The Washington critic., 1890-02-16

W OuNet loI lutT pltllu iHuuc0C0 is
merely the result of their disfranchise-
mcnt
"Thc position of an American citizen
Is proudcr far If the duties Of self. gov.
eminent are fully discharged Who |
ever heard of an heir apparent 10 an
Old World throne abdicating rights be.
cause some conservative politician or
austerc bishop doubted womans capac-
fly TO ruler History afford. no such
example, When hear American
women, descendants of Jefferson, Han
cock and Adams, say they do not want
TO vote feel that the blood of the Revo.
lutionary heroes must have long since
ceased TO flow in their veins.
The speaker said further: "Therc is
much anxiety just now being expressed
10y distinguished statesmen, Judges,
bishops, lest the foundations of our
homes are abont 10 be swept away by
liberal divorce laws. So strong is this
feeling that demand has been made
on Congress for national law that will
make The code regulating marriage and
divorce homogeneous throughout the
States Congress has already made an
appropriation TO gather statistics on
this question. Carroll y. Wright, who
was employed to make the report, states
that there are over 10000 divorces
granted every year in the United States,
and other siaiisiicians say the majority
are asked for 10y women. SO long as
the divorce laws are for women what
Canada was for the slaves in former
days-a door of escape from bondage
no restrictive laws should be passed
without her consent.
Before there is any further revision
Of the code regulating the marriage re
lation, womans opinions as IN equal
factor in the home should he crystal
lized into law
1.-THE greatest of English statesmen
at last says: DO Justice; give tho pco-
pie home rule; leave them free to gov
ern themselves.
Neither can the dungeons of Russia
nor the mines of Siberia ever smother
the fires of liberty kindled by the Mini
lists in the dominion Of the Cars.
I'm closing, gentlemen, let me remind
you that there are three bills before the
House presented by Mr.. Baker of New
1ork-one asking for sixteenth
amendment, one to amend the Enforce
mcnt act of 1870 by inserting the word
sex before that of color, and one to
protect women in their right to vote for
members of the House of Representa-
tives. The amendment to the Consti-
tuition would require long process as
il would have to pass Congress by Il
two-thi:ds vote in each House and hc
ratified by majority vote of three
foulths of the State Legislatures, while
the other two bills, passed by majority
vote of each House and signed by the
President, would enfranchise the women
of all the States and Territories either
to vote for Congressman or for all
nominees at both State and national
elections.
eve hope, therefore, that while you
report in favor of these measures, you
will press TO vote the two that eau he
most readily passed. Surely ii is quite
time for Congress to declare its power
to perpeluatc itself by enacting this law
protecting all United States citizens in
their rie Int to vote for members Of the
House Of Representatives.
There never has been a question be-
fore the Senate of the United States of
more momentus importance than this,
and yet ii has received less c1nsidera-
/ ton than bills for the Chinese. the In
| dians, the freedmen, the Canadian
| fisheries or the Centennial Fair. And
moreover, we are counted in tie basis of
representation TO sHell the ranks of
! Legislators who vote to hold us in
bondage Is not this the refinement of
cruelty, adding insult to injury? How
much longer, gentlemen, do you think
the educated women of this nation will
patiently endure snch injustice?
I'VE were delighted with our rcccp-
ton" said Miss Anthony after the
meeting was over. During our
twenty years OF petitiouing we have
never been so kindly received and so
respectfully listened TO. Ten members
present out of committee Of fifteen
shows a growing sentiment Of respect
for us and our cause The suifragists
feel especially hopeful of the result Of
this meeting. With chairman the
open champion of equal rights and a
very large minority in full sympathy, il
begins to look as if the twenty years of
patient knocking might admit the
woman question to the floor of the
House. Democracy has never been the
friend of suffrage, especially the South
ern representation, and this, the leading
supports of the cause, is largely due 10
the race question and fear of further
complication in that distress
ing problem. However, Scna.
tor Vance, chairman of the special
Committee on Woman's Suffrage
has aioncd for years of indifference ex.
hibited by his colleagues. The Senator
from North Carolina has, in spite OF
many contending claims, fitted UP q
cosy room in the Capitol, where, with
nice carpets, easy chairs, a library de
voted TO their cause and Woman
Suffrage in gold letters over the door
the public may recognize the fact thai
the cause is really obtaining place in
the respect of statesmen. The present
House Committee being Republican i
is fair to presume that the claim 81
long persistently and patiently pre-
sented, will be accorded something more
than minority report"
Had the speech of Mrs. Stanton hGcr
delivered on the Senate floor it would
have been regarded as among the
speeches of the session. II is to be re
GREETED that the .eXigencies Of tho
newspaper docs not permit the publicl
ton of the speech in full.
An INTELLIGENT person when hurt viii
at once procure bottle OF Salvation Oil
1t is the best thing to cure swellngs, burns
or wounds. All druggists sell it at twenty
five cents bottle.
DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup should be kept II
every family. A slight cough, If unchecked
is often the forcrunner of consumption
One dose of this wonderful medicine ha
rescued many from the grave.
EXPERIENCED JUDGES claim that Port
ner's Vienna Cabinet (light) and Culm
bacher dark is the best. Cali for it aut
be convinced.