The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-04-03

suffrage and is proud of the title. But
woman suffrage needs no champion in
Wyoming now. 1t has been accepted
as part of our fundamental law, and Is
fixed upon an enduring basis. Our
people would almost as soon think of
repeating our codes as repeating our
woman suffrage act. And all this be-
cause woman suffrage has proved to be
positive benefit. There is no gallantry
of sentiment sustaining and justifying
| it, but it stands upon the broad and
strong foundation of worth, and is be-
come an inseparable part of our institu-
tions.
To begin in the order of the points
presented in the letter of Mr. S. Colby
we encounter first, the thought that
woman suffrage is practically abandon
ed here. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. Indeed the converse
is true. There is larger percentage
of women voters at each succeeding
election. One point is sufficient to
show the error of the supposition of
abandonment. At the election held in
November last, there were 1881 votes
cast in Cheyenne, out of a population
of $3.50. This is over half of the en-
tire population. Where woman suf-
frage does not prevail, one-sixth and
even one-seventh of the population vot-
ing is a good average. OF course, it
must be borne in mind that we have
larger proportion of males in our popu-
lation than eastern cities have, but
that does not account for the exsraor-
dinary percentage of votes cast at the
late election.
AS to the effect on the women them
selves we can't for the life of us note
any effect, save on election day, when
the right of suffrage has the effect Of
bringing them out to the polls to vote.
There is as large percentage of wo-
men who vote as there is of men.
Woman suffrage does not in the least
disturb the domestic or social relations,
and we can see no reason why it should.
The stale talk about women neglecting
their parlors and kitchens to go voting
is superb nonsense. A woman doesn't
spend one-tenth Of the time in voting
that she does in shopping. In fact we
know of no case in this city where wo-
man has consumed over fifteen minutes
time in voting, and, therefore, the house,
hold does not and cannot suffer neglect
on this account.
We may add here that the political
managers provide carriages for lady
voters, each livery stable sending forth
its entire stock, while every private car
riage is similarly employed. These
vehicles are kept going to and from the
polls all day long, pouring in streams of
lady voters.
The assertion that women do not
want to vote, is met with the fact that
they do vote, and the further fact that
woman suffrage is more popular in
Wyoming now than ever.
We have often seen the statement,
circulated by men who are either
ignorant of the facts, or who wilfully
pervert the truth, that none but the
VICIOUS women vote here. This is un-
qualifedly false, and is base SANDER
on the true women of Wyoming. The
vicious women of this city do not re-
present more than one per cent. of the
population, or only thirty-six in all
scarcely drop in the bucket.
Wyoming is satisfied with woman
suffrage and the law comforting the
right will never be repealed, in all hui
man probability. 1t is an established
institution, and belongs to the very
foundation of the territory. Wyoming
has heard and considered all of the
arguments advanced against woman suf-
frage and her answer Is that they are all
wrong, and the best proof is eleven
years of trial. Practical demonstration
surpasses theory over and over. Hav-
ing demonstrated the utility and value
of woman suffrage, Wyoming is ready to
recommend it to her sister states and
territories.