The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-23

The proposition for woman suffrage has
now been put in tangible shape and will
be reached sometime this year, after the
constitutional convention has waded
through the declaration of rights, educa-
tional article, municipal corporations ar
ticle and article on future amendments
When this will be is problematical, as
there is bound to be a warm time over
the location of the State UniveI sity, as
well as over some propositions in the ar
ticle on municipal corporations. The
committee on suffrage and elections made
the following report yesterday:
I'VE have carefully considered all pro
positions and memorials and hereby re-
! turn the same together with a draft of
an article upon the subject referred TO
us, and recommend it as a substitute for
said propositions and as the response to
/ the SAID memorials. Your committee do
not clam absolute perfection for the
draft herewith presented, but state that
such as the instrument is. it is an ex-
preston of the best judgment and most
e can deiiberatien of the majority of
the committee. The committee in per-
forming their labors have endeavored to
! be governed and controlled y
ciple that in a republican form of govern
ment every citizen of the United States
| of reasonable intelligence not convicted
of crimes which strike at the foundation
! OF popular government should be eligible
to vote and exercise in addition thereto
their fellow-citiZens see fit to confer upon
them, keeping in mind that taxation
without representation is not only unjust
but contraveneS and comes III conflict
with the very genius of our political in
situations. The committee by this article
have conferred upon women the right to
vote and exercise political privileges
equal with men. The difficulty with the
committee in considering this subject has
been to find a reason why women should
not have this privilege, rather than why
they should. Not being able to find any
logical reason why they should not. and
deeming the political determinations
heretofore existing in this respect as I'M
reasonable and unjust, a majority of the
committee strongly favor the adoption of
that portion of the article which In une
QuiVocal terms establishes the political
equality of the sexes; upon this subject
we have adopted literally the language
of the Wyoming constitution, in which |
state woman's suffrage after twenty-five |
years experience has been demonstrated |
to be pronounced success. Upon all |
other portions of the article herewith |
presented the committee have been and |
are practically unanimous. Respectfully !
submitted.
J. F. Chichester chairman, A. S. Ander-
son. joseph f. Robinson. Farley Chris |
tiansen, Peter Lowe, ]. D. Murdoch, |
Chester Call A. Engberg. A. H Raleigh, |
William Howard. F. A. Hammond, s. R.
ihu'nian The Article.
The proposed article on suffrage and
elections reads as follows:
Sec. 1.-The rights of citizens of the
state of Utah to vote and hold office
count of sex. Both male and female
citizens of this state shall equally enjoy
all civil, political and religious rights and
Sec 2-Every citizen of the United
States of the age OF q years and upwards
who shall have been a citizen for ninety
rtory one year, in the county four
months. and in the precinct sixty days
next preceding any election shall be en-
titled to vote at such election except as
herein otherwise provided.
Sec. 3-Electors shall in all cases ex-
cept treason, felony or breach of the
days of election during their attendance
at elections and going TO and returning
therefrom.
Sec. 4-No elector shall be obliged to
perform militia duty on the day of cleo
ton except in time of war and public
danger.
qualified elector of this state unless such
person be a citizen of the United States.
Sec. 6-All idiots, insane persons and
persons convicted of treason or crimes
against the elective franchise, unless re-
stored to civil rights, shall not be per
mitted to vote at any election or be eli
gible to hold office in this state.
Sec. mo elector shall be deemed t.
have lost his residence in this state by
reason Of his temporary absence or his
on business of the United States,
or of this state. or In the military service
of the United States nor while a student
of any institution of learning.
Sec. S-No property qualification shall
ever be required for any person to vote
or hold office except in elections levying
a special tax or creating Indebtedness.
Sec. 9-All elections shall be by secret
ballot. Nothing in this section shall be
to prevent the use of any ma
chine or mechanical contrivance for the
votes cast at any election, providing that {
secrecy in voting be preserved.
Must Be Able to Read.
Sec 10-No person shall have the right
to vote who shall not be able to read the
of the United States. The
construed or apply to any person pre- j
vented by physical disability from COM
plying with its requirements, nor to de-
prive any person the right to vote who
has such right at the time of the adoI-
ton of this constitution. unless disquaIi-
fed by the restrictions of section six of
this article. .
Sec. 11-No person qualified to be an !
elector of the state of Utah shall be al
lowed to vote at any general or special I
election hereafter to be held in the state
until such person shall be registered as
l voter according to law, unless the fail
Ire to register is caused by sickness or
absence, for which provision, shall be
shall enact such laws as will carry into
effect the provisions of this section.
Sec; l@T ne legislature shall pass laws
r
guard against the abuses of the elective
franchise.
Election Boards.
Sec. 13-All laws creating or regulating !
IT affecting boards of officers charged
With the duty of registering voters, dis
ributing ballots at the polls to voters
n of receiving, recording, or counting I
he votes at elections, shall secure repre-
of at least the two political
,arties which, at the general election :
lext preceding that which such boards '
n officers are to serve cast the highest
nd the next highest number of votes [
Al such boards or officers shall be ap-
,ointed or elected in such manner and A
pon the nomination of such representa- .
ives of said parties respectively as the =
legislature may direct.
Sec. 1fAfter the adoption of this con-
tuition all general elections for state
district. county. precinct and municipai
Ulcers. except school and judicial officers
hall be held on the Tuesday next follow "
ng the first Monday in November of each T
ven year. Special elections may be held L
s provided by law. The terms of all Of q
GERS elected at the general election shall S
commence on the first Monday in Janu- a
ry, next following the date of their Ii
lection. Judicial and school officers n
hall not be elected on any day when =
ther officers are elected. but the time of q
heir election shall be provided by law. q
Sec. 15-All officers made elective or ap- u
ointive by this constitution or by the a
avs made in pursuance thereof shall. Y
efore entering upon the duties of their n
Offices take and subscribe the 4
GLOWING oath or affirmation:
81 do SOlemnly swear Cor affirm) that 7
yiil support, obey and defend the consti-
ution of the United States and the con-
titution of this state and that I will DIS
barge the duties of my office with fidel- A
-y.'
Conference Special.