Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-23

claimed to belong to the female sex. have made the measure less popular. but during the years I lived among the vOt- CTS and votresses of Wyoming I am compelled to say that election day was one of the calmest and sweetest of the whole year.
 went to Wyoming impregnated with the idea that woman did not wish to vote. and even if she did she was totally unfitted for the job. came away after eight years satisfied that she is fully as capable of exercising this right as man. and that she feels its importance and solemnity even more.
 She also shows excellent taste, judg- ment and knowledge of men. q filled office there seven years myself.)
 But, seriously. why shouldn't a woman know whom to vote for as well as her husband: Moreover, she is freer from the thrall of machine politics. The women of Wyoming did not pay any at tention to caucuscs, but when they went to the polls they had scratched and mutilated ballot inside the glove. and the knowledge of how their vote went rested between themselves and God.
 Whether my wife voted for or against me when I was called by my fellow citi- zens to accept the portfolio of justice of the peace will never be known till the great big diary of the recording angel Is read aloud after Gabriers musical selec- tion. But whichever way sine voted I am ready to abide by it.
 The first question asked naturally by those interested in this question is. Can women go to the dirty. nasty polls and vote without losing their self respect:
 This question is easily answered. Wo- men who respect themselves are respect ed most everywhere they go. and the polls in Wyoming, as I remember them, were as quiet and orderly as the vestibule | of a high church. The reason is very simple. If am running for office and dependent on woman's vote. am l going to allow my friends or my party to offend her in the slightest degree? Not so long as reason continues to remain seated on her throne.
 It is the same with all candidates and their friends. They do not allow any one to get within a block of the ballot box who isn't polite. silent and clean. Did you ever see a lady drive up to the postoffice and get n money order: The process is not so easy as voting because there is no law to keep other people 40 feet away from the money order win dow, but it is very much the same as voting where women have and exercise the right.
 There are a good many men in the United States who believe that educa- tion injures tho negro. They are the same kind of philosophers who fear to give the ballot to their wives. Of course there IS a difference in wives. I've seen wives l wouldn't want to give the ballot to. wouldn't want to give them any thing unless it might be % days or some. thing like that. but a man ought not tC get socially mixed up with a companion who doesn't know enough to vote.
 I've known many and many a man, gentle reader. who could well afford tC give his proxy to his wife while he spends few valuable years at the fool l house.
 In Wyoming it was customary for the strongest and ablest party to secure all the available carriages. horses. hacks hansoms. landaus. victorias, wagons wagonettes. etc., long before election in order to convey the women to tho polls quickly and pleasantly. but latel the ladies decided to walk and thus fee no obligation to either party.
 Of course wicked. naughty womer vote if they get the chance. This Is trus of low, coarse men too. In fact, ths soiled and sin stained soul seems called upon to vote earlier and ofteneF than ths purer one. InIs Is true with DOtn sexes, and it is all the more important, there fore, that they should not outvote the good, tho true and the beautiful.
 It is true now and then that bad la dies will vote if they have a chance. but we who know that the good ladies out number them 900 to 1 are not afraid on that account to extend and divid; with our wives and sisters this solemn right. We allow our wives and sister, to go to church for us and pray for u: while we 20 fishing. Why not let then vote for us? We allow our daughters and their mothers to intercede for us at tn, throne of grace. Why not let them rep resent us at the polls also?
 But women are peculiar, of course from a mans standpoint. For instance there can be no law passed to prevent { eve necked woman with gothic shoulder blades and q bloOlShOt nose if she shoult desire to voto. but other ladies should not get mad and remain at home becaus, this kind cf voter makes herself often sive and votes. Neither should the goot woman rcmain at home because thu wealthy Mrs. Dewfiicker does. If wOm an accepts one-half of mans duty as [ patriot and as a good citizen, not only a: ataxpayer, but as a voter, she should b' as faithful to the discharge of that dut, as she is to the discharge of his entir' moral and religious obligations, whicl she seems now to attend to almost en |