Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-05-17
F0ual suffrage.


l noticed in a late number Of thesall
Lake Dny Herald an article In tho
editorial columns under the caption
"Equal Suffrage Movement"in which
are pointed out what the writer con-
siders mistakes made by some o. ihc
ndvocatus Of female suffrage, me
writer does not eoem 10 MINK tHo
present an opp9rtune time ior pressing
The claims Of women 10 the eleullNe
franchise in Utah. IL such "a tue opin'
ion Of the Herald | very fesreclinllJ
but emphatically dissent 1 nave ue-
iieved. and still believe, that the people
Of Utah, or majority OF lheio, are lu
favor Of equal suffrage. AZ Tor many
ysars the laws Of UtIh recognized the
FIGHT OF women 20 vote, / assume thal
49,. respie were iu favor OF the Law,
othcrviss it would have been repealed
bv inc Legislature and not boeu per-
mitted 10 stand until the Congress
under the reserved night % hunul
territorial statute, iid ~.
We are oil looking forward 70 tue
time when Utah shall become a state,
possessing full power TO Say VINO may
become electors Within the state.
such being the condition, believe the
preseut 10 tho time 10 discuss the ques.
lion, In order that the people may be
prepared, through constitutional
convention, 10 settle the question.
1 will say hero, that 1 dissent from
the Implied doctrine that before womuu
are endowed with the franchise n ina.
lUrity Of the women must be converts
10 the doctrines. know 6ucn has been
an argument made use Of BY ant..uqIhl
sunfagists, but % has no force u one
woman dCiifes 10 vote, aud i entitled
TO vote, She ought 90 do 80, uvon though
every other woman la the Unilel
4 ates l. opposed 10 equal suffrage.
N0w ns 30 rights | entertain The
opinion that the Constitution OF the
United States was f0rc'hadawcd by,nud
really had ~ origin IN, tue principles
enunciAtcd Ia that Admirable doou'
ment % familiar 10 all patriotic ciuzont
the Declaration VI Independence, from
which beg you 10 allow me 10 magc
Aquolation applicable a. l think 10 this
great question:
We hold those truths 10 DO sclfovldon'
that all men arc CfotlCi ruuui ihtt
they are endowed by their Creator Win
certain uudeniabio rights that among
those AFRO lifo liberty aud The pursuit 81
happiness. That, 90 secure those rights,
governments arc Instituted among mon,
deriving thoir lust powers from the COM
sout OF tho governed.
IL Ia not necessary 10 refer 20 n die
tiouhfy for the purpose Of proving that
the term "men" IL not, aud that 10
cannot be-, confined 10 malrs, ~ we all
know that the term includos persons,
people aud mankind ui both sexes
Hence, men aud women arc created
equal, according TO Jefferson and his
illustrious colleague, whose signatures
are attached TO that immortal political
creed; according 10 this creed women
possess the same unaliuuablo rights
that men have. Amongst those fighianie
"libefiy and the pursuit Of happints'."
Ifwomcn are the equals OF men, they
have an inalionable right 10 liberty.
How eau they DO free " tho govern
ment under which they live dchArs
them from a natural right which II
grants to monG
II this government depflvcs women
OF tho right tooonsent or object TO laws
by which they are governed, u cannot
be tfuthiully said that these laws are
Just; and n the powers granted by
diem discriminate against woman be.
cause Of her sex, n Il clear that woman
~ robbed OF an "inalienAblu" right.
In this case We do not speak the truth
when We assert that this government
IL one Of the people, by th1 people anu
for the people, II would be moro true 10
say that Il IL a government Of women
by men.
such being the views OF this wrltor
on the subject Of the franchise Ia
question, II seems 10 me 10 be quite
important for the people OF Utan, u
they desire 10 obtain equal suffrage,
that they should take steps 10 do 10 At
the nrst opportunity 10 insert Ia the
Constitution n clause 10 that effect, II
can be done at that time much more
easily than 10 walt until some future
time 10 amend tho Constitution.
The Herald says that they the wOmou)
"shOuld cease 10 demand ne a right
that which men hold ~ n privilege"
"that there ~ no Inherent right 20 the
franchise In either sea-" etc, Such
may DO the case, aud u " doubtless
true, A. the Herald asserts, that the
right 10 vote Is conferred by law;
but when a law IL enacted by
men, ASSUMING right which u
denies 10 women, II Ia Legitimate
To inquire whether such law b.
founded upon the principles onunclAted
IN the Declaration Of Independence.
l do not ike 10 take Issue with the
Herald, aud hope 10 DO parioned Tor
doing 20 In tue present Instance, nor
would l have doue 10, but under the
circumstances feel that II In best f1r
the people Of Utah now 10 get ready
for the future, aud feared that the
remark OF the Herdid might have the
effect To induce thu people 10 waive
what l believe 90 be an unalienablo
right OF the molhvrs and ,aughtrrs Of
Utah. II. ID. JOHNSON.