The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-07
UNDER WOMAN'S RULE.
A pEoAYINa KANSAS TOWN INFUSED
WITH A NEW LIFE
BY Her influence Tobacco Chewing on
the Streets Stopped and Young Boys
Are Made to Stay at Home at Night
Fine Moral Effects.

correspondent writes, IN view Oh inc recchi
election, that year ago that pretty little
prairie hamlet set the country agog by inau-
curating petticoat municipal government.
Such thing had never been dreamed Of ex-
cent by few sour old maids who, falling 20
catch husband, tried TO complete the
wrctchedness of their existence by forcing
their sex into trousers. That the ideas OF
these spnsters would ever take a serious
form did not occur to any one until the
Legislature of Kansas apparently made itself
a laughing stock by passing bill that gave
to women the right not only to vote but to
hold municipal offices as we'll, and Oskaloosa
simply gave the world forcible inter
probation of the suffrage act by
clecdng female Mayor and coun-
ell entirely composed OF women. II was
the signal for a yolley of ridiculc. Tho
press poked all manner Of fun at the town.
lio illustrated papers caricatured H. and
,,~n who hate 10 see q woman do anything
Nore useful than scour pots aud pans and
6y bcefsteak predicted that oskaloosa would
go to ihe dogs. But the people against whom
the shafts of satire were turned rather en-
ioyed the notoriety that was 10 unexpectedly
thrust upon them, for they realized that
their poky little village was being lifted out
Of the miro OF obscurity and advertised far
and wide They were thoroughly In earnest
when they upset all municipal prccedcnts
and voluntarily subjected themselves 10 pet.
tlcoat rule, and now that they have tried II
for a wear and the experiment has proven
such a success many VI them have made
up their minds 10 pcrpetuato the admins
IA aaarI
than two-thirds OF the business men are
ready 10 testify. and they point with pride
10 the prosperous condition OF trade, the
increased population, and striking public
improvements, all OF which have come 10
them under the administration Of these city
mothers" Never In its history has the
town known such iood.tide Of prosperity,
and TO use the argument of Mr. J. n. lnslcy,
cashier Of the state Bank OF Osknlousa, no
better proof is needed than the fact that for
the first time since the war the town is out
OF debt there is not vacant lot IN the cor
poratc limits, more real estate transfers have
been recorded during the last siN months
than during the preceding SIX years, property
has advanced fully 90 pcr cent IN value.
new buildings are being put up and for
twelve months there has been but one per
son In the town arrested for any olcnse, and
that was for slapping another mans face.
THE rowN RULED ny WOMEN.
Oskaloosa, with its 200 inhabitants,
nestlcs snugly between two beautifully
wooded hills, and Is surrounded by one OF
the grnndest stretches Of farming land that
can be found on the continent IL Is the
county seat Of Jefferson County. and, next
20 Lcayenworth, the oldest town In the
State. The first house was erected In 1884
and the town was laid out In the autumn Of
that year. Then came the troublous times
that accompanied the admission OF Kansas
into the Union. Armed MissOurians, In
their efforts 20 transplant slavery into the
new State. came here with druyes Of slaves,
only 10 be driven back by the Free State
troops. ono Of the most memorable engage
mcnts Of that period took place at the base Of
rocky clin Just at the edge Of town. A
squad OF South Carolina troops had camped
there. Jesse Newell, one Of the greatest
characters the town ever produced,
mounted his horse rode Thirteen miles
90 Stranger Creek, got the Free state sol
dcrs, and returning surprised the enemy,
capturing the entire squad. The flag that
was taken at the tinm " now ON exhibit
lion In the rooms Of the Historical Society
at Topeka. In 1852 baud OF dcspcmdocs
calling themselves Jayhawkcrs, took pos
session OF the town aud for a long time
kepi the citizens In state of abicct
terror by ther lawlcss deeds. The culninat-
ing outrage was the sacking 81 the court
house aud blowing open the safe IN the
County Trcasurcr's Office. The citizcns.
ioincd hy a number OF farmers, drove the
dcspcmdocs out OF the county, threatening
90 lynch them n they ever came back. From
that lime OskaloOsa settled down into the
quiet humdrum life oi country village,
knowing no excitement until year ago,
except when the women raided the drug
stores aud poured every ounce ct liquor ~
the streets. oskaluosa never had licensed
dmmshop. but the drugstorcs sold whisky u
freely aud drunk nnc-s became 20 common
that tie women resolved IA put stop 10 Il
They drst notified the druggists To siul
selling liquor, but no attention being giyci
the request the women called meeting
made some rcd.hot speeches, aud then nllic'
forth with determination 90 break up th
whisky traffic They succeeded Admiralty
for they rolled every barrel aud oask {
liquor they could find into the CUTTERS an
then pulled the hunrs out That was Ion
before the Prohibition laws Of Kansas wei
enacted.
AHrrpY OLD VILLAGE AWAKENED.
Somehow or other Oskaloosl never SCENE
10 thrive. Although beautifully locate
and surrounded by every imaginable naiurl
advantage, towns sprung up all around
and sufw into cities while Osialonsa consil
enld itself lucky u 10 gained two new inhal
iiants year. AZ last the people began
inquire Into the cause OF their suail-lils pr
rrtss. aud finally reached the cuuclusiu
that they not only lacked enterprise then
selves, but that the various administration
that the city had been under had donc abs
luiciy nothing toward building up q
place or helping lt along. Every yu
ihcru hal been nn election and randidai
had made many promises Of what they i
tended 10 do Whcn they got into Office, hi
the promises where never made good %
Republican aud Democratic Administrative
had all proven dismal failures The tov
was flsi guinE tu seed. From one end ~ q
oihgr d presented a dilnpidatcd nppaaran,
The building, for the want ~ paint, We
terribly shabby, and the streets aud Nd
walks wcrr 100 such wfciChcd condition IA
BE- almost impossible after n heavy minin
Such vas thc situation a year ago. i
ticket that had been placed in The acld
the spring election was made up oi go
mcn. but thcy were no bctiCr or possess
no more public spirit than the men who d
served The preceding year. Three days .
fore election Dr. halsley, one Of the m,
prominent ciilzons Of the place, got
thinking thc matter over aud felt 30 u
coumerd at the outlook that 10 svddcn
occurred 90 him That lot VI women Wuu
take more interest IN improving the TO,
than the men who had been selected, q
the more be thought upon the subject {
better be liked IT, lie mentioned The ID
20 some ol the business men, aud nlthou
they laughed at first they soon took ID
seriously, aud finally announced the
selyc. ready 90 support a womnn's tick
Before night De- lialslcy had prepare,
ticket induced aK women 10 run for OH
and had secured pledges from half ol
town that they would vote lur them. ~
ton day came aud every man and won
in thc town turned out 10 vote. That MI