Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-08-10
A Past Issue.

The Tacoma FIRE. In, D.. in an ar
t.cle on Woman suffrage SAYS that the
u-e e.! the ballot hv women would he
not only unjust but dangerous, he
cause il i plain such an addition to
the electorate would hot lie taken al
vantage Ui ~ the majority OF women.
Mr.. Ni-chcr came to our State too late
10 gather knowledge from observation
a thc workings OF the system or he
would not have advanced theoretical
proposition which was So etiectually
dissipated by the practical results OF
four years OF experimental test. One
OF the anomalies Of this experience was
that the women who doubted the
policy OF the measure and opposed the
bill up to the time OF its final enact.
ment. placing woman on political
equality with her hro;ncr man, be-
came, soon as her hand had firmly
grasped the ballot, the most deter.
mined in educating her sex for an in.
telligent use OF the new power, nor
was il, as the Free Lance presages, q
weapon in the hands OF the low and
yicious, whereby the moral plane OF
the ballot was lowered. On the con-
trary, the first indication OF the new
element in politics was to purify po-
litical meetings. and to redeem the
polls from many OF the characteristics
which kept even pure-hearted men
from the hustings. The response OF
the better classes OF woman to the
newly imposed duties was general and
hearty, and the position of woman
was infinitely bettered by giving her a
higher ambition than to lead in so.
ciety or manage church sociables, and
it was notable fact that gossip and
SANDER decreased just as women be-
came interested in the study OF politi-
cal economy.
While the Free Lance admits that
alt does seem proper that women
who possess property in their own
right should have some means by
which they could take part in making
the laws concerning such interests"
it declares that latter all, such wo-
men have. in a general way, influences
that are more potent in the control of
legislation than a mere vote would
be-" If this be true, it is base solely
on her sexuality-the mere fact that
she is woman, and the Lance seems
to be perfectly willing that che should
employ all her feminine charms and
graces in inducing men to protect her
rights, do everything in the way of
electioneering to influence mems
votes, and then draws the line at the
mere act of depositipg ballot for
herself! 1t seems to us that this DO
sition is inconsistent, especially when
its only justification is the assump-
ton that bad women will vote and
good women will not.
The same objection might be urged,
with equal propriety, against the vote
OF the vicious and depraved of the
other sex, if clear moral record is u
requisite qualification for the ballot.
No person is better or worse, from
having been born a boy or girl; both
have an equal right to protection OF
the law, to earn an honest livelihood,
and to do all those things which do
not conflict with the rights, privileges,
and we'll being of others.
Washington is not alone in the &C.
QUESTION of knowledge from practical
experiences knowledge which ex-
plodes many of the often repeated OBJ
jections to impartial suffrage. Wyo-
ming has, for many years, been making
a trial of the plan, and the report has
invariably been in accord with the
verdict here. When the ballot was
wrested from women's hands by q
technical decision of the Supreme
Court, there had not been a voice
openly raised against the full enjoy
ment of suffrage by women; but, on
the contrary, the leading politicians,
who gave direction to popular senti-
Eent, were standing, literally hat in
hand, to do the bidding of this power
invested sovereign. Twenty.four hours
had not elapsed after the verdict went
forth from the court of higher resort
than the selfish throng jeered at what
had hitherto elected the profoundest
respect.
Oh no, Free Lance, it will not do to
reel of such finespun theories to those
who have wove the fabric and tested
its enduring qualities. A test Of i'm
partial suffrage is the surest means Of
removing the cobwebs with which the
preludices of ages have befogged the
brain.
A THEME FOR A MUSICAL GENIUs.-
A writer in Free Lance suggests the
idea that Puget Sound, with its Nea-
politan skies and matchless views by
land and sea, should be the true home
of melody. Here, he maintains, il
ample scope for the composer, in illus
trating some of the beautiful and
romantic legends of the conntrv nv