The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-03

us ne was not present at the conven-
eion), who mas said 1 was mistaken,
anu mat the thing was introduced
purely upon the principle of it. On the
contrary, members in private tell ME
mat the one consideration was the fact
that it was the only way of salvation
Tor them. Thus they adopted it in
language which technically is equivo-
cal not that they intended it, 1 accept
the statements of gentlemen here that
II meant Woman's suffrage in its broad
est sense, but you will observe that
the language is. 1--WE favor equal suf-
lrage Tor women That might mean
mat SO lar as suffrage should be grant
eu ali women should enjoy it alike
WITHOUT saying that it meant equal Suf-
Irage with men. And then again. it did
AoI say now far it should be granted.
Our Democratic carpers-and carpers
Ihey were, because 1 believe what they
say IN regard to it. undertook to make
themselves solid. 1t is notorious that
tne great majority of the rank and
ME OF that party are of the Mormon
1alth. They undertook to outbid you
and II stand solid with those who
were supposed to be in their ranks.
Nobody has contradicted 1t on this
floor that it was in this manner, for
political capital. that this stand on
suffrage was taken.
Afraid of Clubs.
Now, with that as uncontradicted
fact in the case, you come into this
convention, where you are laying the
foundation of a new state and under
take to tell me that no matter what
dangers may loom I'D, what mighty
crags may be erected in the sea over
Which we are sailing, you are going to
stand oy those platforms, as if they
contained all of Gods eternal truth.
do you know why you are going to
stand by them? I VIII tell you why.
The Republican members of this con-
Ventlon are going to stand by them
10 the last ditch, and you viii have the
pleasure of voting me into silence this
afternoon on this proposition. We will
be through with it, and I know now
we'll how your votes will go. You Re
publicanS who will vote in the affirma-
tive for WomanS suffrage Will do so
because you are afraid that if you
shrink one poor hairs breadth from
the position you have announced you
would put into the hands of your
Democratic opponents club with
which they viii belabor you next fall
in the campaign, worse than the pro-
phet belabored Balaam's ass. ZAP
plause).
"ROberts Did IT,
I will tell the Democrats why they
refuse to bulge. They are afraid if
they do not stand pat upon this pro-
position and vote to its desperate con-
clusion. you Republicans then twill
have the club and they expect no
mercy at your hands. Those are the |
conditions that are operating AMI
would you believe it, my friend kim I
ball, of Salt Lake, who has inherited !
his opinions on woman suffrage (of |
course, there is no use of arguing |
against hereditary opinions, paid me /
the compliment that possibly 1 had been
selected by the Democrats as a decoy |
duck, for the purpose of leading you
Republicans eStray and getting you to |
go back upon your records on this pro-
position and then when done the Demo- |
Democratic party didn't do it," and /
hence they will belabor you.
Said 1t Was Blind.
Another thing has been said. A gen
+leman, whose honor could not be
uestioned. and whose character would |
lace his word beyond all ques-
ton, told me only last evening
that a member upon the floor of this
convention had said it was his opinion
that all 1 was doing was simply for a
blind; that I had been, by church
authority, ordained and set apart unto
this work, and that ! was not sincere in
my opposition to this question. The
studied assault Of my friend from the
Fourth precinct, though his arrows
were pointed and though his COMPARE
sons were coarse and offensive, if one
chose to look upon them so, said moth
ing that could so wound my feelings
as the charge that I am not sincere in
that which L have done upon the floor
of this convention.
Roberts had said this in low, all
most sorrowful tone, and, when he had
finished. he turned and looked around
the hall. Then his voice grew ma
3estic in its vehement denunciation as
he continued:
or all the cowardly, of all the con-
temptible creatures on earth, is he
who in such an assembly and on such
an issue as this could consent to act a
part Men ought TO shun, as the vilest
and uncleanest thing on Gods foot
that.
Terribly in Earnest.
Again ne paused. With an appealing
gesture and a voice ringing with emo
ton. he fairly hurled forth the words:
I am in earnest. My God! Don't YOU
see that I am terribly in earnest? 1t
is a question of the liberties of my peo-
pie among whom I have been reared.
He STEPPED, almost exhausted bv the
tumult of his emotion. The audience.
with one accord, took up the thought
and gave him back an answer of cheers
and applause that could hardly be
stilled. After few moments the
speaker continued:
Appeal to the Women.
I have but little more to say. I am
about ready to be buried by your votes
on this question. But If there is no
appeal can be made to the members Of
this convention, I will make one more
appeal to the women of this territory.
tt is within your power to avert the
dangers that threaten US. I care not
II IL does not endanger statehood. it
does endanger the future peace, it does
endanger the stability Of the coming
state. Let this large influx of women !
into the political arena, and the dis
gruntled party, whichever it may be.
will assign ever and anon as the cause ,
Of their defeat the interference by &C.
clesiastic2l authority upon woman. I
know it and you know it. It means Bit
terness, intense strife; it means ebulH-
tons of wrath; it means unsettled
conditions in this territory, whether it
defeats statehood Immediately or not
Why, we were doing famously before
we began playing the tricks of poll
Licians to gain power and votes Men
were getting together; the old struggle !
was being given up. Good feeling was /
being engendered. Now this must
needs come in to disturb our peace and s
threaten the stability of the state
whose foundations we are supposed to
De laying. {
Whips and Spurs.
Therefore, in consequence of this, let
ae say to these women agitating the
subject, and 1 want to tell you and &
hem now, in clearest frankness, that
rcv7 IA eyraat mass nf rvOT11er IF