The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

Cheyenne and at present Justice of the
Supreme Court of Wyoming. His Honor
is an uneompromIsing woman suffragist,
and, while not given 10 glittering out
bursts of wordy enthusiasm, is always
ready to voice his views with no uncertain
sound.
LAS everybody knows" he remarked,
women in Wyoming have had the right
to vote since 1869, and, although that
frightful bugaboo of the anti-suffragists,
the 'unsexed' voting creature, is all we
can boast OF in the way of female citizens,
1, for one am more than willing to see
the ladies of Wyoming compared with any
in the world.
"Woman suffrage-I speak particularly
for Wyoming has been long and carefully
weighed in the balance, and not found
wanting. At the time of the adoption OF
the State constitution in 1890 woman suf-
frage had, so to speak, attained its ma
iority.
"For over twenty years it had been tried,
and it was seen and proved beyond all
cavil that it worked and worked splen-
didly. The elective franchise was con-
tirmed to women by constitutional enact
ment, which was adopted with only one
poor, forIorn, little dissenting vote.
There is practically no opposition to
woman Suffrage in Wyoming. The re-
suits of its adoption have proved in the
highest degree beneficial, and if any one
wanted to kick against it the kick would
only stub the kicker's toe. Women, as
rule, vote at all the elections IN at least
the same proportion as men. Independent
and unhampered, they vote freely and in
teiligently, though, like the men, they
have their party affiliations and prefer
ences. Their interest in governmental as
well as local politics is active and con-
slant. To be sure, in many instances,
husband and wife think alike politically,
but have never heard of any coercion in
the matter being exercised by the bus
band. Frequently the wife has come
from some other State. where she could
have had no political experience. In such
cases the wife often gets her hrst lessons
IN politics from her husband and event
ually espouses the principles advocated by
him.
"But in many other families the hus-
band and wife entertain different political
ideas and vote differently, and, although
I am familiar with some instances OF that
character, l know of no case and have
heard of none where 1t has caused any
difficulty or disturbance In the family,
and I am quite sure If there had been, it
would have come to my knowledge. The
women, as a class, are not ottiee-seekers.
They have held no office in our State out
side of those which are connected with
public-school work, such as Super1ntend-
ent of Schools. At present the State Su-
perintendent of Public instruction is a
woman, and, ex-officio, she is member
of several of the State boards, VIZ: those
which control the character and disposi-
ton of pubic lands, and the charitable
and penal institutions OF the State.
aCandidates of known bad or impure
character do not fare well at the hands of
the ladies of Wyoming. This is a fact
recognized by all the political parties, and
results in better nominations for public
office than might otherwise be the case. l
believe this to be one OF the beneficial re-
suits of woman suffrage. Dishonesty IN
public Office is of rare occurrence in Wyom-
ing. / have been asked ma1y times
whether the fact that women OF bad char
acter possess the right of suffrage does not
counteract the benefits which might ac-
crue from the exercise of the ffaI hise by
the better class of women. But in Wyom-
ing so large proportion OF the better class
of women vote that they greatly outnum-
her the worse element, nor have found
that the latter is always controlled by
those who are IN the interest OF the impure
or undesirable in politics.
aft has not been our experience that the
EXERCISE of the franchise interfIres with
wonan's domestic duties In any way, nor
does IL detract from her modesty, char
acter or reputation. Women are as much
respected in Wyoming as anywhere in the
world. believe that politics are purer,
that the conduct of the people around the
polls is more orderly than would be the
case if women did not vote. When tney
visit the polls they are not met by any in
sYlts and as much respect is paid to them
on such occasions as at any other pubic