Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-05
MARYLAND MAY YET
INSURE SUFFRAGE
Republicans Plan at Special Session of
Legislature to Ratify Nineteenth
Amendment.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, September A.
The special session of the Maryland
Richie for September 90, to facilitate
the exercise of the ballot by the newly
enfranchised women. promises to be a
much livelier affair than would sui,
the ideas Of the governor. When the
state executive announced that he
would call the extra session, he andi.
Gated that he would like it to be a
sort Of cut-and-dried affair. to 'ac,
solely upon a series of measures to be
drawn up by the democratic state
administration.
But the republican leaders of Mary.
land, from o. L. Weller down, at a
meeting here on Thursday, decided
that the republicans will have a few
proposals of their own, the first OF
suffrage amendment, and which also
Will include simplification of the
Maryland ballot, which they claim the
democrats have tried for years te
make as difficult to cast as possible
The republicans made it plain tina,
they not only are ready to enact such
legislation as will make it possible for
all women to exercise the right OF
franchise. but declare their readiness
to make certain their right to vote by
ratifying the amendment.
The republicans say they do not
want the special session ito serve the
partisan purposes of the democratic
shown itself consistently hostile to
the enfranchisement of women, but
to do all that can be done to render
secure and easy Of exercise the newly
won rights"
So there is no doubt that a lively
bout Is in prospect.
Gov. Ritehie's Announcement.
In announcing his intention to cal
a special session of the legislature
Gov. Richie took pains to state thai
his influence would be exerted to pre-.
vent consideration of any legislation
not fairly related to the subject of the
call, mo matter from what party Il
may emanate."
While the governor says his rea.
son for doing this is to prevent the
session from being drawn out will
no position to shoulder, it is known
that he also has fears based upor
political grounds. Before the cover
nor decided to call the extra session
there were long and earnest confer.
ences of democratic leaders, at which
much apprehension as to the posi-
biltties OF an extra session were dis
cussed. While expressing a willing.
ness to do whatever was necessar1
to assist the women to get on thu
books and to vote, some of the higl
democratic leaders were afraid that
special session would result almos
certainly in a demand that the legis
lature reverse its former vote ant
ratify the federal suffrage amend
ment. Just how such q fight. as wei
as other clashes that might arise
would affect the harmony among tn,
democrats as well as the relations be
tween the democrats and the woman
voters was a question that kept tn,
leaders worried.
The pressure. however, from tn,
counties. where only two registration
days would be provided without {
special session Of the legislature, wa
too great to be ignored. But the gov
ernor gave an open indication of his
fears of trouble at Annapolis, when
In his formal announcement of his in
tention to call the extra session, he
said: 80 it is said that various
matters not pertinent to the call
might be forced upon the legislature
for partisan, political or other spe-
cial reasons and that these might
consume time and expense and bring
about undesirable results. I do not
know how well grounded some OF
these apprehensions may be. I hope
they have no reality and I do not be-