The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-22
PROGRESS OF UTAH WOMEN THE COM
PLETE SUCCESS OF WOMEN SUFFRAGE


Continued From PaSe One)
the public health. In 1897 she intro
duced the bill establishing the state
board of health. and in 1899 was instru-
mental in securing the passage Of a
medical bill which put the board on
working basis She also introduced the
bill establishing the hospital at the
state school for the deaf, dumb and
blind, and TO her efforts is due the law
that requires seats to be furnished to
women clerks. She was chairman of
the committee On public health and,
being the only physician in the senate,
took an active part in improving san
ltaTy conditions in the state, and was
also instrumental in defeating the pro-
posed measure abolishing The state
board of medical examiners.
since her retirement from office
MIS- cannon has praCticed her profess
sion, and has served on the state board
OF health and as trustee of the school
for the deaf. dumb and blind At the
present time Mrs Cannon is chairman
of the advisory board of the newly or
ganized Women's State Medical society,
a member of the psychological section
OF the Medico-Legal society of New
York, and a member of the Utah sub
committee on sanitation and hygiene
OF the National Medical association
At the same time that Mrs. Cannon
served in the senate, there were two
women in the house Mrs. E X. Le-
Barthe of Salt Lake and Mrs. S. A. An
derSon of Ogden, who is since deceased.
Mrs. LeBarthe was the first woman TO
present a Dill before any legislative
body 1t was IAN act to compel the re-
moval of high hats ana headgear at
theatres, opera houses and indoor
places or amusement She is known
today throughout the west for her
high hat bill" Mrs LeBarthe now
lives in Denver. where she is active in
politics and club work
Mrs Alice Merrill Horne, mother and
wageearner for a large family, was
in the lower branch of the Utah legis-
lature In 1899 She introduced a bill
for the announcement of art exhi-
called. in her honor. the "Alice Art
bill" In 1901 Mrs. Louise Y. Coulter,
a prominent club woman Of Ogden. was
a member of the house. Since that
time there have been no women legis-
lators in Utah
Two Lenders Named.
No review of the activity of Utah
women in politics would be complete
without mention of two leaders, Mrs
Emmeline B. Wells and Mrs. Franklin
S Richards, who worked together in
the days of the constitutional conven-
ton to secure the voting privilege for
champions of women in political life
ever since that time. Neither of these
women has held political office through
preference and because of too absorb
activity.
Mrs. Wells, who is recognized as the
dean among women workers of Utah,
began her literary and political activ-
ity when a very young woman, and is
now, at an advanced age. prominent
in the national woman's suffrage move
ment and a leading literary light of
Utah. She edits the Woman's Expon-
ent and is secretary Of the Relief So
ciety, in addition to holding office and
membership in numerous other organ
izations devoted to work among wo-
men
In 1874 Mrs. Wells was elected vice
president for Utah of the National
Woman'S Suffrage association, a posi-
ton she held many years. In 1895
she represented Utah at the National
Woman's Suffrage association conven-
ton, held in Atlanta She was for
some years a member of the RepuD-
lican territorial committee. and after
Republican state central committee. In
1896 she was made chairman of the
Utah Women'S Republican league Just
before statehood she was nominated for
the legislature, but withdrew (under
protes) when the question arose of
the ineligibility OF women to hold Of
flee prior to the signing of the con-
stiution by the president of the United
States.
Working for the Ballot.
Mrs. Wells was active in working for
the ballot for women. in Utah, though
at the time of the constitutional con-
venticn she was absent from the state
attending the convention of the Ma
tional Woman's Suffrage association in
Atlanta. Her work was ably carried
on by her friend and co-worker Mrs.
Franklin S. Richards, who was large