The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-10-03

rev years, have been overcome to
the extent indicated by the above fig-
ures, is as sure a guaranty as one
could ask that in few years more,
counting upon the same ratio of de-
crease, they will entirely disappear
and the majority be transferred from
the negative to the Affirmative side of
this question.
Do l feel dlsheartened at the series
of defeats which this measure encoun.
tiers in the various state legislatures?
Not In the least. When the agitation
for equal rights first began It was al.
most impossible to have the question
considered at all by legislative bodies.
However. there always has existed
among civilized men greater or less
sentiment of Justice ana chfvalry to.
ward women. When the latter would
present their bills for suffrage, and
also for the modification of some espe.
cially unjust law. the former would be
thrown aside without debate and the
latter eventually granted as q sort of
concession. When remember that I
myself and the small handful of wom-
en- who were associated with me went
up to the New York legislature, petit.
ton in hand, for ten years before we
could get law giving married women
control of the wages they earned;
when recollect that little band Of
women, headed by Lucy Stone and
Rev. Anna Shaw, besieged the Massa.
chusetts legislature ten years before
they were successful in getting the
legal right for a wife to be buried In
her husbands cemetery lot; and when
l recall many other instances quite as
outrageous 1 am not surprised that the
yielding of the great fundamental pow.
er of the suffrage has been SO long
delayed.
At first, as has been said, legisla.
lures refused any consideration what.
ever of this question. Then IT pro.
crossed to the stage of being taken up
and made the subject of ribaldry and
abuse which seem incredible at the
present day. Now it has reached the
plane of dignified argument and it is
seldom that any legislature rejects
such bill without certain amount
of discussion. This question has oc.
cupied a full days session OF the
United States congress on several &C.
casions. 1t was debated a few years
ago for two days in respectful man.
ner in the Massachusetts, house of
representatives; it has been the sub.
ject of serious discussion in half a
dozen legislatures within q recent
period. At every session of the New
York legislature woman.suffrage bill
in some form receives careful consid.
Grafton and seldom fails to pass either
the senate or the assembly by a large
majority. In all legislatures it is no
uncommon occurrence for the bill to
pass one house and frequently to be
defeated in the other by bare
margin. Sometimes only a vote for q
reconsideration saves it from COM
plete success; sometimes It does carry
and goes to the voters for ratification.
Eleven legislatures have thus submit.
ted the question and five have taken
this action twice, with an increased
affirmative vote, as has been shown.
Is there any other logical conclusion
to be drawn from these facts than that
this progress will continue, and that,
as public sentiment becomes more en-.
lightened. the justice and the need of
woman's vote more evident. and won.
en- themselves more importunate, one
state after another will fall into line
and grant their full enfranchisement?
Wendell Phillips used to say:
when not only congress and the state
legislatures. but all the crossroads
schoolhouses are debating the ques-
ton of slavery, / know that the cause
will succeed" The question of WON.
an suffrage has now reached this
point. There is seldom day in the
year that l do not receive requests,
ranging from the great universities of
the country to the intermediate de.
partments of the public schools, and
from clubs and societies Of every de-
scription, for literature and other in
formation to be used in debates upon
this subject. The most casual reader
must observe that there is scarcely
an edition of any of the great or
small daily papers. or of the numer.
GUS monthly periodicals. which does
not contain articles bearing directly or
indirectly upon this matter. This
must be regarded as an indication that
it is live. practical issue and one of
/ general interest.
These are the principal reasons, and
an infinite number of minor ones
might be given, why Its advocates find
ample encouragement in the outlook
! for woman suffrage.
Doctor-"Your husband needs a
rest. madam. that's all"
Mrs. Nagget-"I know he does. doc
tor. but no matter how much l talk
to him he"