The Helena independent., 1893-04-04
MRS. POTTER OF KANSAS.
Tho Woman Who u Nunntng for Mayo
~ Of KAnsas City.

Tho Woman Who II Runntng for Mayor
80 Of Kansas City.
Tho constitutional amcndment giving
women the right OF suffrage In Kansas.
from the present, outlook, will sweep tho
sunflower state liko prairie fire when sub
mitted at she election this fall. This IL
coming 10 bs moro and more tho settled bo.
lief OF leading politicians OF both parties.
Kansas never does anything by halves. says
the Kansas City (Kan. correspondent Of
the Chicago Herald. and the great alliance
landslide, which left suoh 4 tangle OF re-
publican and democratic dismembsred
bodies sticking up everywhere through the
debris. 10 expected to pale before the sweep
of the suffragists.
Here In the first city OF the state, women
have bean openly dabblinR In politics for
the past twclve years. During all this time
they have had the privilege of voting for
members OF the school board, and six years
ago were given tho right to vote for all
being clothed with this new dignity tho
women out "a very small figure. But they
have steadily gained in strength ano IN
fuencs until now there 10 woman cAndi-
date for mayor In the field.
The head of the movement hcre 10 Mrs.
d. Il. Bradford, whose husband runs .
musical instrument depot and tooss re-
publican horn. She is y woman OF 90 OF W
tall. heavily built, with gray hair framing
rather forid fooe-a woman who suggests
b. l.. Stine ts another ons. tprominens
among the sufragists.. She 10 not ovor No.
slim, graceful and rather p city OF race.
They were mainly instrumentalin getting
together some thirty or forty ladies on the
evening Of March Z. and ont OF this oams
No sooner was this frRt conference known
than into the field bounced Mrs. Anna
Potter, wife of Eli Potter, insurance agent.
armed cap u pie as candidate for mayor
II announce myself an independents cendi-
date" she said IN her brief card. "and AK
all voters to place my name at the head Of
their tickets"
Thie woman candidate for mayor 10 below
medium height and nobody would guess
her weight at less than ITO. She 10. per-
haps, 90 years old, and her hair is gener-
ously ,streaked with gray. She has long
characters in Kansas City. In her own
home It is equally we'll known that she has
long worn the trousers. She built . homo
nobody thinks Of referring to Mr..
Potter In touching on domestic history OF
the family-at Eighth and state streets.
using Mr. Potter's money 40 fast a. he
made it. until she had = magnificent place.
but II was all frame, aud when . FIRE
started in 1t last fall the house Was wiped
out in twinklinQ. Mrs. Potter carried
$50 600 insurance and ut once built brick
house on Minnesota avenue. But 1t didn't
suit, and she 10 now rebuilding the old
place. She 10 now her own superintendent
Of construction, and 10 on the ground
every day ordering the workmsn shout
with harsh. strident voice which has q
ring in it that causes hodosrriers TO fairly
makes the ladders smoke in an effort TO see
how quick they can reach tho last round.
Mrs. Potter does her bossinq Attired in q
dress of heavy black ailk velvet plush. q
sea|skin coat Of generous proportions and .
big hat showing labyrinth of flowers and
fenthers She weats diamonds in her cars
40 big a. hickory nuts, and gems fash from
her fneers. But despite her wealth and
undouhted richness of her clothing, and
speaking with all due respect. Mrs. Pot
ter's appeatanoe always reminds one Of 9
Christmas tree. She never pays calls and
shc makes no visits. She is always out
spoken. Last fall, as an incident
of thousands showing this. she was
passenger on an electric car.
Among the passengers were two
strangers discussing politics. They had re-
Quested to be let of at Fifth and Delaware
streets, but the conductor was negligent
and the car was running BY their destina-
tion. Mrs. Potter jumped up and gave the
bellrope yauk.
Here's Fifth and Delaware Streets" ahe
sang out. "You fellows had better get of.
We're tired Of hearing YOU talk politics."
And the strangers fed ~ II possessed.
while Mrs. Potter's tone and manner caused
every face in the oar to be rigidly set as il
not q soul had heard t''s' Fst"
when elected no man will run my
Office" says she. and everybody In Kansas
City believes this implicitly.