WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Under the operation of the rule, Mr. CHANDLER called up joint resolution [No. 8] proposing an amendment to Section 2 Article 3 of the Constitution so as to submit to the people the question allowing women to vote. The Committee on Woman Suffrage reported on the resolution recommending its passage.
The report was concurred in.
Mr. KENNER said: If the people of the State of Indiana by a vote will say that women shall cast their votes, I am in favor of giving them the privilege, and I am in favor of giving the people of the State that chance, and not say that 150 men here have all the power supreme in this matter.
Mr. BAKER--I go beyond this resolution. I am in favor myself of the women voting, and hope to see the day when they will vote for every office in this Government, from Supervisor up to President of the Republic. I wish to make the following points: (1) That the right to vote and hold office in a republican form of government is a right that should be as sacredly enjoyed by women as by men. (2) Suffrage should be granted to women, not because they are asking for it or demanding it, but on the principle of eternal justice and right. (3) That if the Queen of England, Ireland, Scotland and Empress of the Indies is fit to rule over the greatest Kingdom on earth, the women of America are fit to vote, and especially are they fit to vote in the State of Indiana. [Applause.] (4) If the Englishmen can point with honest pride to the Queen and their crown, the American need not be backward. The mothers of Ulysses S. Grant and James Garfield yet live. The 4th day of March last was a memorable day in the history of our Republic. A woman saw her son step from position to position until she beholds him as he raises his hand to Heaven and swears to support the Constitution of this counry in the administration of the Presidency, the highest office in the gift of a free people. What a grand lesson it teaches the youths of our lands that the way is open to them all to achieve honor and distinction. (5) That a woman who sees her son inaugurated as President of the United States is fit to take part in the affairs of government: that the mothers who gave us birth, the wives of our bosoms, and the sisters who were the playmates of our childhood, should not be denied the right to vote on account of her sex. (6) That history of the past shows us that it is the laws of mankind, the most ignorant and most degrading, and the most brutal, who treat their women as inferiors and deny them the rights that nature and nature's God does not deny them. [Applause.] (7) That at as early a period as the same can be done, this question should be submitted to the people for ratiffication or rejection, as an amenment to the Constitution, that will give all females the right to vote. at all the elections in which men vote, then, if the ladies do not exercise the right open for them, the fault will not rest with the voters; but grant it and no harm will or can result from it. The idea of female suffrage in principle is no barren ideality, but living issue destined to be crowned with success. (8) That the opposition is founded upon prejudice, ignorance and superstition (applause) more than upon reason and common sense. In plain words, the opposition to female suffrage is barbarism on one side and old fogyism on the other side.
Mr. FRAZER felt full confidence in the people's ability to govern and control themselves, and was perfectly willing that this matter be submitted to them for their decision.
Mr. SINCLAIR--Inasmuch as ladies are persistent upon this subject, and they have a right to petition to this Legislature for this purpose in order to settle the question, I think it should go to the people in the shape of this resolution, and let the people vote upon the question as to whether there shall be an amendment to the Constitution giving the ladies the right to vote as well as the gentlemen. For my part I am not afraid of the women, as some of my colleagues. I am not afraid of their voice.
Mr. FALL--Are you worried?
Mr. SINCLAIR--That is the very point I wish to mention. I stood out against their influence for about forty years and I am unmarried still. Perhaps some of the gentlemen against the bill will urge that as a reason for my taking part in discussion. I am in favor of woman suffrage. I m in favor of persons having a voice in the making of the law by which they are governed. I say as long as you tax the female's property--as long as you make her amenable to the law--she has a right of representation at the ballot-box, and there is no use in gentlemen to try to escape that. They might as well accept the inevitable, for the women of this country have become a part of the machinery of this great Government. They have become a part of the commercial and manufacturing interests. We can not do without them, and inasmuch as they are taking part in all matters, they have intelligence to vote upon any subject that may come before the American people, and I say it is selfish for a man to say that a woman who is taxed and governed by the law of this land is not entitled to vote. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I am in favor of submitting this amendment to the people to determine whether women shall vote or not. [Applause.]
Mr. MITCHELL said while he did not consider this resolution in the same light as the bill before the House in time past, he thought it came with poor grace from a man on this floor to say that opposition to this measure was a criterion of ignorance and barbarism. He favored giving women privileges so far as her natural constitution makes her capable of performing the duties devolved upon her, but this would be out of her sphere. The majority of the people should be allowed to decide this question, but since the majority, or nothing like a majority, did not ask or petition for this privilege, he was opposed to submitting this question to a vote of the people. For that reason he opposed the resolution.
Mr. SCHWEITZER wanted to know if the gentleman has a mother-in-law.
Mr. MITCHELL--I have the best mother-in-law and wife in the land.
Mr. SCHWEITZER--Two years ago he was in favor of female suffrage; he was a bachelor then; now he is married and is opposed to the measure. [Laughter.]
page: 146[View Page 146]Mr. BARTLETT said this is not a question whether we will allow women to vote or not, but whether we will allow the people to say whether or not they will allow wome to vote. The gentleman says her natural physical abilities disqualifys her as a voter. I say women are intellectually qualfied better than a great many men to perform that duty.
Mr. EDWINS--I am in favor of the resolution; I am in favor of the women voting. I voted for the House bill to give women the right to vote and shall certainly do so now.
MR. SPEAKER--Having heretofore voted to extend to women the elective franchise when the bill for that purpose was before the House some time ago, I have put myself upon the stand in favor of women voting, and I shall cheerfully vote for this resolution to-day. The gentleman from Jay and Adams (Mr. Baker) stated that no one but Bourbons and old fogies opposed this measure. Now, I desire to state, sir, that such is not the case. As instance, the fact of the gentleman from Marion (Mr. Hinton), a Republican, whose race was only recently released from bondage and given this same grand boon of suffrage, that he now as a Republican denies to the intelligent women of our land; and again, sir, another gentleman from Marion (Mr. McSheehy) who voted as a Republican against this measure, whose people and race have always been hospitably received and granted this same privilege. And it comes in very bad taste from the gentleman from Adams (r. Baker) who occupies a position on this floor by the votes of those same Bourbons whom he stigmatizes as ignorant fogies. Mr. Speaker, I hope the resolution will pass.
Mr. CARTER--When a bill came up allowing women to vote for President and Vice President of Uaited States I voted against, and if it should come up again I would vote the the same way for many reasons, one of which is the great question as to the constitutionality of such a law. If it is right that women should vote at all they should be allowed to vote upon all propositions that come before the people without regard to the question as to what I think is right. I shall favor this resolution because it does not give us the right to say whether they shall have the right or not, but because it gives the people the right to decide that question.
Mr. WALZ said: I am willing to submit this question to the people, for them to decide, not because I think the social relations of the women will be bettered by being made voters of this country; on the contrary, I think it will be worsted, for when they go into the political pool there will be no preference, but they must stand upon an equality with men. The conditions of affairs now is that they have preferences in society which they will not have if they are made voters. As this question is to be discussed when the people come to vote upon it, it is unnecessary to discuss it fully now.
Mr. FLOYD was in favor of the resolution. The indications and dispositions are in favor of universal suffrage. He favored suffrage of the colored race, as it has proved a success in its practical operations, and he also favored suffrage of the ladies.
Mr. JOHNSON--I shall vote for this resolution because I believe it is right. For no good cause, founded upon justice, can this right be denied her. [Applause.]
The previous question was demanded, and, being seconded, under its operations the joint resolution passed by--yeas, 62; nays, 24, as follows:
Yeas--Messrs. Akin, Baker, Barnett, Beatty, Cabbage, Carr of White, Carter, Chandler, Compton, Colton, Edwins, Fall, Fancher, Floyd, Franklin, Frazer, Furnas, Gillam, Gilman, Gregory, Hamilton, Hinton, Huff, Huston, Iddings, Johnson, Kenner, Kerr, Lindley, Linsday, Marshall, Mason, McCormick, McDowell, McIntosh, Meredith, Miles, Moody, Morgan, Murray, O'Brien, O'Neal, Roberts, Robinson of Decatur, Robinson of Ripley, Ryan, Sincair, Smelser, Sulzer, Taylor of Lagrange, Taylor of Noble, Teter, Thompson, Vawter, Walz, Westfall, Wheeler, Wilson on Montgomery, Wilson of Morgan, Wolfe, Wright, and the Speaker--62.
Nays--Messrs. Barnett, Benham, Bryant, Buskirk, Cauthorne, Cole, Cooper, Cummins, Davis, Gibson, Ham, Hammond, Hottell, Jackson, Kain, Lee, McClure, Messick, Mitchell, Null, Roelker, Schweitzer, Shields and Weaver-24.
Pending the roll-call, Mr. FALL said: I voted against the bill proposing to give this right to women, but believing all questions can be submitted to the voice of the people with safety, I vote "aye."
Mr. HINTON said: I voted against this proposition when it came up before, and would again if it came in the same manner. This resolution, coming in the shape it does, I vote "aye."
Mr. TETER said: I shall vote to submit this question to the people. I think the little women ought to have the the same right to vote the men have. I vote "aye."
The result was announced as above, and so the resolution was adopted.
