The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-23
UTAH WOMEN IN POLITICS.
Their Great Work in the Campaign
just Ended.

Though Unexpectedly Deprived of the
Franchise, They Plunged Into the Cam.
paign with Earnestness.
Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov 16.-The
Utah woman has passed her preliminary
examination in politics triumphantly, says
a despatch TO the New York Times. In
the campaign just ended she proved a
factor, whose potency for good is now
admitted, even by those who were won't
to declare that her advent into politics
would destroy her delicate sensibilities
and degrade her toward the level Of the
ordinary politician. Even in the homes
that contained the most earnest women
workers the breakfast rolls have been as
light and appetizing, the coffee as fra
grant, and the domestic atmosphere as
delightfully."- apparent during the excite
ment of the campaign as ever before or
since.
At the polls Oh election day women
were among the most earnest workers,
and, in consequence, there was an absence
Of the boisterous conduct and language
which have accompanied past campaigns
Election day was cold and damp. On
the preceding two days there had been q
heavy snowfall, which. partially melted,
had produced by combination with
Utah's peculiar soil, sticky, irresistible
mud that covered every one and every
thing. Overhead the sun was able only
at long intervals to break through the
clouds. The air was chill and dank. Or
inarily such weather conditions would
have provoked undue intimacy with
Kentucky products, but the new women
of Salt Lake City, anxious to remedy the
evils they recognized, opened booths .ad-
jacent to the polls in every precinct.
where they dispensed hospitality in the
form of coffee. rolls, sandwiches, and
fried chicken. Even the hayward hack
man succumbed to the new order of
things, and announced his conviction
that women should not only be permitted
to vote, but should, in addition, be given
the entire direction Of affairs political,
with fried chicken and coffee accompani.
ments.
By provision of the Constitution, the
women of the State of Utah are given the
franchise upon attainment of their ma
jority, if citizens of the United States,
Section of Article W., of the Constitu-
ton, providing ''The rights of citizens
of the State of Utah to vote and hold
office shall not be denied or abridged on
| account of sex. Both male and female
citizens of this State shall enjoy equally
all civil, political ana religious rights
and privileges
This provision was interpreted by
Judge Smith of Ogden in test case to
mean that women might vote at the re-
cent election for State officers, Congress-
mon. and on the adoption of the Consti.
tuition. The Supreme Court, however,
reversed Judge Smiths decision, much
to the dissatisfaction of the women, who
were eagerly preparing for the fray. The
Republicans, meantime, had nominated
Mrs. Emma J. McVioker for State Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction and
the same party had in Salt Lake County
placed Mrs. Lille R. Pardee on its sena-
torial ticket, while Mrs. Emeline B.
Wiles was named as a candidate for As
sembly honors. In consequence of the
i Supreme Courts decision, substitutions
had to be made for all three nominations,
| prise Of the gentlemen on whom was i'm
posed the thankless task of informing
them that all hope of political honors
must be abandoned for the time, graceful
ly yielded, then set themselves resolutely
to work for their party. Mrs. Pardee
was subsequently elected secretary of the
State Committee and fulfilled every re-
quirement of the difficult position with
gratifying success. Contrary to the ex-
pectation of those who were unacquainted
with her capabilities, she gave out news
TO the reporters and withheld informa-
ton with the incest discrimination and
the utmost political tact. She is the wife
of prominent young attorney, and,
like many other Western women, indis-
posed to rely entirely upon their hus-
bands, she adds to his income by teaching
Latin and Greek.
A writer for a Democratic paper en-
deavored at a reception to worm out OF
her an important political secret using
all the Establishments at his command.
Mrs. Pardee listened to him with a
smile, then quietly quoted line from
Virgil: "Timeo Danaos ct dona
ferentes. - The reporter grasped the sit
uation when friend translated the ex-
cerpt for him, and from that time he
forebore flattery as an auxiliary in polit-
ical news gathering
Republican women showed themselves
much more active than their Democratic
sisters in the campaign, one of whose
most striking incidents was a mammoth
parade one sunny Saturday afternoon.
Women on horseback, women in drags.
brakes, barouches, surveys, wagons. dog
carts and every other conceivable form
of vehicle. accompanied by brass bands,
with numerous drum corps, colors every
where flying, decorations galore. and
many appropriate floats were few of
the features of this extraordinary pa
geant. Nothing of the kind was ever wit