St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-10
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

A Woman's Part in the Equal
Suffrage Campaign in Wyoming.
Omaha Bee.
William II. Bright, who secured the
passage of the law comforting universal
suffrage in Wyoming, recently received
a government appointment at the ma
tional capital. He is now a white
haired man of sixty. For long time
he lived in Colorado, was resident of
Leadville, and worked for a while at the
Colorado fish hatchery. Neither time
nor fortune has dealt kindly by Bright,
aud he was actually in need of employ
ment when he received his new ap-
pOintment.
When Wyoming was organized as
territory Bright lived at South Pass.
where he kept saloon. There was a
meeting called to select members of the
legislature from there. A cheeky sort
of a lawyer named Rockwell, without
any practice to speak of, wanted to be
representative, and at the mass meeting
eXtoled himself. Bright, who was pres
ent, made humorous speech, ridi-
cullng the nerve of the lawyer, who pre-
tended that he would be making a great
sacrifice in serving as a legislator.
Among other things he said, according
to Il Cheyenne paper: ''Pve conSidera-
bic bar practice myself, but it's mostly
behind the bar. But fortunately nv
trade will not suffer very much during
temporary absence, and what it suffers
I'm perfectly willing to stand. | think
L could represent you fellows in good
shape in the territorial congress, and if
you want me to 90 you've only got to
say the word, and I'll pack my grip for
Cheyenne when the time comes"
This speech caught the crowd. Rock
well finally confessed that he wanted to
go to the legislature. He was elected to
the house and Bright to the council, OF
which he was made president.
BrightS wife was a great deal better
educated than he was, and when he
wanted any writing or figuring done he
always went to her to do it. He was
great admirer of his wife, and he said in
his speech in advocating the bill: "Why
shouldn't L be in favor of giving my
wife the ballot? She is better morally
than l am, she is better educated. and
better qualified to Judge OF things-now
why should | say that she's not entitled
to the same rights that amp" This is
what Influenced Bright. He studied
the situation over very carefully and
fonnd just how every one stood on the
suffrage question. Nearly everybody
was openly opposed to it. But Bright
was good deal of a schemer and wire
puller. He made friends from the start.
In the appointment of the commit
tees he brought some under his infiu-
ence. To some he preached that the
passage of the bill would be a big adj
vertisement, and in the eyes of the
world would at once distinctly individ-
ualiZe Wyoming i'll the dead level of
wild Western states. To those so in
clined he gave the affair a humorous
tinge and spoke OF the hugeness of the
joke involved. To very few, perhaps,
he spoke of the business of the cause.
Many of them he won over by getting
from them private promise to give his
bill complimentary vote as a favor to
him, whenever necessary supporting
pet measures of other members as
consideration OH receiving the promise,
sometimes on the ground that the darn
thing couldn't pass, anyhow, but he
didn't like to see his only bill done up
so badly. Bright worked his cards
very shrewdly, and to the intense sur
prise OF everybody carried his bill
through both houses with out dissent
ing votS.
1t is said that during all the time the
Brights lived in Wyoming Mrs. Bright
never exercised the right of suffrage
conferred on her through her husbands
pluck.