Show I 1 utah and woman womans S rights ria I 1 by james 11 II moore the visit of miss florence E alien allen of I 1 cleveland ohio to her native state utah hai has caused comment both here and elsewhere she 1 if A judge of the court of appeal appeals in the t h 0 state of ohio the thi fact that she h Is the first woman in the united states to hold kuch such b k petition position has placed her in the limelight miss alien allen wae was born in salt lake I 1 city CAY barth larch 23 1884 she received af her IT early ily el education in utah and since her graduation g from the law of columbia in 1914 has lis practised practiced law in cleveland sh wae was elected to the position he she now LOU in 1021 1921 since her het election she ho had rendered efficient service and is fait last becoming a national figure the mention of miss alien allen and her achievements brings 16 mind the question of womans rights right there are many Inte phases of this question and judging from recent actions taken by some of th national organizations the ultimate goal has not yet been reached the nineteenth amendment to the constitution of the united states which was proposed in congress Con crees on june anis and proclaimed on aug 26 1920 reads the right of citizens of the united states to vote shall hall not be denied or abridged by the united states or by any state on an ae count of bex 11 it is interesting to compare the reading of this amendment with that article in the constitution of the state of utah which refers to woman tuff rage rhe note the differences difference the right tight of citizens cati zens of the state of f utah to vote fate and hold bold office shall hall not be denied rd td on account of aex sex both male and female citizens of this state shall enjoy equally evary all civil civila political and religious rights and privilege the reader will ob observe ene that the amendment to the constitution of the united states omits the ahr three words to held hold office and that is what the women still have to fight for nationally a aw utah tab was the second state of the union to give women their franchise wyoming being the pioneer for some reason unknown to the vir writer riter colorado is given riven second place by most historians the following is topical of what most book books of reference have to say an the subject in many states in the union women en joyed u suffrage in state affairs before the t be adoption of th the amendment to the constitution of the united states state 1 1 wyoming enfranchised her wamen in 18 1869 69 colorado in 1893 utah and idaho in 1896 washington in 1910 call fomia in 1911 arizona kansas and oregon in 1913 etc the fact of the matter ii 1 that the territory of utah enfranchised her women juit two months and two day days after the territory of wyoming en franchised franch franchT Teed sed hert the date ozithe of the approval of the act of the wyoma wyoming ni ae As embly being december 10 1869 and that of the territory of utah being february 12 1870 an interesting document in connection with the enfranchisement of the women of utah Is it the letter of ap written by acting governor S R mann to orson pratt speaker of the houie house the fifty three year years ince since mr mann signed this act with fear and trembling have apparently vindicated hit his action the letter fol lows iowa executive office utah territory feb 12 1870 to Ilono honorable rable orson pratt speaker of the housel sir I 1 have th we e honor to inform you that I 1 have this day sip approved proved signed and deposited in the secretary of fice an act conferring upon women the elective franchise in vi view ew of ot the importance of oft tn measure re referred to it majr MAY not be considered improper mP roper for me to remark that I 1 have very grave and serious doubt doubts of the wisdom and vind soundness of that political economy which makes the act a law of the territory and that there are many reasons which wilch in my judgment are opposed to the legi legislation z aaion but whatever these doubts and reasons may have been in vi view ew of the anani passage of the act in ili both the hoose house and the council and in deference to the judgment of many whose opinion I 1 very much respect I 1 have as before stated approved of the bill hoping that future experience may approve the wisdom of our action and and that the same game may be found to be in harmony with the spirit and genius of the age in which we live very respectfully S R MANN acting governor the first woman to vote in the state of utah va as miss seraph young daughter of B IL young and grand niece piece of brigham young her first ballot was east cast at a municipal election in salt lake city in the fall of 1870 during the three sessions of the utah legislature in 1919 1921 and 1923 there were in all ten women who served as 13 leg legislators I 1 gators two in the state senate and eight in the house of representatives they were all from salt lake county |