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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1895)
WOMAN'S EDITION. THE PLATTE SEMFWEEKLY TRIBUNE: FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 3, 1895. .-r. Sfte 9ml - 4fc efclg ZxVmt. 1 1 IRA L. BABE, Editok and Pkopkietob SUBSCBIPTION BATES. One Tear, cash In advance, $1.25. Six Months, cash in advance 75 Cents. 1 Entered aUbeNortb.Platte(Xebraea)po8tofficeaa I second-class matter. WOMAN'S EDITION., Emma Peckham Effte C. Iddings. Editor, Manatrintr Editor, - . rj-t w, ( Cakeie E. Adams, Associate Editors, Caboline Belton. Dept. Editors Correspondence, Minnie B. "McDonald ; Women's Organiza- tMM, Eunice Babbitt; Educational, Mast E. Hosfobd; Railroad, Cabbie D.BtooD. CHrliitor, - Anna Kbamph. it, - Ulan cite u. jjield. Manager, -Eva M. Baldwin. It, - JVlABY JV1. (jrKIMES. S 4 if fr f . To Friends and Subscribers. We hope you will like our paper. Though edited entirely by women it is done in the interests of the men- We are the Ladies' Auxil iary of the Y. M. C A. We are trying tofaise money to renew the subscriptions for periodicals used in ' the Y. M. C. A. rooms. We .want to help the men young and old. They have certainly helped "us in this enterprise. First the editor of The Tribune has turned over to our use his press, paper, tfme and patience. The business men of North Platte have given us - their advertisements without which " bar plan would have proven a failure. Our first impulse was to settle in this issue all questions of the day, both local and national such as irrigation, the financial question and woman suffrage. On second thought we concluded to leave room for discussion of these sub- ..jecis for the men, in the future. We have given you correspond ence from friends from all parts of the country. Articles on education societies, both public and private, and other articles "too numerous to mention." With this issue we retire to our usual avocations, leaving the men Jn .peaceful possession, for which, ,,-the editor we are sure will be thankful. Now that the. question of the. rights of .women to the "ballot box and25)uteprvileges 4s.n0 JoMger a mattett aumiat wsation ot a lew tyrant la.' which, whether she wishes or not, every woman -must soon make up her mind. Does any thoughtful man really believe that he has the natural right to deprive another of the means of self-protection, and that he has the wisdom to govern indi viduals and classes better than they can govern themselves? England's experiment.with Ireland, Russia's . with Poland, the Southern states with Africans, the Northern states with women, all prove the impos- sibility of one class legislating with fairness for another. The bitter discontent and con tinued protests of all these subject classes are so many emphatic de nials of the rights of one man to govern another without his consent. Forbidden by law to settle one's . quarrels with the rude weapons of savage life; and denied their sub stitute in civilization. The posi tion of the citizen is indeed hope less, with his -right of person and property wholly at the mercy of others. Such is the real position of all citizens who are denied the right of suffrage. They may have favors granted them, they may enjoy many privileges, but they cannot be said to have any sacred rights. But we are told that disfranchise ment does not effect the position of woman because they are bound to !the governing classes by all the ties of family, friendship and love, by the affection, loyalty and chiv alry that every man owes his mother;, sister, wife and daughter. The rights of person and proper ty must be as safe in his hands as in her own. Does woman need protection - iiuui mc uicu ui ner own tainilyr Xet the calendars of our courts . and the columns of our dailv pa- pers answer the question, The disfranchisement of woman is a terrible impeachment of the loyalty and chivalry of every man ; in thip nation. And even if all men were wise, generous and hon orable, possessed of all the cardi nal virtues, it would still be better women to govern themselves, ,to exercise tneir own capacities and powers in assuming therespon- sibilities of citizenship. Wnenever arid wherever the right of suffrage has not proved beneficial it has not been because fbr t the citizen had too many rights, but because he did not know how to use them fbr;his ownadvantage. Individual freedom and selt gov ernment, citizenship and suffrage are synonymous. In demanding their own disfranchisement have women been pursuing a shadow the last half century? In seeking polit ical power do they abdicate that social throne where their influence is said to be unbounded? No, No! the right of suffrage is not a mere shadow, but a substantial entity, that -the citizen can wield for his own protection and his country's welfare, an individual opinion counted on all questions of public interest is better, than indirect in fluence be it ever so far reaching. When a majority of American woman want the ballot they will get it. You never met a man who who did not assent to this convic tion, and who did 'not second the following assertion, that the worst opponents to female suffrage are women themselves. Women must take an interest in politics and throw all their influence on the side of honest legislation. The republic cries aloud for patriotic mothers. Where are are our Cornelias. It is not a woman's diamonds that help the state. It is the jewels of true manhood and womanhood in her children, it is her own dignity and integrity of thought and deed. What we need is a campaign of education. Women must be inter ested in politics beginning with the government of their towns and counties. When their eyes are opened in this direction, when they see where the ship of state is drift ing, then they will demand the ballot to save their children from the worst despotism ever conceived the despotism of ignorance, anarchy and cranks. The right of suffrage is the only untried remedy for the evils into which a government organized and administered solely by men has plunged the nation. Contrast the revelations of the Lexow committee with the results given us by the women of Lexington. It is not enoug to say, in explanation of the splendid spectacle of the defeat of Breckenridge that women did it without the vote. The more sig nificant fact is that if women had had the vote, " the contest could never had occurred. If women had the ballot, no self-confessed destroyer-of woman's hooor would ever be named for public oae. ,I Wvomiafir where yremtn that tke Most aotable their politics is, that no political party dare preseat a candidate whose life is known to 'be unclean.' To be quite frank, women, may not use the ballot at first to good advantage. Sbe will not use it worse than her brother man. When women are given the ballot the two will work together in the political field, each will correct the failings of the other. The political world then find woman quite as necessary as the family does now. The exercise of the right of suffrage to women will supply an element long needed to ensure the lasting success of a republican form of government. There is no doubt that the silver question will be the leading issue in the next national campaign. It is a subject of which both the great political parties are afraid, and one indeed, on which the people in both parties are greatly divided, but the country at large demands that it shall be considered. We are confronted by facts, not theories, There is too little gold in the world to make it a satisfac tory currency. A fact, too, that none will deny is that there is a direct connection between business prosperity and the amount of primary money. History shows jthat prior to 1873 for nearly two hundred years, there was little fluctuation in the rela-i tive value of silver and srold from the ratio of 16 to 1, even though England had demonetized silver early in thejeentury. But when in 1873 the United States dropped silver, followed so soon by the re fusal of nearly all the European nations to maintain its coinage, the effect was inevetable. That gold should have rapidly increased in value was a natural consequence, since it has had double duty to per form, the law of supplv and demand holding good here as well as with other commodities. But while this is trueHie pjice of all other articles of commerce has decreased. Here, too, the most serious ques tion of debt confronts us. The payment of a debt must be met in the number of dollars promised, and if those dollars have increased in valud the result is evident. The laborer and all producers of raw material are the first and most direct sufferers, in that manufac tured articles are subject to so many other influences than their primary cost of material, but all must be affected in a greater or less degree. The philosophic historian Hume truly says: "Palling prices feature of inseperable com- aadlmisery are panions. -We ares: face. vK face-with the question, what is to be our money? Will it be possible for tlie United States alone to restore silver? If the United States and her people were free from debt it would not prove a difficult task. Our natural resourses are great, indeed im measurable, but we must have the capital of older countries to develop these resources. Our great enter prises are in large measure upheld by foreign capital and, as in the management of any commercial enterprise, we cannot hope to win favor unless our business methods meet with the approval of those with whom we have dealings. But is it not probable that Ger many and France, and some other European nations, would follow our lead in restoring silver, as they did in demonetizing it in 1873-4? This dependence of our commer cial life on foreign approval is but one of the difficulties in the way of the restoration of silver, some real, some imaginary. We are told by the monometalists that Europeans would buy silver at seventy cents an ounce and exchange it for our wheat and cotton at much lower figures than they now obtain them. But we find that during the war and the ten years following its close Europeans paid adequate prices for our products, though we had only a depreciated paper currency. And even if an international agreement cannot be reached, after the restor ation of silver by the most resource ful country of the world, seventy cents will not buy an ounce of silver in any of " the European markets. Anyone that asserts that coin metals have riot a law value as well as an intrinsic has certainly read and thought very little. Aris totle said: "Money is a creation of law, not of nature." The ultimate triumph of silver is inevitable. The country needs, and will have the unrestrained coinage of both guld and silver. This can not be accomplished at once. The people must first be educated to see its necessity. Among the many reforms inaug urated by the women of this country is the work of the village improve ment society. In the' March number of the Forum tne subject is ably treated byB. G. Northup, presi dent of the villaere improvement as sociations of the U." S Forty -yeamt:w4i Hil 'Mass.' tmt LSMciation, itr.'f of :Stockbrkfr 'theintoxewhich are nicely pointed and placeii various- parts W w&myk- These associations ImMIn free from political ialaMciYiiould aU municipal A M 'iMic places one of the g pf the organization has ranee of religious iimosities, for it is l:HMMI 0MMin WU1CU pcupic ui lM rtliciw yti 111 political beliefs MWJa A4ams in a recent ad 4tm ia Clikam; on "The Place of ill jruiiauLuiujj, difference between of Micipai -aniuis, &r savins that once s were so busy at the -arecioice with their Hat and bandages pickiag people who had fallM oiieirfke'tdgethat it did not occur t t to:Duild a fence along tke too' of ike orecioice and thus falls. of jf aew society should be few aifrwfcm :those things have ed add otter im- "4 " scarcely anything wkicVoae of these societies cannot do. Mitaicipal reform, sanitary im nrafenefet the improvement of roads, sMwalks, parks and school yards, faraiafciag drinking tanks aad fountains, founding free libra ries,' and reaioving nuisances are aaiong tkebenefits which these so cieties doeire to obtain. The necessarylpoaey could be raised by membership fees, by life-member ships, aaattal subscriptions, lec tures, fairs, coMcerts and other eatertaiameats. Why cannot the women ofx North Platte make a stdy of this subject? With a wide awake association, North Platte cpald sooajjave the reputation of being the ptettiest and most pro gressive town of its size in the CT state. Tggjorganizalion of a com petent and eaergetic society of this kind would dp more than any other method to advertise this place and attract hoiaerseekers. prevent The faflaar bata lcoaniaiiih - - --- E$aal Siiffrage. Upon retarriing to Colorado two years since'after seven years' resi dence in LfScoln county, I think I was most imaressed with the idea that one caa; aeVer again "begin where he wH off." One finds with theKeJispw,that "the.wprld do mule, . , ' waliafinad "Tke' idea originated with Mrs. J. Z. Goodrich who, -after repsatii efforts, arousad enough interest to. call a "town meeting and the society was organ ized. The Stockbridge of the present time is noted for its beauty, while then it was a most forlorn place. Very few trees or sidewalks were seen, and the cemetery was a deso late spot covered with weeds and surrounded by a broken down fence. At the first annual meeting, the amount paid in in cash and labor was $1.3. At this meeting prizes were offered to the planter of the best fifteen .trees, to the one who planted the most and best trees by any of the public roads leading out of town, to the one building the longest and best sidewalk, to the one making the best improve ment in the grounds around his dwelling, etc About four thousand trees have been planted and the society pos sesses the income from $4,000 of in terest funds together with individ ual subscriptions. This society, by offering to bear one-half the ex penses, persuaded the railroad com pany to add an acre and a half to their grounds around the station and erect a fine building. The im provements made by the associa tion led some of the wealthy resi dents to donate a fine library and lecture hall and similar benefac-! tions to the town. The value of all land and other property in Stock bridge has risen as a result of the work of their society. Of course this is is only one of the many examples mentioned in the Forum article. I wish that the paper could have been printed in full for one can scarcely read it without becoming- enthusiastic when one sees the. varied and great benefits which have sprung from these organizations. The work has spread vary rapidly since the first organization, and the middle and western states take the lead in en thusiastic work, J. Sterling Morton has done more for his own town and Nebraska in general than any other person. Owing to the influence of Arbor Day it is claimed that Ne braska annually plants more trees than any other state in the union. The majority of these societies are composed of women, some of both men and women, while others only admit men as honorary members. In some places the school children form auxiliary societies for the pro tection of flowers and shrubs, and keeping the streets clean by picking up scraps of paper, etc., and putting Mt kfc viaws, mad new I hiaftdtM touch wit Wi Wkm. Te rittnsaimih-oK-r'aao at tSar tiiae was the campaign for sqnairsaffrage; but it was so unlike, tjwfcxaai align of twenty ta'same object, as is 4. The objective ie, but it was f. different road. Then the oMlMinr argument was simply thafwonMia did not know enofh ta which was fre quently added1 St. Paul's injunc tion to 'Hal yonr women keep silent," etc -Evidently the major ity of our jaien and brethren held this opinion' as the measure was hopelessllt. This article is not reminiscent, but I distinctly remember hearing Susan B. Anthony speak at that time, arid tkejrtet. of an able argu ment was proof of woman's mental equality and denunciation of the law which classecd her with infants and idiots. During the campaign of two years ago no argument of that na ture was mentioned in my hearing. The wonderful advancement of the sex in literature, art and me chanical pnrsuits, by which it has becoaM so dale a second to man as to sonMtinws appear first,- is the distinctive feature of the age but that to quota Kipling, is "another story," and requires a newspaper of its own. - Sattce it to say he who would make? use of that line of - special pleadtpf at'the present time would And hkneelf laughed out of court. TJiere was! very little genuine opposition iaColorado to extending the right of suffrage to woman. Wyoming's experience placed the question beyond the pale of experi ment, and tke general sentiment 'seemed to be that if the women in sisted on voting "whv let 'em trv it," "If she will, she will, you may depend ori't." In short the popular mind had become educated up to the equal suffrage idea. Four principal arguments were used by:' suffragists in canvassing for votes: 1 First Tlieintelligence of women usually pat ta interrogative style. "Should not ear refined, well in formed and highly educated woman have the sajae rifjht to a ballot as the ignoraati iaan foreigner who has jnst'kusaed on oar shore?" SecoaeV-,Taxatioa without rep- resentatiai tyraaay." "Should a OK property, uuvc tL right with indigent matters requiring f' r Thira rHave not all women an least aa.aafaal man, in deciding xne rawMH The Time The Opportunity -5 Now, Presents Itself For you to save yourself many dollars by buying your dressvgoods for your mother, your laces and embroideries m for your sisters, ribbons and side-combs for your cousins and your groceries for your aunt and candies and fruit for your sweetheart at Wt-P. BANES The Hinman Building on Front Street Therefore patronize home industry by giving your work to the North Platte Steam Laundry, Satisfaction guaranteed. "Work called for and delivered at any time to suit patrons. HAINLINE & GUPTIL, Props. Ottm s Shoe Store Ludlow's Ladies7 Shoes, Lilly, Brackett & Co.'s Men's Shoes, J. B. Lewis' Boy's shoes, Little Red Schoolhouse shoes for children. The above are the best shoes made.- Prices are low at Otten's Shoe Store. io,pac equal interest with men in deciding vital points of government, as open saloons, versus club rooms, prohi bition, etc. Fourth Solemly affirmed All women would vote for good men only for office, thus purifying poli tics and instituting reforms. To the first proposition was re sponded, that if all women were well educated or even well-informed, there could be but one answer to the question, and that a most em phatic "Yes." But among the ignorant foreigners whose right to vote is challenged, there are prob aWys many women-as men, and tlMtee fenu;Wener acquire the right of 'mmmgij vw. the wales. Ifastje, toclaim nofseaatakes' aa 1 i'dnalHither educated or re- wfe tke fore- ner goes-abrqad among his fellows, acquires our language, and some information as to, his political duties, the women of his family re main at home, speaking their native tongue, , and not until the second generation grows up, do they be come Americanized, We cannot double our intelligent vote by equal suffrage without at the same time more than doubling our ignorant vote which sounds like an Irish bull. Proposition second carried to its logical conclusion, makes the prop erty the responsible voter. Many years ago trie law 01 an eastern state required each voter to pay taxes on at least twenty dollars worth of property. One young man especially desirous of voting, but lacking the necessary dollars, per suaded a generous uncle to make him a present of a donkey of that value, when he at once became a duly qualified elector Q, E. D. The donkey and not the man voted. The writer holds, however, that the terms donkey and man were synon- omous, in xuis connection, as any. man above being classed with the long-eared creation would have rustled for his dollars instead of begging them. Logically speaking the alien, the minor, the mentally incapable, and boarders in the "pen itentiary, are tyrannized over on this proposition when they are de prived of the ballot. Third All women have an equal interest with men in deciding ques tions of political economy, but ex perience does not prove that trie large accession to our voting popu lation makes any differenne in re sults. Last year our neighboring town, Evans, "went dry" at the spring election and a great flourish or truimpets announced the hand of the women voter. This year, after twelve months' experience with closed saloons and open club houses, the town "went wet" once more, but I have as yet heard no claim that the womeu "did it with their little hatchet" this time. I presumewith no especial knowl edge, in the premises there seemed a choice between two'evils, and the voters chose what seemed the least, as they had done before, when men only wielded the fateful ballot. The last claim that women will vote good men only into office, puri fying politics, and hastening the millenium, is the most attractive bait presentsd that large class of visionary reformers, who would like to dwell in a modern Utopia. In the first place the adjective good, in this connection, means what it stands for in the mind of the speak er. Manv excellent women think that man onlv truly fifood, who is a church member, or at least a regu lar church goer. Another large class do not insist upon this re quirement. but exact freedom from all large and most small vices, while still others condone many sins if the man and brother is only good in his domestic relations, and a public spirited citizen. Dearly beloved; don't for an in stant imagine that political influ ence is going to do for woman, what she cannot-do for herself.' "Tke kand that rocks the cradle is tke hand that rules tke world." - I do not' believe the accident of sexTafees mere than half of human- itjr, above the influence of heredity and environment. I utterly refuse to believe the" average man any worse than the womankind with whom he comes in contact, The mother who bears and rears sons, the sisters who grow to ma turity with brothors, sharing alike their father's influence, and the maiden who enters her life work with the husband of her own selec- tense, in all they undertook; they would carry their politics into their parlors, and discuss men and measures, when they should be con fining themselves to tea and toast. They would take such a striking interest in their political faiths that they would presently find themselves cultivating unbelief in their friendships, and "The goblins will git you If you don't watch out." There seems a quality in human nature which makes the infant cry for the moon, and the adult strive after things equally unattainable; this quality will so dominate the women of Nebraska, that they will use their best endeavors to reach equal suffrage even theagh it turn ta "riLpleiv of Sodom and-opes of sand" in their grasp. I wilLonly add one word to both sides of the suffrage story as I ha e told it. It is my ideal of .what should constitute the qualifications of any elector. Equal suffrage to all men and women alike, who are twenty-one years of age. or have lived twenty one years in America; who are able to read the Constitution of the Uuited States in English, and write Hon. htYvei nn incentive to strive for higher levels than those trodden byl lely inttsarae JL11CI1 U11U LUCU UUiJf Will X the men who rule their affections. 'Resolutions never go backward. " Nebraska will sooner or later join the procession, and its residents will find themselves in the throes of a suffrage campaign. I will here say to those who advecate the meas ure, that I have found that one ab solutely unanswerable affirmative argument. A prominent business man of Greeley said to me that he advocated and had always advo cated "equal suffrage." Why? Be cause its right. No men, or set of men have any just right to arrogate to themselves privileges which they deny to others simply because they can, Might never makes right "and still with the heel of assertion he trampled my argument down" if I had any, which I didn't. In conclusion I wish to add my con viction, that the right to vote is of no advantage to the average woman. It may become a duty as it now is in Colorado, and then every woman should voto as early and often as any man. There are two vital reasons why woman, for her own sake, should pause before deaiandiag the ballot. xke first is as old as rive and is simply that a radical difference of views on either politics or religion imperils doawstic happiness. Every wife has an undoubted right to her own political belief, but not all have the judgment to realize that sometimes "silence is golden." Not many men can walk up smil ingly to the ballot box and see his wife nullify his vete when that vote is the outward sign of his most cherished belief. If there is anything, better, sweeter and more desirable than happy and peaceful domestic rela tions, I have not yet found it in forty years experience, The second objection is that a difference in political views very frequently destroys friendly rela tions, outside the family circle. Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, the famous lecturer, warned us of this, in a social address to women delivered at the Oasis Hotel in Greeley last fall. She said women were too in- ceasc to consider the desirability of equal suffrage, but welcome the duties and responsibilities of a citizenship .which places men and women alike on the broad platform of freedom and equality before the law. Katharine A. Stimson. THE H. ft. BUTT l i s r""- McDonald Block, North Platte, Veb. Eircirybody IijouJs I Who Is posted upon the subject, that tho McDowell System of Drees Cutting nnd iFlttiDg le the inoet perfect plan which human "t skill has devised for this purpose. Ia the NJ larger cities this method is taught through schools of instruction. In North Platte iti teachings are practiced by Mrs. Emma . Walsh Grady block who will guarantee to pbomcbi.t tit her patrons, and please them with her skill. Call at- ftRS. Ross' C0RSET FARL0R and examine the Ladies' Miasms' and 'mm children's Waists. il'nCl C TC from first class manufac-VVXli- 1 O turiag houses made from the best material and a perfect fit guaran teed to all who purchase. You will find these popular Corsets to chooc frost The SeU-Adjwstiag Corset, The MMnm MeCahe Corset, The Heneekee, the Jackson " The Vether Mahewd Corset, (the beet of all.) Ob Bpraee et., let 4oer eeath of Dowries' store. If your Harness is worn buy a new. one of who carries a full line of first class Harness, Saddles, Bridles, Robes, Blankets, Whips, etc. NORTH PLATTE, - - NEB. MRS. HUFFMAN'S Delightful Millinery Parlors -i- famed for the excellence of head wear there constructed, -f - The Trimmed deparfr- ment embraces all the . fashionable bprins and Summer styles at pnc to suit hard times. 1
