The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-04

and elsewhere, who seek to be relieved
from the wrong OF Acknowledgement.
are trying to degrade themselves-w was
unsenatorial and ungentlemanly. The
woman suhragists do understand the
state of things in Utah, and long have
done so. Indeed, woman suffrage IN
Utah was originated by one Of their
most devoted LEADERSHIP. Hamilton
wilcox, an earnest opponent Of polyg
amy in ell its forms-who after careful
examination recommended the aboli-
ton OF woman's political degradation
as the sole really effective legislation
against polygsmy. Mr.. Wilcox stated
in 1853 that the abolitiol of disfran-
chiSement would at FIRST strengthen
polygamy. but would afterward operate
10 overthrow it. The first prediction
came true, the second is coming So
Under the effect of political liberty
many Mormon women are now BEGIN
ming 10 speak out against polygamy;
yet this suspicious moment IS the very
one chosen by you for an endeavor 10
thrust them back under the in;olerable
wrong OF d ESTABLISHMENT. Further
more, the woman suffragists know
what, il Seems, you do not-ihat no re-
those who do not share il. can be ex-
tinguished by prosecuting those who
live according TO it. They know-what
it also appears that YOU do not-that in
the glowing intelligence and power
which the exercise of suffrage secures
10 Its poSSesSors is found the sole real
hope for the drliveTance of Utah women
from their belief in aud their practice
of polygamy. Ii i'll becomes you TO
talk of the degradation" of non-polyg-
amous women when you yourself pro-
pose to inflict on them a degradation
lar worse than voting under compulsion
the degradation and insult of unde-
served. lifelong, hopeless disfranchise-
ment.
Neither is your statement correct
that women are forced TO vote as their
masters require" The ballot now Is as
secret in Utah as III New York, and
women unless very dull can vote freely.
Were the vote not free, common sense
would suggest legislation to make it so.
not TO take il away.
Nor is your statement correct, that
the Mormon women cannot be disfran-
chised without including the Gentiles
With such sweeping and INSCRIPTIONS
legislation as you have engineered
through the Senate. 4 provision could
easily have been included restricting
the Acknowledgement to members of the
Mormon community or church. I'm
just as this would be. il would have at
least been fair to Gentle women.
But You are bent-or were, till you
discovered the strength of the opposi-
ton you provoke-on degrading every
innocent woman in Utah. and stabbing
the movement for justice TO women
throughout the world. Every woman.
and every truly chivalrous man. should
regard You rs the deadly foe of woman
hood. and treat you as such
You are free TO allv yourself with
grasping corporations. cattle kings, and
land grabbers, who veil their purposes
of wholesale plumber beneath professed
zeal for yirtue-if You choose. The l
country can stand your doing so. il you
can. But when you dare TO lay a hos
tile hand on the ark OF American liberty /
and ciyilizaiIon-universal suffrage
Won deserve. and will receive, scorn and !
hostility. whose extent and power will 1
yOu.
CLLNEScE ). LozIER. NJ. D.,
Chairman.