The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-30
Amti-Suffragiists
and What Each Has to Say
Inherent and Community Rights of One; The
Woman in the Home of
Other.
Other.

The right of suffrage in it's relation
to the lives and interests of women is
such a new subject of consideration,
comparatively. that Richmond and Vir-
ginia women have, many or them not
yet advanced beyond arriving at
decision to look into both sides or the
question and draw their conclusions
from what can be said for and against
IL woman movement that has become SO
universal as to include In It's member
ship not only tho representatives OF the
working and professional classes, but
those OF the highest rank as to wealth
| and social position. both in America
| and other countries
A woman who is a pro-surfragist
will say that tho right for which she
is striving is an inherent right; that
women as we'll as men arc naturally
entitled to flife. liberty and protec-
| ton" Is she subject to the law OF
l freedom. she asks, when she is de-
prived of the right OF citizenship and
required to pay property tax without
representation?
The pro- sufragist believes that
mothers and wives can best prove real
| helpmates to their husbands and keep
the atmosphere OF home sane and
| wholesome most effectually when they
have equal recognition by their state
! and under it's laws. They can demand,
! from her point of Wow, trucr respect
] from their children, II these children
know that both mother and father have
| tho same rights. The wives influence
with their husbands and their claims
upon their husbands respect. consider
alton and affection would be inmeas-
urably heightened. Into home where
husband and wife are on an equal
footing, declares the advocate OF SUI
frage, there will instinctively BIO
greater tendency toward mutual con-
cession. a sense OF freedom in thought
and its expression. an absence OF the
warning and jarrlng that leads hrss
to the "rift within the Lutte" and az
terward to the widening that renders
! the music mute"
] Tho pro-suffragist looks upon the
| home as being miniature community
land its interests as being closely re-
Hated to and interviewer with commn-
/ nifty interests. This being 30, she de-
clares that. as woman should have
equal rights in the community of
/, home, SO should she have equal rights
in the greater outside community,
/, which Is merely composed OF an ag-
| gregation of home interests and voices
4 the question of their proper administra-
tfon and responsibility.
The Other Side.
Tho anti-suffragist starts out with
| putting her foot down and saying that
the woman who fulfls her idear is tn.
woman in tho home This statement
means that womau's sphere begins and
ends In tho home, that has peen anc
q now Is; that awo,nan should nave nj
desires or ambitions outside of thu
home or disassociated with 1t; tina
|. her individuality should be merged II
; what her homo stands for. and that
as an entity. she should not exist
all.
It is the distinct and emphatic opin-
ion OF tho anti-suffragist that the geii-
tie Influences emanating from the wo'
man whose centre Is home must be
greater than any she could gain by
the exercise of he ballot. In short
she Is the advocate for the self-efface-
ment OF the feminine sex and it's with
drawal. as far as possible, from the
scene of the worlds activities and op-
portunities.
First Of all and above all, she has
faith in woman as mother. She con-
siders that woman in rearing her chill
dren and training them for womanhood
or manhood, fulfls her highest destiny.
and In so fulfilling 1t should excInpllty
the meaning of her full happiness ana
content. 9. u. D.