The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-12

electoral franoSise. and that this risSt sho III
pc arbitrarily denied to females. no matter
monstrosity. repqisivs and Utterly antsnn ,Sl
=" mind In which logic and justice abide
The New Orleans Star concludes that -on
tue whole the friends Of female suffrage
nave little reason to be discouraged over
the progress made during the last decade.
The Item Of that city says: st Is an in
dlsputable fact that woman suffrage In
tne southern States, under such qualifca-
Ton as could not possibly be set aside by
congress under the last amendments
TO the Constitution, would double the white
vote and add very little to the negro vote.
II II were done now there would be no fur
sner question as TO white supremacy in any
state or county,
The Charleston Is. c. Nevs and Courier
observes: IF the test Of Intelligent should
De applied to voters the women in this part
OF the country would nearly all vote, and
some OF the lords Of creation who now
exercise that right would be excluded from
the polls But the men would defeat any
The Birmingham tAla.) Ners. however,
takes two-thirds Of q column 10 express
It's condemnation OF this comparatively
new and highly absurd political wrinkle"
Inc Following is specimen paragraph:
would remove the many obje ctions to the
ss etacle OF refined Southern wome hanging
around voting precincts and mingling with
cheap politicians. partisan party workers.
and variety Of scenes and incidents In which
the sentlsr sex In this part OF the country
association would be utterly repuisiye 10
those who entertain the proper Difference
the female politician attending ward m eet
ings. taking part In campaign work, which ia
frs auently as dirty as dishonest. and mixing
may the South long be spared.
II seems from the above that 'the gentle
and refined Southern women are only
waiting for an opportunity to do these
.nings; but the southern men, with that
intend to protect them from any such
opportunity.
An amusing instance in Cleveland has
produced, according to the Press OF that
city, -the anomalous spectacle of a woman.
singy and alone, mastering Q court and con-
founding the brilliant array OF legal talent
against her by maintaining that il must
be assumed q married woman is coerced
contrary can be specifically proven
This is the common law. as laid down
by Blackstone. and never replaced by
special statute In Ohio. The wife in ques-
t TIC wa, charged with burglary, and accord
crime was committed with the assistance
OF the husband, the Court was obliged to
hold that "a married woman. while under
the influence Of her husband. is so far from
being q free agent that she is not even
amenable to the law
The feminine lawyer was fully justified
In making this point. 1t may be humiliating
to some women, but 1t ought not bp an
more % than the fact that they are repre-
public questions are decided-a fact which
the vast majority Of them accept without
protest, and many Of them with a great
deal OF pride. Since here women are re-
ILL al l.
Of expressing an intelligent opinion, it Is
entirely logical that they should be re-
garded a. not capable Of intelligent action
elsewhere. 1t is perfectly fair that the
men who. represent them at the ballot
box should also represent them in the
prison and the electric chair, and it is to
be regretted that this cannot he made
compulsory.
A suit by the factory inspector TO compel
a corporation to pay It's employees weekly,
under & law OF 1899, has just been decided
by the Supreme Court OF Indiana. II held
that the law is in conflict with the Bill OF
Rights and with the Fourteenth Amend
when the State places the wage earn
ers of the State under guardianship
it classes them with minors and other per-
sons under legal disability. By making
public oficer il tends to degrade them as
care OF themselves Il Ia paternaism pure
and simple. in violent contrast with the lib |
erty-snd-equality theory Of our institu-
tons.
This is the same Supreme Court which
decided few years ago that under neither
national nor State constitutions has any
woman. even tax-paying widow or spin
ster. the right to express her opinions and
It Is amazing how quickly courts and
Legislatures squelch any tendency to pa |
ternalism" over men, how carefully they
protect men from legal disabilities" and
with Minors. and Having their ability
to take care Of themselves impeached';
and yet how totally blind and callous they |
are to this same degradation when imposed |
upon woman! How they resist to their |
utmost every struggle she makes to have
IL removed!
1t Ia perhaps inevitable that the prevalent |
spirit OF a strike to secure desired point |
should extend to the children. The in !,
room in a body to show their defiance of /
the regulations are becoming alarmingly |
frequent, as also Is the custom OF those in |
to yield to the wishes Of the
strike II Is p on par mi, NTH - the recent
that children at 10 years Of age should
ELECT what studies they will and will not /
take. II Ii the growing tendency among
children TO disregard law, resist authority |
and have their own way which IL making
Juvenile courts necessary in all the large
cities and filing the reformatores. To
encourage this tendency is to produce a
crop Of men and women who in the future
will increase a thousand-fold the difficulties
and dangers which oven now are threatening
this government by the people
That was a political mistake to hustle
out the bunch Of Sioux chiefs who called
10 welcome President Roosevelt to the
In a few years all OF these
noble redskins will he voters and some OF
hem will he delegates to the nominating
II the New York city liquor dealers fail
n their cheese and hops boycott they have
IT'LL a sure thing In their ballots.
IDA HUsrKD HARPER.
Chivalry Of an Anti.Su6rasist.
To THE EpiroR OF THE SuS-!Sy: In last Sun
lays SUN Mr.. Henry T. Finck refers IN his recent
lebate with Mrs Gilman a. Nontclair. a lady
Who was present mentioned 10 me the other day
feature OF that debate which Illustrates anus.
tnrks oxrn MAJ NJ n lrx |