The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-10-29
WOMEN MAKE GOOD
USE OF SUFFRAGE
In Ten States They Show
Interest and Improve
Conditions.
COLORADO LED THE NATION
In Many Of the Humanitarian
Reforms Affecting Labor,
Child Welfare and
Cleanliness.

Cleanliness.
In states where they vote, women
take an interest in public affairs, vote
in large numbers and secure humani-
tartan legislation that was denied in
the days when only men enjoyed the
right to vote.
This is the conclusion of George
Creel, author and sociologist, who re-
views the experience Of suffrage states
in the Century Magazine.
Ten states and one territory have
now enfranchised women, as follows:
Wyoming in 1869, Colorado in 1893,
Utah and Idaho in 1896, Washington
! in 1910, California in 1911, Oregon,
| Kansas and Arizona in 1912, Illinois
and Alaska in 1913.
OF the more populOus states, Colo
RADIO has had the ballot longest and
has afforded the best test of the way
| women use the franchise. In spite OF
| the fact that Colorado women have
| always been outnumbered by men
and in spite of the fact that rich priv
| ileges in the way of mineral conces-
sions have always inspired corrup-
tion in political organizations, Creel
finds that Colorado women have vastly
improved conditions surrounding
| themselves and their homes.
| Record of Colorado Laws.
From 1898 to 1900 the distinctively
woman's measures, endorsed by wom-
ems clubs, were:
A state home for dependent chill
dren with a majority of women on the
board of trustees.
Making the mother joint guardian
of her children.
Raising the age of protection for
girls to IS years.
Establishing a state industrial
school for girls.
Creating the indeterminate SEN
tence, out of which the honor and
trust" system in reformatories has
grown.
Establishment of truant schools.
Requiring one woman physician on
the state asylum DOaru.
Inspection of private maternity hos
pitals.
The record was continued after 1900
with the following measures:
Establishment of juvenile court.
Compulsory school law.
Drastic child labor law.
Making father and mother joint
heirs of deceased child.
Compelling support of aged and in
firm parents.
A travelling library commission OF
women, which promoted the circula'
tion of books in every ranch or mining
shack in the state.
Making it crime to contribute tC
the delinquency of a child.
i A local option law.
Establishment of state free EN-
ployment bureau.
) In many cases, these laws repre-
!. sented the first measure of the kline
adopted in any state.
Helped Redeem Denver.
In 1910 women bore a conspicuou!
, part in breaking the hold of the ole
6 bipartisan political machine which
had controlled Denver. The first re
suit was the establishment of mu
nicipally owned water plant. The fol
lowing year, the council threw int
. the waste basket petition of 2O,OO
!, people asking for commission govern
ment. A citizens ticket was place
!. in the field, which drew 10000 NOR
votes than the combined Republica
and Democratic tickets.
This was followed by the initiation
of an eight-hour law for workin
women, a mothers pension act, a re
call law which included judges, pol
ular veto on judicial decisions.
. In 1918 Denver followed the lea
of Grand Junction, Colorado Spring
g Pueblo and other towns, by inaugV
Is rating commission government wit
i. preferential voting.
@ There can be no question" say
:. Creel, "that the women were literal
" the life of this revolution"
:, One of the first acts of the new r
# gime was to put the red light distri'
,f out of business.
h Recalled California Judge.
The first striking evidence of poli
j. cal power in the hands of Californ
re women was the recall of Los Angl'
10 Judge. AS this has sometimes beC
ct cited as an evidence of hysteria, Gre
r. devotes some space to the case.
r. The judge, whose name was Welle
H. accepted bond in the sum of $50
s, from a man named Albert HendricR
of who had outraged young girl und
ny revolving circumstances. A few da
OF later the bail was quietly reduced
k, $1,000 and Hendricks left town, d
ce serting q helpless wife and two oh
III dren.
IN An investigation made by ind
%. nant women showed that Hendric
ed had been in Weller's court before
slt similar charge and had gone unpu
nd lshed Further delving showed scor
an of criminal assault cases in whi
mt bonds Of $50 to $500 had been I
At. cepted and that dismissal had 4
81 Qaently followed The case agar