The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-06
THE BATTLE OF THE BENS.
Their Geographical Relations.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 5, 1880.

In connection with the feminine
disabilities contest, remarks have
been made OF q character not in
with my assertion that
Ben Mscdui is = taller gentleman
than Ben Nevis. 1 spoke on the
authority OF the ordnance survey,
though it is probably not infallible.
By the by, I thought l had done
with that contest for the present, as
the modified bill was killed in the
House by a msjority of one, notwith'
standing that a similar bill passed
both houses last session. But perhaps
you will kindly allow me the indul-
gence OF a parting shot with Ben
Tssker, although L feel somewhat
ashamed of noticing such character
at all.
In the HERALD Of the 4th he replies
to my letter in the HERALD ofthe 3rd,
but he evidently has not much to
say, and therefore 1 need not say
much about it. l may, however, say
a little. His quotation from Isaiah
goes to prove that my assertion was
true that there was no such passage
in the Bible as re quoted in the
HERALD OF the 9th, "Woe unto you
when children are your oppressors
and women rule over you" Ben
Tasker quotes further from Isaiah, as
If anxious to prove that instead OF
women obtaining further rights and
privileges, they should be curtailed IN
some which they now enjoy. Thus,
they ask eligibility to Office, there
fore, they ought to lose the suffrage.
This may be logically inferred from
Ben's way Of talking. IsaiSb talks OF
certain women, none Of the best,
being deprived of their apparel and
ornaments. Ben Tasker would EVIL
IDENTITY delight to see them in that
primitive and forlorn condition. He
seems to 1evel in the idea. But If he
feels disposed to despoil the women OF
Utah of their pull backs and their
"rings and things aud fnery," he,
anologically, may be supposed TO feel
disposed to despoil the men OF Utah
OF their sheep and cattle on a thou
sand bills, but, if go, I do not envy
him his selt-set labor, nor have l any
sympathy with him in it. He will
be likely to find the business exceed.
iugly discreditable and dangerous,
and himself a fugitive and vaga-
bond in the earth, and should leave
him to the law and the testimony oi
the outraged community.
Ben Tasker thinks l am young and
inexperienced. Well, am not &C
old and experienced az l may be yet,
hor 90 young and inexperienced as
once was. | believe am old enough
to know a thing or two. But pos
sibly Ben may have had some expert
ence that l have not had, nor desire
to have. l am inclined to think be
has, and that may have made him
somewhat missnthropical. Perhaps
l have had some experience that be
has not had, and never will have, but
would like to have. I have had
some experience in tie matters OF
wives and SONS and daughters and
grandchildren and fathers and
mothers-ir-laW and brothers and
sisters and cousins and aunts, and
lots of other people. Has Ben Tasker
had experience in all such people?
He may have been blessed with a
mother-in.l law, but presume not, at
most not more than one, and do
not know that he deserves one, a
good one. II he has not had one Of
any sort then what does he know Of
the blessings of the absolute despot-
ism" be talks aboutG And IL he has
not had wife nor children, what can
he know about women, their abilities
and disabilities? He talks as fine did
not know much about them, which
leads me to think there may be more
than one Ben Tasker, which l sin
cerely hope not. One OF that name
is sufficient. l have wondered what
right he had to take up this question
at all. 1t is just ike his impudence.
But the presumption of some men is
immense. You may think l am
rather begging this part of the ques-
ton. Perhaps l am. But again,
perhaps l am not.
Ben TsskeT appears to think pee
pie have been more oppressed and
degraded under women rulers than
under men rulers. l do not so read
history. Women are generally con
ceded to be more moral than men.
Women in high position have done
come noble things in their time.
Deborah, under immediate divine
inspiration, led and delivered Israel.
Boadicea, widowed queen OF the
Iceni, having, with her daughters,
been treacherously and barbarously
treated By her brutal Roman con-
querors, led her people against them
with heroic spirit and signal success
in several contests, having 263, 900
men under her command, and de-
stroying 10000 of her enemies,
though eventually being defested, for
the Romans were the conquerors of
the world. Joan of Arc led France
and accomplished much deliverauoe
for it. Victoria has occupied the
most exalted position in one of the
foremost nations OF the world, occu
pied it with credit for nearly halt
century. Have the English people
been more oppressed under her
reign than the American people were
under the reign of her royal kinsman
George III? Have British subjects
been more oppressed and de-
graded under her rule than
they were under the rule
of her royal kinsmsn, George ",
"the first gentleman in Europe?" |
Has 70: her court been as moral and |
svery way as creditable SIS the courts
Of scores OF kings that might be
named? Has not her reign been as
progressive and prosperous
ls the average of the reigus of the
kings OF that country, long or short?
These will suffice for instances.
Having now got altogether and
afely away from that detestable Ben
Casker, thank heaven, I turn with a
ceiling Of relief to the other Rens.
Ben Lomond, with his usual good
lck, happened to be first in that con-
est in your columns, though he !
oes not pretend to be the biggest in
!. Nevertheless, he is a fine fellow, I
I noble proportions and pleasing
ontour, with impressive features and :
IMPOSING presence. He is a very