Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-09-06
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTA-
TION,

We noticed in Wednesdays issue of
the Leader we'll written article en-
ii led dual SUFFRAGE"
The question of woman's suffrage is
one of the most important problems OF
the age. 1t is question in which all
thinking men and women are deeply
interested. The opponents of wom-
ans sufferage once treated the subject
with contempt and ridicule, but the
time for that has passed away.
Reformers are always prosecuted; it
has been SO in all ages. The early alb.
olitionists were ridiculed and abused
in every way; and it was through
blood and the horrors of a civil war
that slavery was abolished from the
land.
There is one phase of the woman's
sufferage question upon which there is
no doubt-one point which admits no
argument. 1t is an axiom that women
who are taxpayers are entitled to a
vote on all questions affecting their
property, Itris their prerogatiye. \
woman who owns bank stock is en-
titled to vote in matters pertaining
to the bank.
An ignorant man who does not know
a. from "B" and who never paid
cent of taxes in his life, and perhaps Is
supported by the town every winter, is
allowed to vote in favor OF streets be-
ing paved in front of the property Of an
educated, intelligent woman who has
no voice whatever in the matter. We
say that taxation without representa-
Jion is tyranny and is opposed to the
spirit of a republican government. We
do not claim this sentiment to be orig
inal, but it is true and will bear repe-
tition.
There is another point upon which
we would like 10 touch. 1t is the in
justice of paying women (reachers for
instance) lower wages than men re-
ceive, even though women do the work
as well.
In an article published recently in
leading periodical, the writer's main ar
gument against woman suffrage is
that women haYe no executive ability
and that history has proved that they
are unfit to hold the reins of govern
ment.
History, both sacred and profane, is
a story of wars and cruelty and blood
shed. The kings and queens as rule
were bigoted and tyrannical. We ad.
NIT that Queen Elizabeth was vain and
caprcious and sometimes cruel, but
she ruled with aU4iry aud her reign
was brilliant one; and Isabella of
CASTLE, although religious bigot, was
a noble queen. For every queen who
was cruel and bigoted we can point out
a king who was equally so.
Henry the Eighth was not only in
fnitely more cruel than Elizabeth, but
he was hypocrite, a trimmer, favor
ing sometimes the Catholics and at
other times the Protestants.
But after all, these dead and buried |
kings and queens haven't much to do
with the question. Taken in the ag-
yregate, they were bad lot and the
world is well rid OF them,
The manners of countries differ. In
England women have taken a promi-
ient part in politics for years. The
Duchess of Marlborough, and in later
ears Lady Randolph Churchill, have
'een deeply interested in elections
We have sometimes thought that the
resence of good women at the polls ,
vould have purifying influence; that ]
would put down the bribery and cor l
lption and rings, and would have l
ndency to cleanse the Augean sta bles
As we said, the time for treating the !,