Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-21
RIGHTS OF PARTY
REFUSED WOMEN
Cannot Take Part in Choosing
Committeeman, Attorney
General Lucey Holds.
ELECTED AT PRIMARIES
Several Cities in Contest for State
Convention Of Illinois Demo-
Gratis In September.

Illinois women will not have the
right to vote for ward and precinct
Committeeman a. the Sept. primar-
ies. This is the construction OF the
primary act, at least by Attorney Gen
eral Patrick J. Lucey, in formal opin-
ion received yesterday by Arthur W.
Charles, chairman of the Illinois dem
ocratic state committee. in answer to
i've categorical questions submitted
TO the attorney general by the demo
cratic state committee.
Attorney General Lucey, IN his for
NAL reply. holds:
That precinct and ward committee
men are party officers. and are not
governmental officers. and that they
are not specifically enumerated in the
1913 woman suffrage act as officers
for which women may vote.
Terms II "LifeIess Fragment"
That that part of the primary act,
'in relation TO ward committeeman is
a lifeless fragment"
That ward committeeman" in Chi
cago should have been elected at the
aldermanic elections last April, II at
any time. and that there no provision
of the primary law which permits
them to be elected at the Sept. pri-
mary.
That II IS up to the coming session
OF the legislature 10 amend the prim-
airy law properly and in time to author
ize legally the election of the party
ward committees at the mayoralty
election next April.
Old Committeeman Hold Over.
That until such legislative authority
IS granted, the odd" precinct COM
mitteemen IN Chicago, elected in 1912,
and in the downstate counties in the
same year, shall hold their office,
which. the attorney general holds, is
limited simply to the filling of vacan-
cies on party tickets which may exist
between the primary date of Sept. g
and the latest date for certifying a
candidate to the official ballot to fill
vacancy.
The general effect of Attorney Gen.
eral Lucey's opinion, as # was accept
ed by politicians, is to prohibit women
from getting in on the chief essential
OF the full ampaign-namely: The
control OF the various party organiza-
tons.
Convention Site Fight On.
Springfield may have to fight for the
location OF the democratic state con-
vention, despite the fact that Governor
Dunno wants the Sept. 10 conclave
. held In the state arsenal
Bloomington. Rockford, Decatur and
possibly Chicago will be bidders for
the big event when the convention site
Is determined by the democratic state
committee in session at the Hotel
Sherman. Chicago. July %.
The call for this meeting of the COM
mittee was issued yesterday by State
Chairman Arthur W. Charles.
Republican Action Recalled.
Peoria grabbed the republican state
convention through a prefer made by
State Committeeman Garrett De For
est Kinney OF Peoria that Peoria bust
ness men would arrange the technical
details OF the convention if the repubH-
.cans would pick Peoria instead OF Chi
cage
This came after the news that the
usual permission to the republicans to
occupy the state arsenal had been
Withdrawn BY Adjutant General Dick
son at the instance sof Governor
Dunno. although the republicans had
had the habitual use of the arsenal