of women in the electorate. Enough women voted to gain the enmity of politicians, and in 1807 the legislature passed an arbitrary act limiting the suffrage to "white male citizens." This action was probably a usurpation of authority, although the constitution of New Jersey is not clear regarding the mode of amendment.

Many States in 1918 and 1919 gave the suffrage to women, but the chief interest in the question was centered in the amendment to the Federal Constitution first introduced in Congress in January, 1918. The proposal received the required two-thirds in the House but failed to pass in the Senate, lacking two votes. This situation aroused much discussion and agitation, which went so far as the picketing of the White House and Capitol, for the adoption of the amendment. President Wilson, as commander of the Army and Navy, personally urged the Senate to pass the amendment as a war measure, but his efforts were in vain.

Early in the spring of 1919 Congress again voted on the measure. The House passed it on May 23, by a vote of 304 ayes and 89 nays, and the Senate by a vote of 56 ayes to 25 nays. The amendment then went to the States for ratification and out of thirtysix States required, thirty-five had accepted the amendment by March 22, 1920. The following States definitely refused to ratify: Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Maryland, Delaware and Louisiana. Before the Presidential

election took place, the required number of States had ratified and the amendment became operative.

Women thus took part, for the first time, in a Presidential election, in 1920, Warren G. Harding, Republican, and James M. Cox, Democrat, both from Ohio, being the leading candidates.

There was a total vote of 26,705,346, of which Harding received 16,152,200, Cox, 9,147,353, the balance being scattered between four other candidates. The total vote four years previous, when President Wilson was up for re-election on the Democratic ticket, was 18,487,636. Thus, the increase of 7,828,710 votes can be credited in a large measure to the

women.

The result of the participation cannot be analyzed with any precision. For the most part it may be said that they followed the regular party affiliations.

It remains to be said, in conclusion, that in speaking of the constitution of a State, reference is made to the whole body of its fundamental law, whether embodied in written form or not. The constitution of every active political community is the product of many agencies and influences, not merely of deliberate legislative action. That of the United States is no exception to this rule. The Constitution, as adopted in the early formative period of the Republic, and formally amended from time to time in the manner therein prescribed, has been more extensively amended by the insensible processes of use and custom and by the far-reaching effects of judicial construction.

As to the last, it may be said that the Constitution, in setting up a supreme judicial tribunal, with the function of passing upon the validity of National and State legislative action and of executive action, has indirectly provided for a process of amendment much more efficacious than that directly provided.

The Constitution of the United States, as it exists today, therefore, must be looked for in the decisions of the courts and in the political practice of the people, as well as in the text of the original articles and their formal amendments.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: (The New International Encyclopedia, 1924): (The Federalist): (Elliott's Debates in Convention on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution): (Von Holst, Constitutional Law of the United States of America, Chicago, 1887): (Bryce, The American Commonwealth, 4th ed., 1913); and (the World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1925.)

The text of the Constitution is as follows:

PREAMBLE

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I

Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States,

which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Sec. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature.

No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of 25 years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons.

The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose 3; Massachusetts, 8; Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1;

Connecticut, 5; New York, 6; New Jersey, 4; Pennsylvania, 8; Delaware, 1; Maryland, 6; Virginia, 10; North Carolina, 5; South Carolina, 5; and Georgia, 3.

When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

Sec. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that onethird may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the legislature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which shall then fill the vacancies.

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.