The Second Greatest Sex

In 1880, three Kansas towns Osake, Jones City and Mandaroon feud over which one will host the county seat, with a safe containing important documents as the prize. The ongoing absence of men for long periods strains families, especially the women back home who grow weary of the fighting. The competition centers on control of the documents and the perceived legitimacy of each town.

Matt Davis hopes to marry Sheriff McClure's daughter Liza while also presenting himself as a future town leader. McClure remains unsure whether Matt is motivated by romance or political ambition, adding tension to their courtship. The personal and political stakes are tied to the county seat contest.

The men of Osake secure the safe containing the important documents and begin constructing a courthouse to symbolize their claim to the county seat. The act consolidates power for Osake and signals a shift in the regional balance. The other towns watch closely as the race intensifies.

Matt marries Liza, but soon leaves again when the safe is stolen. He forms a posse with the other men and heads out to recover the prize, leaving the wedding behind. The absence of the men worsens the women’s frustration and deepens the stalemate.

Following the men's departure, the women inspired by Lysistrata join Liza in a protest and close the fort to the men. They refuse to cooperate until the men prove themselves worthy of their respect and the town's future. The fort becomes the staging ground for a gender driven stand-off that halts normal life.

The Osake men recapture the safe, but it sinks in the river, eluding recovery. The river becomes a major obstacle in the county seat race and heightens the urgency of the women's strike. The setback forces a reevaluation of strategy by both sides.

Believing the conflict to be paused, the women consider returning to their routine. They decide to wait for the river to drop so the safe can be retrieved again, keeping the standoff alive. The stalemate continues to shape the town dynamics.

As the water level lowers, the men set out anew to recover the sunken safe. They arrive at a river site already occupied by another town, complicating the attempt to claim the prize. The renewed chase rekindles inter-town rivalry.

A fistfight erupts between the men from all three towns at the river site. During the melee, the safe is knocked off a wagon and rolls toward a pool of quicksand, sinking from reach. The chaotic fight marks a breakdown in orderly competition.

All the men return home to find the women of Mandaroon and Jones City have vanished as well, having gathered in the same fort. The women force a truce and insist on selecting a completely new location for the county seat. The power balance shifts to a coordinated female-led decision.

The communities reach an agreement after the women's stand, deciding on a completely new site for the county seat. The feud ends for now as the towns commit to a fresh arrangement. The outcome reflects the influence of the women and the changed dynamics after the long stand-off.