 Runaround |
| During the long journey for women's suffrage, Washington State was in the eyes of the world as it won and lost the vote for fifty years. Washington State won the vote in 1910. ©2008 Linda Allen In the 1850's women voted, In school elections, so we noted First they could, and then they couldn't, Some thought they should, some thought they shouldn't In the 1860's, legislation, Granted votes to every citizen Mary Brown said, that means us, Women voted, what a fuss! They'll vote us up, they'll vote us down, They'll give us the runaround They'll give it, then they'll take away, But we will have our day We will have our say In '71, Dan Bigelow, Asked legislators to grant the vote Even Susan B. Anthony, Could not help the blind to see But women voted in '77, Once again, in school elections Our little vote, they did not fear, If we did not step outside our sphere CHO Then hurrah! In '83, Women won the victory Black women joined the celebration, First black women to vote in the nation Now women had been closing in, On liquor and the gambling dens So a hard-luck gambler in '87, Challenged women in jury selection CHO The high court said, you're right, old man, And women lost the vote, again In '88 they got it back, But jury duty they would lack In August one Nevada Bloomer, Loyal wife of a saloon keeper Used the courts to lose our vote, We lost our voice, we lost our hope CHO In '89, we became a state, Men had a chance to clear the slate But women's rights were voted down, Women got the runaround Women could not vote again, 'Til nineteen hundred and ten And could they take it all away? Like they did in olden days? They'll vote us up, they'll vote us down They'll give us the runaround They'll give it, then they'll take away… Eternal vigilance, we say, Eternal vigilance, we say |