The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-04
MIR. HORACE G. PLArr.

Some Comments Upon His Recent Lecture
Women and the Law.
Editor IVondn'S Column, Morning Call:
A few weeks ago Attorney Horace g.
Platt lectured before the San Francisco
Women's Educational and Industrial Union
on the subject, women and Law" and
the report as given in the papers is well
calculated to set one thinking.
AS reported, he first expressed himself
opposed to woman suffrage, can see no rea-
son why women should wish TO vote, and
declares that wome with the ballot could
accomplish no more than men are doing for
them. "Women cannot hope to have the
rights and privileges of both sexes" and
'can accomplish more by suing than by
commanding.
Some women see good reason for wishing
to vote ; because they are ballotless all good
positions are monopolized by men. In
Washington all women in government
service are employees" with salary of not
. over $500 a year, except a few, like detec-
tives of burnt bills or counterfeit of money
whose work no man can do, while all men
are CLERKS" at 4 salary of not less than
$1,000 a year, and it may be any amount
above that
In school women have the same examina-
ton, do all the drudgery of the School
work more hours and usually do better
work, yet their salaries are often not half
what men get.
In the professions women are constantly
hampered by their disfranchisement.
THE ONLY WOMAN
Who is not is she who has genius of
monopoly value, as an unusual voice or
literary ability. Women have q direct
money interest IN the ballot.
As long as mothers are classed politically
taxed Indians their company cheapens
their indirect influence. No matter how
Yell-lnformed or patriotic q woman may
be her children viii not turn to her for
counsel on national affairs While she is rs
sumed not to know enough TO have a voice
IN public matters which concern women as
much as men. Disfranchisement puts a
barrier between wife and husband, between
mother and son, between brother and
sister, division OF interests that leads
them apart / do not see what voters are
dong for US. They take one-fifth of our
income IN direct taXes-prO badly as much
- more IN indlrect-then If we want water,
light OF walks we must pay extra. We do
not see from what they protect US except
from themselves. Men like Boss Buckley
ana Boss Kelly manage them and US. Pub
lie influence is so corrupt that we have Co.
coo boy tramps in this country; there are
million acknowledged drunkards; poor,
fTlendless women must fight or starve
Of white slaves" our daughters and Sis
tiers, trapped, doomed; and our laws are
made expressly to protect their betrayers
Women think they know Of several things
which women could do
WITH THE BALLOT
To help themselves. Public expenses are
constantly increasing ard women pay full
share OF this waste. The b. aud |. girls de-
sire many things that a ballot would help
them to obtain. They, many of them, know
how little indirect influence helps them :;
they are often ground TO the last extremity.
Women do not know what rights or prlvi-
leges they now have that the ballet would
take away. Many years experience in bust
ness has taught the writer that if q man
VIII be unjust TO any one ii Will be woman,
the more helpless the woman the more Sue
Is ground down. There are men too nUble
to Cypress woman or a man either, but
the tyTant and the bully Wreak vengeance
on the women in their power and nothing
impresses such men like indie pendence. He
who beats his wife at home is most res pect-
tul TO the mistress who pays him his wages,
Always the more independent the woman,
tue better she Is treated. As for privileges,
give women what belong TO them and they
need no private law, showing the govern
ment that controls their every interest is
not commanding, and they sue in vain to
men VINO would be DULLES could they not
command women.
Mr.. Platt's opinion in regard to the con-
stltutionalty Of wOmen's Acknowledgement
is. worthy Of Marshall. who said "silence
and blank paper never took right from any
one" or Of Carl Mansfield, who decided that
a slave could not live in England" Mr..
Flat should be recommended for
THE SUPREME BENCH.
The gentleman is happy to say that
wOman'S status before the law lis very diff
feTent from what it was, she has numerous
rights that were once denied her." and Mr..
Piatt Is sure that in time sne will
have every desirable right before the law"
lie probably does not know that woman
suffrage sentiment is responsible for all
woman has gained; martyr women wrung
from legislators the better laws; they
pushed open the doors OF schools rnd pro-
LESSONS and entered midst rldicule within
and without, though equally brave men
have fought the battle with them.
We are cOmforted by the assurance that
lin time We shall have every desirable
right" So were the colonists comforted bv
King George, but only cravens sit down
content with less than belongs to them, and
If 1t Is right to have our own ever il is
right to have it now. 1t is right for
woman TO own her baby; to own her earn
ings and be able TO collect them to own her
shoes and stockings so drunken husband
cannot pawn them for liquor; to have a
hold on the common property so it cannot
be mortgaged or sold without the wife's
knowledge. 1t is right that she have
voice IN the schools that mold her chill
dTen, in the political management that
fixes the standard of public morality which
influences her children, in the political in
stituuons that help them up or pull them
down. Men and women are lifted or
lowered by government, and if MIR. Platt
will seriously ponder l think he will find it
hard to tell why men alone should decide
all these important questions, which con-
Germ both. SIS.
woMAN's WORK IN REFORM.