Evening star., 1924-11-05

Carrying the banner of Womanhood
for the first time in American history
into the guhernatorial chair. two
motherly women. educated and cul-
tured, both Democratic. but with diff
ferent political methods. step into the
posts formerly occupied by their hus
bands. the Governor OF Texas and
the Governor of Wyoming.
Mrs. Miriam \. Ferguson. fighting a
spirited battle against tn" I\u Klux
Khan and for the honor of her huS-
bands good name. Won the election
in Texas, and by virtue of tho GOOD
Will of the electorate has achieved
what her husband for years had failed
TO do. obtain public exoneration from
the stigma placed upon him ny i'm
parchment and removal from office.
Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross. widow of
the late Gov. William B. Ross of Wyo-
ming, not only wins the distinction
of becoming the first woman governor
in the United States by virtue of
succe eding Immediately to the Office
to fill her husbands unexpired term,
but she holds the honor, according
to her friends. of being even more
silent than President Coolidge him
self. and of delivering perhaps the
feWest and shortest campaign mes
SageS on record.
Wyoming Helps Women.
Thus womanhood takes the helm in
two States. q little more than four
years after the woman suffrage
amendment became effective, in
August. 1920, and after women had
sat in both houses of Congress in
In Wyoming Mrs. Ross becomes the
first woman governor OF a. State
which again proclaims itself a real
pioneer in rights for women. For it
was thirty-four years ago that
Wyoming Territory, on becoming
State, took long stride forward and
threw a shock into her sister COM
monwealths by writing votes for
women" into the new State consti-
tuition.
Nellie Tayloe Ross is pioneer
herself She accepted the Democratic
nomination at the last moment, only
in the sense that it came as a tribute
to her husband, whose loss she
mourned during the campaign, while
running to succeed him.
"Of course, I am deeply Interested
in politics." Mrs. Ross said, and 1
think women are as well qualified to
hold administrative places as are
men, but l have never aspired to pub
lie office and do so now only that l
might carry to fruition the policies
and plans of my husband.
Wants to yindicate Women.
She is concerned principally with
two things-the welfare of Wyoming
as a whole and the effect of her con-
duct in office, if elected, upon future
candidates. of women in other
States.
"If elected governor she said re-
Gently, Il will exert myself to the ut
most in so conducting State affairs
that it may never again be said wom-
en- are unfit for executive office.
feel very keenly my responsibility
toward all womanhood because of the
position in which l may be placed.
Just as Wyoming opened the way for
woman suffrage in other states, so L
shall strive to make the pathway of
capable woman aspirants elsewhere
easier: to move, as far as L may, the
prejudice still lingering in some quar-
ters against electiug women to re-
sponsible public Offices"
Mrs Ross has not precipitated her
self into national policies. Unlike
Mrs. Ferguson, she has no words
either for or against the ku klux
klan, nothing about Teapot Dome, no
comment on foreign relations. These
things are not within her province.
AS governor. her husband helped to
remove the lid from Teapot Dome
the rest is in Federal hands.
Keeps Talk to Minimum.
IA minimum of talk" is one of the
impressive things which visitors to
the new Governor of Wyoming seem
to remember after their conferences
with her. Personally. says one inter-
viewer, she is "a handsome, charm
ing, well informed woman, who does
things in an efficient, thorough manner
with a minimum of talk" She is also
described as aristocratic in appear
ance, cultured, widely read and Well
informed.
Her terseness was demonstrated in
accepting the Democratic guber-
material nomination with a message
of less than 400 words. In an appeal
to the women of the State, Mrs. Ross
wrote less than 500 words. She made
no speeches.
The mother of three sons. Ambrose
and George, now 21, twins, and Brad
ford now IL, Mrs. Ross is in truth a
motherly woman, full of domestic,
instincts, and a pride in fine house
keeping.
She learned housekeeping early, and