Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-08-28
WHOLE NO. 1898.

ness she might dread in large city,
where her personal identity would be
of no importance. But the atmosphere
is not guiltless of the fumes of tobac
co in one shape, nor the floor of the
evidences of its use ia another. There
are occasional rows, and q good many
individuals who have improved the
shining hour by intoxicating them
selves as early in the day as posi-.
bic. There are women whose pres
ence on other occasions would be an
insult to their reputable sisters, but
who share with them the divine right
of suffrage, and now, loud mouthed
aud flushed with drink, may elbow
them at the polls.
Naturally, then, the female vote is
fitiul. Some women look on it as a
sacred duty, never To be neglected I;
others, a little less high minded, cling
TO it as a tight which they, knowing,
dare MAINTAIN Some never vote at
all, and great many tnru out with
some alacrity on special Occasions,
but are apt not To think it worth
while unless some particular man or
measure is 10 be sustained or crushed.
Even then they not un.re luently re.
quire some persuasion, aud perhaps a
little exercise of marital authority,
for not even in Wyoming is woman
thoroughly emancipated, aud in most
cases she votes as her husband tells
her. OF course, then, az the female
vote is unc rtain, it becomes impor
tant to propitiate the voters, and the
political wire pul!ers are, without dis
tinction of party, delightfully."- polite.
1t was impossible to read the rose col
ored letters lately published and ca
gerly quoted from certain prominent
residents of Wyoming, and not re-
member that all these eminent and
truly respectable gen. lemen were in
honor bound to speak well OF the
bridge that had carried them safe
over.
Granted, then, that in Wyoming
women may vote without much per-
sonal discomfort and without the
dreaded disturbance of family har-
mony, it is but fair to ask, How has
it benefited them? The law of Wv.
oming involves stupendous pull, for
it virtually asserts that a woman is a
man. A woman, being admitted to
the glory and honor of citizenship, is
denied the indulgences through which
legislation has endeavored to do JUS
tice to her weaker sisters ia "the
States" Man and wife are distinct
individuals, holding property IN abso.
lutte separation. A woman who owns
the house she lives in may insist on
her husband paying her for his board,
but he is not responsible for her debts
nor can she compel him to support
her. On the other hand, if he owns
the house he can sell it without her
consent. But human nature is very
much the same the world over, and
in actual fact it follows only that if
Wyoming husband aud wife are one
in heart the division of their worldly
goods matters very little. II the bus-
band is tyrant and owns all the
property, the wife is, after all, not so
well provided for as if the law gave
her share of the money aud denied
her the ballot. 1t sounds charmingly
to say, as people do say, that the Wy
oming woman, being in all respects
equal to man, is equally eligible for
office. So she is, but she does not
get it. Unless the writer is misin.
formed, no woman has ever been
nominated for public office save in
two instances. One was for the of.
fee of school commissioner, for which
the female candidate was defeated,
though at leas. as well qualified as
her opponent, and after devoting
much exertion 20 the formation OF the
now fourishing Laramie public
school. The other csndidate-for
justice of the peace, which is there
an elective office --was successful -
The writer has heard no opinion ex
pressed OF the duties of the Office, nor
would comment here be fitting.
The experiment of mixed jury
was very thoroughly tried. II has
been customary to say that it was
emineDtly successful. But tits a sin
gular circumstance that for several
years past no woman has been drawn
as juror. Can this be merely a mat
ter of chance ? or is it poss ible that
the members of the opposite (and en-
vious) sex, who control the operation,
weary of seeing "their sisters and
their cousins and their aunts" shine
with superior lustre in the jury box,
have secretly and nefariously agreed
to leave them out altogether
In consideration even of these few
and imperfectly- sketched details OF
the practical working of female suf-
frage in Wyoming does it not seem a
little like those Masonic degrees con.
ferred upon the wives of members OF
that MISUNDERSTANDING toys to
satisfy the longing hands which
would grasp too eagerly the substan.
tial treasures of mans prerogative
And the Wyoming woman, if any
deserves mans privileges, for she
has in the dark days of the settle
ment, not so long ago, done a man,
work She has borne dangers ant
hardships well and gallantly. Sh,
has had sometimes to c1op her owr
firewood,to dig her own potato-patch
TO stand ready, pistol ia hand. 4
| guard herself and her children iron
brutal violence. And the Wyomin.
husband needs'no sentimental sympa
thy. He is generally able to cool
aud sweep and sew on buttons q
well as his wife, and if she were Cd
sent on official duty he need not b
reduced to state Of AFFECT helpless
ness But these conditions do no
exist everywhere. II will be yer,
different affair for women to vote i
large cities where the savage part
sabship Of opposing factions carrie
all before it. And win it, after al
make much difference IN the govern
ment of the state Can we legislat
for ourselves better than refined an
intelligent men are already legislatiu
for US And when we gather on