The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-16
,.ti.jons for City Hall Memorial Build.
ina Given to Them This
Afternoon for Sig
natures.
OPINION IS CITED HERE
Attorneys Dickey and Sawyer Set Out
Reasons for Allowing Women
to Have Voice in
Election.

petitions for the signatures Of Keo
Ink women asking that the council
call special election to vote on the
question of city hall memorial build
ino were given to the committee mem
hers this afternoon at the meeting al
tho V w. C. A. The petitions which
u-ill he circulated and returned by
Tnasday are identical with those
taken around to the male voters OF
tho city. Women who sign the petit
tions will give their names, addresses
and date OF signing.
The mayor instructed W1nona E.
Reeves. chairman of the committee
yesterday to see that all signatures
IRA properly recorded, with the
woman's given name. For instance
no women should sign Anna e.
,ones'' instead of Mrs. G. d. Jones'
Opinion on Vote.
The opinion Of Attorneys Dickey
and Sawyer in this matter OF women
voting is given here In sul'. just as 1t
was read to the comll'ssion &; hs
meeting yesterday af.cFnon ana
adopted by that body:
keokuk, Iowa, August Is. 1919. Hon.
Ed. S. Lotion, Keokuk, Iowa. Dear
Cir. Your letter of the 18th instant ad.
dressed to c. H. Dickey and Hazen |.
SAWYER received, and in order hat
ION NAV have the question subaii ted
ir said letter before you In noanec-
tion with our reply, will SCI the letter
out il full:
Under Section 4 Of Chapter 40
of the Thirty-eighth general as
sembly (subject: Liberty Memo
rial buildings) find that it reads
nc follows. Nc such building shall
hc erected and equipped Or pur-
chased and equipped under the
nro, ision Of this act unless
r,aIority OF the legal voters fot'
;ne thereon vote in favor OF same,
etc. Ny mind is not clear as to who
are legal voters and whether OF
not women are entitled to vote On
sad question. Will you please
giye me your opinion on the SUD-
ject and if you so find that women
are entitled to vote, should petit
tons be circulated and filed. am
very anxious that no mistake be
made that would invalidate the
% vote on the question I am sure
we want them to do So
No Refusal Of Privilege.
II. the short time since receiving
this communication, we have MADE
every possible effort to examine th7
matter thoroughly SO that no mistake
should be made and no privileges re-
fused.
The act authorizing the erection or
purchasing OF memorial building LOT
soldiers, sailors and marines, being
Chapter ITO of the 3Sth general assem-
BIZ provides in section 4 as follows:
Upon petition of Is percent OF
the legal voters of any city
the question as herein provided
shall be submitted to the voters OF
said = city -. Each petition
shall ask that an election be
called. shall refer to this act,
shall suggest generally the nature
and uses OF the proposed liberty
memorial building No such build
ing shall he erected and equipped
or purchased and equipped under
the provisions of this act unless
majority Of the legal voters vot-
ing thereon vote in favor OF same
at a general. municipal or special
election called for that purpose
This section requires, among othef
things:
LIST: A petition of Is percent OF the
legal voters Of the city.
End No such building can be
erected, etc, unless majority Of the
legal voters voting thereon vote III
favor of same.
It is further proposed and 1t is
necessary, if such building be pur-
chased or erected, that the city vote
bonds to pay the cost of same.
Section 1131 of the code provides:
The right of any citizen to vote
atany city, town, or school election
on the question of issuing any
bonds for municipal or school
purposes and for the purpose OF
borrowing money or on the ques-