The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1908-03-12
WOMEN BESEGE NATIONAL CAPITOL, SEEKING SUFFRAGE
Present Arguments Before Senate and House Committees to Show Why
They Should Be Allowed to Vote.
OkahOmaS Senator Makes Stirring Speech EuO Of the SexheiP D
Needed He Declares Balance the Saloon Element Which
He Says Caused the Defeat Of Suffrage in Oklahoma

Washington, d. C.-Almost 100 |
suffragists besieged the Capitol in |
search OF the ballot They argued be-
fore the House Committee on Ju-
dietary, and then descended on the |
Senate Committee on Woman Suf- |
frage. For three hours they talked. |
Finally they were shoOed from the |
Marble Room of the Senate by the
Sergeant-at-Arms, for it was visibly
impossible for the Senate to deal in
profoundities while the chatter from
across the hall made its way through
the swing doors.
AS a result of the visit the women
relieved themselves OF much argu-
ment as to why they should be per-
mitted TO vote. They also found
much TO criticise in the furnishings of
the Marble Room. Likewise they
went away with well-conceived ideas
Of certain members of Congress. The
estimates of public men, which are
practically unanimous, were polled.
They follow;
Senator Clay" Perfectly dear"
Senator Johnston - Sweet old
thing"
Senator Nasty. con-
ceited young upstart."
Senator Burkett-"Rude West
erner"
Senator Wetmnre=.aRru
C>yp.a.av a., 81 > ~. :. ).
Representative Jenkins a
dear"
There were other expressions, but
these cover the principal actors IN
the days proceedings Incidentally
it might be said that Senators Bev-
eridge, Burkett and Wetmore, who
are members of the Committee on
Woman Suffrage, were not present &c
face the music. Senator Owen was
emphatically present, for he made
one OF his impassioned speeches and
filed the atmosphere with eloquence
for the women at the hearing in the
House committee room.
1t was an imposing crowd that
took possession of the House and Sen
ate. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait, OF
New York, the international president
of the Suffragists' Association, anC
the Rev. An2AIA Howard Shaw, Of
PHILADELPHIA dent of the Amerl
can So Ed the procession
VIII b the Marble Room
tt tor Clay awaiting
Senatorial habila
g 4 med smile.
q rsaid, and bowed low
-, E fed into the room.
= - denounced the lack o.
20 of members of the com
IN O = %rssince we have been comm,
9 ~ she said, "have there beer
more than two or three Senators pres
ent TO hear US.
Her indignation was contagious
Senator Clay was saved by the timel,
arrival OF Senator Johnston, VIII,
ambled in with the air of a marty
going to the stake.
What we women are asking for,
said Mrs. Gait, "is every bit as con
stitutional as the enfranchisement o
the negro. You don't want us to &,
to the negro and beg him to give u
voice in this free Government, d,
you? Then give us some hope o
constitutional amendment.
Senator Clay looked impressed witt
the solemnity of the declaration. I'm
! der the table he held tightly to tn
! coattails of Johnston, who showet
! signs of boiling.
Clay baked his attempt at flight
When the Senate was about to con
vene, Senator Clay sought to ushe
the suffragists out in true Southern
style He failed Then Sergeant-at
Arms Ransdell was called. He di,
his best to be tactful, but his nam
really should be added to the pol
list, for every one of the visitors sait
he was perfectly horrid"
The hearing before the House Com
mittee on judiciary was i'll charge O