The San Francisco call., 1908-08-28
SUFFRAGETTES
ARE DEFEATED
Platform Committee Refuses to
Report FavOrably on
Their Cause
Offer of Compromise Plank Re-
iected by the Fair
Politicians


Women's suffrage was turned down
cold by the republican convention last
night The committee on platform, J.
l. McNab, chairman, 10 which plank
1avoring the submission of the Ques-
ton TO the people in the form OF con
stitutionaI amendment had been SUD
mitted. refused to report favorably.
When the committee adjourned the
plank went up in smoke, together with
other rejected planks, in the fireplace
of the committee room in the hotel
Metropole
II the champions Of women's suffrage
had been willing 10 accept quallheo
plank they would have got II Ihat
is TO say, il they had been satisfied TO
have the convention go on record as
favOring the suffrage for women on ali
matters relating to education, such
plank would have been reported But
the ladies wanted the full suffrage or
nothing and they gor-nothing-
II viii be a severe blow Tor lhe
ladies, for il was unexpected. When
they argued their case before the COM
mittee and departed, they were san
guine of success. But the republican
convention is not going to advocate the
submission Of their darling constltu-
tional amendment and they viii have
bourbons for d -lookin."
INVADE COMMITTEE ROOM
When John i. McNab. chairman of
the committee on platform and resolu-
tions, announced that the committee
was prepared 10 hear the argument of
the ladies', the doors of the committee
room at the Hotel Metropole. Oakland,
We're thrown open and the delegation OF
sufra gettes entered.
Handsomely gOwned and bonneted,
the suhragettes Immediately dispelled
by their unusual comeliness the mascu-
line illusion as 10 the personal appear
ance Of the woman who demands her
rights. Judging from the delegation,
the square jawed. short haired sufrag-
list is q mere creature of the comic
weekly, while the real thing is dream
OF loveliness. There was a general ac-
cession of cOurtliness, a demeanor Of
gallantry visible among the republican
platform builders as the ladies came in.
Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, who is one
OF the leading champions of woman's
suffrage in this state, was chairman of
the delegation Producing a daintily
jeweled watch. she announced that the
arguments would consume only 10
minutes, and proceeded TO divide the
time among her staff of speakers
Mrs. Agnes E Pease, who used to be
president Of the women's republican
club OF Utah, said that she had exer-
cised the franchise in that state for II
years. She said she had frequently
been a delegate in conventions
Il can roll out the biscuits and do
the family washing as well as vote. as
my husband will vouch,' declared Mrs.
Pease. There are very few women in
Utah who don't vote. We go about in
our carriages and induce them to reg
lister. just as you men do here"
wOmen's suffrage had changed condi-
tiOns in Utah, Mrs. Pease declared that
there were now better, cleaner men in
Office than before and that there were
almost as many women employed in
municipal offices as men.
SPEAKS FOR TOILERS
Mrs. E. II. O'Donnen, a member of
the women's auxiliary Of the typi-
graphical union, treated the subject
from the viewpoint of a workingman's
wife. She declared that woman's
talent was needed in politics: that a
woman's responsibility to her children
did not stop short within her own
home; that the questions Of pure food
clean streets, race suicide and others
would be affected favorably if woman
had the ballot
Won't the children and the home be
neglected II q woman goes into poll
tics2" a committeeman asked.
No; woman viii limit herself to GER
tain questions leaving the harder ones
Tor the man." was the answer.
What Is your experience of divorce
IN connection with the suffrage move
ment2' demanded another.
All my women friends do their
washing and ironing. take care of their
children, cook and mend. I don't think
a man will get divorce from a woman
OF that KIND, answered the fair de-
batter, amid an approving laugh.
In the United States there are 1000.
oVD or egOO0OO of working women"
said Mrs Louise Karue of the laundry
workers union of San Francisco
Where women vote we get better laws
, for these workers and they have time for
more than merely sleeping and WORKING
IN this state organization of workinp
women has gone as far as IT can 10
accomplish more We must have the hal
lot We want an eight hour day and
you men won't give IL to u.s. We couId
get il II we could vote"
PLEA FOR THE CHILDREN
Mrs. Helen Moore spoke of the edu-
cational aspect of the question.
The home and the school are bebind
scientific advancement" she said. eve
want them to catch up. Out of 400 .000
children in this state $4,000 are out of
school and from these are recruited
AlAr a. i-At "a tOALIAul criminals. Think
Of this, toO-S5 per cent of our children
are undersized and under weight
Would you be satisfied if women
were allowed to vote on school matters
only. as in some states?" was asked.
NO; we want full suffrage" declared
Mrs Moore.
Women have that in Colorado. Ida
no. wyoming, South Dakota and Okla
hOma: why not IN California;"
A. A. Dennison, editor of the Oakland
Enquirer, was the only mere man who
raised his voice on behalf Of the ladies'
He appeared with them to speak of The
legal side Of the question, but before
he 4 sd gone very far Grove L. johnson
of Sacramento, the veteran legislator
tripped him up.
why should a woman vote? She's q
woman" declared Johnson.