Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-03-10
SHALL WOMEN VOTE?

PORTLAND, Or, March 6-(To th,
Editor. lin reply to query of recen
date, that appeared in your valuable
columns, as to "who shall decide
when women disagree?" will you
kindly permit me to say that you will
find no difficulty In answering that
question for yourself 10 the ballot
booth by simply obeying the Golden
Rule. You have only to vote in the
affirmative, just as you know the
majority Of women would gladly do
for you, If conditions were reversed.
The "red-hot argument" against
our liberties, Of which you speak, is a
stale protest prepared in the East by
few wealthy and idle women who
occasionally grow weary of bridge
whist and ping-pong-their chief
Industry. The protest in question
used to be mothered In Oregon by such
heavy taxpaying women az the Ladds,
Corbetts, Failings, Montgomerys,
Rockwells, ct al, whose names are
conspicuously absent this year.
For the many women readers of
your newspaper whose hearts have
ached over Mrs. Wilbur's manifesto, |
wish to say there is no reason for
worry. The very leading men of all
parties in Oregon have financed, cir
culated, signed and certified our
Initiative petitions, inviting us to take
our proper place beside them in that
larger home, the Government, for
which we supply all the soldiers at the
peril OF our lives. We accepted their
invitation by filing their petitions
with our gentlemanly Secretary Of
State, and we are not afraid that any
honorable voter will obey Mrs. Will
bur's mandate by voting mo-"
ABIGAIL SCOTT DUNIWAY.
The OBSERVER believes that 1t voices
the sentiment Of u large majority Of
voters OF Oregon In expressing regret
that 1t is not possible for the women ,
themselves to vote on equal suffrage :
and thus settle the question once for
all. While the extension of the voting ,
privilege to women would do little J
else than double the number of votes )
good, bad and indifferent-yet we
believe the voters Of the masculine per-
suaslon would be willing to grant the a
they could be made to know \
hat the women really desired It. But :,
while many women are earnestly advo- .
'ating equal suffrage, there are many a
who are equally as earnest In their I,
opposition TO 1t, although these latter
ire not organized, and consequently n
re not making as much noise about n
/. Every voter knows this to be a !,
act, You, for instance, who are read. n,
ng these lines: What does your "a
fife think about the woman suffrage Ia
Does she want to vote? .,
I she does, wo see no reason why you
nould not give her a chance to express
or sentiment by casting your ballot
accordance with her wishes on this II
On the other hand, II
he does not desire the voting privilege,
lere would seem TO be no reason why
ou should not act as her proxy and
'te against it.
To the end that the woman suffrage &c
iestion might be settled once for all pr
Oregon, we would all be glad IL Il
ere possible for the women them ce
Ives to vote on the amendment; but sci
this cannot be done, IL seems to us Ii
at the next best thing would be for
oh voter TO cast his ballot according fin
the desires OF his wife, mother, Al,
tier, or some other voters sister. aud
us give expression as nearly as -
ssible to the sentiment OF the women aWo' W
Oregon on the question Of equal ~
ffrage.