The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-11-18
The Municipal Suffrage Bill.

Editor of Daily Journdl:-The House has
before 1t bill to extend municipal suffrage
to tax-paying women. This bill seems tc
me to be simple act of justice to a class Of
citizens who are taxpayers. 1t is peril
nent question to ask concerning this limo
walton whether it will bring any undesir
able consequences to the tax-paying women
themselves, or to the men who already have
the franchise.
In reaching a conclusion concerning the
practical effects of this measure an ounce
of experiment is worth ton Of theory
What has been the effect in Kansas where
women have had municipal suffrage fol
nearly ten years, the following testimony
shows:
W. II. Johnston, justice of the supreme
court of Kansas, under date of June %
1889, wrote. In response to your inquiry
/ will say that have watched with interest
the operations Of the Kansrs act, extending
suffrage to women in municipal elections
and am gratified to state that the right has
been very generally availed OF BY ouI
highly beneficial. In consequence, our
elections are more orderly and fair q
higher class OF officers are chosen, and we
have cleaner and stronger city govern.
ments."
Lyman U. Humphrey, governor OF Kan.
sas in 1885, under date of June 81, in that
year, wrote: |" 1 take pleasure in saying that,
in my Judgment the action Of our people in
giving to women municipal suffrage has a
good influence uponIthe politics of our state.
The vote of the women has increased at
each election, and it may be truthfully said
that it is factor in securing purer and
better municipal government"
Il. b. Kellogg, attOrney-general, at that
time wrote under same date as above:
So far as am able to learn, the votes OF
the women In our cities, under the NUM-
cipal suffrage act, have, upon the whole,
han IN In tV.fn- q 4
morals, and prudent and intelligent city
government. think the better class of our
citizens, without regard to party, have ar
rived at this conclusion"
These sample testimonies are from state
where municipal suffrage has been tried.
ask for full suffrage for women, but full
suffrage has been tried in Wyoming for
twenty. seven years, and no dire results
have followed, il we can trust the testimony
of governors and legislators.
This evidence covers more than two de-
cades, and comes from men and women of
both political parties. Every governor of
Wyoming, for more than twenty years, has
testified to the good results OF woman suf-
frage. The governors of territories are ap-
pointed by the president, not elected by the
people; they are not dependent on the
women's votes, hence their testimony is i'm
partial. Governor Campbell was in office
in 1869 when the woman suffrage law was
passed Two years later he said, in his
message to the legislature: 1t is simple
justice to say that the women, entering for
the first time upon these new and untried
duties, have conducted themselves in every
respect with as much tact, sound Judgment,
and good sense as men,"
Francis e. Warren, governor OF Wyoming
in 1889, under date of July, ], 1889, wrote:
After twenty years trial of woman suf-
frage in Wyoming territory, 1t lis pronounced
an unqualified success by men and women
alike, and of both political parties. In my
judgment, it will surely prevail in the state
OF Wyoming as well as in the territory and
her constitution will be prepared accord
ingly. The women of Wyoming have been
exceedingly discreet and wise In their suf-
frage. So much 80, that the different legis-
latures of Wyoming have not attempted its
overthrow, although majorities have some-
times been largely republican, and at other
times largely democratic, and at others
about equally divided. am sure a major
ity OF the citizens of Wyoming would be
glad to see woman suffrage throughout the
Union"
A concurrent resolution passed paani.
mously by the state legislature Of Wyo-
ming In 1893 closes with the words: "As