Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1896)
! I ! . V. 10 THE OMAITA DAIIAT 1VEE : SUNDAY , DECEMBER 13. 1890 WOMAN SUFFRAGE RIGHTS OF WOMIJN IN NK- I ) ) KHSSOF KIMVAKI ) KOSE WATIvR IN THE DEIJATE INCIDKST Ol HKASKA-AN WITH MISS SUSAN H. AN- TIIIJ CAMPAIGN OF 18S2. T.IOXY. Many requests liavc been received fo copies of The Hoc containing the speech < 1e llvorcil by Mr. Edward Itwcwatcr In th debate with Minn Susan 1J. Anthony In 18S ! In opposition to the woman suffrage amend incnt submitted to the voters of Ncbraaki nt the general election of that year. Ai the supply of copies was exhausted loin nlncu , the tpccrh Is reprinted below , Mr. Hospwalcr said : Miss Presldtnt. Ladlea and Gentlemen : Oi a bright morning In March , 1SS1. I alow upon a platform n great deal more ulcvatoi than this , confronting an audlcnro fifty tlnui ns nuinctoiis ns that which Is assemble ! In this building. Upon that platform was r < ho Inaugurated the president of thi' Unltci States of America and the vast roncoursi of people below were assembled to witness the ceremonies of Inaugural. Around hln on thit : platfoim were conisrcgatcd the dig nltarli'.i of the nation. Tin-re were there tin general of the army and the generals bulov him to the rank of brigadier. There wen the admiral and commodores of tin- navy nil In full drrss uniform. There WECI tin senate of the United Slates and ns inanj members of the hnuae of representatives a.1 could find room. There wore diplomatic corps , representing nil the nations of thi earth. In the first srats sat the Judges o the supreme court In their flowing robca , niu In the center sat the president and president elect. Immediately behind them sat twt women , Eliza Onrfleld and Lucrctla ( lorflcld After the chief Justice had read the oatl of ofllso to the president-elect and he hai repeated It In a clear voice , James Abran : Onrflold klBscsl the bible and then , tuniliif around , kissed his mother nnd his wife. ( Ap. plaupc. ) In the august presence of that vast assem blage this wr.a the most sublime opectaclt that ever 1 buheld. and to mo It presented the highest Ideal of American manhood niul American womanhood. ( Applause. ) That dil. tlful son ottering a tribute of love to Ms wife and mother In the presence of the nation was the highest typo of manhood. The devoted - voted mother and fond wife were the highest Ideals of American womanhood. I hold in my hand nn envelope directed tc Ellzu Garfleld. Polon , Cuyahoga County , Ohio ami on the margin In written "J. A. Gar- Held , SI. C. " I secured this memento througli the family of the lamented president. This memento speaka for Itself. In my cMliratlon the highest aim that woman In thfca country may have , more thar she ever could achieve by the enfranchise ment of bur sex. Is to be the mother of . " manly man like Jamrs A. Oarllold. ( Ap plause. ) That wife IUing on the platforn : ranked higher in the estimation of manklni : than any woman that would sit In Hit United States senate. Certainly If women were enfranchised In this country and put upon an equality with the negro , as no friend , Miss Anthony , would have it ( laugh ter ) , I don't believe they would be the peers of the two women that sal there on thai 4th day of March , and when that dutiful ou was Hlrlcken down by an assassin the last thing he wrote was a letter to his olt ! jnotuor In Ohio , saying to her , "llo calm sooner or later I shall be with you again , ' and the fortitude and heroism of the wife oi Jr.mcs A Garflcld , as the stayed with bin In the chamber of sickness nnd death foi weeks and weeks , elicited the deepest sym pathy and udmlrntlon of the American pee ple. All of us respect that woman and wi nil believe her to bo the highest typo ol v.-omanhood , and honor her just as much a ; If she had been raised to the pinnacle ol fame Into the presidential chair. ( Applause. ; INHERENT RIGHTS. Now , my ff-llojr. citizens , the qucstioi before us here tonight' la : Have womei lioen degraded ; arc they oppressed ; Is the withholding of the ballot from them unjust is suffrage an Inherent and natural right which belontfs'to tlitm ? It Is claimed and asserted by the advo cates of woman suffrage that the Dcclara tlon of Independence , which proclaims "nil men are created frco and equal , nnd entitle' ' ' to the Inalienable rights of life , llbcrtj and the pursuit of happiness , " 1116111(10. women nnd their rlsht to protect them fiolvea by being parties to the governmcrr Now , I deny that proposition In toto. assert In the first place that suffrage is no en Inherent right , because any right thu ; Is Inherent belongs to us all ut birth. Life and liberty arc such rights , but the right to vote Is a privilege , coupled vlth duties which only men can perform , and Imrdctio which woman , owing to her organic disa bilities , cannot assumeIt suffrage wa Inherent It would belong to the foreigner the moment he land.on American soil , Juat ns much as to the natl.e American. Hut how Is It ? When ho lands upon our soil he Is confronted with the fact that the national constitution authorizes and empowers con gress to enact naturalization laws and pre- Hcrlbe the conditions under which he may acquire the right of sulfrage. With these conditions ho has to comply. Ills consent is not asked and was not obtained In the framing of the constitution. Kirst of all , he Is required to take an oath that he forawe-am allegiance to any king , prince or potentate under whose government ho was born , ami In the next place he swears ho will uphold and defend thla government against all Its enemies , foreign or domestic. Hoes that Imply that ho is lit condition simply te promise nnd not to fulfill ? Why Is tlil-j oath taken ? It la to compel obedience to Tfio laws that bind him to defend the gov ernment in case of domestic insurrection or against attacks of foreign enemies. It Is presumed ho 13 able to comply with this condition us a prerequisite for becoming a voter. MUs Anthony Don't women also toke that oath ? Mr. llosowatcr Yes , she does , when , aa a widow , she goes to enter a homestead. Wid ows -are entitled to homestead rights ns heads of families the same ns men , but they simply promise to obey the constitution and laws. She nUo has to forswear allo- Klanco to foreign governments , because the country In which she U born way Impose certain obligations on all natives. You ask how was the right of suffrage acquired by men ? The right of suffrage was acquired by the founders of this republic , who fought for Its Independence and ncqulrcd the right by their ability to maintain their freedom. There U where suffrage originated. Those- who cannot defend the ling and compel obedience tn our laws have no right to make laws. They cannot enforce nor force upon ua WUIYI which they cannot fight out. A few months ago the. women of Massachusetts ap plied to the leglHlnturo by petition for the right of suffrage. Massachusetts Is an en lightened etatc , There are more educational Instltutl'ins tn Massachusetts than In any other state In thu union. They cannot bo nlmrgcd with being overawed by foreign Ig norance or prejudice , Whnt < lld the legis lature of Massachusetts do ? After a thor ough "Investigation by n Joint committee they made a report which contains the fol lowing nxttnct : "U wa Hinted by one of the petitioners that she considered that the franchise ought to ho llko air and water , open and free to till. I'robably ehe did really mean quite all that this might Imply , but clmply that there should be no sex line of dlvUlon. Every human being comes Into thin world In a condition of guardlnnr.hlp. "Without the protecting care of somebody rven the right to llvo could be enjoyed but for a very brief time , So far even as ad mission Into the duties aud trusts of rill- rpiishlp In a free republic are ranccmcd , wo are born Into that which we enter. The question , therefore , Is not what right * In administering a government mmi nud women muy hiivo been born possessed of , but whether the regulations of society Into which they nro born , upon the whole , and tsKlys all things Into consideration , nro i.'U.-.i nnd afford ndcquite jirwtrctlon : ind subFcrvo thu best lnteros < o of men and women , and keeping also In view the extent to whlrh three- regulations are founded upon the deliberate sciisn and Juilnino.it , not or men exclusively , but of both women nnd men , " On this report tlu leKlclutur of 'Muisachusetts declined to grant the right of cuffrago to women. Nnw , then , our frlendi on the ether tide claim and ahsurt Unit taxation and rep resentation must go hand lu hand In this government ; that they nro thu fundamental principle , mid that women being taxed and KovtixioJ should have a volco In the gor- niwrnt. That propooltlon I also deny. The objection made by the American colonies against the rule of Great Ilrltaln was that In Great llrltaln citizenship nnd govern ment was confined exclusively upon thos who owned property and were taxed. Hut thi colonies being taxed were denied rcprc scntntlon In government and therefore tbi fundamental principle of Drltlsh rule wa : violated. Is that the rule of our govern incut ? Does taxation and rpprcsentatloi really underlie the foundation of this re public ? I deny that. 1 claim right hen that taxation has nothing whatever to di with the system tif government under whlcl we live. My friend ban amply Illustrate ! this fact by the donkey story. If donkeys for Instance , had votre , men might ns wel stay at lioni" . ( Laughter. ) As a matter o fnct It Is inanhuod suffrage that governs It Is the rule of those who arc able to su.i tain nnd maintain the government and It enforce the laws made under It. What d ( we mean by the word enforce ? It means It compel those who resist the laws to obey We arc told by the gentle BOX that In thlf nineteenth century force Is no longer noces nary for government ; that when women voti all wars will cinse and all force In gov ernment will beceome unnecessary. And yet my friend , Miss Anthony tells us thai the police of New York were required In the great strike In New York to proven ! men from committing violence and blood- shid. Will woman suffrage stop riot ? Will women ever stop quarrelling among them selves ? ( Laughter. ) Go to the police court of Omaha and you wilt find a majority ol complaints made by women against women for slander nnd for doing all sorts of Im aginable mischief that has no punishment by laws. And now let mo define taxation. Taxes are levied upon property , not upon men , I'roperty Is capital ami capital Is simply the product of labor. Capital or property Is taxed to pay for the cost of protecting men and women In the exercise of their paternal rights to life , liberty and In pursuit of happiness. According to the United States supreme court the pursuit of happiness Is the right of every pen-on to become the owner of property. In other words , the Inalienable right which men and women have alike to the pursuit ol happiness Is their right to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Taxation , therefore. Is simply the premium paid by the owners of property for the protection of their persons In Its use. This premium , or tax. Is paid by corporations and aliens as well as by In dividuals , but nobody contends that cor poration and aliens , because they arc taxed , should have the right to vote. The man or woman who pajs a premium to Insure his house or personal property against fire Is by no means entitled to take part In the management of the Insurance com pany. ( Applause. ) The doctrine I lay down hero Is that If taxation menus consent , corporations and aliens are taxed without their consent. What part have they In the government ? As my friend. Miss Anthony , remarked , the poorest man living In a hovel or hut Is the equal In our republic of the man whose Income 13 a million a month. The woman at the wash tub Is In every respect eqflal. ns far as Iti- alienable rights are concerned , to the lady lu the palace , rocking In the gilded rocking chair. ( Applause. ) Now wo cometo another question , that Is : * WOMEN UXDEIl THE LAW. The o ladles have all come to urge upon you the necessity of an amendment to the constitution of Nebraska of eliminating the word "male" from our laws. They come here to say it Is your interest and the Interest of both men nnd women that this chcngo should bo made , and they assert that because they have no voice In our government they are degraded. Uiit the laws of this state dis prove that they could enjoy more advantage If they were voters. I don't know what the degradation of women Is In the Btate of New York , and I don't care. If these ladles dc- alre the nir.ellorntion of the condition of womim In New York , they must no to New- York to do It. I speak for Nebraska. No state has been more .generous ami liberal ; no state In this union has given such privileges nnO immunities ns the state of Nebraska. Eleven years ago , when I was a member of the legislature , we passed n bill to confer rights jn married women , and that bill still re- nnlnii on the statute book. I will read It o you , because many of you tlo not know , vhat protection the laws of Nebraska do give to women. I myself had forgotten until re cently. I examined the record to confirm my Impression that I had voted for It. AN ACT ItespcctltiK the Jlights of Married Women. ° nfCIIJ.C'i { ' ° l1 Vy lll 'eKlstaturo ' of the stute or ftclmiHkii , Section 1. That the property , real and personal , which anv woman In this state' may own at the U , e rJi marrlJKf > . "nil the rents. Issues. protlts or proceeds thereof , and any real personal or mixed property which slilll ! or'Vhn'U',01" ' ' by < 10SCllt' " " ' -liqS - w , , ! ° f " ' ! Kn.f ? 'T frao . except her Juts Dana , Hm remain hr note and si > mrnti property , notwithstanding | , c "r ? | ? mill not to be- subject to the ills oo il of her husband , or liable for his ilebK Now what doc * this grant so far as mar ried women are concerned ? All property personal and real , belonging to her before " ) " hy ller aml . ca I' * , , willed away If she seca lit. How Is It with ? ho LrrhB" .U " ' ? " marrlcs tlle ' " " "cnt the absolute solem"lzc(1 the woman becomes - owner of one-third of his real property. Ho cannot dispcse of a foot of real estate without her consent and cannot mortgage It without her con.cnt. No ono will nsscrt that there Is anything un- Slm"lc ' enter Into . any contrnrt and personal property , Well woman may deed away her crty ; she may dispose of Hat pfe s , U0 anylhl"K Sl' ° SCCB fit With hop , eras1 There have been thrco decisions In our supreme court covering this section. A J.oman may sue her own husband. lie deeds her h Is property and then she may turn around , buy up his notes , KUO hln i and o- cover against him. Wo kuow women In tl IK rltv who own property , but when tholr huabanfla Incur debta oven for their main- tt-nuato > ou caimoi collect from them but when a woman Incurs n debt for anything classed as necessary the husband has to pay It. Further than that , if a married woman signs a promissory noto. unless It In secured by real or personal property. you cannot collect u dollar. I know an Instance hero where a womnn who owns property endorsed a note with her husband to secure money expended for her , She refused payment and the creditor cannot collect from her , Section. 4 , Any married woman may carry on tradeor business nnd perform any labor or Hi-rvlccn her Hole on nnd separate ae > count , niul the eai-nlnij.s ot any married woman from her trade. liu lneiw. labor or servlecu shall bo her sole and si-parato pr--p. aml liivtstcd i * iicr hear.(1 ( l ( > > noli -rendlns stories , nnd oceans of tears tonvo bee.n Hlied lu thin house over the misery of women who uro compelled to Blvo their earnings to a drunken husband. AH n maatcr of fact , the law gives her every dollr.r abe earns and the husband cannot iet a dollar unless she gives It to him. If a woman will give * her earnings to a drunk- nrd , ulio ilcfcorvi's no pity. Se-ctlon 0 , Any womnn MTIO shall Imvo been married out of this state Khali , if her hUHbiind nftfrward becomcB u resident of this uliiie. unjoy all thi/ rights na to prop- urty which she may have acquired by thu laws of miy other stair } , territory or coun try. or which sliu may Imvo acquired by virtue of any nmrrlngo contract or nc u le mon t made out or this state. Now , what dpc this Imply ? Wo 1m e not only given woman all the rights our men have legislated for thorn , but wo huvo Given her all thu rlghtu thwy Imvo acquired In other states and other countries , nvun lu liuropo. Could woman do auy moro for herself ? U there * any woman who would do any luoro thau that } Miss Anthony Yra/ Mr. It. I dou't kuow what iho would do , unless aho would take nil the husbani has got. ( Uproarious laughter. ) JOINT OWNKIISHIP. SllsaAnthony I admit that every polnl of law Nebraska has enacted Is good ; It la ac much Justice given to women , and Sir. Rosewater - water has shown us come cases where In justice has been done to the tncn ; but mark you , that men made the Injustice themsclvca. Wo didn't do It , Very few mar ried women have any money ot their owr for Inheritance. They have tn earn tholi own living If their lurcnta dlo. What 1 want for the women of Nebraska la a law that shall flea that the wlfo Is equal owner , as well as the husband , ot the Joint earning ! of the marriage co-partnorshlp. The wife docs her share ot thu work and Is entitled to her harc of the earnings. Mr. It. 1 don't know what women would do If they hod It all their way. There Is n cao In this city. A gentleman , who Is quite wealthy , married n lady who at the time of marriage was very poor ; In fact , working for a living , but th.it Is no disgrace. The husband found It convenient In some busi ness transaction , and perhaps to protect hla wlfo as we-11 ns himself , to transfer his es tate to her. A few months ago that lady died , nnd after her death It was discovered that she had willed a mansion worth $25.000 to her son , leaving her ilrl ; and husband without n home , and leaving the husband at the lender merry of his boy. Now , a few moro points about Jaw , Divorce Is sometimes as common In Nebraska ns In Massachusetts. Our statutes say : "A dl- vorco may bo decreed , on complaint of the wife , when the husband , helnc of HUlllclent ability to provide suitable maintenance for her , shall grossly or wantonly and cruelly refuse or neglect so to do. The court may cither during pendency of suit for dlvoreo or after decree , make such order ns to the. custody of minor children nnd their main tenance as it shall deem best for the children dren/ ' This means that n woman mny ask separation from her husband , nnd ho Is com pelled to provide her nmplo support to live , without work , If she sees lit to bo Idle during her natural life , or until she gets nnothcr fellow to support her. ( Laughter. Our laws provide that the husband shnl enter Into bonds that this alimony will bi , paid. How la It with the husband ? Suppose the wife has the property , and he has none lias he any show to compel that woman t ( give him a dollar of that money , even I he Is n cripple ? lie mubt take care of him self , whether he marrlcs again or not ( Laughter. ) Thcie are many other laws for the pro tcctlon of women I have not lime to cnu mernte , nnd many more will be enacted bj men for the welfare of their mothers , sisters tors , daughters nnd wives. Every mat knows his wife is liable to be a widow , nn < his sister - or daughter mny remain un married. What man In the legislature would not use his best Judgment to ameliorate their condition nnd protect then against everything that would expose then to want or discomfort ? Let mo now cal the attention of the ladles who want to be lawmakers to eome points recalled to my memory , while looking over the Journals of the house ot which 1 was a member I remember two or three bills which creutei quite a stir In the galleries when they were read In the house. One of these was ni act to amend section G of an nc to punish offenses against chastity morality nnd decency. The other was ai act to restrain bulls from running at large ( Laughter. ) Now , such laws arenccersiry and in enacting them the details have ti be discussed. As n matter of delicacy am propriety woman should not ask to nit li a legislature to discuss such subjects , maintain if womnn nets the ballot and gcta Into legislatures , there Is more danger c her being degrnded nnd debased than I they let men do the voting and law making Now let us dlscusa the QUESTION OF LABOR. We have heard n great deal about labor- Ingmcn In other states. I want you to un derstand that we are In Nebraska all the time. We nre not In Massachusetts , New York or Connecticut , but wo arc In glorious Nebraska , that gives to woman whatever she could reasonably want or ask for. It Is unreasonable for these v'omea , to come hero and esk us to change bur constltutloi because women have grievances In other states. I spent four or five days to ascer tain definitely the wages of women , ii Omaha and Nebraska , with the following re suit : Domestic employment , nurse girls from $1.50 to $2.50 per week , with board , lodg tug and washing. This Is equivalent ( o from $30 to $35 per month. General house work , $3.50 to $5.00 per week , with beard lodging nnd wnshlng , equivalent to fron $37 to $33 per month. Cooks from $5 to $7 per week , with board , lodging nnd wnshlng equivalent to from $55 to ? 05 per month Housekeepers , from $7 to $10 per week , will board , lodging nnd washing , equivalent to from $ G3 to $ SO per month. Washer women charge $1.25 to $1.C9 per day , with board , equal to from $50 to $5S per month Domestics , on farm , from $8 to $12 per month. Including , board , lodging and wash- Ing. Girls In book binderies , employed ns feeders and folders , earn from $3 to $ S per week for nine hours. Work boys in bind eries , from $3 to $10 per week , for ten hours. SIcn can do all kinds of work , while women are used only In special work. Girls employed In shirt factories earn from $4 to $ S per week ; In thr > laundry from $7 to $10 per week. The ehlrt hands work by the piece. If they put In their full time they would get better wages , but they often Ireo several hours a day , or whole days from various causes. The principal woman In the shirt factory earns $50 per month. The male cherks In the shirt factories earn from $15 to $50 per month. Girls employed In millinery nnd dre-ssmuklng establishments earn from $ G to $20 per week , according to skill. A first clpss dressmaker can earn $100 per month. This will compare favor able with skilled and unskilled labor cf men In factories. In dry goods stares the female clerks receive from $0 to $15 per week ; first class saleswomen from $ G5 to $85 per month. Tlio wages cf male clerks In dry goods and clothing stores range from $ 25 to $75 per month , the nvcrngo bolng about $50. In the Union 1'aciUo land department ono female - male clerk receives $55 and the other $76. The. latter began at $50 three yenrx ago and has been ralwd 'to ' $75. Tho' female clerks In the ticket department receive the tunie salaries as men employed at the same desks. As a general thing , girls work less hours nnd do a good deal lighter work than the men employed In the establishments. GlrU em ployed by the telephone company receive from $25 to $32 per month. This clap. . . ' of work requires very little fSlll. Kcmnlo operators In the telegraph offices receive pay according to capacity , their pay ranslni ; frcm $23 to ? G5 per month. The 1'nxlon house pay roll shows the fol lowing wagea for men and women : Houaj- keepcr , $30 per month , board , lodging and washing ; nsslslant housekeeper , $20 per month , board , lodging and waftilng ; laun- ilreto. $30 per month , board , lodging nnd washing ; na.fiatnnt laundress' , $20 per month , board , lodylng nnd washing ; Ironing girls , $15 per month , board , lodging nnd washing , linen girls , $15 per month , board , lodging and washing ; scrubbing glrlo , $12 per month , board , lodging- and wnshlnB ! chambermaids , f2 ! per month , ho-rd , lodging and washing. The pay roll of male employes Is as follows : Head waiter , $50 per month and board ; u- KlBtant head waiter , $30 per month and board ; common wallers , $25 per month and board. All the men have to pay for Icdglng ind washing outside. PAY OP SCHOOL TEACHERS. Wo have heard n good deal about school teachers. Now , let uo tee Itow they are [ iald In our public uzhools. There are sixty- six fonulo tcacheru and five mala teachers In the public schools of Omaha. The males are all principals and assistant principals. At the High school Profs. DeaU and Lamed receive $110 each per month , while Mrs. Hill , In the uanio school , earua $120 pur month. MUa Anthony What does idio do ? Mr. 1L She iu assistant principal , the anmn aa Larnod and Deals. The average earnings of the female teachers Is $ C8 per month , the greater number ( forty-five ) get [ TO per month , but the mica of the jourd give the female teachers the name lirlvlleges aa to promotion that they dele lo mnlu teachers. Prof. Lnrned begnn at fS5 per month , and Mrs. Slarahall , prln- : lpal of the Lake addition school , earned July $55 per month last year , while Miss \'lcawortli , hb assistant , earned $50 per month In the county schools. The female .untlicru receive from $30 to $45 per month md thu male teachers $35to $55. Prof. Points , superintendent of Douglas Bounty schools , Informs mo that only the ualo toachoru have flrat class certificates , ho women being teacbora of a lower grade md not entitled to equal pay. Now , comj j - Y Sfore Open * J At the Grand Old House Saturday & Monday Nights , Already the glad spirit of the Holidays pre- vacles our great store. Prosperity in kindliest mood breathes , "WELCOME. " Eleven floors of Handsome Furniture , of exquisite design and workmanship present ed at prices that will positively set aside the fondest thought of what you'd like to have them sold at , SIIO.OO Colonial Sofa- Solid imih'ixiiny frumo upholstered in olive Pnrlor Cabinols ( veluur Slmvinjr Stands 9. ! $90.00 Sldebaavd Music Cabinets i Oak 16th Conliir.v Piirlor Divans \ colonial tlesljin T ) foot 0 inches Lady's Desks Os50 Brass Hcdslcnds 13-50 SSOO.GO Kail Rack- Dressing Tables (0,03 ( imtirtuo oak 7 ft. 0 in. hiirh 1 ft. wide Fancy Rockers L25 \ Mi * ! with ; ! lix French ( > ' .i inches. hovel . Cheval Glass (5 ( G0 Parlor Stands | . | $03 80 Titian tfelotsr Curtains IffB Fancy Stools ( I pulr ) hand embroidered rich Odd Dressers S 75 golden brown is an absolute success our sales in volume are color Chiffoniers SiBO far greater than we even hoped for , and each and Hookcascs 3.75 868.08-S Parlor Gabind- every customer have expressed their satisfaction Sideboards 9.50 ' Bird's eve maple llusi ! lined at finding1 every thing as represented Can we Hall Ruclts 3i75 tfiass shelves a bounty prove it to you , Screens 1.50 : ' "S'S@ef HS NOW Oeliveffj I , * * * iOr > * t , * f < pare the wnicsif ; { the common laborer who loses on a.iirflvojUKC two days In the wqcli by l > d wee hty ; . It ho earns ? 0 a week he does well. - > ' 4f lie earns $10 or $11 It It remarkable. Isiho.as well paid as the domestic Imean female ? Wo have nc Chinamen , i ( Laughter. ) Ulght hero let me say I worked for thirteen years In the tele graph service am ) became quite an expcrl operator. During those thirteen years 1 only lost one month , and In. all my experi ence I never met a woman , tolegraphci that was first class. Colonel Dickey tells mo that there are but two women In the United States who arc experts , and they set the same pay as the men of the same grade. Complaint la made that the women do not get an good pay ns telegraphers aa men. but the fact Is they get all they earn. It takes a good deal of ? stamina nnd It Is a great strain on the nervous system for nn operator to receive 100 dispatches without a break or stop , us I have done , and ns many men cau do. Woman cannot stand it and why should she get equal pay when she cannot ilo equal work ? Talk about women's wages ! I know a young man who cnmo from Michigan to work In the tele graph service at my instance. Ho Is now employed by the II. & M. at Krlendvllle. Ho Is 21 years old nnd gets only ? 25 n month. If he was not a male voter ho would get Just cs much. I don't think the telegraph superintendent of the II. & M. Inquired whether ho was n voter when he hired him. All he naked was whether ho could do the service required. If It had been a wonuin operator she could not have a month. When corporations earned less than $23 porations or Individuals employ n man do they ever ask whether ho Is naturalized ? who Is n voter more the Dothey pay man who has no vote ? than they pay the man working In the OmnUa Thcro are men smelting works for ? 1.GO to $1.75 a day , nnd I kuow there Is not n woman in Amer- Icn that could go down nnd stand the work for ten days ( applause ) , not even the Amazon Couzlns spoke the other zen , of whom Miss night. The woman with -the Iron Jaw might she would g vo out. try it on. but even ( Laughter. ) This Is the only trouble. Why do women get less wngcs than men ? It Is because they are not physically their equal ; it is because I would not be u match for because the race horse Is John C. Heennn ; not the equal of the dray horse In hauling heavy loads. When woman changes her physical constitution It will bo time for her to como and ask us to change our state constitution. ( Applnuto nnd laughter. ) ' UTAH AND WYOMING. Wo have been told that the experiment hi-a been tried nnd that It Is a success. In Utah , women have voted for "tlccn yearn , over since nrlghnm Young conceived the brilliant in votes. liant Idea of creating n monopoly ( Laughter. ) And In Wyoming they gave woman the ballot ton or eleven years ago. The other day0J. .was called upon by two lady woman euffiaiUats. Ono of them was Mitt. Wells and tlitt.ot.lier Miss Kmollno OIIDR. n daughter ofl riflhnin Young. Incidentally 1 naked theni , tlfls question and wrote It them. 1 down so I sttould not misquote said to Mrs. Wells:1 "Why Is It that the women of Utah. whfffan ! largely In the majority , have not IcglslateM out the blighting curse of polygnn-j"1' Surely you have the voles and the power'to l-lcct such members of the legislature niiU 'government as you want. Mrs. Wells frlnlUly responded : "It Is be- raiiflo wo nvo'Hv fAvor of polygamy.o be- llevo It to bo'right and regard it as a divine Institution. And because wo bellevp It to bo better and vtei have been on both sides. In New I was raised Congregatlonallst England , " natd. Mrs. Wells , "hut I became n Mormon , andi.Ibelieve . that plurality of wives Ic perfectly ! right. " Hero wo hive H'Oinen with suffrage talkIng - Ing about sluvur.y.and degradation , but what can bo morolegradlng nnd slavish than polygamy , wiles * It bo the concerns on the lower end of Douglas street ? And yet women , by their own votes , have kept themselves In that degradation. They have said In sub stance that they prefer to have one-tenth or one-fifteenth part ot a husband rather than remain unmarried. I have seen n num ber of persona who Imvo lived In Wyoming , among thorn Major Ilalcouib , deputy United States marshal , and Mr. Swartz of this city , who was United States marshal , I saw thin morning a letter In the Omaha Uopubllcan from a reliable gentleman who has lived In Wyoming up to 1878 , that fully confirms their reports. Let mo read you the follow * Ing extract : WOMEN IN POLITICS. "I have had two years' experience In a territory where some women vote , and where nil might If they desired to do no ; and not withstanding the eloquence of Governor Hoyt md others , I failed to see beneficial results arlalng out ot It. I lived in the town of llnwllns , on tbo Union Pacific railroad , 130 allies wtflt of Lararalo , nearly two ycaru. " " " t that time contained about 900 people. It supported twelve saloons and ono dance house and variety theater. Every sa loon In town -was a gambling house and gambling was carried on openly on Sunday as well na on week days. In that town , at least , the moral Influence which wo are told that women with the ballot will exert , v/as not perceptible. Again , I have never scon a country In which politics were so cor rupt as In Wyoming territory. County offices were bought and old openly , and beer nnd whisky were freely drank by both men and women at the candidates' expense. I , myself , was witness to a bargain In which the votes of forty women were pledged to a certain cnndidate for the sum of | 40. At the polls . I saw n gentleman In a gentlemanly way J challenge a woman's vote he believing that she waa not old enough to vote. This woman j must certainly have thought that women I can fight as well as vote , for she turned and I struck the challenger In the face. A male . friend of her's took up the light nnd a gcn- ' oral mclco ensued , In which knives and pis tols were freely used. Thl Is the universal suffrage In Wyoming , as I saw It. " Thcso facts may help some ono to sec that In politics women are not all angels , any more than men will all bo gods. Now then , so far ns the experiment has been tried In the terltorles , It does not , in my estima tion , commend Itself to the voters of Ne braska , and In my opinion the men of Ne braska who consider the welfare of their wives and bear respect for them ; men who love their daughters as much ns they do their Bens , will not yield to the tempting proph esies of the ladles who como hero to con vert us to the Idea that universal suffrage will confer all the blessings that humanity craves for the human race. ( Loud applause. ) Hero MI s Couzens made some remarks about a gentleman from Wyoming who re ports favorably on woman suffrage and said that only the bad men out there were opposed to It. Mr. Ho-sewnter. resuming , said : To fortify what I have nald about inherent rights : There were qulto n num ber of foreigners at the outbreak of the war , especially In Wisconsin , who voted but had not been naturalized. When the drafts came they appealed to the govern ment on the ground that they were not citizens. The decision was made that he who votes must fight. Having voted they were subject to the draft. Now suppose woman had the ballot and you should de cree "equality before the law. " Could there be equality If woman had all the privileges confined by law and was exempt from the duties and burdens because she could not enforce law or defend the govern ment ? Thcro can bo no real equality as long as the sexes remain unequal. Woman Is virtually exempt from Jury duty In Wyo ming. Miss Anthony Let mo tell you why they arc exempt. Mr. Itosewatcr As a matter of fact , women do not sit on Juries In Wyoming for the same reason that cripples cannot servo In the army. Women have served on Juries several times , but after they left their bablea at homo squalling nnd squealing In the care of tholr husbands. It was thought best for them to forego the pleasure not so much on account of their husbands as tholr babies. Let us Illustrate this suffrage problem. Suppose Miss Helen Gouger goes back to Indiana , carries Indiana for suffrage and Indiana confers the proud title of United States senator upon her. Some flno morning the newspapers may make the fol lowing announcement : Senator Mrs. ( Jougar will be absent from her Beat lu the senate for some months , owing to a nursery en gagement. ( Laughter and hisses. ) Suppose the senate of the United States was equally devlded between men nnd women. What would become of the United Stntcfl senate If thirty-eight feraalu senators should happen to be In the same perdlca- ment ? Is our government to depend upon the Incident of birth , or , aa Sara Hern- hardt said , upon thcso llttlo accidents that may occur In the best regulated family. ( Laughter. ) Suppose a woman was elected district Judge and she should bo compelled to stay off the bench for several months , what would become of the criminals held for trial In our Jails ? Would that bo. dlipons- Ing Justice ? It Is no URO to Ignore the natual laws. Woman ore liable to bo mothers , and for that very reason govern ments were Instituted by men and upheld by men , WOMAN'S WEAKNESS. Ever since Eve tempted Adam with for bidden fruit women have been craving for things they cannot get. TnVo Masonry , for Instance , Thcro Is hardly a woman In this house that would not give a good part of her life If HMO could look Into a lodge over the transom or through the key hole. She would bo willing to ride the goat In the state of Eve after she donned the flg leaf 10 participate In the rites. ( Laughter. ) , I But If ulio penetrated the lodge , what would Rho discover ? Simply that 'tho ' highest ob ligation of the Mason U the protection ol thu mothers , daughters nnd sisters ol Masons. The highest obligation of the Mason Is the protection of the weaker sex. I met the wife of a Mason on the train from Chicago some months ago. She had been robbed of her pocketbook containing money and tickets. As soon as she made It known she was the wife of n Mason the fraternity at Toledo supplied her the means to como to Omaha , and hero I procured , through Mr. Morse , tlio transportation to her homo In Nevada. Some women want political equality and when the novelty wears off In a year or two , as in Wyomfng , only few will care to vote unless they nro paid for It. Women linvo the right to elect school boards nl- ready , but out of .1.000 to fi.OOO women In Omaha only flvo voted nt the last school election , and yet school government Is a very Important matter. A POLITICAL NOSTRUM. The agitators of woman suffrage going about the country proclaiming that the bal lot In the hands of women will bo a euro for all the Ills ot humanity reminds ono of Miss Anthony's Wizard Oil man or Itnd- wny's Heady Hellef , which cures every con- colvnblo disease. A document prepared by the woman suflrago association , of which 100,000 have been circulated In the state , asserts among other things that If you glvo women the ballot It will stop wlfo beating. Now , If any brute of a man comes homo and assaults his wife I think n rolling pin or n llatlron In the woman's hand will go a good deal further than any ballot. ( Laughter. ) There are already laws enough to punish wlfo beaters. . They tell us Hlackstono In his English law several hundred years ago allowed a man to beat his wlfo with n stick no bigger than his thumb. Let n man do that In Nebraska and see what the law provides. They argue that In the nineteenth century this Is a govern ment of opinion , not of force , but when the woman wants the wlfo beater sent to Jail how Is It to be done without force If ho resists ? Ono of the ladles who spoliu on this stage last week expressed great horror ror that the police of New York were all meii. What could they do with women on the police force ? AHSUHDITIES. H Is alleged , for Instance , that woman suffrage will stop divorce. Now , what causes divorce ? Frequently difference of opinion between man and wife. These differences and vicious tongues or extravagant habits. When women have the vote there will bo moro difference of opinion and more cause for divorce. At present candidates seek votes where they can find them , lu the saloons , dives and gambling houses. Give woman the ballot and she will bo compelled to seek the merchantable class of women , who will sell their votes In Nebraska as they do In Wyoming. Thcro are 20,000 street walkers In Chicago , there are 200 abandoned women In Omaha , and when wo talk of purifying poll- tlci through such a cesspool , you will only make It a gnmt dual more corrupt. Lot an honest , honorable man run for office , and let him bo found In confidential confab with a neighbor's wife , or his servant girl , It Is likely to cause a llttlo domestic elrcus be hind the curtain. ( Laughter. ) You object to mon getting votes with whisky nnd beer , but.If woman has the ballot , you will have to get votes with candy , Ice cream and oysters , and other little Incidentals too nu merous to mention. The bad will not bo contcat with anything Jcr than champagne j and cigarettes. As the late General Strlck- laud once Bald In a campaign : "U Is not morals but votes we are fishing for , and wo are bound to get them where wo cau find them. " Now , fellow citizens , do you want to com pel those who uro In active politics to go to disreputable resorts hunting for votes ? Do wives and mothers want their sons and husbands to come In contact with the moat degraded class of their ex ? Do they want uuuh scenes as take place In Cheyenne , where women are treated to cigarettes and champagne by the politicians ? Do you -want to make elections more expen sive ? In Great Ilrltaln only rich men can go to Parliament , ami but few of our poor men can go Into congress. By extending the , suffrage to women you -would bo only Increasing - ' I creasing the oxpcnucs and udillng to the number of votes without benefiting anybody. I take It that there Are Juat as good fathers , eons and brothers b there are mothers , daughters and Bisters , A Rood deal has been said on this HUIRO about the tyranny of men and oppression of women , aud about the vices and crimes of men. Wo hear nothing of the vices and crime * of womnn. When a woman goes nbout uhopplng , and picks up a pair of gloves , or a piece of Jewelry , she booomc * kleptomaniac , but If a man takes 10 cents ho Is a thief ; he Is sent to Jail for being a thief. Day before yesterday the Chicago Times contained an account ot a girl who stole some Jewelry , was detected on her wedding tour , and allowed to depart In peace. A man would have been punished. I know a girl In this town who stole a mule. She lives within a few blocks. Is now married , 'With a growing family , rcppuctaulo nnd respected. At the ngo of 17 she un hitched n mule from nn emigrant train and drove it to her father's farm. It was recovered - covered and she was not molested. She was afflicted with imilomanla. ( Laughter. ) If a young man had stolen that mule ha would have been sent to the penitentiary. We are told only men nro In the peniten tiary , but If you Inquire nt leaht one-third are there because they gratified woman's ex travagance. They are clerks or merchants living above their Income , who could not deny their wives silks , diamonds and other luxuries , purcharcil with money they bor rowed or abstracted , were detected and EeriT' > up. The woman In the case la never heard' of. These are facts all should consider. Women and men both commit crimes. Man Is brutal , -will murder jnen with knife or pistol , or commit some violence , where woman will perhaps poison or throw vltrol to spoil the face of a rival , or do BOIIIO potty crime which Is not easily detected. 1 take It both pexes have tholr faults and > " * vices , both are moved by the same passlon > " 7 * nnd Impulses. JOI'ItNAMSM I.V I'OIITIIRAfj. XtMVKlllUTN wllll Ollll THIl'N COM- ilnctcil DM ii I'rliiiltlvt ; I'liin. There nro fewer than fifty newspapers published In the entire kingdom of Portugal , the population of which la nearly ti.OOO.OOO , or about the spmo as that of Pennsylvania , In which the total number of newspapers published Is 1,433. Journalism In Portugal Is conducted on a somewhat primitive plan , says the Now York Sun , and the nowspiipcm of Portugal have not only n primitive aspect , but somewhat primitive titles as well. The weekly newspaper having the largest circu lation In the kingdom Is the Pontoo Nos II , which means literally in English , "Tho Dot on the Eye. " It Is published In Lisbon. Another Lisbon paper Is culled the Island , though why It has n geographical designa tion Is not altogether clear. The medical lournal of LlHbon Is called the Contemporary Surgeon. The city of Oporto , better known to many Americans than Lisbon , the capi tal , has a number of papers , the chief ot which Is Actualldndo , a Portuguese variation of the sort of Journalism represented by the well known phrase , "If you sco It In the Sun , It's so. " It Is not the only Oporto Journal with a peculiar name. Thcro Is another dally , claiming a sJrculatlon of 20,000 , thu title of which Is DCS do Marzo , which la Portu guese for the 10th of March. Still another dally paper of Oporto Is called the Prlmerro do Jnnerlro , otherwise the 1st of January. The humorous paper of Oporto Is O Sorveto ( the Sliurbct ) , and thrco other dally papers of the same city are known us A. Lucta. A Palavara , and A Justlca , otherwise the Light , tbo World , and Justice. There la ono dally paper published at Valencia , In Portugal , called the Country , nnd ono In Lis bon called the Atlantic. In Colmhra , ono of the oldest of Portuguese cltlo.s and long- known as tbo neat of a university founded In 1308 , there Is ono dally paper called the News. The theory upon which Portuguese papers are conducted appears to bo that they should bo , above all things else , vivacious , and It t.i for thin reason , perhaps , that weekly papers are at n discount tn Portugal , tint favorite plan bolng to divide what would bo In tbo United Stati-s the contents of a weekly paper Into uovcnths , and publishing it on the In- T Htnllnunt plan , no to speak , every day , and excluding from Its columns BO far as pos V sible anything so sensational ns what is called "tho uncorroborated news. " A fair _ and propo ? substitute for news la fouurt-ilf" " " Jocose nnd hnrmli'hH alluslona to the appearance - pearanco of Individuals , mich na are con tained , for Instance , In the Voz do Povo ( tha Volco of the People ) . In Lisbon th ro In published a Journal called the Public Inter est , which makes a feature of book reviews. The Liberal Circle In a political organ ot the more radical opponents of the local gov ernment. Another dally paper In Lisbon la called 0 Sccnlo ( the Century ) . ( , , _ V - " " " ' AnilllliiK Coinnilllri * ut AVtirk , CINCINNATI , Dec. 12. The auditing cora- mlttoo of the American Federation of Labor Is at work hero today preparing Its report for the opening session of the convention next Monday , The committee consists ot John Phillips of Ilrooklyn , Edward llarrttt of South Norwalk , Conn. , and J. T. Elliott of Uultlmoro. President Samuel Gomper * , Treasurer J. I ) . Lonuou and other ottlca and EnBltan dclceatt * arrive tonight.
