Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-24
WOMAN OUTRAGE.

This month IS an open otdSoh i"'
suffragists to interview famous Demo
Gratis. First they interviewed tht
President. This morning officers OF
the Suffrage Amendment Alliance In
teryiewed Roger c. Sullivan and nc
told them he favored Suffrage
Amendment to the Illinois Constitn'
ton. He said:
Il have been carefully watching the
effect OF Woman Suffrage in Illinois
for the last few years. Illinois is a
state OF large business and property
interests end the tendency has been
towards conservatism in legislation.
Woman Suffrage has been granted
cautiously and only as ii became obyi-
GUS that ii was for the general wei
fare. 1t was early in the SOS when
School Suffrage came and 1918 when
the larger Suffrage Bill was passed
which. gave women the right to vote
for Presidential electors and various
city, township and taxation officials
and the right to vote on various pro
positions. Governor John p. Altgeld
and Governor Edward F. Dunno. or
only Democratic Governors OF Illinois
during my memory, were the men who
signed these bills.
THE results have been good, and
such opposition as there was is rapid
ly fading away. The party platforms
recognize the growing sentiment IN ia
vor of equal political rights for men
and women. The fact that over $685.
COG women voted at the last election
In Illinois shows that women arc ready
and willing to assume the duties OF
citizenship.
Women should have the remaining
fragments OF Suffrage as soon as pos
sible and the thing for Illinois women
to do now Is to secure an amendment
to our constitution giving them full
suffrage rights. This Legislature Of
1917 can submit such an amendment
to the voters in 1918. All true Demo
Gratis should be glad to make our State
C. real democracy where men and wo.
men have equal political rights"
Complete Woman Suffrage in III
nols can come thru an amendment OF
the Suffrage Article of the Illinois
Constitution or thru q Constitutional
Convention. 1t Is not impossible 10
amend the Illinois Constitution. Since
1870 eleven amendments have been
submitted Seven amendments and
perhaps eight have been carried IN
spite OF all restrictions. During the
same time only two amendments have
been carried TO the United States Con,
stltution.
For the first time in its history all
tho Illinois political parties are in "a.
yor OF the complete eAfranchisemen,
OF Illinois women. II the Legislature
OF 1917 votes to submit the Suffrage
Amendment to the men voters it VIII
be voted upon in 1918, when few ON.
GERS are to be elected, The interest
OF the voters will not be diverted IRON.
the suffrage question and the vote
east upon this amendment will prob
ably be The largest vote 80 that IL /,
wins & majority Of all the votes cas-,
on the amendment, II win be the con
stitutlonal majority as would not have
been the case in 1916 or presidential
year The year 1918 will be a part;cu
larly appropriate time IN which e
complete women's enfranchisemen,
for it is Illinois Centenary
The effort to secure this Illinois Sui
ffage Amendment in no way conflict
with the effort to secure the amend
micnt OF the United States Constitr
ton, and really will be helpful to /,
for II the Federal amendment Shout
be passed by Congress, It would the
need to be submitted to the State
and Illinois Legislators would be quit
sure to approve the Federal Amend
ment enfranchising oil women II tn
women OF their own State were full
enfranchiscd.
Illinois legislators are more incline
" favor Woman Suffrage than eve