Page:The rights of women and the sexual relations.djvu/285

Rh politics. They have meaning and significance only when they represent a power in practical life which is strong enough to uphold and execute them. Politics reckons with powers and numbers. Assuming that your resolutions had found favor before all the world, as theoretical principles, but not a person besides yourselves could be found to give them support in practical politics, or to attempt to make them law, would they then be anything more than mere phrases? They would have to be considered as nonexistent. It is clear, then, that the standard which the practical statesman must apply to a question is that of the power and support at its disposal. If it has no party it can receive no attention. The interest in it grows with its party. But where is the party to back your demands? I see a number of ladies assembled here, who individually, or as a debating society, can call out the greatest interest. But measured by the party standard which politics must apply, this society will be of no importance, even if its theories were entirely correct. How many voters are ready to adopt these theories and support them at the polls? This is the main question. But even this ts preceded ‘by another: How many women are there back of your theories and demands? Suppose, now, that you stood all alone. Will any practical statesman wish and be able to work for woman's rights, if the majority of women themselves do not demand them, and thus declare themselves against them? Could we let the majority of