The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-21
THE FEMALE POLITICIAN.
Practical Working of Woman Suf-
frage in Wyoming Territory,
Existing Political Evils Reinforced by Indif-
ference, Inbectlity and Oowardice-
A Very DiscOuraging Outlook.
..,o,,n. LATTER in New York Times.


written. In their messages to the Legisla-
ture it has been customary with the ten
Iderfoot" Governors to commend what they
believe to be popular feature in the policy
of the Territory, but the choice of the
phraseology in referring to the subject
usually left nothing to be desired in the way
of indefniteness People opposed to the
LIQUOR traffic find satisfaction in writing to
friends of their political faith in the East
that in the fourteen years during which
women have voted in Wyoming no liquor
dealers have been elected to Office. Success
full politicians say: Men vote for party;
women for personal merits' The following
lis given as the result of a study of the ques-
ton made during the past year and half:
Since the passage of the act granting suf
frage to the women OF Wyoming, Dec. TO-
1869 but two women have held Office in the
Territory. During three or four years fol-
lowing the passage of the act which gave
women their rights" in Wyoming, few
acted as Jurors, but no woman is ever seen
NOWADAYS in the iury-box. The women of
Wyoming do not aspire to hold office, and
they stand aloof from the irksome task of do !
ing Jury duty. In fact. they take no share
whatever in the drudgery of administering
the laws nominating candidates. tormulat-
ing DldLIOfmS OF IDdhluS SbQlnp-S pSSCdco.
They electioneer among their friends when
their male relatives are candidates, but they
perform no other political act save voting
Their only influence in politics is felt by the
effect of the number of ballots they put in
the box. Is there, in the prospect of the at
fairs of state surveyed by the intelligent and
philosophical Wyoming woman, nothing
which might invite her to take hand at re-
form by means of political agitation? To what
extent is society affected by the common evils
,k,Yts . Nav,
womanTs active spirit of humanity find no
opportunity for ameliorating the condition
of the poor or the unfortunate? Are there
no abuses in politics to reform? Are the laws
without flaw, and is their administration
honest? If woman were to combine with
her virtuous and patriotic sisters, could she
mot possibly carry out in some direction at
leest a mild and properly conducted reform?
Starting it, say, with caucus held with her
friends, after the plan of church sociable,
and having its purpose approved at mass mass
meeting no more public than church fair?
Let Cheyenne be selected as field for posi-
BILE reform It is the oldest, largest, most adj
vanced city in Wyoming.
cheyenne has to-day, its chief Of police es-
Inmates, more than thirty houses of prosti-
tuition, and the proprietors of number OF
them hold licenses from the county to sell
liquor 1t has forty places where liquor is
sold by license; it has six licensed faro banks
and three keno rooms, gambling in them be-
1nS carried on as openly as SuSdr-SellIlS db
the grocery stores. The newspapers adver-
tise the gambling houses. Keno every
night is sign painted on show windows
the passer by on the high street can hear the
numbers in keno game called out loudly
by man in the gambling den, who is
licensed and protected in his inIquity by the
law. Many of the bathrooms of the city are
furnished with card-tables, where men gam
BILE all day and all night long. The Chey
enne city Jail is a room on the lower floor of
the city hall building. All the walls are of
bare stone, 1t is a vermin-intestei hole-a
horrible, dark; dirty, nosome kennel, unfit
for dogs.
INSTANCES OF CORRUPTION.
At the general election in Cheyenne, on
Nov. 7, 1882 1900 votes were deposited at
two polling places-800 at the First precinct
polls and 1,5O0 at the Second. There had
been no registration of voters. A voter was
simply required to call out his or her name
as the poll clerk took the ballot offered, and
the name was then for the first time written
in book OF registry Repeating was there
fore done merely on a change of name. Emil
grants passing through the city voted. For
eigners were not asked for their naturaliza-
; ton papers A party of thrtyodd soldiers
whose votes were refused at the Second pre-
cinct marched to the First and voted. Re-
peating was regarded as part of the froic
The advance agent of New York theatrical
troupe, who had seen Cheyenne on the morn
ing of the election for the first time, voted
seven times provision in the cleo
ton law which permits a citizen to
vote in any precinct in his
county gave every man and woman
of voting age in Cheyenne a chance to vote
at both precincts if bent upon fraud. Votes
were auctioned off publicly. In the crowds
f6n oil
who, it was well understood, were handling
campaign contributions, and those voters
who were suspected of having desire to
sell their votes were directed to see them
At one time ten negroes approached the
polls in body, were offered $40 apiece for
their votes, and were about to accept it,
when candidate opposing the first buyer
stepped in, paid them $25 apiece cash. and
they voted his ticket. Away from the polls
trafficking in votes was going on like mar
ket-day bargaining. This house of ill-fame
was sold by its mistress to candidate for a
certain sum; that laboring mems lodging
house fetched so much per head. The basest |
men and women in the community became
prominent as vote brokers. They were the
busiest of election day workers, carrying to
the polls in carriages their acquaintances
among ioaiers' negroes, tramps, |
harlots, pimps, Mexicans, cut-throats,
gamblers, half-breeds, and soldiers |
No challenging of voters was attempted at |
the polls as eacn party was atraid to begin !
it. The scenes enacted at the election of 1882 /
in Cheyenne were but a repetition of those
(which have occurred at the general elections |
held every two years since Wyoming was or
ganized. The increased population of the |
city has gradually put the frauds on larger |
scale and made them more obvious, but they |
have sprung from the same conditions at
every election.
1t may be assumed that in Wyoming cam
.paign funds are large, and no man calculates |
on his chances for obtaining prominent Of
flee without reckoning up the disbursement |
of a sum far in excess of that necessary for !
: Legitimate campaign expenses" 1t cannot |
be urged, with even a show of plausibility !