Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-20

lowed. and that the vote Of the women
is "noticeably more conscientious than
that of men" 1t is signed by the gov
ernor and three eN-governors of Col
orado, the chief justice, all the judges
of the state supreme court, of the
Denver district court, and the court
of appeals; all the Colorado senators
and representatives in congress, the
president Of the Colorado college, the
president Of the State University, the
mayor of Denver, the attorney general,
the state superintendent OF public in
struction, distinguished clergymen OF
different denominations, and long
list of prominent men and women, in
Guiding the presidents of thirteen Of
the principal women's associations in
Denver.
A few months ago the Colorado leg
islature passed the following resolu-
ton, by vote of AS to 3 in the house,
and 30 to in the senate:
Whereas equal suffrage has been in
operation in Colorado for five years,
during which time women have exer-
cised the privilege as generally as
men, with the result that better candi-
dates have been selected for Office,
llIctuOuS W SlSCllOu 1dNc OCCA puIiuS0s
the character of legislation improved,
civic intelligence increased, and wom-
anhood developed to a greater useful
ness by political responsibility, there.
fore be it
Resolved, BY the house of represent
atiyes, the senate concurring, that in
view of these results the enfranchise-
ment of women in every state and ter
ritory is recommended as measure
tending to the advancement OF better
and higher social order.
On the other hand, during the six
years that equal suffrage has prevail
ed in Colorado, its opponents have not
yet found six respectable men in the
whole state who assert over their own
names and addresses that it has had
any bad results.
In Wyoming, where equal suffrage
has prevailed for thirty years, the list
of governors and chief justices who
testify to its good results is even long
er than in Colorado. In 1893 the Wy
oming house of representatives passed
the following resolution by a unani-
nous vote:
That the exercise Of suffrage by
women in Wyoming for the past quar-
ter Of a century has wrought no harm
and has done. great good in many
ways; that it has largely aided in ban
fishing crime, pauperism, and vice from
| this state, and that without any vio-
lent or oppressive legislation; that it
has secured peaceful and orderly cleo
lions, good government, and remark
able degree of civilization and public
order; and we point with pride to the
facts that after nearly twenty-five
years of woman suffrage not one coun-
tty in Wyoming. has poor house, that
our jails are almost empty, and crime,
except that committed by strangers in
| the state, almost unknown; and as
| the result OF experience we urge every
civilized community to enfranchise its
women
| In Wyoming, where equal suffrage
has prevailed longest, the testimony
to its good effects is the most unani-
nous. For the last ten years the adj
vocates of suffrage have had stand
ing challenge inviting its opponents to
find two persons in all Wyoming who
will assert. oyeB their own names and
addresses, That II has had any bad re-
sults. The opponents have thus far
failed to respond.
Kansas women have had municipal
suffrage since 1887, A few years ago
an inquiry as to its results was adj
dressed TO the chief justice and all the
Judges of the state supreme court. All
concurred in substance with Judge w.
A. Johnston, who wrote: '''In conse-
.quence, our elections are more orderly
and fair, higher class Of officers are
chosen, and we have cleaner and
stronger city governments" If the
eastern anti-suffage associations have
found as many as three respectable
men in Kansas, who assert over their
own names and addresses that mum.
cipal women suffrage has had any bad
results, it does not appear IN their pub
1ished literature.