The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-17
WOMEN WILL
NOT VOTE.
Delaware's Constitution Fianers
Believe They are Better at
Home Than at the Polls.

DOVER, Fet.l6-By a vote OF 2 to II to.
day Woman suffrage was killed In the
/, Constitutional Convention. Those who
voted to allow women the right to vote
were Messrs Burrs, Cannon, Clark, GIL.
christ, Orr, Smithers, Wright, and those
opposed were: Bradford. Biggs Carlisle,
Caveuder, Cooper, Dasey, Donahoe Ellie.
good, Evans, Horsey, Herring, Johnson.
Moore. Murray, Pratt 'Sapp. Spruance.s h
women suffrage and 10 part saids--"f itg
be true that the conference of the right of
suffernge would destroy the harmony o.
the home, then we ought at least TO pause
before we confer it. A great majority OF
the married people live in harmony; they
have learned the great lesson OF concession
to and respect for one another.
There are many things which belong
to Il woman's sphere that wise husband
concedes and yields, and In which man
considers very properly the woman 10 the
wiser. Some OF us love married women
Of opposite political faith to ourselves,
but | venture to say that those who have
been married any length Of time find that
the opinions of the women In IA vast ma
jority OF instances have changed to con-
form to that uf their husbands.
II believe that the women who advo.
cate suffrage are in very small minort-
ty- certainly the great majority OF Della.
ware women are opposed to the impose
tion of this new right or duty upon them.
1t Is said that they do not understand tho
question, but that is Il sad error. They
are equally MS intelligent rs any OF the
women who have appeared before u.s. aud
as equally competent to judge the ques-
ton and decide upon Its merits.
II am satisfied the women of this State
do not wal 3 II, and this would mean that
Al lana Had
would take advantage Of the right were IL
conferred Men are much better inform
cd on political matters than women.
Even take the colored race-the men arc
vastly superior to the women in intellt-
gence, especially SO far rs political mat
ters ire concerned. l think have now
said enungh in regard to my vote, which
will be cast against the measure"
Mr. Cavender believed in protecting
women, but said that they should not be
given a right which could only work their
own destruction. know they have In
telligence, morality and love OF country
enough to vote he said, but | believe
they are much better uf under present
conditions.
Mr. SInith,rI understood that certain
mem b,rs Of tho convention would favor
suffrage were 1t not for the fact that their
wives were opposed to 1t, and II that were
81 Il was a counter argument to that PEE
sented by the gentleman from Christians
(Mr Bradford) yesterday, when he said
that had the women tho right to vote they
would,be influsncel by their husbands and
would not 10 expressing her own senti'
ments.
Captain Dasey declared that there was
but ono woman in Frankfort who wanted
to vote One Of the fair sex replied that
there were surely four fomales in that
town who wished to vote but the exact
number sho really could not say. Mr..
Clark saidi II would rather to-day have
the opportunity afforded Inc to vote for
womens suffrage than to be general
and conqueror Of nations.