The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-08
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
VIII II Result in the Extension OF
Busybody Government?

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: II,
II. A. complains in Sundays SUN that
at will not be long before Germany
will not be In IT." with us on the score
of Government intermeddling with per-
sonal rights. II seems to me that one OF
the factors tending to n realization OF
this unpleasant prophecy so far as we
in the State of New York are concerned
would he the granting OF the suffrage to
women in this State.
| think that II may he laid down as
ncontestably true that women. as
Charles Lamb said OF himself, have no
genius for politics. This Is not a re-
proach 1t is. IN fact, a proposition that
the average woman. so far from deny
ing, will g~ratuitously admit. And II is
by no means disproved by the political
activities of the suffrage apostles of her
own sex. | think that II will occur to
every man who has heard women
talk in public or in private m the
nature and consequences OF their par
%ticipation in politics that their concep-
ton OF the extent of he sphere Of gov
eminent jurisdiction Is both childish and
revolutionary and that they have no
instinct for the consideration OF those
matters that are fundamentally and
peculiarly affairs OF state. Fol them
NiI' tDNiit FldilbN III NV l'AbNl'll VI n
parent 10 the citizens. who, in the happy
time when woman's influence Is TO pre-
dominate. are to remain In a condition
of perpetual tutelage under n regime
based on the principle that the political
organism has the right to regulate the
most private and intimat personal con-
duct OF the individual with an eve to
his personal good, a reverslon to the
puritanical tyranny OF the seventeenth
century.
In other words. the intrusion Of
woman into n sphere to which she seems
to be aSen by nature threatens In the
course of time a well nigh intolerable
restriction OF personal liberty, that
liberty 10 vindicate which the Revolu-
tlonists Of 1875 fought and died. For 1t
must be remembered tina the Legis-
lature al Westminster was not an alien
Legislature 1t was not the character
but the acts of the imperial Parliament
that provoked the revolution. The prin-
ciple hat animated the actors In that
drama is that which is expressed on
Clinton's statue at Newburgh, Cara
patria carior libertas." liberty dearer
than native land.
Tyranny Is not the less odlous be-
cause our tyrants. like Polycrates. are
still at least our countrymen" and the
restriction OF personal liberty in the in
diligence OF personal predictions neither
necessarily nor peculiarly harmful,
merely for 'our own good IL one Of
The most intolerable forms Of tyranny,
yet the only conclusion that any man
can draw from the u%tterances II woman
suffrage agitators is that such a %restric-
ton would be the inevitable result OF
the unrestrained influence of that class
Of women which desires the ballot for the
reformation Of society.
II will he well then for those men who
think complacently Of giving women the
vote. to please them or because Of n sup
posed natural right to 1t, To consider the
effect on society at large OF the practi-
cal recognition Of the principle OF ab-
solutism embodied In the theory. univer-
sally expressed 10y suffragis.s. hat the
State has the right to restrict the con-
duct Of the individual In everything.
no matter what, to prevent his injury
10y himself or To promote his good.
New YORK. June :. f. J. n.