Evening journal., 1914-02-24

CHICAGO, Feb. 2t,-The first se-
tual test Of strength Of the woman
vote in the largest equal suffrage
city in the world was made here to-
day. Chicago women cast their bal
lots for the first time since the IL
iinois suffrage Jaw was enacted and
participated IN the primaries TO
choose candidates for the board of
aldermen. Eight women candidates
for Council seats were on the ballots
today-three PrOgressiyes, three So
cialists and two Democrats. Four OF
them have opposition In the prima-
ries, but the names of the other four
are certain to be placed on the cleo
tion ballots for April z.
Around these four women candi-
dates who must fight for party en-
dorsements most Of the interest m
the outcome OF today's primaries
conferred, but the suffrage vote played
an even more important part IN the
other twenty-seven wards that Off
( cred no women candidates. In these
wards male candidates astonished at
J the size of the suifragist registration
on February 8, bid against each other
for the support OF wOmen's organiza-
tions In one Of the liyeliest primary
campaigns In the city's history For
three weeks the play 10 the suffra-
gist section Of the galleries on the
] part of aldormanic candidates. city
. officials and opposing party factions
/ has been one of the most important
and significant developments in the
political history OF Chicago. Alder
men who discarded quids Of tobacco
and squlrted streams or juice reck-
! lessly suddenly discovered that the
splitting evil was the one great
great crime OF the age, when
women's organizations urged ac-
] ton upon them, Council committees
got very busy and Mayor Harrison
and his police department oven
busier. The official word that 1885,
O26 women had registered at their
first opportunity had scarcely been
given out when the police began
making wholesale arrests Of persons
who expectorated on the sidewalks.
The anti-spitting campaign was
scarcely under way when the anti
smoking campaign got under way
with a boom. IL was directed at the
practice of permitting smoking on
the front platform OF street cars
Various women's organizations sup
ported by street car mOtormen, called
the practice disgusting, pointed out
that the smoke permeated the cars
land descended upon the Council
health committee. The members oi
the committee courte0usly laid aside
their cigars, listened TO the argu-
ments and promised to recommend
an anti-smoking ordinance for pas
sage.
The haste with which politicians Of
both "low-b brow aud "hiqhrbroN" type
have come TO the support of measures
advocated by women voters encouraged
suffrage leaders today to predict that
not only all the four women candidates
with opposition will be nominated at
the primaries, but in several wards
known opponents to woman suffrage
probably will find Themselves eliminated
from the race Miss Marion H. Drake.
stenographer suilragist, who is a candi-
ldate for the Progressive nomination in
tho first ward, is believed to be almost
certain of obtaining the nomination over
Karl n. Wehle, her male opponent
lwho counts his strength among the me-
gro population in the First Only ,635
women voters are registered in the First
but Miss Drake will have the backing
lof influential male Progressives. If she
wins the nomination she will oppose
the notorious "Bathhouse john Cough
lin. Democrat, in the April election.
In the Second ward Miss Sara NJ.
Hopkins, candidate for the Democratic
nomination for the council, is opposed
iby Thomas T. Hoyne. The sufragist
registration in the Second totallcd G,l64.
Miss Hopkins counts upon the votes Of
at least two-thirds of the women in the
Democratic primaries and upon the votes
of independent Democrats. She has
been making an active campaign that
] li~''"ded speoehmaking all over the dis
trict.
..rs. Raymond Robins, wife Of a
prominent Progressive leader, filed at
the last moment as candidate for the