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February 27, 1915.]
MARYLAND SUFFRAGE NEWS
381
MRS. EDWARD C. WILSON,
President of the Arundell Club, will speak on
"THE ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN INTO CLUBS"
On Tuesday, March 2, at 4 P. M.,
At J. G. L. Headquarters, 817 North Charles Street.
The meeting is open to the general public.
of favorable testimony from those eminent in all departments of the
State's activities have been published. Again and again the Legislature
has adopted resolutions expressing the highest approval of woman suf-
frage, urging other States to aclopt it and calling upon Congress to submit
an amendment to the National Constitution.
School Suffrage for Women Popular in Many States.
Ilcginning with Michigan and Minnesota in 1875. there was a tendency
of Legislatures to confer some form of school suffrage on women, and
this has continued until in about half of the States they have a school vote
of some Wind. In certain places it is for trustees, in others for appropria-
tions, but nowhere have they as much of a voice in school affairs as men
have. In some States they must be mothers of children of school age, in
others heads of families and in others taxpayers. They must register the
same as to vote an entire ticket and on election day they must go to the
general polls; so the school vote cast by women, while frequently large,
must not be regarded as conclusive evidence of the number who would
exercise the full suffrage.
In 1887 Kansas again came to the front by granting to women munici-
pal suffrage, which its Legislature had constitutional power to do. and
they regularly exercised it to the distinct advantage of the city govern-
ments, according to the general belief. There was, however, much legis-
lative juggling to prevent their having a vote on officials connected with
the administration of the liquor prohibition laws and they were prevented
from voting for judge and marshal of the City Court, justices of the
peace and constables, while the police judge, city marshal and chief of
police were appointed, except in the small places. Liquor sellers, when
indicted, simply took an appeal to a higher court, over which women had
no jurisdiction. A constitutional amendment to give women the com-
plete franchise was submitted to the voters in i8ecial taxation, also for school trus-
tees ; since 1894 in Iowa all women can vote on issuing bonds or increas-
ing the tax levy: since 1898. in Minneapolis for library trustees. In 1001
the Legislature of New York gave to taxpaying women of towns and
villages a vote upon propositions for special taxation, and in lino the law
was amended to include the issuing of bonds. After four acts of the
Legislature, beginning in 1880. and three decisions of the highest courts,
consuming fifteen years of time, the right was secured for women of the
towns and villages who have children of school age or are assessed for
over $50, to vote at district school meetings! Kven with these small
privileges women have carried many elections and always for the improve-
ment of the schools and villages. The charters of sewn or eight third-
class cities have conferred school suffrage on women, and possibly a dozen
have given the taxpayer's franchise.
In 1908 Michigan, through a new Constitution, gave taxpaying women
a vote on all questions of special taxation and the granting of franchises.
This was in response to a petition from 275.000 of the lending women for
the full suffrage. Most of the fragmentary voting privileges enumerated
alrove have been given by Legislatures merely to get rid of the impor-
tunities of the women for a chance to obtain the complete franchise.
These crumbs are all the actual suffrage that most Legislatures have power
to give. That of Michigan in lljQ conferred the municipal franchise on
women, just as that of Kansas hail done, and the Supreme Court at once
declared that it had exceeded its constitutional power. This would prob-
ably be the decision in nearly all of the States. The women do not want
to be enfranchised in this piecemeal fashion and they have almost entirely
ceased asking for it.
It must be remembered that in no State can the Legislature confer the
complete franchise on women. That can be done only through amending
the Constitution by taking the word "male" out of its qualifications for
voting, and this requires the consent in some States of a majority of all
who vote on the amendment: in others of the highest number of votes
cast at the election.
(To be continued in next week's issue.)
MISS HANAW TO LECTURE
Will Give Series of Talks at Arcade Lunchroom Between 12 M.
and 2 P. M.
Beginning on Monday. March 1, Miss M. S. Hanavv will, for one
week, give illustrated talks on "The Wider L'se of the School Plant," be-
tween the hours of 12 and 2 P. M., at the Arcade Lunchroom, Nos. ly
and 2\ South street. Besides the brief talk on this very ini]>ortant sub-
ject Miss Hanavv shows a set of fifty Russell Sage slides demonstrating
the extent of wider use in cities all over the L'nited States. Suffragists
will be interested especially in the slides showing a well-attended public
suffrage meeting in a Rochester school (why not such meetings in Balti-
more schoolhouscs?). also various California slides illustrating polling
places in schoolhouscs (the center best suited for balloting). Suffragists
and their friends are urged to attend the illustrated talk, which is free.
Luncheon is served at moderate rales during the talk. Miss Ilanaw has
been working for several years on broadening out the use of the city's
public properly, and is anxious for co-o|>eration in this public-spirited
venture.
154,600 WOMEN VOTE IN CHICAGO
77'/ of Those Registered Cast Their Ballots in Municipal Prima-
ries—Only 70% of Men Vote.
M
'ORE than 154/100 Chicago women voted in the municipal primaries
of February 25, according to late returns, which still were incom-
plete. This number represented y~ *rf cent, of the women registered.
The 311,0m and more ballots cast by men. with complete returns not all
in. represented 70 pet cent, of lite mole voters registered.
Mayor Carter II. Harrison, who has served five years, was defeated
by County Clerk Robert Magnus Sweitzer for the Democratic nomination
by a plurality of over 55.700.
Many Women Did Not Wish to Align Themselves With Any
Party.
The plurality of William Hale Thompson over Municipal Judge Harry
Olson, for the Republican nomination, exceeded 2300. Congressman
Charles M. Thompson had no contest for the Progressive nomination.
()f the women who voted, over 57.000 cast their ballots for Sweitzer.
Harrison's vote among the women was something over 30.000. Nearly
33.000 women voted for Olson and nearly 20.000 for W. II. Thompson.
Thousands of women refused to vote. They did not want to align them-
selves with any party at this time, as they would have had to wait two
years before changing their affiliation.
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