The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-26
FOR WOMEN
N TWO YEARS
Suffrage Workers hear Good
News From ATTORNEY
General Miller.

Proponents Of the suffrage move.
ment in North Dakota are jubilant
over the results that have crowned
their efforts in the state within the
past week.
Not only have the North Dakota
educational association placed its off,
cial stamp Of approval upon votes for
women and sixty-two candidates for
the state legislature pledged them
selves to support the movement in
the law making body. but now at the
week end ONE the encouraging news
from Attorney General Miller that a
law extending the right Of suffrage
may be passed by one session Of the
Legislature and then put to q vote Of
the people.
Wrong IMMERSION.
The suffrage workers had been
laboring under the impression that
two sessions of the legislature would
have to pass upon the bill providing
Tor Votes for women, and that the
question would then nave to be sub
mitted to the people. The opinion
matter and shows that 1t is possible
for votes for women to become a
reality in North Dakota in two years.
instead Of six years. the shortest time,
the women had been told. in which
they could expect to have a suffrage
law In effect.
Mrs. Alice Nelson Page Of Grand
Forks. corresponding secretary Of the
North Dakota Votes for Women
dates o the state legislature for a
statement as to the stand they pro-
pose to take or the suffrage question.
She has received sixty-two replies
from men who say they will work
for the measure. Mrs. Page this MORN
ing received the following opinion
from the attorney general which
state who are seeking the right to
vote:
Mrs. = Alice Nelson Page. Grand Forks
Dear Mrs. Page: beg to ac-
knowledge receipt Of YOU favor under
date OF october 20. in which you re.
quest an opinion from me as to the
proper and necessary procedure or
the part Of the legislature to extend
state Of North Dakota.
The procedure required Is fulls
provided for In section 1922 Of the
constitution Of this state, which pro
vides: THE legislative assembly shall
be empowered to make further ex'
tensions Of suffrage hereafter, at I'll
discretion. to all citizens Of matur,
tS00 UsA AAsAitA, tlOS SOllSlSSOO "
crime. without regard to sex; but NJ
law extending OF restricting the RICH
Of suffrage shall be in force until
adopted by a majority of the elector.
Of the state voting at q general cleo
ton"
It Is very plain from the readinl
Of the foregoing section that the pro
per procedure 10 for the Legislature
to enact q statute extending the RICH
Of suffrage to women and then to sub
nit such statute at the next genera
election to the people for adoption
and It adopted by a majority Of tn
people, the statute then becomes
law.
In your letter you refer to article 2
amendments Of the constitution. an,
inquire whether the adoption OF thi
modified the provisions Of section ~;
above cited.
Article 2. amendments to the con
stitutton. Is as follows:
Section 121. Every male person
OF the age Of twenty-one years or up
wards. belonging to either Of the fol
lowing classes. who shall have resided
In the state one year and in the coun
ty six months. and in the precinc
ninety days next preceding any cleo
tion, shall be a qualified elector a
such election.
First-Citizens Of the United States
,Second-Civilized persons Of 1ndiaf
descent who shall have severed theil
tribal relations two years next pre-
ceding such election.
Section 1877. No person who. is un'
der guardianship. o compos menti,
or insane shall be qualified to vote a
any election: nor any person convict
ed Of treason or felony unless restored
to civil rights: and the Legislature
shall by law establish an educationa,
test as a qualification, and may pre-.
scribe penalties for failing, %neglectine
or refusing to vote at any genera
election"
1t is plain that this article con
stitutes an amendment only Of sec.
tons 121 and 12T Of the constitution
and relates in n 10 manner whatever tt
section 1872. which provides for the
%extention of suffrage to women.
Yours very truly,
Andrew Miller,
ATTORNEY General