The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-01
Illinois Women Belabored Him
With Arguments for WOman's
Suffrage, but Stood Firm.
Jimmy" GRAY AN HONEST MAN.
But He Is Not Popular With the
Feminine Lobby at Springfield
His Sense of Honesty Greater
Than His Discretion.
nY A srAEF CORRESPONDENT.

BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Springfield, Ill, Feb 2s.-Women as lobby
lists!
A striking phase of the Illinois Forty
third General Assembly is this. And they
are not half bad as lobbyists. But the
trouble is that, while they manage to pledge
nearly every, vote for the measure which
they favor, pledging under these circum-
stances does not mean voting.
The women. of course, want "woman's
rights or the suffrage in a limited de-
gree. They may get 1t. but the chances are
largely tine other way.
The feminine method of obtaining votes
is to place the Capitol and the headquarters
at the respective hotels In state of siege.
When Legislators make sortie from the
seclusion of chambers, or from committee
rooms and expose themselves in the cor
ridors, they are bounced upon. Then they
are belabored with feminine logic. The
recipe is, IF at first you don't succeed, try
again." When this is followed consistently,
in strident tone of voice, your legislator
eventually will capitulate like little man.
An effective last-resort method is to look
up at the victim, smile sweetly and gay:
Now you must. you know you must"
This, tactfully done. nearly always is the
finishing blow. If not. the Legislator Is in
corrigihle.
WOMAN'S RIGHTS BILL
The bill for which the women fight was
introduced by Representative Wesley NJ.
Owen. 1t permits iaxpaying women 20
vote for members of the State Board of
Equalization County Collector, members of
the Board of Assessors. members OF the
Board of Review, sanitary district trustees
cept police magistrates.
The measure also provides that the wom-
en- vote all or far
borrowing money.
A symposium at which the lady orators
expressed their views III the fullest has leen
held. Representatives Hall was placed at
their disposal, and many OF the Assembly
men gathered to hear
Illinois Federation of Women's Clcts.
started the ball rolling. She read the
Owens bill and ,liscoursed upon Its merits
Mrs Catherine Waugh Mccullough, one
of the foremost Illinois women, then took
the rostrum There were many others, rep
Mss ars q pseae
Julia Holmes Smith and Mrs: Eva Whitley
and Mrs. E. Munson Smith of Springfield.
s ao ,he Ss pcs
several Of the leaders expressed in earnest
their Willingness that the gentier sex have
the suffrage. that they have some share
in the affairs OF the State.
GRAY'S ANIMOSITY.
But Of course. from the first few were
frankly and avowedly against-and these,
by the way, were married men. These ''in-
corrigibles'' had some rather exciting expe-
riences.
The most bitter opponent Of the propo-
sition was James NJ. Gray of Decatur,
known in the vulgar as Jimmy
Jimmy" Gray had the temerity to come
out when no less than half dozen OF the
ladies had surrounded him, and were at him
hammer and tongs with why's and where
fores. announcing undying enmity, first and
last. to whatever savors Of woman's rights.
Women have too many rights as II is, " he
declared. First thing you knew, my wife
would be running for the Legislature
against me and I've got sense enough to