Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-12-06
REFERENDUM
AND RECALL
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

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 consid-
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. deem it proper to announce
to you that am taking great interest
in a matter of which don't know that
you approve. Since 1 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 meaa for every
woman"
where did you get it?''
al don't see that that has anything
to do with the matter. 1t is sufficient
for me to tell you that l have Joined
the votes for women movement"
"Oh, that's all right. I'm in favor
of that too. I'll give you my vote right
away. There are so many puzzling
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
we'll to turn my duties as a citizen
over to you"
why, it's all very simple, isn't it?''
simple! Not to me. There's the
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, I know what all these things
mean"
whats the referendum"
"Why, when the governor of 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"
whats the recall?"
"Why, when a judge doesn't decide a
question right they take away his
judgeship."
Splendid! I see that you have cas-
lily discovered the purport of these two
novelties, over which l have been puz-
cling 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. 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 l shall have to do our pro-
viding when married, and l think it
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 go to the polls and vote as you
say. Wouldn't that be the same
thingT"
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 a stand
off against the other"
81 never thought of that"
'In 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 a 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 no
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 usp
II don't remember"
81 do. . You said, IF a case of refer
endum comes up between us I'll refer
it to you"
did say that?"
"Yes; you did"
what did say about the recall?'
"The recall? l don't exactly remem
Der that. Wasn't it something about
judge not deciding right and being
taken off the bench?"
eyes. When we were engaged told
you that I would abide in all things by
your decision, but now that we are
married find that you do not in all
cases decide right. In this instance