The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-03-06
husband and wife into probate, to be
devoured by greedy offieiaIs.

N"Soauu anu Vile into PROBATE, 10 be
devoured by greedy officials.
1t is politics which confers on indi-
Viduais OF great wealth, tact, grasping
energy and ambition, the right to mo-
nopolize hundreds of thousands of acres
OF land, and thousands of lots in cities.
while the poor are destitute of lands,
houses or the means of acquiring liv-
ing, laying deep aud strong the founda-
tion of pauperism, ignorance and crime.
1t is politics which builds up large
monopolies, confers corporate powers
on moneyed, industrial and educational
institutions, which benefits the nOn-pro-
ducing few, at the expense of the tOiling
many.
1t is politics, even, on which religious
and benevolent organizations depend for
their existence, for their authority to be
and to do.
1t was politics which burst the bonds
of slavery in the British West Indies,
emancipat ed four millions of American
Slaves, and enfranchised eight hundred
thousand freedmen.
| II Was pOliliCS WnlCu III many ClalCS
consecrated the homestead to the use of
| the family and made il sacred from the
whitening touch of distraining officers.
/ 1t was politics which in many states
enlarged the personal and property
rights of women and wives, opened the
doors of colleges, universities, and the
professions. In fact, there is not hoary
wrong to be righted, public or private
/ grievance to be removed, nor a thriving
scheme to be crystalized into law, but
the aid of politics is invoked.
1t is, therefore, the conviction of the
undersigned, that suffragists should di-
rect their principal labors at the source
and fountain of public authority, and
employ their energies to influence polit-
icaI parties and Legislatures.
No one circumstance will probably
contribute more to break down the
senscless and cruel principles which we
have inherited, the same as our lam
guage, religion and customs, against
woman's interfering in political mat
! tiers, than to have the duties of the va
e rious civil offices, intelligently, eff
! ciently and faithfully discharged by
women. This is not only important to
{ afford them the means of self-support
/ and pecuniary independence, but also to
= familiarize the public eye, and ear, and
1 mind with new experiences, with new
D habits of thought and of action. Wom-
e en-, therefore, should not only be en-
e couraged to attend political meetings,
Il familiarize their minds with the princi-
pies of political economy, study the po-
u litical history of our Government, and
. of the various political parties which
> have exercised, for good or evil, their
moulding and controlling influence
upon the government, but sufragists
l should also demand for them, with i'm
perative voice and determined manner,
: both from city, township, county, State
and National Governments, a bestowal
upon qualified women, an equal share
of clerical and other civil offices, whose
duties are suitable for them to discharge,
and to receive equal compensation with
men, for equal services, equally well
7, performed.
To be efficient and potential upon
people, political parties and govern
ment, suffragists should not only pos
sess right principles, both as regards
theory and practice, but they should
collect, unite and consolidate the scat
tered elements favoring ngWoman Suffrage
into homogeneous body. To this end,
woman suffrage societies or clubs should
be organized in every school district,
college, township, county and city in
s the State, and each united by some sys-
T tenn, to the State organization, by which
c a thorough system of intercommuni-
; cation, of account, ability, and response
bility could be established. By this
't means the suffrage strength can be cas-
: lily massed and charged upon any de-
sired point. The several State and Ter
e ritorial Associations should in turn
y affiliate with a National organization,
/ which, when required for National and
IS State purposes, could pour their united
y strength in any direction which the re-
3 quirements of the cause might demand.
l. BY this simple plan the scattered ele-
d ments of the movement could be gath
g cred together, unified and nationalized,
s. which would secure a oneness Ofpurpose
2 and harmony of actioni procure the
i maximum of moral and political infiu-
enee with the expenditure of the mini
: mum of money and labor.
It New questions bearing unjustly upon
r women will necessarily arise from time
d to time, possessing more or less of an
o exciting character, which should be
II courageously met and boldly confronted
Il by suffragists. The most recent efforts
3 of this character are the two very OBJ
Y noxious Bills introduced into Congress
= by Iessrs. Frelinghuysen and Logan to
disfranchise the women of Utah. The
n reason urged for this gross outrage upon
i the women of Mormondom, and grave
!, indignity to those of the nation, is to
discourage, cripple and, if possible, to
e destroy polygamy in that Territory,
d which is too absurd to require refuta-
= tion. Congress, which feared not the
threats of the Confederate States with
5 their ten millions CT defiant inhabitants,
l. certainly cannot entertain fear that
ID the Government is unequal to enforce
any law which it may enact LOT tue
-. ----a e -, tban one hundred