Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-11-08
OLYMPIA. SiTlRnsY MORNING. nov. S. 1NS.
MRS. DUNIWAY ON SUFFRAGE.

As the Woman Suffrage Convention
and the bill comforting the elective
franchise on women now pending in the
lower House, are engaging n large share
of public attention this week. we will
doubtless be pardoned for devoting con-
siderable space to the subject. 1t is
pre-eminently the topic of the day, and
its Importance demands that it be freely
discussed. With the view of eliciting
comment, we shall give a somewhat
extended synopsis of Mrs. Duniways
remarks before the Suffrage Association
last Wednesday evening.
In glancing back over the history of
the past two years, which covered the
greater portion of her public live, she
felt great cause to congratulate the
friends of Women's Enfranchisement
upon the advance that had been made
among the original opposes of the prin-
ciple. Two years ago, the friends of
the measure were classed among the
exceptions in society; to-day, we find
that the relations Of friend and enemy
have changed places, and it is now
matter of surprise when any man of av-
erage intellectual ability proclaims him.
self as our adversary. Laying aside the
argument relating to the justice, moral
ity and righteousness of woman's de-
mand, she proposed to devote the hour
for her address to discussing the subject
as matter of political expediency, as
this was the only argument which would
have weight with politicians, who hav-
ing the power to grant or withhold our
reasonable demands, must, therefore,
be treated, whether loyal or not,
with respectful consideration"
The Government is in itself direct
contradiction of its own idea. 1t is
founded upon the declaration that gov
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed, and is adj
ministered upon the idea that sex, pro-
vided it is masculine, is superior to Wis
dom, if that wisdom happens to be
feminine. Much is said by political
partisans who rank among the outs,
about corruption of other political par
tisans who rank among the ins. With
a wonderful degree of logical obfusca-
cation, which would be amusing because
of its absurdity were it not that it's eff
fects were so disastrous in the Govern
ment, stump orators are wont to boast
in glowing terms of ideal eloquence of
the superior purity Of this political Or
ganization which is out of power, over
that which is in. These sages deplore
the corruption that stalks in high places,
vainly imagining that it exists because
the ins ought to be out and the outs in.
This, she affirmed, was nonsense. Gov
eminent as it exists to-day, is necessari-
ly corrupt, not because of the superior
excellence of one party and the consum-
mate villainy of the other, but because
our law makers, in conducting one
sexed government, violate the funda-
mental law of counterparts. The Eter-
nal Architect of the universe has faith
fully observed this law in the creation
OF all things. The analytical student
can discoverit in everything: the trees,
the birds, the plants, the eternal hills
and everlasting rocks, alike attest du
atty in the divine idea of creation. pres
ervation and perpetuation. And He did
not forget the needs of man, when He
saw that it was not good for him to be
alone. But man had imagined that he
was more just than God in his ideas of
Government. He had decided that he
was more pure than his Maker in the
administration of law, and consequent
ly had created one-sexed, immaterial
lnharmonious body polite, which neces-
sarily contains within itself the elements
OF dissolution. Hence arises corrup-
ton in politics.
A gentleman whose opinion she held
in high regard had said to her recently:
Il grant that woman may do much
good in government, but I greatly fear
the deleterious effect that will result to
herself from becoming politician. 1t
is almost impossible for a man to be
politician and retain his integrity"
She had no doubt but that q one-sexed
government would produce
IKE effects upon woman's integrity, but
the gentlemen would please remember
That the women were disposed to profit
BY mems blunders and surely did not in
tend to copy his mistakes. Men be-