The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-30
MALICE AND IGNORANCE
PROMPTED THE SCREED OF THE
TRIBUNE AGITATOR.
So Says a Prominent Lady of Utah
County-Women Are TO Be Relied
Upon In Politics as Elsewhere.
Provo. July IS, 1898.

Provo. July IS, 1898.
To the Editor of The Herald:
An article in the Tribune of July 20 con-
tains much of malice and ignorance. and
makes the assertion that one-haif of the
Democratic party will be arrayed against
the other half in the coming campaign,
on the sex line They make the statement
that this will be so if the Republicans will
agree to the suggestions of certain DEM
ocrats that women will be eliminated from
the tickets.
They give as reasons CO for this highly
un-American and dshonorable sugges-
ton, that women will not vote for women,
which is not true.
Unwise choice of candidates may have
been made in Salt Lake county, which the
women refused to ratify. or they may
have ratified a nomination at the polls
that they would not do again. but these
are isolated cases, and by no means con-
fined to the lady office-holders, and fe-
male voters.
There have been a comparatively small
number of ladies elected to important Off
ces and of these the majority have made
good official records. and We're well sus-
tanned locally by their own sex. In Cache
county lady presides over the recording
department, who will be reelected, and
who ran far ahead o. her ticket, and from
the numerical strength of the vote cast
for her il must have been largely fem
mine. No disposition was shown in Utah
county by the ladies 10 down the lady can
didate who was elected TO the office of
treasurer (Which absorbed the Office of
collector, with very gratifying ma
jority.
The second reason 90 is a general unfit
ness and lack of business comprehension
and executive ability. Isn't the charge
little premature? Don't il rather voice
the previous opinions and ardent desires
of these men than the truth? If one
woman has proven herself unfit and lack
ing in ability. should that be allowed to
debar whole class? Is official incompe-
tency chargeable to women only? If this
precede 1t is established, where will male
citizens find themselves?
They think women should be satisfied
with a majority of the deputyships.
That is not new. and is only another way
of saying that these men who are trying
to arrange an informal understanding
with the Republicans are willing to let the
women do the work, If they. the men. can
draw the salaries; for that is what it real
~ amounts to.
The entire suggestion is presumptuous
to the last degree. Look at ii from an
other standpoint: Suppose the women of
the state. pointing out here and there
defaulting treasurer. a drunken judge. a
numbering county attorney should say:
This proves that men are not fit to hold
office. they are an element of weakness.
and menace 10 the party, and, being in
the majority (Which they are). should ar
range IAN informal understanding" with
the Republican ladies. and eliminate the
male element from the political tickets?
Perhaps allowing them 20 do the work as
deputies with small Ilaries fixed by
those who could be trusted with official
affairs.
Since the publication of the Tribune ar
ticle / have taken some pains to get the
opinions of leading citizens of all classes.
and the prevailing opinion IS one of out
spoken denunciation of any such move
menr The saloon element is always vio-
lently opposed to women. for obvious
reasons. and occasionally an old mossy-
back number of ancient conditions will be
found signing for all the good old cond-
xrh he a
Paul.
Those who are pressing this thing
should look little further than their own
prejudices. The saloon element is the
greatest enemy to woman'S advancement
and power, for they know that if the
women ever get power enough, the saloon
pushed on in this by the whisky ring that
so nearly runs Salt Lake? To this in
fiuence is due much of the voting done
in Salt Lake recently. and charged to
woman's hatred for her own sex. There
are chronic office-seekers who fear there
are not enough Offices to go around, and
few men who fear they may jose good
servant if this cffice-holding becomes
1 will challenge any anti-suffragist of
any party to produce the official record of
in Utah. and for everyone that can be
justly charged with lnsolence. putting up
Jobs trickery. drunkenness. neglect of
business. dishonesty. or immortality. will
produce 90 on the record as against rnen
and | believe l would be safe in say
ing 80.
Recently a board of education dismissed
a lady teacher under almost objectionable
circumstances. When the case was looked
into every charge was successfully re-
futed but one-she was too fat. But the
action of the board was irrevoeabIe so
that must stand as the cause of dismiss
sal
Now. if all these charges that are being
made are refuted. and still, by an iniqui-
Democrats and Republicans this coward
ly attempt should be made successful will
you confess IL it was because we We're too
est, or so1ae ether equally brainy and log