Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-03-03
WOMAN TAXPAYERS.
Hold Meeting to Consider Their Duties
IN the School Election.

About forty ladies assembled at Jne
w. Z. Il. U. rooms Wednesday after
noon at 3 O'Clock to discuss and take
action III the interest Oi the taxpayers
at the coming school election. The
meeting was we'll conducted and
orderly.
Mrs. Ramp called the meeting to
Order and an organization was per-
fected by electing Mrs. Laura Smell as
chairman and Mrs. Josephine Il.
Sharp as secretary.
Mrs. Smell stated the object of the
meeting, that IL was called IN the in
terest OF the taXpaying women OF Sa-
lem, who would hereafter have a
voice at the polls at all school cleo
tiOns. SuffragIsts chad been scrying
for the ballot aud now that they had
it they should intellIgently exercise
the privilege.
Mrs. SMELLS remarks were received
with applause and after a general
discussion of the condition Of the dis
trict, the question OF candidates was
taken up. Some favored putting up
two women as cand dates, but a ma
jority seemed opposed TO this, as un-
less they could get male votes for
both the women probably both would
be slaughtered aud the very men
elected they did not want.
This cOntin yency caused quite a
hutter of excitement and sUme or
the ladies began TO realize Ithat poll
tics was as full of tricks as an egg is
OF meat.
Mrs. Emily VanderyOrt, in an earnest
speech presented Mrs. Amelia +.
MilleT's name for the united support
of the ladies. Mrs. Miller was grad
uate of Willamette, her late husband
had beel a graduate, she was now
trustee of Willamette aud was
educating her children there, and
that she was a good, honest,
conscientious woman, who was
supporting herself and had kept
heself abreast of the times on all
Questions, aud would make splendid
member of the board.
Mrs. Sharpe presented the name of
Mrs Olive 5. England as suitable
woman candidate. She was member
OF the legal profession aud as the re
was possibility Of a lawsuit contesting
the right OF woman to be elected a
director, candidate who could de-
defend'herself in the courts would be
desirable.
Mrs. &. NJ. Charlton here moved a
committee of three to draft resolutions,
setting forth the demands of the
women taxpayers, including a demand
that the election be by Australian
ballot, and voters indicate their choice
of two by cross before tue names,
Carried.
The chair appointed Mesdames
Beeler, JeffrieS and Mott.
Mrs. Il. w. Davenport replied etc
the question, whether woman
could hold the Office of director, that
there had been conference of able
lawyers on that point, including the
honorable attorney general, and they
agreed that a woman could hold any
office that she could vote TO elect
some one to. There was no more Ques-
tiou as to the legality OF a woman
filling that Office than of man
(applause.l
| Mrs. Beeler moved that a commit
tee be elected by ballot TO wait upof
the candidates and inquire as TO thei
| Willingness to accept a nomination a
the hands of the women taxpayers o
Salem. Carried. A ballot was taken
each woman voting for five, with TIN
result that Mrs. Taylor, of HIGHLAND
Mrs. Beeler, Mrs, Ramp, Miss Annie
| +. Jeffres and Miss Jones stood tn
highest and were declared chosen.
Mrs. Beeler gracefully declined ii
favor of Mrs. NandervOrt, who stoOt
next highest.
Mrs. Taylor, of the Highland dele
CATION, carried the conference wit
her by an able plea for their school
They wanted 1t maintained an
would vote for no candidates VIII
were not favorable to their school
They would be glad to be set'aside as
district by them mselYes, and TAX
care OF themselves but could not d
so on account of the bonded debt
which compelled them to remain i
the district,
The committee was instructed to rt
port to another meeting OF the wome
to be held Monday March I, at p. ii
at w. G.. T. u, hall. If Mrs. Mile
cannot be secured as a candidate
the committee may submit an
other wOman's name as candi
date, as IL seemed the desire Of thos
present to seek to unite the wOme
voters upon one Cf their sex as
candidate. The best of feeling pre-
vailed at the entire meeting.
A WOMAN'S TEA,
in honor of the supreme court dec
sion giving women The school fran
chise, will be given by the Lad
MacabeeS of Salem at their hall II
rurner block, Friday afternoon to
O'Clock Tea hOt biScuit and hone