Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-25

I This idea is exemplified by the great
English poet, Edmund Spencer when
he has male armor put upon Britomart
j to exalt her and woman's apron put
upon the men conquered by the ANA
IONS to degrade them. This thought
permeates the whole life of humanity
and has passed into many regular
proyerb, which will only fall into dis
| use after long years of woman having
an equal share in making and contrOIl-
ing legislation shall have impresses
upon the popular mind the feeling that
a woman's opinion is as valuable as
mans and as much entitled to decent
consideration.
Senator Blair says: Life, liberty
property and the pursuit of happiness
are as much consequence to women as
men and in a republican form of gov
ernment as we pretend ours to DE, it is
simply an insult to that half of creation
which is as intelligent as we are our
selves, to deprive them of the exercise
of rights for which any of US in our
own persons would die"
The ballot is the basis of all true
reform, without it no effective work can
be done in any direction. Let then, [
implore you, this work of enfranchise-
ment come first and foremost to everv
other. If we must beg and petition let
it be that we may be free from the
change that hamper, bind, gaul and
humiliate us before husbands and
brothers. 1t is my belief that if every
w. G. T. U. woman, every Social Purity
woman, The Kings Daughters and
other hosts of reformatory societies,
clubs and associations would all join in
one universal cry for freedom, in less
than a year we wonld be emancipated.
The following is the summary of an
address given by an able and brilliant
sufragist stating the reasons why
women should have the ballot. To
check the gigantic evils flowing out
from the liquor traffic; to have taxation
and representation 90 hand in hand; to
make the compensation for woman's |
labor equal to that of mans; to be |
classed above criminals, outlaws and |
idiots; to place the unchaste of both |
sexes on an equal footing; to check the |
putrid streams of RIGHTEOUSNESS; to |
close immoral resorts of every charac-
ter; to grapple affectually with the |
great questions and problems that in |
volve the happiness and prosperity of
both sexes alike; to act on the labor
question and because it is her right.
Have you been in bondage so long,
O bondsmen that you lack the glorious
spirit of independence that only a
little over a hundred years ago find the |
blood Of your forefathers and melted I
them to fight and die for liberty? You
sit with folded hands and alphabetically |
declare you have ''all the rights you
want" while those most near and dear
to you are falling into man licensed
snares and pitfalls which lead their
souls to hell. You are equally guilty |
with those who license these evils if
you strive not, with all your powers
using your wealth and your influence to
change this order of things and these
laws and licenses in the only way pos
sible to effectually change them your
own enfranchisement. This way is
plain before you and l earnestly hope
you will all see the great need of active
work in this direction.
First Of all subscribe for the "Wom-
ans Tribune an eight page weekly
paper full of the very best thoughts on
this subject. As it is only one dollar
per year, it is within the reach of every
woman who desires education in this
line of work. Address Mrs. Clara B.
Colby. Beatrice, Neb. or send % cts. to
Rev. Olympia Brown, Racine Wis. for
the Wisconsin Citizen and you will get
a lively little monthly paper that will
do you good. There is always some
thing, however small, each one can do
to help this work if you have within
you the true spirit of liberty.