Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-02-17
Woman Suffrage i'm Wyoming.


lowing account of what women are
doing in Wyoming, hoping that as
these two principles Taxation with
out representation is tyranny, 'The
consent of the governed is the basis
of just government" has been applied
to women in this Territory with such
good results, may remove all objections
of former opposers of this measure,
and also arouse the women of this part
of the country to a spirit OF emuiating
this large class of noble workers whose
devotion to principle and right have
enabled then to brave public opinion,
overleap prescribed boundaries, and are
now on the borders of new dispen-
sation'' which alone, as [ believe, will
ever raise the aff2irs of men to the
maximum Of earthly excellence-which
will prove to be the desideratum of
Society. ii. L.
Hon John w Kingman. of Wyom-
ing, for four years Judge of the Su-
preme Court of that Territory. was
recently invited by the Joint Special
Committee of the Massachusetts, Leg
isIature on Woman Suffrage, to give
an account of the history and practical
working of Woman Suffrage in Wyom-
ing. Judge Kingman testified sub
stantially rs follows
Wyoming was organized as Terri
tory in May, 1869. 1t contained at
that time about $4,000 inhabitants,
who had been brought thither by the
building of the Union Pacific Rail
road there we're comparatively few
women then; for somt years after
wards the population decreased, owing
to the incursions of the Indians, but
has now reached about the same figure,
and is rapidly increasing. The women
are now in number, compared with the
men. about in the ratio of nine women
to ten men. The capital is Cheyenne.
which cast about 1900 votes, Laramie
CITY, in with | reside, is next in
size and casts 1900 votes, all at one
voting precinct The population is
mostly on the line of the railroad and
in the mining camps in its vicinity
In August, 1869, the first Territorial
Legislature extended Sufferage to all
adult inhabitants.
There is practically no limitation of
the franchise for either men or women
in cur Territory. The term of resi-
dence required is very brief, and the
instant foreigner declares his or her
intentions to become citizen the right
to vote and hold office is conceded.
Woman Suffrage was inaugurated with
out much discussion, and without any
general movement OF men or women In
its favor Some of the members urg
ed it from conviction, others voted for
it thinking it would attract attention to
the Territory, others as a joke, and
others in the expectation that the Gov
ernor would veto the measure. When
the law was enacted it was viewed with
Indifference by some, with dislike by
others, and with warm regard by many.
At that day there were comparatively
few women there, and & few of them
voted; at each election since. they
have voted in large numbers, and now
nearly all 90 to the polls. At our last
election larger portion of women vot
ed than Of men.
Our women do not, as yet, attend
the caucuses in any considerable num-
bers. But they generally take an in
terest in the selection of candidates.
and it is very common now, in consid-
ering the availability of an aspirant
for office, to ask, .How does he stand
with the ladies ?" frequently the
men set aside certain applicants for
office because their characters would
not stand the criticism of women.
The women manifest great deal of
independence in their preference Of
candidates, and have frequently defeat
ed bad nominations. They are becom-
ing every year more and more interest
ed in public affairs they are less un-
der the influence of private interest.
friendship, and party feeling, and are
less subject to the temptations which
bias the political action of men.
The opposition to Woman Suffrage,
at first, was pretty bitter. The meas
ure was passed by a Democratic Legis-
lature and approved by Republican
Governor. At the next election sew
eral Democrats were defeated by the
women, 1t was thought that the law
was working unfavorably for that par
ty, At the second Legislature { (lS7D
large proportion of the Democratic
members were inclined to repeal it, and
did repeal it. by strict party vote
every Democrat against it But the
Governor vetod the repeal, comprom-