The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-05-08
ROOEY SAYS VOTES
FOR WOMEN IN
NEW MEXICO
BIG JOB
Maintains Contention that
Amendment to Constitution
to Obtain Equal Suffrage
Next to Impossible
TELLS OF DIFFICULTY
~sUFFRAGISTS WILL MEET

In an editorial communication al
dressed to The Santa re New MeNi-
can. Judge Bernard s. Rodey Of Al
buquerquo maintains his contentious
regarding the difficulty OF ninendlg
the New Mexico constitution In or
der to obtain votes for women and
pointing out the difficulties which
the women OF the state Will have IN
their fight for the ballot. The let
ter follows:
Editor New Mexican: note that
Attorney General Clancy at tho wa.
mans day meeting last Saturday ex-
pressed doubt about the correctness
Of my view regarding the almost pro.
htbitiVc difficulty In obtaining votes
for women under our constitution.
lie. while apparently admitting my
contention. thinks that probably un
der the blue law ballot mode OF am
ondment An addition OF the words
and female could be made TO the
franchise clause. / wish he was
right, but I cannot gee IL that way.
al least as long as courts are welded
To precedent Constitutions are. OF
~ ANNNN - NNNNA
Section I Of AraiClc VII. OF our con-
stiiution grants full suffrage to every
male citizen but only partial
tschooi) suffrage 10 women: So IL
can be seen. contrary 10 what Mr..
CLANCY says. hat the trainers did not
think of votes for women. but DELHI
erately restricted hat right.
Article Xix as originally adopted
providing the mode OF amendment.
was = 10 restrictive and reactionary ia
terms that congress itself re-wrote Il
entire. and required ~ ID adopt Il In
the new form before the state would
be- admitted t. the union. Tho article
as Rewritten made ordinary amend
ments 10 the constitution quite easy,
hut a proyiso IN the fret section OF
this rewritten blue ballot article. as
| view u. contains the Jlkcr. It reads.
provided no -umandmcat shah APP.
ply tu or effect the provisions ~
sections I and 3 Of Article VII here
Of on elective franchise A" This
Is followed and elinchcd hy section 3
Of the rewritten article, which pro-
Nidea In substance. hat 4 the CON
70 |NNANN ~ ~ ANAANNNNA'A Mn w
allow laws by direct vote of the poo-
pie such laws can be only such laws
as might be. Enacted by the lcgisla-
ture under the constitution.
So far as { can hnd Bloomer vs..
Todd, Ct AL 10 PaC, 1876. Is the lead
ing cas- con somewhat cognate facts
In this subject. The organic act II
the territory of Washington provid-
ed that every white male inhabit-
ant should vote az the first election,
iut that at subsequent elections the
legislature should nN the qualiflca-
tions. but that only 'citizens OF the
United States should vote. The leg
islaturc thereafter granted suffrage
10 women but the supreme cour;
held hat citizens Of the United
States a. used In the organic act,
meant male citizens; 30 that the wo-
men OF the territory and subsequent
state OF Washington. after having
exercised h for several years. re-
NAMED without suffrage until some
two years ago. when Il was rcgrant.
ed them. However u might be we'll
In order to get a ruling Of our So
preme court ON the important ques-
ton, To propose "A woman's sunrags
amendment 90 our next Legislature
and II Il receives a majority vote BY
the people afterwards, then q would
be- easy 10 set The matter before tbs