The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1911-11-30
REFERENDUM
AND RECALL
By F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

| Agnes WluStOu WIS very Scuuc
person with no natural aptitude
for leadership in those political move
ments which concern the woman OF the
present day. But she fell under the in
fuence of Mrs. Montgomery Stone,
who was greatly interested in the mat
ter of obtaining votes for women. and
that lady made vigorous effort to in
fuse some of her own enthusiasm on
| the subject into Miss Winston. The
process was like molding a statue OF
a soft material which would not hard
| en- To describe Miss Winston in wom-
| ans parlance as a votes for woman
advocate, she wouldn't "jell."
However. after her first interview
with the stronger woman she cons1d-
cred herself converted to the cause
and. being engaged to be married, be-
lieved it fitting that she should an
| nounce her conversion to her lover.
She sent for him and said:
Harry, 1 deem it proper to announce
to you that l am taking great interest
| in a matter of which l don't know that
YOU approve. Since l expect to as
sumo a position in the working out OF
| a new idea
'Whose idea"
"Why, it's one of those ideas that
don't belong to any particular person;
it's for everybody mean for every
woman"
"Where did you get it,"
81 don't see that that has anything
| to do with the matter. 1t Is sufficient
for me to tell you that I have Joined
| the votes for women movement"
ooh, that's all right. I'm In favor
of that too. I'll give you my vote right
away. There are SO many puzzl1ng
questions in our country's political
status that my brain is in whirl all
the time trying to find out which way
to vote upon them. I'd like mighty
well to turn my duties as citizen
over to you"
"Why, it's all very simple, isn't it?"
"Simple. Not to me. There's tho
tariff. and the trusts, and the referen:
dunn, and the recall, and lot OF other
things. 1t takes all my time to keep
up even with what they mean"
Agnes. who had heard Mrs. Stone
rattle over these things as cat would
run over piano keys. said confidently:
"Oh, l know what all these things
mean"
whats the referendum"
"Why, when the governor OF a state.
for instance, doesn't exactly know what
to do in a certain case he refers the
matter to the people. He submits it at
an election"
"What's the recall?"
"Why, when judge doesn't decide a
question right they take away bis
judgeship."
"Splendid! l see that you have cas-
lily discovered the purport of these two
novelties. over which l have been puz-
zling my poor brain ever since they
were born. l can't make out whether
a trust Is an economic development or
an assumption of monOpolists treading
on the peoples rights. l have no idea
whether we have too many voters al
ready or too few. There are so many
candidates for me to investigate before
our election that haven't the time for
the work. shall have to do our pro-
viding when married, and I think 1t
will be better to turn my political du-
ties over to you"
"You couldn't, stupid. It's against
the law for women to go to the polls
| to vote"
| "But you can tell me how to vote,
and I'll so to the polls and vote as you
i l.~,A
thingY
II suppose so in our case, but every
woman couldn't do that with her fiance
or her husband"
"She might with her fiance."
"That's it. When she's married her
husband will wish to vote as he likes"
"Well. suppose that he wishes to
vote one way and the wife the other.
In that case what's the use Of either
Of them voting? The one is q stand
off against the other"
II never thought of that"
I'm other words, they pair as they
do in legislative bodies when two
members on opposite sides wish to be
absent at the coming up of an impor.
tant measure"
II think we'll pair she said softly,
feeling for her lovers hand.
"And If case Of referendum comes
up in our family I'll refer it to you"
THAT will be very nice"
''As to. the recall But there's nc
recall in marriage. is there"'
"Only divorce. and that's awful"
The dialogue was interrupted at this
point by kisses and was never renew.
ed till after their marriage. Then one
day when the couple differed on some
domestic subject the wife said:
What did you say, dearie. when We
were engaged. about matters of this
kind occurring between US"
Il don't remember"
II do. You said. If a case of refer
endum comes up between US I'll refe,
it to you"
did l say that?"
Eyes; you did"
"What did say about the recall?"
THE recall? don't exactly remem
Der that. Wasn't it something abou,
judge not deciding right and being
taken Off the bench?"
"Yes. When we were engaged told
iyou that I would abide in all things b.
your decision, but now that we arr
married find that you do not in al
cases decide right. In this instanc,
you are all wrong, and feel it neces
sary to exercise the prerogative Of re
call"
well. declared"