The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-12-29
OPPOSED TO EXTENSION
OF SUFFRAGE TO WOMEN

Illinois has an association opposed
to the extension of suffrage to women
This association has issued the follow.
ing statement, and coming from an as.
sociation of women is highly import.
ant:
The independent position of Amer.
ican women in the home and society is
the wonder of Europe. Scarcely an in.
telligent foreigner, man or woman.
who comes to US, but expresses this
astonishment. The burdens which ma
ture puts upon women everywhere.
they bear in common with their sex.
but under circumstances of such free
dom, homage and chivalrous respect
as obtain nowhere else in the world.
Their rights. privileges and immuni-
ties as faithful wives and mothers. al
though they may not attain to the per-
feet ideal, ar nevertheless beyond what
any other body of women enjoy.
The history of American legislation
proves that for fifty years or more men
have been busy often quite of their
own unsolicited goodwill, in improv-
ing the legal status of women in mat
ters of property rights, inheritance
rights and the custody of their chill
dren. And these prerogatives extend
far beyond woman's immediate social
and domestic sphere 1t is the testi-
mony of many excellent women work
ers in philanthropic enterprises, both
public and private, that when legal
aid is necessary in carrying out their
plans for the well being of the poor
and unfortunate, if they go to the legis-
latures as women, not as politicians
working in connection with any poll
tical party, they have no difficulty in
gaining their ends; while as members
of opposing parties their bills would
be held up session after session
Thoughtful women who are engaged in
the highest enterprises of womanhood,
home making and soul building, the
work of social amelioration, and the
care of the poor and unfortunate, can
not see how they would be the gamers
by possessing the ballot.
On the other hand they do feel that
the burdens they are bearing, and of
which nature has made it impossible
that men should relieve them, are
quite equal to those that men are bear
ing for them in the police regulation
of the outer world statecraft, and the
material and intellectual uplift of the
race. There is therefore a proper
equality between the two as burden
bearers, and one which conduces TO
Rhat sympathetic union and co-operS-
ton between them which nature has
evidently intended To place upon wo-
men, therefore, in addition to their al |
ready honorable and onerous duties, a
share of the duties properly belonging
TO men, they feel would not only be |
unjust in itself but would lead to con-
ditions of rivalry and pickering which
would lower the moral tone and the
sense of harmony of both parties
Science indisputably proves, and ex-
perience confirms the truth, that when
the wholesome restrictions of nature
are observed, domestic relations are
the source of that altruism, which is
the handspring of all progress. The
IS
and harmony in the home, and every
thing which tends towards competi-
tion and independent and perhaps con-
tending motives, opposes Natures be-
nevolent and progressive designs.
Neither men nor women are as yet
perfect, but to thwart Natures evident
intention, in leading them along their
united way, toward higher plane, GER ,
tainly will not make them better
A temporary disarrangement of the
equal division of labor between the
sexes has been caused by the absorp-
ton of much that was formerly con-
sidered womans household work into
SI6dl Neutrality-suspicious. duu COLlluti Sldl d.
EN- 'erprises, thus drawing the women
after their work into shops and fac
tories, and indeed into almost all the
zascuP 3tions which have been consider
ed as belonging to men and boys as
wage earners. 1t requires little OBJ
seryation and study to see that this
process has many evil results. 1t low
ers the wages of men and obliges them
to forego or to postpone marriage,
thus tempting them to immortality;
and it draws off from household serv-
ice the very class upon which house
holders have hitherto depended for
help. The great dearth of household
service has become a serious trial to
families, and together with the raising
Of wages in the home to a degree APP
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