Huntsville gazette., 1889-09-07
A POWER FOR GOOD.

Tho Highest Lady of Kansas Declares
Woman Suffrage Success in That
State.
In reply to letter of inquiry regard
ing the practical effect of municipal
suffrage for women in Kansas, Mrs.
Governor Humphrey recently said:
Il have not been counted among the
enthusiastic advocates, much less as an
agitator, in behalf of woman suffrage,
and hence my opinion on the subject is
from conservative standpoint Not
to discuss the question generally, l
have always felt that the natural justice
of equal suffrage, based on intelligence
alone, was too apparent to admit of
argument, and the injustice of basing
the right to vote upon the matter of
sex, regardless of intelligence, was too
palpable to admit of honest defense.
Tho practical effect of permitting
women to vote as regards themselves
and their own interests, and as it might
affect public affairs generally, seems to
be the much mooted inquiry. How the
exercise of the right can possibly de-
tract from womans usefulness as wo-
man, as mother and wife, or lessen her
Influences for good as under present
conditions, | never could understand.
On the contrary, / think a woman may
go to the polls and deposit ballot, and
90 home to her household duties, low
ing her husband and children none the
less, but her country little more, for
having thus yielded a long delayed
tribute to her intelligence and patriot
ism.
I'm Kansas. which. l am proud to
say. usually leads all her sisters in po-
litical reforms, the Legislature some
three years ago, granted women the
right to vote at all municipal elections
for city and school officers-a right
they have long enjoyed in the country
in school district elections. The result,
think, has amply vindicated the ac-
ton of our Kansas lawmakers; and, as
reforms in the right direction seldom
go back ward. | doubt if any serious at
tempt will ever be made to repeal the
act thus granting municipal suffrage to
women in Kansas. True, they do not
always vote, but when occasion seems to
require it they do, and vote carefully
and conscientiously. The woman vote
in city elections operates as a sort OF a
reserved power, liable to come out and
smash things that don't suit them.
o., ~ foa f1n%
may vote, whether they do or not, is a
power for good. Men make nominal
tions for the various city offices with
respect to this vote. knowing what it
can do if it will. If the question pre-
sented involves the public morals, tenn
perance, good schools, the women vote
largely on the right side. II it is SIM
ply matter of choice between various
candidates, they divide up and vote as
they please, according to their personal
preferences. After three years expe-
rience. | believe that woman suffrage,
so far as it has been tried in Kansas, is
a success. Women are eligible to hold
Office in many cases in this State, such,
for instance, as city offices. except, OF
course, justices Of the peace, and sew
eral county offices. | do not know that
there are any county offices to which
she is not eligible, although she may
be excluded from the office of sheriff,
or something Of that character. There
are in this State fourteen women super
intendents of public instruction, out of
a total of one hundred and six, and
there are several women holding the
Office of register of deeds, ETC.; and SO
far as know, wherever a woman has
held an Office of any character, she has
performed the duties of such Office hon
estly and efficiently"