Denver labor bulletin., 1918-04-13
The eOptin1istic
Philosopher

| SYRACUSE, N. Y, APRIL s, 1918.
When labor editor travels two
thirds of the way across the North
American continent to make speeches
advocating the closing of saloons, it
creates something of sensation and
arouses Northern New Workers, even
in these days of great war drives. /
reached Syracuse last Tuesday and
have been hitting the ball pretty hard
ever since, making an average of three
speeches a day, in halls, churches,
workshops and from an automobile on
| the street corners. The people here
all want to know what prohibition has
done for the benefit of Colorado, and /
am giving it to them straight off the
bat, accompanied by facts and figures.
It's somewhat of novelty to myself,
this making anti-booze speeches
among strangers in a strange land.
campaigning, there are no strangers
and the land is as hospitable to me
as Colorado or dear old Georgia.
:. :. :.
FOR THE FIRST TINE IN THE
states history the legislature has
granted all towns and cities in the
state, except New York City, the priv
ilege of voting license or no license for
saloons, wholesale liquor houses and
breweries. By petition, thirty-seven
cities in Northern New York will hold
special election on Tuesday, April 16,
to vote for or against licensing the
liquor traffic. OF these cities, Syra-
cuse, with population of 100000 and
361 saloons, is the largest and most
important. The campaign here is
spectacular to a degree. Of the three
daily papers, one, the Post-Standard
| ontiral,- the
drys, while the Journal and Herald,
evening papers, are neutral up to
date The women voters are likely
to determine the issue. They will vote
for the first time in this special cleo
ton. Friday and Saturday were reg
istration days for the newly enfran-
chised women, and the way in which
they qualified as voters has amazed
the political wiseacres. Twenty thou
sand was the top figure estimated by
both dry and wet campaign managers.
When the registration books closed
at 10 o'clock Saturday night 1t was
found that 39,82S women had regis
tered. This gives the women about
5000 more votes than men in SYRIA
cuse, out of a total registered vote for
the special election of ,539-bring
ing CONSERVATION to the vets and ella
tion to the drys. Women have to give
their ages when they register in New
York, and these ages ranged from Il
to 49, There are 81 voting precincts
in the city at present, and these Will
have to be doubled for the special cleo
ton. Giving of ages created many
amusing incidents, and few refused
to meet the test. One woman who
Registered in the forenoon came back
in the afternoon to tell the clerk that
she was two years younger than the
age given in the morning. One point
not yet settled is that of young women
who register in their maiden names
and get married before date of cleo
ton.
AS A RESULT OF THE SUR
prisingly large registration of women
voters in Syracuse most unusual
situation confronts the election board.
The law prescribes for not to exceed
500 voters in each of the 81 voting
precincts in the city. With the
women exceeding the previously reg
istered mems vote, practically every
precinct has far in excess of what
: the law prescribes. There is not
sufficient time before election day,
April 16, to redistrict the city with
out creating great confusion. Hence
committee representing the drys
and vets and city officials left for
Albany this (Monday) morning to
have the legislature pass a special
act for this city giving legal sane
tion for a two-day election, April 16
and IT. This is the only means by
which the voters can be taken care
of in the existing precincts. 1t is be-
lieved the legislature will comply with
the request, and it will be the first
time in the history of America where
an election has been held covering
two days of voting on the same prop
osition. In England two-day cleo
tions are common, and are provided
for by law. According to the present
program a conference will be held with
Governor Whitman in Albany this
afternoon and he will send a special
message to the legislature urging that
a bill be passed extending the voting
period for the special election over
two days. The way in which SYRIA
cuse women turned out to register
and qualify to vote has amazed the
politicians of the entire state, and
there isn't going to be anything put
in the way of their registering their
views at the polls. Politicians, dry
and vets, all recognize the impor-
tance of this. Last spring in the reg
ular municipal election, the registra-
ton was about $4,000, whereas now
the figures are in excess of 1900 in
city of 100000 population.
:. :: :.
MY MONDAY SHOP MEET
ings have been most interesting.
Syracuse is quite a manufacturing
center and has some big plants.
Wednesday I spoke in place where
they were making what the men called
"Kisses for the Kaiser" These con-
E. L