Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
Pertinent Propositions.

claim at the hands of the state re
cognition of this equality and practica
adoption Of the doctrine that, as in
the religions Of the world as in
Christianity so in Republicanism and
Democracy, there shall be neither
male or female?
| 2. It is claimed assthe basis of oul
constitutional form Of government
that the PEoPLE--the whole people
are the soverigns; that the powers OF
government are vested in them, and
that they have the right to govern
themselves. This is the popular SOW
ereignty doctrine of the United
! States.
Query: Are women people2
3. 1t is one of the established
maxims of reformed political science
that all just governments are derived
from the consent of the governed as
a nation we have declared this over
and over again. 1t is the basis on
which our own government professedIy
rests, deriving its powers from the
persons who are to be subject to and
bound by its laws.
Query: Ii the legitimate powers
of the government do indeed spring
from the consent Of the governed and
cannot be thrust upon the people with
out their consent if it is their privi-
lege to declare in every instance what
that government shall be under which
they live, what different is the govern
ment of this and several of the states
OF these United states, from political
despotism to aoonaen? Are they lawful
governments to her, and entitled to her
unqualified respect?
4. 1t is the political creed of the
nation that all men are created equal,
and endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights, among which
are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.
Query: What kind of an equality
is that which afirms that one half of
the community is so much better than
the other half, that they may declare
who are and who are not fit for the
enjoyment and exercise of political
rights, and that women are not entitled
to the rights of property and self
government the rights Of liberty and
the pursuit of happiness the same as
men.
5. 1t is claimed that idiots, insane
persons and criminals should be denied
all privileges and immunities as re-
spects civil and political rights.
Query: Ought women to be held
in the same category with these?
6. 1t has been considered among
the grossest of outrages that can be
perpetrated for one nation or people
to legislate for another nation or peo-
pie, for the former to enact laws and
an administration and to compel the
latter to be governed by them.
Query: Is it not ust as gross an
outrage for men to enact laws and to
enforce them upon women? Is it not
to be presumed that the same principle
holds good in the relation of the sexes
as in other relations? .'-
7. 1t has been and is held that
taxation and representation should 60
together; that rights and burdens
should always correspond with each
other. And as we know taxation
without representation was the ground
of complaint with our fathers, it being
claimed that it was tyrannical and op-
pressive. On it was based the war of
the revolution. 1t was the pretext of
seven years bloody conflict with the
mother country and caused her separa-
ton from it.
Query: Is not this complaint just
as valid for a woman as for man?
8. We hold our women amendable
to the laws under which they live, to
be punished by them and to be dealt
with (many times) even MORE severe
ly than men.
Query: Would it be any violation
of republican principles that women
be allowed to have voice in making
those laws and to assist in fixing the
characters and amount Of the penalties
attached to them?
9, 1t is affirmed that the man is
fully competent to represent the wo-
men, and the husband the wife that
the former are entirely responsible for
the laws that govern the latter, in
their person and in their property.
Grant that this is so to a certain ex-I
tent, yet still Notwithstanding we know
(and it will not be denied) that wo-
man is expected to bear her full share
in all the ills, and mismanagements
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of mans
government.
Query Would men like to repre-
sent woman in the state prison and on
the gallows, and do men propose to be
taxed In her stead and to suffer the
punishment Of her crimes as often as
she lays herself liable to punishment ?
10. 1t is asked, "How would a
woman look in the presidential chair
of the United States ?'' Answer bv
| Quarv. How doae O,ooa