The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-06
WOMEN AND THE NEXT ELECTION.

It would seem that there is no need
for much present controversy over the
question whether the women of Utah
have a right under the constitution
and the enabling act to vote al the
election in November. But our Re
publican contemporary keeps pecking
away at the subject, contradicting a.
! self, as is its custom, every two or
| three days That paper is opposed to
the exercise of suffrage by women at
the first state election. 1t does not
believe that they have any legal right
| to do So At the same time it urges
them to register and to vote. But it
has advised them not to admit that
they had any right to do so. The
Herald in stating these facts has
shown the inconsistency of the posi-
ton taken by the Tribune. In re-
Spouse it says:
THAT is square lying"
| Let US see. In an editorial published
in the Tribune of July 2, 1895, this pas
sage occurred:
I'VE suggest to Republicans all over
the territory, in each precinct, to or
]
a moment admitting that under the
law women have any more right to
vote this year than have boys of
twenty years Of age"
There is no need for us to use the
language which comes so readily to
the Tribune editors lips when he is in
a corner and rage, which occur sim
ultaneously. The public will supply the
proper epithet.
In reference to the registration of
women citizens our contemporary
makes these ilI-advised and petulent
remarks:
I'VE believe it is a trick Matched
out in an office in this city in order TO
try to get a dishonest advantage of
the Republican party"
That is one of the many childish ex-
pressions uttered by our contemporary
over this voting question There is
no trick about it. The subject was
duly presented in the constitutional
convention and fully discussed. The
Tribune itself subsequently called upon
the Utah Commission to instruct the
registration officers as to what they
should 90 in this regard. At the same
time it admitted that the Utah Com
mission had no authority to issue such
instructions. That body, however, has
made suggestions to the registrars for
the purpose of securing uniformity
That means that all women who ap-
ply for registration and can take the
oath provided will be registered.
honest advantage of the Republican
party?" Republican women-what
there are of them-will be registered
just the same as Democratic women
will be. Does our neighbor mean TO
say that it fears the Democratic wo-
men are in the majority, and therefore
the advantage which will be gained
by their registration and voting will
be "a dishonest advantage?' Are we
to understand that nothing is honest
but that which will give the advantage
to the Republican party?
Our querulous contemporary stated
that if the Republicans should gain
the election, and the President be-
cause of that should refuse to issue
his proclamation admitting the state
into the Union, the people would be
able in two months to call another
election for the adoption of the con-
stitution. We asked where the people
would get the authority to do so. The
Tribune now replies:
1.-The people have that authority in
herent in themselves. It is sovereign
right they have, and there is no au-
thority that can be interposed to deny
that right and that is a proper course
TO follow"
That is not the doctrine which our
contemporary has heretofore enuncia-
ted. All the authority that the people
have, according to its announced
ideas, is contained in the enabling act,
which provides for but one election for
the ratification of the constitution.
Without further congressional author
ity how could another election be held
for that purpose? The inherent
right 11ronoSiti0n has heer sfreorantIu