Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-02

The CORE -poudent of the Boston COngre-
gaiionaliSt. who ~ gtvlng to that paper the
results oi bis observations and inquiries in
regard 10 the practical working of woman
suffrage in Wyoming, says in his last
letter
1t has been one of the chief claims OF
Woman Suffrage, that it would be great
reiormatory power. Into this aspect OF the
case, the writer has taken special pains TO
examlne-fOr he acknowledges that, al FIRST,
he wa- inclined to look tavorably upon this
whole movement from this point OF view.
But, alas. the experience oil ten years in
Wyoming Ito say nothing yet of utah) has
proved all these pleasing fancies to be as
empty " a. the basele>s fabric Of vision.
1t IL true that we know of no part or por-
ton OF our country where the test could have
been applied under more favorable auspices.
The exacung customs and traditions OF the
older States here have very little weight.
The restraints, from the special niceties
and couyentionaites Of the East. are not
Strong enough here to ceter any one, with
cleaf aud honest cOnv IctiOns from entering
upon any great aud genuine reform. The
good women of these mountain regions are
a. intelligent, and earnest III their Il Jrts
Tor good, as are their sisters o! the Allan
tie Coast And yet with the ballot in
their hands during all these years. they
have accomplished nothing in this direc-
ton. Not one reform could its best friends
name, which i: had accomplished. or
seriously affected. Woman suffrage has
done nothing, d5sohttiy NOTARY, to stay
the tide OF intemperance IN Wyoming.
Neither has it done anything towards the
better observance OF the Sabbath, or the
closing OF the grog-shops on that day-but
they still -un IN fuller blast, if possible On
that day than on any other. Neither has
equal suffrage diminished the houses OF
the subjects of Ill-tame in Wyoming,
nor administered one real public rebuSe
t. ANYTHING OF the kind. On the contrary,
by The special consideration with which
that class are now treated IN order TO get
their votes the tendency has been the re
verse. and indirectly this moral leprOsy has
been cOuntenanccd and encouraged, rather
than hindered and made odiou-. This was
the positive testimony to Us, Ol some ot the
best and ablcst mon in the Territory.
Neither has Woman Suffrage purified the
ballot box, or elevated the standard OF
political morals said an intelligent
Christian woman to the writer After
what | have observed hero Tor Some years,
have come fully to the conclusion that
form in political MORALS The same lady
spoke Of one OF the STRONG minded, who
IN her zsal at an election got two negroes.
and treating each to cigar, and putting
one into her own mouth, went with them to
the polls where they put in the votes that
she iShcd. An cx mayor of one of the
leading towns oi Wyoming stated to the
writer that ha saw Jealous partI-
san, - keeper Of u house OF prostitution,
h.ihg tOiuir,n OF her trsil subjects to the
bIllUtbO NJ ono election and because he
favored another candidate. she turned to
him IA ~nc brought her last subject, and
sad There. You Il d son of IL b-h, you
see what We can do well yOu.' re
ierred IN nv .ast to the well known fact that
.calouS partIsans OF both sexes visit those
houses previous to an election To secure
their votes Tor their iay0rite candidate.
The rights and interests OF woman before
the law have not been improved by their
suffrage. \ prominent lawyer OF Wyoming
declared t. the writer that III no one feature
had woman position or relations to the
law been Improved by tins much yaun;cd
right ui suffrage