The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-15
PARTIES PRAISED
FOR SUPPORT Of
SUFFRAGE BILL
Both Worked to Enfranchise
Women, State Franchise
Head Says in Interview.

"A few days ago the Franchise
league closed its legislative headQuar-
ters in Indianapolis with q remarkable
experience for the women and an
equally remarkable history Of the rap
i'd passage Of bills, and the change
Of public sentiment in regard to sui.
frage," said Mrs. Richard Edwards,
president of the Indiana Franchise
league. today whom sho arrived In
Richmond to be the guest Of the Fran
chise league tea In the public art
gallery. "Our memorial asking the
United States senate TO pass the fed
eral suffrage amendment was Joint
Resolution No. /. Our presidential
suffrage bill signed by the governor
was bill No. and our amendment TO
the state constitution granting women
the right to vote, which must come
up again in he next general assem-
all other constitutional amendments
considered separately and agreed to
by both houses unanimously.
There was no dissenting vote in
either house or senate on the propos-
al TO amend the constitution Of Indi
ana. We were more pleased with this
unanimity than with almost any other
phase of this work. Behind 1t lies
an interesting story Of hard work
on the part of our three hundred and
fourteen leagues in the state which
have carried petitions, interviewed
legislators in their home districts and
worked up public sentiment. Add to
that the clever handling Of the suf-
frage situation by our legislative COM
mittee, which made friends on every
hand. Perhaps the biggest influence
of all was the continued efforts of
the Republican and Democratic par
ties who were determined that both
parties should put themselves solid
ly behind the suffrage issue. There
never was at any time a question of
the failure of this suffrage measure
In Indiana.
Believed Constitutional
There has been some discussion as
to the constitutionality of the presi-
Dental bill but we have the legal
opinion of some Of the most eminent
constitutional lawyers in the state who
declare that this right of presidential
suffrage rests on grant from the
federal government and Is not effected
by provisions in the Indiana state con-
stitution.
Two years ago a resolution to
amend the constitution of Indiana
granting women the right to vote was
introduced by Senator Beardsley and
passed by both houses. AS is usual
for all constitutional amendments, this
would have had to pass the next SEES
sion Of the legislature and then be
referred to the people to be voted on.
I'VE have been asked many times why
1--WE allowed this to be withdrawn and
so apparently lost two years in our
struggle for suffrage. want to take
this opportunity to say that we are
infinitely better OF with our present
bill, even though we lose two years
There can be no question of the con
stitutionality of this resolution and
the constitutionality of the other bill
had been attacked for two reasons.
There is one reform which is near
ly as dear to the heart of the women
OF the state as the question of SUN
rage for women, and that Is to limit
the right to vote and make laws In
Indiana to American citizens. Indiana
Is one Of the seven states in the UniOr
in which men owing allegiance to q
foreign country may vote. Gradually
the other states of the Union have re
moved this stigma from their voting
records and have required that every
man or woman must be a citizen be
fore he is entitled to vote. We are
very proud to know that it is the wo
men who have secured this necessary
change in our Indiana election laws
for our new suffrage constitutions
amendment which has just passed
both houses, and which was introduced
at the request of the women, provide!
that the voters of Indiana must 81
citizens. This allows both men ant
women to vote but does not allow {
citizen of another country to have an.
share in governing Indiana.
1--WE had hoped that the United
States senate would pass the fedora
suffrage amendment in time to have
1t ratified by the General Assembl!
OF Indiana now in session. That maj
still happen though it seems less like