Norwich bulletin., 1912-06-01
THE WOMAN MAYOR OF HUNNE-
 WELL, KANSAS.

 Co-solid, 1 drift back to the Corner as an outcome of my liking for folks. l must inquire of Co-solid If her inveSu- gations of the workings of woman suf- frage Is confined to what she has read or has she per sonal acquaintance with it on its ground in the states where 1t has been adopted? In sitting out the various views of this question we must elect to form our judgment from the word of those who have lived long in these states and are thoroughly &C., quainted with the conditions before and after the adoption of woman sui frage. Now I will accept the testi mony of no one who does not belong to this staff of informers, for we have abundant reliable testimony in favor of the unQuestionable advantages which have accrued from woman suffrage fin these states. Let us look at the real facts in regard to Mrs. Wilson, mayor of Hunnewell, Kas., of whom Co-colid speaks. I have followed this case care fully from the moment she consented to accept the position until two months ago, and 1t seems to me that Co-solld has most erroneous conception of the whole matter. Mrs. Wilson is 8 plain, kindly. strong woman, Intellectually and physically, who through the ill.,
 
 and support her three children, which she has done so efficiently that the women of Hunnewell picked her out as the one woman to run their town on high principles. This is high praise for a woman of 45 to have won from her townspeople. When she was in vited to become the candidate for mayor, she declined the honor. She was implored by the best people to re- consider and after due cOneidera tion she looked at her children, and g years old. respectively, and reviewed the temptations which beset the boy she had raised and sent out into the world. She sad to herself:
 How can you expect to raise your children in clean town unless you help to make it clean?"
 So this noble hearted mother who had raised one son to become an honor to her and knew the awful temptations | that must beset her two young chill 1 dren fearlessly took up the duty that l had come to her unsought.
 | What were the conditions in this ] town that awakened the women to take | this step? The previous mayor had | been supported by the women because i he posed as dry candidate. The night of his election he gave & ban | prove his good intentions and the next day opened a saloon of his own. Things went from bad to worse until the | women became desperate and decided i they would run a woman" said Mrs. l Osborn, the marshal appointed by | Mayor Wilson.
 The members of the common council were men who refused to do their duty because the mayor was a woman and in so doing proved their unfitness for i the position which they had accepted. If they did not care to work with a woman it was their privilege to resign, not to kick. They were not liberty 1 loving men. They seemed to De utter ly devoid of all sense of justice
 Mayor Wilson appealed to the gov ernor, who consulted with the attorney general, and Mayor Wilson was as- sured protection. These councilmen were warned if they did not do their duty they would be recalled. They | still refused to listen to reason and a petition was filed in the Kansas su- preme court by Attorney General Daw- son asking for the removal of three councilmen, alleging that Mrs. Wilson
 was elected mayor Of Hunnewell at the regular election, the voters writing their names on the ballot; that she did not seek the office, but that the voters elected her involuntarily," etc. The law -defpng councilmen resigned when the state brought these busting pro ceedings against them. Mrs. Wilson's friends were appointed as city clerk and city marshal and affairs have moved on smoothly since. The boot legEers and other laHbreakers were re- duced to order and the town under itl woman mayor has been cleaned UT and made & safe place for its boys and girls It was not the mayor who re- signed, but the councilmen. This Is nc theoretical view but plain facts which our reputable papers have published I do not remember to have seen any paper that has shown any sympathy with these councilmen.
 Women in Kansas have had munici.
 pal suffrage for years and have showr
 themselves content to let the men ruI affairs when they gave them clean pol
 itics. Why should a woman mayor fl
 a republic be a surprise or a shock |,
 anyone? It is no new thing for wom
 en te rule, and rule wisely, It is curi GUS that during the 1,T00 years that tn,
 Bible has been the foundation of GU churches St. PauPs view of womel ! has been held up as the model for al women, while Christ chose a woman {, herald his resurrection te the weFld
 All through the Bible we have wemei : chosen to represent the Reblest an, best in humanity, Hew rarely de " heaF Deborah spoken 6f, and yet Whei
 theEe was Ret a man in all Israel wit | backbone enough ta lead the arm
 against their enemy it was BebeFal } Wiaa stopped cut Of her hsAe and le tbe aEAy te victory and fsF 40 year was the judge ef Israel and IaaiHtaiHe 1 peace TReEe is Re finer, ne beaVeE, a nere exalted eAaracter in the Fhel Bible tkaR this weman, aRd she ha never been presented te the Christian wenaaRheed as an example.
 7 Women have saund out that the