Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-02
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN WYOMING.

New YORK, Marsh 90" When dis
cusslng the question of how woman suf
frage works III Wyoming, you must ban
ish from your mind all notion of SEX
remarked Mr.. William L. Shaffer TODAY,
" for the franchise recognizes no dis
tinction whatever MIR. shaffer. Penn.
sylvanlan by birth. is now editor of the
Chieftdin, at Evanston, Wyo.. only about
one hundred miles from Salt Lake
here is" he continued. exactly the
same requirements for both sexes. They
must be II years of age and citizens OF
the United States. native or natural.
ized."
- Is the privilege popular among you
and generally taken advantage of by
the women!"
Why. certainly. it Is popular. II
the question was put to vote touay in
the Territory l don't believe there
would be a dozen i'll favor of a change
But you Eastern folks can't fully real
ize how 1t works, and the pract cal ben
eft we get from the system, becau the
0ly idea you can form Of a polling
place inclu les lot of pushing and dis
orderly ward bummers, bowling from
sunrise until sunset, ard visiting the
neighhoring gin mills everV few min
utes for campaign ammunition. he
ballot Is q lite as important feature
of our government rs religion, or edu
cation, or the courts. Wnv not carry it
ON III the same way? ', ny not sur
round the polling places WI h the same
orderly Influences that 3, round the
courts and the schools? Make thea
respectable, decent and respected. No
sane man explain why the import
ant function of citizen 'hip should be
singled ont for a Donnybrook 'hoorah'
and turned into a riotous travesty on
society. We do things differently in
Wyoming, ve,v much. no doubt, and
possibly altogether. because of the ap-
pearanoe of women ut the polls, with
the same rights and powers that we
have. We could not tolerate ruffisnism
IN the presence of our wives and daaah
tiers. and our elections are as quiet as
the meeting of Sunday school board
or a graveyard directory"
"How do the women vote ?"
Well, we have two approaches to
the polls one for people on foot and
the other for carriages. On election
day every available team is engaged by
tue con,ending political parties, and
YOU can't find more respectful and
good -natured chivalry anywhere than
In getting the ladies out to vote. It's a
regular New Years holiday. The work
ers are told Just what time to call for
he fair sex, and they are eailantly
driven to the ballot-bex through the
carriage way. deposit their tickets with
out getting out. and then on home.
they challenge just like men for under
age, non-residence Or non citizenship.
So it works in the towns. As to the
country, where the voter has miles 10
90. he simply takes the whole family
Instead of the boys--Ouly few more in
the spring wagon, that's all. No other
difference in the principle and its prac-
teal application.
How long has woman suffrage been
in vogue there
"Ab ut fifteen years. nearly ever
since the Territory WAS established. and
the law was passed for this reason
A new country like that will naturally
be infected With \ lot Of transient, ad-
yenturers, such As borders, COWBOYS and
prospectors. They are here today and
gone tomorrow, have no interest what.
ever in the Territory Unless IL happens
to administer at ouce to their greed. II
they remain IN any one locality long
enough to vote, the man who has come
tn STAY permanently settled on rancho
and has everything st .ked on orderi,
government and good legislation stands
slim chance 1T the .ailot-box witt
these irresponsible parties. Now tbs
man who comes to settle for keeps
generally brings his family with him
and 1t was in order To protect this class
and give them chance for security
through the polls that the Legislator,
granted women also the right tn vote
Brigham Young was shrewd enough Il
Sc that the same principie ap lied Il
| Utah wonld give Nor uoni IN tremen
| dous advantage over both internal anC
external foes, and the experiment, Al
| all kno~, has met With suct wonderful
success that Utah goes right alon.
maintaining quiet defiance tn TN
prelude of the entire country and I'll,
most adroit.y-framed laws that Con
eress can inven
| Now said the irate mother 70
| family of one boy and four girls, VII
had been misNehaving themselves. :.
am going to whip You ail:" and sh
seized on Jimmy to receive the first ir
stallment of chastise,n@nt. Mother,
said little Jimmie, ladies first always.
The ola lady was so struck with this ar
plication of her own instruction. tina
she did not strike any Of the children
but le, them of that time.
Mrs. Elizabeth Haldeman. probabl
the oldest resident of Harrisburg, Pa
died Mondav in her ninety fifth veal
She ~as the mo- har to Jscob NJ Hald.
man, Minister IT, Sweden, under Pres
dent Bo h man, aRd ex-Congressma
Haid-man, who Is married TO Senate
| NamAPnusa slater