Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-21
Ballots for Both
in the
Pine Tree State

| lOt.
This question is well answered by Mrs.
Deborah Knox Livingston OF Bangor
chairman Of the Maine suffrage campaign
committee, who says that women nat
urally have sought to influence legisla-
ton that concerns itself with women and
| children. In every suffrage state they
are found seeking legislation that affects
the conditions under which women work,
such as wages. hours of labor sanitary
| provisions. ETC., and the securing of laws
governing children. covering the care and
I education of child life.
| Everywhere women have sought to
of red-light injunction and abatement
laws. IN everyone Of the suffrage states
! women have secured guardianship of
their children equally with fathers,
mothers pension laws have been passed.
the age of consent has been raised to IS
years in all suffrage states except Neva-
d. which fixes the age at sixteen.
! The following are a few Of the laws
secured in the suffrage states since wom-
en- have had the franchise:
7 ARIZONA has passed eight hour law
for women employed in laundres. a red
light injunction and abatement law, and
law raising the exemption Of property
for widows from $1,000 to $1,000 for all pos
sessed Of less than 5000.
California has passed the following
laws since women have been enfran-
chised: the red-light abatement act. the
minimum wage law a law providing that
/ no minor under is shall be employed more
than eight hours day and that no minor
under Is shall be employed for wages or
profit. law for the establishing of a
training school for delinquent girls. the
equal guardianship act. the raising of the
age of consent to IS. an act requiring
fathers to support illegitimate children,
and an act giving married women COM
plete control of their separate property.
! Colorado has secured the enactment Of
a child labor law of eight hours day for
( children from IA to 49, a similar law Of
eight hours for women. law establish
ing juvenile courts, detention homes and
probation officers. The age of consent
has been raised to is. In 1914 Statewide
prohibition was adopted and the red light
/ injunction and abatement law was
passed in 1915.
Idaho has labor law affecting women
and children nine hour restriction for
women and children over the school age
a married woman's propert:. act. giving
a wife control over her property and own
earnings. also a law making mothers
equal guardians with the fathers. Idano
has also passed a prohibition law since
the women were given suffrage.
/ II ;e adp cd hat tho cradif
for the recent legislation for the better
ment Of working conditions in Illinois can
be given to women. although the stare
has but limited suffrage.
Kansas has probably had more progress
sive legislation passed in the four years
since the women have had full suffrage
than any other state. To quote from
/ recent article: Acts authorizing towns
to establish free public libraries. reading
rooms. rest rooms, parks and hospitals.
An act establishing pensions for mothers
in case of death, desertion. incapacity or
: legal confinement of husband. An act
giving light to damages against town or
city for injury TO person, property or
means of support due to intoXication of
husband or father. An act giving to wife,
injury due to in:oxication against owner
Of place where liquor was sold. An act
establishing boards OF public welfare for
supervision of dance halls and amusement
places. An act providing that prisoners
earnings shall be paid to wife and chill
dren An act establishing an industrial
welfare commission with power to fix
minimum rates Of wages, reasonable
hours and sanitary conditions for women
and minors. An act providing pensions
for incapacitated fremen and for widows
ard children of fremen."
The women OF Montana in the little
more than two years of their enfranchise
ment have secured the passage of the
mothers pension act. an act for equal
guardianship, and act giving married
women control of their own property.
Montana secured statewide prohibition
in 1916.
Nevada is one Of the states In which
the male vote is far in excess of the fe-
male vote. yet the women have been able
to secure the passage of an act providing
pensions for mothers and for retired
teachers.
Oregon passed a statewide prohibition
measure at the first election at which
women voted. Acts have been passed pro-
vidng Juvenile courts, pensions for
mothers, and an act for equal pay for
equal work for men and women teachers.
Washington has passed a law for the
crea ton of a woman's industrial welfare
commission. mothers pension law and
red-light abatement law. This is another
state which has enacted prohibition law
since the women secured the ballot.
In Wyoming, the first to grant equal
suffrage. the women worked many years
for the passage Of the anti gambling law
which was passed in 1901. They have
helped in the passage Of mothers pen
sion law. a law giving married women
control Of their own property, equal guar
dianship law, and their vote has always
been against the liquor interests
What women have done with the bal
lot" says Mrs. Livingston. may be a
prophecy Of what they will yet accom-
rlish. We ask the question. rs there anv
reason that the women OF Maine would be
less anxious to use the ballot for the well
fare 81 society than are the women in tho
states where the ballot has been
granted7'"