Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-22
EQUAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

The subject OF woman suffrage has
been brought once more TO the front
through the meeting in convention OF
the leading lights OF the respective
political parties, but we do not think
Il has taken any step In advance be-
cause OF those great gatherings The
truth IT, the country Is not ready to
adopt the measure which is desired
by the ardent advocates Of equal poll
itlcal rights for both sexes. It is diff
ficult to change tlme-honored custom.
The word male in reference TO the
right Of citizens to vote and hold Of
fee, has been for so long a feature m
the constitutions and laws Of the re-
spective states Of the Union that II VIII
take more than ordinary efforts to ex-
punge 1t. But as we have frequently
urged. the work Of progress In this dir
ecton win have to be undertaken in
the respective states, and the sooner
the champions Of the cause compre-
bend this fully, the quicker they VIII
reach the end they have IN view,
An amendment to the Constitution
of the United states establishing wo-
man suffrage is not likely TO be OBJ
tained. It win he opposed on principle
by all legislators who hold to the right
Of the individual states to regulate
their own domestic affairs, and to pro-
vide for the qualifications Of voters
within their own domain This is not
the province of the general govern
ment. To effect the change desired
would require reversal Of funda-
mental doctrine which has obtained
from the beginning Of the nation. II is
true that in the adoption Of the Flf-
teenth Amendment a radical departure
was had but that was considered jus
tilted by conditions arising out Of IN
abolition OF slavery. The country was
then In a condition Of mind to yield to
the pressure brought to bear upon 1t,
but would probably have not consented
TO Il II the proposition had been delayed
few years.
However that may be-. It Ia very clear
to unbiased minds that It is very I'M
likely that the Constitution Of our
country will be changed for the purpose
Of accomplishing something that can be
reached In the manner already proyid-
cd for in that instrument Each state
Of the Union will have to be labored
with until victory SHAH be achieved,
This no doubt win take some time to
effect, but the workers IN this cause
have the support Of those states which
have already adopted equal suffrage,
and II they win proceed along the lines
we have indicated, they win gradually
approach the goal OF their efforts.
The Springfield Republican calls at
tentlon to a recent application. by equal
suffragsts to the governors Of those
states that have given woman equal po-
lltical rights with man, and the re-
plies that they received. Four ques-
lions were asked, and replied to as fol-
lows; "The first question was whether
women are as devoted to the interests
OF home as formerly and whether they
nre as good wives and mothers as be-
fore they voted, ne answer was an
unqualified yes" The second question
was, rs marriage less common or more
so than ten years ago?' TO which the
answer was that suffrage had absolute
ly no effect. The third question was,
"Do your best men object to women at
the polls or in office, and do the latter
seek office to any great eXtentg' To
this, again, the answer, as TO the first
clause. was an emphatic NO" and TO
the second that "ofiices are not much
sought after by women, still, the men
vote FOR them quite as readily as for
members OF their own SEX Question
number four is, HAS there been any
direct benefit or Injury from the woman
element in politics, and II &c. what?' To
which the Governors OF Wyoming
Utah, Idaho and Colorado answered
that there had certainly been no injury
and womens part in politics had cer-
tainly had a beneficial effect"
We regard this rs important to the
cause Of woman suffrage ana It should
be encouraging to IFS advocates and
also be reassuring TO those persons who
have been alarmed at the possibility
Of the establishment Of equal rights IN
this country, The greatest prejudice
against Il Is 10 be found I'm the south,
where the fear Of negro domination Is
prevalent OG course, II colored wo-
men as well as colored men were en-
dowed with voting privileges, the evil
complained Of there would be greatly
mngnihed. But IN the north the same
objection should not have weight, and
II Is remarkable mat strenuous adyo-
Gates Of equality before the law and
tho right Of the governed 10 q voice IN
the government, should reject so ve-
hemontly a movement which Is strictly
In accord with those principles. dis
tingulshed Iiomau Catholic minister
Rev. Michael ]. Layelle, the rector OF
S. Pauck's Cathedral Of New York
has given expression publicly TO an
Enforcement Of woman suffrage on the
ground OF political reform. lie says
81 believe that the Nope of purity In
politics lies with women. When the
other sex has equal rights with men
AZ the polls, not IN ono or two states Of
The Union but In every state, then and