Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-28

Magill suffrage bill at Springfield /
On Thursday They are asking i
what it will mean 10 this city /
and county and how it will affect the
conduct of public affairs, and are
demonstrating from their questions |
that they have a deep and real con- |
Germ in the ballot and its use
VOTE IN TIE SPRING.
The first opportunity local women
will have to vote at a regular election
viii be next spring at the time Of the
selection of township officers, includ-
ing members of the board of super
visors, town clerk, assessor, collector
and highway commissioners. They can
express themselves on al questions
brought up at the annual town meet
ing or on any questions submitted at
the township election. 1t may be that
the women here viii vote sooner than
that. There is a strong probability
that the question of arnexing further
territory from South Rock Island to
this city viii be brought up and a
special election called at which time
women would have q right to cast
their ballots.
MORE PRECINCTS.
One thing is certain and that is the
voting precincts will nave 20 be in
{ creased and probably doubled. The
/ law provides that each voting precinct
shall contain as near 400 voters as
/ possible and not in excess of $50 and
/ that it shall be the duty of the board
| of supervisors to divide precincts
where there are more than 450 cleo
/ tors voting.
/ AS there are usually as many if
not more women electors in a precinct
| than men, perhaps most of the pre-
cincts will have TO be divided, which
will mean doubling the election judges
and clerks and the expense of cleo
ton, while perhaps some women may
soon be placed on the election board
as judges or clerks.
WHO SHALL VOTE:
The question of the provisions of
the law is causing some concern. The
bill which has just been signed will
become effective July ! but it is pre-
Sumed the women will have to regis
D
Whether unpaturalized women will
have a right to vote is also being dis
cussed. Heretofore only men have be-
come naturalized as the rights of citi-
zenship and the ballot were not eX-
tended to women. Many foreigners
came to Rock Island years ago and
took out their naturalization papers,
which are granted upon application
after a five years residence in this
country and year in the state. Their
wives came to the city at the same
time and have lived here the same
number of years and yet there is a
question as to their right of franchise
until they are naturalized. At least,
all men not native born must be nat
uralized before they can vote, and it
Is presumed that the same rule will
apply to the women. If this is the
rule, many foreign born Rock Island
women will not be able to vote for
five years or until they receive their
second papers.
SPECIAL BALLOTS.
1t is presumed special ballots will
have to be prepared for the women.
although City Clerk NJ. T. Rudgren has
not received a copy of the law and
does not know its provisions in detail
Inasmuch as the women can only
vote for statutory offices while the
men vote for both these and the of
fees created by the constitution, two
kinds of ballots will be necessary
Women may vote for presidential cleo
tors, members of the board of equal
i3ation, clerk of the appellate court
county collector and assessor, suRey
or, members of the board of review
sanitary district trustees, and ell city
village and town Officers except pc
lice magistrates. The constitution oil
the state will have to be amended
before the women can vote for the
other offices.
The effect of women's suffrage upOI
the saloon question and upon the NOR
ais of the community will be awaited
with interest, as well as campaign
methods which will be used in win
ming over the ballot of the newly en-
franchised electors whose fight fol
political recognition has been truly
remarkable.