The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1895-08-15

The dispatch" and Suffrage.

A the question OF women voting is
now being discussed in nearly every
quarter and the bestovng OF suffrage on
them by the recent constitutional con.
vention is being looked into, the position
some of the papers took in regard to the
matter at the time OF the great discus-
sion is being hurled forward and back
ward by our ladies. Several OF them
have asked US to give what was said by
the Provo Dispatch on this subject To
please them and to let our readers know
how that paper looked at the woman
suffrage question we copy the following
editorial OF that paper of March IA:
THE sAoREDNEss or PLEDGES.
The Salt Lake Herald is very pro-
nounced in its advocacy Of n provision
in the new constitution euiranchising
women. Last fall both the republicans
and the democrats, in the bitter struggle
for votes and thinking to win innuen, e
by the measure, adopted planks pledg-
ing their several parties TO advocate the
sacred cause" of female suffrage. That
paper now calls Justify for the demo-
Gratis to redeem the pledge then made
and also intlmates that the republicans
had better 20 and do likewise. In the
first place the democratic convention
had no right to make such pledge. 1t
was, and is. altogether against the whole
history and genius of the democracy.
Several states of this union have moved
for female suffrage and two at least
have accomplished it, but it is q notable
fact that all this sort of progress" has
been as yet, confined to republican
states. The simple fact Is that tho whole
thing is anti-democratic and foreign TO
all history, precedent and policy OF de-
mocracy. Not single line of Jefferson
even suggests such u principle. Nor
can suck line be found in any work by
any one OF the democratic fathers, either
ancient or modern. Then democratic
minority in our constitu tional conven-
tion may wefl iguore, ii it chooses,
hasty and foolish pledge made by con-
yention and still do no great violence to
either principle or usage. II a foolish
fellow in his cups pledges himself to
swallow an ounce oil morphine mugt he
make good the pledge when he is sober ?
There are some pledges more honored in
the breech than in the observance, and
that pledge last fall il one OF this char
acter As this IL the only argument the
Herald presents we naturally conclude
thatit is hayinga bit OF darkly concealed
fun at somebody's expense. We do not
want to see the franchise forced upon
our fair sisters whether or no, in any
such way. for we feel that if submitted
TO vote of the women themselves the
proposition would be voted down by
tremendous majority. The ardor OF the
thick and thin advocates OF the measure
is only simulated. 1t is not real gallan.
try and devotion TO the sex which in
ducss young and enthusiastic men TO
rush into the breech against all history,
all precedent and all nature to iorae
modest and shrinking womanhood into
the full blare and blaze of partisan poll
tics. The ladies read this as the callow
and deyil-may-care ebullition OF imma.
ture craftsmanship, seeking that notori-
city which is denied to its advocates in
the legitimate channels OF political am
billion. The theory is that ii this great
boon is conferred by the efforts OF this
tender and crisp sort Of statemanship,
the nowly eniranchised can do nothing
less than vote for their boneiactors to
the end of he chapter.
Take the women who have rs vet
taken hold Of this matter, and who can
say how much ambition to hold Office
has been Implanted in their own tender
bosoms and this sort OF assumed obliga.
tion to refrain themselves and vote for
the champions instead would be found
to have a very bitter taste and the wom-
en- would Indignantly refuse to carry out
that assumed or implied pledge, if she
never did another purely political act in
her life. 'Ths enthusiasm evoked last
fall" by the adoption OF the plank will
be found TO be very limp and unseawor-
thy this fall. The franchise enjoyed by
the dear ladies In Utah several years
since, when the government OF the ter
ritory Was theocracy was very din
erent proposition to political eniran-
ehissment such as is proposed now, or
tuch as Colorado is blessed" with. The
only excuse for the suffrage offered is
the necessity for reform.
Woman's suffrage may be good moral /
ily, but 1t Is an indifferent article OF de- /
moeraey, all the same.