Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-08-02

wears in all towns and cities OF over
two hundred inhabitants; from United
States Senators Teller, of Colorado, and
Davis, OF Minnesota, aud from United
States Senator Hoar, Governor Oliver
Ames, and William Lloyd Garrison.
Esq, OF Massachusetts, all tcstilying
to the good results of woman suffrage
in their own communities. United
States Senator Hoar writes as follows
WORCESTER, Mass, June 81, 1889.
81 hope there will be established in
the State Constitutions the principle Of
impartial suffrage, without regard To sex
Where this cannot be secured it is very
desirable that the legislatures may be
empowered to make such provision here
after at their discretion. There need not
be the least fear that the admission of
the State by Congress will be in the least
delayed or imperiled thereby. Nearly
a majority OF the United States Senate
favor woman suffrage. OF those OPP
posed to it, many have committed them
selves to the doctrine that the control OF
the matter should be left to the State.
President Harrison, as is well known.
voted, when in the Senate. to submit a
woman suffrage amendment to the
States, or paired on that side
Faithfully yours,
GEORGE +. HoAR.
Mr.. Blackwell appealed to his hear
ers to lay aside prejudice, and look at
this question in the light of common
sense. The Enabling Act authorizes
the Convention to frame a State Con-
stitution for Washington, in accord
ance with the principles of the Decla-
ration of Independence. That Decla-
ration affirms that governments are
instituted to protect life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness, and derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed. Women have these
rights, they are governed, and suffrage
is the only formr OF consent known in
a Republic; therefore women have a
moral right to vote. The legislature
of Washington has twice given wo len
that right, but certain judges imported
from less progressive communities,
have twice set aside the legislative will.
Twenty-Five thousand women have
thus been prevented from taking part
in the election of this Convention, in
violation of the United States Consti-
tuition and Territorial law. Will this
Convention exclude these women by
restricting suffrage to male citizens
and thus forever disfranchise women
by trying the hands of future .legisla-
lures We ask that the word "male +"
may not be used to exclude women
from voting, or, if used, that the State
Legislature shall have power to confer
upon women the right and privilege of
electors to vote at all elections, Wo-
men obey the laws; they should have
n voice in enacting them; they pay
taxes; they should have a voice in
their expenditure. A vote is the au-
thoritative expression of an opinion
upon matters of general interest. 1t
is not masculine function but
human function. Political progress
has consisted historically in the ex-
tension of suffrage to classes previous
ly excluded. Social progress has given
womsn from age to age larger meas
ure of freedom and equality. During
the past century we have advanced
from monarchy to an aristocracy, of
wealth under the Federal party, to an
aristocracy OF races under the old Dem
ocratic party; to an aristocracy of sex
under the Republican party-we are
now taking the final step of establish
ing a government of the people, men
and women, in accordance with the
Declaration of Independence. A gov
eminent of men and women will be
better than government of men
alone. 1t will have all the masculine
qualities with the feminine qualities
added. Women will be forever unlike
men in character and position. Every
class that votes makes itself felt in the
government in the direction of its
special interests and qualities. WO-
men are less belligerent than men,
they are more temperate, more chaste,
more economical, more law-abiding
These are the qualities in which our
government is lacking They are the
wives and mothers of men. They rep
resent the home, as man represents the
business. Men and women are made
to be friends and helpmeets They
must cooperate in the home, in society
and in the State. Mr.. Blackwell made
a strong appeal to the men of WASH
ington to lead in this great measure of
progress. TODD so will add 100000 to
its population within five years of the
best Eastern people. 1t will bring
here many Thousand bright, intelli-
gent, virtuous women who are needed
in community where men are now in
the majority. He made appropriate
quotations from Bryant on the pro
gress of the great Northwest, and
from Longfellow ON the destiny of the
Union.
At the close of his address he was
warmly congratulated by members of
the Convention AMI others.