The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-06
THE LADIES' RESOLUTIONS.

The writer of the resolutions which
the ladies adopted at the Opera mouse
meeting on Friday, was not happy or
consistent in his expression Of anti
suffragist notions. First it is stated as
reason for the disturbance, that:
mo opportunity has been afforded
the women of this territory manifest
ing their opinion on the matter
There has been plenty of opportunity.
and the subject has been discussed for
many years by the women and the men
of Utah and the declarations in the
party platforms were the expression
of the convictions of the great majority
or they would not have been put there.
And there has been the same oppor-
tunity for the people to indicate their
approval as for any other plank in the
platforms. And there is no more sense
in demanding agitation to obtain the
popular view on this question, than as
to other provisions and articles of the
constitution which is TO be framed by
the peoples delegates.
Next the resolutions admit that
IN all intellectual attributes and at
tainments the women are entitled to
vote"
That being so, women should be
secured in the privilege as much as
the men are. And the only way to
settle that is to provide for it in the
constitution.
It is next declared that
From the published statements of a
majority of the delegates of the con-
vention, it appears they are supporting
the proposition for equal suffrage, not
from personal preference or conviction,
but because they are obliged to do so
from the fact that they have been
elected upon platforms favoring equal
suffrage.
We are sorry that the ladies were
deluded into supporting that resolution
because it is not true. The majority
Of the delegates have stated nothing
of the kind either on the floor of the
convention or in any publication. Only
a very few delegates have had the
hardwood to express such a sentiment
Then the ladies say:
ct would be better to remain dis
franchised than to have the privilege
extended through compulsion."
With all due respect to the ladies,
what utter nonsense that isl Who
wants to compel them to do anything?
Is any man compelled to vote because
he has the privilege Of voting? If it
is a matter Of compassion to women is
it not equally so to men? Why, it is
simply a matter of liberty. Women
are now under political disabilities and
they will be taken away by the equal
suffrage provision. They can vote or
not as they please. There is no COM
pulsion in it to anybody.
Then the whole contention is given
away in the proposition to provide for
a law giving to women the right to
vote cat any school election and to
hold any school office" If it is compuI-
sion in one case it is compulsion in the
other.
1t is needless to pursue the matter
further. Like all the pretended argu-
ments against equal suffrage, the reso-
lutions are contradictory and self-re-
futing. If the ladies who voted for
them on just hearing them in meet
ing, will carefully read them they will
wish they had either not attended that
gathering or had kept silent after get
ting there. The few noes that were
uttered showed that some of the ladies
present were able to do their. own
thinking.