The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-09
HEARING GRANTED
TO sUFfRAGETTEs
--------------------
"Votes for Women" Advo-
Gates Argue Before New
York Senate
OPPONENTS TO PLAN
ARE ALSO PRESENT
Cal! Men Cruel Tyrants,' But
Express Themselves as Will
ing to bet Well
Enough Alone.


ALBANY. N. r.. March s.-women
battled with womeH on the subject
Of equal suffrage at the hearing this
afternoon By the Senate and Assem-
biz committees on the proposed con-
stitutionai amendments which eiimi-
mates the word '-Inale" from the
State Constitution. where 1t applies
to the right Of suffrage Leading
figures in the state national and
International suffragist movement ar
gued in favor or the amendment
while other women OF almost equal
prominence fatty contradicted the
arguments of their sisters and insist
ed that they did not want to vote
and should not be allowed 10 vote
If they did desire. H.
Case Continued.
'+Lnless the women of New York
are enfranchised soon, this State will
be left behind in the progress OF De-
mocracy." said Mrs Carrie Chapman
Gait. president of the Internationa
Woman Suffrage Alliance and chair
man of the woman suffrage party OF
New York.
Already fun woman suffrage pre-
walls over ane-sifteenth of the earth s
area. and the last ten years have
brought more substantial gains than
the five previous decades. Shall the
United States of America, with its sa :
cred heritage Of fanora BILE traditions
ge- continental Europe far-iessnas
In free government Why should no,
New York lead instead of bringing NJ
the rear of the procession?
DO YOU say that women do not
want 1t? How do you know 1t is
not fair. 1t is not Just that because
all women do not want To vote IL
should be denied to those who do. To
require that a majority of women
make an unmisSakahie demand for
The ballot before 1t is granted would
be To require Of tlern what has never
been expected Gf aEr riass of fsfer
that has been elevated 10 citizenship
in this country
Mrs Ella Hawley Crossett. presi.
dent of the New York State Woman
Suffrage Association. IN her argument
for the cause, presented figures show
ing that since the last hearing reso-
lstion endorsing the suffrage move
nient has been adopted by over s0o,-
0ae persons in New York State.
Rcrusal without Reason.
The Rev. DIR. Anna Howard shaw
president of the American Woman
Suffrage Association. argued that the
attitude OF legislators against woman
suffrage was merely a refusal with
out reason, demanding that reasons
for such refusal should be given she
said;
III IS the duty Of agovernment call
ing itself a republic when denying any
right or privilege to class of citi-
fn & iva Taa This ha q
been dome in this government in the
case Of every class of citizens save
that of women.
The question to be decided now
is how best t. conserve the time, en-
ergy and ability OF women and how
best she may be enabled to protec,
herself and her interests. To be-
lever In Democracy there can be but
one answer to these questions, and
that is---hy perfect equality of npin.
ions. privileges and responsibilities
with men The first symbol and sea-
OF equality is acknowledgements We
agree With President Taft-that there
is no class Of men, no matter how
terests of another class as Well as
that class can care for itself"
Mrs. Henry Willard, chairman of
the legislative committee of the State
Woman's Suffrage Associations; Geo
Foster Peabody. president of the
Mems League for Woman Suffrage
and others followed with tshoi1
speeches in favor OF the suffrage
cause.
Opponents Also Strenuou%.
Women representing the New for.;
State Association opposed to woman
suffrage were equally serious In their
arguments before the committee. De-
sire to maintain the present position
- women in the home, which, they
declared would be sacrificed by the
ballot. marked their arguments.
More legislation Is not what we
need. but cultivated public opinion
which shall insist upon the enforce
ment of the laws already made BY
you men" said Mrs. Francis NJ. Scott
president of the anti-sufrragists.
"You men, horrible and wicked ~
rants. though YOU may be. have.
nevertheless in the course of the lasl
fiftv years steadily raised the stand.
ard of legislation for women and chill
dren. until practically everything
asked for By the women who start.
ed the suffrage movement has beer
given except the vote. .4et US womer
help apply the Laws you make
through ouch appcintive positions as
exit. or you can create.
I'm such union Is the answe'
to the woman question. Not In thu
political life desired by a few. con
demned by the men. but by mora
union. organized and harmonious"
Mrs. Henry A. Stimson. OF New
York. declared the strain and effor
incident to active pax sfcipatton In
politics by women would result y
a marked decrease In the birth rat,
and In lower physical standard Of
the children born.
THE most advances nj our biolo-
gi~ts and nerve spes.es.sss confirm
thesa truths to-day she said sarf
the soctolcgist point to the omirous.
" aeereassn~ birth rste all over ths
r,vil,zea world esp~eiaiiy II. those
,rc,rtr,es where durtn~ the last ger
eref;on. wcman's ravtles~ae~s ana he,
ra,s1,, avainst her wan1arhead hay,
t.ken si,e ssesE aeste farfr Fer We
r,en. the neees~s@v rfnS'irr In tn.
feyerssh coupesitaer % ra~tv pofi
tics which II tho lozicAi nutcppaaa
~ufYrage, wc~la b. even y
s..rs. skre~ tins ~ X & III ]
future 81 ~ sf1Ss 4
i84 a2