Celebrating Wyoming's 125th Statehood Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, we will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the day Wyoming became a State on Friday, July 10, 2015.

Wyoming's journey to statehood was not without hurdles. In fact, the debate in Congress was contentious. The arguments centered upon one of our most proud accomplishments--a decision made long before Wyoming became a State. On December 10, 1869, the Wyoming territory was the first in the United States to grant women the right to vote.

Efforts to attain statehood finally came to fruition 20 years later. It was incumbent on our delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, Joseph M. Carey, to convince his colleagues to support the statehood bill.

On March 26, 1890, the day of the statehood bill debate, Joseph Carey spoke passionately about Wyoming. His words still hold true today. He said that Wyoming was rich in agricultural possibilities. He explained Wyoming was one of nature's great storehouses of minerals. Joseph Carey also talked about grazing development, educational leadership, widespread railway construction, the model Constitution, and the unique opportunities for women.

Yet, opponents to our statehood did not support women having the right to vote. On the same day as Joseph Carey's impassioned speech, Representative William Oates of Alabama argued against our admittance to the Union. He said, ``Mr. Speaker, I do not hesitate to say that in my judgment the franchise has been too liberally extended. Should we ever reach universal suffrage this Government will become practically a pure democracy and then the days of its existence are numbered.''

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed Wyoming's statehood bill with a vote of 139-127. Part of the narrow margin was due to Democrats in Congress fearing that Wyoming would be a Republican State. The U.S. Senate passed the bill on June 27, 1890.

President Benjamin Harrison signed the bill into law on July 10, 1890, which led to impromptu celebrations across the State. Newspapers reported a 44-gun salute in Laramie; Douglas celebrated ``louder than ever;'' and ``Rawlins Town is wild.''

The main celebration on July 23 featured a 2-mile parade in Cheyenne consisting of many floats. One float had 42 women representing the older States and a small carriage in which rode three little girls, representing the Goddess of Liberty, the State of Idaho--admitted July 3, and the State of Wyoming. The parade led to the Capitol where Esther Hobart Morris, the first female justice of the peace in the United States from Wyoming, presented a 44-star silk flag, purchased by women of the State of Wyoming to Governor Francis E. Warren.

After a 44-gun salute, Mrs. I.S. Bartlett read an original poem, ``The True Republic.'' Her poem ended with the following words:

Let the bells ring out more loudly and the deep-toned cannon roar,
Giving voice to our thanksgiving, such as never rose before,
For we tread enchanted ground today, we're glorious, proud and great;
Our independence day has come--Wyoming is a State!

As Wyoming marks 125 years of statehood, I encourage my colleagues to join me in celebrating Wyoming's rich heritage, geological wonders and genuine cowboy hospitality that provides a truly wonderful experience to visitors from all over the world.

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