The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-06
STATE OF WYOMING.
Ninety-Seven Times as Large
as Rhode Island.
THE NAME MEANS "PLAlNs.'
woman's Suffrage Has Come to Stay
CattIemen Displace Indians
Abundance of Coal and Oil.
St. Louis Globe-D Democrat


southwestern corner OF Dakota, the north
eastern corner of Utah and the eastern
edge of Idaho. But the carving was done
on a liberal scale. 1t gave well-shaped
body. 365 miles across from east to west
and 275 miles from south to north.
Little was known of Wyoming when it
was turned ous as territory. 1t occupies
a central position on the map. But the
overland travel went south OF it. The
route to Montana was by the Missouri,
east and north of it. No glittering discov-
cries of yellow boys" drew q rush OF
miners. And so Wyoming was given the
go-by. The territory had no population
worth speaking of until the Union Pacific
pushed through. The main line entered at
the southeast corner, bore a little to the
northward and passed out some distance
above the south line. The building and
operation OF the railroad located q popula-
ton of 1900 people along the 400
miles of its winding way through the
new territory. That was Mornings
start. The string of towns along the rail-
road was all there was of it. Indians and
buffalo held undispIzted possession OF the
200 miles and more to the Montana line on
the north. If prophet had appeared IN
Cheyenne or Laramie in 1870 and predicted
that in twenty years wyoming would enter
the Union with 10000 people and $780,
OO0,000 in wealth, how he would have been
hooted. Suppose he had added that in
1890 Wyoming would have 10000 900 in
vested in irrigation bitches. 100000
worth of school-houses, $4,000 cattle,
1.250.OO0 sheep and 10000 hoi ses, and
other things to match. There is no telling
what the rough citizens of the pioneer
period would have done with him. 1t is
likely his obituary in Bill Nye's best vein
would have adorned the local page OF the
Boomerang.
Wvoming's first citizens were cosmopoli-
tans. They engaged industriousiy In kill
ing each other and running each other out
of the country. They cleared the way for
the people who made Wyoming what she
is today. The present population is
rather unusual mixture. The men of af-
fairs are either from the East or from the
South. In Montana, Idaho and Colorado
the controlling element in business and
politics is from the states bordering on the
Mississippi Wyoming was taken posses
sion OF by New England, New York and
the South. The result of the combination
is a body polite which has gone in for
compulsory education, woman suffrage
and other advanced ideas.
Woman's suffrage, it seems, has come to
stay in Wyoming. 1t is no longer an issue.
Having tried the experiment for twenty
years the people think SO well of it that
they have put il into their brand-new con-
stitution. Wyoming was only six months
old as territory when her first legislature
passed law giving women the right to
vote because equality is q natural right"
In the next assembly an unsuccessful at
mt UQo ma tn Rttt
after that woman suffrage ceased to be
question. Women have voted right along
when they wanted to. The constitution
trainers insured the continuance of the
privilege by providing for it in the consti-
tuition. The first section OF the article on
suffrage reads:
The right of citizens Of the state Of Wyoming
TO vote and hold Office shall not be denied or
abridged on account of sex. Both male and fe-
male citizens shall enjoy all civil. political and
religious rights aud privileges.
This section was adopted without any
contest, and by vote which was almost
unanimous. There were no women in the
constitutional convention. The reason was
that none cared to go. With the right TO
vote goes the right to hold Office. 1t is
rather significant that about the only office
for which the women of Wyoming show
OF the eleven counties six now have the
etiice of superintendent of schools filled
by women.
In the declaration of rights with which
the constitution opens, there is an indorse-
ment of the principle of universal suffrage,
in this remarkable language:
In their inherent right to life liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. all members of the human
race equal Since equality in the enioy-
ment OF natural and civil rights is only made
state affecting political rights and privileges of
its citizens shall be without distinction OF race,
color sex, or amy circumstance or condition
whatsoever other than individual incompetence
or unworthiness, duly ascertained by a court OF
competent jurisdiction.
Wyoming, according to Governor War
ren's researches, obtains its name from che
Indian word "Maughwawame" The
meaning is plains" 1t was first applied
to the Wyoming valley of Pennsylvania
There isn't much similarity between the
high, rolling piateaus OF the new state and
other parts of the great West. These great
plains are cut up and surrounded by noun
tain ranges. In traversing them one has
the feeling of being on top of creation.
The impression is pretty nearly true so
tar as the United States is concerned. In
the western part of Wyoming the head
waters OF the Columbia are found.
chip started there travels westward
through Idaho, Washington and OREGON
to the Pacific. In Northern Wyoming
the rivers which form the great Missouri
H.
ward almost to the British border. makes
great sweep to the east. and comes down
through the Dakotas into the Mississjppi
and finally TO the Gulf of Mexico. From
southwestern Wyoming the branches of the
Colorado start, and their waters reach the
Cult OF California. Eastern Wyoming is
drained by the Platte, which flows almost
due east TO the Missouri in Nebraska
Rivers leave Wyoming boundaries headed
tor the four points of the compass But
not mile of them is navigahle, and this
new state Is almost the only one in the
Union which Will not have a local interest
in the river and harbor BILL
Ii has taken until now to find ont what
Wyoming is good Tor. Washington Irving.
in his Adventures of Capt. Bonneville"
pictured strange future for the Rocky
mountain region. He wrote of il: IAN
immense belt of rocky mountains and vol
canio plains, several hundred miles in
width, must forever remain an irreclaim-
able wilderness, intervening between the
abodes OF civilization and atfording a last
refuge TO the Indian. Here rowing tribes
OF hunters, living IN tents or lodges and
following the migrations OF the game, NAV
lead life of savage independence. where
there is nothing To tempt the eupidity OF
the white man. The amalgamatlon of
various tribes and of white men Of every
nation will in time produce hybrid races,
like the mountain Tartars OF Caucasus
Possessed as they are of immense droves of
horses. should they continue their present
predatory and wariike habits, they may in
time become scourge 10 the civilized FROM
tiers on either side OF the mountains, as
they are at present terror 10 the traveller
and trader"
Gold bad not been found in Suffers MILL
race when Washington Irving wrote. The
existence of precious minerals in 1.-THE ire
claimable wilderness" was not known.
Prospectors spoiled the prophecy. Mining