The Penn's Grove record., 1904-12-30

The Radical Question Ably Handled Dy
lLOuis F. Post Of Chicago at the Nation.
al American Suffrage Convention In
Minneapolis.
1t is not the surface question OF the
issue of woman's suffrage that l intend
to discuss, but the radical question Of
whether the suffrage is a privilege or
a right. Is it something which those
in power may grant or withhold ac-
cording to their own notions or what
may be wise? Or is it something
which every adult and sane member Of
the community is entitled to as a
right?
II the suffrage is a mere privilege,
If it can rightfully be granted to men
and withheld from women, be granted
to those who are white and withheld
from those who are colored, be granted
to people with red hair and withheld
from those with black; if it may be
rightfully given to the millionaire and
withheld from the day laborer, right
fully extended to those who can read
and withheld from those who cannot.
or to those with a college education
and from those with only the educa-
ton of the common school-if this is
the basis of suffrage, If this is the onlY
foundation on which women claim
share in the processes Of government
then the fundamental argument fof
woman's suffrage disappears. In that
case. the best that women who want
the suffrage can do, is to kneel before
those who already have the power OF
assigning privileges of suffrage, and
beg for it. All they can say. is.
please. Mister. won't you let me
voter"
For my part, 1 do not believe that
the suffrage is a privilege. l believe
that 1t Is a right, which belongs to ev-
cry sane adult Of whatever color. of
whatever fortune. or whatever educa-
ton and of either sex; that it belongs
to them in virtue simply of the fact
that all such persons are members Of
the community to be governed. In
other words, l place the determination
Of the question of woman's suffrage up
on the broad ground set forth in the
Declaration of independence. that all
just government derives its powers
from the consent Of the governed.
Let US for a moment consider this
proposition. There are such things as
Individual concerns, concerns regard
ing which each of US has the absolute
right to control our own action, free
from all restraints Of government, ex-
cept when we infringe upon the equal
individual rights of others. AS to
these individual concerns. it is the
business of government to keep hands
off. To illustrate what / mean, the
government has no right to prescribe
for me. or for you, or for any other
person, the hour at which we shall eat
our meals or the food of which they
shall consist. Such things are indi-
vidual affairs, and even a popular gov
eminent, managed by a majority vote,
has no right to interfere.
But individual concerns are not all
the concerns of social life. There are
also what we may call communal con-
Germs; that is, concerns in which WI
are all mutually interested. concerns IN
which the interest of n is of neces-
sity the interest of all and the inter-
ests Of all are interests of each. AS an
example of these concerns, let me men
ton the highways. There can be no
normal social life without highways.
Therefore highways are OF common
concern. They are partnership affairs,
and every partner is entitled to an
equal voice in their management. 1t
makes no difference whether he is rich
or poor, black or white, educated or
ignorant, man or womin. So with the
land upon which we I've. 1t has been
provided by the Creator for the com
mon good Of all. 1t is the right
therefore. Of every person in the CON-
munity to have a voice in determining
the tenures upon which it shall be
held. Land is a partnership asset. Sc
again with those-values that attach to
the land In every community simply
because there is a community there
those values that are created by the
. whole community. aud not by individ-
uals as such, those values that are due
to social growth and not to individual
enterprise, those values that are COM
monty known as ground rent OF
ground price. These values constitute a
common income, and in the -expendi-
ture of that common income everybody
in the community has the right to an
equal voice. 1t is not a privilege; II
Is a right.
The right to participate in the man
agement Of common affairs. like t5'
right to manage ones own private ar.
fairs, is in its very nature not a priv
Ilege to be granted or withheld in the
discretion Of superior power, but
right to be asserted and maintained
And being a right, it is also a duty
He has a right to maintain a duty tc
perform.
This is the firm rock upon which wo-
mans suffrage must rest. 1t must b.
demanded because women are members
of the community, because they have
.ommon interests in the common prop
erty and affairs of the community, be
cause they have common interests II
the common purposes Of the commun-
lty as a community, because. in a word
they have rights in the community and
duties toward it, which are the sam
as the rights and duties Of every cthel
sane person of mature age who keeps
out of the penitentiary.