New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-27
THE VOTING WOMAN.
Grocer Cleveland Expresses His
Horror of Her IN Recent article,

Ex-President Grover Cleveland writes in the cur
rent number of ''The Ladies' Home Journar' on
the subject would Woman Suffrage Be In
wiser Mr. Cleveland thinks It would be verv nm
wise He begins first by outlining the divine pol
icy IN the matter.
'Tt is a mistake says he. 'to suppose that any
human reason argument Is needfuI or adequate
30 the assignment Of the relative positions to be
assumed by man and woman in working out the
problems Of civilization. This done long ago
BY a higher intelligence than ours. I believe that
trust in divine wisdom and ungrudging submission
to divine purposes will enable dutful men and
women to know the places assigned to them, and
viii incite them to act well their parts in the
sight OF Cod
Mr.. Cleveland says that I'VE have unnappTy
fallen upon time when doctrines are taught by
women and to which tend to the subversion
OF the sane and wholesome ideas of the work and
mission Of womanhood and lead to g fancfuI in
sistence upon sharing in the stern. rugged and
unwomanly duties and responsibilities allotted to
man.
"The most extreme and pronounced in opinion
have forged to the front" he says land assumed
leadership. Many other women, more considerate
and conservative who refuse to indorse these de-
nands nevertheless. by amiably tolerating them,
by advocating other less direct attempts to en-
large the character of woman's endeavor, encour-
age and aid perhaps uncoIn;sc{YQqusy and uninten-
The sensible and responsible women Of the
tieSeIsnd Ion the coTtrsrv he continues There
Is now great preponderance of those who either
are contentedIy Indifferent. a few years ago the
question of allowing municipal suffrage in Massa
chusetts to women was submitted to all the voters
Of that State who eligible to vote for school
committees. The number OF women at that time
SSa11+ S1,s a. b,6Tad and sevsntVLe tbousand OF
these more than hundred and fifty thousand de-
Clined TO vote. The total womans vote cast in
favor of the proposition was smaller than had
sometimes been cast in school elections. There
were forty-seven towns in which not one vonan's
ballot was cast in the affirmative. and in each Of
hundred and thrty-eight other towns fifteen
Il think twenty States which refuse to women
al other suffrage privileges permit them to vote fcr
Certain conditions 1t is alleged, however, that
the number who avail themselves Of this privilege
auf f8o1 that at the election for school ooe
faith desire to be really useful by means Of their
suffrage, the proportion Of women who vote IN the
81 at from 95n to 81 per cent and in Massa-
ehusetts ordinarily at not more than or per cent
ton is indicated by such statistics as these: In
the city Of Chicago 95 registered as voters
in 1884 but in 1888 the number was only 488 In
the year 1882 IN the city OF CIeve,ano oSn M1ne5
IN the face of such an adverse majority and such
Indifference among their own sex 1t Is not unreasoq-
sufSraTs Who CONTINUE to goad On the cause rely
cons3eTaSv for Anal success upon the aid of the
numerous wornan's clubs. which. whatever their
to the recspon Of We ToaS suse raicas
70 o g1 Of h9 gs9 d9ss ad not of
female suffrage, who frequently encourage ali sorts
WoTnanS Clubs perfectly understanding now TINS
habit be utilized to open the female mind TO
the acceptance of their creed
Woman suffrage would add to political corrup-
at is sometimes claimed that woman suffrage
would have the effect OF elevating and refining
politics" he says Neither its short trial in four
States containing IN the aggregate a population
very slightly IN excess Of one-thlrd the population
Of the city OF New-York nor political experience
or observation supports this claim. The States in
which full female suffrage prevails Colorado,
Utah. Idaho and Wyoming. In the first two Of
these States the proportion female voters is
sideraby greater than in the others; and yet the
voters Of Utah have lately elected through their
legislature to the United States Senate whose
fitness is now the subject Of a pending senatorial
investigation, and not long ago they elected to
Congress another whom that body rejected"