The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-08-19
CITIZENSHIP BILL
DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT IN
OPEN AIR MEETING SAT-
URDAY EVENING.

An interested crowd of citizens,
which included many women and a
large farmer contingent, gathered at
the corner of Egan ayenu and Cen
ter street Saturday evening to listen
to addresses on the citizenship bill
and the suffrage amendment, both oil
which are to be submitted to the
yeters of this state al the NovembeI
election, for their approval or reJec-
ton.
Attorney Ira +. Blewitt made the
Introductory speech and outlined
briefly the meaning of each of the
above mentioned sur He dwelt
upon the ease by which aliens,
through loosely constructed laws,
suddenly become full-fledged voters
and then contrasted these as to their
intelligence to understand our insti-
buttons and principles of government
with our large body of ONE OF
ability and intellect who are now the
mothers of our soldiers and the right
arm of their welfare while at the
front. His appeal to male voters was
indeed a manly defense of the suf-
frage amendment.
At the conclusion of his remarks
Mr.. Blewitt introduced Miss Pesha.
kova, of Chicago, who is here to as.
sist Miss Gertrude Watkins in hel
field work relating to the enfran
chisement of our m
Miss Peshakova spoke briefly o.
the great war and its call for womer
to save, sacrifice and work with theil
hands. that Red Cross work might bt
effective, and that sanitation, com
fort and cheer might attend our boy'
who are risking their young lives
to uphold the dignity and honor o
our great republic. Miss Peshakov;
is an interesting speaker, having
strong voice, full of appeal and
form of delivery that commands he
hearers.
Miss Gertrude Watkins, of Littl,
Rock, Ark, was next introduced ant
began N of the most appealing ad
dresses ever delivered in our city OF
the subject of the political rights o
American women. Miss Watkins il
a keen observer, and has done mucl
travelling and speaking in the inter
est Of her unfranchised sisters. Sh'
has a fund of political information
and her thinking processes function
with rapidity.
Miss Watkins mentioned the har,
work of English women who are rails
ing the crops, running the trains
teaching the schools and doing dan
gerous work In munition plants I,
the detriment of their health an,
strength. A further portrayal o
their sacrifices. their willingness Il
help in all war work-the Red Cross
Liberty bond campaigns and othe
lines of usefulness demonstrated tn
full justice Of the law and statute
that opened the voting booth to WON
en-. She rapidly passed in review
what al COuHtTltS udu anu are Dc
complishing along the line of woman
suffrage, mentioning Russia, Aus
tralia, Canada, New Zealand, Franc,
and Italy. and alongside of these, sh.
held up the United States as an ex
ample of either male selfishness o
political Indifference, amounting t
national non-progress in comparison
with what other nations have done
Miss Watkins explained clearly tn
citizenship bill and how the citizen
ship clause from that bill had bee
Incorporated into the suffrag
amendment that m before tn
people November s.
This address was well received an,
there is no doubt that Miss Watkin
deep earnestness moved her auditor
to 2 sense Of duty on behalf OF tn