The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-03-06
A WOMAN AT THE HELM.
Mrs. Diggs Assumes Charge of Leg
lslation In Kansas.

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THE OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE ALLIANCE woMEN-sHE SITS
IN THE HOUSE LOBBY AND DIRECTS
THE MEMBERs-Now SHE is GOING
TO WASHINGTON TO COACH HIM OF.
THE LONG BEARD.
[The Baltimore Farmers Alliance
journal publishes the following letter
from Topeka, Kansas.
Topeka, Feb. 23.-Those who OPP
pose woman's suffrage will find field
for profitable study in Kansas. From
the Farmers Alliance and the present
Granger Legislature they can prove
that women once clothed with author
ity, are tyraDts, and that the only SAL
walton for the men is to forever keep
them in political bondage.
One little woman, weight los, height
sixtyone inches, runs the lower house
of the Kansas Legislature. The story
Of how this little woman, whose hus-
bands name is Diggs, and Of how
large woman Of the name of Lease,
made speeches all over the state until
Senator ingalls, found himself without
defender among the agriculturists has
been told in both poetry and prose.
But there was something nearer to the
hearts of these two women than the de.
feat Of Ingalls, and the rebuke Of the
Republican leaders. 1t was move to
interest the women in politics and pave
the way for female suffrage. It all
came about so naturally that the polite
ians wouder why they did uot see it
sooner.
Now the women are running every
thing. Mrs. Annie Diggs is a member
of the Alliance Legislative Committee.
She was appointed by the Alliance
caucus to adyise the Legislators, and she
speaks as one having authority. She
claims to represent the women Of the
Alliance. and her word is law, To
refuse her request means social boycott.
She sits in the lobby advises represen-
tatiyes by note what to do and when to
do it. She prepared the bill which
confers on women the right to vote and
bold office. Although many of the AL
lance Legislators opposed it, not one
dared to vote against it, and it received
just as many votes as did Judge PETER
for United States Senator. She pre-
pared bill making it Il e duty Of the
Governor to appoint two women on
every State board of Eve persons
charged with the management OF edu-
cational and charitable institutions, and
every Alliance legislator voted for it
The Alliance Legislators were inclined
70 favor resubmission of the prohib-
TRY amendment, but Mrs. Diggs as
representative of the women in the
Alliance, promptly -ehsckmated any
such move.
The Rspy'-f ~ Senate tnu be
threa $500 ~ kinds Of disaster ii
it refuses the demands of the women.
Only those who are acquainted with
the manner in which the last campai IN
IN this State was conducted can appre-
ciate the power which the women OF
the state exerted. They were far more
radical in their views than the men.
and led rather than followed in all po-
litical movements. The girls refused to
recognize their sweethearts unless they
Joined the reform movement, and wives
imposed social boycott on the wives
Of neightors who did not help make the
fight against the plutocrats. The men
in the Alliance ranks recognized that
their wives and daughters were render
ing them valuable assistance and en-
couraged it. The women held meetings
and made all the arrangements for the
picnics and political gatherings. They
met by themselves and resolved that il
the women Of the country had only
been permitted to have share in the
government of the nation these things
would not have come upon them. The
women furnished the enthusiasm of the
campaign. They boycotted country
merchants who refused to support
Alliance candidates aud would not per
NIT Republican country newspapers to
come into the house.
As reward for all this service they
demanded representation in Topeka,
and selected Mrs. Digs. Mrs. Lease
was kept on the road as lecturer
While Mrs. Diggs is the only author
lied representative of the Alliance
women, she has any number of assis
tants. The wives of the members fiji
~ Ill.,. \ - IL IN, =.