The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-21
JUST A GLIMMER
OF Light AHEAD.
The BRAVE CHAMPIONS OF
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE ARE
GAINING COURAGE.
TO CARRY THE AMENDMENTS
MRS. FOLTZ AND THE CONSTITU-
TION-SUsAN B. ANTHONY TO
BE ENLISTED.

The last Legislature has been subjected
to much adverse criticism for the good
work it didn't do, and among the most
severe critics have been the good and
brainy women of the State of California,
who asked for a loaf in the shape of suf-
frage and received a chunk of dough in
stead in the shape of q concurrent resolu-
ton TO submits constitutional amendment
for female suffrage at the next general
election.
But women are by nature more grateful
than men, aud they are now thankful even
for the unbaked loaf that they may be
made ready Tor a suffrage feast four years
hence-two years after the amendment is
adopted-if the necessary votes are secured
three years from next November.
The defeat OF the woman's suffrage bill
in the State Senate was a hard blow to the
women who had labored through the cam
paign and the windy routine of the Legis-
lature. When that measure was defeated
in the Senate there appeared to be little or
no hope for any legislation tending toward
the Acknowledgement of mans best and
truest friend. But few faint rays OF light
and hope glinted from afar-nearly four
years away-from the concurrent resolu-
ton to submit the female suffrage amend
electors.
That resolution passed the Assembly by
an overwhelming aiority and was
adopted in the Senate by the necessary
two-thirds vote, p, TO which was added
the joker-vote OF an enemy of the measure
Senator Gesford-wbo changed his vote
to aye, making the total %. in order to
give notice of a reconsideration. But for
tunatelv for him and his scalp and 20 the
great editication of the ladies, he did not
enter his motion to reconsider, and hence
the resolution became a law.
In some strange and entirely unaccount-
able way the idea has gone forth and has
been editorially commented on by many
prominent newspapers that the resolution
was defeated-in fact that the vote which
carried it was suspended by the notice of
reconsideration given by Gesford, but
such is not the case. No motion to recon-
slider was made because-well probably
the Senator from Napa thought better of it
and reconsidered himself.
But for all that, the ladies are not quite
happy. They would have liked to vote
few thousands when the amendment
comes up for adoption by popular election.
Now this is denied them and they realize
that many months of hard labor and the
expenditure of a great deal of money in
campaigning lies before them.
For the first time in her successful
career as journalist, lawyer aud orator
Mrs. Clara FoltZ felt cast down and gloomy
yesterday. She has been champion in
the cause of wOmans inherent rights to
share in the making of government and it's
administration, and has presented the case
In the light of law and equity as neither
man nor woman has ever done before.
After having placed her unanswerable
arguments before the legislative body and
its committees to find that those arguments
were ignored and the suffrage bill defeated,
simply because it was in the interest Of the
women of this State has caused Mrs: Foltz
to set her opinion of some men, particu-
1arly State Senators, several degrees lower
than they were few days ago. In an in
terview last night Mrs. Foltz said:
81 have utter contempt for the legislators
who were elected on platform calling for
female suffrage, and after having pledged
themselves to stand on such a platform to
turn right about and vote against the mea-
sure indorSed by the Republican conven-
ton and advocated by the best and BRAIN
lest men in the State The Assembly is
body. am therefore happy to know that
the Assembly passed the suffrage bill and
supported it to the bitter end, when it was
killed by the Senate's refusal to recede
from its amendment of the word male in
stead of female which was the work of a
man whose fame will never be spoken or
sung outside of his own little bailiwick.
mean Senator Gesford. OF course there
were some good men and some bright men
in the Senate, but it is my opinion that
they were blind to truth because they did
not want to see it.
THE only excuse the Senators who were
opposed to the bill had to make was that
the bill was not specifically authorized by
the constitution of the State. Now, every
lawyer who knows anything at all worth
mentioning about constitutional law
knows that this excuse was absurd. The
constitution is silent on the point of
woman suffrage. 1t says nothing, either
for or against it. Well, that being the
case, it is an established fact that when the
constitution is silent the Legislative body
OF State has the authority to step in and
frame law in accordance with the needs
and demands of the people. The pretext
on which the Senators killed that bill is an
insult to every honest and intelligent
woman in this State.
The women who own property and paw
taxes ought TO boycott the State until they
are given justice and equity the same as
men. They should refuse to pay taxes, TO
testify in courts of lawn short, thew
should refuse every demand that is made
upon them by the laws until the men rec
ognize the inherent rights of women and
give them an opportunity to share in the
making of laws as well as IN obeying them
and paying for the luxury of a State gov
eminent. Taxation without representation
is tyranny.
'Were it not for the passage of the con-
current resolution providing for the sub
uniting of a suffrage amendment to the
constitution to popular vote" continued
Mrs. Foltz, al should now feel like leaving
the State OF California forever For many
long and wearisome years l have toiled to
stand on an equal footing with men before
a jury, but | have learned that they are
remarkably intelligent jurors who will
consider lady lawyer without adverse
prejudice simply because she has not a
vote and political pull. have often been
made to feel like an alien in my own land.
But l think / can see few rays of light
from the dawn of new era. 1t is not all
darkness and prejudice and bigotry ahead.
Men with manly brains and men with
manly hearts and courage are steadily
coming forward TO help US drive away the
COLLINS of Anticipated traditions and preju-
dices.
"But we poor women have great deal
of work before u.s. and we will do it. We
will make, a campaign for freedom, the
like of which has not been seen OF
heard for many a year. Of course,
We will be somewhat hampered by
the want of the necessary funds,
for women do not have much ready cash
as a rnIe The wealthy women who baya