The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-08
What Are Women to Gain?

Il
r HE other day met delightful old woman
In the prime of life, by the death of he
husband, she had been left with large interests t.
care for.
1 Like most women reared in wealth. she knew
nothing about business. She had comfortabl,
| accepted her situation and expected to be cares
for during the rest of her life
| For year or SO she let her affairs 60 on under
the direction of business men, Then something
happened which made her suspect she had been
cheated in small transaction
She reasoned that if she had been cheated in
small transaction she had probably been cheated
in big transactions. She resolved to find out But
j on all sides she was hampered
Il found myself treated as child" she said. in
telling me the story. Those men acted as if
were forward, almost impairment, in trying to in
| vestigate my affairs
She persisted, however, and she soon discover
|. ed that if she was to find protection she must
learn to it for herself
She has now become woman Of considerable
power with large grasp of affairs and with con
| structive we'll executive ability Incidentally
she has discovered the close relation between her
life, not her life as a woman. but her life as a
member of society, with politics. But she has no
voice in politics.
- y,
marked with CLEAN of humor in her eyes, who
had the impudence to tell me that women were
unfit to have anything to do with politics and
ought to stay at home. He's voter and I'm
notw
There are many just now who are seri-
ously alarmed about the effect of womeH's voting
on progress. They think it will put the world
back. Their reason they find in the well-known
conservatism OF women. The causes of this con-
servatism they do not, a rule, stop to consider
If they did they might confront themselves.
There is no doubt that it is to the ideals estab-
llshed for women by men that the conservatism of
women is largely due. Men like conservatism in
women, even those men who deplore conserva-
tism as an obstacle to progress They believe that
1t harmonzes with those ornamental qualities
which help to establish women in the feminine
sphere. They associate it with modesty, shyness,
and other pretty expressions of subservience, all
highly fattering to the masculine nature
Men, moreover, like to feel that in progress as
in all other things of life which they have made to
appear masculine they arc the leaders. They for
get that If they themselves had given women a
fairer chance the women might have been quite as
as men to progressive opinions
Will women really gain much by securing the
vote?
The answer is very largely problematical and
dubious. We have no to believe that the
human nature in is finer than the human
nature OF men. And thus far men have made a
pretty bad mess of politics
1t may be conceded, however that women
could hardly do worse than men have done
But Is the question really a question of extcr-
nal results' Is it not rather question of the
eneet on both women and men of making a sex
in a matter where the consideration
S not sex but common humanity?
From the way in which the more violent on
'onents of women suffrage frequently speak. one
might expect that as women were allowed
% vote, all the women in the country would abar
Ion their present occupations and devote them
selves to politics
The chances that many women would do
'xactiy this thing. That is, just about as MANY
women as men would devote themselves to politics
n proportion to the number of women voters
Most women who accepted the suffrage would
'e Just as devoted to politics as most men are
low.
AS matter of fact. comparatively few men
Jay serious attention to politics. 1t is true they
ak about politics a good deal; but their talk is
cry largely uniformed and unenightened.
Men have not been successful in opening out
oau avenues OF information by which thew can
each an understanding of conditions and of can
ldates that will enable them to vote wisely.
1t may be that will be contented to
perate politically in the same blind way.
On the other hand, we have some reason to
elIevc that they may be MUCH more systematic
4 cleaning information. Ii
Already through their clubs and through in h
lviduals striving women have shown they know '
ow to surpass men in acquiring information and
ulture Mr.. w. d. Howells has pointed out that
this country, women have already surpassed !
len in intellectual we'll as moral culture lie
Whatever the direct consequences may be- it e
plain that the securing of suffrage by women :
leans only one step in advance. 1t is less a re-
nit than sign. 1t shows that women are work. u
g out of the cramped conditions which, until re- 4
mt years, have placed them at hideous .disad- $
antage with men, IV
1t also shows that she is going to differentiate o
len and women less and less in the near future "
here will be, as Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman a
as pointed out, less disposition to regard women !,
females and greater disposition to accept n
omen as human beings exactly as men are ac- h
.pted. t,
Incidentally the sexes will learn more and =
ore to understand each other and to work to-
ether for the common veal
Thus far men and women have lived side byl
de- but with an extraordinary difference in their