The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-08
FEMALE VOTERS.
A Large Number Of Women at
the Polls in Kansas.
Unusual Excitement Attending The NUM- :
Gipal Election In Chicago.
Complete Returns Give CTegier Plurality
for the MayOralty lty-AuS.ralan
Ballot Tested.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL

KANSAS CITY, April 7.-Elections were
held in Kansas to-day in all the cities of the
first and second classes. Although without
general political significance the resul Its of
the election are regarded with considerable
interest for two reasons. First, because the
Citizens Alliance has tickets in the field and
is fighting all the old parties. The Citizens
Alliance is really a branch Of the Farmers
Alliance. 1t is organized on the same basis
and has the same objects in view. 1t is
composed of that element in the cities which
would join the Farmers Alliance but for
the act in the constitution Of the latter
organization which will admit none but
farmers. This element has been organized
in the cities mostly since the Farmers
Alliance landslide last fail, and this election
is its first opportunity of showing its
streug 9Th. Much interest is manifest in the
result on this account. The other element
In the election Which attaches interest to it
is the fact that women, under the laws of
Kansas, are allowed rqGal suffrage with
men in the municipal elections.
1t has been predicted that after one or
two experiences at the polls the novelty of
lllC lhiAS NOuIu QlSdppGdl, dlu Will H. W.
mems interest in municipal politics. This
prediction has not been fulfilled. On the
contrary women's interest in politics and
activity at the polls have increased with
each election. The registration of women
at the present election exceeded any former
registration. Ia Kansas City the increase
in registration was smaller than in other less
metropolitan cities of the State, being only
70. At Topeka the registration lists were
augmen ted by about 400 new names of
women. At Wichita the increase was about
800, at LeAvenworth 80, and at AtchiSOn
200. At Kansas City, Kausas 1915 women
registered, at LeavenwOrth 274S, at Topeka
2745, at Wichita 2300 and at Atchison about
1890.
In Kansas City all the candidates pro-
vided carriages to take the women to the
polls, and about two-thrdS of the female
vote was cast there. The women confined
tn cir interest i'll the election to voting, aud
in only few cases did any of them resort
to practical activity at the polls. This
activity was confined to a few Citizens
Alliance female leaders. The number of
negro women that voted in Kansas City was
notable. They marched to the polls with as
much, il not more, pride as their white
sisters, and exercised their rights OF suffrage
with a satisfaction peculiar 20 their race.
Dispatches from other of the large cities
in Kansas indicate that the vote Uf the WO-
men, as compared 10 the registration, was
prOportiOnate TO the male vote. Most OF the
women had their tickets prepared at home
or at places OF meeting, and their presence
at the polls was only hong enough to permit
them to deposit their ballots. Only few
female candidates appeared on any OF the
tickets. and for no Office higher than that
membership of the School Board.
Returns from several cities show the Citi-
zens' Alliance did not cut much of figure
except where it indorsed the Democratic
nominees. In those places they were sue
cessful in electing the Democratic nominees.
Abilene is the only city reporting Citizens
Alliance victory. The returns from Leaven-
worth show the entire Republican ticket
was elected. 1t was the first Republican
victory for six years in that vicinity. At
Lawrence the Republicans were also sue
cessful. They elected their fun ticket with
the exception of two members of the COun-
Gil, who were elected by the Citizens Alli-
anee. At Clay Center the Republicans de-
feated the Citizens Alliance and at Wichita
the Democrats carried every thing Atchi-
son elects Republican officers and 0lathe a
mixed set of officers, with tile Republicans
in control. At Ottawa all parties combined
against the Republicans, but the latter party
was successful.