The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-06-12
Woman vs.. Saloons.

From the Santa Barbara Index
Considerable speculation has been in
dulged in as to the probable effects Of
the Temperance Crusade on the ques-
tion of the admission of woman TO suf-
frage. In one way the Crusade has
proved help to the cause of Woman
/ Suffrage. The failure Of women to
eradicate the saloon from but a very
small part Of the country, and the
probability that their work has been but
Of transitory effect, even where it has
been most successful, has caused vast
number OF women to look TO the ballot
as a means for the accomplishment of
their purposes who never appreciated its
use before. On the other hand, the
Woman's Crusade has stimulated the
zeal OF the opponents of Woman Suf-
frage. In their war against saloons, the
American women have exhibited q
feeling in antagOnism to the common
barter and consumption of liquor, and a
failure Of confidence in the old, much
Yaunted method OF reform, known as
woman's influence, that, until this out
break, has never been fully realized.
This demonstration has alarmed the
dealers in whisky. a conviction is
growing in their minds that women are
their natural enemies. They have a mo-
/ tion that women have a feeling very
much resembling resentment against
! the men who consent to make money
/ out OF the moral weakness OF the fathers
and brothers and husbands and sons.
They know TO q certainty that, should
woman be emancipated from her pres
ent political slavery, the whisky den,
built upon the degradation and ruin OF
her family, and sustained through her
robbery, her misery, and her shame,
would be crushed. The whisky Dealers
consciousness Of this enmity has shown
itself lately in Ohio. AS the people of
that State were about to form a new
constitution, clause was adopted by
the constitutional convention, submit
ting the question of Woman Suffrage to
the popular vote, and the prospect that
the proposition would receive the favor
able decision of the people WAS very Hat
i-tering. Now, however, the whisky Cru
sade has alarmed the dealers in liquor
I for the safety Of their business. Through
their influence the proposition concern
/ ing Woman Suffrage was brought before
/ the Convention for reconsideration, a
new vote was taken, and after n hard
! fought struggle, the whisky dealers
have succeeded in its defeat. The To-
ledo (Ohio) Sunday journal refers to
this change in the decision of the Con-
yention In the following terms:
We were present in the Constitutional
Convention when the final vote was Ia
ken, and witnessed the ignoble specta-
Gle OF body Of men, through their ma.
jority, at a period when all the best in
tellect and best morals OF the country
both of men and women, calls loudly
for the removal of the yoke Of political
q
doggedly and maliciously press theil
iron heel upon the disfranchised. The
yoke gals. 1t may gall so fiercely as tc
occasion unlooked-for results. The
women feel that they have no country
and allegiance to an oppressive govern
ment seems little less than cowartlice
Petitions from thousands of women and
men have poured in upon the Conven-
tion from all parts Of the State, and the
proposition introduced was not that
those gentlemen should give their vote,
but that they should send the missive
out through the State to get an express
sion from the people. The Constitu-
tional Convention will not permit the
men of Ohio to vote upon the subject al
all. They arrOgate to. themselves the
power of defeating the will OF many oi
their constituents. Their denial is ar
bitrary; not an argument in favor has
been refuted. We are assured by friends
who know, that the one cause of this
defeat Of the Woman Suffrage measure
/ is whisky. The movement by the Tenn
perance women has brought the liquor
subscribing element in that Convention
to display its cOlors. How long will
the virtuous portion OF the community
submit TO the bold and bare-faeed con-
troll Of the whisky element?