THE STORY OF THE 1916 REFERENDA


Constitutional amendments were submitted to the voters of three states
in 1916, namely, Iowa, where the vote was taken June 5th on Primary
Day; South Dakota and West Virginia, where the vote was taken at the
general election in November. More than one influential newspaper
editorially discussed the returns with the comment that "the people"
of three states had refused to extend the suffrage to women.
An investigation unveils some ugly facts and raises significant
questions.

In 1882 a prohibition constitutional amendment was adopted by a large
majority in Iowa and was promptly set aside by the supreme court upon
a technicality. The wet and dry question has been a vexed political
issue ever since. The state now has prohibition by statutory
enactment. A constitutional amendment is pending, having passed the
Legislature of 1914, and is due to pass the Legislature of 1916.
The "wets" believing that women would generally support the proposed
prohibition amendment were extremely active in opposing the suffrage
amendment. Although the suffragists kept their question distinctly
separate from prohibition, the wet and dry issue, it was generally
admitted, would prove a determining factor.

Every judge of the Supreme Court, the United States Senators, the
Governor, most of the men prominent in Republican and Democratic
politics, most of the clergymen, most of the press and every woman's
state organization espoused the suffrage amendment.