A Woman’s Victory.

White Ribbon, Volume 7, Issue 79, 1 December 1901, Page 10

A Woman’s Victory.

The women of W yoming are to be credited with securing one reform which is sufficient answer, in that State at least, to the criticism that woman suffrage has no influence upon legislation and fails to elevate political action There will Ik* no legalised gambling in Wyoming after the ist i t January next, the Legislature having just uaw which makes gambling of every kind punishable by fine and imprisonment after the above date. This has been the work of the women of W yoming. When th v * be gan their agitation about a yea r «. ul a half ago, gambling was not o»i y permitted, but was licensed. The evil was so strongly intrenched and the rtvenue accruing to the State so large, that there was little hope .it first that anything would l>e accomplished. The leaders of the crusade, however, organised their forces skilfully in every town and village of the State, Their petitions for the lepeal of the gambling statute and for the passage of a prohibitory act were circulated everywhere, and were signed by thousands of male as well as female vct< rs. W hen the Legislature met the women were there in force, armed with their voluminous petitions as a l asis for legislation. The gamblers

were also there in force, and sought to defeat the women by the use of large sums of money, but womanly tact and persuasion and direct personal appeals carried the day against strong opposition. The Legislature passed the bill, >ut it was the women who won the vic-

ory. To the extent that legal toleration >f gambling is to be done away with, woman suffrage will prove a blessing to Wyoming. Undoubtedly there will lie less gambling in the State after this law takes effect than there is now'. Hut the women who have secured its enactment will l>e disappointed if they lielie ve that harmful business will be rooted out. The laws against it will not l« enforced at all in some places, and i i others they will be enforced spasmodically, It will lie necessary for the women to make executi e officers carry out their will, as they have made the Legislature do it. It is much easier to get a law pa*>sed than to have it en enforced.—* 4 English White KiblK>n.'