Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-10-31
Legislative Ratification Of the Suf
fraqs Amendment.

tempt 10 XIII the Maine act granting
TO women the right to vote for Presi-
dental electors, the opponents of
equal suffrage are now asking the
legislature to postpone action on the
Federal suffrage amendment until a
Maine act.
During the ninety days immediate
~ succeeding the adjournment of
our legislature, our anti suffrage
friends were busy circulating petit
tions TO hold up this measure Of par
tial justice to Maine women, while
Congress was equally busy with the
larger and fundamental question of
full suffrage for women throughout
the nation.
congress beat them to it, The
Anthony amendment passed the
United States Senate on June 4. The
Maine antis came under the wire
about month later on the last day
and nearly the last hour Of grace,
with 10000 and odd petitioners for a
referendum on the Maine bill
1t is well to remind our friends of
few simple truths.
What is the legal right of these
petitioners" Merely to have refer
endum on the Maine act-no,nin-
more. But that right is subject to
the Constitutional right of the legis-
lature 10 act without delay upon the
Federal amendment. The petition
efs have no legal right whatever to a
postponement of such action, even
though ratification may incidentally
do away with their referendum
Ratification of amendments to The
Federal Constitution is vested by
that instrument solely and exclusive
ly in the legislature. Its decision is
final. To this effect is the opinion of
our Maine Supreme Court in their
recent advisory opinion relative 10 a
referendum on the prohibitory
amendment
legislative action now instead of
IN 1921 invades no legal or moral
right of these petitioners. They have
no Constitutional right" TO deprive
the legislature and its constituency
OF then Constitutional rights They
may ask the legislature to drag its
feet and lag behind the other states
of this Union. They may seek to
persuade it 10 further delay justice
10 the women citizens Of Maine.
They may ask it to side-step its
constitutional right and duty. and
give way TO referendum on q sub
sidiary issue which would settle
nothing and be binding on no.one.
But they must do all this on some
ground other than constitutional
right" law and order" the princi-
pie of the referendum" the voice OF
the people" and the similar high
sounding phrases adorning the able
literary efforts with which they are
now circularizing the legislature.
We recommend to our friends the
calm perusal Of Article v of the
United States Constitution relative to
Federal amendments, and the ad-
visory opinion Of our Maine Supreme
GArPS n -htnh
Perhaps they may then see theif
rights" and those Of others in a new
light, realise that there are people"
other than themselves who have the
same right to urge action now in
stead Of in 1891 that they have to op-
pose it, and gain n new conception Of
the respect due to the fundamental,
and supreme law Of the land.
The petitioners had their day in
the great General Court Of Maine.
and by decisive Votes to S in the
Senate, and IS to 81 in the House
the verdict went against them. Their
representative on the door Of the
House made this statement in the
course Of the debate:
When you pass this law you are
events to full suffrage. Every sane
man knows that. and n he is candid
admits it,
To this his opponent replied:
Those Of w who favor this bill ac-
cept the challenge, with all that it i'm
plies. This il but the hrst step, gentle
lmen. toward the complete enancipat ton
Of the women Of this state. When you
vct. npen this question bear that in
And bearing It in mind. the House
passed the bill. and that. too. in spite
Of the specious argument that they
were bound blythe referendum Of
1917.
These 10000 petitioners. seeking to
set aside this well considered verdict,
rsadefed by men and not by rubber
stamps, now ask for another day in
another court But If their referen-
dunn falls BY the waysids because Of
psior legislative ratification Of the
Federal suffrage amendment, these
disappointed opponents Of equal suf-
frage must blame Congress which
submitted the law to be acted upon.
the American people who inspired
Congress, and the spirit Of justice
which inspired the American people.