The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-13
A Successful Experiment.

1t avails Goodwin Smith but little that his
recantation of his early opinions on the sub
ject of woman suffrage came after the death
of John Stuart Mill. For, although he es-
capes the mild and noiseless humiliation
which Mr.. MIL would visit upon him, there
are multitudes of others who have thought
out this subject SO thoroughly and clearly that
their feeble powers are quite adequate to
conclusive refutation of Mr.. Smiths stale old
fallacies and feeble new ones. In both Old
England and New, there are women whose
trenchant arguments and presentation Of
ficts have already more than repaired the
loss entaied by his ostentatious secession.
And with men he has Jared no better. Any
impartial judge would say that there is more
genuine argument and common sense in Col.
Higginson's two columns of "Short Answers
to Common Objections" than in the English
mans ten columns of elaborate disquisitiOns
on woman's present rather enviable situation,
and the dangers which will threaten demo-
cratic government in case she is allowed to
make practically operative her preference for
personal civic action. Indeed, SO little is the
Woman's Journal alarmed at Mr.. Smiths es
say that it has actually given up ten of its
good columns to it,making necessary such ex-
treme economy in reply that few lines are
all the antidote afforded with such a vast deal
ofpoison.
But it seems to us that in the arguments
of both the friends and opponents of woman
suffrage, the Wyoming experiment is allowed
too little weight Far from being less signifi-
cant on account of the remoteness, wildness
and scattered population of the infant state,
the trial is, on that account, all the more sat
isfactory and conclusive. 1t has been thought
that even in older, well organized societies,
where women constitute half the population,
and where men are supposed to be cultivated
gentlemen, the passionate controversies, dis
courtesies and corruptions of politics would
be more than sufficient to neutralize all the
feminine decacy and purity that women
would bring into public life. 1t has been
thought that men would drag women down
to their own level and even lower, if the lat
ter should once venture outside their own
proper sssphere." But how has it been in
Wyoming where the women were few, even
relatively, and, therefore. less capable Of pro-
ducing decisive effects by their united efforts,
and where, according to Gen. Edward M
Lee. the first Governor of the territory, linen
were lawless and oblgedto go armed, ready
at moments notice to kill or to be kllled"'
Surely here, if anywhere, all those evils which
have been confidently predicted from impair
tal suffrage would present themselves in an
aggravated form. But-as a matter of fact the
most conspicuous results have been these:
1. The repression of crime. Gov. Leo
there were 81 siS M9ea On was punished si
a case of homicide was tried. The six men
were in favor Of acquitta, but the six women
had the most patience and the cuprit was sent
to the penitentiary where he still remains,
Judge Kingman of the United States Court
also testiGes that women "enable the courts
to punish classes of crime where conviction
could not be obtained without their add"
He adds some most astounding details in re.
gard to the impotence of ,he courts before
women We're placed in the jury box and their
efficiency afterwards. Gov. Campbell, the
present executive of the territory also bears
testimony to the good effeods OF woman
suffrage on the body pontic in depressing
crime and exaltps VIRTUE"
III. Tb~purifcGtion of politics. Gov. Lee
Gays that when the Democratic legislature of
1870 passed the woman suffrage act as joke,
the women, CONTRARY to all prophecy" ac-
cepted the situation in earnest, and resolved
in their caucuses that, though parties were
excellent in their place, it was still more i'm
portant to sustain good ard pure men in
Office. "This they resolved to do and this
they have done without fear or favor"
III The promotion Of decency at the cleo
TONS Judge J. W. Kiugman says, 81 think
there is no one who viii deny that it woman
suffrage) has had marked influence in ele
waiting our elections and making them quiet
and orderly.
~. The disappointment of those aoho an
ucspdted bad results. Judge Kingman says,
In letter written three weeks ago. that
though the Democratic legislature of 1872
was only prevented by the Governors veto
from DISTINGUISHING the women, on account
OF their zeal in REFRESHING vice, the last legis-
iature made no attempt of the kind, and
that no vote for that purpose could have been
obtained IN either party. He adds that the
women cast larger vote every year, few of
them now neglecting to exercise their rights.
The question is generally asked when can
didatel suggested TO- office, evil the women
vote for him?' and the Judge SAYS that he
has known instances where want of moral |
character has driven off candidates. for fear
OF the women, who would otherwise have
peen foiced into nomination by unscrupu-
lous partisans. He nores the fact that
the violent prejudices at first excited by the
law are now softened and senced, s'snce
the evils predicted have not been experienced
and many obvious aud unquestioned adyan-
tages have been obtained" Gen. Lee saws
that ''the whole effect on our courts and ON
our community has been most beneficial and
satisfactory" He proceeds to say that at
every election the number of non-votine
women grows less, and that now hardly anv
neglect to vote. The refusal of women tn
vote with their husbands has not led to anv
domestic trouble. In conclusion he saws this.
Il wish to say as broadly and unqualifedIy as
l Sou citso Willy l. nave Sceu great manV
advantages and much public good, growing
out of this change in our laws, have seen
none OF the evils and disadvantages SO gener-
ally apprehended." In his last annual mes
'age Gov. Campbell declared that after four
7ears of trial woman suffrage must be pro-
bounced an unqualified success"
Such are the undisputed results of woman
suffrage in the territory of Wyoming. To
'he conscientious citizen who views with
either apprehension or pleasant anticipation
'he impending radical change in our institu-
ions' and who wishes to act intelligently on
me OF the most important questions which
his generation has to solve, these facts must |
eem more important than priori reasonino !
wen from SO accomplished a gentleman az
he Oxford and Cornell professor. f
Some Democratic miscrea nts recently pulled | +
own and burna1 n hpaufif,I ha N nor xuI;oI, L., | n