In 1915, the Fairview Times printed an article informing the women of Fairview on how to register to vote.

Woman suffrage was a new law in this state, and many of our ladies were not familiar with their new privileges. Any single woman over 21 who was born in this country, who has become a citizen, or whose father became a citizen before she was 21, and who has resided in the state for the year immediately preceding the date of the election at which she offered to vote and any married woman over 21 years of age, whose husband is a citizen of the United States, and who has resided in the state for the year immediately preceding the date of the election at which she offers to vote, is entitled to vote.

Having the proper qualifications, as above, the first thing is to register so that your name will be placed on the list of voters at the election. One could register before any notary public or justice of the peace who has the proper blanks. If one resides within 10 miles of the county seat, you must register with the county clerk and recorder. It cost nothing to register, the charge being paid by the county. The woman’s right to vote began as a long fight. It was brought up in Montana’s 1889 Constitutional Convention. Early in 1889, the U.S. Congress broke an extended partisan impasse and enacted the Omnibus Bill. This legislation provided a format for several western territories, including Montana, to join the Union. The key step in this process was a “constitutional convention.” Its elected delegates would draft a state constitution for the approval of the state’s (male) voters.

The convention was called to order, for the purpose of framing a constitution for one of the largest states in the Union by L.A. Walker, secretary of the territory of Montana, July 4, 1889, in Helena.

The men who participated in this convention received high praise in those days. But in today’s standards their beliefs would not be acceptable in the public eye. These men not only dealt with woman suffrage but with the immigrants pouring into our area with just suffrage in general.

On the subject of suffrage, Charles Hartman, Gallatin County, proposed a requirement that a voter must be able to read and write. He said, “As citizens it is only right for us to take precautions against the scum of foreign nations. The United States has opened its door to anarchists and foreign laborers, and I say they should not have a voice in the government of the state.” Also, this statement would have barred foreign-born men from voting as they could not read and write in English but could read and write in their own native language.

This proposal did not go over well as the delegates argued many American men could not read nor write, but they were intelligent, hardworking and honest men, and should they not be able to express their opinion in an honest way?

Another offensive statement came from Charles Warren, a mine operator from Butte. He attacked the Italians stating they come to Montana to make money and when they accomplished that they head back to Italy, and if they have an opportunity they sell their votes for a couple of dollars. Vote selling was a common practice during the late 19th century in Montana. Opponents of woman suffrage used this practice.

Proposition # 7, which did not pass the convention, attacked the Chinese. If this proposition had pass, it would have been against the law to hire a Chinese or Mongolian and for the removal of Chinese within city limits.

On woman’s suffrage, Proposition #14, Timothy Collins, a Cascade banker, reminded the delegates they needed to assert a basic declaration. Collins said, “I respectfully request that the gentlemen who are championing this particular question make a motion that a woman is a human being or person.”

James Callaway, a lawyer from Virginia City, thought military service should be basic requirement for the vote. He feared “national security” would be endangered if women held the vote. He also thought it would be unheard of if his wife was ever elected governor and people would say, “There goes the husband of the governor. That, Mr. Chairman, is discrimination, and I think it would be better for her to stay at home and take care of her babies.”

Delegate Henry Whitehill, Deer Lodge, said it went against “natural law.” Delegate Martin Maginnis, Lewis and Clarke County, opposed it because he did not want women to be “contaminated” by politics. He also stated that if women wanted the right to vote, they would have it no matter who stood in the way. We have no right to force upon them that which they do not want. Maginnis also confessed, one reason he feared woman suffrage was the preachers might influence Montana women in the cause of statewide temperance. Of course, he was right. Once Montana women received their right to vote (1914), Montanans lost their liquor (1919).

Wyoming women were given the right to vote in 1869, and Utah followed in 1870. It was 25 years later that Montana women (1914) finally received the vote in Montana.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information compiled from the Fairview Times and Speaking III of the Dead.