The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-09
REFERENDUM
AND RECALL
BY r. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

| who was greatly Interested In tne HiaI'
| ter of obtaining votes for women, ana
| that lady made O. vigorous effort to In
| fuse some of her own enthusiasm on
the subject into Miss Winston. The
process was like molding statue OF
a soft material which would not hard-
en-. To describe Miss Winston in wom-
ans parlance as 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. deem 1t proper to announce
TO you that / am taking great interest
In a matter of which don't know that
you approve. Since expect to as
sumo a position III 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 it7'
~ don't see that that has anything
to do with the matter. 1t is sufficient
for me to tell you that | 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 puzzling
questions in our country's political
status that my brain is in a whirl all
the time trying to find out which way
TO vote upon them. I'd like mighty
well 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 tr,ssts. 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, / 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 certain case he refers the
matter to the people. He submits 1t at
an election"
Whats the recall2"
"Why, when judge doesn't decide
question right they take away his
judgeship."
splendid! 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. / 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 / shall have to do our pro-
yiding when married, and | 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 so 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
Ma har AoV
or her husband"
"She might with her fiance."
That's it When she's married her
husband viii 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"
II 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"
81 think wen pair" she said softly,
feeling for her lovers hand.
"And II case of referendum comes
up In our family I'll refer 1t to you"
THAT will be very nice"
"As to the recall But there's no
recall In marriage. is thereT'
"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?"
81 don't remember"
81 do. You said. IF case of refer
endum comes up between US I'll refer
1t to you"
did l say that?"
Eyes; you did"
what did say about the recallT
1.-The recall? l don't exactly remem-
Der that Wasn't 1t something about
judge not deciding right and being
taken of the bench?"
Eyes. When we were engaged told |
you that would abiue 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
you are all wrong. and feel 1t neces-
sary to exercise the pferogative of re- (