The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-02-02
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
On woman's Rights.

On WOman's Rights.
Editor Sun:
Your liberal "Voice from the Peo-
pie" department has been veritable
forum where all subjects and opin-
ions might be aired and debated with
out regard to race, color or previous
condition of servitude. Now, won
der If a voice" might be permitted
to make a few remarks anent the ed
itorial Of yesterday afternoon on he
subject of "woman's Rights?"
The Sun is admired, trusted and
loved for its breadth, courage and
patriotism, but not-not particularly
distinguished for it's humor, and
now here is an editorial funny enough
to be from the pen of George AIDE
and he has never been funnier than
when dealing with the woman ques-
ton in any of its (shala say "mani-
fold?'') phases. The editor states
with characteristic 'ftell the truth
and shame the devil attitude, that
he "sees no reason. as a matter of
right, why a woman should not vote
She owns property. she claims the
protection of the flag, she has sons
and daughters and is interested in
the moral and political welfare of the
nation" He also says, speaking with
scorn of the limitations of franchise
bills now pending in different Legs
latures, "Why woman should be al
lowed to vote at all and then be re-
stricted in the right of suffrage, is
beyond the ken of logical intellect. +"
Here our editor, in admitting the
truth of these principles, takes hiJ
stand in the company of most of the
great minds of this age, those espec-
tally who are trained to reason pure
,ly apart from prejudice and the in
fiuence of custom. l refer to the solid
ranks of learned jurists and lawyers
of this country and England, of which
Justice Brewer is only one of many
great leaders and spokesman. But
having conceded the fright" and in
telligence, and the capability of using
them, the editor drops back into the
place of the average man." who is
the embodiment of "chivalry," by
confessing a grave doubt of the
moral stamina of the sex. "What
would be the effect on our women?
he anxiously inquiries" Will women
uplift politics. OF win politics lower
women" MAN has placed woman
on a pedestal. He would keep her
above sordid things" etc.
The funniest thing in the editors
attitude, and in this whole situation,
except one, is that the men who put
her ON the PEDESTAL openly declare
that they have to keep her there by
main force and awkwardnessl that if
they should relax their vigilance she
would allow herself to be smirched
and cheapened in other words that
she is as good as she is because she
is guarded and forced to be so. But
the great joke, of ALL is that the
women-most of them-seem utterly
Unconscious of the position in which
this attitude Of their chivalrous "pro-
tectors' puts them, and are touching
,ly grateful to said protectors for
making them be good"
There are some serious statements
scattered along through this funny
editorial. One is, that elections are
among the "sordid things" If this,
is true then politics are about as bad
as can be, and it is high time that
new methods, new forces and new
standards were introduced, if the
country is to be saved from the bow.
vows. When a certain theory is
proved unsafe and Intellectual. it is
time. at least, to try another.
One other time honored but always
funny point which the editor as
sumes, is that dad men" and dad
women" are supernaturally vicious,
and communicating, at the polls.
Good women" are accustomed to