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

The women of this city who are cp-
posed to having the equal suffrage
clause inserted in the constitution,
and who favor the submission of a
separate article, fired the first gun in
their campaign at the Grand opera
house yesterday afternoon, and fol-
lowed it UP with another at the expo
sition building last evening.
The meeting at the opera house
brought cut great audience, COM
posed almost exclusively Of women
and those who expected a long
drawn out wrangle were agreeably
surprised. Every opportunity was af-
forded for full and frank discussion,
and the business was disposed of with
a CELEBRITY and method that would
have done credit to any body of men.
As the meeting, was called by the
ladies who favor the submission Of a
separate clause, it is presumed that
those who took the opposite view re-
manned away and the vote on the
question was practically unanimous.
The opera house orchestra was in
attendance, and rendered several Sc
lections.
Among those who occupied seats
upon the stage were Mrs. ". A Mel
den, Mrs. Froiseth, Mrs. Paddock
Mrs. c. I. Kirby, Mrs. Joseph L. Raw
Inns, Mrs. c. c. Goodwin, Mrs Ellis
worth Daggett, Mrs. w. S. Mccormick,
Mrs. w. p. Lynn, Mrs. ISabsl Pitts
Mrs. o. W. Powers, Mrs. Macintosh,
Mrs. Fox and others.
The addresses were all very brief,
all TO the point and all well received.
Mrs. c. l. Kirby, who has been a life
long worker in the cause of equal suf-
frage created some surprise by coming
out emphatically i'm favor of the
separate article plan, and was warmly
aPplauded.
The Proceedings.
AT o. m Mrs. Froiseth called the
meeting to order and nominated Mrs.
w. A. NeIden for chairman and tina
motion was carried and Mrs. S. 0. B.
Cummings was elected secretary.
In assuming the chair. Mrs. Nelden
briefly stated the object of the meet
ing and the secretary then read the
Following resolutions, which had been
prepared for submission to the gather
ing:
The Resolutions.
The women of Salt Lake city and
county, in mass meeting assembled
hereby adopt the following resolutions:
Whereas. a convention is being held
in this city for the purpose of framing
a constitution for the proposed state
OF Utah, and,
Whereas. The question is being con-
sidered by said convention Of incor-
poratlng in said constitution a pro-
vision for woman suffrage: and.
Whereas. No opportunity has been
AFFORDED the women of this territory
he
ter; and
Whereas. By the adoption of a plank
IN favor OF woman suffrage in the plat
forms Of both political parties. no op-
portunity was afforded to the citizens
OF this territory to indicate their ap-
proval or disapproval Of the PROPOSE
ton; and
Whereas. It is conceded alike by the
advocates and the opponents of woman
suffrage that in all intellectual attri-
butes and attachments the women are
entitled TO vote. and. if this be true,
then they posses the necessary intel
lgence and attachments to enable them
to determine for themselves whether
they desire this privilege. and they
should be given the opportunity to
decide this question for themselves:
aud
Whereas. From the published state
mmentS Of majority of the delegates
of the convention it appears that they
are supporting the proposition OF equal
suffrage. not from personal preference
or conviction that it is right. but be-
cause they feel Obliged to do so from
the fact that they have been elected
upon platforms favoring woman suf-
frage; and
Whereas. 1t would be better TO remain
disfranchised than TO have the privi-
lege extended TO US through compul-
sion; and
Whereas. 1t has been repeatedly
stated upon the fooU of the conven-
ton and in the columns of rhe public !
press, and has been reiterated on
every hand that If a provision in IA /
the constitution it will prevent the
adoption of the constitution by the
people or by the president of the (
United States: and
Whereas. We do not desire TO see I
the possibilities Of early statehood /
ieopardized by the efforts to extend to /
US the privilege OF suffrage when the /
same end can be obtained by other |
means; and
Whereas. a matter OF such great i'm /
portance and one that affects the in
terestS Of all TO such great extent /
and that imposes upon women duties /
and responsibilities Of such grave and /
Weighty nature. should not be adop- /
tea without q full. free and fair ex-
preston Of all the people TO be af- /
fected thereby; and
Whereas. If the measure is jncorpor- |
ated in the constitution itself or is
submitted as Z separate proposition al
the time of the election for the adop-
ton Of the constitution. women will
not be legally qualified to vote upon
the question; and
Whereas. The question OF woman suf-
frage can only be voted upon by women
after tie adoption of the constitution
and the admission OF Utah as state
aad only then under provision of the
Utah legislature; therefore. be it
Resolved, That it is the sense Of the
women of this the largest city
IN the territory. in mass meet
ing assembled. that the oues-
ton of woman suffrage should
be left undetermined until provision
can be made by the state legislature
for the submission Of the question to
a full, free and unprejudiced popular
vote Of the people of the new state,
at which election provision shall be
made for the women TO vote upon the
question, and that the first state