The Suffrage Movement in Nebraska

Is there anyone else out there that detests “catch phrases” as much as I do? Probably not, but in this day and age we are subjected to them on a minute by minute barrage from every news channel. It makes you think that someone, sitting at home as an “abundance of caution”, is writing the captions for all newscasters and sending them out in an email each day.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. To put that in perspective, my mother was 8 years old when women’s voting rights became the law of the land on August 18, 1920. Nebraska, which had been arguing over women voting since the first Nebraska bill was introduced in 1881 by Erasmus M. Correll of Hebron allowing for the question to go to a vote of the general public to eliminate the word “male” from the states definition of state electorate. Finally passed by both houses (Nebraska was not a Unicameral at the time), the question was soundly defeated in the November 1882 general election: 25,756 in favor, 50,693 against.

In 1917 the Nebraska Legislature passed a limited “Suffrage” act, giving women the right to vote in municipal elections and for presidential electors but not for state legislators. Then in 1919 the Nebraska Legislature, in special session, unanimously ratified the 19th amendment, the 14th state to do so.

When the suffrage movement began in the late 1800’s, the right for women to vote was just one of the issues that was being addressed by our society. Although it’s well known that many wives of local newspapermen were as involved as their husbands in the business, when you search for suffrage information you find even in the McCook Tribune, numerous pokes at what might happen if women were granted full citizenship via voting rights in the United States. It’s easy today to look back with some humor, even as a woman, at what was printed. None of it is an outright “No”, don’t give them the vote, but rather a slight of hand word or phrase that teases the mind and bends it in a certain direction. These attempts to shade a person’s opinion exists today and by looking at yesteryear perhaps we can better recognize words for what they are and what they can do.

From the McCook Tribune, March 24, 1887 comes this poem:

When Women Vote

When women shall rule by the ballot,

Which they hope to attain soon or late,

How grand will sound President Flossie.

And Mamie, Department of State:

How dignified Gertie and Winnie

Will sit in the Cabinet Chairs,

And Gussie, and Lulie, and Kittie

Transact government affairs:

How majestic will Chief Justice Bertie,

Inspire with judicial awe.

Sweet Roxie, and Sadie, and Myrtle,

The learned expounders of law:

And when the great General Mollie,

With her troops at the battle arrives,

Her name will strike fear to the terrified foe

And they’ll turn and run for their lives!

There was no author attached to that poem, perhaps for good reason, just like the following advertisement did not tout a merchant’s name from the McCook Tribune, April 20, 1900: Should Women Vote? Well, if they could, they’d vote for what is pure and good, and the Majestic (cook stove), because it’s best, would overwhelm the rest.

Voting rights was even debated by MHS classes and the 1901 graduates had two speeches at their commencement concerning women: Galetta Mildred Miller’s discourse was entitled, “What can a girl do to earn her own living?” and following her, Naomi C. Wootton presented, “Shall Women Vote?” I wish we could read those speeches today that they presented in front of their class of 13 graduates: John LeHew, Gorge Stroud, Charles Bolles, Norva Jones, Mary Williams, Galetta Miller, Florence Johnston, Walter Thorgrimson, Audrey Jones, Nellie Smith, Naomi Wooton, Archibald Tyler and Glen Huff.

Finally, in the September 16, 1909 McCook Tribune came this dig: When Women Vote. First Suffragette-“ What did you think of the candidate?” Second Suffragette-“ I was very much disappointed in him.” “How so?” “I thought when he took my hand to shake it, he was going to hold it for a little while.” (Attributed to the Yonkers Statesmen)

As a final note, just for a bit of a chuckle, the part of the failure of the Nebraska 1882 attempt to remove “Male” as a qualification to vote was attributed to how distasteful the electorate (all male) found the “Women’s Temperance Movement” to be. The temperance movement was against all alcoholic consumption. Perhaps two movements at a time was too much to ask!

Our library remains closed but our online presence is full of information for you: www.swngs.org. You do not have to be a member to use our website.