The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-02-16
BADGERS SHY AT
WOMEN VOTERS
Prospect Is Poor for Passing
Suffrage Measure.
NOVEL PLAN is PROPOSED

Senator ReinhoIdt Would Leave The
Question to a Referendum of WON
en-Divsion on Liquor Issue Ap
pears ciose-LegisIature UphoIds
President - Members Seek Pa,
Boost-University Needs CAREFUL,
Considered.
Madison, Feb. 13.-The fight fo1
equal suffrage in Wisconsin. always a
live wire subject in this state. has de-
veloped g decidedly new angle in the
legislature.
Do the women of Wisconsin really
want equal suffrage?
Many sav they do; others say they
do rot. Both sides are well organized.
Beth sides have learned how to play
politics. Bctl sides maintain a lobby.
Both sides fight hard.
Senator Fl. r. Reinholdt, Milwaukee.
takes the position that the legislature
should remain neutral until the senti-
ment of Wisconsin women can be ac-
curat9 established.
To this end he has introduced a bill
to find out what the women really
want; to decide whether the majority
sentiment is for or against equal suf-
frage. His bill provides for a referen-
dunn vote in 1918, by the women of
this state on the question Of whether
they do or do not want the right of
ballot Anti-suffrage forces Of Mil
waukee inspired the bill
At this early date in the session it
is safe to predict that if the legislature
passes any measure proposing that
women shall vote it will not go beyond
the point raised in the Reinho1dt bill.
The Milwaukee senator has intro
duced another measure of much public
interest because it has a bearing on
the Evjue bill for a statewide refer
endum on prohibition. This measure
provides for the compensation of per-
sons injured or damaged by reason of
the creation of no license territory 1t
applies to no license territory created
under local option license laws as well
to the statewide territory which would
be established if Wisconsin is swung
into the dry column
Liquor Vote Is Close
Legislative interest centers in the
Evjue bill A careful canvass of SEN
timent on this question reveals that
both houses are evenly divided On it.
hn 70 nd III
appear to be against the measure, but
the tide changes from day to day, and
leaders on the wet and dry sides adj
nit that the vote appears to be very
close. 1t is likely that action on the
referendum advocated by the Madison
assemblyman will be deferred until
late in the session. Other matters may
have bearing on the final vote.
which up to this time have not figured
in the speculation as to whether the
bill will pass or fail.
Dry leaders admit that the question
of compensation raised by Senator
Reinholdt is one of the principal argu<
ments that they will have to meet OPP
moments of the measure say that pro
hibition cannot be made real piohi-
bition unless it is backed by powerful
public sentiment. They say that while
close vote would make the state dry,
it would fail to result in real prohibit
ton, and unfortunate conditions, not
subject to regulation, would develOn.
Supporters of the bill do not submit
to this line Or argument. They say
that if the people vote the state dr.
no matter how slight the margin NAV
be, Wisconsin will be dry in fact, be-
cause there will be enough sentiment
back of the movement to bring about
the fullest enforcement of law relat-
ing to the liquor traffic.
Every line of debate under the sun
will be used in fighting out the Evjue
bill and forces on both sides are now
busy building their fences. Petitions
are beginning to come in for and
against the Evjue measure. The first
two received come from wet territory
and asked the legislature to defeat the
bill. The dry people will send in hun
dreds of petitions, all Of which will
be read by title and filed away, the
same as petitions from the vets.
Legislature UphoIds Wilson.
The legislature has been at war all
week over the international crisis de-
veloping out of our governments
break with Germany. At the first ses-
sion of the week Assemblyman Ed
ward Nordman, Langlade county, in
troduced a resolution indorsing Will
son and placing Wisconsin squarely
back of the President Assemblyman
E. A. Everett, Eagle River, objected
to immediate consideration of the mat
ter because he wanted to give the
members time to think. This led to
the impression that the legislature
might not stand back of the President,
and there was no end of excitement.
Every day the galleries were packed
by citizens who wanted to be on hand
when the explosion occurred. All sorts
-. j. H.,