Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-06-19
PART l.

OF woman suffrage TO an opponent OF the
cause, with her reasons for the change are
detailed with impressive force in the state
ment submitted by Miss Phoebe w. Couz-
ms. LII. b., OF st. Louis. at a recent hear
ing given by the judiciary COMMITTEES OF the
house OF representatives in Washington
Miss Couzns has been staunch and active
advocate OF woman suffrage and OF
womans rights in general, a co-laborer OF
Susan b. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton. Experience, observation and re-
Election have convinced her that women
have nothing TO gain and much to lose by
participation in political affairs. The facts
presented In support OF her matured judy
ment are marshaled with marked skill and
ability.
The statement in part, follows:
From the tableland which marks the
halfway division Of life's toilsome Journey
looking back toward my youth. and for
ward TO the sunset, whose shadows are
already athwart my pathway, am here
10 bear witness to the wide sweep Of vision
which this length OF years invites. In
presenting my changed views on this peren-
NAL subject 1 shall simply state facts as
saw them. after jealous participation and
earnest belief in its reformatory influence
extending over a quarter OF century's ac-
tivity and observation.
My conversion is not Of rapid transition
nor the change of heart Of sudden denial.
A careful study of conditions throughout
a period OF many years. devoted not only
TO public discussion. but to the holding OF
important offices some OF them unusual.
as was my position OF United states mar
shall, giving me varied opportunities, and a
clearer survey Of the field than falls 20 the
experience OF most women, led me step by
step to a final decision against woman's
entrance into the political arena.
And first It is impracticable and OF but
temporary value to abe wife and mother,
and Of no permanent use to woman in the
outside world the chief objection being the
limitations which are inherent In the nature
Of woman-both by reason OF motherhood
and the lack OF Incentive, which confronts
women in pursuit of public careers
The Home and Family.
In rough estimate the census bureau not
having exact data, over 100000 children
are born every year. This means that
millions of mothers are practically set
aside from public duties before and after
the birth of the child for a period Of not
less than two years, and possibly more, In
which che can not be tabulated as o factor
in the political world. and II we pursue her
domestic limitations still further as the
maternal guide and director Of the family
group she is practically of little value as
an integral part of the political count. a
depletion Of the masculine vote in like
ratio as this would mean serious results
for manhood suffrage For. however much
{ the stock argument may be reiterated that
politics ought not to mean much physi-
cal as mental and moral power. the latter
claimed as woman's especial prerogative
the fact remains that the physical cuts the
largest figure in the marching army OF
voters as It does in that of the regulars
with sword and gun. and whose victories
depend, as Napoleon averred ION the heav.
Test battalions."
The power to endure the fatigue of cam
palgning, the power to capture politica
prizes, and the power to emphasize bS
I sheer muscular force the results of thu
1 march and the fight. are all included II
the service of the ballot surely as IL
the carriage OF the bullet and IL battalion
OF masculine voters were continuously In
capacitated as are the mothers, the inevita
BILE fiat Of natures limitations would dis
band them. possibly, at the supreme mo
ment when they were most needed.
Tragic Struggle.
Still further, / witnessed the tragic strug
gle IN one Of the states on the Temperance
question. Not only were women called
M
one kind or another, but they wer
marched through the streets at midda!
with banners and singing, and at mdnigh
to theaters and churches for prayer ant
exhortation, furnishing mncheons' at tn
polls as the final roundup Of an exhaustive
but limited campaign. The tabulated ply
steal and nervous wrecks which marke'
that strenuous effort was well calculates
to call for Red Cross division wholly de
voted to the care of the feminine injured
whose wounds could not be differentiate
by surgeon nurse "gunshot' or bay
onet" but whose results were quite as ef
fective in the carriage of the disabled fror
the field for indefinite periods as thong
hit by a rifle bullet.
The latest addition to the disabled is tn
multmlliionairess patron, who has gener
ously financed the suffrage cause for
series of months but who is now reporte
TO have collapsed and retired to her Lon
Island home with expectations of a tri
to Europe to restore the shattered nerves
The query naturally arises "1f woma
in a contest which flafters her vanity
the belief that she comes to regenerate Tn
political world, fortified by appeals to he
emotional nature, upheld by a supposed
moral attitude sustained by the enthus
iasm or religious propaganda, 1alls bE IN
way ere the victory is fully accomplished
what would be the result II she WEI
thrown into the maestrom Of a six month";
struggle in the political vortex, whel
selfish interests alone prevail whore hui
I ger for the loaVes and the fishes and thir
for official honors and power make
men In political warfare ravening wolv'
for the nouce, who fight for the BON
with the ferocity OF the jackal and who's
constituencies steam roller of the boi
grinds the earnest opponent to a mass
pulpy nonresistance, or the threatening bu
whip OF the ward heeler's lash final
coerces the rank and file OF the tim
voter into a spineless herd OF meek
driven followers2" What show cou
woman have in attempt at the NOR
beatitudes In this cruel, merolless warfare
Essential Political Duties.
Moreover. the caucus, primary, al
nominating conventions are the poin
where center the motive power OF the va
ing privilege-the casting OF the ballot
but a secondary consideration. and kno
of no states wherein woman already q,