Evening journal., 1914-04-07
BY The United Press.

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BY The United Press.
CHICAGO. April Eyes Of the
world we're trained on Chicago to-
day when women began casting ball
lots in the first real test of suffrage
strength in the largest equal suffrage
city in the world. There are in round
numbers 21S.OOO women whose names
are on the registration books quail
fled to vote in the aldermanic con-
tests today-nearly half as many asI
there are qualified male voters. With
the exception of one or two wards
whose political complexion is too
well known, the women absolutely
hold the balance of power. BY mass
ing their votes on any particular
candidate they can force his election
to the city council. Seven women
candidates for seats on the board Of
aldermen have injected the most no
vel feature of today's election, one
Of the most hotly contested the city
has ever known. At least two Of
these, Miss Marion H. Drake. COM
batting the notorious "BathhOuse
John" Coughlin in the First Ward
and Miss Harriet h. Vittum, running
on a non-partisan ticket in the Sew
enteenth ward, are believed to have
fighting chance to win. They have
the support of the non-partisan and
Progressive organizations and Of
practically every woman's club in the
city.
Hundreds Of automobiles enlisted
by suffrage organizations. scurried
about the city early today, engaged
In getting out the women voters
In the First ward, where the hottest
fight of his career is being waged
against "Bathhouse John" by Miss
brakes adherents, a determined eff
fort was made to send every register
ed woman to the polls Troops Of
women in the stockyards district on
the West Side voted. urged by their
church heads not to neglect their
duties at the polls. Along the fash
ionable North Shore boulevards,
limousnes and electrics whirled early
in the day, carrying society women
TO the polls, in some instances maids
accompanying their employers to the
polling places. Heads of several
factories and mercantile establish
ments employing women and in SYM
pathy with the suffrage movement.
added encouragement. Everywhere
the cry seemed TO be: Get out the
women vote"
Politicians today cast overheard all
their ancient devices for forecasting
the results of tOday's election What
the women will do, they admitted. had
them completely stumped. No one
pretended TO believe that the women
voters would flock to the aid of any
one political party and the uncer-
tainty as to how they would ballot
was the one big factor that clouded
all efforts at accurate guesses.
In the Twenty-fifth ward along the
North Shore, for instance. more than
$4,000 women are registered. out of
a total registration for the ward of
only $4,000. Five candidates are run
ming, Democrat, Republican, Progress
, sive, Socialist and Independent. Any
one of them could be put over" II
he could gather the women vote to-
day.
Miss Drake is less fortunate I'm her
fight in the First. Only 4.140 women
are registered and many or these
come from the very vice district she
has so bitterly assailed in her cam
paign against The Bath" The quail
flied male voters in the first number
nearly $4,000 and it will be neces-
sary for her to capture practically
all the women voters as well as a
large slice of the former adherents
of Coughlin to make even a good
showing
The other women candidates are
better situated, but their campaigns
have been less spectacular than that
of Miss Drake.
Women election judges and clerks
! presided for the first times in the
city's history. Most of them were
schooled in their duties by acting as
clerks of registration on the two reg
istration days preceding today's cleo
/ ton. and at the February primaries.
Out of Difference TO them, and to the
women voters. polling places were To-
Gated this year in more congenial quar-
tcrs than the usual backroom OF sa-
loon, pool hall or barber shop. But in
some precincts the ballot boxes were in
barber shops. and women voters dis
played no hestancy in voting.
Aside from the suffrage factor. the
effect Of big non-partisan movement
was another problem puzzling politi-
clans. Twenty three independent or
bipartisan candidates were entered
after the city primaries; in several in
stances old party candidates withdrew
after nomination at the primaries TO
boost the chances Of an independent
seeking the chances TO prevent the elee-
! tion Of some candidate particularly OBJ
nONious to the non-partisan forces.
Reliable-FOley's Honey and Tar
Compound.
Inst he gure that Won buv FOley's