Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-18
Enrtttttg Gt1at


electlon system built up in Harris
purs was devised for men and the
WORK that has had to be done TO
keep II IN running order. to get the
men TO register and then to vote is
lahlilar To everyone who reads the
newspapers and observes the gyra-
uohs oil men in politics just before
primary and general elections. Now.
as far as our Republican friends are
concerned, they say they have a
pretty fair percentage of the men
registered and voting. But what is
perpleXing the mem bers of election
ana registration forces is how they
are going to handle twice as many
voters.
These are some of the proposi-
+ tons that conversation with men
connected with election boards in
-FOUR widely separated wards devel-
oped:
There will have to be more cleo
uon precincts in Harrisburg. There
are some districts where the boards
are hard put to handle the votes of
the male electors now in an eX-
peditious manner.
Women will probably want repre-
sentation on the election boards and
as one man pathetically expressed it.
Ihey may kick on mans smokin'
and chewin'."
a woman may object to giving her
age when registering. Age and vari-
Gus other things are cardinal points.
OF the present registration law.
Most women, especially when first
registering or casting n ballot, will
| probably want their husbands. faith
ers, brothers or other relatives along
TO guide them, and how will that
lit in with the voters assistance law.
Some women may not want to vote
the way their husbands or male rel
atives desire and when the lady voter
goes to the booth election boards will
! have to be tactful in telling the
aforesaid relative that the ballot in
Pennsylvania is secret, by law at
! least
! one cynic declared that he
! thought law would have to he en-
acted charging the number of bal
/ lots person can be permitted to
spoil, but he is probably to be classed
with that archaic individual who
| says that a woman would be in the
/ dickens of a fix if she changed her
mind after voting and came around
later and asked for her ballot back.
one far-seeing citizen declared
| that the presence of women at an
! election place would have a most eX-
| cellent effect, because men would not
''cuss' so much. He said that at
many an election he found, especially
! in times when things were strenuous.
! language that would not sound well
at any time. "Now, if we had women
! around we would not be so apt to
| call names or to be profane," said
! he. "As far as | am concerned,
! I'm glad the women are going to
vote because it will make the men
stand around. The prohibition
amendment did more to make cleo
| tions good than anything | know,
and with rum gone and the women
around We can look for elections to
| be dignified and the men behaving
| themselves" This opinion appeared
/ to be shared by some men from up
| town and out on the Hill. when
the women folks come TO vote we
got to treat them right and this
cussin' business has got to 60" was
another observation
| ono active political worker
! brought up the problem of how the
vote was to be got out" lie opined
| that the women would look after
! their end of it, especially when there
was a woman candidate, and that
women would insist upon places on
the ballot. They'll get the sisters
out all right said he. but, say,
what'll it be like when we've rounded
up some fellows TO have women at
the polls come up and try to get 'em
! to switch. You gotta be polite to a
woman and you won't be able to shoe
em away. | tell you you gotta be
sure of your man when you take
him to the polls and tell him to stay
! put" This man was very emphatic
on the point that there would not be
much attempting to buy elections
when the women get voting.
wouldn't it be awful if some one
used money and the women told?"
he asked.
What appears to be interesting the
practical chieftains is whether there
/ will have to be women watchers and
whether they will want to be paid.
| 1t seems TO be a settled proposition
that the women are going to cleave
! to the old parties and that most of
! them will follow family Affiliations
| for a time. This, the practical ones
reason, will make the work of being
| certain that women vote rather easy
! in Harrisburg for time. But there
may be some women who might want
! to be formally named as watchers
and every watcher means expense in
| this community. One man who has
! nau IIlucn III tiCCliOhS uP
town where there is large popula-
| ton says that women will not come
! out to vote in any numbers unless
there is a woman on the ticket And
then look out" said he. They'll
! come out rain or shine"
/
The possibilities in regard to wo-
men voting are endless and varied.
! Some of the most widely versed menV
| in politics admit that they are puZ-
zled when they sit down to think it
| over They admit that women voting
will have wholesome influence and
that they will make 'some of the
| BOYS step around" Just when the
4 women will get the vote and whether
it will be restricted to presidential
and congressional elections, and not
| include State and local elections, is
| much discussed. 1t all depends
upon developments in the states
However, it may be said that IL wo-
men do not attain the right TO vote
at local elections. especially in re-
gard to school board places. there
will be some disappointments and
| likewise some unceasing efforts until