The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-29
PUBLIC OPINION.


ConCKmxru0 w0mAx sUgFRA0K
=. Asssnps - Y~rss Dkssasess~ss
Whoro There Arc Mono
sexssIe. Marcia g.
70 THx EprTox.--1t ID assumed fbaz
the pcopse 81 Washington are agreed
fhsf the questions ~ prohibition Of
the lsauor trxfse and The asoiisson Of
xex a. = qualification for yesing shall
be Submitted IN sepesAse propositions,
and that the two questions ress upon
exartsy the same basis The rerniz-
fiou OF prohibition II the saquoH txztfse
Is ! mater az police fsswer. Unless
resfrlcted the kzi.iat=lre ear prohibit
ar liceuse and regulate IL 1T vii. The
prohib5tionssts wish 70 deprive the
legislature OF ali power to license OF
regulate, and 70 compel them 10 pass
I1ws making il crime 20 usan1fze-
fure or sell Intoxicating liquors. This
Il 4 limitation upon the legislative
power. Without il the Legislature has
fuIi and absolute control Of the liquor
traffic. In many Of the states pfoisi-
hitorv statutes have been passed be-
cause the legislature had this Rniimit~
ed power. II the people fail To- adopt
a separate article limiting the power
o. the legislature. prohibition can &c
enacted tt Is question OF police
power: IL does not eofscefn any fanda~
mental right Of citizen. The liquor
dealer and the prohibifioniste each hare
= right TO vote upon the question OF
license OF prohibition Each has \
right 10 vote for members ct the l>s-
1atare 20 iegisiate upon the question.
ard for executive and judicial officers
20 interpret and exeenfs the Law.
The question Of esltiai suffrage IL en-
tifely different. IL Il proposed 10 con-
fine suffrage entirely % males, and TO
submit 20 males the question whether
female citizens shall be allowed 70
vote or not.
The theory npon which this propo-
sition II based Is, that these who nov
vote have the right 10 say who shall
vote hereafter. on the ground that
voting il simply privilege and not
right. The organic act refsrs 20 IL as
. night. III II Il not right, and may
be giyea or taken sway then the IeFls-
iature has full power 20 make such
qualifications that but few Of the eiti-
xens OF the incoming state viii be en-.
titled 10 vote II this principle Is to
be adof,fed, then the qualifications for
male suffrage should not be liked and
definite. Ii should not be proteeted
by o constitutional provision. The
state should be protected by statute
against the dangers Of male suffrage
~ much as against the anticipated
evils Of female suffrage. Again, ii Is
stated by some who have written upon
the formation 81 constitution. AS q
new idea. 0These men want: con-
servasiye constitution. In this terri
tory the right OF women TO vote and
20 bold Office is not new question
To say nothing .of the school Law OF
1854, which permitted women to vote
at school elections. IL Ii true that
since 1871. the school laws have au-
thorized women TO vote and hold
Office. At various times afterward
equal suffrage laws failed TO pass by
but few votes. and In 1855. lss6 and
l1ss they were passed and approved
By the executive. At two general
elections women participated largely
In iss8 ut least Is school superin-
tendents were elected and filed their
Offices ereditably The school statutes
were never disapproved by congress.
and the power al the legislature TO
psss such laws Il sustained By Sec.
1850 OF the Revised Statutes OF the
United States, which Il the measure
territory. since 1874 that section has
governed.
While equal suffrage wax recognized
~ lawful. both parties endorsed II and
pledged themselves against the repeal
Of the law.
The territorial Republican platform
Of lsss stated that the Republicans of
Washington Territory In convention
assembled endorsed without reserve
the platform and principles adopted
by the Republican national convention
held IN Chisage lie June last. which
stated
I'VE affirm our answering devotion
10 the personal rights and liberties
Of citizens in all the states and terri
tories in the Union, aud especially TO
the supreme and sovereign right of
every lawful citizen, rich or poor, ma
tive or foreign. white or black. 10 cast
one free ballot In public elections. and
% have that ballot duly counted. We
hold the free and honest popular bal.
lot. and the just and equal representa-
ton OF all the people 10 be the founda-
ton OF our republican government.
This Il pledge OF equal suffrage. 1t
makes the right 10 vote right oil citi.
xenship. Ii foFbids the siisfranehjse-
Ilent OF the adult women of the
North equally with that OF the colorel
man of the South.
III. however. the right OF suffrage is
confined 30 males, then women cannot
vote at all. The legislature cannot en-
act q municipal or school las which
viii give them any voice in the eies-
tiun ot officers. They can have no
voice in defining their personal or
property rights. Ii is conceded that
the - female county school superin.
teniei,ts elected In iSs6 were eompa-
tent, and they were allowed To serve
out their terms Notwithstanding the
Bioomer decision. Under the pro.=
posed constitution they would not he
eligible unless separate article Is
adopted. The advocates of a separate
article on suffrage should state what
they propose 10 submit. and 10 whom
they propose 10 submit IL.
Republican success cannot result
from an abandonment OF Republican
principles. II suffrage Is fundamen-
tal night OF adult citizens, mea should
he too manly to dtsfranchise women.
VI the ballot Is necessary 90 protect
the property rights OF men. as the
working men are constantly assured,
~ y equally necessary. % protect the
personal rights Of women.
Again. In case of separate Nlhnis.
sion, viii the Republican press and
orators champion the movement or
not IL moi. they might As well show
their eolors In the election OF dele.
gates, ~ ON the vote upon the eonsti-
tuition. w :. RsS4.