Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1889 — THE WOMAN QUESTION. [ARTICLE]

THE WOMAN QUESTION.

Woman Suffrage ana Prohibition Separate Issues. [Contributed.] Woman suffrage and prohibition Are in no sense synonymous terms. It seems necessary to say this emphatically, because of an erroneous impression which has become widespread, and which h4O been brought about by the action of the third party in endorsing woman suffrage. Bat no suffrage association has endorsed prohibition, or the third party. So far from |his, a very recent convention of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association declared itself in the strongest terms strictly nonpartisan. Therefore, while prohibitionists are compelled by their party platform to be suffragists, suffragists are in no way pledged to be prohibitionists. . The third party, as every one knows, gains its support largely from women, and it would be worse than folly to deny their claim to a power which would be an added strength to the party. Again, the W. C. T. U. is a large and powerful organization; its support is well worth any concession there may be in the simple acknowledgment of woman’s

right to enfranchisement. But this concession has not been made by the third party without a struggle. All prohibitionists are not Willing to be suffragists. One very obvious reason for this is that suffrage is the dominant issue, and all efforts to make it appear otherwise are vain. To a genuine suffragist there is nothing more annoying than an attempt to subordinate the cause to any thing else, be it temperance reform, or what not. No genuine suffragist wishes the cause to be used simply to help fly a party kite. Earnest workers for suffrage would be, as a matter of course, glad of the support of every political party. But there can be nothing more illogical and absurd than to suppose it possible for so wide a question as suffrage to be swollowed up in any one political fiarty. All members of the W. C. T- V. are not third party prohibitionists. And all women who are suffragists are by no means members of the W. C. T. U. And while it is certainly a compliment to women to tase it for granted that they would use their influence if enfranchisedj to put down intemperance, it is wholly unfair and unwarranted to suppose that they would be of one mind as to the best methods. Prohibition and suffrage are moreover essentially different in their compositions. Prohibition is simply a question of moral reform, and deals directly with those who use and sell liqaor and with the immediate x sufferers from th» vice. In its general connection with society it becomes a social and not a personal question. Suffrage, on the other hand, is moral progress. It is a personal qaestibn with at least half the members of society. It can not be treated justly in any other way than as a personal question. Suffrage is as much the right of the wife of a saloon keeper as of the W. C. T. U.' It is as much the right of a woman with Democratic or Republican sympathies as of one who gives her support to the third party. ~ <.. Suffrage as an abstract question of right has nothing whatever to c|o with results. There will be time enough to discuss what use women will make of the ballot, when their right to it is granted on the same terms that it is given to men. All that suffragists ask for is, that there shall be no question of s&y in the privilege of franchise. • * Mary E. Cardwilu New A ibany, Ind.

They Had to Be Rescued. Lord Longdale and party, who started onward of a year ago on an expedition North-poll wards, have been rescuedin a famished and exhausted condition Lonsdale himself met with an accident that, rendered him almost helpless. While in the lead of his party he slipped into a crevice. His left shoulder was so bruised that the arm was rendered useless and his hip was all but dislocated, incapacitating him from travel on fopt. He was placed on a sled and in that condition transported to Kooiack. The party was in the last stages of fatigue when they reached Kodisck, and had not food and shelter been there Lord Lonsdale would have died. He stated that he., might remain at Kodiack a week or a month and perhaps lunger, as suited his fancy. He stated positively, however, that he had had, enough of Arctic exploration and would return to England soon.