The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1895-09-14
Y. w. c. r. U.

AS rule the greatest takers are th
most superficial thinkers. Trite vol
sayY Very, but here's the point. Peo
pie are continually talking of thing
they only halfway comprehend an,
decrylhg grievances that exist nowher,
IN the wide wide world, except in thei
own fertile imaginations. That's tn,
way 1t is with opposers of the w. G.. Il
u, ana Kindred organizations. Argu
ment after argument they advance anC
lose; but there's one to which they re-
chr with amusing frequency, sure tha
1t will stir up prejudice and enable them
10 carry their point with greater ease
The W. T.. Il. u. works for Woman's
Rights" they say. and the Y is only a
training school for the masculine and
unlovable creature aptly styled the new
woman"
1t may be questioned whether the
new woman is really 80 masculine and
anl0vable" as many seem to suppose,
out tliat's not the point at issue. The
| w. Z. L. U. OF Louisiana has never vet
adopted the suffrage work, as all NAV
| learn who read the following extract
| from the late annual address of Mrs.
Mary Reade Goodale, president of the
State organization:
"Our State w. G.. T. u. is unjustIy
| accused all around of working for wo-
mans suffrage. 1t is thrown at us as a
slur or objection to our work at all
times. When we ask favor for one of
our workers, when we would secure a
church or hall for lectures or entertain
ments, when our conventions are to
meet and our women seek entertain
ment for our delegates, the same old
cry goes forth from those who do not
n nj 1o n
U. is working for suffrage" Many of
our workers are coming to think that
we might as we'll adopt a suffrage de-
partment and work in earnest for the
ballot for woman as to bear the trials
and snubs which are given to us for the
mere accusation.
have never advocated, and no not
now advocate, work for woman's suf-
frage by the w. C. T. U. of Louisiana.
There is suffrage association in the
State to do that work. We have all we
can do to do the Christian Temperance
and prohibition work needed.
Our national w. c. II. u. has wo-
mans suffrage as part of its creed, but
it does not make this creed obligatory,
and every member of the Louisiana w.
c. L. U. can endorse it or not, as she
pleases and deems right. in just the
same way that she can personally en-
dorse any special church creed.
For sonnd and good reasons the
Louisiana W. c. Il. U. have never taken
up that department of work, and no
resolution in regard to it has ever been
passed by our convention. UnfOrtu-
nately, the large class of women in our
State who are not intelligent enough to
vote would make. universal suffrage a
curse at the present time to Louisiana.
Suffrage qualified by education and
property qualifications might be an un-
told blessing. Some of our Southern
States have studied earnestly and deep
ly into this question and have adopted
work for equal suffrage. Let us not
fear discussion of the question wl,eth-
er we approve or disapprove of it.
'Woman's suffrage is no longer theo-
retical, but practical and realized To
prove this, hear the resolution unani-
mously adopted at a recent session of
the Wyoming legislature
" Resolved by the second legislature
OF the State OF Wyoming, that the pos
session and exercise OF suffrage by the
women in Wyoming for the past quar-
ter OF century has wrought no harm
and has done great good in many ways;
that it has largely aided in banishing
crime, pauperism and vice from this
state, and that without any violent or
oppressive legislation that it has Sc
cured peaceful and orderly elections,
good government and remarkable de-
gree of civilization and public order,
and we point with pride to the facts
that, after nearly twenty five years of
woman suffrage not one county in WyO-
ming has a poor house, that our jais
are almost empty, and crime. except
that committed by strangers in the
State, almost unknown; and, as the re-
suit of experience, we urge every civil
lized community upon the earth to en-
franchise its women without delay.
Resolved. that an authenticated
copy Of these resolutions be forwarded |
by the governor of the state to the legis-
Iature of every state and territory in
the world; aud that we request the
press throughout the civilized world to
call the attention of their readers to
these resolutions.'