Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-06-22

without any sufficient reason. Could
you In an action against the city and
county recover your taxes because
your right to vote had been denied2"
'I could not" Mr.. Sargent replied.
but In my case there is no general
statute which Is universally enforced.
The court, OF course, takes judicial no
tice OF matters OF common knowledge,
and n of these Is h a no woman
under any circumstances, would be
permitted to vote, and hat oil OF them,
at all times, are refused this right.
Therefore, the right itself is denied,
and 1t is q matter of absolute, perma-
nom and general denial"
The Proper Remedy.
The Court-'If that Is the fact. is not
the remedy to enforce the right to vote
rather than to seek to o the
taxes?"
Mr.. Sargent-"I have sometimes
thought so. but as this question will
have to go to the supreme court some
time, / have presented II for the sake
Of the argument. IL your honor shall
decide that IL Is q case for mandamus
against the registrar, we are willing to
pursue that remedy"
The Judge go decided, and application
was then made for q writ OF mandate
against the registrar OF elections to
compel him to place Mrs. Sargent's
name upon the roll OF voters. Should
this be denied. she asked that the taxes
collected from her during the past year
be refunded. Both demands nave just
been refused by Judge Sloss In the
superior court.
The details of this case have been
given at some length because the prop
osition Is frequently mede that women
should refuse to pay their until
permitted the right OF representation.
In some cases this has been done and
their property has been sold over their
head. There could be no other result
In any state. Then the question Is
asked why they do not, as Judge Sloss
advises, bring suit TO enforce their
| right TO vote. This attempt was
fought to a finish by Susan Il. Anthony
in New York and Virginia l.. Minor in
Missouri, the latter carrying her case
to the supreme court OF the United
States, both meeting with adverse de-
cisions In every court.
Two Ways to Get Franchise.
There are just two ways in which
women "a be enabled to exercise the
right, or the privilege of the full fran
chise. First, through an amendment
OF the federal constitution by congress
which would then have to be ratified
by the legislatures of three-fourths oi
the states; second, through the submis'
sion of an amendment 70 the state con.
stitution to the voters Of every state b,
Its legislature.
h former would be much the sim.
pier n easier OF the two methods, a:
Its advocates hen would have to dea
only with legislatures, instead Of being
at the mercy OF the masses who nov
compose the electorate. In most Of tn
states the Legislature itself has powe
to grant a limited suffrage, but ever!
state has put q claus In its constitu
ton which makes II impossible full.
to e~nfranchise women, except D!
amending It. Even this Is impossibl,
In many OF them, for their law re
quires that an amendment to carr.
must have not merely a majority of tn
votes cast upon II. but a majority o
the whole number cast at the election
and no amendment for any purpos
ever has been adopted under these con
ditions.
1t is only by q careful study an
thorough understanding Of this ques
ton that II is possible for one to real
lie the almost insuperable obstacles 1
the way OF securing for woman TIL
right. or privilege, call II whatever yo'
like, to which she is just as much en-
titled by every law of justice, by ever
principle which enters into a republica
form Of government, as any male citi
zen OF the United States.