Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-02-28

pay and en- larged opportunities for
labor of women. Jury women got
the same fees us the men, and in all
other branches of the public service
where pay was not fixed by law, pub
lie sentiment was rapidly approach
ing feeling OF equal pay for equal
service. Had a vote been taken on
the question before women were dis
franchised by the arbitrary act OF
the Territorial Supreme Court, there
is not the slightest doubt but that
the vote would have been almost
unanimous for impartial suffrage.
The plan of the P;onrer-Prrss may
require time to secure legislative ac-
ton and vote upon an amendment,
but SO much the more reason present,
constant and persistent labor be MAIDS
formulate public sentiment and set
in motion these agencies. 1t says:
The Pioneer Press has been taken
severely to task by an enthusiastic
woman suffragist for opposing wo-
man suffrage. That this paper OPP
poses woman suffrage is, however,
not the precise fact. 1t does not be-
lieve that woman suffrage would be
productive of any evils, political or
social. 1t does not believe that the
exercise of the franchis would tend
to unSeX women or make them any
less excellent as wives and mothers.
1t can conceive of the possibility of
domestic discord because of political
differences between husbands and
wives, but it is inclined to believe
that homes which would be rent by
discord for political reasons would be
rent by discord for other reasons if
politics was never heard of. This
paper does not deny the theoretical
justice of woman suffrage; nor the
ability of women to vote with as
much discrimination and intelligence
Us men.
But the practical fact is that where
women have voted the results have
justified neither great faith in the
efficacy of woman suffrage nor any
violent opposition to it. The proper
ton of intelligent and disinterested
women voters to the unintelligent or
easily influenced seems to be about
that of men. 1t takes q strong i'm
agination to detect any net loss or
net gain because of woman suffrage.
It's friends and its enemies point
with equal assurance to the convinc-
ing character of the evidence afforded
by experience in woman suffrage
States, leaving the unbiased observer
to the conclusion that it is a matter
of Indifference from a practical stand
point whether women are permitted
to vote or not.
In view of this, the skepticism of
the Pioneer Press in respect to the
desirability of woman suffrage in this
State arises merely form serious
doubt whether Minnesota women
want the suffrage. If q majority of
them are opposed to it. it would be
distinctly undesirable to force it on
them at the urgency of even con-
siderable minority. Certainly very
large percentage of the intelligent
women of the State who have given
any thought to the subject are either
lukewarm or decidedly opposed to
having thrust upon them duties,
which they do not care to assume,
under the name OF rights" the
want of which they have never felt.
Whether this PERCENTAGE constitutes
a majority of the public-spirited wo-
man of the State is doubtful. But it
is not to be forgotten that the great
mass of women have also to be taken
into account. II they have any in
terest in securing the suffrage they
certainly have been at no great pains
to indicate it. From all appearances
they are wholly Indifferent.
Nor is there any way of finding
out how women feel about the matter
except by submitting to them the
question in concrete form. On the
theory that if women-not some
active women, but q majority of all
the women of the State-really want
the ballot it should be given to them
and that the only way to find out
what they want it to give them the
chance, we suggest that it would be
entirely practicable and cOnstitu-
tiOnal for the legislature to submit
the question, do YOU want woman
suffrage?" to the woman of the State
at some general election. If q ma
jority of the women OF the State over
twenty-one years of age-the total
number of whom will be shown by]
the census of 19l0-express q desired
for the suffrage the succeeding legis.
lature would be almost certain to|
submit a woman suffrage amend
ment. But if q majority either
showed their indifference by refrain
ing from voting, or their opposition
by voting no; in other words if only
minority of the women of the State
expressed desire for the franchise.
that minority would have no right to
expect the legislature to submit an
amendment. The only fair way of
settling the equal suffrage question is
to determine, first OF all, whether
women themselves want the ballot.