Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-27
-s.ry AND THE SUFFRAGE.

e<xefIt june Az hO.
~aury AND THE SUFFRAGE.
.-...s, scenes In Washington Terri.
80. where the GentIer sex Exer-
=. tbe same Political and Legal
ssrs,s ~ Men...At the Peiis and I'm
ne Jsry Reems.
uoor,sspondence Columbus Dispatch.
SRATrLE, W. T., July IS, 1884.
s.,aupe how quickly new thing will
1.so~e an old thing! Strange how soon
s,sat political revolution will adjust
..sttsrs and customs TO its own sphere
= sction. and then everything seems as
ss,ssetly natural and proper as 1t did
ssder the old regime.
Ncu ali this means that here in this
s.r western Territory there obtains that
- msenderful and much talked Of state of
.ssirs wherein women have precisely
.rd exactly the same legal and political
,shta and privileges that men have.
is5 durinp this very week has occurred
~ Art municipal election, in this the
rr;ncioal city of the Territory, since
snpen have acquired their new rights,
snd they have cast their ballots for the
mndidates of their choice, thereby in
saeuciup the result of the election very
naterially; and yet this strange thing
aassu't seem strange at ALL On the
soutrary, IL seems strange to think that
somen do not vote everywhere as well
4 here.
came here without any very well de
ensd epinions on the question Of female
MIRAGE; for though / never could see.
suy sound argument in favor of the
abstract right of men to do all the vot-
IuQ and to keep the other sex disfran-
shised, still | had vaguely dreadful
doubts az to the sxpediency of the
ding. was afraid that some very dis
nal results might follow such tremen-
dous change in public affairs. But
always was reckless enough to be inter-
seled In seeing dangerous experiments
tried; 30 the fact that woman suffrage
obtained In Washington Territory by no
means deferred me from coming here.
10 fact II was one OF the magnets that
drew me here.
Bat there was one feature of the new
stass Of affairs here of which | thought
lhst ] decidedly disapproved. and that
vss the imposition of jury duty on wo-
men. Bat on my arrival here in Seattle,
last May, | found the District Court
aiIl in session, and the petit jury in
siisndancs was composed in about equal
nLmbers of both sexes. The ladies
we're Of the most intelligent, cultured.
fefned class of women, some of them
being prominent ladies of the place.
There we're two bailiffs in attendance,
husband and wife. And / was assured
By bench and bar that never before,
sinoe Seattle existed, had there been
such an intelligent, honest and reliable
Jury as during this last term of Court.
Net only this, bat the grand jury, COM
posed OF six women and eleven men,
witch had been in session before ar
rived, had done, such valiant service for
lav and order that gambling and pros
tiiution received n tremendous check.
shile liquor selling had been brought
down TO Its legitimate rights under the
existing laws.
30 my opinion concerning female iu
iofs became completely and suddenly
shanged, especially on making the ac-
qasintanoe of some of them.
One lady, the wife of an ex-judRe of
he Territory and the mother of a very
large family, the youngest child being
only three or four years old. was in the
midst of Mondays washing when the
Sheriff came to summon her to Court to
act az grand juror. She locked at him
aehast. "Why, how can | Ro?" she ex-
claimed.
The Sheriff admitted that he didn't
know; but, before any more could be
said, the little woman rose to the emer-
eenoy, and as Putnam of Revolutionary
iame left his plew in the furrow and
rushed 10 the field III battle, so did she
leave her clothes I'm the suds. aud
within an hours time she had found
neighbor's daughter who agreed TO
AXE care Of her house, had changed her
afees. and was the first juror to arrive
u The Court room. much to the sur
Prise Of her husband, who vas there
On behalf Of his clients, and who did
nes know that his wife had been sum
moned.
Naturally the women who had been
instrumental In prosecuting the men
sno violated the laws of morality In the
elsy we're interested that the laws should
continue 10 be enforced against these
evils, and that, for instance. no licenses
Iof the sale Of liqusr should be granted
~ the City Council during the coming
Isar 70 men who would encourage gam
wing or prostitution on their premises;
% these matters of law and order be-
Mme i've issues in the municipal cam-
gKfU o. zd
consisting equally OF both sexes. which
sela meetings and did first class work.
Inaisy calling mass convention OF cit
asns. by whom a ticket was nominated
Vailed the Law and Order ticket. OF
@nrse there was lively opposition to
.es work and to this party. not only on
we part OF those who were directly Ia
sefssted in the liquor and gambling
asdes. but also by many business men
s1o believe that it is dangerous to the
oasiness interests of she city TO pursue
ssystem OF pronspt eradication OF these
WIN Some women believed these ar
lnents and voted for other candidates
1sn those Of the Law and Order party,
.na others voted similarly for various
ssAsons; but the fact which wish prin-
apaiiy to note is that nearly every vo-
M IN the city voted, for about one
1Ifa OF the entire registration was wo-
Ien, and you must remember that vo-
- are not In the majority in this
a1tfy. The most intelligent and re-
sneo ladies in the city registered and
Mseo, quite as matter of course. 10
80 aecldedly the fashion. and, where a
- did not vote, il has been q matter
remark and surprise 30 all her ac-
saslnsanoes, and yet nothing wonderful
ass Come of II all.
Tue city Was very quiet on election
sssss, The liquor saloons being closed
smIoueeout the town; and though q
-. ss deal OF very earnest and active
ssesoneering was done at the polls by
smitsees Of both sexes. and though
10y Ieeling ran very high, and there
-. much greater degree Of excite
49, 49, IMAM any previous municipal cleo.
- nas caused, yet all was quiet and
sa.sfiy, and, to quote from the leading
ss.y ay paper, II was regarded "as being
Isa: I1 ss natural and proper that the
49, es should 20 and vote as that they
r Oulo 90 shopping, or to entertain
. lts OF TO church." Although cot yet
80 sssatned AZ q voter myself, curiosity
4&10 &yol4oxan-k -