The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-15
Caret.
womnn's Suffrage "Mess OF po.t,re.

TO tho Ed!tcr of The Times Disnatcb
SLIT Is frequently remarked that
II female suffrage ever reaches lis
,ull'iiinent IN Virginia there will still
pe great number of modest, self
respecting women who will never 90
10 the polls. who will abhor tho idna
OF such Publicity. Something of the
S'He quality deters the opponents of
female suffrage from appearing I'm
print ana expressing their disapproval
| oi the whole plan. They shrink from
I Expressing their views TO the public
even though their views and opinions
are most decided
bcsides, rs history shows us. tho adj
Nocatcs of a new movement OF - rad
lcai chhhge, are even more aggressive
ana , NOISY than the opponents The
iatter do not fight as we'll until tho
threatened danger is upon them. Tber
unfortunately. II is often too late 10
avert the evil
The crusaders were wildly, mad,v
eager to attain their object. whatever
inc cost, but doubtless many or those
who tarried by the STUFF saw tbc
utter folly OF the whole movement
ana Vet We're silent
SlleEce Is golden at times Ar other
times it is cowardly,
wlsh To say through your columns
'hat am deeply and unaltcrably on
posed To granting the vote IN wor,n,,
"a &
urable cost to our sex can trutb
iuiiy say that though my acquaintance
numbers not more than 800 women
mere Is among them only one advocate
of female suffrage.
me 29S Will probably say nothing
on this subject, except in private, but
that one advocate will almost s,,rnIv
40 FER utmost to make converts to nor
belief. And shall try in the name
or the 29S to combat some OF that
influence.
We are many OF us Christians vo
i've IN what is at least no,ninallv a
Christian land. We have for the ru,a
OF our faith and practice ALWAYS tho
HOLY Scriptures. Within that Pool,
wonans sphere is very clearly de-
hneu. and that sphere is God given
and glorious. 1t IS her birthricht WI,
She like Esau. sell it for ,ni is, w III
mess OF pottage? If she insists unon
making a man Of herself ne Ia
Tarbcn puts it. then she must mcrit.
ably bring herself into somcthinc ot
inc same contempt that is felt every
where Tor an effcmnate, unmanly
The great distinctions between their
allotted spheres were appointed them
at creations dawn.
r. l." Dabney. the thcoloCian and NH
iosopher said: Where else has wo
man escaped practical cnslavcmcnt OK
And j say she can retain the most.
ton Justly accorded her only bv con
FORMING TO Christian standards. as laid
down in the Christians Bible. II is nor
q question of ability to vote wjseI,
and we'll. Woman is called the wcaker
vessel. We cannot concede that che
is weaker intellectually than man. for
she is. In mental and moral endow
ments, his equal: otherwise she could
not he a helpmeet or suitable for him.
Yet must confess that my faith
in her intelligence is shaken when
read OF the atrocities committed by our
English sisters and when / realize the
utter folly OF their hope of accom-
plishine their wishes by pilIage and
riot. Their conduct is humiliating TO
our sex. IT is enough to make us
hang our heads in very shame The
Scntler seX-gcntlc. alas, no longer
over there-has nothing to gain and
much to lose by acquiring the ballot.
Is there anything I'm our whole social
fabric AS beautiful as the chiyalrous
protection OF women by men? VIII not
the powerful influence of good women
over society in general be Icssened
when they step down from their pedes-
tai to the plane occupied by men? This
is no sentimentalsm, no sophistrv.
Each woman knows in her heart that
all her happiness and safety depends
upon the Difference and respect given
her by good men. If they can guard
our lives and honor, can they not also
make our laws?
HELEN NJ. Mccoy.
Gum Springs.