Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-02-22
EQUALITY LEAGUE
HOLDS Meeting
ON WEDNESDAY
A. S. Kingsford Gives Address
on Status of Women
i'm Illinois

The February meeting Of the PO-
litical Equality league was called to
order by Miss Christian Wright at
o'clock Wednesday in the audito-
rum OF. the library The minutes of
the previous meeting were read and
a few other business matters attend
ed to- Mrs. w. e. Baringer being
elected treasurer.
Miss Doris Runge then reported on
the annual meeting of the Wisconsin
Woman's Suffrage association, held
at Madison, January Is to IS, which
she had attended as a delegate. The
main business before the convention
was to decide whether the associa-
ton should work to bring into the
legislature a bill asking for the pres
idential vote for women, or bill for
constitutional amendment giving
full suffrage to women, which, If
passed by the legislature, would call
for q referendum vote, and, Of course,
for a statewide camraign. The lat
ter alternative was chosen after con-
siderable debate, just because 1t gives
opportunity for an educational cam
paign. Other papers treating of va
rfous phases Of the suffrage question
were touched upon by Miss Runge.
The topic for the February meet
ing, "The Legal Status of Women in
Illinois," was taken up by A. s. Kings
ford. He introduced his subject by
pointing out the fact that progressive
constitutions and reform measures are
characteristic Of newer regions, that
progressive legislation induces set
tlement of a state, and that (the
speaker suggested) woman suffrage
may have been adopted in some of
our western states with an eye to in
creasing the female population.
The women of conservative Hi
nois may vote for presidential elect
ors, on matters Of taxat ton and of ed
ucation, and on municipal matters;
they may not vote for state officers
nor legislators. This partial vote was
granted by the state legislature, due
in large part to the work of promi-
nent women like Miss Adams; but
full suffrage can be given only by
constitutional amendment, which in
Illinois is particularly difficult to get.
So in Illinois, as in Wisconsin, the
suffrage association is divided into
two camps, those wishing to try for
the amendment in spite of difficulties
and those preferring to bring their
influence to bear on a constitutional
convention which is in prospect Mr.
I~ingsford spoke of the value Of edu-
cation and agitation in this matter of
extending the suffrage, that some po-
Iitica1 training should precede the
vote, and that if legislation gets much
ahead of the popular state Of mind on
any subject not much good results.
Miss Elizabeth Jones gave a short
review of the status of women in the
state Of washington. Here equal suf-
frage obtains; women hold, Office, are
found on federal boards, and the like.
They go to the polls, vote, and go
home or about their other business,
much as men do. It is said that the
average woman Is better informed
than the average man about candi-
dates for office. Washington has good
child welfare, mother's-pension, eight
hour and prohibition legislation, due
to all-citizen suffrage.
Advanced legislation along these |
sociological welfare lines will, as Mr.. |
Kingsford pointed out, cost money, SO
that woman suffrage may be counted |
on to increase our taxes.
After a vote Of thanks to Mr. |
the meeting adjourned.