Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-09
WOMEN WITH THE BALLOT.
The Experiment in Progress in Kansas.
A STATE IN WHICH FEMALE SUFFRAGE Is AN Ac-
ooNPLIsHED FACT n THE WAY IN WHICH II
WORKS.
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times
TOPEKA. KAN, April Thousands of women
participated in the municipal elections held
throughout Kansas last week. In Topeka alone
over Z, 300 voted, and in Leavenworth, Wichita,
Atchison, Fort Scott, and smaller cities the
numbers far exceeded those of 1887 No issue
other than that of decent municipal govern
pent was presented, and the accepted explana-
ton of this large vote is that the women now
fully appreciate the fruits of the victory they
won two years ago.
The scenes at the polls certainly sustained
this view of the situation. In Topeka the wo-
men displayed more enthusiasm than the men.
They not only went to the polls and worked.
but many of the most influential of them sent
their carriages to remote parts of the city and
brought in numbers of their less-happily-cir-
cumstanced sisters, who needed but the one in
centive of rapid transit to make them good
nineteenth-century Kansas citizens. Hundre DIS
of cOlored women visited the voting places dur
ing the day, and many of these electioneered
with all the art of practical politicians. Every
hack or caryall III the city was called into serv-
ice. and it was noticeable that the .'black vote'
required more transportation than its paler adj
Junct of civilization. Much to tHe disgust of
the republicans, most of the white women voted
for the democratic candidates for mayor in To-
peka. Leavenworth. and Atchison In the for
mer city the republican nominee confess
edly ''ringster. while in Leavenworth the no.
torious Col Dan Anthony. brother of Susan B.,
headed the republican ticket Susan b. An
thOny came out from Rochester to help the
colonel but the women proved too much for
them, and he was showed under by 700 major
lty. 1t Is possible that Miss Anthony is not so
much III favor of woman suffrage in Kansas as
she was a week ago.
At each voting place in Topeka. and presum-
ably the other cities, a partition separated the
4 Al.
The women seemed more impressed with the
responsibility of their act. and scrutinZed their
tickets carefully before passing them through
the windows. Out in this benighted country the
names of all the candidates are printed on long
sheets of paper. With charming frankness
many of the ladies who voted for the first time
produced pencils and scratched their tickets
and then handed them to the clerks unfolded
and with the changes visible to the canvassers.
In an alley near one of the polls three white
women were seen in earnest conversation with
a colored dame. who evidently could not rel d,
but desired to vote the straight republican
ticket She was finally provided with ticket
that added another nail to the coffin of the re-
publican candidate for mayor, and she marched
up to the window and handed it in with the
air OF queen.
During the day many cases of husband and
wife voting oppositely came to notice, and
these have already been cited in attempted
refutation to the claim that women are largely
influenced by their husbands. 1t is asserted
further that many men were induced to change
their votes on Tuesday through the arguments
OF their better halves. The result. particularly
III this banner republican city, would certainly
indicate something of this nature.
Kansas. the great experimental ground of the
nation. seems to have settled the question of
municipal suffrage for women to the satisfac-
ton OF a large majority of its own people at
least. In Cottonwood Falls and Rossville, two
small cities, the entire government has just
been placed i'll the hands of women. Oskaloosa
has been governed by women for the past two
years and the people seem to be pleased for
they have reelected them.
The opponents of the movement appear to
have accepted defeat philosophicallv. What's
the use of keeping up the fight" said promi-
nent democrat to-day. in concluding some very
vigorous remarks on the subject; 1.-The thing is
evidently here to stay. just prohibition is
and although | know it is bound to exert
harmful influence upon the character of women
realize the folly of trying to change the
situation. When a movement like this gets
footing in Kansas the wisest plan is to stand
from under"