OCR Text |
Show 1IWSH0ULB IB HE? WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE FROM THC VIEWPOINT OF LEADING. FARMERS. Why should womin voto? That Is tho question that Is ringing rrom oceun to ocean and ruverberatlng from tho Canadian boundary to tho Mexican Mexi-can border. It Is the mission of a now paper to glvo the news nud the action ot the ToaB Farmers' Union In opposing woman's suffrage whoa that question was recently beforo tho Tcxns legislature Is slgnlMcunt ns representing tho nttltudo of the organized or-ganized plowmen. Wo reproducn lu part tho argument presented by Hon. W. D. Lewis, president ot tho Texas runners' Union, in opposing tho bill: "It is grntlfjlng to nolo that It Is not tho farmer's wlfo who Is clamoring for the ballot. Sho in too busy to lng to mako happier homos, mold lng the minds of futtiro citizens and sharing with her husband tho enres ot life to Indulgo In political gossip Tho ballot will glvo her no relief from drudgery, glvo no nsslstanco In clothing cloth-ing tho children or bring to tho home additional comforts, conveniences or opportunities In life. It is, ns n rule, tho elty woman promoted to Idleness by prosperity, who Is lending tho suffragette suf-fragette movement. "From tunny standpoints, perhaps a woman lino as much right to vole us a man. So has 11I10 as much right to plow hb a man; she has as much right to work lu a factory nn a man, she has as much right to shoulder n musket ns a mnn, but wo would rather she would not do so from choice anil wo regret Hint necessity ofttlmcs compels her to earn a living by engaging en-gaging In gainful occupations. Wo do not consider misfortune a qualifica tion ror en urn go or a business nccl-dent nccl-dent a reason for granting franchise Wo nro opposed to woman nt tho ballot box tho same ns wo aro opposed op-posed to wnmntt lu tho flold, in tho factory or In tho army nnd for tho self-same reasous. Wo had rathor seo her plant Hewers than sow wheat; gather bouquets than pick cotton nnd rear children than ralso political Issues, Is-sues, although sho may havo as much right to do ono ns tho other. Opposed to Untexlng Humanity. t "Sex qualification for miffrngo may I have Its apparent inconsistencies. No general rule adjusts Itself perfectly to all conditions, it Is n favorltn argument ar-gument advanced by tho proponents of woman's suffrago that many cultivated and noblo women nro far more capable capa-ble of Intelligently exercising sovereignty sov-ereignty than n ivorthless negro, but the South never was anxious for negro stiff rage, and whllo culturo mid refinement, nnd even morality, nro desirable virtues, they nro not tho only qualifications for franchise. "Tho primary, Inherent nnd liisop-arablo liisop-arablo fitness for iiuffrnge Is supporting support-ing n family. The plow handle, the forgo nnd tho struggle for bread afford af-ford cxperlenco necessary to properly mark the ballot. Government Is n great big business nud civilization from tho very beginning assigned woman tho homo nnd man thu business busi-ness nffalrs of life. "There has been much freakish legislation leg-islation enacted during tho past do-cado do-cado that uu doubt appeals to womnn's love for the ridiculous, but to under-take under-take to iinsox tho htimnn rnco by law Is tho height of leglslatlvo folly and a tragedy to mankind. "Wo nro opposed to tho equal rights of woman wo wnnt her to over remain re-main our superior. Wo consider woman's dcslro to seek mnn's lovel tho yellow peril of Twentieth Century civilization. "Woman Is tho medium through which angels whisper their messages to mankind; it is her hand that plants thoughts In thu Intellectual vineyard. It Is through her heart that hope, love and sympathy ovcrllnw and bless mankind. man-kind. Christ tho llborntor ot womankind woman-kind wns satisfied to teach tho lossonh of llfo nud Ho was a man. Ho chose to rulo over huninn hearts and refused re-fused worldly power and men followed after Him, women washed Ills foet, littlo children climbed upon Ills kneos nnd tho Ruler of tho universe said that In Illm Ho was woll ploased. Can woman find n higher calling?" |