The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-08
Voice Of the People
Nir. Cumming and F:uunI Suoru


TO the editor of The Times Disna,ci,
Sir,-ln the joint debate In Ivnch
hurg between the rival candidates for
tn" Democratic nomination for Attor-
heY-fen"ral. :. Gordon Cumming at
tackled John Garland Pollard for sun
posed allegiance to tho tenots of caI,'I
suffrage, and stated his own position
regarding women
Win tho Intelligence necessary "a
n candidate for tho Office he covcts.
MIR. Cumming doubtless realized tho
Inconsistency Of his own remarks In
the same sentence. he criticized his on
ponemt for having been Selected as
Mayor OF Ginter Park at a conference
IN which women participated" Yet he
himself thinks 50 highly Of the sex
;ihat he would rather 20 down In dc
feat than take woman from tho high
pedestal on which God placed her. and
reduce her 10 the plane you and
meaning men) occupy" How gen
crous!
II seems true that many women arc
superior TO many men. but the aver
ag" politician Is slow 10 ACKNOWLEDGED,
1T except when he is cndeavoring to
deprive women of something lar moro
valuable than the would-b compli-
m'ntary sep hc is acCustO,nc cd to thrC ~
out u them Mt times TO try 10 keep
thom quiet. one cannot help wonder
ing whether Mr.. Cumming is Ike many
whatever woman can or VIII do TO
advance their political interests. but
who deny 10 her the fruits OF her e.
forts. They do not hesitate 10 call on
"a woman 10 lobby, 10 solicit votes. and
TO do other things FOR Individuals or
Tor the great political parties It docs
not hurt her to do the actual work OF
politics but it unsexes her 10 drop a
ballot into u box
In the face Of this. such protcsta-
tions as that of Mr.. Cumming impress
tho thoughtful person as merely n play
TO the gallery, an appeal TO the pre-
JUDGES OF certain part Of his au-
G!cuCc; hot-alr rhetoric. intended to
supply the lack Of real argument Ger
tain individuals under certain circuln-
stances experience. the benefit OF the
chivalry that fairly aches through Mr..
Cummings noble declarations. But
every wel!-!nformcd person must adj
occupy practically distinctly subor-
dinate position in many important re-
spccts
1t is through equal suffrage that wo-
man viii in time recover her stand on
the high pedestal on which God placed
her" but from which she was long
ago dcposed in order to serve selfish
ends Perhaps Mr.. Cumming has been
too busy studying law and running
for Office u remember that tho subor-
dinatc position of woman IN past cen
turtles WAS not the work OF the Lord
1t had its root in the organization Of
uncivlizod society, it's beginning In
wife capture among savage men
Cater in wife purchaser. ana was es-
tablished before man had developed
The conception OF one God. out of this
condition Of society, In which the eldest
male was tho absolute lord and master
OF all his descendants, naturally arose
the ideas of monarchicai government. a
religion that represented the Almighty
as a masculine Deity, Lord and Ruler,
/ and the imfcrority of women.
Through the evolution of civilization,
| the progress of science. the develop
mcnt of human thought. and the great
economic changes, the race has been
gradually freeing Itself from this old
hahi, OF the domination OF one indi-
/ Ndual or Of one class over another,
ana is even now evolving the idea OF
democracy.
! The democracy is of the people, for
the people. by the people. If women
are people. there is no true democracy
( IN which they have no part
! GRACE VERNON.