Feminism - Women and Memory Forum

WOMAN SUFFRAGE ARGUMENTS 243
take part in managing the nation's property. But the fact of
existing error is not a good reason for increasing it. There may
be too great as well as too small an extension of the franchise.
The latter leads to corruption in the government, the
former to corruption in the people. What is needed is that all
the classes that contribute to the welfare of society should participate
in its government; and this is accomplished when the
men of all such classes have the franchise.
Woman suffrage is now a fashionable demand. Many women
want it because others do. Most of these would otherwise be
indifferent, but they do not wish to be left in the lurch. Their
desire is also whetted by the fact that their demand is not instantly
complied with. Like spoilt children, they think that they
ought to be given what they want, and that, if they are not, they
are unjustly treated. Hence their grievance, which is subsequent
rather than anterior to the denial of the coveted object.
The pioneers were doubtless man-like women — " strong-minded
women," as they used to be called. From them the movement
has spread little by little, aided by weak-minded men. Now the
women who demand the suffrage are numerous and prominent
enough to affect to look down upon those who do not — to despise
the womanly women.^® Virility is aped. Women like to be
committee men, chairmen, spokesmen, and they aspire to be aldermen
and stsXtsmen. Old maids are now " bachelor girls " (have
they no longer their maidenhood?). Words signifying the
female gender, such as doctoress, authoress, songstress, huntress,
etc., are discarded : only " actress " and " mistress " and " adventuress
" remain in use. Perhaps some feminists would like to get
rid of the distinction of gender in language altogether. That
would be in line with their movement. Everything is to be masculine
; and then masculinity need not be distinguished. Women,
in fact, now imitate men in costume, manners, and occupations.'"
29 A twice-elected President of the National Suffrage Association has contemptuously
characterised her female opponents as advocates of "home, heaven, and mother." One
of these has replied: '* We are content to let the men decide between this holy alliance
and the unholy alliance of suffrage, feminism, and socialism," Belle S. Baruch, in The
New York Times, Feb. 14, 1915.
30 This is denied by Mrs. Schreiner, who defends women from the charge of imitating
men even in the recent fashions of tailor-made dress, saying "what is really taking
place is, that like causes are producing like effects on human creatures with common
characteristics," Woman and Labour, ipin. So, stiff collars, four-in-hand cravats, lapels
with curiously shaped incisions, useless buttons on sleeves, etc., are products of like
causes working on human creatures with common characteristics! In man's attire these
things have a history leading into the past, showing serial changes, sometimes of growth,
sometimes of atrophy. But in woman's, they have no history, and except by imitation
no explanation. If women are to become active like men, or virile, they will need
to wear trousers, despite their ungainliness below the waist. Mrs. Schreiner herself
complains of the "long-haired, colour-bedisoned, much-skirted female," 166. Women,
however, are not so yet. And that their characteristics are not the same as men's, is
Btill shown by the fact that their dresses are still buttoned in the opposite direction.