A Letter to Post Gender Columnist Monica Hesse About “America’s First Female Mayor”

In her zeal to celebrate another feminist triumph, Hesse ignored the real reason behind the actions of some "angry, resentful men"

Dear Ms. Hesse,

As I have written multiple prior letters to you, I have little doubt that you’re aware of my efforts to challenge The Washington Post’s longstanding gender bias against men, provable by its imbalanced coverage of domestic violence¹ and made undeniable by its 2018 publication of a repulsive op-ed, Why can't we hate men? ²

I respectfully ask that you take the time to read this letter about your recent column, Long ago, the miscalculations of men led to America’s first female mayor, and to thoughtfully consider what I say here.

In my most recent letter to you, I disputed your assertion that Trump³ was the cause of the electoral gender gap. In this letter I challenge your one-dimensional, misandrist characterization of the men who were instrumental in the election of America’s first female mayor.

Don’t get me wrong. In most respects, I generally agree with the sentiments of your article:

• I commend Kansas for giving women the right to vote in municipal elections

• I appreciate the (unintended) election of Susanna Salter in 1887 as the first female mayor in America

• I applaud her professional, and level-headed performance of her duties as mayor of tiny Argonia, Kansas, showing that women could be effective leaders

• I can even understand the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union's goal to create a "sober and pure world" by abstinence, but not it’s violent approach to achieve this goal, e.g. Carry Nation, the hatchet-wielding terrorist.

Early Feminist Terrorist Enforcing Her Vision for America

But with that said, your article is another example of, if not outright bias, then at least of an unbalanced, feminist-inspired perspective. As you did in your article about “A Woman on the Moon”, in your enthusiasm to hail a feminist success, you’ve again conveniently ignored or misrepresented the most important part of the story.

What alerted me to this misrepresentation was your characterization of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union as "a national organization dedicated to progressive social reform", conveniently ignoring the third word in the organization’s name, TEMPERANCE.

Describing the WCTU like this is tantamount to calling the Mafia an “Italian fraternal organization dedicated to peace and understanding”.

This mischaracterization of the WCTU allows you to blame “angry, resentful men who thought that women did not belong in politics” as the reason for adding Salter as a candidate for mayor, completely ignoring the real reason for their action:

These men were disgusted with the extreme measures used by the WCTU to force their vision of absolute alcohol abstinence on the American people.

One online article explained the anti-WCTU aspect of the story:

[Salter] was also interested in the local Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Eventually, she joined the organization — and became its leader. This was a big reason why she became a target of local men. [emphasis added]

By the time Salter joined the WCTU, the group had escalated its tactics from protests outside saloons to attempts of policing citizens into sobriety.

Of course, men who drank booze in Argonia were not happy about this. Their frustration was compounded when WCTU members put pro-temperance men on the ballots for mayor and city council in 1887.

But the disgruntled drinkers hatched a plan. Since most candidates registered for office on Election Day, they used that opportunity to replace the man that the WCTU had endorsed for mayor with Susanna Salter’s name. In the minds of the pranksters, Salter’s failure to win would ruin her reputation and silence the WCTU.

To borrow from your article’s last sentence:

Do with this what you will.

Sincerely,

Stephen Bond,

Publisher of "Letters to The Washington Post" Substack

1. This observation was confirmed by a February 2023 report by The Coalition to End Domestic Violence that described a 10-Year Suppression of the Truth on Domestic Violence by the Washington Post. For further evidence see Domestic Violence: Feminism’s Big Lie.

2. I’m repeating this standard opening for new readers who haven’t seen prior letters to you.

3. Because my intent is only to challenge the Post’s feminist gender bias, I’ve tried to avoid discussing Trump. I do agree, however, with retired federal judge and January 6th Committee witness J. Michael Luttig: "Donald Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy.")