The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-08-25
MISS. WOMEN NOT
TO VOTE IN NOV.
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS
THEY ARE NOT
QUALIFIED.
BY REGISTRATION
To Vote In General Election Cit
izen Must Register Four
Months Before Reg
ular Election.

Women of Mississippi will not b
allowed to vote in the November elec
ltion regardless of the final ratification
by the thirty-sixth state Of the fedora
lsuffrage amendment. This opinio
was rendered today by Fred H. Lotter
hos, assistant attorney general, il
response to a request from Miss Hen
rietta Mitchell, national democratic
Icommitteewoman for Mississippi, a
to the status of women voters in thi
state in the event Tennessee finall,
ratified the nineteenth amendment.
| Consideration of the constitution d
Mississippi, said Mr.. Lotterhos, woult
lead "unerringly to the conclusion
that citizen, male or female, whC
may register at this time or later
shall not be entitled to vote at the
coming regular election in Novem-
ber."
The attorney generals eommunica-
tion to Miss Mitchell follows.
Il have your request for an opin-
ion as to whether or not women may
vote in Mississippi at the regular
election in November of this year
should the proposed Ninenteenth
Amendment to the constitution Of the
United States be ratified by thirty
six Of the states at this time.
The amendment, when ratified by
the legislatures of three-fourth Of the
several states, becomes valid to all
intents and purposes as a part Of the
constitution of the United States,
(article 5 of the cdnstitutiou) and
thereupon the right of citizens Of the
United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United
States or any state on account of
sex.
The legislature of Mississippi of
1920, speaking through Chapter 154
of the laws of that year, provided,
That women may vote in all regular
elections, under same conditions,
qualifications, requirements and pen
alties that govern the voting by men
in such elections. The payment of
poll taxes shall hereafter be required
of female as is now required by law of
male citizens.
"Section 2. Provided this act shall
not take effect and be in force unless
the nineteenth amendment to the con-
stitution of the United States becomes
a part of the said constitution in. the
manner and as provided for the pro-
Of amendments thereto in
which event this act shall become and
be in full force and effect.
"Hence, it becomes obvious that
upon ratification of the federal amend
ment women shall not be denied the
right to vote by reason of the prohi-
bition against discrimination when
otherwise qualified and when said
amendment becomes q part of the
said federal constitution in the man.
ner and as provided for the promul-
cation thereto (the federal constitu-
tion),' women may vote by reason of
the affirmative grant of suffrage by
the state. Chapter 154 will be con-
Notwithstanding the use of
the word male in the constitution of
Mississippi, because the supreme law
Of the land, the constitution of the
United States, will have in effect read
the word male out of the state con-
stitution.
"Male and female citizens thus be-
ing brought to the same plane for the
exercise of the right of suffrage, it
becomes necessary, in the solution of
your question to ascertain the status
Of a male citizen just now becoming
qualified to exercise the right to vote.
What is required of him may be re-
luired Of the female citizen now en-
consideration of the foregoing
would seem to lead unerringly to the
conclusion that citizen, male or fe-
male, who may register at this time or
ater, shall not be entitled to vote at
the coming regular election in Novem-
Der, 1920 However, regrettable it
may be that those just now gaining !
he right Of equal suffrage may not I
nave the privilege of exercising it at /
an election of great Importance at an
,arly date, because Of the provisions |
If the supreme law of Mississippi |
as they have applied TO 4
S we'll to bear in mind that these