Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-25

to be sought for and the other shunned'
Our advanced thinkers are becoming
aware of these facts, and are now en-.
gagged III "A crusade to change them
Much has already been accomplished
but the end desired cannot be achieved
until woman is acknowledged and rec
ognized before all human laws as the
equal, the companion, of man. Every
avenue by which the means of exist
ence can be obtained through ones
own industry, must be as free to wo-
man us to man, but this will never be,
until she is allowed voice in making
the laws that are to control her social
existence, and voice in saying who
shall execute them. Especially
should this be the case in this land,
where the doctrine is proclaimed, that
all men are created equal. What a
parody upon our theory to say, or to
infer, that life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness is an inalienable right of
man, but not of woman! In every
State in our Union are to he found
undetermined woman, protesting
against such a condition, and laboring
to obtain the recognition OF her nalu-
raj rights heretofore denied her, but
nowhere within the boundaries of civ
ilization, has the treatment of woman,
by her brother man, reached such de-
gree OF infamy as it has in the State of
Washington. Here the men of this
State, recognizing the justice of the Pc
titions OF woman to be placed in the
condition whereby she might be able
to secure the enjoyment of her natural
rights, bestowed upon her the right of
suffrage, the privilege OF having the
same voice, the same share, in all the
affairs OF government that he had.
Alter this law had been made, the first
time the people met together in con-
vention to proclaim their political
opinions, and elect candidates for Of
flee, resolution was adopted by both
political parties (there were but two
then, and consequently they represent
ell all the men) endorsing the action
OF the legislature in giving the ballot
to woman, and proclaiming that no
American citizen should be denied the
right OF suffrage on account of sex.
This privilege once conferred, cannot
be lawfully taken away without chang
ing the constitution of the United
States, the supreme law of the land.
AT the time this privilege was con-
ferred upon the woman of Washington
the constitution of the United States
said, "No State shall make or enforce
any law that shall abridge the privi.
leges or immunitics of citizens of the
United States" Three successive leg
islatures of Washington enact this law !;
for five years, this privilege was en-
Joyed by the woman of Washington,
when in order to prevent the woman
from having voice in framing the
Constitution of the State, conspiracy
was entered into by some of our would
be statesmen and the Supreme Court
OF our Territory, whereby a decision
was obtained in that court, declaring
the law comforting the right of suff.
rage upon woman, to be null and void.
The crowning iniamy OF the whole pro.
ceeding was the action of the men of
our State, first through their delegates
in the constitutional convention and,
second, through their own action at
the polls, in framing and adopting a
Constitution that denies to woman the
rights that they had acknowledged six
years before belonged to her, and
pledged themselves to maintain, and
in violating the Constitution OF the
United States and the principle of the
Declaration OF Independence by adopt
ing Constitution opposed to both, af.
ter taking an oath that they would
make constitution in accordance
with both. What an honor it would
have been to the name of Washington
to be leader in the noblest work Of
man, the enfranchisement of woman
the elevation and publication of our
race!
But, my friends, having triumphed
for a time, is no reason for the vic.
tins OF treachery to lay in aptliy under
the heel OF the oppresser. 1t become
the duty of all liberal and independent,
minded woman in Washington to re
sent the injury and insult that ha.
been cast upon them, and to labor tC
convince their fellow men that the,
cannot injure their sisters without
injuring themselves. The trues
maxim that ever was uttered is, "vict
is its own punishment, virtue its OWL
reward" Ii those who have the con
troll OF our government, repudiate the
maxim, equal justice to all, or coun
try cannot prosper" and if the mo
tires OF our statesmen in seeking I,
obtain public position is merely :,
benefit themselves at the injury o
others, our downward course will b,
very rapid. Justice to those womel
who are so nobly battling for the wei
: fare of humanity in other portions @
|, our land, requires action at YOU
, hands. Will you allow your enemies t.
, say, that the women OF the State q
= Washington, after possessing TO
. five years the privilege OF voting an,
, OF holding public Office, and after he
r ing unjustly, unlawfully, and treacl
4 erously deprived of it, are so well sati
e fled of the folly of women possessin
: this privilege, that they neither r,
e sent the outrage. nor take any steI
e to regain their rights, nay, more tha
r this they will not even meet their 81