Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-23

clipping from your paper.
Now, assume that you wish 10 state
facts, and that your readers may not DIT
mlsled by the misstatements of this clip
ping, l enclose you the facts about Wyo-
ming, attested 10 by well known pubilc
men. The case in Kansas is the same.
Women vote there in increasing mum
bers, as fects abundantly show.
not have them at hand, but If you will
kindly use the true facts sent herewith
aDout Wyoming, that your readers may
not be misinformei, you will much
oblige, Lucy STONE,
Chairman Executive Committee OF the
Suffrage Association.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN WYOMING.
In deciding whether the practical
effects of any measure will be good or
bad, an ounce of experiment is worth q
ton of theory. IL Wyoming full suffrage
was granted 10 women in 1869 Every
governor OF Wyoming for the last
eighteen years has testified strongly to
its good results. Governors of territories
are appointed by the president, not
elected by the people. They are not de-
pendent on the Women's votes, and
IGutG N-E4i ltoAilIOalg 10 I'LL pa NAHA'
Governor Campbell was in office when
the woman suffrage law was passed. Two
years later he said in his message 10 the
territorial legislature:
''There is upon our statute book IAN
net grepting to the women of Wyoming
territory the right of suffrage, which
has now been in force two years. 1t IS
simple justice TO say that the women en-
tering, for the first time in the history OF
the country, upon these new and untried
duties, have conducted themselves in
every respect with as much tact, sound
judgment and good sense, rs men.
Two years after that he said ia his mes
sage:
1.-THE experiment Of granting TO women
voice in the government has now been
tried for four years. / have heretofore
taken occasion to express my views in
regard to the wisdom and justice OF this
measure, and my conviction that its
adoption has been attended only by good
results. Two years more of observation
of the practical working of the system
have only served TO deepen my couvIc-
ton that what we, in this territory, have
done, has been well done; and that our
system of impartial suffrage is an I'M
qualified success.
Governor Thayer, who succeeded
Campbell, said in his message:
"Women sUGf age has now been in
practical operation IN our territory for
six years, and has, during the time, IN
creased in popularity and in the con-
fldence of the people. In my judgment,
its results have been beneficial, and its
influence favorable to the best interests
of the community.
Governor HOyt, who succeeded Thayer,
said in his message in 1882:
elsewhere, DIRECTORS persist in call
ing this honorable statute of ours IAN ex-
pertinent. We know it is not. Under
il we have better laws, better officers,
better Institutions, better morals, and u
higher social condition in general, than
could otherwise exist. Not one of the
predicted evils, such as loss of native
delicacy and disturbance of home 'rela-
tions, has followed in its lrain.''
Governor Hale, who succeeded Hoyt,
expressed himself repeatedly 10 the same
effect.
Gov. Warren, who succeed Hale, said
IN letter to Horace G.. Wadlin, Esq. , OF
the Massachusetts house of representa-
tives IN 1855:
"Our women consider much more
carefully than our men the character OF
candidates, and both political parties
have found themselves obliged to nomi-
nate their best men i'll order TO obtain the
support of the women. As business
man, rs a city, county and territorial
officer, and now as governor OF Wyoming
territory, l have seen much of the work
iugs of woman suffrage, but / have yet
TO hear of the first case of domestic dis
cord growing ont of it. Our women
nearly all vote aud since in Wyoming, as
elsewhere, the minority of women are
good and not bad, the result is good and
not evil. -
Hon. John W. Kingman, for four
years Judge OF the United States su-
preme court of Wyoming, says:
"Woman suffrage was inaugurated in
1869 without much discussion, and with
out any general movement of men or
women in its favor. At that time few
women voted. At each election since,
they have voted in larger numbers, and
now nearly all go 10 the polls. Our
women do not attend the caucuSes in any
considerable numbers, but they generally
take an interest in the selection of candi-
dates, and il is very common now, in
considering the availability of an aspi-
rant for office, to ask, How does he
stand with the ladIes?' Frequently the
men set aside certain applicants for office
because their characters would not stand
the criticism of women. The women
manifest n great deal of independence in
their preference for candidates, and
have frequently defeated bad nomina-
tons. 0u9 best and most cultivated |
women vote, aud vote understandingly |
and independently, and they cannot be
bought with whiskey, or blinded by |
party prejudice. They are making |
themselves felt at this polls, as they do |
everywhere else in society, by q quiet |
but effectual discontenencing OF the bad, |
and q helping hand for the good and the |
true. We have had no trouble from the |
presence of bad women at the polls. 1t |
has been s8id that the delicate aud cult |
ured women would shrink away, and the |
bold and lndelicate come to the front in |
public affairs. This we feared; but |
nothing of the kind has happened. 1 do |
not believe that Suffrage causes women |
TO neglect their domestic affairs. Ger
tainly, such has not been the case In |
Wyoming, and 1 never heard q man
complain that his wife was less interested |
in domestic economy because she had the
right TO vote and took an interest in
making the community respectable. The
opposition to woman suffrage at first was I
pretty bitter. To-day do not think you
could get dozen respectable men in any