Bismarck weekly tribune., 1885-02-13
A Woman speaks.

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your excellent paper, to give expression
to a thought. awakened by perusal of
the "gossip'' in the Weekly TRIBUNE OF
January Both, relative to the ''Woman's
Suffrage Bill" now pending before the
Dakota legislature.
It is needless to say, I have not taken
up my pen in defense of the measure, or
in advocacy of "woman's rights" save
only as it involves their right of petition,
and the right of the petitioners to a re-
spectful hearing.
It is perfectly safe to assume that, were
all men endowed with the angelic attri
butte of perfection-an per consequence,
all women possessed of ideal homes-the
vexed question of woman's suffrage would
never have arisen to disturb the dreams
of legislators.
In that happy but suppositious state
of affairs, the popular old oak and ivy
theory would prevail, and woman, seener
in manly protection, and content in
kindly companionship, would never seek
for work outside her own especial prov
ince of the home and church.
But, unhappily, human society is Or
ganized on lower plane. Few men are
patterns of perfection, and everywhere
are wives who have been robbed of their
natural protectors by death, disease, or
our destructive liquor laws.
Hence, the women who are compelled
to recognize the wash-tub, as factor in
domestic life more potent than the piano
or the prayer book, are in the majority.
Many of them are obliged to serve ever
lastingly on the committee of ''ways and
means to provide and prepare the ''daily
bread" and accompaniment at home, and
to face the outside world of business as
we'll, in a sometimes fruitless struggle to
preserve their little possessions, thus do
ing double duty and uniting the fathers
office of protection to the mothers care
of the helpless ones of the household.
As property owners they have business
responsibilities and perplexitiss, for
while many of the sol distant stronger
sex resent their intrusion in business
circles, their right to pay taxes no man
has yet had the hardihood to dispute.
Again, there are many ladies untram-
meled by domesticities who have achieved
honorable independence in the various
avocations open to their sex; who daily
feel the wrong of unjust competition and
unequal wages.
There are many christian mothers
throughout the land who are convinced
that the future safety of their young sons
can be secured only by placing the re-
straining influence of woman's hand upon
licensed evils that have become integral
parts of every municipal system in the
west. Yes, and there are among the
sheltered classes many cultured ladies,
blest with homes and competence; whose
graceful adornment of society and wo-
manly work for the church entitle them
to consideration-who are not unmindful
of those less favored sisters, and who be-
lieve that by this measure will be pro-
noted the welfare and interests
of the unprotected of their sex.
Indeed, there are few women, forced to
think and act for themselves to whom,
at times, the arguments of the "woman's
rights people, do not come home with
bitter force. Is it then wonderful that
this measure should be popular through
out our beautiful territory of Dakota, or
that representatives of each and all of
the above classes should have made COM
mon cause of common interest, and
Joined in petition for what they believe
to be their right? We learn, however,
from the legislative proceedings, that
several honorable gentlemen from the
house of representatives, whose "per
diem and mileage" are paid in part by
taxes levied on the property of these
same petitioners, find in this an occasion
for merriment and jest. Pray what is
there laughable in the fact that many of
the intelligent, thinking women of Da-
kota have united to ask of the highest
tribunal in the territory, consideration of
measure which they earnestly believe
will tend to the elevation of their sex, and
bring to pass the ''reform" that politi-
clans have been fruitlessly talking about
for 10! these many years? Will the men
who laugh tell us? .s..
Mr.. Picker, who SO graciously re-
ceiyed and presented the ladies' petition
to the house, and the gentlemen asso-
ciated with him, will probably not be re-
warded with boquets in the sentimental
manner suggested in the TRIBUNE, but
they deserve, and will receive, the thanks
of every woman in Dakota who appre-
ciates courtesy to her sex, as well as the
respect of every man who believes. with
our revolutionary fathers, that the right
of petition is the sacred, inalienable
prerogative of the humblest citizen of the
commonwealth.
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