The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-05-15
PETTICOAT RULE.
WOMEN TO GOVERN A CITY FOR a
YEAR.

Tho Peculiar State of Affairs In EdRorton,
KassaS-Tho Triumph of Petticoat Pol
tiles.
y special from Kansas City, Mo,
says: Petticoat politics have triumph
ed at Edgerton, Kan, and during the
coming year the municipal affairs OF
that city will be administered by a
pettlcOat government.
AT the recent city elections there
the ladies carried the day 1t wasn't
their fault that they did. They didn't
try to aad they didn't want to, but
they carried the day just the same,
and now find that they must shoul-
der the responsibilities of the city
government. OF course they might
resign their Offices, but that would
bo at total variance with the Kansas
CUSTOM Besides, it would ncccssi-
tate the trouble and expense of now
election, and that the women have
determined to avoid.
They won't have very much to
govern. Edgcrton is only q small
town, and it's most enthusiastic
boomer dare not claim for it more
than 450 inhabitants. 1t attained
the distinction of becoming II city
only by virtue of tho Kansas law,
which allows the smallest communi-
ties to incorporate cities Of the fourth
class, and to govern themselves by
the same methods az their larger Sis
tcrS. EdGertOn is an old town, how
ever--thnt is, i'll State where moth
ing dates back further than John
Brown srcsidcncc thorc, tho Quantrell
rald, and the border wars. 1t occu~
pies II picturesque location III the
southwest corner of johnson county,,
on the Southern Kansas Railway. 1t
Is quaint and typical village Of the
plain. The prohibition law has done
away with the saloon, and the alb
scncc Of the saloon has in turn done
away with Il great deal of the village
drunkenness md rOwdyiSm. The
ladies won't have much to govern.
1t came about in this way A year
ago the candidates for Mayor were
Nathan Ross and II. b. Brown. Mr..
Ross is The village school teacher,
and beng Il man of considerable tact
and some personal attrnctivencss,
made Il very popular candidate. Mr.
Brown WAS II grain dealer and pro
prietOr OF u lumber yard. He. too,
was popular, and the fight ut the
polls was close one. The rcgiStrn
ton list contained only ABOUT lbs
names, and the count was kept even
with the balloting. 1t was neck
and neck race, and when the houl
AroAshsd for elosinS the polls
d5r6wn had q lead of three votes Ross
N Lodi L 4
mand, and defeat stared him in the
face. His prdagogic uinI was fer
tile M political resources None of
the women had voted. Why not
bring his friends among the women
to the polls! 'rh" plan WAS executed
Immediately upon It's conception, and
MIR. Ross sought out eight women,
mothers of his favoritr pupils, took
them to the polls and they cast their
ballots for linn.
This coup dciat brought constrr-
nation into the camp of the enemy
The only way toIight his opponent
was with his opponents own weapon
He pressed his friends into his Hcr-
vice and they secured tho town for
women who would vote for Brown.
FINALLY nine Of them were found and
taken to the voting place. Too late
The polls had closed. The school
teacher had been elected Mayor.
Browns failure at the polls rank
led in his breast. lir treasured uD
his defeat and planned the revenge
that he would visit upon the women,
tho cause of his misfortune.
When election time came around
again the political issue in the village
was the Sunday closing question
Peter Dornn, cX- Mayor, declared him
sell III favor OF the open restaurant
A meeting of his friends was called
and he WAS nominated at the head OF
a city ticket on q personal liberty,
anti-blue law platform.
All went well for Doran until n few
days before the election. Then came
Browns opportunity for revenge
both upon Doran, who had been II
Ross man, and the women who had
Obstructed his ascent Of the political
ladder, He would defeat D0ran by
running q woman ticket against him.
and ut the same time humiliate the
ladies and heap ridiculc upon them by
placing at the foot of the ticket tho
name Of II. II. Strong for the CITY
Council.
Now, Strong was the Micawbcr Of
the town, the corner grocery whit
tier and dry goods box story teller.
He was ignored by most Of the mon
and ScOrmed by all the women. BY
clccting him, the only nnn on the
woman ticket, the ladies would be
humiliatod nightly.
Brown maturcd his plan, nmmounc-
od his candidates, and printed hIB
tickets. AT the head of the ticket ho
placed the name of Mrs ". II. Kcl-
ly, the wife Of the City Clerk, who
had been appointed to the place by
his foe, Nat Ross. For Judge of the
Police Court he named Mrs. II. S.
Greer, who had voted for ROssat the
former election. In the list Of
the prospective CoLn"i! no
placed the names of Mrs. W. S.
Ewart, Mrs. Nat Ross, Mrs j. Stew
art, and the lattcr's daughter, Mrs. Il.
6. Holden, all Of whom had assisted
Ross to the Mayoralty. At the bot
! tom Of the ticket he plac-
cd the name of Micawbcr Strong.
The women were Scandalizcd and
! indignant, but still, not fCming clcc-