The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-07

suit or ridicule? If few low-minded mer
can regard women from the sexual stand
point alone. is this an argument why she
must stay within doors like the inmates
OF q harem? OH surely we have ad
vanced in this republic of ours beyond
this low standard. Impure thoughts will
not come to men when they regard wo-
men as their Intellectual equals. When a
man expresses himself as opposed to the
franchise for women on the merits Of
the question, you may be pretty sure that
ideas of masculine domination. or that
his own wife Is woman who does OF
/ impress him Intellectually. Yes, men are
greatly influenced by their wives. but
they are often too tyrannical to represent
| these wives properly at the polls, where
the hero must remember, the gentle Ten
tyson had his say as well as the virile
Gladstone.
1t is hard for some men to give up that
old idea that they are the natural lords
| Of the family. The bible can be made
silent in the churches. said Paul, because
/ in that day, they were not fitted to speak.
/ Divine wisdom does not forbid Them TO
speak when they have proved themselves
/ able and ready. Because the wisdom or
statesmen has deprived women OF the
ballet, does it follow that women viii
never become enlightened enoush to
exercise the franchise? Divine wisdom
has no more to do with appointing relig-
iouS leaders than with setting apart
political leaders. The personal qualities
either case, and difference of opinion
prevails among voters whether in church
or state
When Mr.. Roberts says that the fran
chse is not denied to women because OF
their mental inferfority. but because their
nature units them for political life be-
cause their weakness needs mans protec-
ton, he implies that the most ignorant
foreigner who comes to our shores VIII
make better citizen than the most in
telligent woman imbued with Americas
spirit of liberty and equality. 1t is true
that the ballot vas given to the negroes
in their ignorance; but many question
the wisdom of that privilege
All good people, ii seems to me, must
favor an educational qualification first;
but If that is impractcaDle, by all means
let the women vote. The trial in Colorado
proves that it is not the lowest class of
ical privileges. As a rule, it was the en-
lightened women who went to the polls;
and men found that they had to be more
particular about the character of their
candidates TO get the womenS vote. So
women are actually working reforms
where they have the chance. Why is it
that the saloon men oppose woman suf-
frage? They know it means their ruin.
Mr.. Roberts displayed, in his conScien-
tious opposition to this question that very
courage and devotion to principle which
is womans characteristics. don't believe
that women would introduce planks into
platforms for policy, or stoop to the des-
piSdDle WlIe-pulllIB SO common. among
men. Mr. Roberts is Disguised with the
schemes of both political parties. He sees
that there is a need of reform from some
source Oh, but women can do good with
out the ballot Yes. but they could have
ousted Breckenridge more easily with
that powerful weapon.
But women do not want the franchise, |
it is claimed. Give them chance. In
Ohio the women have recently been
granted the privilege of voting on school |
questions, and they have shown great |
enthusiasm going out to vote in pouring
rains. One woman got to the polls be- |
fore they were open, so eager was she. |
You have heard of animals and human |
beings who have been starved SO long |
that substantial food in any quantity |
will make them sick. That is the con-
dition of many women. The church and |
mon have done their thinking so long /
that when thrown on their own resources, !
they are weak and despa-ring. True there /
are thinking women in this territory |
who doubt the wisdom of woman suf-
frage. but. in general, the women who do /
not want to vote are not the thinking wo-
men. and they must be educated up to
this idea by their more advanced sisters. I
Women do need the protection of the bal
lot to keep their sons and daughters from