Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1885 — Representative Suffrage. [ARTICLE]

Representative Suffrage.

If we are to have a Government of the people, for the people, and by the people, as is the boast of all the leading political parties in the United States of America, the people must have full representation in the Government > That all the people are not represented in the makipg of the laws or in administration of public affairs forms the real basis of the woman’s suffrage movement. Suffrage is based on the fact of citizenship, in this country, and not on the ownership of property, as is the case ia some nations. The flights of persons are more regarded, theoretically, than the right ot property in the affairs of State, and the exercise of sovereign power. This was the principal on which the colored man was given the ballot, after he was made free. He was a man and a oitizen; the principal of 'equal personal rights demanded that lie should be entitled to vote. If the black men had the right, to vote because they* were citizens, and had personal rights, it follows, of necessity, ‘ that women, being citizens and having personal rights, have also the right, in a logical sense to the ballot, eten though the legal right has not yet been granted. The answer is familiar, to all; suffrage is not a right, but a privilege. A privilege is granted by some one ; who grants the privilege to men exclusively ? But here another interesting problem presents itself. If the men and women have the right to vote because they are citizens having personal rights to be protected, children have the same premises for demanding the ballot. lam a friend of th? children. They should be represented; their rights should be protected and cared for in a political way. Many of them are too small to vote, but they should have representation in the Government under which they live. » This is what the Revolutionary fathers fought for, and representation by population has become as familiar in political phrases as it is false in political facts. There should be universal suffrage in this country to all citizens. This can only be accomplished in a practical way by adopting the plan of representative suffrage. This being a representative Republic in form of Government, representative suffrage has abundant precedent, at least iu analogy and in accepted theory. “The women and children are represented by, their fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons” is only too familiar to every one who has paid attention to the subject. The representation is at all events too scattered and irresponsible to the principles, supposed to bp represented to be of practical benefit. The practical fact is, the man who represents nobody but liimself casts as powerful a ballot as the man who is supposed to represent himself and his female relatives and friends. No one, so far, seems to think of the rights of the chi dren. One more element and the idea is complete for practical application, if the people will. The family is the basis of civilized government. The fact might well be recognized in politics as anywhere else. The head of the family is its proper representative, from the position, and the responsibility which the established law’s of the land impose on him. The innovation 1 would suggest is that the married man with a living wife have a vote for himself and one for bis wife. One vote also should be added for each child living of less than mature age and unmarried. ......... It might be well to provide also that any man without infirmity, who arrives at the age of 25 years remaining unmarried, should rendered incompetent to vote, inasmuch as he has failed to perform the most important duty devolivng on a citizen of a Republic. The recognition of the family, not by name, but as a practical result of universal suffrage, either direct or representative, would have a tendency to promote public.morals, encourage lawful wedlock, the formation of homes; discourage celibacy and the social evil, besides do'ng as even and exacttjtatice as can be expected under the administration of any laws in any department —C. Harrison, in the Current