The History of Woman Suffrage Volume III Part 108

Most of these inst.i.tutions have one woman, or more, in their faculties. One-half of the faculty of the State University is composed of women. In the last report of the State superintendent is the following:

The ratio of female teachers is greater than ever before, some 69 per cent. of the entire number employed. It is, indeed, a matter of congratulation that the work of the schools, especially the primary teaching, is falling more and more to the care of women.

The Republican State convention of 1882, by an overwhelming majority endorsed woman suffrage, which action the Lincoln W. S.

A. promptly recognized as follows:

WHEREAS, The Republican party of the State of Kansas, by and through its chosen representatives in the Republican State convention at Topeka, August 9, 1882, did, by an overwhelming majority, pledge itself to the support of the principle of woman suffrage by the following:

_Resolved_, That we request the next legislature to submit such an amendment to the const.i.tution of the State as will secure to woman the right of suffrage. And,

WHEREAS, By this action the Republican party of Kansas has placed itself in line with the advanced thought of the times in a manner worthy a great political party of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, thereby proving itself worthy the respect and confidence of the women of the State; therefore,

_Resolved_, That the Lincoln Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation, in behalf of the women of Kansas, does hereby express thanks to the Republican party for this recognition of the political rights of the women of the State, and especially to the Hon.

J. C. Root of Wyandotte, Hon. Hackney of Winfield, Col.

Graves of Montgomery, and Gen. Kelly, for their able and fearless support of the measure, and to each and every member of the convention who voted for it.

In 1883, Senator Hackney introduced a bill of which we find the following in the _Topeka Capital_ of that date:

Senate bill No. 46, being Senator Hackney's, an act to provide for the submission of the question of female suffrage to the women of Kansas, was taken up, the reading thereof being greeted with applause. It provides that at the general election in 1883 the women of the State shall decide, by ballot, whether they want suffrage or not.

Senator Hackney made an address to the Senate upon the bill, saying he believed in giving women the same rights as men had. The last Republican platform declared in favor of woman suffrage, and those Republicans who opposed the platform said they believed the women of the State should have their say about it; the Democratic platform said the same as the dissenters from the Republican. Several humorous amendments were made to the bill. Senator Kelley favored the bill because there were a great many women in the State who wanted to vote. He hoped the Senate would not be so ungallant as to vote the bill down. Senator Sluss moved the recommendation be made that the bill be rejected. Carried.

The Republican State convention of 1884 ignored the woman suffrage question. The Anti-monopoly (Greenback) party State convention, of August 1884, placed in its platform the following:

That we believe the advancing civilization of the past quarter of the nineteenth century demands that woman should have equal pay for equal work, and equal laws with man to secure her equal rights, and that she is justly ent.i.tled to the ballot.

Miss f.a.n.n.y Randolph of Emporia, was nominated by acclamation for State superintendent of public instruction, by this convention.

The Prohibition State convention, in session in Lawrence, September 2, 1884, placed the following plank in its platform:

We believe that women have the same right to vote as men, and in the language of the Republican State platform of two years ago, we request the next legislature to submit such an amendment to the const.i.tution of the State as will secure to woman the right of suffrage.

This year we sent from Lincoln a pet.i.tion with 175 names asking for a resolution recommending to congress the adoption of the sixteenth amendment. The results of the election of 1884, showed quite a gain for women in county offices. There are now eleven superintendents of public instruction, several registers of deeds, and county clerks. The number of lawyers,[482] physicians, notaries public, princ.i.p.als of schools, members of school-boards in cities and school districts, is rapidly increasing, as is also the number of women who vote in school-district elections. Miss Jessie Patterson, who ran as an independent candidate for register of deeds in Davis county, beat the regular Republican nominee 286 votes, and the Democratic candidate 299 votes.

The work of organizing suffrage societies has also progressed, though not as rapidly as it should, for want of speakers and means to carry it on. Through the efforts of Mrs. Laura M. Johns of Salina, vice-president of the State society, several new and flouris.h.i.+ng clubs have been formed this summer in Saline county, so that it is probably now the banner county in Kansas. The Lincoln society is preparing to hold a fair in September, for the benefit of the State a.s.sociation, which will hold its next annual convention in October. Suffrage columns in newspapers are multiplying and much stress is placed upon this branch of work.

On July 18, a convention was held to organize the Prohibition party in Lincoln county. A cordial invitation was extended to women to attend. Eight were present, and many more would have been had they known of it. I was chosen secretary of the convention, and Mesdames Ellsworth and Goff were appointed upon the platform committee, and several of the central committee are women. The position of the new party upon the question may be inferred from the following clauses in its platform:

_Resolved_, By the Prohibition party of Lincoln county, Kansas, in convention a.s.sembled, that the three vital issues before the people to-day are prohibition, anti-monopoly, and woman suffrage.

_Resolved_, That we believe in the political equality of the s.e.xes, and we call on the legislature to submit such an amendment to the people for adoption or rejection, to the const.i.tution of the State as will secure to women equal political rights.

Later the convention nominated me for register of deeds, and Dr.

Sallie A. Goff for coroner. I immediately engaged Miss Jennie Newby of Tonganoxie, member of the executive committee and State organizer of the Prohibition party of Kansas, to make a canva.s.s of the county with me in the interest of the party and the county ticket. We held ten meetings and at all points visited made converts to both prohibition and woman suffrage, though nothing was said about the latter. There were two men on the ticket; one of them received more votes than Dr. Goff and I did, and the other fewer. Emma Faris ran independently for register of deeds in Ellsworth county and received a handsome vote. It is no longer a matter of much comment for a woman to run for an office in Kansas.

Mrs. Gougar came again to Kansas in June to attend the third annual meeting of the Radical Reform Christian a.s.sociation, and spent a month lecturing on woman suffrage and temperance.

January 15, 16, 1885, the annual meeting of the State society was held at Topeka. Large and enthusiastic audiences greeted Mrs.

Gougar on this, her third visit to Kansas. She remained at the capital for several days, and largely through her efforts with members of the legislature special committees were voted for in both Houses to consider the interests of women. The measure was carried in the House by a vote of 75 to 45.[483] In the Senate it was a tie, 19 to 19. The new committee[484] through its chairman, George Morgan of Clay, reported in favor of a bill for munic.i.p.al suffrage. It was so low on the calendar that there was no hope of its being reached, but a motion was made to take it out of its regular course, which was lost by 65 to 52.

The second annual meeting of the State society was held at Salina, October 28, 29, 1885. Mrs. Laura M. Johns gave the address of welcome, to which Mrs. Anna C. Wait, the president, responded. "Mother Bickerd.y.k.e,"[485] who followed Sherman's army in its march to the sea, was present and cheered all with her stirring words of the work of women in the war.[486] Her introduction was followed with applause and the earnest attention to her remarks showed in what high esteem she is held. She said that half the work of the war was done by women, but she made no complaint, indeed no mention, of the fact that these women had never been pensioned.

As it may add force to some facts already stated to have them repeated by one in authority, we give the following letter from the secretary of the Kansas Historical Society:

KANSAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Topeka, Nov. 26, 1885

MISS SUSAN B. ANTHONY, Rochester, N. Y.:

_My Dear Friend_:--In answer to your request for information upon certain points bearing upon the subject of woman suffrage in Kansas, I give the following:

The women avail themselves quite generally of their privilege of voting at the annual and special school district meetings, at which district officers are elected, and all questions of taxes and expenditures are voted on and settled. Women are, in many instances, elected members of the board of school directors, and thus are charged with the duty of employing teachers, with the supervision of the schools, and with the general management of the affairs of the district. Women vote on the question of the issue of school district bonds, and thus they take part in deciding whether new school houses shall be built and the property of the districts be pledged for the future payment of the cost of the same.

In the chartered cities women do not generally vote for school officers although, under the const.i.tution, it is believed they have the right to do so, and in one or more instances I am informed they have done so, without the right being contested. In cities, school officers are elected at general elections for other city officers, for which women are not permitted to vote, and as they cannot vote for all they generally do not choose to vote for any. Women do not vote for either city, county, or State superintendents, and it is not considered that under our const.i.tution they have the right to do so.

In 1884, there were 4,915 women teaching in the State, and 1,936 men. The average monthly wages of women was $32.85, and of men, $40.70. There are at present twelve women holding the office of county superintendent of public schools in the State. In 72 counties the office is filled by men. Thus, of the 84 organized counties of the State, one-seventh of the school superintendents are women, who generally prove to be competent and efficient, and the number elected is increasing.

In one county, Harper, a woman holds the office of county clerk. A young woman was recently elected to the office of register of deeds, in Davis county. It is conceded that these two offices can very appropriately be filled by women; and now that the movement has begun, no doubt the number of those elected will increase at recurring elections. Already, in numerous instances, women are employed as deputies and a.s.sistants in these and other public offices.

The partic.i.p.ation of women in school elections and their election to members.h.i.+p of school district boards, are resulting in a steady growth of sentiment in favor of woman suffrage, generally. It is seen that in the decision of questions involving the proper maintenance of schools, and the supplying of school apparatus, women usually vote for liberal and judicious expenditures, and make faithful school officers. Their failures are not those of omission, as is so frequently the case with men holding these offices. If they err in judgment, it is from a lack of that business information and experience which women as non-voters have had little opportunity to acquire, but which, under our Kansas system is now rapidly being supplied.

Among the influences tending to increase the suffrage sentiment in Kansas, may be mentioned those growing out of the active part women are taking in the discussion of political, economical, moral and social questions, through their partic.i.p.ation in the proceedings of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, the State Temperance Union, the Woman's Social Science a.s.sociation, the Kansas Academy of Science, the Grange, the State and local Teachers'

a.s.sociations, and many other organizations in which women have come to perform so prominent a part. In these organizations, and in the part they take in discussions, they show their capacity to grapple with the political, social, and scientific problems of the day, in such a manner as to demonstrate their ability to perform the highest duties of citizens.h.i.+p. Still the chief influence which is bringing about a growth of opinion in favor of woman suffrage in Kansas, comes from what has now become the actual, and I may say, the popular and salutary practice of woman suffrage at school district meetings. It is seen that the reasons which make it right and expedient for women to vote on questions pertaining to the education of their children, bear with little, if any, less force upon the propriety of their voting upon all questions affecting the public welfare.

I think I may truly say to you that the tendencies in Kansas are to the steady growth of sentiment in favor of woman suffrage. This is so apparent that few of those even who do not believe in its propriety or expediency now doubt that it will eventually be adopted, and the political consequences fully brought to the test of experience.

Yours sincerely, F. G. ADAMS.

The greatest obstacle to our speedy success in this State, as elsewhere, is the ignorance and indifference of the women themselves. But the earnestness and enthusiasm of the few, in their efforts from year to year, cannot be wholly lost--the fires kindled by that memorable campaign of 1867 are not dead, only slumbering, to burst forth with renewed brilliancy in the dawn of the day that brings liberty, justice, and equality for woman.

FOOTNOTES:

[475] In the centennial year, when protests were in order, the following was sent to the National a.s.sociation at Philadelphia, describing the manner in which a lady eighty-four years old celebrated her birthday:

"NEUTRAL STATION, Kansas, July 17, 1876.

"DEAR SISTERS: Two days ago, on Sat.u.r.day, the 15th, as has been usual for three or four years, a company of our friends and neighbors met at our house to celebrate my eighty-fourth birthday. We had a pleasant time. Some pieces, composed for the occasion, were read, and a clergyman made some appropriate remarks. I improved the opportunity to obtain the names of the ladies present, and succeeded with all, old and young, except one who was afraid it would get her into a trap; but with _the rest it needed but little electioneering beside reading your advertis.e.m.e.nt to secure their names_. We, as a neighborhood, are ignorant on the subject. I solicited a.s.sistance pecuniarily, and send you what I can, with a word of encouragement still to work and wait, and my earnest prayer for your final success.

ELSIE STEWART."

The other signatures were: Henrietta L. Miller, Mrs. Julia A.

Ingraham, Mrs. Hollet, Mrs. Lottie Griffin, Selinda Miller, Celina Lake, Mollie Yeates, Betsey J. Corse, Mary G. Hapeman, Mrs. Maggie Clark, Miss Elsie Miller, Louie Ingraham, Malura Hickox, C. A.

Eddy, Anna Lowe, Charlotte H. Butler.

[476] _President_, Mrs. Mary Maberly; _Secretary_, Miss Lillie M.

Hull; _Treasurer_, Mrs. Emma H. Johns; and an able executive committee, of which Mrs. E. M. Alden, Mrs. Emma Faris, Mrs. Mattie McDowell and Bertha H. Ellsworth, who was then teaching there, were members.

[477] Arkansas City Suffrage Club, with Mrs. M. B. Houghton, _President_; Mrs. E. T. Ayers, _Vice-President_; Miss Gertrude Fowler, _Secretary_, and Mrs. F. Daniels, _Treasurer_; also one at Winfield, county-seat of Cowley county, with Mrs. J. Cairns, _President_; Mrs. M. R. Hall, _Secretary_, and Mrs. E. D. Garlick, _Treasurer_; and vice-presidents from each of the churches, as follows: Mesdames P. P. Powell, G. Miller, M. Burkey and J. C.

Fuller.

[478] _President_, Mrs. Hetta P. Mansfield, Winfield; _Vice-President-at-Large_, Mrs. Anna C. Wait, Lincoln; _Corresponding Secretary_, Mrs. Bertha H. Ellsworth, Lincoln; _Recording Secretary_, Miss Georgiana Daniels, Eureka; _Treasurer_, Mrs. D. A. Millington, Winfield; _Chaplain_, Rev. S. S. Cairns, Winfield; _Vice-Presidents_ and _Executive Committee_, Mrs. Judge Griswold, Leavenworth; Miss Sarah Hurtsel, Columbus; Mrs. Anna Taylor, Wichita; Miss Myra Willets, Independence; Mrs. W. P.