Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-04
WOMANS REALM.
Under God The People Rule Motto
ofSouth Dakota.
ARE WOMEN PEOpLE??

1
ofSouth Dakota.
ARE WOMEN PEOpLE??
Conducted by LoElla II. Blank associate editor. |
| The two strongest opponents to wo-
man suffrage in South Dakota are the
Sioux Falls Press and the Sioux Falls |
Argus-I leader, and their influence will
not hurt the cause to any very great
extent so long as they continue to kill
each others so-called arguments as they
have been doing in the past. The
Press in referring to Mrs. Cougar
says:
She promises that on Monday even
ing she will speak upon the issue raised
by this paper-the question whether
ornot woman suffrage would add to
the strength and stability OF govern
ment, and promote the purposes for
which governments are instituted.
When she gets to that. then she will
enter upon the discussion of the ONLY
VITAL QUESTION THAT CAN POSSIBLY
BE RAISED IN REG ARD TO THIS MATTER
OF sUFFRAGE-the only point upon
which anything that is really peril
nent argument can be offered
And in referring to Miss Anthony's
arguments it further says:
1t it were true that the direct office
ana distinct purpose of suffrage be to
bette: the condition Of the particular
class upon which it may be at any
time conferred, then there, might be
some force to the points adduced in
| NIL
Il it were true that the Justification of
Il claim to exercise the elective fran
chise is to he determined from the
special standpoint of the individual or
the class making the claim. then those
who could demonstrate that they
would be- be personally benefited
thereby could justly make demand
therefor.
Now listen 20 the Argus Leader of
June 25th.
Suffrage has never been given to a
class for the benefit OF the government
but solely in the interest OF the class
so favored. The most cursory reading
of history demonstrates this position.
The establishment Of the house OF
commons chosen by the people was
made, not to assist the king, but to
J safeguard his subjects-the new voters
against oppression. The repeal Of
the anti-Catholic acts was secured,
not to strengthen the English consti-
tuition, but because the Catholics had
become exceedingly numerous and
powerful, and were in position to de-
mand their rights. Tho sCate :
ment is true Of John Bright's Lanca-
shire crusade and the extension of
household suffrage. 1t is true also of
the eenf1anchlsemento OF the Quakers in
New England. No one supposed that
the granting of the suffrage to the
Negroes in the South would raise the
standard of the laws or promote sobri-
ETY. and morality. The right of the
ballot was given them to protect them
D against anticipated prosecution. The
9 suffrage in these cases and in any other
: in which it has been enlarged, has
been extended to a class, in order to
grant to that class the full enjoyment
3 of rights which have previously been
3 abridged. The argument as to expedi-
5 ;,ncy has never been strongly broached.
: And again the Press says:
3 But the sole function of franchise is
to promote the strength and stability
l.. OF government as a whole-not merely
the betterment of part. 1t is part
OF the machinery by which those in
J. whose hands sovereignty may have
J. been placed by the progress OF events
}, shall exercise their trust and preroga-
y tive. and none other than these can
J. justly claim participation in the use ct
d this machinery emphatically SO
n when the object for which they claim
it may be at most their private veal.
s While the Argus-Leader continues
v its argument as follows.
, The question of granting to women
- the privilege of the ballot is not one OF
benefit or Injury to the state, but OF
5; the right of the women to the privilege
e Ii under the present system women's
s rights are abridged. if she is, through
"a lack OF the voting power, alta disadyan
% tage. industrially or legally or socially
'e the ballot should be given her at once
,r In this age OF the world surely tbs
N men are not brutal enough, in order te
- secure their own success and comfort
lo and power, TO deny to the women thai
which would relieve them from Oppres
S. sion and prejudice. Calamity and jus
6 tice are not extinct. But does woman
! suffer under existing conditions
2 The women themselves are the bes
4 judges, and they by q large majorit,
. sayno. This whole question is one O
5 right, and not Of expediency. and tn,
8 issue should be kept clearly defined.
3 1t is quite "amoosin" to see these pa
! pers paying noattention to each other
: and both opposed to woman suffrag
n. for exactly opposite reasons.
Equal Suffrage Meetings.