The Washington herald., 1909-07-13

IN these days. when an active and high
IS ingenious band OF women are deter
mined that their political aspirations shall
not be lost sight OF; when cabinet min
isters are routed by a muffin bell; when
the organ IN a public hall emits the cry
% Votes for women" when the sacred
precincts OF the House Of Commons are
not protected from Invasion. the majority
OF Us are content either 70 support the
movement with enthusiasts parIisanshtp
or else 70 condemn Il and us authors n
forcIbIe and bitter terms.
Before. however, taking sides in the
present controversy IL may assist some OF
Us 70 form a dlspassionate opinion on the
subject II We trace. however superfcial-
I ly. the position Of women n different
ages and under different conditions
/ The social equality OF the TWO sexes IS
| undoubtedly implied IN the Biblical his
tory OF the creation Of the human race
/ Woman is 70 be the helpueet OF man,
and her very name IN the Hebrew. as
given her BY Adam. is the same as his
own save only for the feminine afix. IL
/ IS true that for time under the auto
] cratic powers vested IN the head of the
I family during the patriarchal era woman
( held a very subordinate position. yet me
/ whole tenor OF the Mosaic law was IN the
I direction OF according 10 her consio-
/ erable amount OF liberty and a large
share IN the ordering Of the household
/ The tendency OF polygamy was % oe-
grade her 70 a condition OF inferiority.
and this Is the main cause OF her sub
serviency 20 man Up 70 the present day
in many Oriental countries Among No
/ lhammedans although with them she IS
frequeatly accorded a position OF trusp
and other polygamous races she Is re-
! garded as an irresponsible plaything or
\ else as a drudge. and al opportunities
/ OF educating herself OF OF developing her
natural intelligence are denied 70 her
u II we turn 70 the period antecedent 70
and contemporary with the Christi2u era
we ind among pagan nations that
women attained 10 posiuons OF CONSIDER
\ able influence and power. Ihis was the
case TO some extent among the ancient
Greeks, but still more so when the great
Roman empire was at its zenith; but
perhaps II was due rather 20 individual
ability than 70 a public recognition OF
i the equality OF woman with man
I II IS only within comparatively recent
years that a movement has sprung up
I among Us the object Of which is 20 IN
sure that the status OF woman-pontlcal-
". socially. and conmercially-shal be
universally recognized as being II no way
inferior 10 that OF the other sex
Now. from a logical point OF view, the
argument Is unanswerable that II a
woman possesses the property Qualinca-
tons that entities 70 vote II pariia-
II mentary election, she ought 10 be allowed
10 give IL: and logic would also demand
[ s1f f-f m
THE franchise, she IS cOmpetent-assumins ns
ltbat a suHcient number of the electors
so regard her-to take her place IA TIE
sIogislatIve assembly II IS difficult 10 JUS
. tifv OF 10 explain the present state OF the
Law. which euumerates women and clergy
men IN conjunction with criminals and
llunatics as the only four classes OF the
lconmunity that are disqualified from sit
ting IN the House OF Commons. 1nere
, v-1;,ld appear 10 be obvious reasons WY
, criminals and lunatics should De excluoeo
, from the responsibility OF laWmaNlI's'
. br+ there are many social questions on
!, ,,-bJcb the knowledge and influence both
Of the clergy and OF WoUen "oula uR-
, doubtedly be Of great value
Alreadv the gentler sex have success
fully s+orr,ed and captured C5srcst every
n-ofesslon. and also many academic
: 1~izas They have shown thai, IN tnci-
Tid,,.l Eases. 81 az events. their mental
, | and even physical powers can compare
favorablv wiki those Of the opposite sex.
, And so Ions as women are 81 numerical
suDeriorsty 20 men. Il IS right that op-
vortunities OF earning their living and OF
rising 10 positions of distinction In various
: walks OF NE should be open 10 them.
, But having willingly conceded all the
, arsuments that can be put forward IN
favor o. the present movement for plac-
ing women on a political equality with
men. we ought 10 bear in mind that there
IS another side Of the picture. ard that
l in attaining 70 the goal Of their auoi-
! ton the militant suffragists may land
, probably would lose for themselves and
, FOR their sisters Infinitely more than they
would gain
As We have mentioned above, the divine
purpose for woman was that she was q
be q helpmeet for man. and further
that wifehood and motherhood Is hei
. special function IN the economy Of ths
: universe. The primary duty of the mar
. Is 70 work-frst for The support and
D maintenance OF his family. and then. Il
D the spheres for which he IS best fitted
= for the welfare and good government o.
: the community. II Is for this reason
ldorshflesa that zneakiuR generally. mar