Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-26
EQUAL SUFFRAGE IN KANSAS.
Hos the womea Of The State Once Conducted
Legislature.

ToeEkA, Dee. 3s--It may be asserted
that equal suffrage 10 Kansas is an accom-
plisiiesi fact, although the resolution sub
mittins thai question To a vote will not be
adopted until near the close Of the coming
session of the Legislature.
As both the Republican and Populist
parties are committed 10 universal suffrage
II is not unreasonable TO suppose that the Is
Republicans aud the Is Populists in the
Legislature will stand squarely by their
state platforms.
Indeed therc are wame, enough ,u both
parties, women bs took leading parts IN
the lat, campaign, who viii make 1t their
special nission 10 ste that none of the
taemhers prove guilty OF reeantatiaa.
ameng the notable workers for equal
suffrage ia this state are Mrs Laura VI.
Johns, Mrs. Anna l.. Digs, Mrs. Mary
Ellen Lease, Mrs. Hannah Thurston emil
Mrs. Wilma Brown, who have called u
their all such WOMEN as Miss Ansitony,
Mrs. Shaw and Mrs. Goggsr.
This question of equal snfcrage Was
pressed With SO mucli yIgor curing tiie SEES
sion of ;ht' legislature six years ago that for
the first tine ia the history vi Kansas n
woman was invited to address that bo,is
" bile il was in session. Mrs. Helen VI
Gouger received that bonor,
Mrs Jo.ts has male this subject her
sole tiiougigi Tor ears, and has held many
meetings in the state. Mrs. Lease and
Mrs. Diggs did not seem to take much in
terest in the suffrage question until three
years ago, whea they became Alliance and
Peoples party ieetarers. Mrs. Brown is a
convert of Mrs. Johns.
Four years ago these women believed
they were about to receive the right for
which they had been contendiDg, and 10
order to be fully prepared tor the public
duties that may come upon ,liem. ''lcgis-
lafure' was called TO meet in the Capitol
builiing in this city. There were fully 200
members present, all women, represent
ing AS many districts.
\ speaker and chief clerk were selected
ard then followed the minor officers and
pages. The first question was to determine
whether the presiding officer should be adj
dressed as ''Mrs. Speaker or Miss
Speakress. This caused a somewhat
acrimonious debate, which was ended only
when prm little woman moved that the
chief clerk be addressed as Miss Clerkess.r
This important question was never settled
and when the women come into their full
iisH'S thstc n'use Nv "hVNiiS' r""'e'' 49,
this subject.
Next came proposition TO amend the
constitution OF the state; IL was not ans
covered until after nearly TWO hours ae-
oafe that the Legislature enu" NOT TINKER
with that instrument py siihpie resolutions
when IL was heeluea upon iho''o,i Oh mem
Der to let Inc on 'hih2 CO. as IL ish inuch
use anyway Inns was the easiest meshoo,
SC the amendment went over until the next
session should DC called.
Then, in order to reach serious business
Mrs. Johns introduced II Dill 70 regulate tue
currency of the Nation. There was the
bill. II was introduced straight enough
but what do with it was u question that puz-
zeled the best of them. It was finally re-
ferrcd to committee with instructions to
''report fayorahly, or else report a substi-
( tute.' The committee has the bill yet, I'M
less il has been utilized for curling papers.
After half day spent IN TINS prohtabie
work, Miss Way desired that the assemoiage
should DO something sensinie ann drop 'he
child work engaged H. anu IN 'iie genera
taik that foiio"ed' 'he iesisiaenre was
! los Ftt ~