Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-11-26
Wonan's Suffrage from a New
Viewpoint.


an introduction to Mrs. McLean's article,
says; Mrs. Donald Mclean, Honorary
President-General of the Daughters of the
American Revolution in the intimate style
OF letter to loving friend, has given her
views of the great question of the day, that
interests all women whether in favor or
opposed to woman's suffrage. Standing as
she has for years at the head of n body
of undetermined, patriotic women, Mrs
Mclean is in position to know its aims, its
desires and its needs. The Daughters of
the American Revolution is an organiza-
ton that stands for the highest patriotism
and Mrs. Mclean, as loyal member. speaks
from heart that holds her country's high
est good uppermost."
Beloved Friend of My Girlhood:
How delightful to hear from you again,
after all these years Do you remember
when we parted-to 60 our devious mar
ried ways-long, long agoY How one prom
ised, with solemn VOWS, that no week
should pass without missives to and fro,
between me and theeY Ali Well, age has
not withered" affection, though II may have
silenced pen--of this | was doubly sure,
when felt the spontaneous throb of well
come which greeted. as of yore. the sight
OF your hand upon an envelope. Can it be
thirty years ago that we were twenty
How contrasting have been our mature
lives, which seemed in youth well identical
Born and raised in the same old Southern
town danced and drove with the same
Old beaux: harassed the same teachers in
the same old school,, (now, my dear. full
fledged College for Women.'O Then sud-
denly, the immortal young god and his
arrows: each of us cardiacally wounded
so to speak-followed by full surrenders to
our dearest foes. and simultaneous leaving
for unknown homes, far asunder Fate de-
creed that should
Sing to the wide world,
And you to the nest.
In the nice ear of nature
Which song is the bestY"
Now. from your secluded nest, you write
to beg calculation of the various questions
pertaining to woman and Her Sphere"
"WOmans Slavery" (Which you and did
not know existed) and "Woman's Enamel
patton" which we did not know she needed.
What are my views? You ask--What is
the most vital question as to woman in
these present. parlous days?
Well, of course. the most crying question
is that of woman suffrage Pray note how
carefully choose my words Most crying
which, by no means, should convey most
important, for there are other questions of
equal or greater import to woman's spiritual
growth and material happiness. However,
the vociferOusly crying question is that
which makes itself heard-sO let us coun-
sci together on Votes for wOmen"-that
is the shibboleth Votes for women" in
scribed on yellow ribbon (for take note
my friend, we are still women and ribbons
are dear to our hearts,. Haunting from
the street corner; floating from the heights
raucOusly shouted from the barrel-top ;
softly spoken from the marble walls.
While none of our American women have
yet claimed themselves to Speaker Can
mons chair, yet let him ware-l see i'm
pending signs which cause me to believe
he would open his arms wide (No-oh |
N0-not to the Suffragette) to another
Tariff bill, even, rather than face the am
buscades of my sex A matter of peculiar
interest--and Oracular mystery has evolv-
ed from the discussion of votes for women
viz. the difference between Suifragette and
Suffragist. Do not, in your foolish femi-
nine mind. smile at the hair-splitting of
terms-'tis serious. feel my inadequacy
to explain, but am under the impression
that the former prefers chains. prison and
starvation. while the latter suffers chiefly
in mental thrOes. If you investigate and
find am in error as to these forms of
nomenclature, forgive me you must re-
member that this is an informal letter
to my friend. not a thesis.
Several times have been asked: "Why
do wealthy women, full of social cares and
gayeties, take up the subject of votes for
women?" With some-ennu Even a
variety of husbands does not always sati-
ate the appetite for the spice of life With
others, the natural outcome of youth, seek
ing for broader fields. and the admirable
yearning to till such fields until they yield
harvest for the real good of humanity.
Do |, then, believe that the enfranchise-
ment OF women would work for the real
good of humanity? | cannot answer that
au pied de lettre. We're assured that all
the blessings claimed from such a fount
would inundate the world. that flood of
benefits would submerge my well loved
sisterhOOd-for do truly love my sex, be-
cause | do truly know it there would be
no hesitation in reply. But the only thing
OF which | am positively certain is /: the
increase in quantity of ballots cast-the
quality is more conjectural problem. II
is understood that one of the chief points
in the propaganda for woman suffrage, is
the claim that women are human beings
as well as men. True and being human,
as are men. are fallible, open to Interior
influences and not necessarily. by virtue of
the feminine. possessed Of one and only
one standard Of honor, and that the high
est. Therefore, would eliminate in the
argument pro, the statement that womens
votes would elevate" and purify the
whole system OF government by the people.
Some years ago met a woman from one
of the Western States in which the suffrage
(when we say the suffrage. it goes without
saying we mean woman suffrage y pre-
walls. In discussing the practical outcome
of voting, she remarked. well, we women
turned out our Governor at the last
election"
Response But thought he had given
his entire influence to the women of his
State to bring about the suffrage-is. that
not so?"
Oh yes that's true -but we don
like him. We merely used him-thef de
feated him"
My idea as to the ethics of loyalty enc
gratitude thus received severe shock
And again It would seem advisable
my opinion, that those Who have -
terest Of women sine rely at hea
advise their unwise dt ciplee
jurgating man. o. man
intelligence and vide
init that sbe IS con
men who ere high-m
minded whose nat
of Their immaCil8'
endeayDr Of whose