t least, to the
criticism that woman suffrage has no influence upon legislation
and fails to elevate political action. There will be no legalized
gambling in Wyoming after the first of January next, the
Legislature having just passed a law which makes gambling of
every kind punishable by fine and imprisonment after the above
date.

This has been the work of the women. When they began their
agitation about a year and a half ago, gambling was not only
permitted but was licensed. The evil was so strongly entrenched
and the revenue accruing to the State so large that there was
little hope at first that anything would be accomplished. The
leaders of the crusade, however, organized their forces skilfully
in every town and village. Their petitions for the repeal 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 voters. When the Legislature met, the women were
there in force, armed with their voluminous petitions. The
gamblers also were 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, but it was
the women who won the victory.

The most prejudiced must admit that women could not have done this if
they had not represented at least as many votes as the gambling
fraternity.

LAWS: The first Legislature (1869), which conferred the suffrage upon
women, gave wives exactly the same rights as husbands in their
separate property.

Dower and curtesy have been abolished. If either husband or wife die
without a will, leaving descendants, one-half of the estate, both real
and personal, goes to the survivor. If there are no descendants,
three-fourths go to the survivor, one-fourth to the father and mother
or their survivors, unless the estate, both real and personal, does
not exceed $10,000, in which case it all passes to the widow or
widower. A homestead to the value of $1,500 is exempted for the
survivor and minor children.

A married woman may sue and be sued, make contracts and carry on
business in her own name.

The father is the guardian of the minor children, and at his death the
mother. There is no law requiring a husband to support his
family.[482]

The