The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-16
Speech Against Female Suffrage Measure in
Which Language Too Indecent Even for
Democrats to Tolerate Was Used.
Bill Passed by the Assembly Giving
Fair Sex the Privilege of Voting.
Malicious FalsehoOd Promptly Refuted by Cor
nelius n. Bliss-He Is Heart and SOulfOr
the Old Ticket, Harrison and Morton.
A Tammanyite Disgusts Even I'm His
Kind nv His RemarIxs About Women

Tammanyite Disgusts Even I'm His Own
Kind by His Remarks About Women.
ALBANY, N. Y, April 15.-"PhiP' Wissig,
of the Eighth New York assembly district
to-day disgraced every man In the district
whom he represented. by the most in
decent and brutal speech ever made in the
history of Albany legislation. He made a
speech on the Yetman woman suffrage bill
which shocked every man in the Assembly
chamber and caused the women who filled
the floor behind the railing to cover their
faces to hide their burning bushes.
The women had crowded into the cham
Der to hear the debate on this bill. in
which the woman's suffrage party is so
vitality interested. Not only the floor, but
the galleries, were filled with women. Ev-
identity Wissig thought he was making
some very witty remarks. A self-satisted
smile overspread his face. Every sentence
contained double meaning of the most
disgusting character.
Colonel Webster. of the Twenty-third
district. sprung to his feet in a towerin g
rage and demanded that the blackguard
be called to order. When WIssig ceased
his vile TRADE Colonel Webster demanded
that his dirty language be expunged from
the record. A dozen members were in
stantiy on their feet to second :he demand.
and O motion to expunge was carried in
thunder tones. Nothing 80 insulting to o
Legislative body has ever been heard.
Mrs. Margaret j. Hoey. of New York city.
who represents the woman's labor organ
ization for this bill, said that she would
bring the matter to tho attention Of every
labor organization In the State. And
this is q man." she said, with q sneer. "One
OF the lords of creation, who Is supposed
to be alone competent to rule the govern
ment. / will see that he does not come
back to the Legislature again to insult
modest women with foul indecency."
The most extraordinary part of the pro-
ceediDgs was that Wissigs own wife sat on
a chair within forty feet of the spot where
ened by the spectacle which one of their
representatives. made on the floor of the
House. General Hustled and Colonel Web
ster favored the bill, while others opposed
it as unconstitutional. silly, unwlse or
needless & according TO their EieTs Il was
pass the Senate.
The bill Is entitled can act to prevent
discrimination on account of sex at elec-
tions." Its full text Is as follows:
section i. Every citizen irrespective OF sex,
shall hereafter be entitled to vote for all and
every officer hereafter to be elected in this State
and on any question submitted TO q vote OF the
people, and 1t shall be unlawful TO make any dis
elimination between citizens on account of sex
at such elections.
Sec 2. No poll clerk. inspector of election or
other election officer or person fulfilling such
duties shall hereafter refuse to register and to
receive the vote OF any adult citizen mt any
such election by reason OF the sex OF such citi-
zen, provided such citizen shall in all other re-
spects possess the qualifications now required by
Sec. g. This act shall take effect July ], 1898,