The Washington herald., 1914-11-08
By IDA HUsTED HARPER.


II has been very amusing to aead IN the
Sunday papers Of this week the confident
prediction Of the leaders OF each politi-
cal party that IT'S candidates were sure to
win, with carefully prepared tables to
prove II, and side by side with these IN
a number Of them the weekly syndicate
letter OF the Anu-suffrage Association
declaring that the vast majority Of wom-
en- do not want to vote. but omittlng the
proof. When this is read the victories
and the defeats will be q matter Of rec
ord. and II the vast majority Of women
do not want TO vote. they VIII have dem
onstrafed II in the ten states where they
have the suffrage by staying away from
the polls, which IL the only genuine test
that can be had.
It must be remembered. however, that
in Illinois they are disbarred from vot-
Ing on all the most important officials
and cannot cast their ballots for U. 8.
Senators or Representatives. for COVER
nor or any State officer. or for members
Of the legislature. They must register
and 90 to the polls and observe all the
formalities that male electors do. but
can vote only for certain county officers
and members Of State and county boards
and for any propositions that may be
submitted. The Supreme Court has re-
Gently ruled that they cannot vote fer
county commissioners, the most impor-
tant OF the county officers II could
hardly be expected that they would rush
en- nasse 10 the polls 20 exercise 80 limit
ed a privilege. The legislature gave
them all the suffrage IL had power to
bestow, that IL for all offices not created
by the ConstitutionH The complete fran
chise can be had only by amending the
Constitution, which IL almost impossible
F., In that State, or by making a new one
which probably viii be done in the neal
future. The great privilege conferred by
| the legislature was the full muuiclpa
suffrage and a vote for Presidential elec-
| tors. The vote Of women il Illinois. there
fore. must not at this election be gauged
by that in the other nine States. where
they vote on exactly the same terms a
men.
Two Large Convention.
As soon as the elections are over. the
suffragists Of the country, whether vic
torioUs or vanquished. will move toward
Tennessee for two large conventions.
The hrst. 70 be held in Chattanooga.
November 10 and II. Is called the South
ern States Woman Suffrage Conference
which was organized last year and in
cludes representative women Of all the
! Southern States. Its leaders have long
| been members OF the national associa-
| ton. and the relations between the two
I societies are entirely cordial, one reason
Cor holding the meeting in Tennessee
being that the delegates could go direct
| " to the convention at Nashville. The
1 other reason was that Chattanooga had
extended an offcial invitation TO the Ma
/ tional Suffrage Association to hold II:
| convention there and was displeased al
| having that of Nashville accepted. The
principal object OF the old national as
| sociation since II was organized In New
= York City, In 1869. has been an amend
ment to the Federal Constitution. but 4
J has recognized the necessity Of a grea
} deal of preliminary work in the States
I With this the Southern women have beer
| in harmony and their States have beer
affiliated with tn national body. but they
| never have been in sympathy with thu
idea OF a Federal amendment This Il
! because naturally they share with th'
men of the South belief in the State:
! right doctrine and objection to the en-
| franchisement Of negroes.
| Within the past two years the pros
| poets of a Federal amendment have be
come so favorable that the Southern
| women decided to form an organization
! tor purely State work-as one Of the Of
hcers expressed It, ito study our owl