Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-30
5em6eSmoe 6ohmN.
EDrrrD nYJ. ". SINS.

- GIltl6CtbItCe G0VtVIftIC'
EDITED BY ,. W, SINS.
There has been so much said by the enc
mics Of local option on the basis Of woman
suffrage, about the demoralizng effect the
ballot would have upon woman, II conferred
upon her, that Il is refreshing to come
across an article, carefully pref ared, that
meets all these objections by facts which
20 10 show that after all that has been
said about our going to the bow-wows as
fast as we could 90, il women were to vote
at all, our nation still lives and prospers
after 1856 women in Keitsburg, H., on the
9th Of April, 1880, voted that no liquor
should b. sold in that town. have no
doubt IL the ballot we're conferred upon
women in all elections, township, State
and National, there would be nine cases Of
improper use Of the ballot by animals OF
the male persuasion, to one case by wo-
men. II woman, as is claimed, is intelleo-
tually inferior to man, she Is his superior
in moral and spiritual power, and when
she is permitted to vote, large portion Of
the abuses that have crept into our state
and national politics will be banished from
our midst.
Here is the article referred 10:
The success Of bare failure made her the
present President Of the N. W. G! T.
Union, and has led, think, the temper
anoe women Of some fifteen States into
work for reform on this new line. $4,000
women and So, 900 men signed that petit
ton, though the canvass OF the State was
necessarily hurried and incomplete. But
the bill embodying It's prayer failed OF re-
ceivinR the constitutional two-thirds vote
in the House Of the Legislature by one.
Considering the novelty and brevity Of the
movement, that was large success. In
the hunt for new ways TO whip the enemy
during this past winter the Union has dis
covered that the Constitution places full
control OF the liquor question with the
Legislature; and the Legislature, IN its
general incorporation act (under which the
cities and villages are chiefly Organized)
bestows upon each local board unqualified
power 10 license, regulate, and prohibit the
sale or giving away Of any Intoxicating
malt, vinous mixed or fermented liquors
and the wisdom Of the Chicago bar con-
strues this TO carry the power 10 determine,
by any test the village or city board sees
al, whether licenses shall be granted.
Building on this basis the Local Women's
Union has, in many towns, petitioned the
town board local to il, 10 make the popular
vote the test, and permit women to partici-
date. Somewhat strangely, the Keitsburg
board has been the first TO yield the point
asked with the subsequent voting and re-
suit, as above indicated. This is the first
time women have voted in Illinois under
the sanction OF State law. Those Of sever.
al other towns, however, expect to vote
April 20, but the end mainly hoped for /.
accomplished in carrying even one towr
for prohibition by WOmens v0tes-tc
crowd the whisky interest into bringing
the lawfulness OF the act before the Su
preme Court. II Its decision shall be "a
vorable to reform it will remove the timid
ity Of many local authorities as to being
"the first by whom the new is tried
They aregenerally conservative, and would
rather be last 10 hy the old aside. The
entire State will then be open to reform on
this line. The irreproachable behavior OF
both women and men at Keitsburg OF
election day, Is a complete answer TO tn,
fears Of sOme that women's presence at thi
polls would demoralize both sexes. The
looked upon the occasion as one OF solemn
~, not sport. They prefaeed the day will
two days OF speech and prayer for temper
ance; on election morning fifty women me
In chapel at o'clock, and gave two hour
to prayer; then they vent and voted
Grandmothers in Gaps, and young womei
Just 81 voted, and neither class seemed /
find,it severe intellectual struggle TO dc
eide which ticket stood for peace, HON
comfort. education and church morality
and the Divine law. Women, too, Chris
tian women persuaded men otherwise in
clined, to vote the good way. But unde
their manner Of eleotioneering there wa
neither oath, vulgarism, or other indecorul
apparent about the polls. Even opponent
felt the dignity women added to the higf
esi exercise Of Republican freedom. Ther
was the same difference as between tn
excesses OF the average social club Of me
and the mixed parlor company. So far
good. Womens vote has turned on
town from drunkenness TO soberness.
]. @. AMBROSE.