The Republican journal., 1872-06-06
iOhA thV 'althy lol ouHts
The Woman Movement in Wyoming.

tcdl operation OF impartial suffrage III WEOm-
lng.
The youngest of Territories, organized in
1863. occupies portion of the continents crest,
and Its waters, flowing eastward and west
ward, mngle with the Atlantic and Pacific.
The inhabitants, numbering about eight thou
sand souls, exclusive of Indians and United
States troops, are established on ranches and IN
villages along the Union Pacific Railroad and in
Inc Sweetwater mining regions near South
Pass. majority are Of English descent,
though the Milesian and Teutonic elements are
well represented. Many of the earlier settlers
have been citizens of the older Territories, es-
pecialy Colorado and Montana; and of the en-
tire white population, exclusive OF soldiers,
something over one-third are women.
The number of women is. however, con-
stantly increasing in greater ratio than the
number of men, because the male pioneer, after
having completed his home and established a
business, sends for his wife; or, if still found
erlng III the gall of bitterness, and the bonds Of
single cursedneSs, makes IA raid across some
Eastern Threshold captures its maiden divinity,
and an0lntS her empress of his Western home.
In Wyoming the women, majority of whom
were born in the Middle and Western States,
ar' representatives. Of the various social classes,
and in point Of culture and genuine womanl-
ness are not excelled by the inhabitants of any
newly settled region. The number of unwedded
though marriageabe la lies is exceedingly limit
ed, and few maidens are permitted to pass the
RublcOn of girlhoOd without being speedily con-
signed to some matrimonial position. Nearly
all the prominent literary Journals of the East
are widely circulated the newspaper and book
stores III every village are well patronZed, the
Territory suSans ten churches and a sufficient
number of excellent schools, boh public and
private. Some of the most noted Eastern
lecturers have drawn crowded houses, and
literary associations. temperance lodges, debat-
ing clubs, etc., have been started. The first
Legislature, composed of elements common in
border communities, assembled in the autumn
of 1869, and proceeded to enact code of laws,
among which was Il statute enfranckiSing Wo-
men The law in question was not adopted in
obedience to public sentiment but because the
Territorial lawgivers believed it would operate
"first-ciaSS advertisement; chat their ac-
ton in the premises would be teegraphed
throughout the civilized world, and public in
terest thereby aroused, resulting in increased
immigration and large accretonS of capital to
their new and comparatively unknown Terri
tory. | am sure that up to the time not Il score
of suffrage disciples could be found within the
Territorial limits Even the women themselves
did not appear as petitioner; no pungent satire,
OF unan>werablc argument, or impasSioned
platform haransue fell from their lips in ad-
vocacy of political equality; but the suffrage
was conferred, as has been said solely for adj
verti-ing purposes. The Council originated
and adopted the measure believing that the
House Of Repre- >entatVes would disagree but
the last named body ultimately concurred,in an
ticpaion Of an Executive veto.
The bill, however. was finally approved, and
the writer OF this article, exercising at that time
the appointing power, proceeded to select in
u'h,'''N ~ o"ii'y "i'i'N - ~" '''i'",lS '''o
heWly-ehlrtnch'Sea c'tlzehs; Among otheis, a
itay "s> app'i"teu 10 tne ".ii.eo, 'uSt'te oi the
ther toture had not been noted for rstrict adhesion
to legal tenct>. She at once tamiliarzed herself
WIN lle prlneilts "i e"iiililoh III" ana WIN
t"e ''l ''u,o3' u ni' W "c''lly tcal
ltii"' l'ie' ''' un.i'' u'.'e> Mn'i ssna' ap''''y
a"' S'i'''S. ii' '''il >7Ss'"n' WY 'i'''i ~
IAru "N a;"s &c VI SiaN.s a.'l .e,ol''.i itrt'y
rA'''i''" ~ vs. l',' '.'ult VI 'o'"'' li.oets'
7Ao'tH allt' ne, aplo'' il'| 'lu'.hGt'lli
~ iii'ilett''. a''eniPt ~ 'i"ie ~ eoi.'in ~
"lttN'hS a,'orirFs l" '!f'hoh>''t,t !, woman
u"ltmS9 - J"'it''' '''s''''n a'ii " w t''
wv i"''"" i'@ ''N' "''> 9"''ii',V'' WIN ,'i' We,
a@JudIruion. ti'r PrtutctssoI h''' r'rl"rilP"
Noiii' n''ii''' - l"ri. !" "'i 'ii' et ~
oh Ju,'''. IVY '' w. u''', t ,',
~ n' " 90 ''' ~, ~, ~ :"
W 9''VV>1''' N','''o'i :, N'''u H''
peas AZ lht rohcIu>,o: ol wl''eli il'f iloiloi
w '''''' ~ ~ f'' ~ ' W., j." " ~" y,
a. ~ ''e'.i'i w. ~ .'': ,''''t
:" ua ~ ~ ~ ~ ny o',i' -, A. ma ma
>uoh 'n I>sur '""tu o,''r ~ H'!'',' ~ s'.li'
", ,'''' ~" ~; ~
it11 Se ,i'' "' '''' an'
rJ Ii'i1,, u ;.;I ,.. ~ 49,;
appealed from hN the parties tlpcmiug them
selves aggrirvetI; but in nearly every instance
they Were confirmed hv the appellate court
Daring her admins ration a decided improve
lnrnt in the tone of public morals was notice
Able and the laws had never been 50 ably adj
minstered in that vicinity.
If any errors of judgment crept in, they were
on the side of Justice rather than mercy. es
pecully when the opposite sex appeared as de
ien,lpni- or alleged criminals.
The inhabitants of new mining countries are
prone to administer Justice in accordance will
their own notions of right regardless of lepa
tormS-preterrng the ancient trial by battle
rather than the interpoSition of pleas. petitions
and denlurrerS. This unfortunate bubble senti
ment was happily neutralizrd through her in
huencp. and ii NAV be safely asserted that tht
pioneer female Justice was IN all respects sue
cessful
The office of Superintendent of Public In.
structlon has also been ably filled by represeu
tatiyes of tue enfranchise,i sex. When IT is re
membcred that woman from time Immcmoria
have been among the most successful teachers
this fact VIII not seem strange.
/ Shortly after the bill in Gnestion went into
oner,tion. women were su,nmoneI to serve a.
grand and nett iurors in the several courts o
record. and in this particular field their nartici
patton in public affairs has been especially sue.
cessf,ll. Acting with men in the capacitv O
grand Jurors they secured the presentation o
.l,ut .o,,l,J NOT l.,,,,, 90,