Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-07
DEMOCRATS REGAIN
CONTROL OF HOUSE
Four Congressman Of the Party
Elected at Special Elections
in New York.
1855 WOMEN VOTE.
Female Citisens Act More Intellisently
and Vote More Expeditiously Than
Men. OMcials Say.
1855 WOMEN VOTE.

New Yorks March 5-Control Of the Ma.
tional House Of Representatives was re-
gained by the democrats to-day when they
elected their candidates from four districts
in Greater New York at special elections
called to choose SUCCESSORS to four men,
bers Of that party who had resigned their
seats In Congress.
New York women had their nrst chance
to vote since they won the right at the
polls last November. It was significant
that they cast 31.s5s votes out Of q total
Of 1852 In the four districts. They voted
early. seemed to have made up their minds
what they were going to do before they
received their ballots, and they asked few
foolish questions"
The successful candidates were:
Seventh district, Kings county. John J.
Delaney. to succeed John ]. Fitzgerald.
Eighth district. Kings county, William
e. Cleary. to succeed Daniel J. Griffin.
Twenty-first district. New York county,
Jerome r. Donovan. to succeed Murray
Hubert.
Twenty-second district. New York and
Bronx counties. Anthony J. Griffin. t.
succeed Henry Bruckner.
In all the districts the democratic nom.
inees were elected over their republicaT
opponents by comfortable margins. Thu
most surprising feature was the fact thai
in the twenty.second district, which in
cludeA part Of the borough Of the Bronx
the vote cast for the socialist candidate
exceeded by approximately 100 that giver
the republican nominee.
The socialist vote in the other districts
was negligible.
The only district which had q woman
candidate was the twenty hrst. whore Mrs
Mamie Colvin ran on the prohibition
ticket. Her vote was 3S2 out Of q total o.
$685.
In the same district the Rev. Reverb,
Ransom. a negro, who was denied place
on the ballot because the courts rulet
there were not enough names on his nom
mating petition. received 465 votes. Ther'
are many thousands OF colored voters II
the district and Ransom sought the re
publican nomination against John
Bolles. When 1t was refused him he be
came the candidate Of the United Coiore'
League.
In none Of the districts was there an,
especial issue involved except that O
| party politics. Chief interest centeret
in the baby carriage vote" The re-
| suits indicated that a majority OF tn
20 they could cast their ballots wer'
guided largely by the politics Of thet
husbands or male relatives. All the dis
tricts are normally democratic.
Election ofYicials who had predicte'
that the advent Of women az voter
| would slow up the election machiner'
protested to have been pleasantly sur
prised. Many Of them declared the womel
acted more intelligently and voted NOR
| expeditiously than the men. Many OF tn
now citizens were accompanied to tn
polling places by their husbands and no
| a few Of them trundled baby carriages
A few women were challenged becaus
they were the wives Of unnaturalize
aliens and had registered without knowl
edge of the law which provides that
woman must assume the nationality o
her husband. although she may have bee
born in the United States.
Suffrage workers attributed the intel
ligence displayed by women voters I
the fact that they had been given care
full instructions for the last ten days
Miss Mary Carrot Hay. New York count
chairman of the Woman Suffrage party
was especially gratihed.
The womau voters Of New York cit
who took part in the congressional cleo
lions have fully justified the bestows
upon them Of the franchise by the Stat
Of New York." she said. '"rhsy voted 1
large numbers. ~ per cent. Of those VII
registered going to the polls and castin
their ballots.
"They voted In . straight. business
like way which won praise from the me
inspectors. They voted intelligsntly, tax
ing the trouble before hand to posses
themselves Of enlightsning informatio
about the candidates for once.
"As voters casting their drst ballot.
am proud to cay they left little to b
desired in the way they assumed the'
political obligations. OF the men VIII
registered In the fourth congressional dis
trict only about 20 per cent voted.
1.-THE City Suffrage party is niue
pleased with the way the women cam
out to vote and with the treatment accord
ed them. We wish to thank the polite,
parties for appointing women watcher
at the polls and the board Of election
for the dignihed and cordial way In whic
thew met the new voters"