Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-02
DON'T MEMOIR ALIZE.

For many years the lady advocates of
woman suffrage and woman's rights,
have endeayored to effect the reforms
they advocate by means OF congress
sional action They wanted Congress to
establish woman suffrage. when they
first stormed the citadel Of male pollti-
cal power. Delegations waited upon
committees Of the House and Of the
Senate and made arguments on the
justice and equity Of their cause, They
failed for two reasons If not more;
There was an unwillingness to bestow
the elective franchise on women, and
Congress had no constitutional power
TO confer It,
The ladies could not for long time,
perceive the difference between citizen,
ship and suffrage, They took the
ground that the former implied the lat
ter. Their claims were based on that
idea It was entirely fallacIous, but
they chung to It with great tenacity
and were aided by some attorneys who
either did not know any better, or
found II to their pecuniary advantage
to give opinions that pleased their eli =
ents. The truth, however, has, In later
years. dawned on the minds OF equal
suffraglsts. that citizenship comes by
birth or naturalization, conveying a
right but the elective franchise comes
by law, comforting q privilege That
the former Is general, covering all
classes and both sexes while the latter
Is special and may be regulated vari-
ously In different parts OF the nation.
The ladies' then concentrated their ef-
forts upon change In the national
Constitution, providing that suffrage
shall not be denied to any citizen on ac-
count Of sex. That Ia the present focus
Of their aims. The Legislature OF Utah
IS solicited to, address a memorial 10
Congress asking for steps TO be taken
by that body, looking to this change in
the fundamental law. Other States are
petltloned 70 do the came thing. Con-
gress has been appealed to. time and
again TO accede to this request.
We hope the Utah Legislature win not
suffer itself to be committed 60 this
movement, 1t belongs to the several
States Of the Union TO provide for the
suffrage, The national government pre-
scribes what shall be the qualification.
for citizenship. The respective State
governments prescribe the quallhca-
tons for voting and office holding. To
change this would be 70 revolutlonlze
TO some extent our form Of national and
local government. II would upset the
theory on which the Union is founded.
1t Is a federation and fusion of indie
pendent States, for mutual benefit and
the glory and power OF the whole ma
tional body, But each State Is sover-
eign In its own sphere, and one Of It's
functions Is TO designate who shall have
the right TO vote and hold Office therein.
That principle must prevail, or the
whole political doctrine will fall.
Let the advocates OF political rights
for women continue their agitation. II
they will. but carry II on in the respect
I've States. and not try 20 tinker the
national Constitution, They ought to
know that the Deseret News has cham
pioned their cause for many years. 50
far as the suffrage Is concerned. There
fore they should not take umbragc al
our dissent from the means they are
employing for we oppose their plan be-
cause II is not right, and will fail Ike
all their congressional attempts have
failed II is on the wrong line. Convert
q few more individual States to the
doctrine u equal political privileges 20
matured citizens Of both sexes. because
all have TO obey the law and should
have a voice in its enactment and then
the other States will follow But do not
work for a radical departure from
fundamental principle Of the American
system Of government