Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-04-23
A PROPERTY QUALIFICATIONS.


A PROPERTY QUALIFICATION.
There Is before the legislature Of
Illinois II bill which provides that
women who hold property in their
own rames shall have the right TO
vote on questions Of taxation. While
this measure may seem to many toI
contain an element Of fairness, 1t
would indeed If enacted into law,
prove most harmful and be very far
reaching in iLs evil effects. AS the
proposition to extend to women the
franchise In this limited manner has
many supporters in Wisconsin rs well
~ Illinois, it Is n very proper qucs-
tion for Wisconsin newspaper discus
sion; and we respectfully ask the state
press To give IL attention.
A little consideration will show
wherein tho evil lies. We are not
going to argue the question Of woman
suffrage, but We submit this PROPOSE
tion; If women ought to have the
franchise it ought to be accorded to
poor and rich alike the woman who
earns her living by toll Of hand or
BRAIN has just as good II right TO vote
as the woman who has thousands n
year, aud this applies to tax questions
M we'll as to MI other questions Of
civil government Strip the question
Of its feminine nature by applying to
men the prov isions of the proposed
law, and some Of It's evil features Will
be ut once apparent Time aud time
again the question Is raised In certain
quarters rs to who should aud who
should not vote on questions OF munl-
Cipal bonds, or other forms OF tAXn
tlon. Those who would restrict the
franchise are always with us. But do
they ever think what their proposition
really means? II the man who pays
small amount of taxes ought to
vote, while his neighbor who pays no
taxes ought to be DISTINGUISHED, then
does it not follow that the man
who pays ~ ! larger amount Of
taxes ought to bu given more than one
voto2 The whole government would
bo like ono great stock company, and
votes might bo cast according 10 the
amount OF stock controlled. 1t is for
tunate for rs as people that the
reverse Is the case, and the suffrage
Is accorded, w it ought to be, To rich
and poor alike One of the privileges
belonging to the holding of real and
othor property is that OF paying taxes
on the Same for public purposes; and
It IL right that the votes Of all citi2cns
those who are not property holders
rs we'll rs those who are property
holders shall, within constitutional
metcs and bounds, determine the needs
of the government In regard to amounts
of taxes To bc paid and the purposes
to which they shall bo applied. The
general government has rights Ms well
as the Individual taxpayer, 1t ought
to be remembered that direct taxes are
levied upon property and not upon
Individuals but neither property
nor pocketbook should cast the ballot.
The question of taxation without
representation or representation with
out taxation does not apply. The
taxes Of the general government, the
greatest OF all taxes, are levied not
upon property ut all, but upon the
necessities OF the people, The Qucs-
tion OF women suffrage ought not TO
be allowed to place upon the statute
books II property qualification for
voters Of either sex. The application
of such qualification to brother man
would be bad indeed, but Its applica-
tion to sister woman would ho infinite
" worse. II IL to hc hoped that the
Illinois measure will not become II
law. The danger OF its passage lies
in the fact that many people seem to
think that II Is IN easy matter to
improve ON the representative system
of government which has been be-
queathed to Ms by eur fathers. 1t is
by far too good II system TO lightly
throw away.
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