, 1885-01-29
LEATHER WOMEN.
Ex-secretary Lee of Wyoming,
Tells About Woman's Suffrage.
How the Bill Came Before the Ter
ritorial Legislature.
A Rather Nice Story, but NOT True
to History.

An eastern exchange says hat a mum
Der Of people were talking about Wyo-
ming the other night, when a tall man
with a long, expressionless face was intro
duced as Governor Lee, the fint governor
of Wyoming, also a journalist. and now a
legal practitioner. It is hardly necessary
to tell the older residents Of this territory
that Mr.. Lee was not the first governor
nor the governor at any other time, but
was the secretary during the administra-
ton of Governor Campbell. The story
that Mr. Lee related was not exactly true
to history. Indeed it nearly approaches
a libel upon the eccentric genius who IN
troduced the bill in the territorial legisla-
ture and upon the female voters Of Wyo-
ming. The bill was passed in 1869 and
wa introduced in a spirit Of fun by a
saloon keeper, who was well known at
that time. The report of Mr.. Lees
story will bear repetition. however, and is
as follows:
As soon as he began to speak his long
face lighted up and grew positively hand
some, the CLASSY eyes burned with enthu-
siasm, and he made as hearty, graceful
and witty a little speech as ever | listened
to- Altogether he was a great surprise to
everybody who did not know him.
Among other interesting things he told
the inner history of how they enfran-
chised women in Wyoming. 1t was not,
as some might naturally believe, the re-
suit of superior acumen or ibcral-minded-
ness on the part of Wyoming lawmakers.
1t was simply a gigantic advertisement for
the territory. The governor said he was
sitting in his Office one day, when a
slouching, angular, tobacco-masticating
member of the legislature entered and
said: 'Gov'enur, I'm worried and DOWN
hearted This terms drawing near its
close and I've done nothin' to make my
constituents think I'm a great fellow, and
I'm afraid they won't elect me again.
Hang it, what can | do2 There's moth
ing particular anyone can do. 1 wish 1
could think Of something todo that would
set them all talking about me-"
I'm tell you what to do" said the gov
ernor, Introduce a bill to enfanchise the
INT That will make you talked about
all over the United States
But what if it should pass r. said the
noble solon in dismay.
Make it pass, You want it to pass
replied the governor. why, don't you
know that such a thing as that would ad-
vertise Wyoming all over the world
Talked about Why, man, you would
" yourself all over with glory"
The idea was 30 novel and astonishing
that the ambitious legislator could not
turn it over in his limited mind all at
once. He vent home to think about it.
In a day or two he returned, beaming and
hopeful. He had decided that he would
do it, and he chuckled with satisfaction at
the thought Of the glory he was about to
accumulate by this masterstroke of diplo-
macy. The governor drafted the bill, and
when the noble lawmaker called for it he
pocketed it with the remark that after
suffrage had been granted women, and
the territory had reaped all the advertis-
ing advantages that would accrue there
from, it would be easy enough to take
the ballot away from EN-"
The bill was introduced and talked up
on the score of. its advertising merits,
and, as we all know, it passed Then
when woman suffrage became a fixed fact
the very men who had labored for it began
to talk about repeating the bill. But"
said Governor Lee, ut is not easy to de-
prive a people of vested right and they
were obliged to accept the work of their
own hands, which in this case was a re-
markable instance of the mysterious
way" in which God moves to perform
wonders.
Governor Lee also read an extract from
a letter recently received from one Of his
sisters, who is married andlives in Wyom-
ing. She told a good deal about the
previous election, and said, ALLEN Cher
husband) always prepares my ticket. He
knows all about it; I don't bother with it
at all" The governor then told that in
reply to the letter he had suggested that
ALLEN, and all other husbands whose
wives didn't bother about it. should
manufacture a lot of leather women with
pine eyes and take them along to the polls
to vote, and on all other occasions where
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