New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-22

United States Senate when these petitions
were presented, and we have read II
| through tears Of happiness. For more
than twoscore years the ablest women our
country has produced have gone before
the Senate committees and pleaded with
them to bring up the question on the floor
of the House for consideration. and yet
never but once was this done.
In 1887 Senator Henry w Blair Of New
Hampshire, presented a favorable report
from the committee, and there was a
long debate. Writing here, three thou
sand miles from all data, II is not pos
sble to make quotations, but those who
are interested are urged TO read 1t in
The History OF Woman Suffrage"
Vote in Senate in 1887.
A vote was taken on the submission OF
d national amendment. and. If memory is
correct, even al that early date, with
women not enfranchised In a single state,
one-third Of the members voted I'm favor
OF II.
But oh. the TRADES that were uttered
against giving the suffrage TO women, the
dire forebodings. the sentimentalism, the
gush. the bosh-why. compared 10 them,
the objections voiced by Senator Tillman
and Senator MARITIME and the one or two
others out OF the twenty-three who spoke
on the question seem almost logical and
sensible, There is however. this vast
difference between then and nowhere
were no facts in 1857 with which to calm
the fears OF the alarmists.
Women, with the exception OF a small
handful in the far-off territory OF Wyom-
ing. nowhere had the suffrage. but now
at least 10000 are voting on exactly the
same terms as men In Australia, New
Zealand. Norway and Finland. and
enough OF them in the United States TO
offer a couple OF million more test cases.
Surely from this number there might be
obtained enough evidence TO prove what
happens when women vote
II. as Senator Tilman declares, female
suffrage Will mar the beauty and dim the
lustre Of glorious womanhood.' then. OF
course. the women OF those Western
states are dull and homely lot As
eighteen OF the Senator's colleagues in
Washington have their families with
them. he can easily verify his ideas by
personal observation because OF the
corruption in politics and debauchery in
government" he SAYS II shudder TO think
OF the consequences 10 American women
hood should suffrage become universal"
II there ls indeed. 20 much corruption
and debauchery. the Senator should re-
member that Il is entirely due 10 the
mon who for years have been wholly re-
sponslble for politics and government.
from the members OF the United States
Senate up and down. and II conditions
are 50 bad as he pictures them. then men
have clearly demonstrated their uniitness
20 govern the country by themselves.
Either they need assistance or the coun-
try needs another class OF officials. In
either case. there is nobody to call upon
but women.
Responsibility on Voters.
The majority Of the male voters have
cot the kind Of officials they chose 10
elect. and the officials have done their
best. or their worst. II they have
have Drought ABOUT tIl' otht' Va N"'''n'
Senator Tillman describes, then they are
either inefficient or false TO the trust that
has been placed I'm their hands, and IN
either case they are not in a position 10
object when women demand the right to
have a share In the government.
In his protest against woman Suffrage
the Senator takes the occasion 10 declare
"If the California men had our customs
Digrs and Caminetti would not be alive
nov. because they would have been shot
ike dogs and the fathers OF the girls
would have been acquitted, almost with
ont the Jury leaving the box. The un-
written law is the best law to protect
womans virtue"
No. there is one much better II IL
statute law OF punishment that has be-
hind II the support OF both women ana
mon. The strongest demonstration OF
their power which the women voters %
San Francisco have given is In COMPEL
ing the enforcement Of the law against
the so-called white slavers NO ne"
law was necessary; but only the strict
application Of the existing statute, whiei,
with only the sentiment OF men pdcA VI
IL was SO largely a dead letter.