Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-07-28
Women Voters
VIII Decide
BY W. S. MANN.

ton start
WASHINGTON, July 2S.-women
voters will hold the balance of power
in the presidential election next No
vember, regardless of whether Tenn
essee, North Carolina or some other
STATE ratifies the Nineteenth amend
ment to the constitution, which
would make equal suffrage universal
in the United States.
At present there are 1900, 900
women entitled to vote for presiden-
tial electors, under state laws. This
number will have a choice in choos-
ing $40 of the electors in the cleo
toral college, which has SCI mem
bers. The rapid growth of the equal
suffrage movement in the several
states is shown by a comparison with
the situation in 1916. the last presi-
Dental election, at which time wo-
men participated in the election Of
but ninety-one electors.
OF the fifteen states in which wo-
men have been given full suffrage,
Hour have fallen into line since the
last election. These are New York,
with forty-hve electoral votes; Okla
homa, with ten; Michigan, with fif-
teen, and South Dakota. with hve.
OF this group ten electors were DEM
ocratic in 1916 and the remaining
sixty-hve were Republican.
The list of states which within the
last four years have extended wo-
men partial suffrage. including the
privilege of voting for presidential
electors, Is much larger, there being
twelve in this column. Illinois was
the only state that prior to 1916, had
given its women restricted suffrage.
The states which have since followed
the example of Illinois are North
Dakota, Nebraska, Tennessee, Rhode
Island, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Mime
sofa, Missouri. Wisconsin, Ohio and
Kentucky. This dozen has 144 votes
in the ELECTORAL college, of which
eighty were Democratic in 1916, and
sixty-four were Republican. A re-
capitulation therefore shows that OF
the 219 electoral votes in which wo-
men have gained a voice in the last
four years, thirty-nine were Republic
can at the last general election and
ninety were Democratic.
Figures compiled by the National
woman's party show that there are
2 6,sS3,566 women in the United
States who will be qualified to vote
when the Nineteenth amendment is
ratified. OF this number 10000
may now have a voice in the cleo
ton of a president, leaving some
thing more than 100000 who will
be excluded from such a privilege II
the amendment fails OF ratification
before next year.
But though partial suffrage is ex-
tended to such a large number OF
women under state laws. the number
of those who have full suffrage
rights is much smaller, being only
about 100000 in the whole coun-
try. 1t Is in the interest of the re-
naming 100000, who have only
limited voting privileges or none at
all, that the suffragists are now conf
centrating their efforts on Tennes-
sees legislature in the hope OF hav-
ing it act favorably on the suffrage
amendment, which would make IL
the thirty-sixth state to ratify the
measure. The suffragists are partic-
uIarly anxious to have the women OF
the country acquire a voice In the
election of members of congress,
many regarding that as of more I'M
portance than giving them a voice
in the choice of president.
In their campaign for ratification
the suffragists point u that though
it is necessary for the legislatures OF
three-fourths Of the states to ratify
an amendment before il becomes
operative. the thirty-hve states
which already have acted favorably
have a population that comprises
considerably more than three
fourths of the total population OF the
country. This group OF thirty-nve
states has a combined voting popula-
ton of 7S,000,O0o. while the popula-
ton of the eight states that have rel
iected the amendment includes but
about 100000 men and women
more than twenty-one years of age.
1t is noticeable that eight states
have ratified the suffrage amend
ment although their state laws do
not allow women in that particular
commonwealth to vote for president,
while on the other hand Tennessee,
where the suffrage issue is now being
fought out, last year gave its women
partial suffrage. In none of the
states where women have fuIl or
partial suffrage, however, has the
legislature definitely rejected the SUI
frage amendment.
Even if Tennessee or North Caro-
lima does ratify the amendment this
month it will be necessary for special
primary laws to be passed in several
states to enable women to register
in time to cast their ballots next NO
yember. but the pro-suffrage forces
are not expecting much roubl on
that score, once the amendment hasI
been ratified.
At headquarters of the equal suf-
fragists in Washington the question
is frequently asked why if Tennessee
has already given the women partial
suffrage, is there so = much effort
being expended to insure the states
favorable action on the suffrage
Amendment. The answer given Is
that when legislature acted last year
IL was purely a state issue and mad
no national significance. But today
ali of the anti-suffrage forces are
concentrating their efforts at pre-
venting ratification, necessitating a
similar mobilization of the suffrage
forces, which makes the state the
battle-ground for contending fac
lions. -
But whatever the outcome in that
state, the women are to be the big
lgest single power in the coming cleo
ton, for their fair hands will cast
enough ballots to give either a DEM
ocrat or Republican the necessary
majority If they all voted the same