Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-02
Suffrage in New Jersey.
New York City. Feb %. 1s.

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| 1 see with surprise that lady from
New Jersey mas been making some state
nents with regard TO tie disfranchise-
ment CT its women hundred years ago.
This chapter in the history OF the State
Is 70 the discredlr OF lis men. In appeal
ing TO it the opponents OF equal suffrage
Stow &c what deSo crate stEaiSats they
are reduced The suffrage once granted
10 women. as II has been in twelve states
OF our Union and Alaska, II has never
! been taken away save II C"o instances,
namely, New Jersey in ancient times,
and the State OF Washington where il
was restored in 1910. Il was taken away
temporarily under circumstances very
! oisc-e1itaoie TO its opponents.
| In New Jersey he women were de-
pri"ed O. the rights OF citizenship in a
wholly Illegal manner. The Constitution
OF the State. adopted July ., 17.6. confer
I red the franchise on al Inhabitants Of
: the colony, Of fall age, VINO were worth
! fifty pounds proclamation money. The
! ouakers or Friends oelieve in the
| equality Of tie sexes. Z was through
their influence that the women OF New
! Jersey were granted the right CT SUI
trage. In tie early DAYS " the niHeteRta
/ century "Kepe>-ting'' was much easier
! than now when modern rules and regu-
I latioas have -emelie5 the evil 10 q Gun
/ siderable extent
| In ~. there was an exciting election
! involving the erection OF new court
house and jail There was ''Totirg early
and often" \ number Of small men
dressed in feminine attire, voted as
! women ana changing their costume, cast
/ one or more additional votes. SO the
| tradition runs. The tactics OF Adam
were, adopted ami the blame was all
thrown on the women. Justice was nor
administered IN New Jersey in the early
/ 18TH century with the same ialcartiality-
as III the Garden O: Eden where Adam s
excuses avai.ed little. Instead OF pun
ishiag the perpetrators Of the election
frauds ani the politicians VINO mad in
| st.gated them. the Legislature passed q
bill taking away from ali the women
! who possessed il, the right Of franchise.
| This action was in coatrayention Of the
| Constitution which, in Ne| JERSEY as
in other states. can only De amended BY
the vote OF the people Of the Common
zealta SO we and that Widows were
allowed 10 vote on their husbands tax
receipts as late as 1894 when some o
them cast their ballots for john Quincy
Adams as President u the United States.
/ Indeed il Is claimed that the Dem 5c.'4I.:
deprived thc vcrea OF the franchise De-
cause they favored the Fede!2lisl Party.
IN 1914 Z convention framed { new
constitution for he state q New Jersey.
| Women possessed q right u vote fo-
| delegates 70 this. under the existing con-
stitlt!oa. 5lt they were not permitted
10 do 50. Tho new che restricted the
suffrage to white males. negroes as vel!
as women Being Distinguished
In lSs7 the Legislature granted TO
women the right 70 vote AZ school meet
ings Qe in villages ard country dig
/ trtclsl. Ills the women dill for seven
,-ears and always for the benefit o. tie
! schools, according 10 the testimony o.
educational authorizes, OF the State. TIE
/ ".Anti's" OF the day finally appealed 10
/ the Supreme court which decided that
women could not vote for school trust
ees. since the Constitution o. 1SH pre-
scr.b4i that only male citizens cc1.d vote
for eia1tive officers. BY this time how
ever the men 81 New JERSEY mad found
the woman valuable allies. The consti-
tuition nad nothing to say about the
! Qualifications CT those voting Tor school
supplies nor aoout TIE sex OF ScAool
| Trustees
Women asp continue 10 vote for bonds.
| appropriations. etc, for school houses
r, IN South Orange & High school was
much needed. The men alone made tho
unsuccessful attempts 10 get an a2pro-
| p-iation. Then they CALEB on re women
! for help and the s., 40 appropriation
vas carried by an overwhelming Tnajor-
/ ity. At WestGeld, Asbury Park. Atlantic
/ Highlands ard other places there are
| also school houses which owe their ex-
| !stence to the votes o: women combined
with those Of Public spirited men
! In Scotch Plains where I then resided,
| The presence OF the women at schoo!
NmeeIings produced a surprising change
/ When men alone attended schoo. Teet-
ings. the ink wells in the children 5
1esks were used as cuspidors and the
! floor was covered with peanut shells AM
othe- rubbish. After We women took Up
or duty as electors tat the request q
our husbands. THE MEN STOPPED
| USING THE INK WELLS AS CCSPi-
4 DORIS AND SCHOOL COULD KEEP
I THE NEXT DAY.
| Up TO that time it had been necessary
| to give the school children days Eol-
| iday, in order that the building might b
properly cleaned. So in New Jersey, as
we'll as in our western states, We know
! by experience that women clean UP the
filthy pool of politics. The amendment
to the Constitution, giving women the
full rights Of suffrage, has passed both
! houses Of the Legislature in three sue
! cessive years and will be voted on by the
| people of the State in the autumn Of
| the present year.
| FLORENCE HOWE HALL,
/ Honorary President New Jersey Woman
/ SUFFRAGE Association