Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-02
Editors Letter Box
Height Of Silly Season.

Editor kennebec Journal
Apropos of the equal suffrage ques-
ton | should like to submit one
specific, practical question to the Jour-
nal of more or less pertinency to the
matter.
What rights do the women of equal
suffrage states possess that are denied
the women of Maine, and is public
morality in those states generally and
specifically as to sexual relations at
any higher level than in the good old
State of Maine?"
If there be a difference in favor of
the women in suffrage states are not
existing agencies for the amendments
OF the laws ample and available mere
to wipe out that difference?
Our representatives in legislation are
quick to recognize any measure de-
manded by public opinion SO much so
that they sometimes anticipate it by
the passage of laws imperfectly di-
eested. Another observation occurs to
me, in view of the demand for more
democratic government and the pre-
suppositions that involves as to the
virtue and intelligence of the people.
Are political rights the ultimatum or
tional rights? And isn't it present
phenomenon that as political rights
are enlarged. natural rights, the
proper ends of government are
progressively diminished? A curious
contradiction.
Following out this line Of argument
! am quoting from an editorial review
of Spencer's "Bcneficence."
his actions free from undue control.
and his life, property and reputation
protected that he may properly de-
mand the suffrage. Yet how common
ly the ultimate. indefeasible rights of
humanity are overlooked in the wran-
gle over political rights"
Upon these fundaments what
rights as a voter do I possess that are
denied to women?
These rights when brought in ques-
ton are determined in the courts and
these equal rights as between men and
omen do not obtain. Women are
privileged as plaintiffs or defendants in
all suits. and because they are wo-
men.
In an adultery case recently before
our superior court, when the CO.
respondents were found guilty. when
sentence was imposed the man was
sent to Jail and the woman was sent
bone, very unequal treatment upon the
theory that what is sauce for the gan
der should be sauce for the goose.
In homicide cases especially when
the accused is a woman the statutory
laws governing the trial and. punish
ment of such cases is generally set
aside in favor of women's unequal re-
sponsibility before the equal RESPONSE
hility Of the written law, and this by
sympathetic jurors all of the male
sex, who follow their own and proba-
bly, public opinion in giving effect to
/ this differentiation without the inter
Nention of the legislative branch of
government which some spirits con-
slider the source of all rights, human
and divine.
Speaking to this vital point the dis
trict attorney of Chicago says that it
| Is impossible to convict a woman for
the crime of murder In that city.
In autocratic Germany where no dis
tinction is made between the sexes and
like penalties are melted out to public
Offenders. we get equality and the
single standard so fervently desired by
the woman suffrage advocates.
Numbers of men have been shot to
. death by the other warning countries
/ for spying and other reasonable prac-
, tees but the women taken for the
same offences have been let off with
| imprisonment under the same written
law. And silence holds over the OBJ
Jections of the equal Fighters to this
inequality.
J. I. WOODBURY..