The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-21
SUFFRAGE CAUSE
WILL Be PUSHED
Head of Virginia League Returns
from National Convention
at Washington.
WILL OUTLINE CAMPAIGN
Mrs. Valentine Says Taft Kissing
Incident was Very Greatly
Exaggerated.

Feeling that she derived mucn in
SEPARATION and benefit from the SEES
SONS Of the National American Wo.
man Suffrage Association, Mrs. u. IL.
Valentine, president of the Equal SUI
frage League of Virginia, has return
I'D to Richmond fFeHf attendance aeof,
the convention of the suffragists just
brought To close in Washington.
When seen at her home on South
Third street Thursday morning, Mrs.
Valentine said that she expected to call
a meeting OF the Virginia League in
Richmond some time next week, at
which time a more definite line or
campaign In rurtheranee of the cause
of women In Virginia would probably
be mapped out, In keeping with ideas
and views gathered at the national
convention.
Mrs. Valentine said that the Taft
kissing Incident had been grossly Elk
aggerated in the press dispatches ana
she did not believe personally that the
president was treated with any inten-
tional discourtesy at ali, when he adj
dressed the snffragistS- at their npen=
ing session.
Surprised at Report.
"A great many of the delegates,
said Mrs. Valentine, did not kno"
anything about the unpleasant incl
dent until they read about 1t In the
Washington newspapers the neX1
morning and II il needless to say that
they were greatly surprised.
LAS an illustration of the manner
in which the president was received
continued the head OF the Virginia
league, "he was granted an audience
with enthusiastic cheers Immediately
upon his arrival at the hall. despite the
fact that Mrs. Shaw. our president,
was then engaged in delivering her
annual address. President TAFT
spoke about ten minutes and L can
personally say that | noticed no evil
tierCe of dfsCouTteous treatment dur
ing his address. Women in the rear
OF the hall made some noise, ii is
true. but ] think 1t was more in the
nature of shutting feet and the like,
that Is likely TO be heard in any Well
regulated assemblage. AS related in
the press dispatches, We sent the
I president a communication explaining
4 that it was not the Intention OF any
/ of the regularly accredited delegates
to treat him with discourtesy, but we
! did not apologize to him.
! Grateful TO Representatives.
We feel very grateful to Senator
Martin and Representative Lamb for
the courteous manner in which they
presented our petitions before con-
gress," Mrs Valentine said. The Eir-
gInia petition did not compare in
length to some OF the others, having
only 400 or 500 signature for national
woman's suffrage, whereas New oYrk
presented something like 5000
names, However, our league Is only
"a few months old and the work IN
Virginia has just started"
Mrs Valentine attended the conven-
tin In the capacity of head of the
Virginia league. the regular delegates
from this State numbering about tlf'
teen, she said. Among these Were
Miss Mary Johnston and Mrs. Alice
Tyler. of Richmond, who are expected
back from Washington THURSDAY
afternoon.
the exact date for the meeting mex
week after conferlng with these two
dlegates, she said.