WHO
has her $500. or $1,000, or even $1,000
wholly to herself and sweet charity.
We find the very flower of woman
hood in those ranks to-day; and no
matter how proud you are of the fact,
or how you admire such, if you study
the problem you must see that the eff
fects are demoralizing. Now, would it
be just to open up tens of thousands of
offices to women?
have heard asked, what is woman's
sphere? Her Heavenly Father long
ago has fixed her sphere-the home.
Home, place wrought with so much
of all that is pure and holy, all that is
worth living for; place that the sweet
est poets haye sung its delights; and
the finest oratory has laid the fairest
garlands upon its affairs. There is no
fancy so dull that it does not picture a
place where the weary heart may find
peace and rest. and where love binds
up the wounds the world has dealt.
This is the place where God himself
has designated woman to reign as
queen.
| n