The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-01-25
BOTH PARTIES ENDORSE WOMAN
SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT TO
THE CONSTITUTION.
Direct Vote Resolution Will Not
be Endorsed
mi.tee on County Lines and BOun-
daries and VIII BE Considered in Il
Few Days.


editorial Correspondence
BOISE-The Extension of woman
suffrage was endorsed in the several
forms it came up, by the Fourteenth
legislature at the Tuesday session.
Memorials by both Republicans and
Democrats were adopted without di-
vision along party lines. One of the
memorials is addressed to congress,
requesting the submission of a con-
stitutiOnal amendment to the states for
ratification; another to the governors
and legislatures of the states urging
the extension of suffrage to women
Every member of the Twin Falls
delegation in the house voted for both
The former is the Republican measure
presented by Kiger, MCGOWAN and
Driscoll. Johnson of Bingham county
spoke briefly in favor of its adop-
ton, pleading for disregard of party
lines. Quoting from the Bible to sus-
tain his position, he said: "I have
more faith in that old book than
have in both the first and second
codes of Idaho" He was roundly
applauded.
Moody, for the Democrats, follow
ed, assuring Johnson that as far as
the Democrats were concerned they
were going to vote for both memor-
ials. He called attention to the Tenth
legislature in which he sat, saying that
a woman had a seat on the floor of
the house in that legislature. Later
this woman, Mrs. McFadden was no
ticed among other women who were in
attendance, and vas invited to address
the house, with which request she
complied.
Two Democrats voted against the
y ~
Lehrbas, the former explaining his po-
sition by saying that he believed the
matter should be left to separate states
to decide for themselves.
On the Anderson memorial, ad-
dressed to the governors and legis-
latures of the states. the vote was
h unanimous.
An appropriation of $4,000 for wat
er measurements in conjunction with
the government geological survey, was
passed by unanimous vote. Under the
terms of this act the government is
required to put up a like amount in
order to benefit by the states appro-
priatiOn, and the state engineer is
given degree of supervision over the
measurements to be taken, as well as
possession of the records and data
obtained.
There will he no memorial to CON
gress asking for the submission of
constitutional amendment providing
for the election of the president and
vice president of the United States
by direct vote instead of by the OBJ
sOlete electoral college provided by
the constitution. Some fine oratory
was expended in presenting both sides
of this question. The judiciary COM
mittee, to whom the bill had been re-
ferred, was unanimously opposed to
its adoption. They claimed that idaho
would suffer by it, as its relative
Importance in the electoral college is
greater than its influence on this
question. As it is. the number of cleo
tOral votes to which a state is en-
titled is determined by the number OF
representatives plus senator's AS
every state has two senator's, while
the number of representatives is de-
termined on the basis of population
the smaller states exert a relatively
greater influence, several claimed.
For the memorial it was contended
that every voter was entitled to vote
directly for president and vice presi-
dent; that the danger of a plurality
failing to elect a president should be
- done away with. Another interesting
argument advanced was that the di
rect election would compel the state.
in line; or otherwise their more pro
gressive western neighbors would
Outweight them in influence
The memorial was overwhelmingl,
defeated. OF the Twin Falls delega
tion, Barker voted against the mem
orial, while Hansen and Sims voteC
for it.
Buhl county's fate is now in thi
hands of the committee on count,
lines and boundaries. 1t is probable
that two or three days will elaps
before the committee holds a hearin,
on the measure
Several new county division mea
sures made their appearance in tn
house Tuesday. II. B. No. 79, b.
Thatcher. Richards and Lebrbas
would create the county of Bear Riv
er, from Bannock; and H. B. No. "a
by the same authors, would make an
other county out of another portion
the new county to be known as Port
neuf