Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-23
WOMEN VOTERS
AID PROHIBITION
New York Town Election TAX
en- as Indication of How
They Will Use Influence

Albany, n. V, Jan. 23.-What the
State Legislature will do about pro-
hibition is likely to be governed
largely by the sentiment among the
new women voters of the state. Pol
iticians and legislators are eagerly
inuiqring how the nearly 100000
additional voters are likely to act
not only on prohibition, but on such
questions as municipal ownership,
and in fact all questions hitherto re-
garded by the mass of male voters
as radical.
For example, the determination of
certain political leaders to force q
repeal of the direct primary law at
this session has already encountered
a snag of opposition from certain
leaders in the women's organiza-
tions. Students of politics who as
sumo that in the aggregate women
Will vote as their husbands, brothers
or fathers ask them to do. find their
theory is wrong. There is q large
but yet unknown element among
women who have thought a great
deal about public questions and will
vote as they please.
This was shown in a recent cleo
ton in Lisle, a small town in
Broome County. The town had been
evenly divided between the liquor
and anti-liquor voters, but at the
January election, in which women
participated for the first time since
they were enfranchised the town
went dry by an overwhelming ma
jority. About one-half of the women
entitled to vote took part, and they
were practically unanimous in favor
of abolishing the liquor traffic.
Under the law, women are not
qualified to vote because no regis
tratlon law has yet been provided by
the T.aOiGlof1Jrn Tho fret n
to cast her vote at Lisle was chal-
lenged, but they continued to vote
under protest and it is doubtful
whether the technicality will be TAX
en- into the courts. A bill has been
introduced to enable all women vot-
ers to register as we'll as to enroll
IN political parties, the latter enab-
ling them to take part in the pri-
mary election.
In the opinion of Senator William
II. Hill, who represents Broome
County, the Lisle election is a fair
criterion of what is expected to hap
pen throughout New York State, es-
pecially in the rural districts.
While the federal prohibition
amendment will undoubtedly pass
in the assembly, it is not so GER
tain to win in the Senate. The SEN
ators, like Senator Hill, who have
been active for such legislation for
two years, are confident that the
more the members hear from the
folks at home the more willing they
will be to support the amendment
and that during the next month
there will be little left of the oppo-
sition.
New York State will be as dry
as Kansas after the women have had
4 chance at the polls on the question
of prohibition declared Senator
Hill. 81 look for many New York
cities to go that way at the April
elections, when they will have their
first opportunity to pass on the
question OF license or no-licepse."
Governor Whitman, according to
his friends, will receive the support
of the women temperance voters be-
cause of what he has done to pro-
mote legislation of that kind. AS
he was also strong advocate of
votes for women during the recent
campaign, it is believed he will be
favord by The suffragists.
On the question also If direct pri-
maries or the attempt of some men,
hers of the Legislature to restore
the old state nomination convention
the Governor is supposed to please
. large element among women vot-
ers. Where they have made known
their sentiment on the subject, they
are very much opposed to any at
tempts to tamper with the primary
law in a reactionary way. That is.
they will resist all efforts made to re-
turn to what they call the boss sys-
TEN.
Although the state primary day
for the nomination of Governor and
other state officials is eight months,
away. William NJ. Bennett declares
publicly that there will be q we'll
organized opposition to Governor
Whitman in the primaries. He said
he was in a position to make this
announcement definite after visiting
both Albany and Washington, and
after consultation with party lead
ers.