Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-08
PLAN EARLY TEST
ON SUFFRAGE LAW
Downstate Interests Engage
Taylorville Attorney to At
tack Title of Bill.
SEEK SUPREME DECISION
Men Behind the Onslaught Expect to
Get Issue Into the October
Term.

Chicago, H.. July S.-The new
womans suffrage law in Illinois may
be forced to an immediate test of is
constitutionality. The first definite
attack upon he enfranchising act is
planned TO be made in Mount Auburn.
Christian county, on next Tuesday,
where there will be a special election
for mayor to succeed the ate D. P
! Windsor, who was sho. ard mort2lly
wounded by Editor F. P. Slater.
The men who are behind the threat
eled onslaught expect to get the issue
into the October term of the supreme
court. They anticipate a final de-
cision at the December session in
plenty of time, in the event tha- the
law is declared unconstitutional, to
prevent the women from participant
in the municipal electiols in the state
next spring
The information of the proposed
! court -moyemen- eaHse froru~AtteEaey
7 John F. Hogan of Taylorville. one Of
the leading lawyers aad democratic
| leaders of centra. Illinois At the
/
| said he had been retained to bring
the necessary preliminary proceedings,
/ and tha. unless plans are radically
/ changed he will start something in
/ Mount Auburn when the polls open
| on Tuesday.
/ Mr.. Hogan intimated there is strong
pressure now being applied to prevent
a summary test of the statute and left
the impression that the arguments
may become so convincing at the Chi
cago end that the Mount Auburn case
may not be started as planned.
/ DATE SET.
'It is NY present intention to
initiate the test next Thursday Mr..
| Hogan said. Unless there is radica.
change in the situation the requisite
formalties will be complied with to
get action without delay in The SUI
preme court
The dovnstate people whom I rep
resent are anxious the law be tested
withou. delay. 1t is their hope and
the statute extending The francise 70
women can be attacked successfully
There are Chicago interests, however
urging delay Delay is not satisfactory
10 the downstate territory. We want
an opinion handed down before the big
downstate city and village elections OF
next April"
Mr. Hogan indicated the main line
o; attack probably would be as TO the
title of the suffrage bill. The consti-
tuition prohibits the inclusion of more
than one title in any given bill.
! The contention of the anti-sUfragists
is that the suffrage law is directly
amendatory Of the general election
law. the Australian ballot law and the
direct primary law. and that under the
constitution 1t is impossible TO amend
the three existing statutes by a single
bill formulated as was the Magill bill
which became a law on July /.
WOMAN TO FURNISH BASIS.
II is understood the plan is % have
a woman attempt to vote at the Mount
Auburn election on Tuesday and that
her vote vii be refused by the judges
Of election under a friendly agree
ment A petition for a writ OF man
damus directing the election officials
10 receive the vote would be asked
for and refused under tie plan. There
upon there would be an appeal taken
directly TO the supreme court osten
sibly by the woman voter whose vote
had been refused and an opinion OBJ
tained on the constitutionality of the
act.
This process is contemplated, It Is
said, because OF the fact that the peo
PIE OF the state of Illi1ois. as a tech
nical and legal proposition, do noi
have the right of appeal and the mat
ter could sot reach the high cour- IL
q hurry without going through th'
route suggested
CHICAGO INTERESTS FAVOR DELAY
IL appears the Chicago interests, no
/. political, which are most seriousl!
worried over the passage Of the suff
rage bill, are not ready tor a fgh
! ana wish to have the impression ge;
abroad that they are satisfied with the