The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-10-03
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)


Susan B. Anthony's name is known
everywhere as that of one of the strong
est, cleverest women of the age. 1t is
synonymous with the marvellous evolution
IN the status of woman in which from the
early .40s until her death early in the
present year she was the central figure.
The transition of the young quaker girl,
AFRAID of the sound of her own voice, into
the reformer and orator is no more WON
aerful than the great change which have
been brought about in the condition of
women largely through her efforts.)
Half century ago, when the agita-
ton for woman suffrage was first COM
menced, if the outlook for its
success had been what it is to.
day, the question would long since
have been settled, the friction of
the new regime smoothed away and
the general public oblivious to the fact
that there ever had been struggle to
bring all this about. The present gen.
GRAFTON has not the slightest concep.
ton of the conditions which existed at
the time when the first demand was
made that the ballot should be placed
i
to-day rests secure in the ownership
of the home and of all the property
which comes to her, who manages it
herself and enjoys, the profits; the
other one who, compelled to work for
wages to support her children, col
lects and uses them according to her
Judgment; the mother who, widowed
by death or divorce. rejoices in the
possession of her children; the won.
en- who, in every possible vocation, are
earning livelihood and often a com.
petence-all of these are in utter ig-
norance of the efforts which were
made by the women of the past to Sc.
cure for them these privileges.
We have now reached the point
where the antagonism against the
equal rights of women is confined al.
most wholly to that of the suffrage.
In practically all other respects thew
are conceded and while some states
are slow in changing their laws to con-
form to the new dispensation the Jus.
tice of it is admitted and it will IRE.
vail universally in the near future, so
far as the statutes are concerned. The
battle henceforth must be for the
franchise. The vital question thus
becomes: What is the outlook TO,
the ultimate success of this last con
test?
Commencing with municipal suf-
frage to widows and spinsters in 1869,
England now grants to all women, on
the same terms as to men, the full
Suffrage except the parliamentary
vote. West Australia began with the
municipal ballot in 1871; South Aus
tralia in 1850; New Zealand in 1856.
The full parliamentary suffrage was
granted to women in New Zealand in
1893: in South Australia in 1895; in
West Australia in 1900. The Isle of
Man granted the full franchise in 1883.
Every English colony has some form
OF woman suffrage.
Forty-five years ago in no part of
the United States did women possess
shred Of suffrage, save that in Ken
lucky widows could vote on school
matters. In 1861 Kansas gave this
privilege to all women. In 1875 school
suffrage was granted to women by
Minnesota and Michigan: in 1876 by
Colorado; in 1878 by New Hampshire
and Oregon; in 1879 by Massachu
sets; in 1880 by New York and Yer.
mont: in 1883 by Nebraska; in 1855
by Wisconsin; in 1887 by North and
S":lth Dakota. Arizona and New Jer.
sey: in 1889 by Montana; in 1890 by
Washington: in 1891 by Illinois: in
1893 by Connecticut; in 1894 by Ohio.
In 1869 the territory of Wyoming
gave full suffrage to women and. after
-, 81 years experience, the state came