The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-01
INVALID OBJECTIONS.

y contemporary in the South objects
to permitting the women to vote at the
coming election for the adoption of the
constitution of the state. It's objec-
tons, it states. are based on two prop
| ositions. The first is that the legal
fraternity are divided in their opinions
as to it's legality. The second is that
there is a strong under-current of OPP
position to woman suffrage coming
from those persons who in the past
have been the bitter enemies of Utah
It fears that they will try to make
seeming irregularity in the vote for the
constitution cause for an effort to
defeat the will of the people"
We think the objections of our con-
temporary without good foundation.
Since when have all the members of
the legal fraternity been united on any
important public proposition? What
matters how many lawyers there can
be arrayed on either side of the ques-
ton? 1t is one for a competent court
to determine. It will probably be test
ed in the only conclusive way. So
much for that objection.
The 'under-current against woman
suffrage" is not anything near as
strong as 1t was at the time when the
question was debated convention
Since equal suffrage has become a part
of the constitution of the State of Utah
much of the opposition to it has died
out. Some persons who were opposed
TO it on principle are now strongly in
its favor. The practical hostility to
equal suffrage, by the time of the cleo
ton will be scarcely worth public men
ton. But if that 'under-current' were
as strong as our contemporary imag-
ines, still it would be no argument
against the right of the women citi-
zens of Utah to vote on the ratification
Of the constitution, and it should deter
no one from a straightforward course
who believes in the right and legality
Of the female vote
AS The Herald has several times ex-
planned, the whole controversy turns
upon one pivot. 1t is that clause in the
enabling act which makes it manda-
tory that THE qualified voters of the
proposed state" shall vote on the rati-
fication of the constitution. If that
means, as many of the very best law
yers in Utah maintain. the persons
who are made voters by the constitu-
ton of the proposed state, then it is
not only the privilege but the duty of
the women OF Utah, enfranchised by
the constitution, made by it qualified
voters Of the proposed state, TO enroll
their names upon the registration lists
and to cast their ballots at the first
state election.
If that is not the meaning of the
clause to which we have referred and
that is SO decided by a court of COM
petent jurisdiction. then of course the
women will not attempt to avail them
selves of the privileges which it is be-
lieved has been conferred upon them
by the constitution of the state viewed
in the light Of the enabling act.
No one need be in any apprehension
about what enemies of Utah or of
woman suffrage will be able to do if
the matter is favorably decided by
judicial authority. The President of
the United States has a duty to per-
form in reference to the admission of
Utah. from which he is not at all like
ly to be turned aside by the schemes
and intrigues and malevolent opposi-
ton of few individuals whose hostil-
fly to Utah and her liberties will prob
ably last till they die.