Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-12-13

Woman Suffrage in Wyoming.

TO the Editor of The Inter Ocean.
CHEYENNE, Wy. r., Nov. 25.-Tn the
Chicago Times of the 21st inst. l find
the following:
Woman suffrage is a failure in
Wyoming, because, having acquired the
right to exercise the elective franchise
and having the first election or two
polled her ballot and found nothing ex-
hilarating in the process, she no longer
musters. Certain lewd women of the
baser sort take hand in the
glorious work of reform, but the wom-
en- whose votes would be desirable if
women are to vote, never 60 near the
polls. >
The above contains nothing which is
not untrue except the bare statement
that certain lewd women take hand"
in voting on election days. The law, of
course makes no distinction between
virtuous women and those who are uni
versally recognized to be otherwise 1t
is not true that female suffrage at the
polls after the first election or two
was abandoned. The law was enacted
in 1869, and famales have voted at ev-
cry election held since that time.
The Hon. John A. Campbell, ex-Gov-
ernor of Wyoming, and now United
States Consul to Basic, in one of his
messages to the Wyoming legislature
regarding the workings of woman suf-
frage used this language:
Under its liberal provisions women
voted in the Territory, served on juries,
and held Office 1t is simply justice to
say that the women entering, for the
first time in the history of the country,
upon these new and untried duties,
have conducted themselves in every re-
spect with as much tact, sound judy
ment, and good sense, as men. While
it would be claiming more than the
facts justify to say that this expert
ment, in a limited field, has demonstra-
ed beyond doubt the perfect fitness of
woman, at all times and under all cir
cumstances, for taking a part in the
government, it furnishes at least pre-
sumptive evidence in her favor, and
she has right to claim that so long as
none but good results are made mani
fest, the law should remain unrepealed.
The experiment of granting to woman
a voice in the government which was
inaugurated for the first time in the
history of our country by the first Leg
islative Assembly of Wyoming, has
now been tried for four years. have
heretofore taken occasion to express
my views with regard to the wisdom
and justice of this measure, and my
conviction that it's adoption has been
attended by good results.
At latter day the Hon. John NJ.
Thayer, now Ex-Governor, in his mes
sage, said:
woman suffrage has now been in
practical operation in our territory for
six years, and has, during the time, in
creased in popularity and in the conf
dence of the people. In my Judgment,
its results have been beneficial, and its
influence favorable to the best interests
of the community. A right or priv
ilege, once granted, is not easily surren
dered In this case it is difficult to
perceive any good reason why it should
be.
In the face of this testimony the
Times gives utterance to its unjust
statement which will receive the I'M
qualified denial of every citizen Of this
Territory.
The better class of females are large
ly represented at the polls here. They
are accompanied by male friends or
relatives, and | have never seen cleo
tions conducted in any other Western
city as orderly as they are here. The
influence of good and pure women at
the polls has proven most salutary for
good and thus far | have failed to see
any evidences of their degradation, in
consequence of their having been cloth
ed with the elective franchise.
My own observation and the express
sion of opinion which l have heard on
the subject, lead me to assert that
women suffrage is complete success.
The better class of citizens of Wyo-
ming have no desire to go back to the
infiction of bondage on a sex which
now has the privilege of helping, indi-
rectly, to frame the laws by which they
are governed. The people Of Wyoming,
of race or sex, are as free as
the winds that blow, and, until they
have some evidence of the demoralizing
effects Of female suffrage, they will be
content to let the law remain upon the
statute book of the Territory.
JAMES P. G. POULToN.