Omaha daily bee., 1892-06-08

unjust suffrage laws, aud no one has more
itiy characterized 1t than your own great
representative, MIR. ingalls,, who, in the
Unitod States senate, described our republic
as in immediate and terrible danger from
.igaorant, debased, degraded ard spu-
rious suffrage, suffrage contaminated
by tho sewnge OF diseased ma
tions, apatheiic and indifferent. IN the
great cities of tho north But 1t is not
spurious suffrage alone that threatens us; IL
10 legal suffrage; II is the diverse. inconsist-
ent absurd and uurepu olican qualifications
OF the voter prescribed by the different
states, that Is dcpriving citizens OF their
sovereignty and putting In peril republican
Institutions. II tho suffrage Is corrupt,
what have we that is securei Tho vote is tho
rerm cell out of which by development, com
bination aud extension, all our legislative
bodies aud the varied and complex depart
ments OF our government are formed When
tho security Of tho ballot, or the security OF
the voter in It's use is threatened, our repre-
sentative government is attacked in its vital
point -
''If tho suffrage n corrupt, national life is
corrupt and rotten TO it's core; II it rs de-
b,,sed our freedom is lost for 1t Is by votes
tuat free men rule. No other rights can be
protected If the right OF suffrage is lost, and
upon maintaining tue suffrage involate de-
pends the liberation of the individual citizen
and the permanency Of the government
''You may not have considered that by de-
claring the voting line at sex you give the
balance of power to the lower classes while
the state is deprived of some OF the best
thought and most disinterestcd patriotism of
our age. The Inconsistency, the injustice,
the folly and the danger OF franchising tho
poor house, the jail aud the liquor saloon,
while you disfraDchso the church, the school
ana the home Is 100 apparent to need argu-
ment.
"The representative govern ment is in peril
and tho republican party Is asked to save
the nation. VIII you 40 it! Already your
party has, in part, committed itself to sut-
frage reform, for, ut your last national con-
vention, you adopted platform which af-
trmed the sovereign right of every citizen
to cast one free ballot In pnblic elections and
to have that ballot duly counted VIII you
: not so define tho word citizen that tho whole
world shall understand that you advocate
the right of all the lawful citizens of tho
United States, regardless of sex or nation
ality, 10 protect themselves, their homes and
their country by the ballotf When suffrage
is made ore Of the inalienable rights OF the
citizen, citizenship will be crowned with
honor, for 1t will mean the right to life,
liberty and the pursuit TO happiness, anu the
power 10 protect them with the ballot box.
Grander Than the Boast of Roman Citizen
"Grander than. the bonsu OF the.
Roman citzen. Il was free born,
will be the proud endowment of
tho person who can say, l am a citi-
Zen OF The United States, aud as rise above
all superficial and accidental distinctions OF
birth, condition, nationalitXor Sex, am u
child of God endowed with all the liberty of
the human beng.
''Will the repu blican party today announce
itself as the standard bearer of equal repre-
sentation for all United States citizens and,
taking as your own. the motto Of Wallace,
God arms patriots mako way for the es-
tablishmont OF a true republic. By taking
your stand for justice to all, you plant your
selves upon principles that are everlastinely
true and abiding. lou Will take your posi-
ton in the advance guard OF progress and
reform, and you will prepare for victory mt
the polls in November 1892. In proof OF this,
we can bring you the certified endorsement
OF woman suffrage, ny 100 posts OF the
Grand Army of the Republic, the Trade and
Labor Assembly of Chicago, the unions OF
the Federation of Labor throughout Illinois,
the lodges of tho Farmers and Mechanics
Benevolent association, the Farmers alliance
and the Industrial union, the Knights of
Labor, in all representing over 1,000,000
voters, to whom you cannot afford 10 be in
different, also several millions of women
gathered IN the various woman suffrage,
temperance and other reformatory organiza-
tions, who, though they have no votes, have
influence, enthusiasm and eloquence, and all
these are needed IN u political campaign.
Women viii Bring Success.
''rhe party that has the women Is the party
that will succeed. Consider also that the
smaller parties, prohibition, peoples, labor,
ETC., include, largo number of voters who
are there because of their endorsement of
these principles OF human equality. and tho
party that has for its rallying cry equal
rights Tor every man and woman citizen on
the contlnent'g is tho party that will rouse
the people and gain the victory. God grant
that 1t may be the republican party. The
action withholding equal representation is
the early history of our country. The sue
cessfu party of tho future is tho one Of just
ana humanitarian principles, because God
and tho angels are contending for the right.
The golden rule has wonderful meaning
and we ask for its recognition.
1--WE do not appeal to your compassion, we
do not ask Tor favors, we simply appeal for
Justice, and that for the sake OF your own
success and the success of the hation.''
The memorial Is signed by ex-senator NJ.
B. Castle, Sandwich, Ill, president; Rev.
Olympia Brown, vice president; j. H. Devo,
treasurer; Mrs. S. M. G. PerKins, chairman
Of committee on the federal suffrage.