The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-10-23
The Woman Suffrage Question.


SEATTLE, Oct, 18th, 1878.
Ed. ISTELLIGENcER Your patient
correspondent from Falls City, in this
mornings issue. makes me very in-
patient.
Would that possessed thoughts
that breathe, and words that burn, that
l might answer this article as it de-
serves; but unfortunately l have not,
but will be obliged to do the next best
thing. use the small talent that God
has given me in q small way. Hear
hiui-.I consider the elective iraa-
chise, not as q right. but as q solemn
duty. which all true patriots are bound
to exercise" etc In the following SEN
tence he calls the performance of this
sacred duty as something dirty, poison
Gus, damnable cesspool.' etc. Now.
what docs this mean In the name Of
common sense, tell me! Am | to infer
that the choosing of our public officers.
the making Of our laws. is come to be
y cesspool? Well, it won't take much
to make me admit that fact. l think
l will leave it thus for the present, and
by an illustration teach Mr.. Falls City
"just what's the matter"
Several years agoI came to this coast
to find my liege lord, and owner.
keeping house alone, and such house.
keeping need not waste words in des-
cribing it. Every reader of your paper
hos seen similar. What was wanted !?
Simply the woman element, to bring
her force to the rescue. and behold. the
chaos is righ.ed. So will it be with
politics. Let woman have finger in
the pool and its muddy waters will
soon become clear, and cease to be the
shameful thing you deplore. In my
humble belief there is not one human
being. on the face of the earth, that is
good aud unselfsh enough to have the
entire control Of another. They will
mete out injustice sooner or later.
Neither sex should have lawful power
to control the other under any circum-
stances (criminality excepted) and as
long as one sex monopolize the ballot
the other must be in subsection. Just
SO long will woman complain. If you
men are determined to keep the ballot
from woman. why not be consistent and
pass law to keep her in ignorance for
in that way alone have you any hopes
of keeping her quiet. The more they
are enlightened the more they clamor
for freedom, and when you cry out Tin
struct the mothers" you are asking for
the very means which must bring about
the result you seem to deplorc.
an q woman, and / have talked
with hundreds of my fellow sisters. 1t
is the ignorant that do not care for the
ballot. your assertion to the contrary
notwithstanding. There is class Of
women that have never had care for
themselves. or . thought for others.
Selfish, frivolous, fashionable, unthink.
ing women that shrug their shoulders
aud say: 81 have all the rights want"
but let them lose husband and father
Of large flock of little ones. las q GER
tain woman here in Seattle did but q
few months since) and where does she
find herself Her property put under
administration, 9 guardian appointed
for her babies. and she compelled to
wait year at least, before she can come
into possession Of her own. You we'll
know the difference. had that mother
died instead. Another case. There
is o school not one hundred miles
from Seattle. where man and
woman src teachers. The man in.
structs less than thirty pupils. the
woman more than ffty FIVE; yet the man
receives for his services nearly double
that Of the woman. / cite these two
cases but could Gil . large volume with
like injustice had time. Think you il
woman had vote these things would
Be soY Don't tell me the old saw,
/" woman don't know. etc." too we'll
know and deplore woman's ignorance.
also know the old adage. " where
ignorance 10 bliss it's folly to be wise. -
Again have confidence in womanhood
that if permitted. she will vote ..
undcrstandingly as her brother. You
quote Madame De Stael. and what but
her innate love of truth inspired those
noble sentiments. Turn which way
you will. to ancient. modern or sacred
history, and find AL along the dim
vista Of the past or the light of the
present the myriad Of heroic, noble
women who have occasionally come to
the front inspired with these god-given
desires for freedom in common with
man." Think you this portend.
naughts Stop my brother aud reflect
Put yourself in woman's place awhile
and then We will gladly listen to you
But you can't do il. am asking an
impossibility. But you can give n,
the privilege of helping to make tn,
laws TO govern our own individuality
and the honor of womanhood for il
that your .jirty cssspools' that you are
50 ashamed Of will become pure. Goo
hasten the day when We shall be treatet
! land worthy Of III As equals Tier
when Q gentlemen talks 10 . lady, b.
will treat her % . human being
worthy Of his best thoughts. To-day
~ rule. II . gentleman calls on n lady
he comes tearing into her presence
twirling his cane or moustache II b.
has one, and commences to shipper and
say over : few compliments, aud con-
dole with her over her pet poodle q
CT n short, aet - i h WAS talking 4