The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-14
NEW YORK AND THE SUFFRAGE.


There is some misunderstanding in
reference to the woman suffrage ques-
ton and the action taken upon it in
New York. It is supposed by some
that the Legislature has passed an
equal suffrage bill. Others deny this
and think the state has gone against
it. Both are mistaken. The facts are
these:
A resolution has passed both Houses
Of the New York Legislature, by large
majorities, in favor of submitting an
amendment to the state constitution
which will confer upon women the cleo
tive franchise equally with men. That.
however, is but preliminary move
ment.
The Article on Amendments in the
New York Constitution provides that
when a proposition for an amendment
| shall be agreed to by majority of the
members of both Houses, it shall be
submitted to the following Legislature.
being published for three months be-
fore the election of the members of
that Legislature. If a majority of each
House shall agree TO the amendment,
it shall then be submitted to the vote
of the people, a majority Of the quail
fed electors to determine its adoption.
That is rather a roundabout way
and necessitates the expenditure of a
| great deal of time and the extraordi-
nary use of red tape" But the equal
suffragists are highly elated over the
measure of success which has attended
their efforts in the Empire State. It
should also be gratifying to the sup
porters of equal suffrage in Utah, that
| even New York has a majority in each
House of it's Legislative Assembly who
are in accord with them on this ques-
clares is zone of the most important
problems which modern republican
government has to solve"
Heretofore the subject has been
banded about from House to House in
that state. The concurrence of both
Houses is a novelty. It is quite likely
that next year the Legislature may in
both Houses endorse the proposition
for an amendment.
The weak point in its submission to
the people is that men only will pass
upon the question. On so important
a matter to the other sex they should
be privileged, as a matter of justice,
to have a voice in its determination.
That, however. is not possible under
the constitution of the state as it now
exists.
A measure of injustice IS connected
with the Utah Constitution on the same
ground. The women as we'll as the
men ought to express their wishes on
this matter at the polls. But there
is no reasonable doubt as to the adop-
ton of the constitution, notwithstand-
/ ing the covert attacks upon it by it's
pretended friends.
The manner of amending the Consti-
tuition of Utah is much more simple
and expeditions than the New York
method. If two-thirds Of all the mem
oers elected to the Legislature vote In
favor of proposed amendment, it is
to be published for two months i'm
mediately preceding the next general
election, and if a majority of the
voters approve the amendment it Will
then become part of the Constitution
of the State.
AS to the equal suffrage principle,
when once embodied in the state con-
stitution there is no probability of a
change. Utah is on the crest of a
tidal wave which will flow over the
entire Union. That revolution will not
60 backward, for it is in the direction
of human liberty, general progress nnd
universal uplifting, and it will go for
ward throughout the world and sweep
away all obstacles to the full freedom
Of the whole race of mankind