Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-06-17
BALLOT ACT FOR
WOMEN IS VALID
Suffrage Law Sustained by ILL
nOiS Supreme Court.
WINS BY ONLY ONE VOTE.
Three of Seven Judges Dissent as to
Laws Neutrality-suspicious.
Are Hit by Highest Tribunals
Decision.

Chicago, June 15.-The Illinois wom-
ans suffrage act of 1913 is constitu-
honal in its entirety. The state su-
pTeme court, by vote of to 3. hand
ed down the decision.
Justice Frank K. Dunn of Charles
ton wrote the majority opinion, in
which he was joined by Justice James
Z. Cartwright of Oregon. Justice Or
rim \. Carter of Chicago and Justice
Alonzo X. Vickers of East st. Louis.
All are Republicans.
Three separate dissenting opinions
we're filed by Justice George A. Cooke
OF Aledo, Justice Charles c.. Craig OF
Galesburg and Justice William M.
Farmer of Vandalia. All are Demo-
Gratis.
The justices who dissented contend
that the granting of women the right
10 vote is in violation of the state con-
stitution.
The majority opinion, which be-
comes the decree of the court, holds
the Illinois legislature did not go be-
yond it's constitutional powers in grant
statutory officers, which includes pres
idential electors, as set out in the 1913
act, and that the act in all of it's de-
tails is good"
What the Decision Means.
The supreme court decision means
IN short:
That Illinois women have the un-
questioned right to vote for presi-
Dental electors and for all statutory
officers, as specifically provided in the
1913 act.
That they have the undisputed right
to vote at all local option elections
and upon all public policy questions
which are not constitutional questions.
That the election officials in Chi
cagO were within their powers in des-
ignating women judges and clerks of
election
That women are now full fiedged
members of political parties and as
such entitled to vote for committee
men and to serve as such.
That the election officials in Chicago
must proceed to redistrict the voting
precincts to care for the 100000 wom-
en- voters who have been added to the
list of qualified voters.
That women have the right to be
candidates for those offices for which
they have the right to vote under the
1913 act.
BY the terms of the decision, on the
basis as indicated, the entire act is
held constitutional, including the right
TO vote at local option elections and on
all little ballot" questions which are
not specifically forbidden by the con-
stitutiOn.
Right to Vote on Local Option.
The majority decision holds that
women have the right to vote on local
option questions, inasmuch as such
questions are not mentioned in the
constitution. In other words, the court
holds that on all questions and Offices
provided for by the legislature that
the legislature has the power and au-
thority to say who shall vote upon
such questions.
The courts decision came in the
ScOwn case. This suit, filed in the SUI
perior court in Chicago by William J..
ScOwn, as a taxpayer, demanded that
the election commissioners of that city
be forbidden to incur expense in pro-
viding facilities for women voting at
the February primaries in 1914, on the
ground that the woman suffrage act
passed by the last legislature was un-
constitutional and void.
Suffrage Wins at Women's Meet.
Chicago, June 15.-Amid tremendous
rounds of applause and the singing of
illinois" and other patriotic songs,
woman's suffrage was nearly unani-
mOusly Endorsed by the twelfth bien-
niaI convention of the General Fedora
ton of Women's clubs meeting in the
Auditorium theater. When the result
of the vote was announced by Presi-
dent Pennybacker the entire assem-
blage arose and gave great shout Of
Joy; handkerchiefs were waved and
the delegates spontaneously burst
forth singing GLORY. Glory Hallelu-
JAN