The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-30
SOUTH DAKOTA WOMEN.
Are Women of This Glass Not Entitled t
Re Renresenfed

Are Women of This Glass Not Entitled to
Be Represented
Editor lFGmGn'S Column. Morning Call:
In reading Journal devoted to the inter-
estS Ofwomen a few days since came across
an account of South Dakota women, written
by Mrs. Chapman, a hard worker for wo-
mans rights, and its reproduction in the
Woman's Column is, think, in order Mrs.
Chapman writes:
If independence and self-reiance are aualifi-
cations Tor The ballot, the women of South
Dakota deserve acknowledgment. The State
contains thousands OF women farmers; young
women, splnsters and widows who came here
few years ago. cook up claims, imuroved
them ana are now ull-tiedged agrlculturists. In
one county found 100 of these independent wo-
men farmers, yet twas NOT the county which con-
tanned The laig 81 number by any means. NJ oney
has been hard TO get in this country, and
everyone seems to have gone BACK TO the old.
fashioned way oil performing all his own work,
whether lie knew how or not, in order to save the
EXPENSE OF hiring labor Under this system
women have DEVELOPED capacities for doing
thii.es no one ever dreamed women could do.
one young LADY Observation-Disclosures, refined
looking, styllshy dressed-Iook me TO see her
claim, and pointed Will pardOnable pride TO her
house OF lnee rooms finished in front by a
red trimmings and red roof. | was astOnished
when she told me she painted il herself, roof
and all, and tbat 1t was not so very hard TO do
when you once learned how. Another young
lady displayed a neatly put-togetner stable for
her one horse and COW. and said she built 1t her
self with no other help than that which the
neighbors gave her at n raising"
Once Willie driving at Dreakueck pace along
a country road III light wagon with TWO typical
Dakota women, talking equal suffrage of course,
front wheel suddenly Iau of and deposited us
by the roadside in heap. Our driver was able
10 STOP Tie horses In time TO prevent a runaway,
aud our heads were speedily put together 10 see
now we could get out OF The predicament we
were good mile lrom any human habtatton,
and al least Tour miles from our destination. My
ufsT thought - wish tlara M
within reach" but no such wish was uttered by
my Two companions. One said TO The other
" You hold the horses While l hunt for the burr''
Qhere are no convenient fences and posts for
lltcllng In this country We walked back over
the road a full half mile. and were rewarded by
finding The missing article The wheel was put
not very securely, aud we started OIL our
way, one woman walking by the side
us lnt0 further trouble. About a mile beyond
We came 10 house where we stopped TO borrow
toolS 10 put The burr on properly. No one was
found al home, but search in the barn discoy-
cred munc&y-wreneh, which was skillfully ap-
piled. and We were soon rafting on our way in a
good sound condition.
In 4 good sized town met fine-iooklng busi-
hess-like woman, much interested in equal
suffrage. | enjoyed long visit with her and
listened with much interest TO her experiences
as teacher IN The colored schools OF the South
She had husband, who was druggist aud
llille gill was not surprised 10 learn such an
independent woman had IL business OF her own
Dul was SURPRISED when learned what 1t was.
sac was cattle buyer. She secured the whole
district With her own horse and buggy, filled car
after car with cattle and shipped them TO
blcdgo, frequently going with them herself
Men SAID she was the best judge of fat cattle In
all her district, YET have met no more womanly
woman in the State.
In the language of Mrs. Chapman 1 say
IL Independence and self-reiianee are
qualifications for the ballot, the women of
South Dakota deserve Acknowledgement"
Git'oV, Cal January, 1891 SIS.