The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-30
SUFFRAGE IS
THE THEME
Continued from page ~

of mental equality? No. 1t was t.,
give them protection against their
former masters The franchise has
always been given as a matter OF
protection. Do our wives, mothers,
sisters and daughters need protection
against US? We hear constantly OF
clanking chains until we feel, when
we meet a woman, like looking for
the gives upon her wrists. This idea
is all wrong. There is no contest be-
tween men and women.
Idiots and Criminals.
He was surprised that no one nad
said on the floor that women were
placed on the same plane as idiots and
criminals. It was usually brought UP.
He asked if that was true He said il
was an insult to our ancestors in the
grave to say this. Nowhere on the
face of the earth has woman been sc
exalted as in America. Such arSu-
ments are outrageous.
The demand for woman suffrage IS
not new. From Plato down there has
been the same demand. Why has it
not been graz ed? Man is just. He
has stricken the chains from millions
Of slaves. He endeavors to do right.
The reasons are that women have
representation by their husbands,
fathers and brothers, because Of their
position in the home and because men
gre best fitted to rule. That is their
position. Governments are founded
on force. When danger comes men go
TO the front and women stay behind.
But from that position they have more
influence on men, fighting for their
homes, than if they were AmoZons
armed cap-a-pie and marching by their
eide.
No DisparagemenJ.
He agreed that in the softer and
finer graces woman is the superior of
man. But in the lines of government
men are superior. 1t is no disparage-
ment of either to admit this superb
ority in the different lines. Tennyson
and Gladstone might have been equal,
yet they were in different spheres. 1t
was no disparagement of the poet to
say that he could not have handled a
budget or of the statesman to say he
could not have sung of King Arthur
SO it was no disparagement of the
women of Utah to say they are not
fitted to take part in the government
He had been in mining camps and had
often seen what brutes men can be-
come when they are left without the
influence of woman and what an i'm
provement comes when they are again
given the privilege of her society. He
had high ideal Of woman. 1t had
not been gained from seeing a lecture
platform with a woman upon 1t. It
Eldu LOl DcSn SdlUSu by SS6lHg a
woman engaging in political broilS 1t
had been gained from seeing women
at the firesides. He did mot like to
think of them as Republicans or Demo-
Gratis or Populists but as wives, moth
erS and sisters.
Even Kentucky.
He had spoken the day before of the
different states where women had their
full rights. That was 30 ''even in
Kentucky" He corrected himself
He had not intended to say "even.'
But now let it stand. Even in Ken
lucky women had shown enough politi-
cal strength. without the ballot, to
own ambition man who had out
ragged every law of morality and de-
cency. Who would say that woman
was without political power in the
face Of such an evidence as this?
What more could they have done if
they had their ballots?
He said women Were not helped by
taking part in public life. He referred
TO the squabbles in the board of lady
managers of the Worlds fair. reading
The Herald's dispatch at the time
and a Chicago papers comment.
These were women of the highest
character. If women of this kind in
duige in such kind of scenes, how
long can they retain the respect thew
have heretofore held? Men engage in
rows, but women should not be placed
in the same position. He also read
from dispa tches regarding scenes of
Kansas and Denver where women
had been INN oderate in politics and had
been insulted He said the best
friends of women would save them
from such scenes as this in order that
they might keep that respect which is
now given to them.
A Terrible Quotation.
He said the advocates of suffrage
seemed to claim all the gallantry ex-
listing on the floor. Yet he would deny
this. On the day when the women had
come into the hall to present their
petition. one of the strongest women
suffrage delegates had said to him.
IF we have such invasions as this
often we had better quit" More than
that this same delegate had said.
Look at them. They are not men
They are not women. What are they?"
Roberts paused a moment and
turned half way round, with a sweep
ing glance at the women who were
present. Raising his hand and throw
ing a deep emphasis into his words, he
said no one, no matter how ungallant
he might be esteemed, could accuse
him of having ever used an expression
which would so reflect upon woman
hood. If the women of this territory
he continued, could only hear the gists
and jibes that are passed around about
them, even by those who most ear
nestly speak for them on the floor,
whether their cheeks were soft and
youthful or wrinkled and aged they
would blush for shame.
VIII it Be Better.
Why have suffrage? 1t is said the |
women will elect men who will make |
better laws. There are good laws now
Every vice which can be held in check |
by law is so held. Legislation can no |
more make men moral than it can |
make them charitable or noble. If |
laws could, he would have all men |
noble and all women fair. Would wo- |
men elect better men to administer |
laws? How could they? This is a gov |
eminent of parties and voters can only |
give expression through them. The |
women, like the men, can only vote for |
the party nominees or throw their votes |
away. The refined, good women will [