, 1889-05-30
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

EDITOR MORNING REVIEW. Ia your |
editorial of the 2lst you say the question
of extending the right OF suffrage to the
women Of the territory will doubtless be
submitted to the male voters mt the COM
ing election. and that 1t 10 apparently con.
ceded by both friends and opponents Of
woman suffrage that this 10 right and
proper.
AS have recently visited various local.
tiles In your territory and met many Of
the friends Of woman suffrage, permit me
to state that not single one Of those with
whom l have couversed approves Of this
curse. They consider IL neither fair
nor proper" to take such action at this
time.
They consider 1t the duties of the franz
ers of the constitution to embody therein
the principle of equal protection to all
citizens.
The ask no more. and no less protection
for women than is granted to men.
They claim that this Is In accord sith
the foundation principles Of our govern.
ment that such an act ~ill be bat simpe
justice and therefore 1t IL right to demand
it.
They claim that this government was
founded on two leading principles, name.
ly-" governments derivS their just pow
ers from the consent Of the governed"
and taxation without represen.
sation is tyrrany," that any
state that does not embody in its
fundamental law these principles is not
truly democratic. and that its unrepre-
sented classes are in the same condition
our fathers were when they rebelled
against British government, and can with
them justly exclaim, "lf taxes are laid
upon US In any shape without our having
legal representation where they are laid.
we are reduced from the character Of free
subjects to the miserable state of tributary
| slaves"
The great Pitt and Burke both boldly
declared in parliament, in the face OF the
king and all the despOts Of Europe that
our fathers would he slaves ii they sub
mitted to taxation without representa-
ton"
The friends of woman suffrage believe
with Lord Camden (Lord chancellor of
England that "whatever is mans own
is absolutely his own. No man has right
to take it from him without his consent,
| either expressed by himself or his repre-
sentative-whosoeve does it--commits
robbery"
Ii is considered a crime for individuals
to steal. Where do governments get the
right to rob?
Tne charge that women do not want the
franchise IL certainly not proven.
They have voted when they could legally
do so; they have never disfranchised
themselves; but again and again have
men iRnobly stopped to the baseness of
robbing women of their civil and political
rights when they had secured them.
This was done in New Jersey after
women had voted wisely and well for
thirty-one years.
One man. in Dakota, with his guberna.
torial pen. robbed all the women OF that
great territory of full legal protection.
Outside the barbarism OF the long past
no more unrignteous act has been perpe-
trated by a judicial boiy than the disfran
chisinR of the women of Washington ter
ritory by its supreme court.
Much fault il found with the women for
their seeming Indifference. You say there
was no effort made by them in the selec-
tion of delegates to the constitutional con-
vention. All thoughtful men know they
were powerless in this matter. What could
they have done ut the primariesp Nothing.
Suppose the chairman had attended the
primaries in order to aid in selecting dele
gates, would 1t not have brought smile
to the lips OF all. Some women might
have followed the advice you give and
buttonhoied the politicians, but had they
done 40 would they have helped their
causep Who would have been the first to
cry out unwomanly, unwomany? Those
who so advise. Several classes have been
enfranchised since this nation was estab.
lished, but none disfrauchised except
women. All others have been given this
great boon without asking tor it. Women
have for nearly half century plead and
prayed inceasinRy forather rights only 20
be told they don't want these rights.
The poor man, the alien, the cOlored
man have all been enfrsnchised by one or
the other of the great political parties,
both these great parties have persistently Y
refused 10 do aught to aid ia securing to
woman What they have most cneerfuly y
given to men of all classes, irrespective of
ism. Not less than two mil
for suffrage still they do not want. Now
the thousands Of chivarous men, "who, -
you say. would be perfectly
willing to accede to the request of
women II they would but make the
request known will show the chivalry of
the true knight by doing justice to women
by urging those who are framing the cor.
stitutiop to embody this inst principle in
chat document, and il they refuse to do
this, then to cast their votes against the
adoption of the constitution. How many
such chivalrous men can be found in
Washington territoryp We would gladly
hope sufficient number to redeem the
new state from the lasting disgrace of op.
pressing and degrading its best class OF
| citizens.
MATILDA HINDMAN.