The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-11
To Enfranchise Women.

10 the Editor OF The III erald In an ed
itorial on the woman suffrage question
before the present Legislature, II local
contemporary states that not more than 10
per cent of the women want the ballot and
that the claims to suffrage should not be
grantee until ''the great body of
women shall have squarely declared them
selves as desiring to exercise the fran
chise.
On this point allow me to say that
there is good authority for the statement
that there have been more petitions for
woman's enfranchsement than for any
other measure. But this is immaterial.
Fundamental rights do not require that
majorites shall demand their recogni-
ton before being granted. Would the ed
itor say that any constitutional right of
men should be withheld until the great
body of men shall declare themselves as
desiring to exercise it?' Surely not; nor
is such the usual mode of procedure. The
only question: when, a citizen protests
against being deprived of constitutional
right, is, Has that individual the right
under the state and national Constitu-
tons to the right or privilege he claims. ~
Prior to the late war, and while there
was yet but little regard for the rights of
the colored people, the colored children in
the city in which the writer resided were
not permitted to attend the public schools,
although they paid taxes for their sup
port. Finally one colored man appealed
to the courts. And when the Judge before
whom the case was heard rendered his de-
cision, he did not stop to inquire whether
1.-THE great body OF colored people squarely
declared themselves as desiring to use"
their school privileges and rights, or
whether majority even so desired. The
only question was, whether under the Con-
sttuton the claim of the plaintiff could
be sustained. When shown that it could
be, the Court decided in his favor. And
while this decision did not plunge" nor
drag" all the colored people into the
schools, it did open the schools of the
state to all who were intelligent enough
and understood their interests sufficiently
to take advantage of them.
1t seems to be falling of most persons
and classes OF persons to arrogate to them
selves rights and privileges which they
think they see good reasons for refusing
to others; hence the necessity for consti
tutional provisions guaranteeing equal
rights to all, as was done at the time of
the establishment of the Government
under which we now live. And that con-
stitutional law must be observed while it
exists Questions of policy should have
no effect to defeat its provisions. OF
course the time may come when this
form of government will be abandoned.
Some believe that the indications are,
that before another century has passed
our Government of the people will be re-
placed by military government. Others,
that the theory of the rapidly increasing
anarchists will obtain, and we will have
no government-each class or neighbor-
hood defending itself against aggressions
of others. But | am persuaded that at
the present time the great body OF the
American people prefer government of
the people, by the people, as established
by the patriots OF l776, and as emphasized
by the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments subsequently adopted and partially
enforced by The Republican party. And