The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-06-25
FRAyCHLsEs FOR WONEN

FRANCHISES FOR WOMEN.
Attorney General Bradford has Just
issued II decision to the effect that Ksn-
sas women are entitled to vote at certain
school board elections. The opinion is
contained III letter To A. +. Hunter of
Eureka aud was given III the request of
Miss GeCrgiAnA Daniels, coualy super
intendent of Greenwood county. The
following are the principal points con-
t4Iued IL the letter:
u. r. Hunter. EuTeSa. Kansas:
DEAN SIR: Answering yours in which
you ask Tor u construction OF the term
ELECTORS IN section ), article IL, Inay
t-r Ia, laws VI 1876, and the term "qual-
med e.eU,UEs" IN section l, chapter 40,
laws IF 1879, VIII say:
l. That 10y section l, of article 8, OF
the constitution II is provided that every
wuHe maze psrsun vi 81 years and up
z-ds, belonging u either oil ;he follow
IL : l asses, who shall have resided in
Kansas SIX months next preceding
any election, AMI III the township
OF ward IN which he offers To
vote. at least next preceding such
eieotsDh, shall be deemed qualified
ele tor. F!rst-CitlZeas of the United
States. SecOnd-PeTsOns OF foreign
birth VINO shall have declared their H.
leutIun OF Citizens comfortably 10 the
laws of the United States on the subject
Z. naturalization
The constitution having provided who
shall he deemed qualified electors of the
ate, the words ELECTORS" and qualified
el ciOrs" Wheu found in any statute
should DC construed ~ mean suca per-
sons ouiy as come within the con-
sli1- oGai definition OF those terms, W.
iess = contrary intention is clearly OK
pressed Ia the statute.
Toe constitution provides tor two, aud
OHIY Two elections TO be- held 10y the
people, Io-wit: General elections ead
township elections, C institution Art 4,
Sec. p, and Il does not anywhere even
mention school district elections or
meetings
Now, il Sec. 1, Art. D, does not apply
TO school district elections, then wha: Is
there TO prevent the legislature from
comforting the right of suffrage in school
district elections on women2 There IL
nothing in the nature of things or in the
nature II government which would pre-
vent il.
Women ere members of sc ciety, mem
bers of the great body polite, cItizens as
| uiuCu ds EACus Win tue same natural
T gifts, united with man IN the same
common destiny, and are capable of II
csiving and exercising whatever of po-
liucaI rights may be conferred upon
them. Wheeler We. Brady, 10 Kas. 26
And in regard TO ali matters affecting
public schools OF the state, the cOnstitu.
tion goes still further by Sec. %, Art. 2
OF the con stitutiOn il Is further provided
that the Legislature in providing for the
formation and regulation of schools shall
make no distinction between the rights
of the males and females.
Sec 3, Art. ID, of the same chapter
provides "that such election (referring L
the election of school districts for tn,
issuance of oonCs) shall be conducted il
. all respects as under The laws of III,
state at general elections, shall be tn,
same except that the returns shalt b
made TO the school board. 4" In Sec.
of the same article and in a proviso 4
that section it Is enacted that no sucI
; bond shall be Issued until the question
shall be submitted to the qualified elect
oTs OF the district, and two thirds of al
the qualified electors present and votini
on the question shall have declared b,
their votes, at an election called for tina
purpose, in favor of issuing the same
5 Aud It is further provided that no vot
T shall be ordered unless petition be Ore
i sented 10 the district board sugRestin
: that vote be taken, which petitio
}, shall be signed by at least one-third {
said qualified voters of such distric