The Portland daily press., 1889-04-18
sAGADAHoc COUNTY.
woMAN's SUFFRAGE.
The Kansas Movement and what
Is to Come OF u.

The Kansas Movement and What
Is to Come OF u.
Thousands Of women participated In the
municipal elections held throughout Kansas
last week. In Topeka alone over $500
voted, and in Leavenwortb, Wichita, Atch-
ison, Fort Scott and smaller cities 1.-THE nnm-
Der far exceeds those of 1887. No issue
other than that Of decent municipal govern
ment was presented, and the accepted ex-
PLANTATION of this large vote is that the women
fully appreciate the fruits of the victory they
won two years ago. Kansas, the great ex-
perimental ground Of the Nation, seems TO
have settled the question Of municipal suf-
frage for women, to the satisfaction Of
large majority Of its own people at least. In
Cottonwood Falls and Rossville, two small,
cities, the entire government has Just been
placed in the hands Of women. Oskaloosa
has been governed by women for the past
two years, and .he people seem to be pleased
for they have re elected them. The oppo-
nents OF the movement appear to have ae-
eepted defeat phllosophieally. whats the
use Of keeping up the fight?" said a promi-
nent Topeka Democrat, in concluding some
very vigorous remarks on the subject; "this
thing is evidently here to stay, just as pro-
hlbltion Is, and although know II Is bound
to exert harmful influence upon the CHAR
acter 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" Eastern peo-
pie who do not know what 1t is to see a IA
ther, mother and grown-up daughters 90 to
the polls on election day and vote should be
interested in the history of the movement
which has made such proceeding possible.
Among the Kansas pioneers were many who
favored real universal suffrage, and Il was
due, probably. to the complication of inter-
tests, and especially Of the slavery question,
that the State was admitted to the Union on
such basis. These men, whose wives and
mothers aud sisters had shared with them
all the difficulties and dangers Of the trail,
the camp, the siege and the sack, were little
disposed to deny them full equality with
themselves. As 1t was like the Germans in
the time Of Tacltus. in all important mat
ters they consulted their women; and SO 1t
came about that Mrs. G. 1. II. Nichols was
given the privilege OF the floor In the Wyan-
dOtte Constitutional Convention, and at her
request ana that Of other ladies. the charter
oI tne state was made to guarantee to women
complete equality Of rights with men In re-
gard to property and control Of children. In
harmony with this resolution the first State
Legislature enacted the present liberal laws
regarding property rights of women, and also
a law giving women the franchise in school
district elections.
Between the time of the Constitutional
Convention aud the legislative session Of
1867, period filed with war and bushwhaek-
ing, the suffrage agitation langulshed. B. +.
Simpson Of Miami Country, introduced In the
Legislature of 1867 a resolution submitting
to the voters Of the State an amendment
striking from the Constitution the word
luton was Immediately amended by S. U.
Wood OF Chase County by proposing to strike
out the word male" also. Many petitions
for the passage Of the woman suffrage reso-
lution were received, not much opposition
was manifested. and both resolutions were
adopted by the Legislature by majorities Of
five to one. woman suffrage convention
was held at Topeka, April q 1867. Gov
Crawford was made President, and the
officers and participants were the leading
men and women Of the State. Lucy Stone
and Henry b. Blackwell made addresses and
held meetings throughout the State for the
three months following During the Sum
mer and Fall, Susan b. Anthony and Eliza
advocacy. Fourteen ont OF twenty Kansas
newspapers favored the woman suffrage
amendment The hopes Of the friends of the
Cause were high. But the opposition was
not asleep. The managers of the woman
suffrage campaign made the fatal mistake OF
appealing to the Democratic party for sup
port In State Overwhelmingly Republican
and that at time when party hatred was
most Intense. Added to all this was the fact
that the New York Tribune and the New
York Independent, both edited by leading
liberals on whose support the advocates OF
woman suffrage had counted with assurance
remained neutral or half hostile. Both
amendments were defeated. The negro
suffrage amendment received 10, 900 votes out
OF 10000, the woman suffrage amendment
1900. Soon after the negro was enfranchised
by the amendment to the United States Con-
stitution. The women's hour had not yet
come. Public suffraffe work in the State
ceased after the defeat Of 1867, and was not
revived until 1879, when local woman suf-
frage association was formed at Lincoln,
Kan, under the leadership OF Mrs. Anna G,
Waite. In June. 1884, the Kansas Woman's
Suffrage Association was organized. As a
direct result Of this organization the House,
in 1885, by vote Of 70 to As, appointed a
standing committee on the political rights Of
failing by tie vote. A bill granting women
municipal suffrage was introduced In the
House, but vote was not reached owing to
the low position Of the bill on the calendar.
At the special session Of 1886 similar bills
were introduced In both Houses, but were
easily defeated. The following summer the
W0men's Christian Temperance Union,
recognized In municipal suffrage means Of
aiding in the work Of prohibition decided
officially to advocate the measure before the
next Legislature, and the Suffrage Assoeia-
tion, thus reinforced, went to work with re-
newed courage. The veterans Of 1S67-Miss
Anthony, Mrs. Cougar, Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe, Mrs. Lucy Stone, and others-re-
all parts Of the State A new bill was pre-
pared and in 1887 IL passed the House and
Senate. Gov. John A. Martin signed II Feb.
10, 1887. This is the bill in full;
"An act I'm relation TO municipal suffrage Tor
women, being an act concerning the qualifications
of voters In cities of the first, second and third
class. Be it enacted by the legislature OF the |
SECTION IT i. That in any election hereafter
held in anylcty Of the first second, or third class
for election of city or school officers or for the
purpose Of authorizing the issuance OF any bonds
for school purposes, the right Of any citizen to
vote shall not be denied or abridged on account
OF sex; and women may vote at such elections the
same as men, under ike restrictions and quail
neatons, and any woman possessing the duail
fications prescribed for men shall be elipibfe In
any office In such cities"
Immediately the State EQUAL Suffrage
Society and the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union began an active canvass TO arouse
the women Of the State to a sense of the
powers and possibilities of their new right
In the election which followed 2S ,5S7 women
voted. Last year when minor offices were TO
De nlled, this number was reduced to 15,22S. |
a compilation has not yet been made Of the
vote Just recorded but there Is little doubt
that u Will not fall far short Of 10000.
such Is the history Of woman suffrage IN |
Kansas. From the facts and figures given
the thoughtful reader may Judge Tor hlnseu
whether the movement Is to be permanent |
or transient.
Al each voting place in Topeka and pre-
sumably the other cities, "a partition separ- |
ated the men and women as they deposited |
their ballots. The women seemed more I'M |
pressed with the responsibility OF their act, |
and scrutinized their tickets carefully be-
fore passing them through the windows. |
Out in this benighted country the names Of |
the candidates are printed on long sheets OF |
paper With charming tTankuess many Of |
the ladies who voted for the first time pro- |
duced pencils and scratched" their tickets |
a han al NaN .1a .N.t1 AL