St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-07
Report of the Minority of the udi.
ciary Committee.

WASHINGTON, May 6.-The minority Of
the house judiciary committee, in reporting
adversely upon the proposed woman stuff
rage amendment to the constitution, sub
mits but a formal report recommending
that the proposition lie upon the table. The
minority report, which is signed by MessrS.
Eb Taylor, Hepburn, Caswel and Ranney,
comments upon this fact, but says:
The Importance Of the question of woman
suffrage is forcing its full discussion every
where, and the silence of the committee will
have no tendency to withdraw it from public
attention. I'm government by the people,, -
continues the minority, 1.-The ballot is at once
badge of sovereignty, and the means of ex-
ercising power. Women are people, and we
submit that they are neither morally or in
tellectually incapable, and that no necessity
for their Acknowledgement can be suggested.
On the contrary, we believe hat they are en-
titled to immediate and absolute enfranchise-
ment:
First-Because their own good demands it.
Give woman the ballot and she will have adj
ditional means and inducements for o broader
and better education, including knowledge
of affairs, which she will not fail to avail her.
self Of to the uttermost and which will add
to her means Of protection for her person and
estate. The history of woman is for the most
part history Of wrong and outrage. Created
the equal companion of man, she early be-
came his slave, and still is in many parts of
the world. In many so-called Christian por-
tons of Europe she is to-day
YOKED WITH BEASTS
and is doing the labor of beasts, while her son
and husband are serving in the army. pro-
tecting the divine right of kings and men to
Stay and destroy. Man has not been con-
sciously unjust to woman in the past, nor is
he now, but he believes that she is in
SDhora. haf
he has fixed her sphere and not
God, as he imagines. If the unspeakable Turk
should be solicited to open the doors Of his
harem and let the inmates become free and
human, he would be indignant doubtless and
would swear by the beard of the prophet that
he never would so degrade lovely woman,
who in her sphere was intended as the Solace
Of glorious superior men. Yet as man adj
vances, woman is elevated and her elevation
in turn advances him. No liberty ever given
her has been lost or abused or regretted.
Where most has been given her, she has be-
come best Liberty never degrades, slavery
always does.
Second-Woman's vote is necessary for the
good of others. She is the enemy of foreign
war or domestic turmoil. She is the friend Of
peace and home. Her influence for good in
many directions would be multiplied if she
possessed the ballot. She desires the homes
Of the land to be pure and sober. With her
help they may become so; without her, what
is the prospect N this regard? Under the
wise and sole administration of man, well may
the cry go out: ''Watchman, tell US Of th e
night-wbat its signs of promise are.'' We
do not invite woman to the dirty pool of poll
tics, nor does she intend to enter that pool
Politics is not necessarily uncleau. If it is
unclean she is not chargeable
WITH THE GREAT CRIME,
for crime it is. Politics must be purified or
we are lost. To govern this great nation
wisely and well is not degrading service. To
do it, all the wisdom, ability and patriotism
of all people is required. No great moral
force should be unemployed. But it is some
times said that women do not desire the bal
lot. Some may not-nay, many do not, per-
haps majority, but such Indifference cam
not affect the right of those who are not in
different. The conservative woman, who
feels that her present duties are as burden
some as she can bear, when she realizes what
she can accomplish for her country and for
mankind by the ballot, will as reverently
thank God for the opportunity and will as
zealously discharge her new obligations as
will her more radical sister, who has long and
YEARLY labored and fervently prayed for the
coming Of the day of equal rights, duties and
hopes.