Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-03-07
MADE
STRONG
PLEA
Miss Gail Laughlin Talks ElO.
que1tly About Equal
Suffrage

The auditorium Of the Methodist
church was taxed to its full capacity
Tuesday evening to listen to Miss Gail
Laughlin speak on equal suffrage. The
speaker is one Of those imported for
the Oregon campaign and stands alone
among women as an effective campaign
orator She has rich. strong voice,
and strikes her arguments home with
virile force. Her speech last etening
was a treat.
Miss Laughliu was introduced b.
Hon. Jefferson Myers, who, though a
hop grower, stated he did not fear the
votes Of the Oregon women, because
the mems interests and those Of the
women were identical in many respects.
81 shall vote for the amendment to the
state constitution without fear Of legis.
lation con6scating any property rights
now enjoyed by our people"
The speaker based her arguments on
the Declaration Of independence that
governments derived their Just pow.
ers from the consent Of the governed"
and that "taxatiou without representa-.
tion is tyranny" ''An aristocracy isI
a government in which a part Of the
people rule an the people. 1s this not
the kind of government We have In
America todayf" asked Miss Laugh
lin.
The speaker asserted that every step
which the world had taken toward po
litieal liberty was to make governments
more representative. Historically, gov.
ernment by one man, dcspotism, gov.
ernmcnt by the few and finally gov
eminent by the many. have been the
steps forward. But there IL still the
arisiocracy Of sex. "Thc only polite
nj companions women have among men
are IDIOTS" exclaimed Miss Laughlin
and most women seem TO like that com.
pany," she added amid au outburst
Of applause aud laughter.
She said that she had been Informed
that 5000 Indians exercised the righ,
TO vote In this state. Why should In
dians who harmsscd and killed the
early settlers % tho oregon country
be granted a franchise, which h not
given 90 tho native daughters Of the
pioneer mothrs, that settled oregoni II
women must obey the laws they should
have a voice Ia the making OF them.
Men and women are difeFenii a son
cannot represent mother any more
than he can represent a father. Equal
suffrage means that We will have
government OF men aud women Tor aud
by men aud women.
Why should not women enter politics
when politics greet her IN her every
day hfei yes, Ia her very kitchen and
home. "Polities Is something that
touches the life Of each and every one
OF us." Fifteen per cents OF the food
consumed In this country Is adulteTated
and the woman who prepares the food
ought 10 have the right 70 make the
laws that govern our food supply. That
Is politics, aud IL is a reasonable thing
for women 20 be concerned about.
While the conditions In the equal suf
frage states Of Wyoming, Colorado
Utah aud idaho are not ideal, yet the
ballot box in the hands OF women has
not been a menace 20 those states Il
has rather been a benefit, Il has proved
TO be both just and expedisnt. Mis-
Laughlin was optimistic as 70 the re-
suit OF the outcome Of the vote next
June on the equal suffrage amend
ment.
The speaker was frequently applaud
ed, and she certainly merited il.