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diff --git a/26699.txt b/26699.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4dea0ca --- /dev/null +++ b/26699.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2328 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Woman and the Right to Vote, by Rafael Palma + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Woman and the Right to Vote + +Author: Rafael Palma + +Release Date: September 24, 2008 [EBook #26699] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOMAN AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE *** + + + + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ + + + + + + + + + + + Philippine Senate + Fifth Philippine Legislature + First Session + The Woman and the Right to Vote + + + Address Delivered By + + Hon. Rafael Palma + Senator for the Fourth District + + In support of Bill No. 23 of the Senate in the sessions held by said + body on the 22d and 25th of November, 1919 + + + + Manila + Bureau of Printing + 1919 + + + + + + + +THE WOMAN AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE + + +Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Senate: + +I have seldom felt so proud of being a representative of the people +as now, when it gives me an opportunity to advocate a cause which can +not be represented or defended in this chamber by those directly and +particularly affected by it, owing to the leven of prejudice that the +beliefs and ideas of the past have left in the mind of modern man. The +cause of female suffrage is one sure to strike a sympathetic chord +in every unprejudiced man, because it represents the cause of the +weak who, deprived of the means to defend themselves, are compelled +to throw themselves upon the mercy of the strong. + +But it is not on this account alone that this cause has my sympathy and +appeals to me. It has, besides, the irresistible attraction of truth +and justice, which no open and liberal mind can deny. If our action +as legislators must be inspired by the eternal sources of right, +if the laws passed here must comply with the divine precept to give +everybody his due, then we can not deny woman the right to vote, +because to do otherwise would be to prove false to all the precepts +and achievements of democracy and liberty which have made this century +what may be properly called the century of vindication. + +Female suffrage is a reform demanded by the social conditions of our +times, by the high culture of woman, and by the aspiration of all +classes of society to organize and work for the interests they have +in common. We can not detain the celestial bodies in their course; +neither can we check any of those moral movements that gravitate with +irresistible force towards their center of attraction: Justice. The +moral world is governed by the same laws as the physical world, and +all the power of man being impotent to suppress a single molecule of +the spaces required for the gravitation of the universe, it is still +less able to prevent the generation of the ideas that take shape in the +mind and strive to attain to fruition in the field of life and reality. + +It is an interesting phenomenon that whenever an attempt is made +to introduce a social reform, in accordance with modern ideas and +tendencies and in contradiction with old beliefs and prejudices, +there is never a lack of opposition, based on the maintenance of the +_statu quo_, which it is desired to preserve at any cost. As was to be +expected, the eternal calamity howlers and false prophets of evil raise +their fatidical voices on this present occasion, in protest against +female suffrage, invoking the sanctity of the home and the necessity +of perpetuating customs that have been observed for many years. + +Frankly speaking, I have no patience with people who voice such +objections. If this country had not been one of the few privileged +places on our planet where the experiment of a sudden change of +institutions and ideals has been carried on most successfully, +without paralyzation or retrogression, disorganization or destruction, +I would say that the apprehension and fears of those who oppose this +innovation might be justified. + +However, in less than a generation our country, shaken to its very +foundations by the great social upheavals known as revolutions, +has seen its old institutions crumble to pieces and other, entirely +new institutions rise in their place; it has seen theories, beliefs, +and codes of ethics, theretofore looked upon as immovable, give way +to different principles and methods based upon democracy and liberty, +and despite all those upheavals and changes which have brought about a +radical modification in its social and political structure, or rather +in consequence of the same, our people has become a people with modern +thoughts and modern ideals, with a constitution sufficiently robust +and strong to withstand the ravages of the struggle for existence, +instead of remaining a sickly and atrophied organism, afraid of +everything new and opposed to material struggles from fear of the +wrath of Heaven and from a passive desire to live in an ideal state +of peace and well-being. + +In view of the fruitful results which those institutions of liberty +and democracy have brought to our country; and considering the +marked progress made by us, thanks to these same institutions, in +all the orders of national life, in spite of a few reactionists and +ultra-conservatives, who hold opinions to the contrary and regret the +past, I do not and can not, understand how there still are serious +people who seriously object to the granting of female suffrage, +one of the most vivid aspirations now agitating modern society. + +I remember very well that in the past, not so very long ago, the same +apprehension and fears were felt with regard to higher education for +our women. How ridiculous--the same people argued--is it for woman +to study history, mathematics, philosophy, and chemistry, which are +not only superior to the assimilating power of her deficient brain, +but will make her presumptuous and arrogant and convert her into +a hybrid being without grace or strength, intolerable and fatuous, +with a beautiful, but empty head and a big, but dry heart! However, +we admitted the women to our high schools and universities and made +it possible for them to attain to the degree of bachelor of arts +and graduate in law, medicine, and other professions. Can it be said +that those women have perverted the homes of their parents or that, +when they married, they were a source of disgrace or scandal to their +husbands? We are now able to observe the results, and if these results +are found to be detrimental to the social and political welfare of +the country, it is our duty to undo what we have done and to return +to where we were before. + +Fortunately, nobody would think of such a thing. From the most +cultured centers of population to the remotest villages, public opinion +fervently approves and applauds the education of women, and even the +most backward peasants send their daughters to the cities and go to the +greatest sacrifices imaginable in order to make it possible for them to +ascend to the highest pinnacles of knowledge. Though ignorant rustics, +they reason in their own rude way that woman and man are made of the +same clay, and refuse to believe that because it has been their fate +to have daughters instead of sons, they must condemn them to bear the +chains of ignorance, incapacitating them from being useful to their +families, society, and their country. + +Education has not atrophied or impaired any of the fundamental +faculties of woman; on the contrary, it has enhanced and enriched +them. Far from being a constant charge to the family, the educated +woman has often been its sustain and support in times of great +need. The educated woman has not become a blue-stocking, that fatuous +creature imagined by certain elements, nor has she lost any of her +feminine charms by being able to argue and discuss on every subject +with the men. On the contrary, it seems to lend her an additional +grace and charm, because she understands us better and can make +herself better understood. Thank God, people are no longer ready to +cast ridicule upon what some used to consider the foolish presumption +of women to know as much as the men, and this is doubtless due to the +fact that the disastrous results predicted by the calamity howlers, +the terrible prophets of failure, have not materialized. + +Very well; if you allow the instruction and education of woman +in all the branches of science, you must allow woman to take on +her place not only in domestic life, but also in social and public +life. Instruction and education have a twofold purpose; individually, +they redeem the human intellect from the perils of ignorance, and +socially they prepare man and woman for the proper performance of +their duties of citizenship. A person is not educated exclusively for +his or her own good, but principally to be useful and of service to +the others. Nothing is more dangerous to society than the educated +man who thinks only of himself, because his education enables him to +do more harm and to sacrifice everybody else to his convenience or +personal ambition. The real object of education is public service, +that is, to utilize the knowledge one has acquired for the benefit +and improvement of the society in which one is living. + +In societies, therefore, where woman is admitted to all the +professions and where no source of knowledge is barred to her, +woman must necessarily and logically be allowed to take a part in +the public life, otherwise, her education would be incomplete or +society would commit an injustice towards her, giving her the means +to educate herself and then depriving her of the necessary power to +use that education for the benefit of society and collective progress. + +I can not resist this conclusion. If woman is given equal opportunities +with man for educating herself; if she is encouraged to learn and +study the knowledge of the world and of life, it is but just that the +doors of public life should be thrown open to her in order to allow +her to play in it the part to which she is entitled. + +In backward societies, woman is taught only such knowledge as she +requires for the home; that is, she is unconsciously prepared for that +gentle, that charming slavery so pleasing to the masculine sex. The +question now before us is what system we shall adopt for our women: +whether slavery and ignorance, or liberty and education. + +Female suffrage is the consequence of the education of woman; it is +also the consequence of her liberty of conscience. The vote is the +expression of political faith, just as worship is the expression of +religious faith. There is no more reason for keeping woman from the +ballot box than there is for preventing her from going to church. + +There is no reason why suffrage should be a privilege of sex, +considering that the duties of citizenship rest as heavily upon woman +as upon man. Is woman under less obligation to strive for the welfare +and future of her country because she is a woman? To attempt to curtail +the activity of woman in public life is tantamount to declaring that a +woman must not love her country and must not dedicate any of her time +to her duties of citizenship; that she must not feel the affection +and devotion which the idea of native land and community awaken in +every well-born creature. + +Physical barrenness is combated and looked upon as a misfortune in +woman; but we condemn her to a perpetual political barrenness, to +patriotic barrenness, if we keep her away from exercising the right of +suffrage which affords the citizen the most effective means to make +his influence felt in social questions and in the improvement of the +public affairs. How are we to inculcate in our children, that sacred +pledge of the future of the nation, the cult and worship of native land +and liberty if we do not give their mothers that practical education +involved in the exercise of the right of suffrage; if they are taught +that government and politics are strange gods at whose shrines they +are forbidden to worship; if they feel upon themselves the stigma of +inferiority, of being incapacitated from speaking to their children +about the public affairs and the interests of the nation and the State? + +All social classes are entitled to representation in the legislative +houses and are thus enabled to work for legislation favoring their +interests: the merchants, the laborers, the manufacturers, all can +choose one of their own number; but the women, who are not merely one +group or class, but a collection of groups or classes, who represent +one-half of the country and have interests of their own to defend, +not only with relation to their sex, but also with relation to their +position in the family, are not allowed to vote and are therefore +not permitted to have representatives to promote and defend laws +and measures necessary for their protection and betterment. Is this +just? Is this even moral? Female labor can be exploited in shop and +factory; feminine virtue can be made the object of commerce, and yet +woman is not allowed to defend directly the interests of her sex, +owing to one of those aberrations of the moral sense that spring from +the crass egoism and brutal tyranny of man. + +If woman were at least exempt from complying with the laws! But no; +the law binds the woman as well as the man; the Penal Code menaces man +and woman alike with the sword of justice, and the burden of taxation +rests upon both the masculine and the feminine wealth. Consequently, +before the law, their duties are the same, but their rights are not. + +Is it not strange that our laws should contain so much social injustice +towards woman, so much exasperating discrimination, all based upon the +theory of the servile dependency of woman upon man, resulting from her +congenital mental and physical inferiority? Moebius is incarnated in +our Codes, governs our policy, and influences all the customs and +usages of our social and political life, to such a point that we +ought to be ashamed that in the midst of this era of vindication, +when all classes have secured their right to liberty and equality, +woman has been kept indefinitely upon the same level as in the +centuries of subjection and slavery. + +True democracy can not exist with one-half of the people free and +the other half in a stage of slavery, with one-half of the people +with representation in the public affairs and the other half without +it. The people does not consist of men alone, but of women as well, +and conditions being equal, woman should have the same political +rights as man. She should, at least, have those fundamental rights the +exercise of which, like that of the right to vote, requires nothing +but intelligence and capacity, in order that she may have some voice +in the decision of her own destiny and may herself fight the battles +for her honor, her liberty, and other rights neglected or ignored by +man on account of the undisputed monopoly exercised by him over the +public affairs. + +The injustices and social and juridical discriminations contained in +our codes will not be eliminated in a radical manner and the condition +of woman will not improve while man alone legislates and controls +all the spheres of public life, dictating to woman what she must do +and what she must not do; and woman will be incompetent to take care +of her own interests and shape her own life so long as she does not +look higher, so long as she consents to the superiority of man and +believes that her lot is simply that of serving and pleasing man +in bed and home, instead of being his true helpmate and companion, +for the progress and felicity of the human race. + +All arguments that are or may be adduced against female suffrage +tend invariably towards these two objects: the confinement of woman +to the home and the perpetuation of her civil and political slavery. + +Woman must busy herself with nothing but her household duties and +must live only for her husband and her children; she has her hands +full from the rising to the setting sun if she manages the cook, +cleans the house, and mends the clothes: this is the great argument +of the partisans of the old regime. Another is, that it is not in the +nature of things that woman should struggle with man in the battle +of public life; that if she enters that struggle, man will cease to +look upon her as a being to be worshipped, as a sacred idol at whose +feet he must kneel, and will see in her a rival to be combated and +overcome, for his own preservation, and woman will not only drag the +pure flower of her virtue into the mire of political life, but will +lose the esteem, respect, and consideration now tributed to her. + +I have the most profound respect for all men and women who honestly +believe this to be the case. It is not their fault that they believe +that what has always been so is the best. They do not realize that +life is motion and that the new elements of life and character which +are being imperceptibly introduced into society demand changes and +innovations. Society can not become stagnant, otherwise it runs the +risk of becoming like stagnant water, which generates pestilential +miasma. The theory that woman exists for the home alone has been a +dead issue for some time past. Woman has quietly taken her place in +public life and aids and directs man, even though he may not notice +it and may not recognize her right to do so. In modern society, woman +participates in the direction of public charity and in the education of +the children, she practises law and medicine, engages in literary and +journalistic pursuits, occupies many public offices, and takes interest +and cooperates in the suppression of social vice and suffering. + +Who does not admit that woman has duties towards her home and her +husband and children to which she must ordinarily give the preference +over all other duties? However, does this exclude the performance of +other duties towards God, her neighbor, and the State? Like man, woman +has many duties to perform, and the true merit lies in the orderly and +complete performance of these duties. Does not the Filipina dedicate +part of her time, sometimes a very considerable part, to the church +and to her so-called social duties, receiving and making calls and +attending celebrations, theaters, and balls? + +Has anybody ever complained against this? Has woman ever been +criticised for her assiduous attendance of the religious services and +the public performance of her religious duties in crowded churches, +in the public streets, filled with tumultuous throngs of people, +marching in a procession behind some saint, jostled about and +exposed to disagreeable incidents, which she bears with resignation +because she suffers them for the cause of the public confession of +her faith? Our women go not only to church, but to the theater and to +popular entertainments and celebrations, where they may show off their +elegant dresses and satisfy their feminine curiosity. In all this we +see no pitfalls or dangers to their virtue, though we know that the +women who go to those places and exhibit themselves in this manner +are mothers, wives or daughters who have duties to attend at home. + +Now, what is the difference if woman leaves her home to attend or take +part in a political meeting where the public needs or the election +of candidates for public office are discussed? In what way is the +virtue or purity of woman imperilled by her taking an interest in +public questions affecting the welfare of the families, considering +that whatever her status may be in life, woman always occupies some +position in the family? Why should we fear that woman will leave the +flower of her charms on the brambles of politics if she listens to +a political speaker, after having listened to sermons all her life, +or if she herself makes a speech giving her opinions on some subject +of interest to the family, on the necessity of remedying some social +evil or of providing a home for abandoned and indigent children? + +Let us take the case of one of the most vital questions of the +present time, the subject of gambling. Do you not believe that this +question has a direct bearing upon the welfare of the families, +especially of the feminine part of them? Who suffers the most if the +father or husband spends the money of the family in order to satisfy +his craving for gambling? The women, of course, the daughters who +are often condemned to undergo unnecessary privations and suffering +because of the conduct of the head of the family. And you try to deny +to woman the right to take a part in political affairs, to enlighten +the electorate with regard to the fatal results of gambling or cast +her vote for the candidate who promises to secure the passage of +measures against it? And why should the opinion of woman on issues +like this not have as much weight as that of man? Should it not be +given greater weight, it being she who suffers the consequences and +results of the evil? There are many questions like this which vitally +affect the welfare and happiness of woman. + +I fail to see anything pernicious in the activity of woman in the +field of politics: I even believe that her activity in this respect +will be highly salutary and beneficent not only for womankind, but +for society in general. It will serve to instruct woman and give her +a more extensive knowledge of the world and of life. She will not be +considered as an outsider where society and government are concerned +and will therefore not remain indifferent to their short-comings and +progress. Nothing could possibly be more harmful to society than the +presence in it of foreign bodies absolutely indifferent to its weal +or woe, of useless parts in the machinery of progress. + +We are terrified by the idea that the impulsiveness of woman and her +fanaticism and narrow-mindedness, according to some, her weakness and +lack of character, according to others, and her unpreparedness and +deficient culture, according to still others, will make female suffrage +a mere farce and will convert it into a tool for certain elements +and interests. My opinion is that all these impulses, sentiments, +weaknesses, and imperfections of woman are due to nothing but to +the seclusion in which she has been kept. They are the effects of an +educational and social system tottering to decay, of a system that does +not give the natural faculties of woman that room for expansion and +development which is as necessary to life as steam is to electricity +and electricity to light. And those defects and imperfections can +not be cured by continuing the system under which they have formed +and developed, but there must be a radical reform, a regeneration, +in order that, as a bird on its first flight stretches its wings and +soars forth into space, where there is an abundance of air and light, +woman may have an opportunity to develop to their fullest extent her +faculties and instincts and to show the graceful essence of her being. + +We must give woman new objectives in life and lofty occupations in +which she can test her aptitude, in order that everything defective +and ill-developed in her character and education may be eliminated +in the atmosphere of liberty and publicity, where all defects can +be brought to light without fear or pity and all vices crushed with +iron heel. This is why I desire and demand political rights for our +women. I am convinced that one of the results of this concession +will be to enrich, improve, and develop her aptitude and aspiration +to serve the high ideals of life and society. Woman will devote less +time to dress, fashions, gossip and all the other petty and trifling +things that are generally the subject of their conversation and will +endeavor to study and discuss the more serious questions of social +betterment and welfare. + +Politics is not a permanent occupation that absorbs all the time of +a person who has other regular business to attend to. As a matter +of fact, not speaking of political officers and a few professional +politicians, most of the citizens devote to politics only the time +strictly necessary and which they can spare. Any man or woman depending +for his or her living or future upon politics will soon come to the +conviction that politics bring starvation instead of bread. + +Politics are perfectly compatible with the domestic duties and +occupations of woman, whether she be mother, wife, or daughter. An +educated woman realizes her responsibilities; she knows how to divide +her time and will give her domestic duties the preference over any +other duties outside of the home. A woman is not liable to engage +in political activity if she is very busy at home, and when confined +to her bed by the labors and cares of maternity, she will be unable +to engage in politics, even if she were willing. Therefore, when I +hear the argument that woman will be remiss in her household duties +on account of politics and that she will neglect to take care of her +husband and children if she is given the right to vote, I frankly +confess that I am, perhaps, too dull to see the truth of it. + +You insist that by divine precept the place of woman is in the home +and that of man in society, and that this is the true and proper +division of labor between the two halves of the human species. If this +is really the plan of God, will you tell me then why all religions +and all schools of ethics coincide in prescribing duties towards the +neighbor and teach us to love our fellow-beings? Did the Lord speak to +man alone, and not also to woman when amidst fire and smoke, on the +quaking mountain, he gave to the world the tables of the Decalogue +and said: "Love thy neighbor as thyself?" And the universal precept +contained in every code of morals and in every religion, "Whatsoever +ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,"--does +it refer to man alone, or does it include woman also? To me, these +precepts indicate that man and woman have duties towards others, +that they have duties towards their fellow-beings, and that they must +not confine their efforts towards happiness to the home, but extend +them beyond it, to society. Will you tell me whether there can be +happiness in the homes if society is not happy, seeing that society +is nothing but the extension and sum of all the homes, and that all +the suffering and evils that afflict society find their echo in the +home, just as the happiness of the home exercises an influence upon +the happiness of society? + +You attempt to do something impossible: You try to divide the human +being into halves: one-half that is happy in the home and the other +that is happy in society, or vice versa. You can do it if you wish, +but then you will either have to consign all your codes which confer +upon man the government and administration of the home to the waste +basket and make others vesting these powers in woman, or if you do not +wish to do that, you will have to give woman a share in the public +affairs in order that she may, the same as in the home, assist man +in building up and strengthening the happiness of that other big home +which we call society. + +You say that woman, upon appearing on the stage of politics, will +lose the respect and admiration of man; that instead of gaining +any advantages, she will lose all those inherent in her present +position, in which she is removed from any direct struggle with man, +is adorable and adored everywhere, and reigns supreme in her home with +the undisputed authority of the wife or mother, clad in the purple +of the grace and majesty with which Nature has endowed her, pure and +undefiled by the mire with which political strife and intrigue always +bespatter the reputation and dignity of those who engage in them. + +I believe I have stated the position of our adversaries in terms both +poetical and precise, and when I speak of our adversaries, I include +that numerous legion of women who still hesitate to ask for the right +of suffrage, for reasons which, perhaps, deserve being called selfish. + +However, the idealistic woman I have depicted will not disappear if +our women are educated in politics the same as they are educated in +the arts and sciences. A political education, far from being harmful +to the natural charms of woman, will in my opinion enhance these, +for the same reason that our modern education has given woman charms +which the woman of the past did not possess. Unless you argue that +education is in itself an evil rather than a blessing, and that it +vitiates the character instead of improving it, you can not escape the +conclusion that by increasing the knowledge and experience of woman, +you give her more vigor, more energy, and a greater personal charm. + +Nothing commands greater respect than education. Education elevates a +person. From the moment that you show that you possess education, the +consideration and respect of the others are yours. Education does not +know the bar of race prejudice; through it an individual of a colored +race can win the respect and often the admiration of the white man. + +Does woman ever inspire man with greater respect than when she +is instructed, when a college education has brought her to his +own level? Was woman more respected in the past, when she remained +ignorant, than she is now? I am willing to concede that she may have +been courted more assiduously, but that does not mean that she was more +respected. Do you understand by respect and consideration those empty +forms of etiquette which make a man bow down to the ground to a woman +and regale her with a few hollow compliments, designed to tickle the +vanity or turn the head of a credulous and frivolous being? Do you +call respect the singular habit of certain men to always find the +eyes of the woman to whom they are speaking divine, to compare her +mouth to a rosebud, her teeth to a string of beautiful pearls, and +her form to the slender willow, and other stupidities of that kind? If +that is the sort of respect and consideration that woman will lose if +she goes into politics, she ought to be very glad to get rid of it, +because all these empty phrases of gallantry are like the crowing of +the rooster who wishes to dazzle a silly hen on which he has designs. + +And, tell me, how is it possible for weakness and ignorance to inspire +respect? As a matter of fact, when a little cooking, embroidering, and +music, and the knowledge of the catechism were deemed sufficient to +prepare a girl for married life, which was then the only career open +to woman, she was the recipient of great consideration and courtesy +from man. These, however, were not inspired by real respect, but +rather by a sentiment of chivalry, because man thought woman so weak +and ignorant that he deemed it his duty to show her that protection, +consideration, and courtesy which are due to weakness and ignorance. Is +this the opinion that our women want us to have of them? Respect is +a sentiment engendered by the idea of equality, and unless woman is +placed on the same level with man in the field of politics, we shall +continue to hear ignominious phrases such as "But, woman, what do +you know about these things! You go and mind your own business!" + +Our women need not worry that if they are allowed to vote, they will +necessarily forfeit the consideration and courtesy accorded to them +at present, when they do not come into direct collision with man on +the field of politics, and that the men will then consider themselves +free to attack them as a rival whom they must overcome and destroy +for their own preservation. In the first place it is a mistake to +conclude that the participation of woman in public life will result +in rivalry between the sexes. The attraction and sympathy between man +and woman springs precisely from the difference in sex. If there were +only men or only women, there might be such a thing as our mutually +destroying each other, because there would be no purpose in life and +the human race would not reproduce itself. It is in the interest of +one sex not to destroy the other. On the other hand, politics is not +always a personal struggle. In its proper and loftiest sense it is a +struggle of ideas and principles, of theories and methods. Therefore, +if a man is pitted against a woman in the arena of politics, they +are certainly not compelled to engage in fisticuffs and kill each +other, but each will present his own views on the points at issue, +with more or less sound arguments in support of them. I do not believe +any man has the right to insult a woman because she is his opponent, +seeing that he has no such a right where a man is concerned. And +if in the heat of political strife such an insult should be passed, +has not woman the right to reply or to pay the offender back in his +own coin? This is a case where woman will be given an opportunity to +learn to be independent in judgment and action, seeing that certain +persons do not want woman to vote unless she possesses independence +of thought and action. I do not want, either, to give voice to the +suspicion that many men are against female suffrage because they fear +they might be worsted in a public debate, and what would then become +of the prestige of the strong sex? + +In the second place, if woman wants man to adore and idolize her, +she can get him to do it whether she votes or not. Man does not +adore woman because she has less rights than he has; but he worships +her because woman is woman, the archetype of grace and beauty of +creation, and man will forever burn incense at the shrine of that +divinity. Remember that it has always been said that christianity +elevated the condition of woman and gave her greater rights, and yet +it is the Christian countries where woman is accorded the greatest +consideration and respect. + +Suffrage will not detract from the beauty of the long tresses +of woman, nor will it make her cheeks and lips less rosy and the +curves of her body less graceful. On the contrary, it will lend her +an additional grace, that of being able to write a ballot in her +diminutive handwriting, and man will always feel for her that love, +tenderness, and adoration which grace and beauty will always inspire +all the world over. Hercules will always bow to Venus because she is +Venus, though Venus be a suffragist. + +A political education will provide woman with new means for gaining the +respect and admiration of man. Woman will realize that her duty does +not merely consist in giving sons and daughters to the fatherland, +but in educating and training them in such a manner that from their +childhood on they will take interest in everything tending to improve +social conditions, and in inspiring them with the desire to devote +their efforts to a certain cause or party, for the best of their +people. Public opinion will become much broader and stronger when +it shall reflect the sentiments of our women, who are at present +a passive element where the duties of citizenship are concerned; +and when in her dark hours the nation shall need assistance, she will +receive it not only from her citizens, but also from her citizenesses, +who will not be ignorant and inexperienced in the tasks and duties +confronting the people, but will be accustomed to the discipline of +organization and to the calls of the public service. + +There is no doubt, of course, that it is greatly to the advantage of +man to maintain woman in ignorance, not only with regard to politics, +but also where other matters are concerned. For one thing, it renders +it easier for man to satisfy his whims and make of woman a toy which he +can use or drop according to his fancy. She is obedient, submissive, +and resigned; she never discusses or argues; she obeys and serves +in silence, like a beautiful piece of furniture, differing from the +rest only in that she is animate; she is a delightful doll because +she can speak and has a little sense. I know that this is the ideal +of many men, for the only reason that it suits their convenience. + +But that is not woman as she should be; the woman that our century has +redeemed from ignorance and slavery; the woman whom God has endowed +with an intellect, a will and a heart, hers to cultivate and perfect +in order that she may be not the servant of man, but his companion, +not the subject of the king, but the queen enthroned by his side, +to be his faithful and constant ally from the cradle to the grave, +in prosperity and adversity, not only in the intimacy of the home, +but also in the wide arena of public life. Man and woman were created +to mate and to understand and love each other, to work, suffer, and +struggle side by side for all that is good and beautiful in life, +to perpetuate the sovereignty of human couple on earth, and to make +it a place of happiness, free from tyranny and suffering and fit to +be inhabited by peaceful and intelligent beings and not by vultures +and wild beasts. + +This is the mission of woman and man on earth as I understand and +conceive it. Until man and woman are placed on exactly the same +footing, until they stand on the same plane, so that there can be +an intimate communion of thoughts, ideas, and interests, life will +always be ominous and unhappy for one or for the other, and humanity +will never overcome the evils with which it is now struggling. God +made woman as perfect as man, and it is unjust to deprive her of any +of the benefits and advantages which man derives from science, arts, +and politics. Politics is a noble occupation, as it is the art or +science of making nations happy, and it is but just that woman should +contribute her share to the attainment of that happiness. + +Is there any doubt that woman has faculties, sentiments, views, +and methods of doing things of her own, different from those of +man? How often has man, when he did not dare to do a thing, left it +to woman to do! She has a personality of her own and should, like +man, be given an opportunity to develop it; she should be given a +voice where her own interests are concerned, and should on her own +account face the risks incidental to life, venturing, experimenting, +and discovering things for herself instead of having man establish an +invariable rule of conduct for her and imposing upon her the methods +which she must follow. + +Politics is no longer what it should be; it has become too masculine +and is brutal, selfish, and altogether too personal, because it +lacks the kindness, the self-denial, the altruism, and the spirit of +sacrifice which are characteristic qualities of the feminine sex. Why +should we not benefit by the energy of woman, by her impulses and +her views of things, in order to improve our practices and methods in +public life? Perhaps, politics will be chastened and purified to some +extent by the intervention and presence of woman, just as her presence +at any gathering makes man more careful in language and actions! + +Like a number of other institutions that are now a thing of the past, +the monopoly exercised by man over the public functions is based on +force and violence, and in order to perpetuate this monopoly, its +supporters take shelter behind the wall of prejudice erected in the +course of the times under the protection of the established order of +things, and from there they hurl the shafts of satire and ridicule +upon all who demand that this violent condition cease. Ridicule is +the most powerful weapon now used against the woman who attempts to +obtain justice and the vindication of the rights of her sex, some of +which rights, such as that of governing the peoples, were not even +withheld from them in many of the primitive states. + +The result is that many persons have a very queer idea of the +suffragist. She is represented as a woman who dislikes home work and +is absent from her home at all hours of the day and night. The most +common picture is that in which the wife addresses a gathering of +other women, while the husband is busy at home, sweeping the floor +and attempting to pacify the squalling baby. This is the idea which +has been spread by cinematographs and reviews and which has impressed +itself upon the minds of the unthinking masses, who are incapable +of rising above a superficial view of things. + +Nothing, however, is farther from representing her as she really +is. The suffragist is a true product of our era of liberty. Having +received the same education as man, she knows and does not shirk her +responsibilities towards her family; but at the same time she is free +from prejudice and deems it her duty to cooeperate with man in all work +concerning social reform and the public welfare of the community in +which she lives. She believes that for the very reason that there are +duties in the home which are assigned to woman, she has also duties to +perform in public life. The distribution of the work between man and +woman causes no conflict between them in their home and family life, +and there is no reason why there should be any conflict in public +life if each sex is assigned the duties adapted to it. + +Being a suffragist does not mean being antagonistic to the family +duties. On the contrary, the suffragist realizes that the happiness +of the family is the foundation of the happiness of society, and she +knows that social distress and vices affect the family and that she +can and should cooeperate with man in the relief of that distress and +the suppression of those vices. + +No, the general idea people have of the suffragist is altogether +a wrong one and it is high time that at least the educated and +intelligent correct their views where they are based on prejudices and +ideas belonging to the past. We can not prevent the uneducated masses +from thinking as they did half a century ago; but the fact that many +serious and otherwise progressive persons content themselves with +the opinion of the uneducated shows that here we do not go deep into +subjects and allow ourselves to be carried away by the impressions +of the moment. + +Suffragism is a legitimate aspiration, an ideal of our century. It +springs from the philosophy and institutions of the modern world and +from the growing difficulty of the position of woman in the struggle +for existence. It is necessary for her to protect herself and organize, +not to create rivalry and make war upon man, but to become an asset +in the social progress and protect herself from the exploitation and +iniquity of the other social groups, whose victim she would become +if she remained indifferent and took no part in the public life. + +As a man of the law and a legislator, I would not think of opposing +this aspiration. I consider it as natural as the right to live +and the right of self-defence. I do not consider it premature for +the Filipino woman to demand this right, as her sisters have done, +successfully in some cases, in other parts of the world. To me it +makes no difference that the number of those now demanding it is +small and insignificant. It would even make no difference to me if the +women of our country did not demand or want it at all. Where rights +fundamentally in accordance with the spirit of our institutions and +with the ideals of our times are to be granted, I would not consult +those who are entitled to demand them, but would give them without the +asking, because it would be just and God wants justice to prevail at +all times and everywhere. I am not a judge, but a legislator, and +it is my first duty to provide for justice, not to administer it, +nor wait for some one to ask for it and some one to object to it. + +It is a source of gratification to me that there is a group of women +who, voicing the aspirations of their sex, have dared to approach +our Legislature and call attention to a void in our statutes. This +indicates to me that the consciousness of that right has been born and +has revealed its existence in the Filipino woman, and more than that +I need not know. I do not have to count and classify the women who +think that way. When Rizal espoused the cause of the political rights +of our race, his companions were very few, because in the majority of +his compatriots that consciousness was lying dormant. But it would +be a falsehood and an error to affirm that even at that time Rizal +did not voice the cause of his entire race, and that no attention +should be paid to his demands because he and those with him were +few in number. He knew that his country was oppressed, that he was +defending a just cause, and that he was fighting for the rights of +his fellow-citizens, and he did not stop to reflect whether or not +those fellow-citizens had the consciousness of their rights. + +We must conclude, therefore, that the few women who now speak to +us of the rights of their sex and for suffrage, represent all the +Filipino women, unless we wish to insult our women by saying that +they have so little common sense as to oppose the concession to +them of rights that will broaden the scope of their lives and of +their activity in society. It matters but little that the desire +for suffrage appears in its initial stage, in the vague form of an +indefinite proposition: the fact is that there has been an indication +of that desire, and in my judgment the plant has germinated and it is +useless to endeavor to smother it, as it will grow again. The more +we delay female suffrage, the more shall we suffer by it, because +why should we stifle a budding plant instead of allowing it to grow +and in due season produce delicious fruit? + +We need not imitate the older nations who have been so slow in +recognizing women's rights. We have neither their traditions nor their +prejudices and our progress need not come by slow revolutions. We +must foster all those peaceful revolutions of ideas that will +result in social justice. Just as we accept the latest inventions +in mechanics, industry, and art, such as the automobile, the dynamo, +and the aeroplane, so must we accept the latest improvements in the +social and political institutions of the most advanced countries. + +Female suffrage spells justice and vindication for the modern +woman and we must adopt it forthwith, without unnecessary delay and +formalities. The liberty of worship which gave us religious tolerance; +the popular suffrage which strengthened our collective conscience; the +free public school which emancipated our masses from the tutelage of +the _cacique_: in short, all the achievements of democracy of which we +are so justly proud would not yet be beautiful realities and we would +not be able to enjoy their mature fruits as we now do, if we had been +compelled to feel our way and make many tentative steps instead of at +once entering fully upon our social and political life. We have to move +quickly and anticipate the aspirations of the feminine masses, which +are as yet vague, in order to save us the agitation which otherwise +is sure to come and the justice of which will have to be recognized. + +When we are told that our social condition is such that we are not +ready for female suffrage, and that our women are not sufficiently +educated to exercise political rights, I feel like asking whether +we said the same thing when we imported and implanted in our country +the democratic institutions that are the base and foundation of our +present society. Our traditional education was diametrically opposed to +a popular system of government, yet we adopted that form of government, +because we considered it better than the other, more suited to our +interests and to the ideals of the century, and did not worry about +whether or not we were sufficiently educated and prepared for it. + +It is more than twenty years now that the free public school has opened +its doors to the women, and education has extended its benefits to them +in the same proportion as to the men. Many of the women educated in +these schools are now wives or mothers, and yet you still ask whether +the Filipina has attained to the maturity necessary for her investment +with political rights. I am sure there is no idea of requiring them +all to be doctors or bachelors of art before we grant them the right +of suffrage. + +A political education can not be acquired except by education, just +as you can not learn how to swim except by swimming. The argument +that the Filipina is not sufficiently prepared is a justification of +the attitude of a country which never finds its colonies sufficiently +prepared or educated to exercise the right of sovereignty themselves. + +The other day, when I made a flight in a seaplane for the sake of the +experience, I felt--I frankly admit it--some apprehension, a certain +fear of the unknown, but after the first few moments were happily +past, I felt perfectly comfortable and enjoyed the flight through +space and the view of the magnificent landscape far below me. Ah, +it is beautiful to cleave the air like a swallow and to ride upon +the clouds and the winds of heaven, looking down upon the cities and +human dwellings spread like a relief map upon the crystal sheet of the +waters, to traverse enormous distances in a few minutes almost without +noticing it, and to emulate in everything the bird and like the bird +to alight suddenly, without fatigue and physical hardships. When +the voyage was over, I realized that my apprehension and fear had +been unfounded; that it was not more risky to fly through space on +an aeroplane than to speed across country on an automobile, and I +then realized the numerous advantages to be derived from the flying +machine, that product of our time which is destined to revolutionize +not only warfare, but also the pursuits of peace. + +The same thing occurs with all new ideas and reforms of a moral and +political order. They are adopted with the instinctive fear, the +vague apprehension inspired by the new and unknown. There is much +talk of their objectional features and dangers for the established +order of things. You might think the firmament was going to crumble +to pieces or the world was threatening to go out of joint. However, +after the innovation has been made, it is found to be quite natural and +logical, because things go on in their natural course, the heavenly +bodies continue in their orbits as before and the mountain peaks do +not slide down into the valleys. Courage and hope are born again in +the human breast, the masses get used to the new state of affairs, +and soon even the most recalcitrant would be furious if any one should +propose to return to the old order of things. This has happened in +our country before, and has always been and always will be the way +in which progress is worked out. + +We must make up our minds to overcome our scruples and fears. If +in discussing the aeroplane, we were to speak of nothing but of the +number of aviators who have been killed, we would never accept that +invention. We must embark in one in order to prove to ourselves that +our fears and apprehensions are unfounded. Sight must not be lost of +the fact that suffragism is not a new thing in the world, that it is +far from being an experiment and is already an established fact in some +countries. Exactly the same as the aeroplane: if we desire to become +acquainted with the advantages of that apparatus, we do not ask those +who have never traveled in it, but those who have experimented with it, +and if we wish to know the advantages of suffragism, we must not listen +to those who oppose it as a matter of principle and theory, but must +consult countries that have made experiments with it and have already +had a chance to see its results. We must take note of the fact that +suffragism is gaining in strength every day and is becoming a general +movement in the countries where it has found acceptance. Exactly like +the aeroplane. Would it not be perfectly ridiculous to declaim against +the aeroplane on account of the accidents that are liable to occur, +and would we not be stupid to refuse to follow the lead of other +governments who utilize its advantages for defence or aggression in +war and for rapid communication in time of peace? And is it not just +as stupid and even senseless to oppose suffragism on speculative or +rather hypothetical grounds, instead of being guided by the experience +of other countries in this respect and accepting suffragism as part +and parcel of our modern customs and institutions? + +In conclusion, permit me to quote a few passages on this subject from +an address which I made at an entertainment given at the Opera House +in honor of Rizal by various schools for young ladies in 1913: + + + According to the old idea, woman's sphere of action should + not extend beyond the home, beyond her domestic occupations, + and she should be nothing but the glory and delight of + her husband and her children. This is not right. Like man, + woman is born and lives in society, and she can not and must + not remain indifferent to social distress and suffering. To + think otherwise would be selfishness and aberration and would + leave society a prey to much suffering which only the blessed + hand of woman can cure or relieve. Let woman be the glory and + happiness of the home; but do not forget that she must extend + her beneficent action beyond the confines of the household, + that she must make the world outside the participant of the + wealth of kindness and charity that bountiful Providence has + lavished upon her. Just as she shares the duties of life with + man within the home, so should she without it, in public life, + share with man the responsibility of remedying and alleviating + public distress and misfortune. + + It is very significant that beneficence, charity, and morality + are feminine virtues, it being woman's mission to exercise all + these virtues in society. She must take a part, and should, + in my opinion, always take the initiative, in all work for + the protection of the orphans, the relief of distress, and + the elevation of the standard of public morality. She must + strive and suffer, in the society in which she is living, + for all that is feminine in life, must with a wave of her + hand attenuate the fierceness of the struggle for existence, + and must brighten the gloomy night of human suffering with + her gentle presence. Our country needs not only the strength + of her men, but the kindness and charity of her women; + she needs not only heroes, but also heroines. And heroines + exist and always have existed in the history of humankind; + and there are and always have been heroines in our country, + the special privilege of which, according to serious foreign + authors, consists in its women being superior to its men. + + And the girls who to-day pay homage to Rizal and dedicate their + songs and prayers to him, will to-morrow be citizenesses who + will not, like unhappy Maria Clara, be made the victims of + social injustice, but will help to banish social injustice + and strive for justice, virtue, and the glory and greatness + of their native land. + + +Yes; I cherish that hope and have faith in the liberty of woman. It +is not possible to keep one-half of humanity in the upper part and +the other half in the lower part of the balance without producing +disequilibrium, tears, and suffering. Everything tends to reach the +same level in life, the same as in death, the great leveller. Humanity +has seen a new light which will shine brightly, though error and +prejudice may endeavor to shroud it with darkness. Woe to those who +refuse to see the light! The world continues to progress and stops +for no one. He who wishes to lag behind is free to do so, but he will +surely deplore it afterwards. + +I can not prophesy what will be the outcome of the efforts which the +Filipino women are now making to obtain suffrage; but I know that +these efforts must be to them, and are to us, a source of pride and +glory, because they show that there is no part of our people which +has remained indifferent to the great movements of the century. There +are persons who scoff at them and many shrug their shoulders; but +this must not discourage our women, because neither scoffing nor +shrugging the shoulders are very weighty arguments. The same persons +who now laugh at them and shrug their shoulders, probably because they +do not know that the world and society are moving and progressing, +will some day recognize that these women were in the right, just as +the men who scoffed at Rizal lived to deplore their mistake and have +since made amends. + +What we must do is to diffuse the light and spread the new doctrines, +in order to convince those who unwittingly refuse to see justice and +truth, the only firm foundations of the stability and prosperity of +civilized society. + + + + + + + + + Senado de Filipinas + Quinta Legislatura Filipina, + Primer periodo de sesiones + + La mujer y el derecho de votar + + + + Discurso pronunciado por el + + Hon. Rafael Palma + Senador por el Cuarto Distrito + + En favor del proyecto de Ley No. 23 del Senado en las sesiones + celebradas por dicho cuerpo en los dias 22 y 25 de noviembre de 1919 + + + + + Manila + Bureau of Printing + 1919 + + + + + + + +LA MUJER Y EL DERECHO DE VOTAR + + +Sr. Presidente y Caballeros del Senado: + +Pocas veces me he sentido tan orgulloso de ostentar la representacion +popular como esta vez que me permite abogar por una causa que no +puede ser representada ni defendida en este sitio por la parte a +quien directa y particularmente interesa, merced a esa levadura de +prejuicios que han dejado en la mente del hombre moderno las creencias +e ideas del antiguo. La causa del sufragio femenino es una causa que +despierta la simpatia de todo hombre desapasionado, porque representa +la causa del debil que, privado del medio de defenderse por si mismo, +pone toda su razon y derecho al arbitrio del fuerte. + +Pero no es solamente por esto que atrae mi simpatia y apela a mi +defensa. Es ademas que dicha causa tiene en si un fondo irresistible de +verdad y justicia al cual no puede negarse ninguna inteligencia abierta +y libre. Si nuestra conciencia como legisladores debe inspirarse en +las eternas fuentes del derecho, si las leyes que aqui formulamos +deben llevar el sello divino de dar a cada uno lo suyo, no podemos +rehusar a la mujer el derecho del voto como no pretendamos renegar +de todas las formulas y conquistas de la democracia y de la libertad +que han hecho de este siglo el ser llamado con propiedad el siglo de +las reivindicaciones. + +El sufragio femenino es una reforma exigida por las condiciones +sociales de nuestro tiempo, por la elevacion de la cultura de +la mujer y las aspiraciones de todas las clases o grupos de la +sociedad a organizarse para trabajar por los intereses que tienen +de comun. No podemos parar el movimiento de los astros y no podemos +parar igualmente ninguno de esos movimientos morales que gravitan con +incontrastable fuerza hacia su centro de atraccion: la Justicia. Pues +el mundo moral esta regido por las mismas leyes que el fisico y si +el poder del hombre es impotente para suprimir una molecula de los +espacios necesaria a la gravitacion universal, menos podra contener +la generacion de las ideas elaboradas en la conciencia y ansiosas de +encarnar en los fecundos senos de la vida y de la realidad. + +Es interesante el fenomeno de que cada vez que se trata de realizar +una reforma social en consonancia con las ideas y actividades del +siglo y en contradiccion con anejas creencias y preocupaciones, no +faltan nunca las objeciones fundadas en el mantenimiento del _statu +quo_ que se quiere a toda costa preservar. Los eternos agoreros del +desastre, los falsos profetas de la destruccion, como no puede menos +de suceder, alzan sus fatidicas voces en esta ocasion protestando +contra el sufragio femenino en nombre de la santidad del hogar y +de la insustituibilidad de costumbres que han sido por largo tiempo +admitidas. + +Francamente, no tengo ninguna paciencia para escuchar semejantes +objeciones. Si este pais no hubiera sido precisamente uno de los +pocos lugares privilegiados del planeta en donde se ha realizado con +fortuna el experimento de una brusca transicion de sistemas e ideales, +sin producir paradas ni retrocesos, sin desarticulaciones ni roturas, +yo diria que los sobresaltos y temores de aquellos que se oponen a +esta innovacion se hallan justificados. + +Pero en menos de una generacion, este pais, sacudido en sus cuatro +costados por esos grandes terremotos sociales que por otro nombre se +llaman revoluciones, ha visto desmoronarse sus antiguas instituciones +para levantarse en su lugar otras enteramente nuevas; ha visto +desaparecer teorias, creencias y valores morales que se tenian por +inconmovibles y eternos para ser sustituidos por diferentes principios +y metodos, fundados en la democracia y libertad; y a despecho de esos +cambios y trastornos que han modificado radicalmente su estructura +social y politica y gracias precisamente a ellos, nuestro pueblo se +ha convertido en un pueblo con pensamientos e ideales modernos, con +una constitucion robusta y capaz de afrontar los estragos de la lucha +por la existencia, en vez de aquel enfermizo y atrofiado organismo que +tenia miedo a todas las novedades y repudiaba las luchas materiales +por temor a las iras del cielo y por un pasivo deseo de vivir en paz +y bienestar ideales. + +En frente de los provechosos resultados que esas instituciones de +libertad y democracia han dado a este pais, a la vista de los marcados +progresos alcanzados en todos los ordenes de la vida nacional merced +a esas mismas instituciones, pese a algunos cuantos reaccionarios y +ultraconservadores que opinan lo contrario y anoran el pasado, yo no +veo, no puedo ver, como haya gente seria que seriamente sostenga que +no debe concederse el sufragio femenino, una de las mas vivisimas +aspiraciones que agitan actualmente la conciencia del mundo moderno. + +Recuerdo muy bien que en otros tiempos, y no muy lejanos, los mismos +temores y sobresaltos se habian abrigado contra la instruccion +superior de la mujer. iQue ridiculo, se decia, que ridiculo que la +mujer aprenda Historia, Matematicas, Filosofia y Quimica que no solo +no puede digerir su escaso cerebro sino que la llenaria de presuncion y +soberbia convirtiendola en una especie de criatura hibrida, sin gracia +y sin fuerza, intolerable y fatua, con mollera hermosa pero vacia +y corazon grande pero seco! Y, sin embargo, hemos dado entrada a la +mujer en las escuelas superiores y en las universidades y, al igual +que el hombre, hemos permitido que sus cabezas ostenten las borlas +de bachiller en Artes, Leyes, Medicina y otras profesiones. ?Podemos, +ahora, decir que esas mujeres han pervertido el hogar de sus mayores +o cuando se han casado han sido para sus maridos motivo de deshonor +o escandalo? Es tiempo de observar los resultados porque si estos +resultados han sido perjudiciales al cuerpo social y politico del pais, +nuestro deber es deshacer lo hecho y desandar lo andado. + +Nadie piensa afortunadamente en esto. Desde los mas cultos centros de +poblacion hasta las aldeas mas desconocidas se arrastra silenciosa +y majestuosa una ola de opinion popular que aprueba y aplaude la +educacion femenina, al punto de que los mas rudos sementereros +envian a sus hijas a las ciudades a costa de los mas imaginables +sacrificios para que puedan escalar las cumbres mas altas del saber, +si a eso pudieran. Esos lugarenos ignorantes saben confusamente que la +mujer como el hombre esta hecha de la misma arcilla y no se avienen +a creer que por haberles cabido la suerte de tener ninas en vez de +ninos necesitan condenarlas a llevar las cadenas de la ignorancia +incapacitandolas para ser utiles a sus familias, a su sociedad y a +su patria. + +La instruccion no ha atrofiado ni desmejorado ninguna de las facultades +fundamentales de la mujer, sino, por el contrario, las ha elevado +y enriquecido. Lejos de ser una carga constante para la familia, la +mujer instruida ha sido muchas veces su sosten y apoyo en apurados +trances. La mujer instruida no se ha transformado en la marisabidilla, +la fatua criatura forjada por la imaginacion de algunos, ni siquiera ha +perdido ninguno de sus encantos femeninos porque razone y discuta con +el hombre sobre toda clase de materias; antes bien, a causa de ello, +parece que encontramos en ella mayor gracia y encanto, porque nos +comprende mejor y sabe hacerse comprender mejor. Hoy, gracias a Dios, +ha desaparecido ya aquella comezon de ridiculo que acometia a muchos +al observar lo que consideraban necia presuncion de las mujeres de +saber tanto como los hombres, y esto se debe, indudablemente, a que +los desastrosos resultados que pronosticaron los agoreros de las malas +nuevas, las terribles profetas de la destruccion, no se han cumplido. + +Pues bien, si admitis la instruccion y educacion de la mujer, en +todos los terrenos de la ciencia, debeis admitir la intervencion +de la mujer no solo en la vida domestica sino tambien en la vida +social o publica. La instruccion y la educacion tienen un doble fin: +el individual, que redime la inteligencia humana de los peligros de la +ignorancia, y el social, que prepara al hombre y a la mujer a cumplir +los deberes de una buena ciudadania. No se educa uno exclusivamente +para su propio bien sino principalmente para ser util y servir a +los demas. El mayor peligro que existe para la sociedad es el hombre +instruido que solo piensa en si mismo, porque su instruccion misma le +da mayor poder para hacer dano y sacrificar a todos a su conveniencia, +o su ambicion personal. El verdadero objeto de la educacion es el +servicio al publico, el de aplicar los conocimientos que no adquiere, +al bien y mejoramiento de la sociedad en que vive. + +Por tanto, en las sociedades donde se admite a la mujer a todas +las carreras y profesiones de la vida, donde no se escatima a la +mujer ninguna fuente de conocimiento debe admitirse necesaria y +logicamente la intervencion de la mujer en la vida publica. De otro +modo, su educacion seria incompleta o la sociedad seria injusta con +ella pues despues de suministrarla los medios para su educacion la +privaria de los poderes necesarios para emplear esa educacion en pro +del bien social y el progreso colectivo. + +No puedo resistirme a esta conclusion. Si se ofrece a la mujer igual +oportunidad de educacion que al hombre, si se la estimula para aprender +y estudiar los conocimientos del mundo y de la vida, deben abrirsela +las puertas de la vida publica para que pueda desempenar en ella el +papel que le corresponde. + +En las sociedades retrogradas se ensena a la mujer solamente +aquella parte de conocimientos que necesita para la vida del hogar, +preparandola asi inconscientemente para sufrir aquella dulce, aquella +encantadora esclavitud que tanto agrada al ser masculino. Es cuestion +solamente de escoger nuestro sistema: o esclavitud e ignorancia o +libertad y educacion para la mujer. + +El sufragio femenino es consecuencia de la educacion de la mujer; +es consecuencia, tambien, de su libertad de conciencia. Por el voto +se expresa la fe politica, como por el culto la fe religiosa. No hay +razon para impedirle a la mujer el acceso a las urnas como no la hay +para privarla de ir al templo. + +No hay razon para que el sufragio sea un privilegio de sexo, puesto +que los deberes de ciudadania pesan tanto sobre el hombre como sobre +la mujer. ?Es que la mujer, por serlo, esta menos obligada a velar +por los intereses de la Patria, por la felicidad y el porvenir de +su pais? Querer restringir la actividad de la mujer para las cosas +publicas es como decir que la mujer no debe amar a su pais ni debe +consagrar tiempo a las obligaciones que la corresponden como ciudadana, +ni debe sentir el carino y la devocion que en toda criatura bien +nacida despierta la idea de la Patria y de la colectividad. + +La esterilidad fisica es combatida y se considera como una desgracia +en la mujer; pero queremos condenarla a una perpetua esterilidad +politica--que es lo mismo decir esterilidad patriotica--al impedirla +que tome parte en el sufragio que da a los ciudadanos el medio mas +efectivo para influir en los destinos sociales y en el mejoramiento +de los negocios publicos. ?Como inculcar en los ninos, esa prenda +sagrada del porvenir de una nacion, el culto y la fe en la Patria +y en la libertad si no se les da a las madres la educacion practica +que envuelve en si el privilegio del voto, si se les ensena que el +gobierno y la politica son divinidades extranas, en cuyos templos +les esta vedado penetrar, si sobre si mismas sienten el estigma de +inferioridad e incapacidad para hablar a sus hijos de los negocios +publicos y de los intereses de la nacion y del Estado? + +Todas las clases o grupos sociales tienen derecho a ser representados +en las legislaturas para trabajar por las leyes que afectan a sus +intereses; los comerciantes pueden eligir a uno de ellos, lo mismo los +agricultores, los obreros y los industriales; pero a las mujeres, que +no son meramente un grupo sino un compuesto de grupos, con representar +la mitad de un pais, con propios intereses que sostener no solo en +relacion a su sexo sino tambien en relacion a su situacion dentro de la +familia, no se les permite votar y por tanto no se les permite tener +una representacion que sostenga aquellas leyes o medidas necesarias +para su proteccion y mejoramiento. ?Es esto justo? ?Es siquiera +moral? El trabajo de las mujeres puede ser explotado en fabricas y +talleres, la virtud de las mujeres puede ser objeto de trafico en el +mercado, y, sin embargo, la mujer no puede defender directamente los +intereses de su sexo por una de esas aberraciones del sentido moral +proveniente del grosero egoismo, de la brutal tirania del hombre. + +iSi al menos las mujeres estuvieran exentas de cumplir las leyes! Pero +la ley obliga tanto a la mujer como al hombre; el Codigo Penal alcanza +con su espada las infracciones cometidas por uno y otro sexo, y +el impuesto y la contribucion gravan lo mismo la riqueza masculina +que la femenina. Es decir, ante la ley, los deberes son los mismos, +pero los derechos, no. + +?Que extrano que nuestras leyes contengan tantas injusticias sociales +para la mujer, tantas irritantes desigualdades, basadas todas ellas +en la teoria de la dependencia servil de la mujer al hombre causada +por su congenita inferioridad mental y fisiologica? Moebius esta +encarnado en nuestros codigos, rige nuestra politica y preside todas +las modalidades de nuestro vivir social y politico, en forma tal que +hay motivos para avergonzarse que en plena epoca de reivindicaciones, +cuando todas las clases han obtenido sus derechos a la libertad y a +la igualdad, la mujer ha permanecido indefinidamente sujeta al mismo +nivel como en los siglos de sujecion y esclavitud. + +Una democracia verdadera no puede existir mitad libre y mitad esclava, +mitad con representacion y mitad sin representacion en las funciones +publicas. El pueblo no es solamente hombre sino tambien mujer, y, +en igualdad de condiciones, la mujer debe tener los mismos derechos +politicos que el hombre. Pero lo menos debe tener aquellos derechos +fundamentales que, como el voto, requieren nada mas que inteligencia +y capacidad para ejercerlo, a fin de que pueda tener alguna voz en la +decision de sus propios destinos y librar por si misma las batallas que +exigen su honor, su libertad y otros tantos intereses que descuidan +o ignoran los hombres en virtud del indisputado monopolio ejercido +por ellos sobre los negocios publicos. + +No desapareceran radicalmente las injusticias, las desigualdades +sociales y juridicas contenidas en nuestros codigos ni mejoraran las +condiciones de la existencia para la mujer mientras sean los hombres +los unicos que legislen y dominen todas las esferas de la vida publica, +mientras dicten a la mujer lo que debe hacer y lo que no debe hacer; +y, a su vez, la mujer sera incompetente de cuidar de sus propios +intereses y de dirigir sus propios destinos mientras no mire mas alto, +mientras preste su asentimiento a la superioridad del hombre y crea +que su destino es simplemente servir y complacer al hombre para el +lecho y el hogar, en vez de ser su verdadera ayuda y compania para +el progreso y felicidad del genero humano. + +Todas las objeciones que se aducen o pueden aducirse en contra del +sufragio femenino tienden invariablemente a estos dos objetos: a la +seclusion domestica de la mujer y a perpetuar su esclavitud civil +y politica. + +Que la mujer no debe atender mas que las ocupaciones del hogar, +que no debe vivir mas que para su esposo e hijos; que tiene bastante +trabajo para todo el dia con dirigir al cocinero, limpiar la casa y +remendar los vestidos; es la formula que sostienen los partidarios +del antiguo regimen. O si no, esta otra: que la mujer no esta por +naturaleza llamada a luchar con el hombre en la vida publica; que +el hombre por razon de esa lucha dejara de considerarla como un ser +digno de adoracion, un sagrado idolo ante cuyos pies se arrodilla, +sino que vera en ella a una rival a quien hay que combatir y anular +para la propia conservacion, y con ello la mujer no solo arrastraria +la nitida sampaguita de su virtud en el lodo de la vida politica, sino +perderia, ademas, la estimacion, el respeto y las consideraciones, +de los cuales se ve rodeada en la actualidad. + +No tengo sino el mas profundo respeto para todos aquellos, hombres y +mujeres, que piensan honradamente asi. No tienen la culpa de creer que +aquello que ha existido siempre de un modo tal, no sea lo mejor. No +comprenden que la vida es movimiento e insensiblemente se adhieren a +las capas sociales nuevos elementos de vida y caracter que requieren +necesariamente el cambio y la renovacion. No es posible a la sociedad +estancarse en un sitio, porque ocurrira lo que ocurre a las aguas +estancadas, que despiden pestilentes miasmas. La teoria de que la mujer +solo existe para el hogar y por el hogar ha dejado de existir hace +tiempo. Ella ha tomado insensiblemente su puesto en la vida publica +y ayuda y dirige al hombre aun cuando este no se percate de ello, +y aun cuando no se la reconozca derechos para ello. En las sociedades +modernas, la mujer participa en la direccion de la caridad publica y +en la educacion de los ninos; ejerce como medica, abogada, literata; +forma parte de la legion de la prensa, de muchos empleos publicos y se +interesa y coopera en la supresion de los vicios y miserias sociales. + +?Quien no admite que la mujer tiene deberes para su hogar, su esposo e +hijos que debe cumplir ordinariamente con preferencia a cualesquiera +otros deberes? Pero, ?excluye eso, acaso, el cumplimiento de otros +deberes para con Dios, para con el projimo y para con el Estado? El +hombre como la mujer esta lleno de deberes: en cumplirlos ordenada +y totalmente esta el verdadero merito. ?No dedica la mujer filipina +una parte a veces considerable de su tiempo a la iglesia y a otros +deberes llamados de sociedad, a ir de visitas o recibirlas, a concurrir +a fiestas, teatros y bailes? + +?Se ha quejado alguien de esto? ?Se ha criticado al menos a las +mujeres porque asistan asiduamente y cumplan publicamente sus deberes +religiosos en los templos llenos de bote en bote; en las calles +publicas, ahitas de muchedumbres tumultuosas, formando cola a lo +largo de las procesiones de los santos, entre empellones y sofocones +desagradables que toleran mansamente a causa de la confesion publica de +su fe? Ellas no van solamente a las iglesias sino a los espectaculos +publicos, a las fiestas populares, alli donde pueden ostentar la +elegancia de sus trajes o satisfacer su curiosidad femenina. Y no +vemos en todo ello ninguna asechanza o peligro para su virtud, sabiendo +que esas mujeres que van a esos puntos y se exhiben de esa manera son +madres, esposas, o hijas que tienen deberes que atender en sus casas. + +?Cual es la diferencia, digo ahora, de que la mujer salga tambien de su +casa para asistir o tomar parte en un miting politico donde se trata +de las necesidades publicas o de la conveniencia de eligir a este o a +aquel funcionario? ?Que peligros puede haber para la virtud o pureza de +la mujer en que ella se interese en los asuntos publicos que afectan +al bienestar de las familias, puesto que la mujer en cualquier estado +de su vida ocupa siempre una posicion dentro de la familia? ?Por que +ha de considerarse que la mujer dejara en las zarzas de la politica +la flor de sus encantos si oye a un orador politico--ella que esta +acostumbrada a oir sermones--o, si el caso se presenta, pronuncia ella +misma un discurso expresando su opinion sobre algun asunto de interes +para la familia, sobre la necesidad de remediar ciertos males sociales +o sobre la conveniencia de recoger a ninos abandonados o desvalidos? + +Tomemos el caso de una de las cuestiones de mas palpitante interes +en este tiempo, la cuestion del incremento de los juegos. ?Creeis +que esta cuestion no es de aquellas que tienen relacion inmediata +con el bienestar de las familias especialmente de las mujeres dentro +de ellas? ?Quienes son los que mas sufren de los abusos del padre o +del esposo al dedicar gran parte de los ingresos de la familia a los +azares e incertidumbres de su pasion? Son las mujeres y las hijas a +quienes se condenan a sufrir muchas veces privaciones y sufrimientos +innecesarios por causa del vicio y de la falta del hombre en la +familia. Y ?quereis negar a la mujer el derecho de inmiscuirse en +la vida politica para que pueda ilustrar con su opinion al cuerpo +electoral sobre los resultados funestos del juego o para influir con +su voto en la eleccion de funcionarios que se comprometan a llevar +a cabo las deseables medidas? ?Y por que no ha de ser la opinion de +la mujer en un asunto de esta naturaleza de tanto o mejor peso que la +del hombre pues que a ella le alcanzan las consecuencias y resultados +del mal? Como este asunto se pueden encontrar otros muchos en que +el bien y la felicidad de la mujer se halla de un modo o de otro +vitalmente interesados. + +No veo en todo cuanto pueda hacer la mujer en politica ninguna +actividad perniciosa, y si me apurais mas, digo que semejante actividad +es altamente saludable y beneficiosa para la mujer y para la sociedad +entera. En todos esos casos la mujer se instruye y obtiene mejor +conocimiento del mundo y de la vida. No se considera como un ser +extrano a la sociedad y al gobierno y no se mostrara por tanto ajena +e indiferente a sus miserias y progresos. Nada puede hacer mayor +dano a una sociedad como el encontrar en su seno cuerpos extranos, +absolutamente indiferentes al bien o al mal, piezas inutiles de una +maquinaria que esta en funcion. + +Nos aterrorizamos ante la idea de que los impulsos de la mujer, +su fanatismo, su criterio cerrado, segun unos, su debilidad o falta +de caracter, segun otros, su poca preparacion o poca cultura, segun +otros mas, hagan del derecho de sufragio una mera farsa o una comedia +ridicula por la que han de entrar a tener predominio elementos o +intereses privilegiados. Lo que yo digo es que todos esos impulsos, +sentimientos, debilidades e imperfecciones de la mujer se deben +precisamente a su estado de seclusion domestica, efectos de una +educacion o de un sistema tocado de senil debilidad, que no permite +a las facultades naturales de la mujer aquella expansion que es tan +necesaria a la vida como el vapor a la electricidad y la electricidad +a la luz. Y que para corregir esos defectos e imperfecciones, no es lo +mas cuerdo mantener el sistema bajo el cual han crecido y prosperado, +sino producir un cambio violento, un vuelco regenerador para que ella +pudiera, como el ave que ensaya sus alas, volar a los altos espacios, +abundantes de aire y luz, libre para derramar alli la graciosa esencia +de su ser y ensayar los limites de sus facultades e instintos. + +Tenemos que procurar a la mujer nuevos objetivos en la vida, otras +ocupaciones elevadas para que pruebe su aptitud y de esta manera +todo eso que se senala como defectuoso y deforme en su caracter +y educacion se eliminara en un ambiente de libertad y publicidad, +donde sin miedo ni piedad se puedan sacar a colacion los defectos y +expurgar al individuo de sus vicios. Y por esto quiero y pretendo +para la mujer derechos politicos, porque entiendo que uno de sus +resultados sera enriquecer, mejorar y favorecer sus aptitudes y +aspiraciones para servir a los altos ideales de la vida y de la +sociedad. La mujer se ocupara menos de fruslerias y pequeneces, +de cortes de vestidos y modas, de chismes y otros topicos comunes, +que constituyen por lo general, el asunto de sus conversaciones y +se esmerara en aprender y tratar de las cosas serias que atanen al +mejoramiento y bienestar sociales. + +La politica no es una ocupacion permanente que pueda absorber +el tiempo de una persona que tiene otros negocios regulares que +atender. De hecho, con excepcion de los funcionarios politicos y +ciertos profesionales, la mayoria de los ciudadanos no emplea en +politica mas que el tiempo puramente preciso que le permiten sus +ocupaciones ordinarias. El hombre o la mujer que haga depender su +suerte o sus medios de vida de la politica tiene que convencerse de +que la politica no da para comer pero si para tener hambre. + +Es perfectamente compatible la politica con las ocupaciones y tareas +domesticas de la mujer, sea ella madre esposa o hija. La mujer educada +sabe sus responsabilidades y conoce la manera de dividir su tiempo +y anteponer sus obligaciones domesticas a cualesquiera otras fuera +del hogar. Y cuando la mujer esta muy atareada en casa, no hara +politica; o cuando se ve atada al lecho por los dolores y cuidados +de la maternidad no podra hacer politica, aunque quiera. Y, por eso, +cuando se dice que la mujer va a descuidar el hogar por la politica o +va a desatender el cuidado del esposo y de los hijos por el mero hecho +de obtener el sufragio, realmente confieso que, por mi torpeza quiza, +no puedo entenderlo. + +Insistis en que la mujer, segun el plan divino, es para el hogar y el +hombre para la sociedad y en eso consiste la verdadera division del +trabajo entre las dos mitades del genero humano. ?Me quereis decir +por que, si eso fuera el plan de Dios, todas las religiones y todas +las escuelas de moral coinciden en prescribir el deber al projimo, +el amor a los semejantes? ?Se ha dirigido el Senor solo al hombre +y no a la mujer tambien cuando entre temblores de tierra y llamas +resplandecientes entrego el mundo las tablas del Decalogo y dijo: +"Ama a tu projimo como a ti mismo"? ?Se refiere al hombre y no a la +mujer inclusive aquel precepto universal, contenido de toda moral y de +toda religion, que dice: "Haz a tu projimo lo que quieras que hagan +contigo"? Estos preceptos me indican que el hombre y la mujer tienen +deberes para con los demas, tienen deberes para con sus semejantes +y que no deben concentrar su felicidad en el hogar sino tambien, +fuera de el, en la sociedad. ?Me quereis decir si el hogar puede ser +feliz entretanto que la sociedad no lo sea, puesto que la sociedad es +nada mas que la ampliacion y la suma de todos los hogares, y todas +las miserias y males de la sociedad repercuten en el hogar de la +misma manera que la felicidad y el bienestar del hogar influyen en +el bienestar y felicidad de la sociedad? + +Quereis hacer una division imposible, dividir al individuo humano en +dos mitades: mitad feliz en el hogar y mitad infeliz en la sociedad, +o viceversa. Podeis hacer, si quereis, esa division; pero una de dos: +o teneis que barrer por inutiles todos vuestros codigos que dan al +hombre el gobierno y administracion de la casa para arreglar otros que +entreguen ambos poderes a la mujer; o teneis que admitir a la mujer, +si no quereis eso, en la participacion de los negocios publicos para +que ella pueda, como en el hogar, ayudar al hombre a formar y cimentar +la felicidad de ese otro hogar grande que se llama sociedad. + +Se dice que la mujer al presentarse en el escenario politico se +enajenara al punto el respeto y la admiracion del hombre y, lejos +de ganar, perdera las ventajas en que su actual posicion le coloca, +fuera de toda lucha directa con el hombre, siendo adorable y adorada +en todas partes y reinando suprema en el hogar con la autoridad +indiscutible de la madre o de la esposa, envuelta en ese esplendido +manto de gracia y majestad de que la ha dotado la Naturaleza, pura +e impoluta de las manchas que las luchas e intrigas politicas dejan +siempre en la reputacion y en la dignidad humanas. + +No creo que haya dejado de expresar deliberadamente en terminos mas +poeticos y exactos la posicion de nuestros adversarios, y al decir +"de nuestros adversarios" yo incluyo a la innumerable legion de +mujeres que titubean aun en pedir el sufragio por consideraciones +que no se si llamarlas egoistas. + +Pero, con todo, digo que ese ideal politico de la mujer no puede +desaparecer porque ella sea educada en la politica a la manera que +se educa en las ciencias y en las artes. La educacion politica, +lejos de perjudicar los encantos naturales de la mujer los realzara, +a mi juicio, por la misma razon y motivo que la educacion actual de +la mujer moderna le ha dado otros encantos que no poseia la mujer +antigua. A menos que sostengais que la educacion es en si misma un +mal mas que un bien, que desmejora el caracter en vez de mejorarlo, +no podeis eludir la deduccion de que ampliando los conocimientos y +las experiencias de la mujer, dariais mas vigor, mas energia y mas +encanto a la personalidad femenina. + +Nada infunde mayor respeto como la educacion; la educacion es lo que +eleva el nivel de las personas. Desde el momento en que uno muestra +ser educado, al punto obtiene la consideracion y el respeto de los +demas. A pesar de los prejuicios de raza, solamente por su educacion +el hombre amarillo u oscuro puede conquistar el respeto y a veces la +admiracion del hombre blanco. + +?Cuando ha inspirado la mujer mayor respeto al hombre sino cuando +la ha visto instruida y educada a su altura en los colegios y +universidades? ?Antes, cuando la mujer permanecia en estado de +ignorancia era acaso mas respetada que ahora? Estoy dispuesto a +convenir en que era mas asediada, mas agasajada quizas, pero no +por eso mas respetada. ?Llamais respeto y consideracion a aquellas +vanas formulas de etiqueta que hacian doblar el espinazo del hombre +a la vista de una mujer y le hacian decir cuatro frases vulgares de +cumplimiento, para hinchar la vanidad o marear la cabeza de una mujer +credula y fatua? ?Llamais respeto a ese habito singular de algunos +hombres de calificar siempre de divinos los ojos de la mujer que tiene +delante, de comparar sus labios a lindos petalos de rosa, sus dientes +a sarta de diminutas perlas, su cintura a cimbreante tallo de azucena +y otras tantas necedades de ese jaez? Si es esa la forma de respeto +y consideracion que perderia la mujer por dedicarse a la politica, +ella debe celebrarlo, porque todas esas formulas insustanciales de +galanteria no pasan de ser lo que el cacareo del gallo para sorprender +y asaltar repentinamente a la descuidada gallina. + +?Ni como puede, en verdad, inspirar respeto la debilidad y la +ignorancia? De hecho cuando la mujer estaba en aquel estado en que se +tasaban sus conocimientos, porque se creia que un poco de culinaria, +de bordado y de piano, a mas de saber el catecismo, eran suficientes +para el matrimonio, unica carrera que se le permitia, el hombre le +dispensaba toda clase de consideraciones y cortesias, pero estas +no estaban inspiradas en un verdadero sentimiento de respeto sino +mas bien en una especie de caballerosidad, hija de la idea de que la +mujer siendo de suyo debil e ignorante, merecia de parte del hombre, +aquella proteccion, consideracion y cortesia debidas a la debilidad +y a la ignorancia. ?Es esta acaso la idea que quieren las mujeres +que se tenga de si mismas? El respeto es un sentimiento que nace +de la idea de igualdad y a menos que la mujer se coloque al nivel +del hombre en las cuestiones politicas, no dejaran de oirse estas o +semejantes ignominiosas exclamaciones. iPero, mujer, que entiendes +de estas cosas! No te metas en asuntos que no te importan. + +No necesita preocuparse la mujer de que al participar en el sufragio, y +como resultado de el habra de perder necesariamente las consideraciones +y cortesias de que se ve rodeada en la actualidad, fuera de toda lucha +directa con el hombre y libre de ser atacada por el como una rival +a quien hay que anular y destruir por propia conservacion. En primer +lugar, es un error el considerar que la intervencion de la mujer en +la vida publica dara por resultado la rivalidad de los dos sexos. La +atraccion y simpatia entre el hombre y la mujer nace precisamente +de la oposicion del sexo: si no hubiera mas que puramente hombres o +puramente mujeres, acaso seria posible pensar que se destruirian porque +no tendria objeto la vida ni la especie humana se reproduciria. De +modo que en el interes de un sexo esta el no destruir al otro sexo. La +politica, por otro lado, no es siempre una lucha personal; en su +sentido propio y elevado es lucha de ideas y principios, de teorias +y procedimientos y suponiendo el caso de que un hombre y una mujer +se ponen frente a frente en una lucha politica no estan obligados +seguramente a dar un espectaculo de _boxeo_ y de matarse a brazo +partido, sino solamente a presentar puntos de vista y opiniones que +tienen mas o menos fundamento, segun sus propios juicios. No creo que +ningun hombre tenga derecho a insultar a una mujer por el hecho de +ser su oponente, cuando no lo tiene tratandose de un hombre. Y en el +caso de que las pasiones politicas dieran lugar a semejante insulto, +?no tendria la mujer el mismo derecho para contestar o echar otro +insulto? He aqui un caso en que la mujer tendra oportunidad para +aprender a ser independiente en sus juicios y en sus acciones, ya +que algunos parece que no quieren el sufragio sino a condicion de +que la mujer tenga independiente manera de pensar y obrar. No quiero +tampoco suponer que muchos hombres no quieren el sufragio de la mujer +porque temen que pueden resultar vencidos en una discusion publica +y el prestigio del sexo quedaria mal parado. + +En segundo lugar, si lo que quiere la mujer es encontrar siempre en +el hombre aquella especie de adoracion que se tributa a un idolo, ella +puede estar segura de ello con sufragio o sin sufragio. Esa adoracion +no nace en el hombre por el hecho de que la mujer tenga menos derechos +o este privada de ellos, nace de que la mujer es mujer, arquetipo +de gracia y belleza de la creacion y el hombre quemara siempre el +incienso de su admiracion ante el ara de esas divinidades. Recordad +que se ha dicho siempre que el Cristianismo elevo la condicion de +la mujer y la dio mas derechos; y sin embargo los pueblos cristianos +son los que rodean a la mujer de mayores consideraciones y respetos. + +El sufragio no hara menos hermosos los cabellos largos de la mujer, +ni empalidecera la rosa de sus mejillas y de sus labios ni hara menos +graciosas las curvas de su talle, por el contrario la imprimira una +gracia adicional--la de saber escribir una balota con su pequena +letra--y mientras sea asi, el hombre guardara siempre para ella aquel +tesoro de amor, de ternura y de adoracion que en todas partes y en +todos tiempos y por los siglos de los siglos inspirara la idea de la +gracia y de la belleza. Hercules se rendira siempre a Venus por ser +Venus, aunque Venus sea sufragista. + +La educacion politica dara a la mujer nuevas armas para atraerse +el respeto y la admiracion del hombre. La mujer entendera que su +obligacion no consiste solamente en dar hijos a la Patria sino +en educar y dirigir sus sentimientos, de modo que desde ninos se +interesen en las cosas que se puedan hacer para mejorar las condiciones +sociales, inspirandoles de este modo el amor o la aficion a servir +una causa determinada o un partido determinado en pro del interes +publico. La conciencia publica se dilatara, se robustecera conteniendo +y reflejando los sentimientos de la mujer, elemento pasivo, hoy por +hoy, de nuestra ciudadania, y en horas de crisis, cuando la nacion +alguna vez se encuentre en peligro, ella se vera servida y ayudada, +no solo por ciudadanos, sino tambien por ciudadanas, que no van a ser +improvisadas ni inexpertas en las tareas y deberes colectivos sino +acostumbradas a la disciplina de la organizacion y a los llamamientos +del servicio publico. + +Tiene--?que duda cabe?--sus infinitas ventajas para el hombre el dejar +a la mujer en la ignorancia, no solo de la politica sino tambien +de otras materias. ?No es mas facil asi al hombre satisfacer sus +caprichos y hacer de ella un juguete que puede dejar o utilizar cuando +quiera? Ella es obediente, sumisa, resignada; no discute ni razona +nunca; calla, obedece, sirve, un mueble hermoso que se diferencia +de los demas de la casa en que tiene vida; muneca deliciosa porque +habla y tiene un poco de juicio. Yo se que este es el ideal que muchos +hombres quieren, por la sencilla y unica razon de que asi les conviene. + +Pero no es esa la mujer como debe ser; la mujer que nuestro siglo +ha redimido de la ignorancia y de la esclavitud; la mujer que ha +recibido de Dios una inteligencia, una voluntad y un corazon para que +los cultive y perfeccione al objeto de que ella sea, no la sierva del +hombre sino su companera, no la subdita de un rey sino reina al lado +del rey, fieles y constantes aliados desde la cuna hasta el sepulcro, +en la hora feliz o en la adversa, no solo en las intimidades del +santuario domestico, sino tambien en los abiertos y dilatados espacios +de la vida publica. El hombre y la mujer han sido hechos para unirse, +comprenderse y amarse, para estar juntos siempre a trabajar, sufrir +y luchar por cuanto hay de bueno y de bello en la vida, para afirmar +el reinado de la pareja humana sobre el planeta y hacer de el una +habitacion digna y feliz, libre de tiranias y sufrimientos y apta +para ser vivida por seres pacificos e inteligentes y no por buitres +y otras fieras voraces. + +Esta es la mision de la mujer y del hombre sobre la tierra tal como la +comprendo y la concibo. Hasta que el hombre y la mujer no se encuentren +en un perfecto nivel, en un plano completo de igualdad segun sus +naturalezas respectivas de modo que pueda haber una comunion intima +de pensamientos, afectos e intereses, la vida sera siempre ominosa y +miserable para el uno o para la otra, y la Humanidad no triunfara de +sus presentes desdichas. La criatura femenina ha salido de la mano de +Dios tan perfecta como el hombre y no es justo privarla de ninguna de +las satisfacciones y ventajas que al hombre proporcionan las ciencias, +las artes y la politica. Si la politica es una noble ocupacion de la +vida, ciencia y arte de hacer la felicidad de los pueblos, justo es +que la mujer contribuya con cuanto quiera y con cuanto pueda a lograr +esa felicidad. + +?Que duda cabe que la mujer tiene facultades, sentimientos, puntos +de vista y metodos propios para hacer las cosas, diferentes del +hombre? iCuantas veces se ha visto que cuando un hombre no se +ha atrevido a hacer una cosa se ha dejado obrar a la mujer para +conseguirla! Ella tiene su propia personalidad y debe darsela, +como al hombre, la libertad necesaria para que pueda desarrollarla, +tener voz decisiva en sus intereses y destinos, tomar por su cuenta +los riesgos de la vida, hacer sus propias aventuras, experimentos y +descubrimientos en vez de que el hombre la fije invariablemente la +pauta de conducta y le imponga el molde en que debe trabajar. + +La politica ha dejado de ser lo que debia, se ha hecho demasiado +masculina, se ha vuelto brutal, egoista, personalisima, porque le +ha faltado la bondad, la abnegacion, el altruismo y el espiritu de +sacrificio, que son cualidades caracteristicas del ser femenino. ?Por +que no sacar ventajas de las energias de la mujer, de sus impulsos +y modos de ver las cosas para mejorar nuestras practicas y nuestros +procedimientos en la vida publica? iQuien sabe si la politica se sanea +y se purifica un poco con la presencia y la intervencion de la mujer, +de la misma manera que la presencia de esta en una reunion cohibe en +cierto modo la licencia de las palabras y de la accion de los hombres! + +El monopolio ejercido por el hombre sobre las funciones publicas, +ha sido, como otras tantas instituciones ahora desaparecidas, basado +en la fuerza y violencia y con el fin de perpetuarlo se parapeta +detras de la muralla de prejuicios levantada a costa del tiempo y +del orden de cosas establecido, lanzando de alli los dardos de la +satira y del ridiculo contra aquellos que demandan la cesacion de ese +estado de violencia. Asi, ridiculo es la mas fuerte arma que ahora +se esgrime contra la mujer que pretende reclamar justicia y obtener +la reivindicacion de los derechos de su sexo, alguno de los cuales, +como el gobierno de los pueblos, no ha sido negado ni aun en muchas +de las sociedades primitivas. + +Por esto, la idea que muchos tienen de la sufragista es muy curiosa. Se +la representa como una mujer que odia los quehaceres de la casa y +esta constantemente fuera de ella, de dia y de noche. La pintura mas +comun es aquella en que la mujer arenga en una especie de asamblea a +algunas de su sexo, mientras su marido se dedica a barrer la casa y +entretener al bebe que llora. Esa es la idea que ha sido vulgarizada +por los cines y revistas y la que esta fijada en la mente de las +muchedumbres que no se paran a reflexionar elevandose por encima de +la superficie de las cosas. + +Nada hay, sin embargo, mas lejos de representar la realidad. La +sufragista es una mujer, producto de nuestros tiempos de libertad; +instruida como el hombre, conoce y no rehuye las responsabilidades que +tiene en la familia; pero a la vez esta libre de preocupaciones y cree +sencillamente en el deber de compartir con el hombre los trabajos +concernientes al mejoramiento social, al bienestar publico de la +comunidad en que vive; cree que por lo mismo que en el hogar hay +deberes asignados a su sexo, tiene asimismo deberes que desempenar +en la vida publica. En la vida domestica y familiar no surge ningun +conflicto entre los dos seres por estar repartido el trabajo entre +ambos; no hay motivo tampoco para temer ningun conflicto en la vida +publica si se sabe asignar a cada sexo los deberes que le corresponden +segun su naturaleza. + +La sufragista, por el hecho de serlo, no es antagonica a los deberes +de la familia, antes bien comprende que el bienestar de la familia +es el fundamento del bienestar de la sociedad, y tiene conciencia de +que las miserias y vicios sociales afectan a la familia y ella puede +y debe acudir a remediar con el hombre esas miserias y esos vicios. + +iNo! la idea que se tiene de la sufragista es erronea; y es hora de que +por lo menos las personas inteligentes y educadas corrijan su propia +impresion basada en prejuicios y en una mentalidad atrasada. No podemos +impedir que el vulgo piense a la manera que pensaba hace medio siglo +atras, pero el que muchas personas serias y por demas progresivas se +contenten con la opinion del vulgo da idea de que aqui no analizamos +bien el fondo de las cosas y nos dejamos llevar simplemente de las +impresiones del momento. + +El sufragismo es una aspiracion legitima, un ideal de nuestro +siglo. Tiene su raiz de vida en la filosofia e instituciones del +mundo moderno y en las condiciones cada vez mas dificiles en que +pone a la mujer la lucha por la existencia. Ella necesita protegerse +y organizarse no para crear la rivalidad y armarse contra el hombre +sino para ser un activo sumando en el progreso social y evitar ser +victima de la explotacion y de la iniquidad de los demas grupos +sociales por su indiferencia y absentismo en la vida publica. + +No sere yo, hombre de ley y legislador, quien me oponga a que esta +aspiracion fuera satisfecha. La considero tan natural como el derecho +a la vida y el derecho a la propia defensa. Y por ser natural no +considero prematuro el que la mujer filipina reclame ese derecho, +como ya lo han reclamado y obtenido sus congeneres en otras partes +del mundo. Me es indiferente que el grupo que ahora lo reclama sea +pequeno e insignificante: aun mas, me seria completamente indiferente +si la mujer de este pais no lo pidiera o deseara. Para otorgar, +para reconocer derechos fundamentalmente concordes con el espiritu +de nuestras instituciones y con los ideales de nuestra epoca no +consultaria con quien tuviera opcion de reclamarlos, los daria, +los concederia porque es de justicia y es el plan de Dios que se +realice la justicia en el tiempo y en el espacio. No soy juez sino +legislador y mi primer deber es dictar la justicia, no administrarla, +no esperar que haya quien la pida y quien se oponga a ella. + +Me satisface que haya un grupo de mujeres que representando la +aspiracion de todas las de su sexo, se atrevan a acercarse a las +gradas de nuestra Legislatura para llamar la atencion sobre una falta +en nuestros estatutos. Esto me indica que ha nacido y se ha revelado +la conciencia de ese derecho en la mujer filipina y no necesito mas; +no necesito contar el numero y la clase de las que estan en esa +condicion. Rizal en su tiempo al abogar por los derechos politicos de +nuestra raza, estaba con muy pocos companeros; en la mayoria de sus +compatriotas, la conciencia de esos derechos estaba dormida. Pero +mentiria y erraria quien dijera que aun en aquel tiempo la voz de +Rizal no representaba la causa de toda su raza y porque el y los +que con el trabajaban eran muy pocos, no debia prestarse atencion a +sus demandas. El sabia en conciencia que su patria estaba oprimida, +que defendia una causa justa, que abogaba por los derechos de sus +conciudadanos y no se paraba a reflexionar si sus conciudadanos tenian +o no la conciencia de sus derechos. + +Estoy satisfecho, por esto, de que las pocas mujeres que ahora hablan +de los derechos de su sexo y reclaman el sufragio representan a las +demas mujeres filipinas, a no ser que queramos inferir el insulto de +decir que las mujeres de este pais estan privadas de sentido comun +para oponerse o rehusar la concesion de derechos que pueden ensanchar +sus medios de vida y sus actividades dentro de la sociedad. Importa +poco que la aspiracion al sufragismo aparezca en su estado inicial +o tenga la forma vaga de una proposicion no definida y concreta: +desde el momento en que ha apuntado esa aspiracion, para mi es que +ha brotado la semilla a flor de tierra y es inutil ahogarla, pues +volvera a brotar. Cuanto mas retrasemos la concesion del sufragio +femenino seria tanto mas en nuestro dano, porque es lo mismo que +impedir que la semilla de ahora se convierta en planta y de a su +sazon apetitosos frutos. + +No, nuestro pais no necesita imitar la lentitud con que han procedido +las viejas naciones en reconocer los derechos de la mujer. No tenemos +sus tradiciones, no tenemos sus preocupaciones para ir por lentas +evoluciones y no por subitas revoluciones. Debemos admitir todas las +revoluciones pacificas de ideas que condensan, como el vapor la gota +de lluvia, una formula de justicia social. Lo mismo que admitimos los +ultimos inventos en mecanica, industria y artes, los automobiles, las +maquinarias centrales, los aeroplanos, debemos admitir los ultimos +progresos en instituciones sociales y politicas de las sociedades +mas avanzadas. + +El sufragio femenino encierra un fondo de justicia, de reivindicacion +para la aptitud de la mujer moderna y debemos enseguida adoptarla +sin necesidad de pasar por procesos innecesarios. La libertad de +cultos que engendro la tolerancia religiosa, el sufragio popular que +vigorizo nuestra conciencia colectiva, la escuela libre que emancipo +nuestras masas de la tutela de los caciques, todas las conquistas +de la democracia de que nos enorgullecemos no serian realidades +hermosas, llenas de sazonados frutos, en estos dias, si hubiesemos +tenido que hacer tanteos y dar pasos vacilantes antes de incorporarlos +subitamente a nuestra vida social y politica. Tenemos que movernos +de prisa y anticiparnos a las horas vagas aspiraciones de las masas +femeninas para ahorrarnos de ese modo agitaciones que al fin habrian +de sobrevenir y cuya justicia se ha de reconocer mas tarde. + +Cuando se dice que nuestro estado social no esta preparado para +el sufragismo, que la mujer no esta suficientemente educada para +ejercer sus derechos politicos, quiero preguntar si es que hemos +necesitado decir lo mismo cuando importamos e implantamos en este +pais las instituciones democraticas que son la base y el fundamento de +nuestra sociedad actual. Nuestra educacion tradicional era enteramente +contraria al sistema popular de gobierno y hemos adoptado este por +considerarlo mejor que el otro, mas adecuado a nuestros intereses y +a los ideales del siglo, sin preguntarnos si estabamos preparados y +educados suficientemente para ello. + +Hace mas de veinte anos que la escuela libre ha abierto sus puertas +a la mujer del pueblo, la educacion se ha extendido entre ellas en +la misma proporcion que entre los hombres, muchas de las mujeres +que han producido nuestras escuelas son ya ahora esposas o madres y +todavia estamos preguntandonos si la mujer filipina ha llegado o no +a la madurez necesaria para poder ser investida de sus privilegios +politicos. No creo que se pretenda exigir que todas ellas sean doctoras +y bachilleres antes de concederlas el sufragio. + +La educacion politica no se adquiere mas que educandose como no se +llega a saber nadar mas que nadando. El argumento de la falta de +preparacion suficiente de la mujer filipina favorece y justifica la +posicion intelectual de los imperialistas de una metropoli que no +encuentran a una colonia jamas preparada o educada suficientemente +para recibir sus derechos soberanicos. + +Cuando el otro dia subi a un hidroplano para experimentar la sensacion +de un viaje por las alturas, tenia--?como no decirlo?--cierta +aprension, algo asi como un vago temor a lo desconocido, a lo nuevo, +pero pasados los primeros momentos con felicidad me senti perfectamente +confortado y dichoso de sondear los espacios y escudrinar los +magnificos paisajes que se presentan a los ojos desde la altura. iOh, +que hermosura nadar en la luz, cabalgar sobre las nubes y el viento, +divisar el panorama de las ciudades, de las viviendas humanas como +un mapa de relieve sobre el fondo de cristal de las aguas, cruzar +distancias enormes en minutos, en instantes de un modo imperceptible, +emular en todo al pajaro y como el pajaro aterrizar de repente +sin fatiga y sin sufrimiento! Una vez terminado el viaje es cuando +comprendi que mi aprension y mi temor carecian de fundamento, que +no envolvia mas riesgos el volar por los aires en un aeroplano como +el correr a campo traviesa en un automovil y me hice cargo de las +innumerables ventajas que se pueden sacar de este aparato, producto +tambien de nuestros tiempos, destinado a revolucionar no solo los +medios de guerra sino tambien las artes de la paz. + +Lo mismo pasa con las nuevas formulas, con las innovaciones en el +orden moral y politico. No se las adopta sin ese instintivo temor, esa +vaga aprension que produce lo nuevo y lo desconocido. Se oye hablar +mucho de sus peligros e inconvenientes para el orden establecido. Se +cree poco menos que se desquiciarian las esferas del firmamento y +que el eje del mundo se romperia en pedazos. Luego, despues que la +innovacion se ha admitido, se encuentra que parece lo mas natural +y logico porque las cosas siguen su curso normal, las estrellas +ruedan y brillan lo mismo que antes en el azul y las montanas altas +no se vienen abajo. Se sienten renacer el animo y la esperanza, +las muchedumbres se avienen con el nuevo estado de cosas y los mas +recalcitrantes se lastimarian si se les propusiera que se volviese +el antiguo estado. Asi ha ocurrido en nuestro pais. Asi se ha hecho +siempre el progreso y asi marchara siempre par nuevos caminos. + +Es preciso que tomemos la resolucion de vencer nuestros temores y +escrupulos. Si hablaramos del aeroplano solamente por el numero de +aviadores que han perecido, no admitiriamos nunca esa invencion. Es +preciso que nos embarquemos en el para probarnos a nosotros mismos que +nuestros temores y preocupaciones carecen de fundamento. No hay que +perder de vista que el sufragismo no es una cosa nueva en el mundo, ya +no es un experimento sino un hecho y ha tomado carta de naturaleza en +algunos paises. Lo mismo exactamente que el aeroplano. Del mismo modo +que para conocer las ventajas de este aparato no vamos a preguntar a +los que nunca han viajado con el sino a los que han hecho experiencias +con el mismo, asi tambien para conocer las ventajas del sufragismo +no debemos dar credito a los que lo combaten por principios y teorias +sino a los paises que han hecho experimentos con el y han probado ya +sus resultados. El hecho que debemos anotar es que el sufragismo cunde +con mayor fuerza cada dia y se va generalizando en los paises en que se +ha admitido. Lo mismo exactamente que el aeroplano. Por consiguiente, +asi como seria perfectamente ridiculo en estos momentos declamar +contra el aeroplano, por los riesgos y accidentes que pueden ocurrir +y seria estupido no seguir los pasos de otros gobiernos que utilizan +sus ventajas, para la defensa o la agresion en caso de guerra o para +abreviar las comunicaciones interiores en tiempos de paz, asimismo me +parece ridiculo, sino insensato, combatir el sufragismo en el terreno +especulativo o mas bien hipotetico y no tomar la experiencia de otros +paises como guia de nuestra conducta haciendo que el sufragismo forme +parte de nuestras modernas costumbres e instituciones. + +Quisiera, para terminar, citar algunos extractos, pertinentes a +este asunto, de un discurso que pronuncie en una velada celebrada en +el Opera House y dedicado a Rizal por varios colegios de senoritas +en 1913: + + + Se ha creido que la mujer debe reducir toda su esfera de accion + al hogar a la vida domestica, ser absolutamente la gloria y el + encanto de su esposo y de sus hijos; y no es asi, pues que la + mujer tanto como el hombre, nace en la sociedad y vive dentro + de ella, y no puede, no debe ser indiferente a las miserias + y las desgracias sociales. Pensar de otro modo seria egoismo + y aberracion, y dejaria a la sociedad abandonada a muchos + sufrimientos que solo la mano bendita de la mujer puede curar + o acallar al menos. Bien haya que la mujer sea en su casa amor + y ensueno, gloria y felicidad; pero tambien mas alla de los + muros de su hogar debe cumplir su mision divina y hacer llegar + a todos el secreto tesoro de bondad y dulzura de que la ha + provisto la buena providencia. Asi como en el hogar comparte + con el hombre los deberes de la vida, asi fuera de el, en la + vida publica, debe compartir con el hombre la responsabilidad + de remediar y de aliviar las desdichas publicas. + + La beneficiencia, la caridad, la moral, por algo, tienen + nombres femeninos: y es a la mujer a quien corresponde + el ejercicio de todas esas virtudes en el seno de la + sociedad. Ella debe tomar parte, si es que no debe iniciar + en todos los casos, toda propaganda y toda accion que tienda + a amparar la orfandad, a socorrer la indigencia, a elevar la + idea de la moralidad publica. Ella debe luchar y sufrir, en + medio de la sociedad en que vive por cuanto hay de femenino en + la vida para calmar con un bello gesto de piedad la furiosa + contienda que se libra por la existencia, y durar con el + magico esplendor de su carinosa mirada la noche eterna del + humano dolor. La patria necesita no solo la fuerza de los + hombres, sino tambien la piedad, la caridad de las mujeres; + no solo requiere heroes, sino tambien heroinas. Y las hay, + y las ha habido siempre en la historia de la humanidad: y + las hay y las ha habido en esta nuestra tierra, cuyo especial + privilegio consiste, en sentir de graves autores extranjeros, + en que sus mujeres son superiores a los hombres. + + Y estas ninas de hoy que adoran en Rizal y que le dedican sus + cantos y oraciones, manana se convertiran en las ciudadanas, + que no seran, como la infeliz Maria Clara, victimas de las + injusticias sociales, sino reparadoras de ellas, y sublimes + propagadoras del bien, de la virtud de la gloria y grandeza + de su patria. + + +Si; abrigo esa esperanza, tengo fe en la libertad de la mujer. No +puede permanecer una mitad de la humanidad en la parte superior y otra +mitad en la parte inferior de la escala sin producirse desequilibrios, +lagrimas y sufrimientos. Todos tienden a nivelarse en la vida como +todos se nivelan en la muerte. La humanidad ha descubierto una nueva +luz y su antorcha iluminara aunque los errores y preocupaciones +de los hombres se empenen en cubrirla de tinieblas. iAy de los que +resistan la luz! El mundo marcha, no se detiene en su progreso. Los +que quieran quedar atras se quedaran porque es dado a los seres humanos +ese albedrio, pero sera para lamentar mas tarde su culpa y su retraso. + +No me es dado vaticinar la suerte que cabra a los esfuerzos presentes +que hacen las mujeres filipinas para obtener el sufragio; se sin +embargo que sus esfuerzos deben ser para ellas y para nosotros un +motivo de orgullo y de honor porque indican que ninguna parte de +nuestro pueblo es insensible a los grandes movimientos del siglo. Hay +algunos que se mofaran de ellas, muchos que se encogeran de hombros, +pero las mujeres no deben desalentarse por eso, porque ni la mofa ni +el encogimiento de hombros son razones de peso. Algun dia les daran la +razon esos mismos que ahora se rien y se encogen de hombros ignorando +probablemente la marcha del mundo y la de su propia sociedad, como +aquellos que se burlaron de Rizal en su tiempo han lamentado su error +muy tarde y le han completamente justificado y vindicado. + +Lo que necesitamos es hacer la luz y propagar las nuevas doctrinas +para que las acepten las conciencias que no se niegan voluntariamente +a reconocer la justicia y la verdad, unicos e inconmovibles fundamentos +sobre los que descansan la estabilidad y el bienestar de las sociedades +civilizadas. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Woman and the Right to Vote, by Rafael Palma + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOMAN AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE *** + +***** This file should be named 26699.txt or 26699.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/6/9/26699/ + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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