Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-09-02
STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR
In CALLING SPECIAL SESSION

1T is entirely certain that, even on
a so per cent. basis. more than this
many women would be disfranchised
for lack OF time, because in the county
districts il is impossible 10 conceive
a steady stream of women at the
booths throughout the day. for anyone
az all familiar with conditions there
know that. because OF distance, con-
yenicuce and other reasons, there
would be sure TO be slack periods
But even II this were not so. still, on
the extremely low basis OF only 90
per cent. registration OF women, al
least 5.024 women would be disfran-
chLsed in the counties alone for lack OF
time.
81 have not worked out the problem
in detail on a 80 per cent. basis for
Baltimore city. but IT is evident that
even in that basis, considering the
certainty of slack periods, substant-
ial Acknowledgement would be certain.
eft is entirely clear 10 my mind that
the inability, for mere lack OF time
even II only so per cent, applied TO
register at least 5.024 women in the
counties and an increasing number in
proportion to increased applications.
running up as high as 6O.521, if all
county women entitled applied. would
be not only most unfortunate for the
electorate. but would be grossly unfair
TO the women of the State who are
now ready TO assume the new obliga-
tions and responsibilities which the
ratification Of the Nineteenth Amend
ment has placed upon them.
add TO this the fac THAT, did space
permit, il could be similarly demon
strated that If all the women regis
tered who could reasonably be expect
ed to register during the time now al
lowed. there would be the gravest
doubt whether the total vote could be
cast on election day, within the pres
ent hours, and the urgent need for re-
lief is clear.
There are five registration days in
Baltimore city of 10 hours each, and,
assuming one registration for every
five minutes, 100 voters could register
ut each precinct each day, or 900 at
each precinct during the five days,
provided there was no delay at all. and
every moment of the time was utilized.
Even on this most liberal assump-
ton. from l to 200 persons could not
register in each of 1913 precincts, from
200 to 400 could not register in each OF
the 120 precincts, and from 400 up
wards could not register in each of II
precincts.
These figures demonstrate that if
as many women should apply to reg
lister as there are men registered. at
tho very least 60,521 women would be
disfranchised in the counties of the
State, and thousands of men and wo-
men would be disfranchised in Balti-
more city simply because there would
not be sufficient time in which TO reg
lister them.
1T may be true that as mahy wo-
men will not apply to register az
there are men registered. Many think
that we have no right to assume this,
/ because that many women are con-
cededly entitled to register. Person
ally, would not be willing to assume
that less than rs per cent. of the wo-
men will apply. But in order that the
conditions might be determined be-
yond any question of doubt whatever,
have worked out the problem of the
counties on the theory that only so
per cent, of the women would apply"