The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-08
Would Woman Suffrage be
Unjust.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

male suffrage who continue to goad
| on the cause, rely considerably for
| final success upon the aid OF the
| numerous woman'S clubs, which,
whatever their declared objects may
| be, are apt to pave the way to the
reception of suffrage radical
| ism. / have lately received a letter
| from a thoroughly conscientious lady
which illustrates the graduation from
membership in a moderate woman S
club to the mast extreme affiliations.
While protesting in delightfully."-
womanly way against my views in re-
gard to woman'S clubs she frankly
admitted the consequences, in her
own case, of acquiring the club habit.
She first joined a literary club for
the mutual improvement and Gull
ture'' of its members, then an art
club, then a civic club, and nnally,
having thus been brought within the
influence of certain missionaries in the
cause of female municipal suffrage,
she became, and continues to be, an
ardent convert to that doctrine. l
do not claim that many instances
have fallen under my observation
which so completely demonstrate how
apparently innocent club membership
leads to unanticipated extremity. 1t
is not unusual however, for women
in all stages of such membership to
admit that the formation of the club
habit is one of it's frequent accc>l-
panimentS. Our knowledge of hu-
man nature does not permit us to
discredit the shrewdness of the adj
vocates of female suffrage, who fire.
quently encourage all sorts of Wom-
ans clubs, perfectly understanding
how this habit can be utilized to open
the female mind to the acceptance
of their creed.
Another encouragement to those
who propagate the doctrine of wom-
an suffrage grows out of their re-
lance upon the chivalric considera-
ton which the men of our nation, in
the halls of legislation and every
where, have for the female sex. A
woman speaking in opposition to fe-
male suffrage before a Senate Com
mttee a few years ago said:
1T is not the tyranny but the chiv-
airy of men that we American wom-
EN- have to fear. The men of Ameri-
ca wans to give us everything we re-
ally need; and the danger is that they
will mistake a minority for ma
jority."
A distinguished writer in dealing
with the question declared:
"A woman has the inalienable
right Of attacking without being at
tackled in turn. She may strike, but
must not be struck literally or figur-
atively." ftr
- This is precisely as it should be
especially when women are within the
sacred precincts of true womanhood.
-But.-afte all is said or conceded, the
Question remains. whether when
woman deliberately breaks away from
wom<Nly environments and enters the
arena, of challenge and disputation,
mans duty and reason SHOULD be sill
enced in Difference to her demands
and his mental forces given over to
eaSy-going and undutiful gallantry.
The Ballot is Not Woman's Inherent
Right.
Nothing can be more palpable than
that Il safe regulation Of our suffrage
lies at the very foundation of Amer
ieasn, free neutrality-suspicious. course
nothing more important than this
can engage the attention of those
who make our laws. Legislators
should never neglect the dictates of
chlvalry in their treatment Of wom-
an; but this does not demand that
Sinking appearance of acquies-
cence should conceal or smother a
thoughtful lawmakers intelligent dis
approval of female suffrage. 1t is
one of the chief charms of women
that they arc not especially amen
able to argument; but that is not
reason why, when they demand the
ballot as an inherent right, they
should not be reminded that suffrage
is a privilege which attaches neither
to man nor to woman by nature.
Nor could it be deemed discourteous
if, when they claim the right to
vote because women are taxed as
owners of property, it is pointed out,
to them that they are not the only
persons taxed as properly holders
from whom the ballot is withheld
and that under present conditions
there Is always a complete willing
less to do every possible thing, by
way of legislation to secure and pro-
tect their property rights. Our stat
ute books are full of proof of this.
/ suppose 1t was only a willing
less to indulge in flattering pleasant
try that led distinguished jurist,
when lately addressing a large audi
ence of young women at one of our
prominent female colleges, to init
mate that within the present gener-
alton the suffrage might be extended
to women i'm every State. and to ex-
cite the enthusiastic applause of his
emotional hearers by the hint that
before they became gray-haired there
might "Sit in the White House a wom-
an who, like Queen Victoria, will
shed lustrc upon this country as Vic
toria shed lustrc upon. England"
Some Results i'm Woman-SuffraSe
States.
Those most active in pushing the
demand for woman suffrage point in
it's vindication to what they deem
wholesome legislation accomplished
in the few States where such suffrage
has been granted. l am afraid, how
ever, that in dealing with this feature
of the question these advocates oc-
cas:onally take mistaken view of
the relationship between cause and
effect. l believe it will be found
that, if the wise and progressive
legislation in these woman suffrage
States is weighed against such leg
is.ation in States where woman suf-
frage is withheld, the balance
will certainly not be found against the
latter. AS bearing upon the credit
due to woman voters for legislation
where full female suffrage has been
adopted. it is worth nothing that the
male voters exceptionally outnumber
the female voters in all these locali-
ties.
1t is sometimes claimed that woman
suffrage would have the effect of ele-
waiting and refining politics Neither
it's short trial in four States contain