The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-09-23
THE CAPITAL.
MRS. A. S. DUNIwAY UNdAsKs SOME DOUBLE
DEALING AND DESCRIBES SOME PRE-
TEXTS FOR ADJOURNING.


TEXTS FOR ADJOURNING.
To listen to ''the reading of the bills" by the
busy clerks, leads one to wonder how it has been
possible to get along heretofore with so little leg
isation Some of the measures proposed are sal
utary, some sanitary, some necessary, and some
absurd. Statutes inaugurated for erecting
insane asylum; to provide that married women
may sell and convey real estate without question
to the legality of their contracts; to incOrpO-
rate several towns that we know are badly in
need Of sidewalks; to exempt homesteads from
attachment to reduce the lawful rate of interest
to six per cent; to protect game and fish at Ger
tain seasons to allow defendants to testify; to
destroy nOXious weeds and to establish and pro-
tect the rights of married women.
The lobby is more extensively patrOnized than
usual at the commencement of a session when no
Senator is TO be chosen. DR.. Hawthorne is here,
looking out for his interests in the insane from one
standpoint, and Mrs Packard is engaged in a
like business from another quarter. Mrs. p. is a
more indefatigabe lobbyist than the Doctor, but
it is generally believed that what he lacks in per-
sistence he makes up in coin We do not think
their interests will clash when mutually compre-
hended as the Doctor Is well known as a humane
and successful physician and asylum superintend-
ent, and Mrs. p seems only to demand justice for
the unfortunate wards in his care, which evident
~ they have already. But there is one thing con-
nected with Mrs P's flibustering to which all
self-respecting women must take emphatic eXcep-
ton, and that is her sly but constant opposition
to Woman Suffrage when talking.with the Legis-
lators. We have been informed by several MEM
bers that she has gone to them and, with show
OF. superior wisdom, informed them that she does
/ mot approve of woman having the ballot" She
has been the recipient Of many favors and eulogies
from Woman Suffragists in this State and Wash
ington Territory, and has had the constant aid of
the NEW NORTHWEST in her work for Mrs Pack
ard and her books, and we deem it our duty un-
pleasant though it be, to state publicly, that
every Legislator may read it, that she never
speaks against the enfranchisement of woman to
men except to tickle their imaginary vanity, and
always advocates it among Woman Sufragists.
Had she ever said to Us what she has said TO mem
bers in opposition to woman's ballot, we should
have punctured the bubble Of her double dealing
long ago. And here let us say to Legislators,
once for all, that no woman who comes before
them riding personal hobby, and failing to com
prehend or acknowledge the eternal principles OF
right and justice for all the people set forth in
the Declaration of Independence and enforced
through the free ballot, is representative woman
of the period. We wish Mrs. Packard no harm.
We hope she will psychologist every Legislator
a she did our humble self, into paying her twelve
dollars for her set of books There is many grain
of truth in them, and much that will open theil
eyes in directions, they did our own, to the
need of the ballot for woman. We hope, too, that
they will pass bill granting to the insane the in
aenable rights of the free post office Mrs. Pack
ard possesses wonderful intelligence, and ART
glad to see her at work selling her books which is
the fRdIe to her lobbying. The benefit Of this free
advertising is cheerfully given her, and stand
ready to aid her now and always in securing the
freedom of woman through the ballot. But we
have no patience with the silly notion that hon
orable men must be cajOled like puppies or flat
tered like babies to induce them to favor some
woman's pet hobby while the great principle OF
equality before the law is, to secure this favor
trampled by her in the dust. We acknOwledg,
Mrs Packard's power having felt it; but we have
felt the reaction ALSO and are willing to wait til
others feel it for their good opinion of this kindly
but earnest criticism.
As is usual with men who are wearing out thei
lives in the service of an mgrateful country by
legislation, there is much time given to adjourn
ing. On Friday, at P. NJ, the climax of excuse,
for a recess was reached by a House resolution de
manding adjournment till Monday at p. NJ, tC
give the members chance to mourn" for an ex
member of two years ago who had died yea
since, doubtless without thought OF so expensive
a lamentation over his taking-of. The Senate
also "llilled a man" for like purpose reminding
us of the man who once wanted to borrow black
waistcOast and applied to a clothier for the loan
of one, giving as reason therefore that 'his aunt
had died six months before, and he wanted to take
short MOURN" A. S. D.
House of Representatives Sept. II, 1880