The Detroit times., 1912-02-15
Why Men Object to Suffrage
ny RuBY N. zAHN.

One OF the most noted features Of
the whole woman question, is the zeai
and persistence, with which all class.
eehdItfotts of men hHve en-
Geayored from time immemorial 10
keep woman. I'm what they term her
sphere" Eminent divines, grave Jur-
ISIS and distinguished state'men have
all chimed In, and loudly acclaimed
''Woman's sphere is the home.
This touching regard for the home
and the welfare OF the family has,
however. not been demonstrated by
any particular effort, on the part )f
these persons TO safeguard the family
by enacting just laws or protecting In
eny marked manner the women aud
children. Any attempt on the part of
women TO modify or change condition ;
prejudicial to the progress OF the race
aud women in particular. has always
been opposed by large class of men,
and every effort made through ridi-
cule. 10 suppress these women who
were leaving their sphere" Religious
work Tin which men were not partlcu.
larly interested) was the only undis.
Euted field. as presumably IL kept wo-
men meek and taught them the.r
duty. But. although women carried on
the work in the churches. raising the
funds 10 pay the minister's salary,
working. baking and planning TO pay
off the church debts, they were not
considered fit 10 have a voting voice
In the church organization.
There seems to be only one kind OF
voting that men unanimously approve
OF and that Is when woman votes for
E'an as the sole ruler of her sphere y
We know that there was time
when she was not accorded even that
privilege, but was taken by force ana
vas not allowed to vote yes, or no,
as TO her going. or manner of going
Brides still put on the wedding ring
as a relic of the old days o; servitude.
Just as the bridegrooms take them Oh
a wedding journey as relic of the
pleasant custom of running away with
them These are tangible. present-day
remnants OF old and barbarous Gus
tens. and while this idea of posses
son on the part OF men, Is not quite
80 openly expressed, It is just another
cultivated tradition OF the old days.
Because OF the survival OF this sex
sentiment OF superiority, so selfish,
% exclusive, so anti.racial. many men
today object TO the idea OF women
'oting. and many women, object for
this reason. Possibly they may not
know II is the reason. but IL usually
Is, for men have been very generous
10 women in this, II nothing else.
They have given us their ideals OF
themselves, and women have been
cry docile in accepting them. perhaps
because they could not help them
selves.
There are scores OF women today
who believe in suffrage who dare not
q ay so, because their "provider2' con-
5!ders II nonsense and II is not SO
iong ago that an unmarried woman
v ould hesitate long before expressing
any such strong-minded opinion as a
desire TO vote for fear OF prejudlcing
her male friends and risking the terri
lie fate OF not being chosen For.
iunately woman's economic iAdepend-
ence has changed this condition, and
marriage is no longer a necessity fox
the sake OF support.
There is really nothing so remark.
able about a mans repugnance 10 wo-
N an In public, life and TO so'ipg, In
particular. II Is due partly TO his ig-
norance or Indifference To change
conditions in life and to the Inherent
masculine prejudice TO woman ir any
public capacity whatever.
Fundamentally II is based on self
lshness, on the fear that outside inter
csts will lessen in any way the com
forts % his home. and the desire 10
-tAaintaiH His pfate of superiority or
lord and master.
To safeguard this position. women
were told the home is womans
phere.% Ii is repeated and reiterated
today. II has been, and is womans
stumbling block. retarding her own
and the worlds progress II has been
like band OF steel around society
Every departure made by woman.
through the ages, from the cut and
dried out line of sewing. spinning, TAX
ing care of the children and the houe,
vas met with the cry you want 10
get out OF your sphere" You are neg
lecting your home" And that was TO
hy in the face of Providence TO unseS
,ourself, to be monstrous woman. a
person who wanted to crate in public
v bile her husband washed the dishes
and rocked the cradle.
When Lucy Stone began the move
ment to secure 10 married women the
right TO their own property-a most
outrageous revolutionary movement
at that time-men did not like IT, II
hurt their feelings II seemed insult
irg 10 their honor.
And the women ever ready 20 back
men up in their ideas OF sweet fem
ininity said with digniffed scoru, do
ycu think would give myself where
! would not give ny property"
This was charming sentiment. il
howed such sweet faith. bur some
how II did not work out well. and wo-
men at the death OF their husbands
found themselves penniless, while the