The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29
sUFFRAGIsTs AND ANTS.
They Roth Cry Victory. but Neither
Prove Their Claim

Two syndicate letters going the rounds
of the press-one from the suffragists, re
counting equal rights victories; the other
from the anti-sufragists recounting suffrage
defeats. Tie statements and commensurate
ments are confusing, and the comments there
are more so. The anti-suffragists of New
York say that "a careful study OF the laws
Of the state show that the change in the
laws did not originate in the suffrage move
ment; that change Of law has not been so
much sought for by the suffrage leaders as a
voice upon change Of laws; that not so much
demand has been made for better laws as for
woman suffrage; that being held up 10 be the
paEacsa for all woman = wrongs
To-day in nearly every state OF the Union,
women stand on q par legally with men, or
are raised upon legal plane above men.
Suffrage 10 be granted TO women should be
considered only from the standpoint, first:
VII the right to vote confer upon woma n
any benefit from which she is now deprived {?
And, second, will the state be benefited by
allowing all Of its women TO vote?'
This statement is followed by an imposing
list OF defeats for the suffrage cause.
On the other hand the Albany Law Jour
nal. conservative and careful in its state
ments. says:
Advocates Of woman suffrage will doubt
u.s. be greatly encouraged Dy the Olcldl
opinion OF the full bench of the supreme court
of Idaho that the experiment with such SUI
a Trage in that state IS a decided success that
1t IS more popular among the people than
when first adopted, and that none of The
evils predicted of It by It's opponents have
come TO Da-s. Moreover 1t is the opinion
of the court that if the question were sub
mitted 10 the people of the state it would
be adopted by a vote almost unanimous. In
the several municipal elections which have
been held since suffrage was granted to wo-
men. they have taken an active part aud
pOled a large vote. many women who had
opposed the granting Of suffrage to their
sex being active participants in, and voters
at. such elections Another consideration TO
which the supreme court apparently attaches
much Importance is that if the great bulk
of the woman vote is not polled at every
election it will stand like a reserve in IN
army. ready to be marshaled for effective
work whenever exigencies Of the de-
mand it," which fact is of itself regarded
a powerful factor in compelling all po.iti-
cal parties to put none but clean and COM
petent men before the people for their sui
frage. It is also the testimony of the court
that women fully realize that they do
effective work at the primaries in securing
good men and women to represent them in
county and state conventions and that much
good viii result from their active interest
in that direction. The women Of our state -
says the court, represent that which is best
IN morals and society, and their influence on
the politics of our state will have an ele-
waiting effect
Such testimony this IS certainly valu-
able and entitled to weight. It cannot be
denied that the principle of woman sulfrag e
is founded in justice. for if all just govern
ments derived their powers from the con-
sent of the governed, then when women are
deprived Of the right 10 vote great inius-
tice is done to a large proportion of the COM
munity. In this state CNew York; the course
OF both of the great political parties toward
woman suffrage has been the quintessence of
meanness and perfdy, making promises 10
the heart only to break them to the hope.
Perhaps the time will be ripe sooner than
has been generally expected, for another and
this time a successful crusade on the part
OF the valiant advocates Of equal rights to
al ard special privileges to none
On the heels OF this comes the following
, declaration of Rev. c. \. Crane, Of Colorado
Springs
Colorado Springs is the best possible field
in which the merits of woman suffrage may
be displayed. It IS a city Of about 20,005 in
habitants. 1t is a center of wealth and s1cial
culture. It has the best code Of municipal
laws for the advancement of the very reform
so dear TO the heart Of the woman suffragist.
With the possible exception of Hartford,
Conn, it is the wealthiest city in the country
in proportion to population. There is a pro-
visiop in deeds to real estate prohibiting the