The Washington herald., 1913-02-14
THE OPEN FORUM
ANTI-SUFFRACIST
STATES HER POSITION
Gives Her Reason Why She Opposes
Equal Rights"
Question.

How the suffrage recruiting Is helping
TO crystallize the opinions of some
women is shown by the following letter:
woman's inaugural procession commit
tee. 142o F Street Northwest, Wash
fngton. D. c.
Dear Mesdames: Your letter requesting
participation in the suffragist parade, as
well as contribution to defray the
expense Of It. came to my house. and I
feel constrained to tell you that I am
utterly. opposed to your movement. as
believe an overwhelming preponderance
OF sober-thinking and sober-acting wom-
en- are.
Has your cause so little to rest on that,
as your letter says. "A great demon
stration of strength such as a procession
affords probably will do more than any
one thing to spread the suffrage cause
In these regions?' Am / to infer from
this confession that in the suffrage cause
NUMBERS ana noise are more potent than
reason?
Permit me to say that despite the
thra!dom that fashion has held our sex
in-with Its hcbble skirt and its stiltel
neel-nost OF US do not need to join in
or even see a sufrragist parade to know
that women can walk-and, after a fash
ion' run-and We also know that even
II. after such expensive missionary work
as you are deing. you succeed in getting
2tOoO or 5000 women who love either
notoriety or excitement TO Join your pa
rade. 1t will prove nothing, and that
your numbers would be infinitesimal
when compared with the millions of non
parading and nonsensational women who
In this age of specialism have not yet
essayed TO be jacks OF all trades and
masters Of noEe.
Do the women who are enlisted In your
cause desire equal rights-meaninE.
properly. euua! esponsibllities-with
man, or do they wish to create a privf-
legged citizenry by having the vote added
TO their present special or superior
rights? With the vote, will married
women be obligated to give up their
dover rights? Since suffraSists contend
That the question OF woman's voting is
such momentous one, in what respect
is wOman's condition superior in those
States where women have long had the
vote to that OF the women who live in
States where the cause is not vet fought
for? 1t will not do to make the negative
answer that woman suffrage has done
no harm" Aside from all other issues.
doubling the electorate is a highly ex-
pensive undertaking. and Is certainly no:
warranted for the mere purpose of fur
nishing toy, so 10 speak. for woman
to play with.
Do you know any woman who would
purchase a costume only, '.just as good
as the one she wore. for double the
price?
Without adding to our already expen-
siVe election machinery. has not the
average woman one or more indirec:
votes rs they are? How many women
will confess that there is no man they
have not this much influence over7
Is not mans vote, at least, indirect and
II he has to trust his representative to
carry out his wishes. cannot woman.
considering the natural considerations
man has for her. trust man to carry out
hers? As things are. man. In voting.
must trust his representative. and cannot
the wife trust her husband-ths father
he votes?
Has 1t never occurred to you that bet
ter far than a mere voice IN making
laws, is the great work Of training those
VINO. without this training, make many
laws necessary? Man has little time in
which to do this work. and IL woman is
10 have less when she is given the vote
and its accompanying obligations, and is
to rely on the restraint OF the laws she
VIII vote for. to compensate for this al
ready sadly neglected training then, uu-
Ike the time honored rule, a pound OF
cure will be worth an ounce Of preven-
ton.
II by any misfortune women should
vote and the electorate be doubled. with
a division about the same as at present
would a body OF Democratic or Repub-
lican women have the same influence in
pleading cause before a legislative
body. as have now a body OF non-political
women? Does woman wish TO trade her
wonderful power as woman. for the
power Of woman as politician or political
"wire-puller" Do you know OF one thing
our sex would gain by the vote except
that most undesirable of attributes,
political influence?
have many men friends and acouairt-
ances who have never been active in
politics in any way and who have been
successful and to them have repeatedly
propOunded this question: rs anything
YOU have accomplished that you could
not as well have accomplished II YOU
had no vote at ALL and the answer
has always been, Not one thing"
l am old-fashioned enough to think that
woman. instead. of rushing headlonS into
every new fad or ISM should get up a
mighty parade and retrace her steps
back to her responsibilities-the responsl-
bility of so training the young that less.
rather than more, restraining laws will
be required.
MRS. J. SANFORD.