ung men, too, in this world of ours, whose whole minds
seem bent on the exquisite parting of their back hair, the peculiar
shape of their collar and shade of gloves or neck-tie, and the exact
height of the heel of their French boots; men who run up bills and ruin
fathers and wives without any apparent compunctions of conscience, and
who feel no shame that their wives or daughters support them while they
squander both time and money. Yet these men, frivolous as it is possible
to be, are not denied equal privileges with the rest of their sex, nor
is their frivolity pleaded as a reason why sensible men should not be
allowed the franchise.

Why, then, should the frivolity of some women be urged against the whole
sex? Rather, educate them. Let them realize that they are equally with
man responsible to God for the powers of mind given them. And let them
know, too, that they shall have equal opportunities for the development
and exercise of those powers; that with equality in responsibility there
is equality in privilege; and the next half-century will number fewer
frivolous women--by many hundreds.

The dread is entertained by some that, if granted the elective
franchise, women would be mixed up in election rows and drunken
squabbles, as men are now. Such an event does not necessarily follow;
neither is it at all probable. Men of good principle and well-balanced
judgment do not make either fools or beasts of themselves now, badly as
elections are managed; nor would sensible, right-minded women degrade
themselves by unseemly conduct while exercising their right to vote.

No law has ever yet existed which entirely prevented evil-minded men and
evil-minded women from making public exhibition of their degradation;
and, as society is now constructed, where wicked men congregate, some
wicked women will be found. Elevate women to perfect equality with man,
and fewer wicked ones will prey upon society.

The great objection, the one which rises above all others, with regard
to women taking an active part in civil and ecclesiastical matters, is,
that they would thereby neglect their houses and families.

This objection has some weight; it is not altogether so unreasonable as
most of the others raised. But even here the event dreaded does not
necessarily follow, any more than because men are allowed to vote
therefore their business and families must suffer in consequence.
Prudent men, when they accept offices of public trust, so ord