Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1913 — WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE WINS IN ILLINOIS [ARTICLE]

WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE WINS IN ILLINOIS

Bouse Passed Bill Which Senate Had Previously Passed—May - Be Unconstitutional. * Women will be able to vote in Illinois unless the vote in favor of woman’s suffrage as passed by the lower house of the legislature Wed * nesday is reconsidered or the law declared unconstitutional. The senate had previously passed the measure. The vote in the house was 83 to 58. Governor Dunne says that he will approve the measure. When the vote was being taken women who had lobbied for-the bill for several weeks occupied the galleries and intense excitement followd the announcement that the measure had passed. The chance of declaring it unconstitutional is small, so it is said, being based upon the fact that the law gives the right to vote for county collectors. County treasurers are ex-officio the county collectors, and as the office of treasurer is created by the constitution and there is no office of county collector, the argument is that the law provides the right to vote for an office that does not exist will invalidate the law. The law does not grant unrestricted suffrage, only providing the right to vote for offices created by statute since the constitution of 1870 was adopted. County treasurers were provided for by that constitution and the new- law is thus contradictory on that point. A constitutional amendment will be necessary before women will be allowed to vote for state officers. Women will be able to vote for alderman in Chicago next spring and for mayor in 1915. Women can also vote for “wet” or “dry” questions and on all propositions. Temperance people expect a big advantage because of the passage of the law. Representative McCarty, of Chicago, who is opposed to the measure, changed his vote and supported the bill when it became evident that it was going to’ pass. He did this, however, only as a means of making a motion that the bill be reconsidered, when he hopes to muster enough strength to defeat it.