The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-09-22
WOman's Rights Feeling in Portland.

IN TINS cllN, on Monan suffrage, nave
had the effect of arousing the weaker sex
to a sense of the grand future which
awaits il when il has gained the political
rights at present usurped by man.
Though il may not be apparent on the
surface, vet the wives, mothers and
sisters of this city have been strongly
impregnated with the doctrines promul-
gated bv the woman's rights newspapers.
and it is churning in them thoughts
which they never before experienced.
The women are working quietly, but
when they make an effort for the priv
ileges which they claim belong to them,
and which are retained from them by
the avariciousness of man, that effort
will be one at which the supposed lord of
creation will open his eyes with aston
ishment.
When Mrs. Duniway started the NEW
NORTHWEST in this city there We're but
few women here who had given her
doctrines any thought, or if they had, ii
was but a passing glance whenever il
was mentioned. But no sooner was that
organ fairly started than the timid and
perhaps thOughtless creatures began to
comprehend their loss and set to work to
TO gain il.
THE PIONEER SOCIETY,
For the comforting of the ballot on
woman was started in this city about
six months ago. At first it numbered
but three or four gentle creatures, but
after awhile it began TO increase, until
seventeen members were entered on the
rolls of the Society. Meetings We're
held occasionally at the residence of the
most prominent advocates of the doc
trine, and there they encouraged each
other to persevere in the "gOod cause"
Gentlemen friendly to the aspiration of
/ the Society We're often invited and took
part in its deliberatiOn, and others who
We're supposed To be useful to it, were
requested To make n call on a certain
evening in order that they should be
! inOculated with the ideas. In this
manner the organization 1lourished,
until it presumed itself strong enough TO
| bring lecturcss of some capacity here
who would express the doctrine to the
public i'm a fallacious, if not a logical
form. The effect has already been seen
of the addresses of Miss Anthony, for
the Society, which was then scarcely i'm
its teens, now muster siXty-five active
and intelligent members, not to reckon
the men who lend their sympathy,
and promise their aid when the proper
time comes. What will
WOMAN GAIN BY THE BALLOT
Is question we asked one Of its lady
members, and what does she hope TO ac-
PROMPTLY: The right TO legislate the
same as man; the right to have a voice
in who shall govern us, and the right Ia
see that only good and capable men are
placed i'm responsible positions. This Is
apparently their only desire; but some
it seems, express desire to do away
with the marital bond, which they think
is a CALLING yoke. These, however, art
in despicable minority, notwithstand-
ing those creatures in New York known
as Woodhull and Clafiiu send theil
paper free to persons for the mere pay.
ment of postage, thus hoping to pro.
mulgate the filthy doctrine which they
teach under the expression, 'EveTN
woman has n right to select the fathe
Of her offspring"
One of the strongest advocates o
woman suffrage, when asked how IA
this idea OF free love-for it Is nOthins
else-had spread among the "stron;
minded" replied that she knew of bu
one who entertained the demoralizin;
doctrine. Her idea was that some law
were necessary to govern society; tn
: woman made bad bargain in selecting
her conjugal companion, she shOul
abide by il. This Is all very correct, We
we learn that the Woodruff and Claili
theory j. entertained by more than one
In justice to the prominent advocates {
wOman's rights, il should be stated tha
l this doctrine is an abomination to then
e They assert that there must be som
= powerful monetary influence behind Ill
~ scenes to enable these notorious wome
OF New York to send their paper free
subscribers.
g They have sent to this city for Il
. names of women known rs reformer
so that they could send them a COPY
, their journal, but thus far we la,
learned of no one sending them a list
such persons.
THE ONE HUNDRED LADIES
" That signed the petition Of Miss Anth
ny, urging Congress to declare WON,
n voters under the Fourteenth and Fl
teenth Amendments are not, il is state
but a mere fraction of those who gi
D. the matter their sympathy, and a
Il willing to make test of the right
,r women to vote under these Amendment
at no distant day. On the princiI
- that the weak must Use strategy whe
gs strength is lacking the gentle sea
er keeping quiet at present, but when I
M proper time comes many husband W
be surprised at the bold front which
e better half will show when she deman
IL a right not conceded TO her under [
,v present complexion Of politics.
. Will women enter the political are
. is a question which many a lord of ere
IN ton may ask himself, and he shivers
he thinks of a refined wife, moth
sister or daughter struggling and jostli
~ with wantons, and the TlIder and me
on ignorant class of females to reach
fa- ballot-boX and deposit her vote for
or Snooks or Pilkins. Miss Anthony
ON reply to this states that woman wol
Ie- confine herself TO the social and edu
Of tiOnal questions where her own or
81 children's welfare would he at sta
Ike This, however, like other assertions
Ipe the good woman would accomplish W
no the ballot, is speculative and theoretiC
isb Woman is said to be
me TYPICAL OF MUTABILITY.
IS, And when she received the ballot,
no whims and caprices of what she does
uy does not want to accomplish with
I'm would be as mutable as her fashions
ny at the present day.
uc- III all writer's of prominence, know
oy- history, are taken as authority, won
er- would not-judging from her characte
An vote twice on the same subject, let il
ted for good or evil, as it would weary !
ra- and she would want new idea evolN
Dut as she would desire a new type of bon
I II or mode of dressing the hair. Euripe,
Juvenal, Horace, Virgil, Shakespe
Racine and other authors high in
en- world of thought have said woman
DO changeable, hence the theory must