The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-26
"A WORD FOR MONDAY.

It Is sincerely to be hoped that the election on Monday will be conducted in an orderly manner and that no disturbances will take place to cause trouble and hard feeling in the fu- ture. The campaign has been a strenuous one. bitter In some Of its features. The press. the stump and the pulpit have been freely used by their several views of the inportant question that Is to be finally settled at the polls. All the arguments that can be used on either side will have been brought forward by Monday. and nothing will be left but for the vot- CTS to go to the polls and deposit their ballots as their judgment dic- tates without fear of interference from any quarter. As all men can not see aliko or think alike. even so they cannot be expected to act or vote alike. and for that reason alone they should not be interfered with at the polls.
 Above ali. there should be nothing like intimidation or improper influ- ences used at and about the polling places. It is the plain duty of the of ficers of the law to preserve order at the polls and to protect each man in the free and full exercise of the most sacred right of American citizenship. If there are any so unfair and intol- erant as to endeavor to carry their side by threats or violence let 1t be done before the time of voting arr rives. On that day at least let there be peace and order. even if 1t may be found necessary to preserve order by the exercise of official power. just as order should be enforced and main tained at any other gathering of the people.
 But the exercise of undue infiu- ence may be carried on in a peace full manner which will not warrant interference by the officers of the law. but which may be none the less hurtful in its effects. The polling place is not a proper one for the ex- ercise of undue methods of influenc- ing voters. Bribery may be carried on by other means than by the offer of money or other form of reward. Threats may be effectual without ac- | tual violence to the person: yet 1t will be none the less wrong and hurtful to | the cause of free suffrage.
 It Is announced that in various parts of Alabama. and especially in the larger cities. it Is intended that the good women are to surround the vot- ing places for the purpose of using their influence and their powers of persuasion on the voters. We cannot regard this as otherwise than unfor- tunate for the women themselves. No matter how orderly and well conduct l ed an election may be 1t is not the proper place for good women. They should content themselves with the exercise of their powers of argument and persuasion at other places than at the polls, for that is no place for them. and for the credit of Alabama womanhood we hope they will hold themselves aloof from this form of electioneering; and we say this with out regard to the side they may favor in this contest.
 | But if the women should see proper to take position about the polling places we now voice the hope of all good men that no disrespect be shown them in any way. Whatever may be our ideas of the propriety of women invading the voting places. they have a legal and constitutional right to be there if they are So mind- ed, and we hold it to be the duty of the men of Alabama to treat every woman with respect and courtesy there, as he should do at all other places. If we should ignore all questions of chivalry and true man. hood and look at it only in the light of results nothing can be gained by disrespect towards the women who see fit to be present. We much fear that the interference of women with the voters will cause trouble which should be avoided and which can only bring regret. Therefore it is that we say to every man who is qualified to vote: Go to the polls on Monday and exercise the right of free American do not be influenced by the women who may be present. and do not treat them with disrespect or allow them to be so treated. Thus will each man fulfill the duty of an American citi- zen and of true Southern manhood
 DROWNING MEN CATCH AT