The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-29
Gov. McGovern Throws Con-
sternation Into Ranks Of
Women This Morning.
TOO LITTLE TINE ELAPSED

IL 1dSoA VI WoAidA , suArdSt WERE
thrown into CONSERVATION today when
a telegram received from Madison an
nounced that Governor Francis E. Nc
Govern had vetoed the bill recently
passed by both houses of the. legisla-
ture providing for the resubmission of
the question of s1Yotes for Women .
| to the people of the state for refer
endum vote. In returning the bill
without his approval the governor de-
clares that he can see no reason for the
re-submission OF the question at this
time. Kenosha women had been lead
ers in the fight for the passage of the
bill and they had counted on its be-
ing approved by the governor. The
action of the governor today came like
a bolt from a clear sky and it is ex-
pected that there will be rush Of the
women to Madison to make an effort
to pass the bill over the veto Of the
governor. In his veto message the gov
ernor says in part:
II return herewith, without APPROX
Ial, Bill No. 225s, entitled AN Act to.
Amend Section II Of the Statutes, Elk
tending the right of Suffrage to
Women
AT the recent presidential election a
proposal to extend suffrage to women
was defeated in this state by a ma
jorit of over $4,000 votes. Immedi-
ately to resubmit precisely the same
question for determination by the vot-
ers at the approaching state election
cannot be justified.
Article 3, Section ! of the Constitu-
| tion of Wisconsin enumerates the
classes of persons entitled to vote and
continues as follows:
Crowded that the legislature
may at any time extend by law
the right Of suffrage to persons
not herein enumerated; but no such
| law shall be in force until the
same shall have been submitted to
vote of the people at general :
election and approved by ma
iority of all the votes cast at such
election
! the method whereby change in
this part of the constitution may be
secured thus differs from that for
bringing about amendment Of any
other portion of our fundamental law
mainly in requiring favorable legal ac-
tion at single session Of the legis-
lature, instead of by the concurrence
Of two succeeding legislatures in sup
port Of joint resolution. But here
as in other cases the popular vote must
be taken at general election-not
necessarily the next succeeding general
election, but any general election. In
other words, this legislature may pro
vide by law for the resubmission Of
this question at the November election
in 1914, 1916, or any later time.
It seems to me no good reason can
| be given for the immediate resubmis-
sion Of the proposed amendment.
Since the decisive vote of last Novem-
Der the general situation with respect
| to woman suffrage in Wisconsin has
not changed. At least nothing mas oc-
1
CURED to justify belief that if this
| issue were Immediately resubmitted to
the people the majority against it
would not be even larger than before.
| The result of the recent election in
Michigan is some indication that this
would be the case. From the vote
taken here it is evident that our peo-
pie do not consider the experience of
the Rocky Mountain states, such as
Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming, relevant
or even enlightening. Very recently,
however other states comparable to our
own in population, social conditions,
and industrial development, such as
Kansas, California, and Washington,
have decided to try the experiment.
But their experience is yet altogether
too brief to afford any indication of
what we should do. If this question
/ be again forced upon the people of
Wisconsin for decision at the election
in November, 1914, they will be com
PEELED to act upon it with no more in
formation to guide them than they had
last year If, however, the vote be de-
ferred until 1916 or later there is a
chance at least that the experience of
other states similar in many respects
to our own may furnish guidance not
available now. 1t would seem there
fore to be the part of wisdom to wait
until we can avail ourselves of the in
struction to be derived from the trial
/ of woman suffrage III these state be-
fore we again vote upon this question.
But this is not all. Wisconsin stands
for popular rule. We have faith in
the judgment and good sense of the
average voter. We believe in the
initiative and the referendum. But if
the referendum is a good thing, mani
testify the results of a referendum vote
should be properly respected. Such re-
spect will not be shown if almost as
soon as the outcome Of last year. vote
upon this subject has been announced
exactly the same proposal be im1nadi-