The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-01-30
WOMAN SUFFRAGE. -

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The patient and long-suffering readers
of Sam Clarke's Statesman had opportu-
nifty, one day last week. to wade through
a verbose Introduction to the "Woman
Question" In its columns, sbounding In
interminable platitudes, silly false
hoods, semi-sensatiOnal nonsense and
Insane sophistries, until, at last, he
stumbled suddenly upon the following:
an the fear we havo In establishing Woman
Suffrage Is that thereby woman may lose the
paramount Influence she has now with man,
that the blush OF the lily may be soiled, that
politics may degrade her instead OF assisting
hertO purify society.
When we first read this startling
statement our mind flashed from our
own sanctum over across the country to
the Statesman office, where, pOring over
his editorial effort, sat the cadaverous
and lucorruptible Sammy-one OF the
lawmakers OF the land, you know,
upon whose superior innocence 90 wo-
men must depend to save the oily from
being soiledrl For should she once be-
come emancipated from his superior die
tation, and should henceforth dare to
think and act for herself, this self-same
Innocent creature, upon whom she must
now rely to be kept virtuous, will ''de-
grade herr by his politics, INSTEAD Of
assisting her to purify societyw Shades
Of logic, aud long-drawn shadows of
ideal parSdoxrs, How We are aston
Ished!
Having relieved his sodred imagina-
tIon OF the above skimble-skamble, this
pure minded political effete goes for the
editor of this paper in the following rhe-
torlcal raphsody, which eprint in order
that the uninitiated may see what q
mans gangrened conscience may be
sometimes led to conjure up with which
to accuse its betters:
One thing We must consider established by
the history OF the movement 20 far which is:
that some women may push themselves for
ward with INSCRIPTIONS efnontery as place
hunters, Join cabals and lay political plots. and
be among the most INSCRIPTIONS OF political
schemers. We see In our own state a woman
boldly announcing a. her editorial motto that
any party or partisan who fsvors female suf-
frage, which Is akin 10 that obsolete religious
creed which declared that the end Jusilfles the
means.
Now, we have never yet known a
successful general 10 please a resisting foe
by his manner Of fconducting a campaign.
Neither have we ever known an enemy
of freedom to tell the truth concerning
his rival, If he could possibly avoid It.
Such demagogues as Mr.. Clarke, who
have no other idea of political action
than the Joining with "place-hunters,
political cabals and plOt-layers," who
are themselves-as his record proves
"the most unscrupulous of political
schemers,n are sure to rate the success
Of other people with their own unscru-
pulous attempts to secure coveted prizes.
We have 10 doubt, SAMMY, bnt that
you would be pleased II we should
grind your political ak instead Of wo-
mans. That's human nature, and
we'll try not 10 censure you too severely
for your seliishntss. But We ask your
readers and you too df your opinion is
worth n straw how any political prob
lem can be solved except on the very
basis which you 50 sweepingly con-
denim ? The women are engaged in a
hand-to-han struggle with political
foe composed largely Of just such specI-
. mems of fossilized humanity and all-ab-
sorblng seldshness rs your own sancti-
monious sell. They know that in order
to secure the priceless boon of personal
freedom they must submit, for the time
being, to an order Of things with which
they cannot assimilate, but which they
must take advantage Of and use, even as
men, though not believing In war, clasp
eagerly the red hand of Revolution in
their hour of need, advocating the
claims Of any partisan that favors"
freedom and Justice. And the result,
sir, has, in their case, proven very
clearly that the "end justified the
meansn
women who are not ready to go down
INTO the very cess-pool of politics, and 50
trouble the waters there that the angel
VI freedom may have opportunity to
enter ana purify it, do not deserve the
blessing Of individual liberty. Let such
oe cringing, fawning slaves II they like
Ihere are hundreds of thousands Of
other women who scorn TO lIek tbs
hand that smites them with oppres.
sion, or cater to their enemies for /.
little vapid praise. These are the wo-
men who, having not the fear Of such
political tricksters as yourself befor,
their eyes-women who have sens,
enough to accept the situation as il is
and work from practIacl, rather thar