Woman and the Republic | Page 9

first spot in the country in which the measure gained a foothold,
and that was not believed by its introducers to be a part of the United
States. The Mormons who founded Salt Lake City supposed themselves
to be settling on Mexican territory, outside the jurisdiction of American
law. Woman suffrage was almost coincident with its beginnings, and it

came as a legitimate part of the union of state and church, of
communism, of polygamy. The dangers that especially threaten a
republican form of government are anarchy, communism, and religious
bigotry; and two of these found their fullest expression, in this country,
in the Mormon creed and practice. Fealty to Mormonism was disloyalty
to the United States Government. Thus, the introduction of woman
suffrage within our borders was not only undemocratic, it was
anti-democratic.
Woman suffrage was secured in Wyoming by means that bring
dishonor upon democracy. Wyoming was organized as a Territory in
1868. Many of its native settlers were from Utah. For its vast,
mountainous extent of nearly 98,000 square miles, the census gave a
population of only 9,118 persons. Of these the native-born numbered
5,605, foreign-born, 3,513. The males numbered 7,219; the females,
1,899. The "History of Woman Suffrage" records the fact that the
measure was secured in the first Territorial legislature through the
political trickery of an illiterate and discredited man, who was in the
chair. Mr. Bryce, in "The American Commonwealth," alludes in a note
to the same fact. Women voted in 1870. In 1871 a bill was passed
repealing the suffrage act, but was vetoed by the Governor, on the
ground that, having been admitted, it must be given a fair trial. An
attempt to pass the repeal over his veto was lost by a single vote.
Certainly, the entrance of woman suffrage into Wyoming was not a
triumph of democratic progress and principle.
Colorado was admitted into the Union in 1876, and great efforts were
made by Suffragists to secure the "Centennial" State. This resulted in a
submission of the question to the people, who rejected it by a majority
of 7,443 in a total vote of 20,665. From the first of the agitation for the
free coinage of silver, Colorado has been enthusiastically in favor of
that measure. In 1892 her devotion to it caused all parties to unite on
that issue and gave the vote of the State to General Weaver, Populist
candidate for President, and to David H. Waite, Populist candidate for
Governor. The question of woman suffrage was resubmitted to the
people at this election, and the constitutional amendment concerning it
was carried by a majority of only 5,000 in a total vote of 200,000.

Neither that movement nor its results present triumphant democracy.
In 1894 the Populist party of Idaho put a plank in its platform favoring
the submission of a woman-suffrage amendment to the people. In 1896
the Free Silver Populist movement swept the State. A majority of the
votes cast on the Suffrage question were cast in its favor, but not a
majority of all the votes cast at the election. The supreme courts have
generally held that, in so important a matter, a complete majority vote
was required, but the Supreme Court of Idaho did not so hold, and
woman suffrage is now established in that State. This, also, is hardly a
success of sound democracy.
The subject of woman suffrage has lately been dealt with by two States
that represent republican progress at its best. They are New York and
Massachusetts. In the former State a Constitutional Convention in 1894
gave an impartial hearing to the subject, and decided not to submit to
the people an amendment striking the word "male" from the State
Constitution. Massachusetts at its State election in 1895 asked the
people to vote upon the question of extending municipal suffrage to
women, and the answer was given in a heavy adverse majority. Fewer
than four in one hundred women qualified to vote on the subject voted
in its favor, and half a million women declined to vote at all. A
majority of over 100,000 votes was cast against it by men. Utah and
New York, Wyoming and Massachusetts, which States do Americans
hold up as nearest their model? In which have women made most
progress, and showed themselves most likely to understand their rights,
privileges and duties?
During the late Presidential election the issues passed the boundary that
separates party politics from patriotic faith. For months preceding that
struggle the Suffrage body had conducted the most efficient campaign
in its history. When the test came, California voted for sound money
against repudiation, for authority against anarchy, by a small majority,
and threw its ballots heavily against woman suffrage. With the
enthusiastic help of its woman voters, Colorado gave its electoral voice
16