The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, July 28, 1881, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    r - ; . i . i ... . . . . ,
. Fhkb, Kpeicch, Fb I'kkhm, Frkk PicorLB.
-r-- -t
VOLUME X.-rNO. 'f
TOUT LAN IV ORECJON-THURSDAY, JULY 2S, J881r
PER YEAR-$3 00.
r
Ul TI I EWl LLA M IHTE.
i
THE
KKVloU KDITOK MAKK8 AkFM'IXO TKU' TO
' .OltKUok' CITjAXl H.VI.KM. '
t ..
KKAlEI.OF TIIK ICW AUKTIIWntTi
Til THE
On Thurndny mom irrg f lart-wricrthir naor
. plgntHl took pSxape on the fiiwt-wldtf train, Ihuiih
forXflyintrlp foOreK!i City amf taleiu. When
last we Jourtieye! tliroupli thin part of the Wil
' lamette YalleylheJYintaTaln-lekl-cartiivl
along the line. - ,::
MWsimmer in upon u now. Uon either hand,
' lit Ji.tile Interval s, we behold fields and orchards,
holding aloft in the hot atmosphere the promise
of a bountifulJiar'estt I tmlHar.i)bJetts greet iia
at every turn. East Portland, the Machine Shop,
Wlllsburg, Milwaukie, are left behind, and here
. is Oregon City, grown quite metropolitan In its
airs since pur last visit two years ago. The place
"Is neither dead nor dying, as is sometimes re
ported. ..
Found our equal rights friend Mrs. Chase in the
' midst of her blooming family, and a deeply Inter-
ested as ever In the good cause. Met J-M. Bacon,
Esq., in the post office behind the counters of a
wellrstocked -book and variety store; .,nd ..was
" pleased to see him as hopeful and energetic after
hard trugglfejwlUiU4Whotigho-Pttrrmi
misfortune had befallen him. Except tha hejhas
aged somewhat, there h no visible impress of his
loss upon him. "May his luck turn from this time
"henceforth, and may he live to a green old age In
the enjoyment of a well-spent manhood, is the
sincere wish of. his legion ot friends. Found
Messrs. Johnson A .McCown full of law and law
business, and as enthusiastic as ever over (he
equal rights question. Enioyel a bountifurdin-
ner at the well-kept restaurant of Mrs. Sue BJF
- Keenau, a lady of nerve, sense and .business tact,
to whose example we . recommend "ahy'weak
minded woman who "doesn't want to vote,'-' but
who does not scrapie to tax our time and patience
and phthtnthropy with her financial burdens,
which, iu her struggles for a livelihood among the
supporting and protecting sex, press' heavily upon
Jttgjy albelthe ."has all the rlghulahejirAnt.'t
Mr. Keenan is away from home, at work upon the
railroati, and Mrs. K., nothing daunted by ad
verse circumstances, is not only battling bravely
with a restaurant, herself at once the head of
kitchen, dining-room and office, but she finds time
" to read, the Nfcw dKTii west, and ear'us nc'y to
pay for it, wants to vote, and says so upon every
suitable occasion, and puts to shame by her prac
tical good sense the theory that women would
vote as their husbands do if enfranchised, or fail
ing so to do, would awaken antagonism In the
household. Mr. K. is a strong Republican, and
Mrs. K. Is an equally strong-Democrat. - Last
Fall, when the city was illuminated In honor of
the Republican candidate, one-half of their house
and was almost persuaded to go home with her;
visited the "spiral spring manufactory of Messrs.
Iurkee"& Eades,and "Bawthebestlmaglriable
beds and lounges; met Pr. C. II. Hall and Mr.
Roork and Captain Bcott for a brief moment.
Found everybody cheerful, hospitable and pros
pering, and all were as enthusiastic over the en
franchisement of women as the most ardent advo
cate could wish pr hope fort Met Judge Lord, who
said, In laughing reference to the act of the Port
land Council In trying to shift a-responsibility
upon his shoulders that property belonged to its
own body, that he had half a notion to refer the
whole business for final settlement to the senior
-4dltorot-therNEWyoBTHWE8T. . We wish he
would. Wejd aet the two opposing mayors-elect
to drawing straws,, and if. they, failed to obey,
was conspicuous in total darkness, - Men remon
strated witli Mr. Keenan, but to no purpose,-?' He
proudly Informed his political friends that hi
wife "had a right to her own opinions' and that
settled the matter. We commend this Incident
-' to the consideration of the Democratic editor who
opposed Woman Suffrage 'a few weeks ago in our
hearing on the ground " of possible "trouble In
families" in all such cases. An honorable mart
will freely accord to -his wire the right to her own
- opinions and the liberty oTexpressing them, laws
or no laws; and when women are enfranchised, a
-dishonorable man will be compelled to do like
wise. Among the women who are engaged in business
'here, Mrs. T. W. Fouti deserves special mention
as proprietor of a first-class millinery store. Her
, husband, Mr. Theodore Fouts, whom we've known
since his chjhoodjjsnqwunjty Asseswr and,
has an ofnce In his wife's store, where the two
work together In harmony. Another promise of
the good time coming,' when equality of rights
t.will unite other families In the bonds of business
fellowship through the inspirations of liberty.
The county officials of Clackamas are all Woman
Suffragists, as, indeed, are all sensible men any
where who have given the' subject any bought.
Our stay was too short to visit other ladies, and
the five' o'clock train bore us on, through fields
-and -forests and villages, and at- seven - r. M. we
Z landed at the Salem station, where the accommo
dation 'bus of the Chemeketa Hotel met the train,
and we were soon ensconced In a comfortable
room and soaring away In the realms of dream
land, too weary for further exertion. The
rnlag was ho the noon waa liuttefTand the
Afternoon was" hottest. We went about the city
afoot till after dinner, and then took refuge In a
carriage, which waa used to good advantage In
this city of magnificent distances. J ; '
Enjoyed a brief visit at the Woman's College
with Mrs. Van Bcoy and her bonnie wee lassie j
'had-sntnriTe"f vTe w-'TIh " M rs. lUlle (iooke
-.-M- Mr veHeraMe mother j spent -a-fiaif hour in
the genial company of Mrs. J. D. Hurst; visited
Reed's Hotel, the old CommercraTTwhleh has been
refitted 'and. furnifthed throughout- since our last
visit; and is btng successfully aud RpulaTtyron
ducted by Col. and Mrs. C. A. Red; sent a
pleasaut hour with Mrs. (S raves at (he Chemeketa
Hotel, which house, we are please! to say, is In
.prime order, and waa never better-kept than uuw;
enjoytnl a feast of reason with Mrs. Mallory at her
-lfHMttHt 4nr iorsy-and had seeTai-f nterriews with
women who are hunting employment, all of whom
had seeii2enoughtokuW they had need of the
1allt; visited the State House, aud found Miss
JoarinaXyle installel as Librarian (hiring her
brother's absence r called on Mr. Odeneal, 'and
caught htm hferd at work on Supreme Court docu
ments; called on other State officers,' or tried to,
hut found" them out j rca1ledupori MrsrDurkeeV
and afterwards upon Judge Iawson, and was
glad enough when night came to enjoy the needed
rett it brought.' - - ' '
-The early morning found us refreshed and astir,
the first friends called, upon being Mr. aud Mrs. E.
Strong and daughter. Went also to Mrs. Minto's
and Mrs. Jory's and Mrs. Odeneal's, and to Mr.
Jory's wagon-shop r bad a pleasant chat'with ex
Governor Chad wick,; saw Mrs. T. H. Jackson at
her home; met Hon. J. J. Murphy at his desk.
and Al. Croasman, Esq., In his splendid store;
reived Ideas and opinions, and are never etab
lisliefl until after a long and bitter controversy.
There U a great conservative element of wcjcty
which, in all ages and climes, has ever' stood in.
mortal fear of . the mighty: rush of progres-of
"the frtorm and temiHst of thought and action."
It J-haWt-of-ianklnd to worUivat the shri
of the past, to 1mw duwn to idols covered with the
durt-ofngctJniyirfewvcompnratlvely" speak-,
ing, face the morning and catch a. glimpse of the
golden daybreak which Is destined to fill the world
with light.'!' "A 'John Stuart Mill has sald,
truth or a reform passes through three stages ; the
first Is one of'lndlgnant opposition, the second In-
I difference, the third acceptation ; and thus
M ThhorllnK'Wb of yitrly Injl' wt return,
To Knthr'uplRelhViTnto ll'Morj'n flleu urn."
Thus It is in the history of all great reforms of
the prbtestant reformation, 6f"the"magnlflceut
discoveries lu science,' of the abolition of African
slavery In our own country and thus Is des-,
tined soon to be the history of the pojltloal en
franchUement of woman.' . . -
It 1s not ny purpose iu this communication to
refer to woman's political and social status during
the historic period, however Inviting the subject
may be, but to briefly consider some , of the pros
and cons of the Woman Suffrage movement In Its
erton, on the street present aspect. before the peojde In thlStatej-
wouMdeclanBjhjBHpfflceyj political nfTVlrm.
voters who know enough to vote Intelligibly.
A number of gentlemen expressed their unquali
fied disapprobation of the item lu the Statesman
in reference to equal right lu general and ourself
in particular. But, bless ' the friends, they
nednt wroriyrEvery newly fledged writer tfi the
land imagines himself the' sou of Jove-and all he
wants is the chariot of the press, which he Imag
ines he can control a single day aud "set the world
on fire." It Isn't to be' wondered at that such
boysimake mistakes. After the conceit has been
taken out of them by a few maternal spankings
from the New Nortuwkst, they always get bet
ter sense. Billy Boise meaus to be a good little
boy, and-whon-he "gets a wife-and-Hndcthat
Vhe 1n't 1 "a 1 y oungMng-awl-eatint-4eve-her
mother,' he'll. soon learn that what. he doesn't
know atout women would fill many a bigger and
better paper thalTlhe' Statctman ever was with
Wei have not time to visit half the friends we'd
like to see, for yonder comes the train, and we are
homeward bound." V A.-8.-I)
Ti'- I WrliUwV fur the Jew ortliwt. -THE
SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT IN OREGON.
, The W'oman Suffrage movement Is assuming
very Interesting phases In Oregon Just now. The
people are beginning to awaken from their Rip
Van Winkle slumber upon this important ques
tion, and are asking themselves if women have
not certain inalienable rights as well as men.
TheyjuhegiuDingach'auge their oplaiouupo4
this subject, because they are beginning to think.
But the battle Is scarcely commenced. The
fight so far Is confined only to the advance'guard.
The heavy battalion are yet to be marshaled Into
line. There are stubborn foes to be overcome,'
doubtful allies to be won, aud fierce battles to be
waged. Sex prejudice rises up before us -like a
citadel, bristling with the barbaric ideas and tra
ditions of more than fifty centuries. Grandly and
heroically the gallant champions of equal rights
are battling thlsmlghty 'Eglon of superstition"-
the suibordination of, woman to man. This
old Idea, born of the Ignorance and barbarism of
the past, must be done away. with. Woman is
not man's subordinate, but his equal, peer and
ate In the organization and construction of"
society. '":.. '
A new gospel la being preached to mankind
gospel of freedom and equality ; a gospel that will
outlive all the ephemeral dreams of the mystic
Seer pr sainted Prophet. But the political en
franchisement of woman cannot be acoomDllshed
In day; theldrejudlcelalo
History attciUTthe fact that aTITnhovatldns are at
first unpopular, because they clash with preoon-
The majority of women do not desire to vote, we
lion. .1 think Ihaf thl assumption Is not well
founded. How do we know tlie wishes of the ma
jority of women upon this subject, when w have
no means of ascertaining the popular sentiment?
And even If the majority of women are opposed
to. receiving all the functions of citizenship, Is
that any reason why we should withhold the
elective franchise trom those who do want it?. I
cannot see any reason or Justice In such an argu
ment In government "of the people,, by the
people and for the people;" . In a government
where the right of suffrage is held as Inalienable,'
we cannot consistently with any sense of justice
withhold the Highest title of citizenship from
woman because of her sex or non-desire to partlcl-
shine forth! If she Is permitted to enter the po
litlcal arena, all these brightand shiningqualities
will disapH-nr, and wohian wJM' lioJonger hold
the exalted iHisition in society which she now oe
cupie." . - ' - -
,What absim)lty ! A if women have any'defi
4iite phere ny'morethnn'men have-beyonVt "
which their anjbltlon should not lend them. All
the KK'hit whd tloineillo
beautify womanhood always have ieen nd al- '
ways will Im woman's natural, endowment. The;
elective franchise -cannot" In one iota lessen- the -delicacy
oftier nature or diminish those virtues
which are at once the prhle and glory of. her sex.
When7 rightly-considered, as Millhas said,
erels no arguinentagftinst the rlght.of wom
an to the ballot." Most of the objections are usu
ally' those of custom and preJudlHJ not often of
sentiment and when fairly met, like the spirit of
Trenmor," "vanish like the mist that melts on a
sonny hill.".'
I believe that woman's participation lu politics
would broaden and liberalize the political ele
ment, and would do much to lessen personal anl- .
mobities In partisan politics; for when we come
to consider that our. mothers, wives, 'daughters
and sisters are active factors In political organiza
tions, we cannot" have the hardihood to assert
that our-Opponenta areall tricksters ant I liars, It
Is reasonable to supose that the introduction of
are told, and this Is supposed to settle the ques--j the femlnlneelement into politics would bring
This question Is not a merema'ttej: of taste or
expediency, but of simple Justice to woman. All
secondary ! considerations are absorbed lu this one
great principle of Justice. Tills Is the rock upon
whleh jheen 1 1 reJabrlea'ndaupe re of
Woman Suffrage la erected. So long as the laws
of tlie land are made by the voice of the people,
any restriction upon the right of auffrage in re
gard tosexJLs a travesty upon the first principles
of popular government How can there be politi
cal freedom among a people when one-half of the
educated aud Intelligent classes are iolitlcal!y
disfranchised? .' . 1 J
It Is not proposed to enact ft law arbitrarily
compelling women to vote only to give them the
privilege of votlug. The law does not compel any
than to vote; It merely gives him that rlghtr Hut
if he should decline to exercise his prerogative, of
citizenship, Is that any reason 'for disfranchising
him? .-. i'!-:
Thls objection to woman's Voting that she J
1 don't waut to- vote Is very puerile liwleetl.-1 -
AgajnitJs objected that there are duties-1 n
cumbent upon citizenship which are Incompatible
with woman's peculiar constitution and organlza-
tlon, such, for Instance, as bearing arms, sitting
on Juries, and filling the 'office of sheriff or ft posi
tion on the police forces ()f course, where woman
Is Incapacitated by nature of her physical organi
zation, to fill certain official positions, such as re
quire masculine strength and vigor, she would
not 'be called upon to act In that capacity. Just
as we do not under the present regime select ft
crippled man to act as sheriff or police officer, and
do not choose Jurors from among men physically
or mentally unfitted to act In that capacity, so we
would not choose women to fill position's uiisulted!
to their physical condition or mental constitution.
We are not under the necessity of taking every
person that votes aWayfrom his ersonal duties
and elevating him to political position IrresjxKit-,
Ive of his moral and Intellectual qualifications.
It' docs not follow, therefore, because we have
tried to be Just to woman enlarged her liberties
and widened her sphere of action that we should f
elevate her to political positions for which' she Is
unfitted. But lei all positions for which she Is
fitted and they. occur In almost every walk of,
life be thrown wide open U her. There Is lib
danger of too much liberty. The future will verify
our bravest predictions. . ' .
I remember'the splendid saying of Macaulay,
that the best way to prepare ft people for liberty
Is to give them liberty. ; And the best way to pre-'
pare women for all the duties of life Is to five
them, the liberty ft nd opportunity to engage In
The social and domestio circle Is woman's nata
ral spherend it If here that her brightest virtues
about normal and natural condition of society
that thernnobllug and refining presence of worn- -en
would have-a potential Influence In doing
away with the bitter asperities which ao largely
characterize the two gfeat political parties of to
day, I believe the Ihstlncts and tastes of women
would be on the side of "goodness and purity, and
that they would be more Interesting and charm
ing, because more rational and intellectual.
. Wherever Woman Suffrage has had a faltlrii),
It has always proved a splendid success. Es pe
dal ly is this true In Wyoming Territory, where
the elective franchise Is untrammeled by sex dis
tinctions. Whether exercising the functions of
citizenship as voters, Jurors or officers of the law, .
thewomenof WyominyhaveinrarlibIyaeqTiltler"
themselves with credit, and often with d Is tine
tlonr The Inquiry naturally arises, if the suffrage
movement Is success In Wyoming, why should.
It not also be ft success In Oregon ? -
Man. suffrage Is only ft partial success, for It Is
an abnormal and unnatural condition of the boly
politic. Woman constitutes one-half of the hu
man race, and Natqre intended If it Intended
anything that the sexes should mutually assist
In the formation and construction of society.
Pending the action of the next Legislature upon
the Woman Suffrage resolution, It would be well
for the friends .of the movement to earnestly aud
rHsntlstentlyUsctiss this question among the peo
plc. ThTgreaTma7orlfyTfYotcnrre honewtftTd
want to see Justice done. Remove early prejudice
and Bourbon Ideas, and the farmer, the mechanic,
and the laborer will see that the political shackles
are struck fronVthe fair form of woman forever.
The eyes of fifty million people are fixed upon this
contest In Oregon ; perhaps the success of the suf
frage movement In the United States hinges upon
the action of our next legislature and the subse-
quent vote of thepeople.-
In this contest, I feel a very great interest, for I
believe that the principle of equal suffrage Is right
and just) and I wish that every young man who
has a vote to cast would look at this subject, not
from the standpoint of the old politicians, not
from the standjK)i nt of men who are fossilized In'
their opinions, wedded to the dogmas and tradi
tions of the past, but from the standpoint of com
mon tense and Justice, aad answer for himself
whether his mother ftnd sHler8"are" not as much""
entitled to cast a ballot or participate in the gov
ernment as he Is; and whether, when we admit
thousands of Illiterate men to vote whose bodies
are yet smarting from the galling chain and cruel
lash of slavery, It Is not worse than Insult to our
mothers, our sisters and our wives to say that
they are not fit to vote or entitled to exercise one
of the highest privileges men or women can en
joythe privilege of helping to form and construct
human society.
1 oung: men of Oregon you have it: In jonr
ower to lie the omnf cvuricn of freedom, the
heralds of light, grander heroes than the valiant
knights that wrested Magna Charta from the re
luctant hands of a tyrant king. Will you prove
recreant to your trust? ; - A Burnt auist.
independence, July 18, lf0. , 11.
Eldrldge G. Lapham hits Iteen elected to eucceeVl
Mr. Conkllng In the U. S. Senate by the unani
mous vote of Hhe Jlepubljcans Inthe NVw York
Legislature. ; The stalwarts forced ft caucus and
ftHowed-Lftpliam'i caiididacT to brmade-TreaTlT
Congressman. A special election will be ordered
to fill their vacated offices. .
y