Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-06-28
STATE OF WYOMING.
The Senate Passes The Bill for
Her Admission.
Woman's Suffrage Plays An important
Part In The Debate.



bill. The report shows the nnmssous
amendments on which the conference com
mittee had eiome To an agreement and, -
stated by Dawes, oil these anne endments but
two were foe increase in the number of
Senate employes and increase their com
pensstion. The other two we're for s.n in-
crease in the salsry of the commissioner Of
the general hand office from - 600 te s5. COO
and the assistant commissioner from o. 900
10 o., 500.
The Senate voted to insist on its amend
ments, and to ask for further conference.
and German.
Morgan then continued his Argument
sgsinst The Wyoming bill. He favored the
substitute offered yesterday by Jones Of
Arkansas, enabling the act for Wyoming
Idaho, Arizona and New Mexico. The
adoption of the substitute was the only way
TO eliminate from the question the element
of political considerations. There was no
haste for the admission Of Wyoming or
Idaho, that did not equally apply to Arizo-
ma and New Mexico, unless for political
calculations.
The picking out of two Territore. and
plucking them into the Union by the ears,
looked like An operation not justified by
any sound principal Of statesmanship or
public necessity ard only found ju,fifies-
ton in the minds of its promoters by the
fact that thsy were increasing their politi-
cal influence. In the Mt xt Presidential cleo
ton.
Morgan denounced the action Of the
Governor, Chief Justice, and Auditor of
Wyoming, in getting together without any
authority whatever, and anticipating the
action of Congress in way of enabling the
act by app0rtioning delegates among the
various cou stries, providing for the cDnven-
ton, and for vote on the constitution,
then demanding Congress to legalize their
action and sdmit the Territory as . State,
with the understanding il Congress would
do so the new State would vote for the re-
publican car didate for Presidency next
time. There bad been no bsrgain,
perhaps to that effect. but it was just as
well unde stood as IL it had been blrg ain.
Everyone knew that if Wyoming sas To be
democratic State il could not be admitted
at this time, As respects the provision for
woman suffrage in the Wyoming constitu-
ton. the acceptance of that constitution by
the United States. would he said, be the
ratification and confirmation OF that provi-
sion, and thereafter such confirmation could
not be withdrawn.
II a woman could vote and hold Office 10
Wyoming. she could be elected to the Sen.
ate or House, and what would become
then. he asked, of the language in the con
stitulior, which provides as to the Senator
or Representative that he shall be an in
habitant of the State in which he shall be
chosen. When a splendid woman from
Wyoming should present herself to take
the oath of office as senator, il would be
an unparalleled iufliction upon him to have
to ask the question. whether the gentleman
was qualified for the position?
Payne suggested. jocularly, that the
presence of woman Senators would not
have good fleet on the Senate. particu-
latlv during the executive sessioas.
Morgan said that he had never objected
to woman suffrage on the ground that
ercise the ballot or frame laws. 1t was the
immoral influence Of the ballot upon woman
ihs; he objected to. He did not want to
see her brought into contact with the rude
elements Of political life, wnere her deli
cate sensbilities would he con n,tantly
wounded by bal AMI desperate politicians
anu IEtu. nat Nas EuL mgr iuItt.uu Ut
Office 1t would BE- degrading her from the
high station in which God placed her. lie
would remove from community where it
was necessary for his wife and daughter to
% to the polls to protect his liberty. lie
would ~ soon see them shoulder muskets
and go Ike Amazons into the field m fight
for his liberty.
Cullom suggeeted the case where .. won
an had not husband to vote for her.
Morgan said in his State the black man
would do the voting.
Cullom You would not let him"
Morgan-"Oh. yes. if he is a pretty de-
cen. fellow. We let ten negroes vote
in the South where you let one white man
in the Northern factories vote according to
his own views
Spooner asked whether. in the almssion
Of new States it was the duty Of Congress
to look beyond the question whether their
Constitution Was Republican in form. He
was not, he ssi5 y convert to the doc :rine
of woman suffrage. lie said There are
other provisions besides that of womsns
suffrage in the Wyoming Constitution that
! would omit from it, If had the right to
10 so. l call attention to the fact that this
woman suffrage provision is not absolutely
new. In New Jersey women had the right
of voting until 1907
Morgan said that in the New Jersey bill
of rights of 1865 was a property qIialifica
ton which made no reference 20 ser.
In the Wyoming constitution aos )lute pro
vision was made for woman's suffrage.
Platt reminded Morgan that the matter
OF woman suffrage bill was before the
supreme Court of the United States in
1874, on the question whether Stste that
did not allow it was republican in form.
The court held that il was too hte 10 rss,
the question and that it was not true that
a State was not republican in form because
il did not allow women to vote.
Payne characterized the constitution Of
Wyoming as the illiaitimate offspring of
pagents, but admitted that the
bastardy mizht be cured BY its subsequent
adoption. He was not sure but 1t might be
very desirable to have women Senators
from Wyoming and not sure that it was
inevitable. The parties ou. there are
equally divided. The women out there are
very smart but the men were the most
weak minded, etfeminate and emasculsted
set of men that could be found in the
United States. He thought it likely tina,
the women would unite with the democrats
to elect democratic Senator and the men
would unite with the republicans to elect a
republican Senator, hut he hoped that both
Senators would be women. lie did not lay
much stress upon the word "he" in toe
constitution of the United States because
he knew that the caucus Of the republican
msjority would arrange that by declaring
he" pronoun of the "comnon FENDER"
lie asked his friend from Connecticut
whether he or any respectable cultured
woman OF Connecticut would vote for An
amendment to the constitution Of that State
admitting female suffrage.
Platr-I should not vote for Il; but If
the people of Come cticut should s.e fit to
incorporate woman suffrage in her consti-
tuition would not leave the State on that
account.
Jones' substitute enabling act for Wy
oning, Idaho. Arizona and New Mexico
vas rejected By strict party vose-yeAs
Is. nays 20.
Jones of Arkansas moved - substitute
an enabling act for Wyoming alone, which
was rejected BY exactly the same vote.
The bill admitting Wy omisg - = State
was passed By stzfct party sote--yess %,
nays Is. Frye voted yes, Hale not re-
corded.
The bill for the admi ssion Of Idaho vas
taken up but vent over . "unhnisled
business till Monday next.
After . short execusivs session the Sen
ate =; 30 adj burned.
Advocates ard opporsnts Of ths
National Eiection Bui.
Consideration Of the naEonal election
bill vas resumed in the Hotbe.
Ss~vcv nf 0hi, said fhA unsu.u,~ ~.s