The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-24
A hRRTaETn IDEA.

To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
1 have a Bright idea, a plan for the
settling of this woman question without
any more quibbIing. 1t flashed into my
mind just now like a revelation, and I
am in such haste to unfold it that am
almost tempted to send telegram, in
stead of letter. You know that "turn
about" is always considered fair play,
and all men testify to the truth of the
adage that says, "It is poor rule that
will not work both ways --
While it is the plainest principle of
Justice that we should not impose on
Others yoke that we would not our
selves be willing to bear, therefore, as
the argument of all arguments against
admitting women to the polls is that
she is already represented, and as she
has no need to vote would merely in
crease the number of ballots, every
candid thinker can perceive that the
way to avoid the evil of swelling the
number of ballots without changing
their decisions, and still be just to our
sex, is to turn the voting entirely over
to women, and let them do the repre-
senting for while. Nobody can object
to this plan, for it is so perfectly fair.
Can't women represent men as we'll as
men can represent women And won't
their legislating be very likely to suit
the lords of creation as well as the pres
ent law-making suits the women of this
country? It would be nothing more
than manifesting right spirit, any
way, for men to accept this change, and
would show they are sincere when they
say that it is useless for both sexes to
vote; for as they tell US we should be
willing to let others vote for US, they
can't consistently refuse to let Others
vote for them. A wife and mother will
legislate only for the good of her family,
and to make everything satisfactory
the same code of laws can be adopted
that have been in force all these years
without any other change than that o.
writing the word female where it is now
male, and substituting everywhere man
for aOonldn and Wonlan for man, which
would afford them a fine opportunity
for seeing whether they like their owr
laws.
How absurd it would be for them
to refuse to abide by laws of their OWL
making. How much the precious dearl
will enjoy being turned out of doors
without shilling when their wives OBJ
tain divorces by proving in court that
they have been faithless husbands
How rejoiced they will feel to hear some
learned judge, sitting on Deady's bench
declare that the evidence of an unchastt
man cannot be relied upon, it being
we'll known that man who has lost hi
virtue cannot be believed, though upor
his oath And how more than de
lighted will be the widowers and bache
lors who have no wives to represen
them, when they will no longer havt
the trouble of saying how much they
shall be taxed, and how their take
shall be applied! Indeed, the more
think over this plan, the more 1 an
convinced that it is the right one. LIE
US all, with one accord, exclaim: Come
gentlemen, give US lease of the ballo
for the new century, so that we may b.
persuaded that you are doing by us a
you would be done by, even if you wer
women. And the dear souls will do it
of course they will, and be glad to ge
out of the "filthy pool of politics" an,
wash themselves of its stains. Then
afterwards, if any man gets out of hi
sphere, and shows an unmistakable de
sire to wear petticoats by being restles
because he can't vote for himself, W
can silence him by proving to the worl,
that he is ''free-lover," or he wouldn'
want to go to the polls; and we can cal
him "loud-mouthed," "disreputable, !
and "cross-grained," for ''sauce that
good for the goose, etc., etc."
MADGE BRIGHT.