74 Wisconsiyi Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 



prescription. If man retains the sole agency of society in po- 

 litical affairs, let it be only upon assent by woman after ex- 

 amination of the whole matter had. "We predict that such 

 assent will ultimately be given. 



We discard all theories of woman's inferiority. We believe 

 that woman can do what man can do. Possibly man may 

 have some advantage in power of brain or brawn, and in en- 

 durance. But the advantage is not so great that woman can- 

 not keep near enough to him in any kind of activity to be a 

 helpmeet for him. And it is a matter of common observation 

 that the helper is often in all respects superior to the helped. If 

 in anywise woman be inferior to man, we regard her as having 

 also compensating superiorities. We do not oppose the entry 

 of woman into politics, because we suspect her of incapability 

 for its emergencies. Given a common field to woman and to 

 man, and we will grant substantially equal results. 



But if woman is to be a wife and mother, the inquiry arises : 

 Does she want a common field ? Is it wise or prudent to at- 

 tempt to cover the ground of all man's activities, and dis- 

 charge the functions of motherhood beside ? 



Marriage constitutes a special condition for woman, as it 

 does not for man. Yet the vast majority of women pass into 

 this special condition. Married woman is the dominant and 

 representative element in th6 class woman. A social scheme 

 for woman, founded on her condition as femme sole would be 

 playing Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out. The bear- 

 ing which the assumption of political duties by woman will 

 have uj)on this special condition, needs to be closely scruti- 

 nized. Suffrage, and all the burdens that follow with it, will 

 be opened to woman near the years in which, as a rule, she en- 

 ters upon the responsibilities of marriage. The question is, 

 does woman, as she enters upon those responsibilities, want to 

 assume the department of politics beside? If the married 

 woman does not, is it wise to open the department to women 

 at all ? 



