Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1885-03-05
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
Iowa, February l. 1885

pie who were settling it, had hoped that
she might be free from the pestiferous
curse OF all lterritories-the political crank
and small-bore demogogue. But / see you
have them and have them badly.
OF all the supreme follies ever conceived
in the cranky brain of small politician,
woman Suffrage appropriates the pastry,
and yet see this is likely to assume the
dignity of law in Dakota. Will YOU per-
nit me to express few thoughts upon
that subject. II three years experience
under woman suffrage law is of any ad-
vantage to me, you shall have the benefit
without cost.
THE FUNDAMENTAL FALLAcY
upon which the whole rickety supers:ru,-
ture rests is. the NATURAL RIGHT of the
woman to the ballot. And here comes in
the piteous wall Of womans expressions
and wrongs. Itis enough to reply to this,
that the enjoyment OF the ballot is not,
and never was, .N4.TURAL RIGHT. If SO
no individual could be debarred from, or
abridged in its exercise. NATURAL RIGHT
is something that inhere in, and is a part
Of every individual that God has made, and
can only be ABRIDGED by common con-
sent, for the good of the whole.
If suffrage is a natural night every emf
grant who tou ,hcs our soil has right to the
ballot without probation. We don't ques-
tion his right to bay land. TILL it, and sell
the produce thereof; nor to engage in
mercantile business, banking, or another
Legitimate branch OF industry, though he
may not take out naturalization papers;
because these are admitted to be NATURAL
RIGHTS, and these are not affecteu by
natural boundaries.
If Suffrage were a NATURAL right the
four million emancipated slaves We're en-
titled to the ballot without any constitu-
tonal amendment, aud the thousands OF
free negros of the north had been for
generations denied their inalienable
right.
The Mexican inhabitants OF the Terri
tories acquired by the war, were the oniy
aliens born who were admitted at once
to the exercise of the ballot, and ;his Was
done by the express condition OF the
treaty adopted 10y the two governments as
the basis of peace-the treaty OF Guada-
iupe nidaiSo. by this treaty all the in
haditants of these territories were made
,f tal St,.tn l..l 4,
all the privileges OF other citizens.
But II suffrage be not a natural ri hit, !
what is it? Ireply, it is PRIVILEGE con-
fered upon, a ld granted TO, whomsoever
the government chooses. If the govern
ment had, in the beginning, adopted the !
policy Of confering this privilege upon
none but native born inhabitants, no /
wrong would have been done to any one, !
whatever might have been said of the |
wisdom Of the measure. believe that !
in my position upon this question l am in
civil ,vernment.
WHAT is TO BE GAINED?
Radical changes should never be made |
unless it is an absolute necessity for them,
or the change at least would be eminently
wise. Is then this plea for woman suf-
frage?
We have had woman suffrage now for
several years in Wyoming and Utah ter
ritories and what has been gained by the
measure2 OF Wyoming can speak from
personal knowledge, having resided there
three years. 1t would req lire too much
of your space to give you the experience
and observations Of these three years
But what change can come, either good
or bad, with the rarest exception, votes
JUST AS HER HUSBAND DOES, and every
daughter votes just as her brother and
father votes9 And such was just the state
Of things in Wyoming. Not the least
change was made in the relative strength
Of either party. And this was wise. In
no other way coula family jars of the
worst kind be avoided, for Of all the ele-
nents of discord in this world, the politi-
al Is at least among the worst.
In Utah the curse of polygamy has been
,erpetuatel by woman suffrage, AS 1t is |
oy that that the Norman power has been
Kept in the ascendant. In Idaho il is
TX, ly to De repeated and Mormmonism !
20 placed III the ascendant. In Washing
on the law is too recent to be judged by
t. effects.
WOULD woMANs RIGHTS BE sAFER' s
In Dakota you have peculiar state {
Il things. Many women,--u 1married-
AVE taken up land claims. and became +,
and holders, and tillers. This is decided i