The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-15
TREAT ALL ALIKE.

al
There is a certain class who, when
ever a woman is detected in something
instantly proclaim her
Woman Suffragist and endeavor to
make capital out of her sins against the
woman movement. The Belknap frauds
were no sooner disclosed than than these
persons put on a look of self-righteous
awe and ominously hinted at dark
things If women were allowed power.
Women of the Belknap class are never
suffragists, but that makes no differ
ence; gullibility takes the bait just as
easily and clings on to it just as tena-
ciously as though they were leaders in
the movement instead of sneering syeo-
plants who shave all the rights they
want" Even if it were provable that
these women are in every instance adj
vocates of suffrage, it would not prove
that they should be disfranchised unless
fraudulent voters among men should be
treated likewise; and if justice were
thus summarily dealt out, the number
of illegal voters" among those who have
held high places in government employ
would be alarmingly diminished.
To show the readiness with which op-
ponents catch at straws and endeavOr to
magnify them into cannon and turn
them against the cause of equal rights,
we copy the following bit from the
Springfield Republican, which bit has,
however, gone the rounds of many coun-
try newspapers, more or less garbled:
All sorts of people exist in this little world.
Mrs. Alma Van Wrinkle, of Chicago, "a tall,
commanding looking lady," representing a
Woman Suffrage association, and representing
grave eccentricities of spelling in her writing
has been exposed in iagrant attempt to
"strike" some of the women teachers Of the city
| in the genuine style of the Washington lobby.
| Mrs Van Wrinkle assured Miss Curtis, we'll
/ known teacher in the schools, that she could
have the situation of neutrality-suspicious.
of schools at $500 a year, if she would give hel
81 900, to be used in buying up a German mem
Der of the school board. Mr.. Doty was going
to get the first place by paying $500, and the
lady could have hers for $1,000. Miss Curtis
like a sensible woman, turned the letters Ovel
to a member of the committee, who put then
in his safe. Not long after, Mrs. Van Wrinkle
came for them and few into rage that they
were not forthcoming. On an order from Mis-
Curtis they were surrendered after copies haC
been taken. There is no evidence that any
body offered or took bribes, but Mrs. Van Win
kle was going TO feather her own nest nicely.
If we were one of those who delight t
proclaim women as angels, we shoulC
doubtless declare the above to be false
Knowing them to be human, very mucl
as men are, we grant that it may, o
may not, be true? If true, what then
1t only goes to show that there are bat
women and good women in the world
as we'll as bad and good men. 1t show
further that women IOiU Eeddle in pub
lie matters, when they have a disposi
ton to do SO, despite of political restric
tions. There is no evidence that goes +
show that the franchise would increas
this tendency to evil, while every on
knows that TO shut persons of from lie
gitimate participation in public affair
only increases the subtlety and cunniu
with which they participate in them sc
cretly. If knavery and dishonesty is t
be banished from politics and their or
posites made the qualification of legs
voters, we say, Amen; but let the purit
axe fall without discrimination, anC
when the franchise is thus limited, le
the "venal crew who have schemed an
planned" to defraud the nation tax
) their place beside women who, for dis
honest practices, are tabooed, and IL
the grand army of women who woul
scorn to bring their conscience to tn
public mart" take their proper place
beside those of their brethren who hay
= kept themselves in this regard "whit,
souled, clean-handed, pure of heart"