The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-29
SUFFRAGE FOR THE FAIR SEX.
THEIR CAUSE PLEADED BEFORE
COMMITTEES or CONGRESS.

COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.
A sharp Passage at Arms over the
Establishment of the System of
Free schools in the south One of
the Incidents of the Hearing BE-
fore the House committeeman
II, Anthony One OF che Speakers.
Washington, Jan. S.-There was a
sharp passage at arms in the House ju-
dietary committee room this morning be-
tween Representative Washington OF
Tennessee. and Henry b. Blackwell of
Massachusetts. The occasion was a hear
ing given by the committee TO represent
stives of the woman's suffrage move
ment. headed by Miss Susan b. An
thony.
Mr.. Blackwell was speaking in support
of The joint resolution favOring a six
tenth amendment to the constitution pro-
viding that the right to vote shall not
be denied nor abridged on account of
sex. He explained that he represented
$3.50 men and - 224 women who voted
at the last election in Massachusetts for
woman's suffrage. He proceeded TO give
the several reasons why universal suf-
frage should be granted. and incidentally
remarked that there had been no system
of free schools in the south until they
were established there by the carpet bag
gers. To this there was a chorus of dis
sent from the several southern members
of the committee, Mr.. Boatner Of Louisi-
ana challenging its correctness as applied
to Louisiana, and Messrs Washington of
Tennessee and Terry of Arkansas being
equally quick to deny it so far as their
hFr
Blackwell then remarked that il was
true of most of the southern states.
| Thereupon Mr.. Washington created a
momentary sensation by springing to his
| feet and exclaiming dramatically that II
| the carpet baggers had not robbed us OF
millions, we would have more money TO
| teach the negroes
| speaker with u further declaration that
| the young men of the south would be the
| first to object to put the negro in slavery
again and that the people of the south
were now taxing themselves millions of
dollars to educate the black man and his
boy
Mr. Blackwell at this point changed the
line of his argument and the scene ended.
The hearing began promptly at 1880
4 o'clock, and at that hour the room was
| crowded with delegates IN attendance up
| on the suffrage convention now in session
| here. There were nearly a score of speak
| ers and each speaker was limited to four
! minutes The majority of the speeches
some good riatured badinage between Miss
Anthony and the chairman of the commit
| tee MI. Henderson of Iowa, in which the
| honorslwere about evenly distributed.
Miss Anthony stated that this was the
| fourth committee of congress before
| whom she had appeared in furtherance OF
the suffrage movement. She wanted the
| members of the committee to DO
as much for their wives and daugh-
for the slaves of the south. What she de-
| sired was a report from the committee,
a favorable report if possible, but if not,
a minority report, so that the subject
might come before the House.
| Mr. Henderson INTERCEPTED a remark
| that in his opinion a majority of the wo-
men of the country did not want suf-
Miss Anthony sharply replied that the
majority of children also object to going
| to school, and that the women who op-
posed suffrage are children in the ele-
mentary principles of government.
Miss Anthony created a laugh when she
| introduced Mrs. Hughes, the first speaker,
| as the governor of Arizona She explain
j ed moment later that Mrs. Hughes was
the wife of the governor OF Arizonai that
| upon this suffrage question husband apd
| wife were truly one, and that therefore,
she had not made SO great mistake as
| at first appeared.
Il Mr.. Henderson's suggestion that ma
| JoT1ty of the American women don't want
| suffrage seemed to disturb number OF
the speakers, who addressed their argu-
ment TO this object but in every case their
| remarks were in good temper. Mrs. Stet-
son of California followed Mrs. Hughes.
The other speakers were Mrs Anna L.
| Digs of Colorado, Mrs. Cady Addison of
| Kansas, Miss Elizabeth u. Yates OF
Maine, Henry b. Blackwell of Massachu-
sets, Mrs. Saunders of Montana, Mrs.
Clara B. Colby of Nebraska, DR.. Cora.
| Smith Eaton of North Dakota, Caroline
NJ. Eyerhard of Ohio, Mrs. Anna r. Sim
| mons of North Dakota, Mrs. Emily Rich
ards of Utah and Mrs. Jessie Manley of
| West Virginia.
In closing the hearing Miss Anthony re-
marked that in states where suffrage pre-
| vailed the men always attended their
| meetings because the women were a po-
| litical factor. She spoke with particular
| reference to Colorado and asked If the
| congressman from that state were pres
ent. Thereupon Representative Shafroth
| announced his presence and bri1y address,
| ed the committee with an exposition OF
/ the practical workings of suffrage in Col
orado, which he declared to be an unqual-
| fed success.
The delegation of ladies also appeared
| before the Senate committee on woman
| suffrage of which Mr.. Call is chairman
| and some twenty of them, presidents of
| as many state organizations, argued in
| favor Of universal suffrage and the adop,
ton of an amendment to the constitution
extending the voting franchise to the gent
Ter sex.
Senator PETER, populist. of Kansas, who
| is. a member of the committee also spoke
briefly, expressing his sympathy with the