A Message to the Women of the World II

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MESSAGE FROM A WOMAN OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS TO THE WOMEN IN ALL THE WORLD. BY SUSA YOUNG GATES. II. Civil Rights. The women of Utah were the second to receive the elective franchise in the United States, those of Wyoming being first. Iu February, 1870, the legislature of Utah passed a law enfranchising the women of the state. This bill was introduced by that staunch old friend of women's rights, Abram 0. Smoot, father of Senator Reed Smoot. Washington politicians hoped to see the dismember- ment of the Church by giving the power to vote to the supposedly enslaved "Mormon" women. But when the contrary proved the case, and the women voted for their own brothers, fathers and sons, in- stead of their enemies, Congress decided to repeal the franchise, which was done in the year 1886. But with the Enabling Act of the new state, passed in January, 1896, was incorporated the elective franchise for all women in Utah. Even then, we were third in the march of progress for women, Wyoming and Colorado alone being ahead of Utah, in granting the franchise to women. Women have been members of school boards and other public boards for thirty years. They have acted in nearly every civil capacity, except perhaps as governor or as judge, ever since Utah became a state. They have been members of constitutional conventions, clerks of legis- latures, and assistants in all city and county offices ever since the establishment of the territory. Women have attended the legis

448 IMPROVEMENT ERA. lature, and always form a part of the civil machinery of primaries, and of city and county conventions. Women hold their property independently of their male relatives. They can buy, sell, will, deed and mortgage their property, independent of their husbands. But, even today, a man may not make a deed of property without the signature of his wife. This is to protect the home and prop- erty right of the wife. The age of consent was raised (through the efforts of Mrs. Emmeline B. Wells and others), twenty years ago, to sixteen years of age. The stale arguments against woman's suf- frage are routed by experience in Utah. Not all men are fitted to be sheriffs or soldiers. Very few have the capacity to be Con- gressmen or to occupy the executive chair. There have been as many failures come out of the White House at Washington as successes. When a woman is needed, like Deborah in Israel, and when the men have sunk to the position occupied by the quarreling and marauding Israelites of that day, then will she arise; there are no civil disabilities against any possible Deborah in Utah. Educational Rights. "Mormon" women taught school in Kirtland, in 1831; since then girls have studied and women have taught side by side with the boys and the men. The Nauvoo University was established by Joseph Smith in February, 1841, with equal privileges, education- ally, for both sexes. The University of Utah, established by Brigham Young, and chartered in 1852, has always been, and is, as wide open to women as to men. There was no dis- tinction made then on sex lines, and never has been since. Any study or course which is of use to men, was available to both sexes if considered valuably by the women themselves. Women have served on the school boards of both the University and the Agricultural College, from their inception to the present day. The great Church sshool, established by Brigham Young at Provo, in 1874, was put into the hands of a board of five trustees, one of whom was a woman, Mrs. Martha J. Coray. There have always been women on that board. In the deed of trust made for that in- stitution, we are told that "all branches of mechanism shall be taught the pupils, as well as the scholastic courses." The first manual training introduced into Utah was incorporated, in 1877,

A MESSAGE. 449 into this Provo school as a Lady's Work Department, headed by Zina Young Williams, a daughter of the founder. The Musical De- partment was established at the same time, by another daughter of Brigham Young. The first faculty of these teachers held a woman, Miss Teenie Taylor, on its roster, and today, the seventy- two teachers are pretty well divided between the sexes. This fact is true of all the State and Church schools. The salaries of wo- men teachers are equal with men, other things being equal. The first Domestic Science Department in the Church schools was in- troduced fifteen years ago in the Brigham Young University, Provo. The Agricultural College in Utah was established by law in 1888, with excellent departments in domestic science and do- mestic arts. Utah pays-two fifths of all her taxes into the state and pub- lic schools. She stands third in the honor roll of the states in matters of education, Massachusetts and Rhode Island being ahead of her in the per cent of persons who can read and write. All professions are open to women in Utah, and all avenues lead to unhampered progress and development. Woman's own limitations are her only disabilities. Social Rights. It would be impossible to find on the earth a community where women as a class are more independent in thought, word and action than in Utah. Talk with them in any city or town, watch their course and examine their work. You will soon admit this truth. High-spirited, they inherit the sturdy strength which made their mothers brave enough to face the scorn of a world in the acceptance of a despised religion. Only on the principle of righteousness can they be led and counseled. The women were organized in 1842, by the Prophet Joseph Smith, into a society called the Relief Society. This organization now numbers thirty- five thousand women. The present president of this organization, Mrs. Bathsheba W. Smith, is a charter member of that Nauvoo society. In 1869, Brigham Young, assisted by that greatest and wisest of all "Mormon" women, Eliza R. Snow, organized the girls of the Church into a Mutual Improvement Association. Id

450 IMPROVEMENT ERA. 1878, Mrs. Elmina S. Taylor was placed at the head of this girl's organization. Ten years later the children of the Church were gathered up into Primary Associations, by President John Taylor, assisted by Eliza R. Snow, and these associations are officered by women, and directed entirely by them. Mrs. Louie B. Pelt was then made president, and she still holds that position. So that, today, there are three women's organizations in the Church with anaggregate membership of ninety or a hundred thousand souls. Of these, there are about fifteen thousand officers. These leading women have had many years of experience in governmental affairs, as pertains to their social and educational work. They are pru- dent financiers, handling about one hundred thousand dollars annu- ally in the interests of their work. Such a thing as debt, or rely- ing on the men or the Church for means, has never entered into their calculations. The three organizations are entirely self-sup- porting, and thel officers all serve without pay. They publish three magazines, the oldest the Woman's Exponent, established June 1, 1872, b3ing thirty-four years old; th9 second, the Young Woman's Journal, is seventeen years old; and the Primary magazine, the Children's Friend, is counting its sixth volume. These literary ventures are edited and managed entirely by women, they are never in debt, and some of them have a comfortable surplus in the bank. The girls of the Church hare imbibed the modern mone- tary independency and thousands of them are typewriters, clerks, artists, and school teachers. Some are doctors, Dr. Roumania B. Penrose being !the pioneer. She graduated at the Pennsylvania College. Many are professional musicians. At the head of the literary women, stand Eliza R. Snow, and Emmeline B. Wells, the veteran club woman, author, legislator, and philan- thropist. Hundreds have gone, and do go, East for special training in professions and trades. If there were no truth nor beauty in their religion, would these boys and girls come home from Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Pratt, Leland Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and Ann Arbor, to be dominated by it, by falsehood and degradation? The contention of the present president of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, is, that if but one sex can receive higher education, let it be the girl. She is the future mother; and a stream never rises higher than its source. The parents make

A MESSAGE. 451 constant, yet happy sacrifices of time and means that the younger generation shall receive all the advantages of higher educationr offered by the Church and State Universities. Religious Rights. The first religious act of the Prophet Joseph Smith was to emphasize the fact indicated in the Savior's injunction to his dis- ciples: "Go ye into all the world," said he, "and preach the gospel to every creature." The gospel knows no sex in this right and privilege. From the organization of the Church to the present day, equal religious franchise is given to the man and to the woman. The suffrages of the people are asked annually for those who hold offices in the Church. The woman votes equally with her husband or brother. Both are full-fledged citizens of their religious commonwealth. Not all men, few there are, who are suited for office-holding, either politically or religiously. Citizen- ship does not imply office-holding, except where conditions and capacity are given. Women are the mothers of the race, and therefore cannot be the public organizers. "Mormon" girls, when free from home duties, are sometimes sent upon missions to the nations of the earth. Not all women can go, but all may go. The home holds them; not any religious disability. There are literally thousands of girls who would make excellent missionaries in this Church, but they cannot be wives and mothers, and missionaries traveling to and fro in the earth, at the same time. Women officiate side by side with men, in the temples built by this people. They are there as High Priestesses, and as such have their sanctified labor, and their high place. The natural courtesy of men is enlarged by the supreme consciousness that within the parenthood of the race lie its gravest possibilities, and its highest expression. With every right and privilege granted before asked, what, then, has been the result of this so-called "Mormonism" upon the citadel of life —the home? There is a sweet comradeship and com- munity of life with the Latter-day Saints, not found elsewhere. They are all "brothers and sisters" to each other. They are gov- erned in love, and so pass on to their neighbors the same law of

452 IMPROVEMENT ERA. kindness and fellowship. There is a heavenly peace and commu- nion within the folds of the gospel which the world can neither give nor take away. The fond devotion to God and his kingdom, which so antagonizes some of our Christian friends, is a part of the lovely loyalty which enters into the home life of our Father. If the "Mor- mon" woman did not love the world, she would not send her son and brother out to be kicked and cuffed and mobbed, because of the message of Divine love which he bears. She denies herself the comforts of life, while her husband bears all his own expenses; she supports herself and children, while her husband or son carries his unwelcome message to you. What greater love hath a man than to sacrifice his own to bless others? 4 'How can you, or any man or woman know of the truth, and receive of the blessings of the gospel?" The answer of Peter on the day of Pentecost is the one eternal answer: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'' That is simple, plain, and not to be gainsaid. "If ye would know the truth of my doctrine," said the Savior, "do the works of my Father, and he will show you the truth." There is no bond or free, Jew or Gentile, in Christ Jesus. By their fruits ye shall know them. A bitter fountain doth not send forth sweet waters, nor do men gather grapes of thorns. Pray! Read the scriptures, repent of your sins, and be bap- tized for the remission of your sins, by one having authority. For we all shall meet in that heaven to which all are striving. And into his gracious keeping do I commit myself and you, my stranger-sisters, who read this message. Goodby, then, till we meet before that pleasing bar of Eternal Justice and Divine Love! Salt Lake City, Utah.