| Show FEMALE SUFFRAGE nage IT IN UTAH klie THE female suffrage question is now fairly before the nation its advocates are as eurnest earnest in their labors as if the salvation bal eal of the world depended upon their suc buc success cesA ceba and the triumph of the movement we believe is only a question of time the agitation of the question has reached the bocky rocky mountains in our neighboring territory wyoming the cause has triumphed in colorado the ladies afe aie are petitioning t have female suffrage legalized there but by piecemeal will not satisfy those who are acknowledged as the national leaders of the movement nothing short of an amendment to constitution ution of the united stites states to this effect will do for them and this is now being eagerly sought and as congressmen are aro noted among other ahinga shingi for their gallantry and their susceptibility to female charms the adoption of sueh auch an amendment ia is not at all improbable we believe in the right of suffrage I 1 hoing ng enjoyed by all who can exercise exerene iv intelligently but our lawmakers in conferring this great power upon the recently emancipated black graep do not seem to regard intelligence as an india pen sible prerequisite pre requisite and we think the guw guf suffrage frage might be conferred with much greater propriety upon intelligent white women than upon ignorant blacks the idea of female suffrage rage tage is regarded by many as peculiar to and having originated in these last days but history teila tella us that a similar movement existed in ancient greece when that nation was in the meridian of her splendor if the right of suffrage was kr granted anted to the ladies then it certainly did not bring about the reforms considered necessary to preserve that nation from decadence and whether it would in this is eitrem ly doubtful however that is no reason that it should be withheld we are a decided advocate of the rights of women as well as of men and believe that the two are so intimately related that they cannot be enjoyed to the fullest extent compatible with happiness and well being by either sex while the other labors under disability hov hoN however rever vever limited universal iwhite male maie su hasteen has been more thoroughly tested in this country than in venality abounds and thousands of votes are sold to the highest bidders hence the results of the system are not so satisfactory as could be wished female suffrage might have a tendency to promote purity of elections and ita its introduction at the ballot box ba attended with results as satisfactory as the amalgamation of certain races in the growth and development of powerful nationalities we believe it would and we also think it probable that the power this would place in the hands of women would be used for the benefit of their sex bex and would be followed in time by legislation of such a character as would tend more to diminish prostitution and the various social evils which overwhelm society than anything hitherto devised under universal male sufi bufi suffrage rae ra e the degraded condition of af the w wo 0 mc men fi in this territory is is a very r V fruitful theme among our friends yu talde taide in this respect as well as in many any others they seem beem unmindful of oe or callous to the real evils around themselves but very sensitive to imaginary ones at a dis tace they are like the fabled worthy who through admiring the splendor of the stars became or feigned reigned to be totally ignorant of the dirt squalor and wretchedness of earth this class while mourning and sighing over the degradation of the ladies of utah suggested a plan for their emancipation ci Ici pation from all thralldom polygamy included and that remedy is the suffrage the subject has been brought before the attention of Con grIess and senator pomeroy we believe a short time ago introduced a bill to confer tile the suffrage rage fage on the ladies of utah it may be gratifying to all outside who are anxious to learn that the advisability vis ability of extending the suffrage rage fage to the ladies of utah has been discussed considerably during the present session of the territorial legislature in the house a few days ago after an animated discussion on the subject a committee was appointed to inquire into the propriety of its establishment in this territory on the 2nd and instant the committee gave in their report which was quite favorable and on the ath the house hoube ouse passed a bill to this effle effect ct hence it is very probable that before the present session of the legislature closes female suffrage wil be un jait fait accompli in this territory then if as our friends outside affirm its exercise will emanel emancipate elthe the khe ladies of utah they will be masters or rather distresses mistresses mi stresses of the situation As for ourselves we have no doubt as to the result and are satisfied that it will strengthen the cause of ofelon zion polygamy included in all matters pertaining to church government the sisters have always had bad the same right to vote as the brethren but in civil matters they here as elsewhere have had bad no say but if this bill passes they will be their equals in that respect too we are satisfied that the result will be exactly opposite to what our enemies anticipate on the plural marriage question we are as firmly convinced as we are of our own existence that were its continuance or abolition put to the vote of the female portion of our population today to day it iaci i would be sustained by a nine tenths majority and upon this score which has enlisted tile the mock sympathy of so many no disadvantage to zions cause will ensue in every other it cannot but result also in good we have many friends fiends around whose constant effort is to outvote out vote the cormons mormons Mor mons at their municipal elections so that the discordant elements so overwhelmingly developed in municipal rule everywhere but in zion might be introduced here many of our co temporaries boast that this consummation will soon be brought about now that direct rail communication exists between the cities of utah and the east and west we do not anticipate such a result nevertheless the hopeson hopes of our enemies in this respect may be realized we do not believe however that the existence of our most cherished institutions depends on such a frail tenure as the possession of power by the female members of the church to vote them down if such be the case we believe the ladies should have the power to exercise their agency hence we desire to see the matter tested and we hope that the bill passed by the house of representatives of the territorial legislature on saturday will be passed by the coun council cil cli believing that the result will be an additional proof to the world that even with this power in their hands the ladies of utah will remain true to their integrity and then as now will sustain the priesthood whether acting in a religious or civil capacity in promoting the cause of zion and the beli bell benesta behesta ests of heaven |
