The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-02-20
AN OPEN LETTER.

take pleasure in giving it place in our coll :
umns.l
While sitting in the audience last
evening / saw the familiar face Of a
gentleman with whom | had that day
conversed upon ;he, to me, all-absorbing
topic, equal rights and its inseparable
companion, or rather its inevitable, and
by no means less glorious result, the
checking of the ravages OF that fell de-
stroyer, iutemperance. And as
glanced at my friend 1 called to mind
his last, and what he considered his
most telling point against Woman Suf-
[ frage, which was briefly as follows:
"Give our wives the ballot, and then
/ goodbye TO either political liberty or do
nestle happiness; then you will be com
PEELED 10 vote as your wife directs or bid .
farewell to your auburn locks" The /
gentleman himself was bald, hence he /
thought only Of the terrible calamity in I
store for myself. However, as ! called /
this conversation to mind, the thought ]
struck me that it might not be bad /
idea, as there may be other gentlemen
present who take the same serio-comic /
view Of the situation entertained by my
friend, to place upon record the expert
ence at least Of one man whose wife has
been guilty, oh, terrible to relate, Of ac
tually committing that most terrible,
most enormous crime, Of going to the
polls aud voting at every opportunity,
. tory rose up in their majesty aud in a
= measure restored to woman her lawful
rights. And, more strange to relate, /,
the husband, instead of being deprived
of my political liberty, of my domestic
happiness or OF my auburn locks Il
guess they're auburn, have not only
voted in accordance with the die
tates Of my own conscience, but have
. enjoyed a happy home-life and am iu-
expressibly happy that my wife and
u have been enabled at each election to
D. kill at least two of the O'Riarty, O'Toole
=, votes, imported by the score into each
precinct, at every election, by the Union
= Pacific Railroad Company, in order that
n that monopoly may be enabled, through
the ballot-bOx, to tighten its grasp upon
the very vitals Of the territory. Now, If
you will kindly bear with me moment
longer, will ask, "From what source
does the most violent aud outspoken op-
position to equal rights arise? Is it
from men and women, voters, law-giv-
ers, fathers and mothers who are intel
81
y hour ?n No, but it is from the fiends
ie in human guise who at the expense OF
he your happiness aud mine are deri wing
=" either political place or pecuniary gain
from their ability to manipulate in their
own interests those twin relics of bar
barisms, rum aud ignorance. Know
ing full well that the ballot in the hands
y, of the pure, the noble, the Intelligent
women Of our land, means the banish-
meut OF the one and the education Of the
= other, they cry out upon the very street
corners against the enormity of grant
ing woman suffrage. Now, although
the most violent, Outspoken opposition
: comes from these men, there is an ele-
~ ment behind the scene that is response
ble before God for the hellish work that
.' these men are enabled to accomplish,
% aud | think that you will be no little
- surprised when I tell you who compose
~ this element. Its component parts are
none other than some Of the best Chris
- tian people in our land; people who, as
Sc hear them very often in your churches
u while lameutiug the deplorable fact
% that the emissaries of rum and ruin do
ST not hesitate to plant their nets upon the
D. very threshold Of our churches in or
y der to compass the ruin of our sons aud
Is daughters, fondly imagine that they,
p the fathers aud mothers in Israel, eau
C. remain neutral while this great reform
IS is going on. Alas, vain delusion. By
10 their very passiveness they place most
he powerful weapon in the hands OF their
ID most deadly enemies.
" Dear friends, have you ever thought
a Of this matter in this light? II not, will
IL you do so now, for you can no more re-
vs. main neutral during this great struggle
at than you could were an even-handed
es struggle going on between the red and
W white races which must result in the
e, determination of the vauquished; on the
re contrary, you must throw your weight,
D. be it heavy or light, upon one side ol
'e the other. Which side will you stand
Of upon, right or wrong? 1t is said, and
n. l hear it every day, that "decent, respect.
30 able women would not avail themseIv e:
lie of this privilege Of the ballot were il
n granted them" Would they not? Who
ee may 1 ask, are the most valiant soldier:
lt in the Christian army? Our mother.
y. and sisters; who the most untiring
Is workers in every great reform where
ID place is accorded both sexes , The same
at noble, devoted women. Very well
or while the best male citizens of every
re community have in many cases decided
OF that on account OF political corruption
g it is not worth while for an honest mar
is to east ballot, thereby virtually givine
re the nation into the hands of its enemies
rs women would use the ballot gra ute,
Or her, arise in her sublime faith in th,
lis inevitable triumph Of right, fred b,
m her God-like love Of truth and iustic q
I'd and cast an overwhelming vote upon tn,
e side Of God and humanity, thereby en-
as couraging the disheartened men to cir,