Those of you who attended Phyllis Cole's Faculty Forum know the question arose, "Why were western states the leaders in giving women the right to vote?" That question is addressed in the following two books:
How the vote was won : woman suffrage in the western United States, 1868-1914 by Rebecca J. Mead. (Pattee/Paterno JK1896.M4 2004)
Women vote in the West : the Woman Suffrage Movement, 1869-1896 by Beverly Beeton (Pattee/Paterno JK1896.B44 1986.)
There is also an interesting website devoted to the western suffrage movement at http://www.autry-museum.org/explore/exhibits/suffrage/index.html
You will be shocked to learn the answer to the question does not involve a lot of idealism.