Women’s Right To Vote Hinged On A Boy Listening to His Mother August 19, 2010

How Could Anyone Oppose These Babes?

These Guys Opposed the Chick Vote, But Wouldn't Show their Faces.

On This Date in History:

We’ve had the health care debate  and people were complaining that one side or the other may have an organized or orchestrated effort.   Now, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is suggesting that opponents to the mosque in New York City should be investigated to determine from whom their organized funding is coming.  Then, there is the argument as to whether the Tea Party is a ”grass roots effort” or a co-ordindated national movement.   The charge of “organization” comes up quite often in politics and the proper response may be , “so what?”  The Sons of Liberty was an orchestrated movement against the crown.  The Civil Rights movement was organized. The women’s suffrage movement was organized, but so were opposition groups. It has happened throughout history. Organization is what gets things done…that’s why there are political parties.  But, even with organizations, sometimes success or failure relating to a given topic may fall to an individual.

Burn became women's best friend, thanks to mom

In the Summer of 1920, the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote was very much in doubt. Only one more state legislature had to ratify the amendment but the remaining states were in limbo. It was called the war of the roses. Supporters of the amendment, the “Suffs” which was short for “suffragists”, wore yellow roses while those opposed, or the “Antis” clung to a red rose.

Febb Is An Unsung Heroine

On August 18 in Tennessee, a vote was taken and it resulted in a tie. Young legislator Harry Burn was from the “anti” county of McMinn and he wore a red rose. But, it seems young Burn got a letter from his mother Febb Ensminger Burn who told her son to” be a good boy” and help put the “rat” in ratification and so on the second vote  the changed his vote and the amendment passed.  On this date in 1920, when the sun rose, the suffrage movement finally succeeded and women had gained the right to vote. Burn said, “I know that a mother’s advice is always safest for a boy to follow.” So, all you ladies out there should lift a glass to Febb….and hope the World Meteorological Organization doesn’t find out and call a hurricane Febb as it would most certainly make its presence known. But, truth be told, we should all perhaps thank Febb because the wisdom of women in the voting booth is most likely a necessary ingredient in making the nation a more perfect Union.

Weather Bottom Line: We really won’t have a warm front per se coming through today but just a return flow from the south as the old boundary washed out south of the region.  We most likely get up to around 90 or so today and then on Friday I suspect that, not only will we inch into the low 90′s but the humidity will again be an issue.  Saturday, a pre frontal trof will be lurking to our west so the prospects of it working in conjunction with higher heat and humidity to give us some afternoon t’storm activity will be enhanced.  The cold front itself will be creeping down here over night and then get bogged down in the region, either just to our north or south, either way, the mercury should be held down on Sunday with a chance of rain from time to time.

Tea Party Leads to Wyoming Women Leading Women’s Suffrage Movement December 10, 2009

Women in Wyoming Were Tough and Not Afraid to Bag a Bobcat or a Politician

Esther Hobart Morris 1814-1902

On This Date in History:  Esther Morris was a tall, robust women who had lived through some hard times.  Like many women in the West in the mid 19th century, she was developed a sense of heartiness that all who tamed the frontier had to have to survive.  Most of the people in the Wyoming Territory in 1869 were men.  In fact, the ratio was about 6 to 1 in favor of males.  Esther Hobart Morris came to Wyoming to join her husband and sons who had gone ahead of her and settled in South Pass City.  Morris not only brought along her toughness, she also packed in her ideas and prior to the election for the new territorial legislature, she had a little tea party.  The guests were H.G. Nickerson and William Blight who were running against each other for the same legislative post.  She was pretty smart because she was was covering her bases.  In her meeting with the  political opponents, she got both to promise that if they were elected, they would introduce a bill that granted the vote to women.  Bright won and, like a  true gentleman, kept his word.  Gentlemen in politics?  Yes, they once existed.

Suffrage Began From Western States, Starting with Wyoming

Now, members of the legislature might not have had such egalitarian ideas when the supported the bill.  See, the elected representatives were well aware that there were 6 times more men than women so they hoped that, but giving women the right to vote, that more ladies might be enticed into coming to the territory.  I’m not sure if Ms. Morris used that as a reason for support, but at least the men figured it out for themselves.  It’s the old adage, “sex sells” and it certainly worked in this case even if it was the men’s idea in the first place.  But, Democrats only half heartedly supported the measure.   They tended to support the measure only with the notion that the new Republican Governor, John Campbell, would veto it and thus hang himself and his party.  Campbell was a young territorial governor but he wasn’t stupid.  When the bill passed he gladly signed it into law on this date in 1869.  Two years later, the Democrats tried to take away women’s suffrage with a new bill that would repeal the 1869 statute and even tried to pay Campbell $2,000 for his support.  That would be equivalent to about $32,000 in 2008 dollars.  But, Campbell declined with great firmness.   Morris  did not specifically single out Republicans or even give herself credit.  Instead she said that the ability of women were “entirely indebted to men” in Wyoming for the acquisition of the right to vote.

Get The Book About Esther Morris

Historically speaking then, let’s take a look at the score card.  Democrats in Wyoming opposed women’s right to vote.  Democrats in the South went to war in defense of slavery (if you think it was “states rights” then it was states rights to have slavery).  Democrats in the South opposed the Civil Rights Bill in 1964.  Republicans in the early 20th century supported big business but were thwarted by one of their own,  Republican President Theodore Roosevelt.   Now Republicans are portrayed as wanting to keep Americans from having health care.  Things certainly change.  But, the legacy of Esther Morris will never change and the role she played in the women’s suffrage movement in the United States.  Click on the image to the right to find out how you can order the book, When Esther Morris Headed West: Women, Wyoming and the Right to Vote.

Wind Chills in the Teens Thursday Afternoon

Weather Bottom Line:  We had some flurry activity overnight. I know because I went outside and looked for our adopted cat, Paint Brush.  He doesn’t seem to care about the weather because he’s always on the prowl for the ladies.  I had the heat too high last night and was hot but it was plenty cold outside.  As it is typical, there was a decoupling of the winds and the temperatures for most of the area was in the low 20′s.  I think the official low was 22 but many places in Southern Indiana were in the teens.  Everyone will just about be in the teens by early Friday morning and then high pressure moves to the east bringing a return flow.  But, remember, the temperatures to the southwest are pretty chilly so we only get to the mid to uppoer 30′s by Friday afternoon.  We move to the lower 40′s on Saturday but clouds will be increasing with the approach of another system coming through the flow from the southwest.  Ahead of the little shortwave, the warm air will not exactly surge, but at least be building ahead so when the precipitation falls on Sunday, it will be rain with highs in the low to mid 40′s.  And, while we stay chilly, we won’t be cold enough for snow through midweek though we could see a chance for rain carrying into Monday.

Women Can Vote Thank to One Man’s Mom; No Beer Summits Lemonade Lucy’s White House August 19, 2009

How Could Anyone Oppose These Babes?

These Guys Opposed the Chick Vote, But Wouldn't Show their Faces.

On This Date in History: 

We’ve got the health care debate going on and people are complaining that one side or the other may have an organized or orchestrated effort.  The proper response may be , “so what?”  The Sons of Liberty was an orchestrated movement against the crown.  The Civil Rights movement was organized.  The women’s suffrage movement was organized, but so were opposition groups.  It has happened throughout history.  Organization is what gets things done…that’s why there are political parties.

In the Summer of 1920, the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote was very much in doubt. Only one more state legislature had to ratify the amendment but the remaining states were in limbo. It was called the war of the roses. Supporters of the amendment, the “Suffs” which was short for “suffragists”, wore yellow roses while those opposed, or the “Antis” clung to a red rose. On August 18 in Tennessee, a vote was taken and it resulted in a tie. Young legislator Harry Burn was from the “anti” county of McMinn and he wore a red rose. But, it seems young Burn got a letter from his mother Febb Ensminger Burn who told her son to be a good boy and help put the “rat” in ratification and so on the second vote, he changed his vote, the amendment passed on this date in 1920, when the sun rose, the suffrage movement finally succeeded and women had gained the right to vote. Burn said, “I know that a mother’s advice is always safest for a boy to follow.” So, all you ladies out there should lift a glass to Febb….and hope the World Meteorological Organization doesn’t find out and call a hurricane Febb.

If you were in the White House of Lucy Hayes, the glass you lifted would have been the unleaded version and you certainly couldn’t be part of a “beer summit.”  President Rutherford B. Hayes was no teetotaler but his administration followed that of President Grant whose White House had been assumed to be flowing with Whiskey. Hayes wanted to distance himself from the reputed Whiskey-soaked, scandal-ridden Grant and he had a wife, Lucy, who was big into the temperance movement. So, On This date in 1877, booze was banned at the White House and Lucy became known as “Lemonade Lucy.” The hired help though thought that they had put one over on the President and his wife.

See the chef made a “Roman Punch” part of the daily meal with a hollowed out orange filled with some sherbet-like concoction. Many a Senator was quite relieved when the tasted the brew because they were convinced it was filled with as much rum it could possibly hold. But, the president had the last laugh. Hayes wrote in his diary that he had ordered that the staff fill the punch “strongly with the same flavor that is found in Jamaica rum…There was not a drop of spirits in them!” Yes, indeed….quite the clever man that Rutherford B. Hayes. Too bad he wasn’t as clever in doing his job. After one term, the sitting president was unable to secure the nomination from his own party, losing out to eventual Republican President James Garfield. But, it’s a lesson to the kids…don’t ever think you can pull one over on the old man!

SPC Severe Threat Thu 8am to Fri 8am

Weather Bottom Line:  As I’ve been touting all week, Thursday looks to be the best chance for rain.  My sunflowers need it but I”m a bit concerned because they are nearly 10 feet tall with big old flowers on top. I’m afraid of strong winds that may cause problems.  We have lots of moisture.  This afternoon, there will be scattered storms mainly popping up and roaming up from the southwest.  Now, on Thursday, we have a front coming down.   The boys at the HPC have the front depicted as on our doorstep by 8pm on Thursday.  However, by 8am the next day, its only approaching Lexington.  Hmm..Well, the front seems to get hung up with  a vort lobe swinging around.  It’s the timing of that lobe that is the bugaboo.  See, the 12Z GFS just has all of the severe parameters go off the chart at 1am on Friday.  It also puts out 2.7″ of rain from 7am Thu to 7am Fri.  As is typically the case, the NAM is less bullish, with only about a quarter inch of rain for the same time frame.  It has pretty high Bulk Richardson numbers and CINS but the SWEAT is rather pedestrian somewhere in the 250 range and the other parameters also are limited somewhat…but it too advertises the 1am Friday time frame for the biggest severe threat.  All models dig the trof way into the Dixie States.  So, it’s a strong front and the general idea of these models is that Hurricane Bill ends up just east of Maine with probably high seas for New England as the strong trof shoots Bill to the north very rapidly.  For us, my guess is that we get more rain than advertised from the NAM and it may be heavy at times. I mean, come on…you can feel the moisture out there.  The air will be therefore pretty unstable so I would think that Thursday night we can expect some watch boxes and strong storms.  But, if they aren’t in the area in the evening or shortly after sundown, then they would tend to not be a general ferocity but instead a few scattered strong storms overnight.   The timing will be key.  There’s just so much potential energy, I just can’t believe that it will be as quiet as the NAM thinks.

DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK 
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   1230 PM CDT WED AUG 19 2009
  
   VALID 201200Z – 211200Z
  
   …THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS PORTIONS LOWER MI AND OH SWWD
   TO RED RIVER REGION OF SRN PLAINS…
  
   …SYNOPSIS…
   SYNOPTIC-SCALE TROUGHING ALOFT WILL BE MAINTAINED ACROSS UPPER
   MIDWEST AND CENTRAL CONUS…WITH SLOW EWD SHIFT ACROSS MID-UPPER MS
   VALLEY AND UPPER GREAT LAKES REGIONS.  NEARLY PHASED BLEND OF
   AMBIENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND ASSORTED MVC’S — NOW EVIDENT IN
   MOISTURE CHANNEL IMAGERY AND REFLECTIVITY LOOPS OVER LOWER MO VALLEY
   REGION — IS FCST TO EJECT NEWD REMAINDER DAY-1 AND BECOME ABSORBED
   INTO DEVELOPING MID-UPPER LEVEL CYCLONE OVER MN.  AS THIS
   OCCURS…ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROUGH — NOW EVIDENT IN MOISTURE CHANNEL
   IMAGERY INVOF ERN MT BORDER — IS FCST TO DIG SEWD…REACHING BASE
   OF SYNOPTIC TROUGH OVER SRN IA/NRN MO BY 20/12Z.  THIS PERTURBATION
   SHOULD EJECT NEWD ACROSS LM AND LOWER MI DURING ENSUING 12 HOURS AS
   ANOTHER SPEED MAX DIGS SEWD ACROSS CENTRAL PLAINS AND LOWER MO
   VALLEY REGION.  AFTER ABOUT 21/00Z…PROGS BEGIN TO DIVERGE
   CONSIDERABLY REGARDING CURVED PATH OF PRIMARY MID-UPPER VORTEX
   CENTER OVER MN…WITH PREFERRED SREF CONSENSUS BEING CLOSE TO
   OPERATIONAL WRF POSITION OVER LS BY 21/12Z.
  
   AT SFC…CYCLONE NOW OVER CENTRAL MB IS FCST TO OCCLUDE DAY-1 WITH
   FRONTAL TRIPLE-POINT LOW FORMING INVOF WRN LS BY START OF PERIOD.
   LOW THEN SHOULD PIVOT EWD ACROSS LS THEN NEWD OVER NRN ONT THROUGH
   21/12Z.  ACCOMPANYING COLD FRONT AT 20/12Z — LIKELY MODULATED ON
   MESOSCALE BY BANDS/CLUSTERS OF ONGOING CONVECTION — SHOULD EXTEND
   ACROSS SRN WI…WRN/CENTRAL IL AND S-CENTRAL MO…SWWD ACROSS SWRN
   OK TO E-CENTRAL NM.  AS DEEP-LAYER CYCLONE BECOMES STACKED OVER NRN
   ONT/ERN LS REGION…COLD FRONT SHOULD SWEEP ACROSS MUCH OF LOWER
   MI…INDIANA AND MO BY 21/00Z…SWWD OVER N-CENTRAL/NW TX AND SERN
   NM.  BY END OF PERIOD…WRN SEGMENT OF FRONT MAY DECELERATE OVER W
   AND CENTRAL TX…WHILE STILL MOVING EWD ACROSS UPPER OH VALLEY INTO
   CENTRAL/NRN APPALACHIAN REGION.  SFC WARM FRONT SHOULD LIFT NWD
   ACROSS PORTIONS LOWER MI…LE…AND INTERIOR MID-ATLANTIC REGIONS BY
   EARLY IN PERIOD…REACHING ERN ONT AND SRN QUE BY 21/00Z.
  
   …OH AND LOWER MI TO SRN PLAINS…
   A FEW BANDS OF STG-SVR TSTMS MAY BE ONGOING EARLY IN PERIOD
   ALONG…OR MORE PROBABLY JUST AHEAD OF…THAT SEGMENT OF SFC COLD
   FRONT FROM OK TO OZARKS TO WI.  MAIN CONCERN WOULD BE FOR MRGL
   DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED HAIL.  FOREGOING AIR MASS IS FCST TO
   DESTABILIZE DIURNALLY — FROM MID-DAY INTO LATE AFTERNOON –
   WEAKENING MLCINH IN SUPPORT OF ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT.  PREFRONTAL
   SFC DEW POINTS MID 60S TO 70S F SHOULD BE COMMON FROM LOWER MI TO
   RED RIVER VALLEY…WITH STG DIABATIC HEATING OUTSIDE ANY SWATHS OF
   THICK CLOUD COVER PRODUCED BY EARLIER/ONGOING ACTIVITY.  LAPSE RATES
   ALOFT WILL INCREASE WITH SWWD EXTENT OVER FRONTAL ZONE…LARGELY
   ACCOUNTING FOR SIMILAR TRENDS IN BUOYANCY.  FCST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST
   PRE-STORM MLCAPE IN 500-1000 J/KG RANGE OVER PORTIONS LOWER
   MI…WITH 3500-4000 J/KG ACROSS PORTIONS SERN OK…N-CENTRAL/NE TX
   AND AR.  FAVORABLE DEEP-LAYER KINEMATIC PROFILES ARE EVIDENT
   ALONG/AHEAD OF FRONT.  WIND PROFILES WILL BE MORE NEARLY
   UNIDIRECTIONAL OVER GREAT LAKES STATES…BUT WITH FAVORABLE SPEED
   SHEAR…WHEREAS LARGER DIRECTIONAL SHEAR BENEATH WEAKER MID-LEVEL
   WINDS WILL PREVAIL SWWD TO RED RIVER REGION.  DAMAGING GUSTS SHOULD
   BE PRIMARY THREAT ACROSS MOST OF OUTLOOK AREA…WITH RELATIVE
   CONCENTRATION OF HAIL POTENTIAL EXPECTED FROM ARKLATEX TO RED RIVER
   WHERE STEEPER LAPSE RATES ARE FCST WITH POSSIBILITY OF
   LONGER-LASTING DISCRETE MODE.
  
   MORE SPECIFIC/LARGER CONCENTRATIONS OF SVR PROBABILITIES…IF
   ANY…WILL DEPEND STRONGLY ON MESOSCALE AND SMALLER PROCESSES –
   I.E. PREFRONTAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES…AND PACE OF EVOLUTION TO
   CLUSTERED AND LINEAR STORM MODES.
  
   …LOWER GREAT LAKES AND MID-ATLANTIC…
   MOISTURE ADVECTION AND STG SFC HEATING…ALONG AND S OF SFC WARM
   FRONT…WILL CONTRIBUTE TO FAVORABLE DESTABILIZATION OF AIR MASS
   FROM MID-DAY THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON.  SFC DEW POINTS COMMONLY UPPER
   60S F WILL HELP TO OFFSET MODEST MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES — E.G. 6-6.5
   DEG C/KM FROM 700-500 MB — TO PRODUCE MLCAPE IN 1000-2000 J/KG
   RANGE WITH NEGLIGIBLE CAPPING.  LOW/MIDDLE LEVEL WINDS AND BULK
   SHEAR EACH ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN EWD FROM CATEGORICAL SLGT RISK
   AREA…HOWEVER VENTILATING ANVIL-LEVEL WINDS ARE PROGGED TO REMAIN
   STG.  POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR MULTICELL CLUSTERS WITH MAIN CONCERN
   BEING STG-SVR DOWNDRAFTS…AND ISOLATED LARGE HAIL ALSO POSSIBLE.
  
   ..EDWARDS.. 08/19/2009

Women Lose The Right To Vote; Cold Here To Stay For Awhile November 16, 2008

00Z NAM 11.16 12Z Wed Surface

Told you that snow would not be an issue. There is a tiny chance of a flake or two Tuesday morning but the real issue here is the temperatures. We get a little sun on Sunday afternoon but the mercury only gets to the low to mid 40′s. Same Monday though its reversed. The sun is early and clouds late. Cold front comes through and temperatures fall to the upper 20′s. Tuesday afternoon the clouds decrease and a clear Tuesday night will bring low to mid 20′s Wednesday morning. We move up toward 50 in the afternoon before another front comes through keeping us cold through the end of the week. We moderate somewhat for the weekend.

New Jersey Women Stormed To Take Back What Was Once Theirs

Early Suffrage Poster Featuring George

On This Date in History: The original constitution of the state of New Jersey said that “all inhabitants” who met residency requirements and had a net worth of at least 50 pounds had the right to vote. I assume that it only meant whites but it certainly made no reference to women. The women of New Jersey apparently gave a collective yawn. They had not pushed for suffrage and there is no record of any woman voting prior to 1790.

Things went awry though in 1797 when a state legislature seat was up for grabs between Newark’s John Condict and William Crane of Elizabeth. Condict looked to be the winner until 75 women from Elizabeth showed up to vote for their favorite son. Condict still managed to hang on but the race was on for the female vote. Women were hauled to the polls in wagons and carriages by candidates in the elections that followed. (sound familiar?) Some of the ladies were even underage. But, in 1807, the freedom train came to a halt.

Once again, the players were Newark and Elizabeth and the issue was the location of a new courthouse. Women were tossed and pulled by both sides as they tried to get them to the polls and convince them of the merits of each side’s position. Hijinx were at a premium as even young boys dressed up as women to try to cast a ballot. The rank and file of the elites were “shocked” by this “saturnalia of corruption and abuse” and on this date in 1807 New Jersey lawmakers quickly adopted new voting laws that took away the vote from the ladies. It would take over 100 years for them to get it back.

Moral to the story: Don’t take your opportunities for granted and squander what you have.