The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-09
TWELVE PAGES.
To-Day's Vote.

ROM several sources currency
r was given yesterday to the re-
port that women cannot take
part in the special school election to be
held to-day. The Standard has asked
County Attorney Duffy to make a rul-
ing in the case and his words are that
those women are qualified to Vote at
the election who are of the age Of
twenty-one years or over, who are citi-
zens of the United States and who have
resided in the state one year and in the
school district thirty days prior to the
date of the holding of the election"
This is the ruling made in writing
last night by County Attorney Duffy.
1t will be seen, by reference to what is
printed on another page of the Stand
ard this morning, that there is a con-
fiict of views. That conflict would not
be of account except for the fact that
the men who sign the notice printed on
the LOCAL page will act as judges to-
day. We understand it to be their in
tehtioH 10 cuuuucl lHe election IN aC-
cordance with the notice which they
have signed. In that event the votes
presented at the polls to-day by women
will be rejected.
The Standard assumes that the coun-
ty attorney is the man whose judgment
should govern in the matter of the in
fa nf ha 10 r. he
conduct of this election. This assump-
ton on our part, however, does not alter
the fact that if the judges propose to
bar the women it is wholly within their
ability to do it-at the poll they will
have the say-so and make the count.
Thus the matter stands. With the re-
sult-if the election is conducted under
the ruling of the judges instead of that
of the county's law officer-that the
men must settle the issue.
That issue is we'll understood. The
school trustees for the district of which
the city of Anaconda is the principal
part request that an extra school tax
of four mills be voted. The trustees
have made up their budget; they find
that the running of the schools for the
fiscal year will require the total that
would be the product of the proposed
fectly well understood that the allow
y6nce made by the county commissioners
mas not in any recent year been suffi-
Gent to keep the city schools in motion.
5Repeatedly the extra levy has been
voted and uniformly. hitherto, without
serious contest. A few days ago. at u
special election where hardly more than
two score votes Were cast, the levy
asked by the trustees was voted down.
Under the circumstances, the trustees
felt warranted in ordering another spe-
rial election; that will occur to-day.
The Standard does not believe that
The American public school system has
enemies in Anaconda to the number
that will refuse the money to keep this
rity's schools in operation. That seems
not possible; the Standard will believe
1t to be absolutely impossible until to-
nights count demonstrates that dis
agreeable truth-if that happens to be
the result Of the days voting. We do
not fear that outcome. On the con-
trary, our belief is that the vote cast
to-day will be a strong assertion of the
readiness of the people of Anaconda
cheerfully to support the city's public
schools. If these schools need improv-
tng. if they are conducted on a scale
too liberal, if they lack the highest ex-
eellence or even average excellence. let
the public so express itself at the next
election of school trustees and put
trustees in authority who will render
better service. Indeed, if there is NAL
administration in the school board, the
present trustees can be summarily
elected.