The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-05-23
LET MAJORITY OF women Decide
(From Reno Gazette, Saturday, May 1871

tEEOhi AtCho oo<
The cornerstone of the govern
mental structure of this republic is
the will of the majority, sometimes
called Majority Rule" The object
and aim of the republic the greatest
good to the greatest number. That is
what it was built for; hat is why it
is maintained; the greatest good to
the greatest number, secured
through the operation of such poll
cies as the greatest number believe
to be the most effective in achieving
it. There is no right of, or pertain
ing to, citizenship that any man or
woman may claim, that is not subject
to this test.
If a majority of the people, men
and women, believe hat the great
est good to the greatest number
would accrue through extension of
the franchise; if a majority of those
who have it, and those who have it
not, but want it, ano those who have
it not and hope to continue their
freedom from it's responsibilities and
the activities it involves-if a mapor-
ity of these want it then they should
have it. But no one can claim it as
an inherent right.
W. are told that if one woman
wants the ballot and nine hundred
and ni%nety-nine are opposed, it
should still be granted. We have
heard this so often that maybe some
one has come to accept it. But has
the advocate of this theory seriously
studied our institutions, or the sci
cnce of government or the history of
governments; or has he simply made
his own facts and fitted theories to
them? Hasn't there been some "loose
thinking?"
The capital of this greatest gov
eminent the world has ever known
is situated in the District of Column
bia. 1t has a population of 100000,
or more than four times the popula-
tion of Nevada. Not a man, oma
or child resident in the District of Co.
lumbia is entitled to vote, ever for
school trustee or assessor. A major
ity of them prefer conditions as they
are. They had the ballot once. A
commission in whose selection they
have no voice even in the selection of
those who select this commission.
If the franchise be an inherent
right, why has congress denied it?
And why do the people of the Dis
trict submit to taxation without rep
resentation?
If the franchise be an inherent
right, when does this right accrue, at
tw%enty-one? 1t accrues at the time
fixed by the will of the majority. If
il be an inherent right with the i'm
migrant, when does the right accrue.
at the hour of landing or after n
year or three years or five years? 1t
ccure at that particular time willed
by the majority; in some states at six
months, in others at one year, in
others at five.
If it be an inherent right, why
withhold it from the child, why
withhold it from the Indian? How
can we take it away after it has been
conferred?
If the franchise be an inherent
right, then in every exercise of it the
voting power should be equal as be-
tween individuals throughout the
States. The United States senate is
the greatest legislative body in the
republic or in the world. A majority
agreed that membership in this body
should not be based upon population
but distributed equally between the
states. In electing the membership
of this legislative body, having con-
troll by veto or initiative over every
federal law enacted, the bOotblack in
Nevada has the same voting power
as III millionaires would have In