Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-16
WOMEN cANNor VOTE
For University Trustees In the state
of Illinois.

iItSS IepOTt
Chicago. June 1i,-Attorney-G General
Moloney has dealt woman suffrage in
this state blow. He holds, in a writ
ten opinion prepared at the request of
Mrs. Katherine Waugh McCulloch. of
this city that women cannot legally
vote at the election for trustees of the
State University of Illinois at Cham
paign.
The court of last resort has never
passed upon the point. The only case
in which the question has come up
before any tribunal In this state was in
one tried before Judge Upton, OF the
circuit court Of Mclean county, at
Bloomington. Judge Upton held that
women could vote for trustees OF the
State University under the act of 1891
permitting women TO vote at school
elections.
Mrs. Mcculloch. herself lawyer.
Is much interested in the extension of
the elective franchise to women and is
as anxious for as liberal an interpre-
tation as possible of the act giving wo-
men the right to vote for school officers
announced, Mrs. McCuloch asked the
Encouragement for an opinion on the
subject, calling his attention to the
Bloomington decision as the only one
rendered thus far in this state.
The opinion of Mr., Moloney was sent
to Mrs, McCulloch by mail. He says
that the act which gives the right of
suffrage to women in the election for
officers for the government of schools
does not apply to the elections of State
University trustees. The trustees Of
this university, he says, are not onicers
of the public schools. but are to be
classed with other state officers. such
as the governor, etc. As women have
no-voice in the election of such officers.
the Encouragement says they cannot
vote for university trustees. The at
tempt to give women the right to vote
for trustees of the state university, by
virtue of the act of 1891. says the at
torney-general. is an attempt to make
the law mean more than was ever con-
templated II would be 'Judge-made
law A university cannot come under
the scope of any law framed for the
regulation Of schools only. If the in
depreciation Of the law Is to be SO ex-
tended, it Will cover institutions by no
means contemplated by the trainers of
the act OF 1891.
Attorney-Genaral Maloney is conf
dent that the opinion he has given is a
sound one. He said he had prepared
II with care, and good lawyers, to
whom he had submitted 1t. concurred
In his construction of the statute. In
the opinion he makes liberal quotations
from Judge Tipton's decision and la
bors to prove that the conclusions of
the Mclean county circuit judge are
not good law.
Thousands of men and women are
interested in the extension of suffrage
among women. Not many had learned
yesterday Of Maloneys adverse oplon-
ion. Such as had heard Of 1t united in
expressing disappointment. 1t was de-
clared that no means should be left un-
tried to get the question before the SUI
preme court as soon as possible so as
to have final adjudication. If ma
pority of the court takes the same view
of the law as Mr.. Moloney no pains
will be spared to bring the matter be-
fore the next session of the general
assembly and secure the passage of an
amendment giving women the same
voice In choosing trustees of the state
University as they now have in the
election Of school officers
Trustees Of the State University were
appointed by the governor up to the
year 1856 Then the Chicago club OF
the university alumni began to work to
secure change in the method OF se-
lection. The result of the clubs agita-
ton was the introduction in the gen
eral assembly OF a bill making the
office of trustee elective.