Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-03-16
RIGGS AFT GIVES
 WOMEN 0E STATE
 VIRTUAL CONTROL.
Right to Vote in Primaries Gives Women Balance
 of Power.
(Ry Clio Harper.)


 The suffrage victOrr won by tho women of Arkansas in the recent seq sion of the legislature is in some re- spects a greater victory than would have been the granting of full sui frage. By giving them the right Of suffrage in all primary elections, ,n state overwhelmingly and consist~ entity Democratic. where the Demo- cratic primaries settle 3S per cent of all political contests, the women will hold the balance of power in the selection of candidates for municipal. county, district and state officials. The full import of their victory is just beginning to be realized by the women, and by the politicians. The women will be in a position 10 say who the officials shall be, since the nominees of Democratic primaries are always elected. In order to vote in Democratic primary a woman will be required, when requested by l the judges, to make an oath that sh1 l is of the same political faith as the party holding the election, "and that she will give her moral support D all the nominees of said political | party"
 This is no more than is required, morally, of men, who obligate them selves to support the nominee of the 1 party in whose primary they may cast their vote. The women are ra- uuired, also, to possess all the other l qualifications of male electors, sucn 1 as age, residence, citizenship, paT- ment of poll tax, etc. The law fur ther provides that especially exempt from every disqualification direct or indirect, on account of sex, every 1 woman in this state shall have th1 1 right to vote at any primary elec-
 tions held under the laws of the state.'' @ Can Pay Poll Tax This Year. The emergency clause was stricken out by the senate, so that under pro- visions of the initiative and referen dunn, the act does not become effe E.,
 tive until 90 days after approval, CT l until June 4. Before that time the
 law is subject to reference, but
 there is no indication that any one l will so seriously oppose the new
 statute as to attempt to have it re- ipealed, through the referendum. All
 electors are required to hold pol tax receipt for the year next prece1 ing that in which the election is
 held. Poll taxes for 1916 can be paid until July 1, and it follows that won l en can pay poll taxes between June } and July 1, with penalty for non , assessment, that will enable them tt ! vote at any subsequent primary. Ii
 this construction is correct, the wom en of Little Rock will have their fir. , 1 opportunity to vote in the munlcipa
 primary which will be held in Littl. Rock next December for the nomina
 ton of aldermen and city attorney
 The next year they can enter tn lstate primaries. The Introduction Q this new element in Arkansas polite! , will cause a new alignment and wi!
 cause the old-time politicians t.
 change their tactics.
 There appears to be no way b } which they can be qualified to vot l. in the primary which the Democrat
 state central committee has calle 1 this week for the selection of candi dates for the constitutional conve.1 t ton election to be held on June 2f l They have been very anxious to hay
 a part in that election, since the con | NeHllOH VIII Ue Cdlleu upoll lO ue t eide upon constitutional and com l plete suffrage. The advocates of equa suffrage have not won a complet 5 victory yet, but have taken lon step forward.
 el Opponents Fought Hard.
 The author of the bill which mad primary suffrage possible is John Riggs, a Hot Springs newspaper mar l who introduced the bill early in tn session and fought it through agains
 great odds. There were very few wh
 considered that it had any chance c : enactment, but the women refused t
 look upon t as joke, even when tn , | IaIASida S l.