Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, March 25, 1894, Page 17

PRRI 11, THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE. HED JUNE 19, ., SUNDAY MORNING, 25 MARCH stock of fine shoes at a small fraction of its value. SINGLE COPY I A AR AR AT AA A AN AS bt O NN P 140 CENTS. There never was---there never will be again---such a chance to buy such great bargains in shoes as wc are giving 4t tiis gieat salc o Uie Morse Shoes.---They are all nice clean goods and that their value 1s very great as compared with what we ask for them was evinced yester- day by the universal satisfacnion of the immense crowds who, one and all, exclaimed that it is the —Ehsd SO @A NCGE Y E 1, We bought the entire Morse Dry Goods Co.’s Shoe Department from A. D. Morse and bought it so cheap that we can offer this first class, well known and popular We expect to make a big hole in the stock tomorrow, for these prices were never duplicated by any sane man. ALL OF MORSE LADIES §5 SHOES IN ALL STYLES WE WILL SELL " $3.0 ALL OF MORSE'S §2.50 AND 33 SHOES WILL THE RIDICULOU] $1.50. WE ClL THE ENTIRE LINE AT PRICE OF ALL OF MORSE'S LADIES' $4.50 SHOES PATENT LEATHER TIPS, PICCADILLY LAST, WH SELL AT $2.50. ALL OF MORSE'S §2 AND §2.25 SHOES LADIES SAY THEY ARE CHEAP AT MORSE'S PRICE. OUR PRICE, AS LONG AS 8100, ALL OF MORSE'S MISSES SHOES THAT HE SOLD FOR $250 UP TO $3.00 WE WILL LET GO AT FROM 90c to $1.50. ALL OF MORSE'S INFANTS' SHOES, 103 710 253. ALL OF MORSE'S LADIES' §4 OXFORDS LASTS, PATENT TIPS, GO AT THE «LOSING PRICE ALL STYLES OF DONGOLA AND oF 2 $2.25. T.B NORRIS ALL OF MORSE'S LADIES' §3 OKFORDS IN ALL'STYLES, WELL MADE AND SOLID, WE CLOSE IN ONE LOT AT $1.75. ALL OF MOR: LADIES' §2 & §2,50 OXFORDS WB CLOSE OUT RI OF REAL VALUE AT 3185 ALL OF MORSE'S LAVIES" §1.50 CXFORDS WILL BE CLOS FHe. 5D OUT AT SELLING MORSE'S SO 1413 Douglas St. WYOMING 1S NOT BENEFITED Straight Facts from That State on the Effect of Female Voters, WOMAN SUFFRAGE PROVED TO BE A FAILURE ““First Adopted by a Political Deal, Both Partics Huve Since Steered Clear of 16 —Electoral Expenses Have Been Largely Increased. CHEYT March 23.—(Special Corre- spondence of The Bee)—For nearly a quarter of a century the people of Wyoming have enjoyed all the privileges and com- forts which may appertain to the possession of unhampered female suftrage. For a score of years the privileges were enjoyed under territorial conditions; for nearly four years under the added dignity and m Qiffused Importance of statehood. During nearly all of this prolonged period all the sections of the round earth have at one time or another “pointed with pride” to the glittering example of Wyoming, while goft feminine voices have urged the un- progressive males to action. At the woman's congress recently held in Washing- ton Wyoming naturally came in for an almost inordinate share of attention. As the only state in the union in which universal suffrage has obtained it was held up as a beacon light of hope to the be- nighted sisterhood of the universe. It was {riumphantly (almost hysterically) pointed out as a community in which had been realized the fullest aspirations of the adherents of female suftrage and an amount of florid rhetoric was indulged in that must have been exceedingly edifying to the assembled multitude. In this article I with the _abstract do not propose to deal question of universal suffrage. 1 will simply deal unsentiment- ally with the results as I have found them during ten years of continuous residence in the state and with more than average opportunitios for observation Congress carved Wyoming chiefly from Dakota in 1868, but the territory was not permanently organized until the following spring. In the very first legislature the following bill was passed and received the signature of Governor John A. Campbell Decomber 10, 1569 An Act to Grant to the Wyoming Territory the Right and to Hold Office. ““Be it enacted by the council and house of representatives of the territory of Wyoming. Section 1. That every woman of the age of 21 years, residing in this terri ory, may At every election to be holden under the laws thereof, cast her vote. And her rights to the elective privilege and to hold office shall be the same under the election laws of the terriiory as those of electors. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.' At that time the territory was malnly populated by men. The vast majority of them were without home ties and far away from home influences. Many of them had been soldlers in the war and, following up the advancing line of the Union Pacific rail- road, had stopped off in what afterwards became Wyoming. They were mainly a happy-go-lucky set, bound to the soil by no tie and anchored only 5o long as they made money freely or were not seized by the rest less roving impulse which the war had im planied In them. It will readily be seen, therefore, that the woman suffrage bill was Women ot of Suffrage public demand. As a matter of fact there was practically ,;no sentiment whatever in its favor. HOW THE BILL WAS CARRIED. Away out in the South Pass country, which had become so well known as a land- mark (o the early Mormons and the '4fers, a nest of people was gathered digging gold and employed in incidental industries. Amiong them was a lady of truly masculine strength of character. Naturally aggressive in her ways and cheerfully regardless of the little artificial rules with which society hedges itself, she could not see why she or any other good woman who could make an hones: living should be deemed inferior by the law, or that legislation upon her lfe, liberty and property should be left as the exclusive heritage of the men, many of whom she had good reason to know were mentally inferior to herself. This lady was Mrs, Bsther Morris, who was subsequentl a capable justice of the peace at South Pas and of la'e years has been a resident of Cheyenne. Among the men elected to the first legislature from that section was Wil- liam H. Bright, a mild-mannered saloon- keeper, not much given to solving abstruse problems, but possessed of an fnordinate ad- miration for the clever business qualities of his wife. This was the insrument found Ly Mrs. Morris. She not merely inoculated but saturated him with her ideas and when he left home for Cheyenne it was with the firm determination to forego every other claim upon legislative attention to secure the passage of the woman suffrage bill, Ho found a fallow fleld to work. The feeling of local pride was strong in Chey- enne, which had grown from a bare prairie to @ town of 7,0000 inhabitants in less than three months. Across the range was Lara- mie with equal local pride, and between the two was a ferocious rivalry that fairly raises a man's hair as he contemplat it in these degenerate days, The bone’ of contention was the location of the territorial capital If Laramie eagerly wished for it, Cheyenne fairly yearned for it. The key to the sit- uation was held by the Carter county or South Pass members. They held the bal- ance of power, For a time they were the most popular men in the territory. They were wined and dined on every hand. Noth- ing was considered too good for them and whatever they sald went, as the westerners have it. Cheyenne's superior blandish- ments carried the day. The alluring argu- ment of digital contact caused them to suc- cumb. Fortunately there were two priz a capital and a territorial penitentiary Laramle was assigned the latter. From all such trades and deals Mr. Bright stood studiously aloof. He knew the value of his own vote and realized that his time would come. His pride was appealed to and his good will sought by his election as president of the upper house of the territorial leg lature, called the council, but when he was unctuously approached on the capital ques- tion he gave his ultimatum. He did not want any share of the pie or plunder. South Pass was the only part of the country that was worth anything anyhow, and it ought to have tho capital, but he was free to say that he didn't care anything about that, All he wanted was a harmless little bill passed. When that was done, he didn't care re his.vote went. The provisions of the little bill were explained, and they were quite satisfactory. The terms were readily agreed to, but as the delegation started to leave him, Mr. Bright with prudent fore. thought and a commendable appreciat the relative value of numbers, sald oW, boys, the deal's fixed, but there are three of you and only one of me. Of course It is understood my bill goes through first.” This was rather unexpected, but it was acceded to, but with less alacrity. ONLY THREESDAYS “DEBATE." The legislative session apened October 12, On November 27 the woman suffrage was introduced in the council, and in three days passed with three dissenting votes. In the house the salling was not so smooth, notwithstanding the deal back of the bill. It ‘scarcely had a single consclen- BOt passed In response to any Well defiued | tious supporter in the house, but when the Cheyenne members contemplated” the capital and the Laramie members' the location of the penitentiary, and the outside wifeless population contemplated the lurid advertis- ing It would bring the aspiring young terri- tory, the success of the measure was se- cure, Still it had to win the gauntlet of a variety of Irritating dilatory notions. Mr. Sheeks wanted the Dbill fndefinitely post- poned. A postponement wmtil July 4, 1870, long after the adjournment of the legisla- ture would have satisfied Mr. Curran. Mr. Strong moved that the: word ‘‘woman’ in the first section of the bill be stricken out, and in lieu thereof the word “ladies' be in- serted. Others wanted the God-given right of suffrage specifically extended to ‘‘all colored women and squaws.”” But the only amendment which finally prevailed was one which raised the voting age from 18 to 21 ¥ The signing of the bill was received with ill-concealed joy by the ‘boys,” and their prediction that it would prove a go geous advertisement for the territory wa more than realized. The country rang with it. Newspaper paragraphs held 1t up to the world in all of its conceivable grotesqueness, and illustrated papers bristled with picturs of patient and long suffering men awkwardly dangling leather lunged babies whilst the mistresses, tying on their bonnets, wel cheerfully bidding them adieu as the hastened to the polls or to obey a summons to serve on a jury. The territory was well advertised, but as time went on, not entirely to the satisfaction of those who de- clded to make their home here. At the next meeting of the legislature, two years later, a bill was introduged repealing the law granting suffrage to women. It speedily sed both houses, but was vetoed by Governor Campbell, who had become an upholder of woman suffrage. The bill was readily passed over the governor's veto in the lower house, but failed by a gle vote in the council. From that time forward it be- came a question with which no man in poli- ties tampered, although for ma years afterwards it would probably have been de- feated If left to a vote of the women them- selves. In the fall of 1889 a convention met In Cheyenne for the purpose of framing a con- stitution for submission to congress prepara- tory to admission to statehood. On the woman suffrage qui on both parties were wary, carefully sparring for a political ad- vantage. There were doubtless scveral sin- cere advocates of woman suffrage. There were many others who rendered it lip service only. One member openly opposed its inco: poration in the state consiitution. A few others favored its submission to the people But this was scarcely breathed above a whisper In the convention because the leaders of both parties had thelr eyes closely fixed on the coming state elect’on, and neither party had the moral courage to handicap its chances with a record of opposition to the woman suffrage clause. As a consequence, woman suffrage became a fixed fact in the fundamental law, and could in no way have been defeated except by voting down the con- stitution. The admission of Wyoming and Idaho to statehood was a poiitical deal, the republi- cans desiring to strengthen themselyes in the senate and congress did not therefore too critically consider the woman suffrdge clause. The people, therefo enjoy female suf. frage without ever having been permitted to directly y whether or not they wanted it 1 have heard the opinion expressed by many conservative men (though not for publication) that the suffrage proposition submitted singly to the people in 1889 would have been defeated THEORY AND PRACTICE. It forms rather a curious stddy fto con. trast the blessings Which’ thevreticallw fol- low woman suffrage with U which actually follow it From a combination of physical and artificlal causes which b no relation whatever to female suffrage, Wyoming has been up to the present time peculiarly fortunate in its population The percentage of illiteracy is less than in any other of the United States or in any other political subdivision on the face of the | perience globe. The foreign-born population is rela- tively small and is mainly composed of English-speaking races who readily assimi- late the spirit of American Institutions ana some times become more thoroughly Amer- fcan in their patriotism and aspirations than the native born. The women of Wyoming, as a class, are much less concerned with practical politics than are many women in eastern communi- ties. There are among the women, as among the men, a few who aré disposed to uproot established customs, but (hey are in a hope- less minority. There s no such thing as a woman's party or a publi¢ question upon which women are a unit, Precsely the same political divisions prevail in Wyoming as elsewhere. To one or the other of the national parties the women are allied by more or less definite_and tangible bonds. To them, as a whole, T believe it is safe to assert the game of politics is of infinitely less concern than it is to the short-haired sister. hood in the man-ridden states. In politics, as a rule, they have but a reflected Interest. It is a man's game, like baseball, and where there are scores who manifest perfunctory enthusiasm, the exceptional few alone dis- play discriminate judgment as to the fine s of the game or the real mat'ers at In the nature of the case this dis- tinetion s fundamental and sexual. The rule is that women areé of the same politics as their fathers, husbands and brothers. The exceptions are very few. Men are here as much the dominant political factors as in any state in the union. Broadly stated, the main effect of woman suffrage is to in- case the vote cast, woman suffrage as such not having operated in a single instance to change the result. Except in some minor directions its effect in the state has been entirely negative, for the reason that the woman vote has never been concen- trated upon any great principle of reform. All this is generally admitted in private conversation, but men In public life or those who hope or expect sooner or later to break into politics make no such public professior On the contrary thelr plan is to appeal to the vanity of womanking, though their suc cess is not always what they hoped for. In Laramie county, In which Cheyenne is situated, the ordinary election expenses are increased from one-third to one-half by the woman vote. This will hold good in the other important towns gnd precincts of the state ch party ia ferced to hire all the livery rigs in town to earry the ladies to the polls, although gome of them will not under any cireumstances ride in such con veyances, The livery men on election days charge §50 for every two-horse rig used at the polls. CHIVALRY A GREAT FACTOR In the early days-of the territory woman acted as justice of the peace and from all accounts acquitted hersclf as well as any average man would have done under the same circumstances. Since then they have seldom aspired beyond the county superintendency of public schools, a position which of late years has been usually con- ceded to them. When they have had any more exalted ambitions means have been found to checkmate them, for the politicians while making a great show of fairness and lauding female suffrage to the skies, take very good care not to saddle upon the state any of its fulr representatives. Scveral con tests for school superintendents have taken place between men and women. Usually, but not always, the women have won. It has been invariably by the votes of men men breaking from party ties for chivalrous reasons. This is always true in the cow- boy districts or where the propogtion of women to men is swmall. The strongest opponents of women running for political offices are the women themselves. For a brief time in 1871 women served on juries in this judielal distriet. Chivalry Suggests many compliments to their suc in that capacity; common sense and ex confess them failures, even though the ordinary run of jurles are not things to be proud of. Until very lately women have not particl- one pated in primary elections. Since the woman's auxillary to the A. P. A. has been organized they have appeared at the primarles In considerable numbers, voting manfully for the candidates slated by the soclety, thus holping to carry republican conventions agalnst the regular politicians. The experlence of every one who has had a clear insight into the workings of practical politics will bear me out in the assertlon that taking women of the same relative educational and social grade they have much less appreciation of the moral responsibility of a vote than men. As to the success or fallure of a particular ticket an appreciab! proportion of them care nothing. Since the adoption of the Australian system voters have been bought to stay at home. The number of women thus bought is_out of proportion to the number of men. What is now true of Wyoming in this respect will be equally and proportionatel true in evi state in which woman suffrage is adopted. PEACE AND GOOD ORDER PREVAIL. Peace and good order always prevail at the polls in this state. This circumstance is largely due to the presence of women, but their presence had absolutely no in- fluence upon the open purchase of votes which used to be so shamelessly prevalent here a few years ago, but Is happily now a thing of the past. I do not recall a single act of legislation almed at the Dbetterment of the human race that has been passed through voman's influerce. Public ground floor gambling Is not only tolerated but licensed, and all night saloons close during the whole week only between the hours of 10 o'clock a. 1 d 2 o'clock p. m. on Sundays. The reader must not too hastily infer from this that the towns of Wyoming are ‘“‘tough.” Public opinfon here ‘s much more tolerant, but at the same time much less hypocritical than in many oldet communities farth At the same time for public orde , Cheyenne, Laramie and other towns in the state will bear comparison with towns ar size no matter in what part of the country they are situated. Woman suffrage has had no deleterious influence on home life because women's po- litieal work (with some notable exceptions) is mainly confined to attending and gracing big political gatherings and in visiting the polls and casting their votes on election day. There are cases where the husband 18 a democrat and the wife a republican or vice versa, but they are lke ang visits, few and far between. I do not for a moment wish to be understood as im plying that the women of Wyoming are one whit inferior to the men in intelligence, or to the women of other states. For, if anything, the women here ze highor at least in general education, than the men But thelr intelligence is along lines which are more in consonance with their sex, oc cupations of an intellectual bent. Woman suffrage s now accepted hero without dis. cussion, for being a provislon of the con stitution it is regarded as a fixed and un alterable fact. I have scen o much untrue written on thi much said of its thec so very little that ha by practical experience: induced to write these of truth and history. My conclusions are radically different from anything ordinarily seen in print on the subject, but such as they are they have come through the evi dence of my own senses. Woman suffrage will not bring about the millennium; ex perience here has shown that it will not even radically alter for the better existing conditions. Let women have suftrage if they will, but let us not, through motives of delicacy or moral cowardice, conceal the actual results which the experience of twenty-five years has demonstrated JOHN F. CARROLL Lt ere Binck's Shirts, Rev. Dr. Power of Washington tells following story of Jeremial Black, who was one of his parishioners: “Mr. Black was that is glaringly subject—s0 very tical blessings and been demonstrated that 1 have been lines in the interest the one of the most absent-minded men I have ever known. One story Mrs. Black vouches for as authentic in regard to him. She said that she was in the custom of putting up Judge Black’s clothes for him whenever he went away. In fact, she attended to his clothes entirely, buying new ones when the old ones began to grow shabby and repls ing the old suit with a fresh one while judge was in bed. She said the judge did not seem to realize when he changed his clothes and that on a certain campaign tour which he took put up a bag for him, in which there were half a dozen new shirts. When he had returned from the trip she examined the bag and found it empty. She sald, ‘Why, judge, where are your shirts?" “He replied,'I don't know; aren’t they there? ‘No,” she said. ‘Your valise has none it and when you left here you had half a dozen.' “ 1 don't said Judge Black. robing for bed she shirts were on the ju a most remarkable story, parson, “but I have no doubt of its truth, as it was, as 1 told you, Mrs. Black herself who gave it to me. It is evident that the honorable judge did not wear night shirts, or he must have put them on over the ones he used during the day.” e IMPIELLES. the know what became of them,’ But that night upon dis- found that the whole six ge's person. This is " concluded the During the last smallpox epidemic in Win- sted, Conn., services were discontinued in the churches. This made a certain little girl in the town very unhappy, and one Sun- day she started a service by herself and for yer was not long, but it was to the point. “Oh, Lord,” she said, make the smallpox go away. Don't let the smallpox get my Papa nor my mamma, nor , nor any of us, oh, Lord; we've all been and it's working b-e-a-u-t-i- on all of us; amen, herself. ker pr vaceinated, r y Prof, Booker T. Washington of Tuskegee, Ala., himself a negro, relates an amusing anecdote to illustrate how in the Ethioplan mind religion is often divorced from moral- “An old darky,” he sald, “arose re cently In one of the southern prayer me fngs and exclaimed: ‘Brethren and sistern, I've been having a drefful time since last we were together. I've been chawing hard bones and swallowing bitter pills. I'm afraid I've broken every one of the Ten Com mandments, but, thank the Lord, I haven't lost my religion! In one of the bedrooms of & hotel in South Lancashire, Eng., 1s displayed the text “I will lay me down in peace and take my rest, for it Is Thou, Lord, only that makest me to dwell In safely.” Immediately under it comes this notice “Owing to the frequency of hotel robberies you are requested to bolt” your door.” urely, during this sol- ry Christian ought to make iffce to show his devotion Joblots—You're right, doctor. Sacrifice? 1 should say so! Why, I'm sellin’ off every article in my store 25 per cent under cost You can give it out from the pulpit if you like, Rey. Dr. Gro emn Lenten season It was Margaret, 0 ears old, who h some one remark somewhat bitterly Sund morning that it looked like rain. — “Well,"” she sald, “‘you know it's the Lord's day, and I suppose be can do what he wants to with it Weost “Yes." “What's in 1t?" parson, the linin’ is still it ever happened, Parson is gettin’ religlous at last - e - In a Welsh tin factory has been produ the thinnest et of iron ever rolled. It would require 4,800 to make one inch in thickness, Did you pass the hat, Deacon? “Well, fort'nitely, thar. t tim; I reckon the boys Out NO HOUSE SHOULD BI! WITHOUT ONE. Liltian Mack in Boston Globe. I'm not & common peddier, chasin” round Givin' suits awdy with every pound Or swearin’ that a cake of soap, sich as they lug about, Will beautify a felier's face an' make his whiskers sprout. The article I recommend Is one T guarane tee; "Taint -no fake nor bunko snap, nor sawe dust swindle, se No house should be without one, It's the wonderfulest ity ntion that a fellep ever struck. It can make the meanest dig of fate look like a streak of luck, If you're sunk down in the dismals it kin cuddle round your heart, An' make you mosey up a bit an’ another start, It can preach the strongest sermon—hit the nail plumb on the head, Yet it doesn't know a single word a preccher ever said, 0 house should be without one, take It kin make a worn an' fa laugh like a strappin’ It kin set vour feet a dancin senses in a whirl, If the wolf should push the door In, or the #hevift take the farm, You feel so blarsted happy wouldn't wrn; I tell you, boys, béen know ‘a_thing or two But there's no use ' to tell you what thig great cure-all can do. No house should be without one. ged-out wife put your that you there, an' I Ourn s 2 years old today, an' wife's ud ain, wonders how. fc " lived before he came. We thought we was contented, but then we didn't know The difference twix' empty love an' heaven that She led ourselves an® I'm common kid, he scems s every feller thinks his dropp 0w T el e LA ropped No house should be without one, PRATTLE OF THE YOUNGSTERS. An importagt question in theology was settled the other day by two little boys of this city, one aged 4 and the other b years, Little 4-year-old said to the other ra did that’ little baby come from that is at your house, Robbie Stephen?’ The answer was: “He came from heaven and you came from heaven, too, Willle Henderson.” The reply came back as quick as a flash, “No I didw't, I came from Scotland.” An_fllustration of how sound of words occurred when a girl was asked to tell about school lesson last Sabbath “It was In the Psalms, v thing about running his cup over, and at the end sald, ‘Goodness, graclous, mercy sakes ally This 18 certainly a new vers slon of the twenty-third Psalms. Docsn't your daddy soclety for the p children? Jimmy—Yes, and It ain’t noth fraud. 1 asked him for a dime to and some marbles, and he to me till I raked off the children selze the T-year-old her Sunday She replied: re It sald some- Tommy this here cruelty to belong ention but a huy @ top wouldn't give it whole back yard, Johnny is one of the world ‘ommy-—I says. The ten times My story the most book ‘says the wild hog pugnacious animals In don't_care royal Bengal pugnastier! what your bool tagger 18 more'n Teacher£And Lot's wife—, turned Into a pillar of salt that's the first pillar-case history, isn't it? Pupil—Was Say, teacher, mentloned in Teacher—Now, Johnny, you may close your geography and tell us what a bluff is. Johnny—Oh, It's what to try whea you don't have 1o luck,