The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-29
MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN GAIT.

if the subject of woman's enfranchise-
ment is mentioned at all as distinct
from mans Acknowledgement, it will be
in wonder that great men and women
once obstinately refused to per-
ceive the justice of woman's claim to
the ballot An old man in the Alabama
Constitutional Convention, short time
ago, after a bitter speech in opposition
to woman suffrage, exclaimed in that
spirit of surrender which sometimes
overtakes us when standing in the
presence of the inevitable: There are
young men in this convention who will
see every woman in Alabama voter"
That prophecy is echoed in the heart
of the most active opponent of wo-
man suffrage. Its coming will shock
no one, and least of all the woman
voter herself. 1t will serve as a seven
days wonder, and the papers will dis
cuss it as "a news item for a brief
time. Then women, as women, will
sink out of existence in the body poll
tic and will rise as citizens. There
viii be no more talking of the man
vote and the woman vote, but the new
classification which will be discussed
by every political party will be the in
telligent and the ignorant vote; the
moral and the immoral vote.
The time required for the actual nro-
cess of voting is so infinitesimal it is
not worth considering, but the labor
necessary to organize voters, to educate
them TO win elections, especially fo.
great principles of morality, REQUIRES
time, brains and energy. These women
VIII give, but how are they to secure
the leisure, some oVerWorked women
may ask. The woman's club of TODAY
WIN have departed after having fully
performed its important mission to wo
men and the world, and in its place
viii have come the political organiza-
ton where problems of real life are
discussed. There men and women will
debate those mighty questions upon
the currect solution of which depends
the progress of civilization There
they VIII teach each other the need of
personal responsibility for the affairs
or state. and it will all come about e.
naturally that men and women viii
ooth forget that 1t was once spoken Of
as dangerous revolution"
Fifty years hence the Americas
nome VIII still be the "bulwark of
American liberty" the haven of bue-
psnd and Wife and the happy shelter
or the dear children. There NAV r.
changes in its material arranqer1en%
Inc city fiat perhaps will lead TO CO.
operative dining rooms. There douht-
less VIII be an extension of the bust-
ness now in its infancy which deliverS
by order, upon the family table well
cooked and satisfactory meals. There
VIII probably be a more wholesale Inv
ing OF food at bakery and grocery. and
even larger patronage at restaurants
But these are matters of little conso|
quence. The home itself. that ~
treat chosen. as birds build their nests
py the instinct of sweet and pure affec,
ton, VIII remain unchanged. To snr,.
pose II in danger because women are
growing into larger mental world
and are learning to feel a sense Of re-
sponsibility for the things outside The
meme is to base its usefulness unon
tne weak subJection of women to an
clent conditions which no longer ha,,o
cause to exist. Such fear is hasa1 ~
on the fanciful theory that cali mep
were designed to be oaks and all WON
en- cllnging vines" We have aIread,,
made the important discovery The,
there are oaks among women ana
the most clinging of vines among
men. t1fty years hence II will be nm
derstood that God and Nature" In
tenueu an men and women to be oaks
with full freedom to grow and IN he
They Will know in that day thai tho
clingers are those abnormal unfort,,-
mates OF either sex who. through in
herltance or environment have No,
reached the stature set for them
The present recognized inequality he
tween parents viii not blast the force
OF tho mothers teaching in thar da,,
and when the home is shorn Of this i'm,
justice tt win shed a healthier ana
more stimulating influence on children
The tar more dignifed position OF The
vile as political independent Will bring
Win It the happiness and self,rospect