On November 7, 1916, woman suffrage and prohibition amendments were voted upon in South Dakota. It was the first time these two questions have gone to referendum in the same election and the results furnish interesting data for comparison. Certain facts tell a story which should make progressive, patriotic Americans and fair-minded Congressmen reflect. Prohibition was carried by a majority of 11,469; woman suffrage was lost by a majority of 4,664. Prohibition was lost in thirteen counties; in one of these, Lawrence, which lies in the heart of the mining country, prohibition was lost by two votes, and woman suffrage was carried. In all the others a large foreign population was the dominant power. Had nine of the sixty-eight counties of the state not been included in the returns woman suffrage would have been carried. The total "yes" vote on woman suffrage was 51,687; the "no" vote 56,351.[A] The total "yes" vote of these nine counties was 4,877; the "no" vote was 10,569. Subtracting these county totals from the state totals the record would stand 46,810 "yes" votes and 45,782 "no" votes. [Footnote A: The figures here used are those given to the press by the County Boards of Election. The final returns were not available.] Who then are the voters of nine counties who kept the women of an entire state disfranchised? The following table presents the answer: ================================================================== | | | | | Total | | | | | Total | German, | | | Total | Total | Foreign and | Austrian, | | Counties | Population | Native | Foreign | Russian, | | | | Parentage | Parentage | or of such| | | | | | Parentage | |-------------+------------+-----------+-------------+-----------| |Bon Homme....| 11,061 | 3,448 | 7,6l3 | 4,759 | |Brule .......| 6,451 | 3,008 | 3,443 | 1,556 | |Charles Mix..| 14,899 | 6,387 | 8,512 | 2,757 | |Campbell ....| 5,244 | 600 | 4,644 | 3,491 | |Douglas .....| 6,400 | 2,017 | 4,383 | 1,644 | |McCook ......| 9,589 | 4,068 | 5,521 | 1,691 | |Hutchinson ..| 12,319 | 2,671 | 9,648 | 7,515 | |McPherson ...| 6,791 | 1,152 | 5,639 | 4,889 | |Turner ......| 13,840 | 4,206 | 9,634 | 4,432 | |================================================================ The large "no" vote in several counties was due to the same character of population. The total population is 583,888, the population of foreign birth or foreign parentage is 243,835. South Dakota is one of the eight remaining states where foreigners may vote on their "first papers" and citizenship is not a qualification for a vote.