The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-15
WHAT HAS WOMAN TO GAIN BY
THE BALLOT

This question was asked in a way that
reminded US of the stories of the ''intim-
idation" of colored voters in the South at
the last election, asked by a man who
held a position because he was a voter,
that enabled him to set aside the curse,
''In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread" pronounced upon father Adam,
and supposed to be entailed upon his
SONS, asked of bright-eyed but delicate
little woman, who was, with an ad-
mirable degree of cheerfulness, toiling
up the sleeps of life under the double
curse-her own and that of the man.
Quick and ready came the reply:
"Just what any other human being
can gain by it; no more, no less"
Do not the same laws and principles
in nature apply with equal force to men
and women? If the ballot is a weapon
of defense to one class, is it less than
that to another? If working men prize
it as just exponent of their interests,
should not working women prize it for
the same reason? Is not taxation with
out representation tyranny, whether
taxes 80 levied are wrested from men or
from women?
Surely it takes neither the wisdom of
a Solomon nor the logic of an Aristotle
to establish these plain truths. Good
and true men everywhere sadly recog-
nize the fact that protection, so far as
myriads of women are concerned, is a
myth, for even while it is talked upon
the street-corners or daintily discussed
in fanciful language from pulpits,
crowds of hungry, homeless women wall
in pitiful accents, "Give US work" Out
in the broad highways of life, fighting
its battles even as men fight them, but
with weapons all unsuited to the fierce
warfare, they jostle and crowd each
other in the circumscribed employments
which, being women, they are only al
lowed to enter, and receiving the scanty
pittance that, because of their political
serfdOm, is doled out to them, go theil
hard way hearing of protection, but
never knowing it.
What will these gain by the ballot
Equal wages for equal pay. Equal op
portunity to labor, for it is well known
that voters everywhere receive the
preference. Opportunity to aid in the
framing of laws that shall protect th'
interests of working women, even a
men now have for legislating to protec
the interests Of working men. WOmeI
who do not have to labor with hands o
brain to supply the daily-recurrinl
necessities of life-and this class is
small fraction of the whole-will gail
in self-respect, in breadth of mind ant
understanding, and both men and WON
en- will gain better government-on
worthy the name of republic.
Womanhood is never desecrated ex
cept when helpless. Equality befor
the law carries with it the very essenc
of respect and respectability; equal pa.
for equal labor insures immunity from
want, and bids defiance to prostitution
''To be weak is to be miserable, doin
or suffering" and any disfranchise
class is weak. All that women shal
gain by the ballot will not be clearl
apparent until out of the eternal princi
piles of republican freedom shall sprin
government the cornerstone of whic
is universal liberty, and the gain wi
not alone be wOman's gain, but me
will proudly share its broad and endul
ing advantages.