Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-11-02
SUFFRAGE QUESTION
MAY CUT FIGURE IN
today S ELECTION

esting and important general cleo
ton in Georgia in the last decade
is under way today, when the voters
of the state are casting their ballots
for. or against the Democratic presi-
Dental nominees, and for or against
a portion of the Democratic nominees
for officesc in Georgia.
Whether the women would be al
lowed to cast their ballots was some
what uncertain on the eve of election.
Attorney General Denny has ruled
that women who have placed their
names on the registration lists are ell
igible to vote in spite of the Georgia
law requiring registration of all
voters at least six months prior to
the date of an election. AS the WON
en- were not enfranchised by the
adoption of the suffrage amendment
to the federal constitution until after
the six months period had expired
legal opinion is divided on the cor
rectness of the attorney generals
ruling.
Generally speaking Democratic
white women are not disposed to
complicate the validity of the cleo
ton by voting or attempting to vote
Among negro women. however, hum
dreds of whom have registered in
various large counties, there is a
movement on foot by the Republi-
can state central committee to send
them to their respective voting pre-
cincts to demand the right to vote,
and then to test the question in the
courts if they are not allowed to
vote.
Thus the suffrage question en-
ters into a Georgia election for the
first time, and the ultimate outcome
may not be determined until the
courts have passed upon it, should
the Republican leaders carry out
their announced intention of testing
the question in the courts.
G. o. p. Victory Just Talk
With regard to the vote of Geor-
s1a for or against the Democratic
presidential nominees-Governor Cox
and Franklin D. Roosevelt-there
has been talk in some circles of the
possibility of the state going RepubG
llcan, but this is clearly nothing
more than talk. Every Democratic
leader In the state, of whatever fac
ton, is supporting Cox and Roose-
welt. The Hoke Smith adherents.
the Clark Howell adherents, the
Thomas p. Watson adherents, the
THOMAS W. Hardwick adherents-al
are committed most emphatically to
the support of the Democratic ma
t1onai ticket. So it would seem that
there is hardly any room left for a
Democratic ,defectioh. The talk of
Georgia going Republican, in the
opinion of all political leaders, will
turn out before-to be nothing but
talk.
The fact that Georgia Democrats
OF all fact1onal affiliations and in
all parts of the state have rallied
with such enthusiasm and generous
contributions to the Democratic ap-
peal Tor campaign funds, is in itself
an evidence that the mass of the
party in the empire state of the
south has no intention of turning
Its back upon Democracy
Nevertheless, the Republican state
central committee has made it easy
Tor Georgians to vote the Republican
national ticket while voting the DEM
ocrat1c state ticket. The evident OBJ
Ject was to open the way for a de-
Iectlon of Democrats to Harding and
coolidge. The committee in prepar-
ing the Republican ticket used a
part OF the Republican ticket and a
part OF the Democratic ticket. That
IS to say. it used the names of the
republican presidential electors;
then the names Of Thomas E. Watson
ana Harry Sttllwell Edwards as cam
d1dates for United States senator ,
Inen the names of the full list of
democratic nominees for governor
and other statehouse officers.
Confusion in Tickets
A democrat is liable to use this
Democratic ticket If he does, his
ballot will be counted for Harding
and Coolidge, for he will have voted
for the Harding Coolidge electors,
But this hybrid ticket" as it be-
ing called. is not likely to catch many
democratic voters, in the opinion of
the principal Democratic leaders of
the state. Democratic Voters have.
been warned to be eafeful1not to vote
a Republican ticket by mistake, and
the information concerning the ''hy-
or1d ticket has been pretty we'll dis
sem1nated throughout the state. So
far as mistakes can be prevented. by
general warning, they will not oc-
cur.
But the Republican state central
committee has. not stopped with the
hybrid ticket" composed of a COM
bination Of Republican presidential
electors and Democratic state house
nominees. 1t has put four candi-
dates in the race for congress, as
follows:
other Complications
First district where the RaDnh1ipoO
are running E. S. Fuller, of Savan-
nah, against Congressman j. W..
Overstreet, the Democratic nominee
for reelection.
Third district, where they are run
ming A. f. Lockett, of Americas,
Crisp, the Democratic nominee for re-
Fifth district. where they are run
ming John w. Martin. Of Atlanta,
against Congressman William D. Up
shaw. the Democratic nominee for
reelection.
Ninth district where they are
cross, against Congressman Thomas
NJ. Bell, the Democratic nominee for
reelection.
Thus the Republicans are contest
ing Georgia for presidential electors
i. e., for Harding and Coolidge;
are contesting the places of four con-
gressmen; are giving Democrats and
Republicans an open choice between
Thomas E. Watson and Harry Still
we'll Edwards Tor the senate.
There is every indication and ev-
cry reason to believe that the Dem,
ocratic presidential electors VIII
sweep the state; that the Demo
cratic nominees for congress who
have opposition will sweep their dis
tricts; that Thomas e. Watson, the
Democratic senatorial nominee, will
sweep the state; and that the total
Rensl vote for any or fall OF
their candidates will be but rem
nant, as always heretofore in presi-
Dental election years.
Before casting his ballot, every
Democrat should examine it care
fully. The Republican ballot is
headed: Official Republican Bal
lot The Democratic ballot is
headed: Form of official Democratic
Ballot" The principal distinguish
ing mark of difference between the
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