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 The National Bulletin.

Governments Derive Their Just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.

Vol. 2. Washington, D.C., December, 1892. No. 1

Published monthly at the office of The Woman's Tribune, Washington, D.C.

Subscription price 15 cents per annum; 10 cts.; for 25 copies of each number; 30 cts. per 100; $2.50 per 1,000.

The National Bulletin is to supply Woman Suffrage Societies with information and argument at a low price. Each month something of interest will be presented which should have a wide distribution.

Why Democratic Women Want the Ballot.

As a woman, and a Kentucky woman, I must say at the outset that it seems to me an impertinence for any man to require me to give a reason for wanting the ballot.

Men everywhere, and in Kentucky especially, pride themselves on their chivalry, their absolute devotion to woman. Now when a woman makes a request of a man, it is not chivalric to demand the reason for that request, whether it be for a new spring bonnet or the right to vote. It is not chivalric in the first place to allow her to ask for what she wants. Real chivalry would lead men to anticipate the wants of woman, and spare her proud, gentle spirit the pain, the humiliation of having to ask for what she wants.

"That comes too late which comes for the asking," says Seneca, and I have often wondered how a man could have evolved such a thought, for it is the perfect expression of that exquisite womanly dignity which, realizing its right to homage from men, is outraged by having to beg for that which should come without asking.

"Your wish is my law." "To anticipate your wish is my highest pleasure." -- such is the language of chivalry. And so, when we women ask for the ballot, instead of gruffly demanding "Why do you want it?" chivalric man should say, "The ballot, my dear Madam? A thousand apologies for not having offered it to you before. If I had dreamed you wanted it, it might have been yours long ago. I doubt if it is a good thing for you to have, but your will is my law, so here it is." This would be proper conduct on the part of that chivalry whose theory is that woman is a "queen" and a "goddess" and man her loyal subject and abject worshipper.

However, as things are not as they should be in this "naughty world;" since women have not only to ask but give a reason for asking and get generally a curt refusal for all their pains, it becomes them to descend from their "thrones" and "shrines," and meekly give thanks for merely the opportunity to ask and explain why they ask.

Such an opportunity is mine in attempting to explain why Democratic women want the ballot, or rather why Democratic women ought to have the ballot; for I regret to say that, in the South at least, few women who hold to the principles of this party have any desire to vote, and this fact is a matter of congratulation with the party itself.

A Kentucky editor commenting on the women delegates to the Minneapolis convention, said "Heaven be thankful that Democracy when it puts on its war-paint and feathers leaves the squaws and papooses at home." These felicitous words were certainly not dictated by the spirit of chivalry, let me say in passing, and a Kentucky woman hardly feels complimented at being called a "squaw."

According to my observation the women who want to vote are found mostly in the People's Party, or the Prohibition Party, or any other party that champions some moral or social reform. This means that women, as a rule, do not want to vote unless there is some palpable advantage to be gained by it. Expediency is the keynote of all woman's protests against disfranchisement. There is one all sufficient, all-embracing reason why women should vote, but in the extremity of their need, women have seldom been bold enough to urge this. They have taken refuge behind a score of minor reasons, and their appeals are more to the pity than to the reason of men.

I want prohibition, but that is not why I want to vote; I want a reduction of the tariff, but that is not why I want to vote; I want municipal reforms, but that is not why I want to vote; I want property rights, but that is not why I want to vote.

If every reform advocated by every party could be carried into effect tomorrow, I would still be a woman suffragist. There are two vantage grounds for a woman who wants to vote; one is on the shifting sands of expediency, the other on the solid rock of eternal justice. I choose the latter; and standing here, I can always find a reason for the faith that is in me.

The Democratic Party prides itself on being the party of broad, liberal principles, the sole representative of Jefferson Democracy, consequently in giving a reason why a woman of that party wants to vote we must give one that is broad and comprehensive enough to suit the men who advocate "The largest individual liberty consistent with the rights of others."

I am not optimist enough to hope that the millenium will come as soon as women can