The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-06
LETTER FROM EASTERN OREGON.

Messrs. KimbertiU, Luce, and Robln-
son. The three umpires, who, by the
way, are all "heads of families" after
patient hearing of all arguments, de-
cided unanimously in favor of the af-
firmative. Not one of these last had
ever, to my knowledge, expressed SYM
pathy with the cause of woman's en-
franchisement, and we asked at their
hands, not judgment upon their precon-
ceived opinions, whatever they might
be, but a decision in accordance with
the weight of argument that either side
should adduee.
Messrs. Biswell and Ridgdon are both
single young men, engaged in the laud
able pursuit of teaching the "young
idea how to shoot" They both stand
high in their profession, are good and
fluent speakers, and are earnest in their
advocacy of right and justice. As to
the third speaker, his mOdesty and diff |
fidence are too we'll known throughout |
the State to need comment here.
The speakers on the negative side at
tempted, as is usual with men placed in
their position, to raise the free-love wall,
declaring their belief that if these ad-
vanced ideas of woman's equality should
grow in the same rapidity for the next
twenty years that they have in the last
that this abomination will run riot, and
virtue and intelligence will be forever
obliterated from the land of our fathers.
Mr.. Robinson hoped that he might be
spared the pang of seeing wife or
daughter going down into the filthy pool
of politics. Even hardened men were
ashamed to look each other in the face
after visiting such pools of pollution.
Query by the court, your humble
servant acting as such court. Who
made these pools thus filthy? Answer
1 presume next week if at all).
Now, this same gentleman's daughter
had, on this very evening, read very
creditabIe paper to an audience, and in
, the fathers presence. AS far as l could
, discern, he seemed as well pleased at his
, daughters success as any one of that
, very appreciative audience. Not word
was said derogatory of that young lady
because she appeared in public and
made herself the target for all eyes. On
the contrary, her effort was applauded,
as it deserved to be. By the side of this
, young lady, whose age does not prob
ably exceed II years, stood fine-look-
g oHa ~ ~
age, he too acting in the capacity of ed
itor, yet it was apparent to all that both
the matter contained in his paper
and the manner of reading it was in nc
sense equal to that of his lady friend.
Strange as it may appear, this gentle
man utterly ignored this test of intel
: Iectual capacity, and took the lead on
d the negative in discussing the question
e of woman's equality with man. "Home
j. sweet home" was his theme, and doubt
less he devoutly wished that the lady ed
e itor had remained there, nor given sucf
e a striking illustration of the falsity o
V his doctrine of woman's inferiority
q Forgetting that the audience had en-
l. loved the fruits of the lady's intellectual
l. power, he declared that woman wa
only respected in the province of home
n Mr.. John Luce is, as far as 1 know
N the champion anti-suffragist of Gran
10 county. 1 know not why he shoul
is take such an active part against it, bu
70 here is my version of the matter: H
!, has brother somewhere in the valley
70 that formerly conducted little paper
some say, in Hillsboro, and l don
know but he may be running it ye
Well, he awakened in some way
~ slight Misunderstanding with the NE0
= NORTHWEST, and you very politel
~ showed him up. Now, if this is not tn
- cause, 1 am unable to guess it. In hi
=. speech he made an attack upon Mr.:
- Duniway and her paper, said that
- lady who writes in the WlLdnlett
Farmer had said it was not suitabl
paper to be taken into the houses of re
u spectacle people, ETC., etc.
$ AS 1 had preceded him, of course
Il had no chance to reply; neither was
- necessary, for he was defeated past a
70 hope of recovery before he opened hi
@ mouth. The day has gone by whe
00 ridicule and denunciation will convinC
- any candid inquirer after truth that th
~ ladies of Europe and America are nc
=, - seriously in earnest in this matter.
cannot look back over my past life an
81 regret a single, solitary word that
ia have ever uttered in defense of huma
=, liberty, in its broadest and most dign
:, fled sense, without regard to nationa
u ity, color, or sex; but do regret, an
that exceedingly, that 1 have SOM
times kept silent, when the cause d.
We manded frank, open, and manly speecl
at then and there. NJ.
he John Days Valley, March "a, 1877.
re-