The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-03-12
SUFFRAGE May
APPEAR AGAIN
Possible Senate Will Have An
other Chance to Vote.
COMES UP IN HOUSE SHORTLY
Lower Body Will Consider Measure
Despite Unfavorable Action
of Upper Branch.

st. Observation-Disclosures sui
frage went down to defeat in the sen
ate by the narrow margin of one vot'
and as a result the fair sex will have
to content themselves without the bal
lot for the next four years. That thu
liberal element of the two houses, no
to speak of several interests, heavet
a sigh of relief when the finish came
goes without saying, though If some
of the rumors in circulation have any
foundation they are not entirely ou
of the woods. The talk is that the
bill in a different form may again be
introduced in the senate and another
ballot demanded.
!. !. !.
The vote on the constitutional
amendment giving the ballot to WON
en- as proposed by Senator Sageng
one for the fair sex and they crowded
the senate chamber and galleries al
most to suffocation. Both the ants
and the suffragettes were represented
each being designated by flower EN-
blem There was little disorder and
the finish was not marked by any un.
usual demonstration. Up to twenty
four hours previous to the meeting
of the senate for the final considera-
ton of the proposed amendment it
could truthfully be said that there
were votes enough to put it over.
Those opposed to the ballot for WON
en-, however, had learned costly les
son in the house a week previous
when county option prevailed by just
one vote and they did not propose to
be caught mapping again. They were
three votes shy and the twenty-four
hours intervening were used in round.
ing them up.
!. I. !.
While the action of the senate ap-
pears to have put votes for women
out of business for several years at
least the house is determined to go to
bat with the measure and it may
come up for consideration there at
any time. That it will pass the house
is foregone conclusion, as many are
on record as favoring the movement,
while others see in it an opportunity
to square themselves for negative
votes on other popular questions. Be-
sides the interests who fear suffrage
are not likely to busy themselves, as
they have settled it for a time in the
other body.
That the liberals are only delaying
the day when woman suffrage and
other measures directed against their
activities will be put on the statute
books is generally admitted. In fact
some of their number regard the pres
ent activity as a mistake, as they
fear that when the day does come the
voice of the people will be so decisive
there will be no turning back. Sena-
tor Rockne of Goodhue county was
quoted the other day as saying that
the liberal element would undoubtedly
be better off today had they permitted
the suffrage amendment to go before
the people four years ago. Then there
was less sentiment for it than now
and its probable defeat by the people
would have given the movement a
setback that would have taken years
to get over. The same is true of state
wide prohibition. There are any
number who view the proposition in
the same light as Senator Rockne.
\ !. ).
Any one who a month ago would
have predicted the passage of an
amendment submitting statewide pro-
hibition to the people of Minnesota
would have been laughed at, but just
the same it is among the possibilities |
now. County option is responsible, |
and it Is responsible to that extent |
that several Hennepin county men,
bers who voted against county option |
In the house came near putting it over |
IN that body. Representative ]. A. |
Larimore Of Minneapolis led the |
movement and he all but got away with |
his motion to suspend the rules and |
put the statewide amendment on its
passage. AS Mr.. Larimore had voted |
against county option his sudden move
In a dry way had the house gasping
for while and the members are still
cudgeling their brains in an effort to
hgure out what was behind his move.
The bill probably will come I'D this
week and there are indications that II
will prevail.
II Mr.. Larimore's explanation is to
be accepted his efforts in behalf of
statewide prohibition are because of
the fact that in his campaign he had
repeatedly stated that if he was
forced to vote on the question of tenn
perance it would not be for any half
way measure, such as county option.
lnasmuch as county option would un-
doubtedly prevail n his own county
he could see no reason for st. Paul,
the adjoining county, remaining wet
and realizing from Hennepin countys
misfortuI ). Some claimed the move
to be &C, uated by the brewers, but
this Mr.. -arimore denied. That the
brewers should promote such a move
hardly seems possible, but there are
several who claim to see such in Mr..
Lar1more's motion. They explain that
with the state two-thirds dry under
county option statewide prohibition
would have better chance of pre-
Vailing than If the bull was taken by
he horns at this time and the cues.
ion put up direct. If Minneapolis
goes dry the people there will hardly
permit st. Paul to remain in the wet
column, and the same applies to 9th.
,r counties similarly situated.
i !. !.