Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-15
APPEAL TO CONGRESS
SuffragiSts Will Present a
Mammoth Petition.
GREAT ARRAY OF NAMES
Want Constitutional Amendment
Submitted to States.
CITIZENSHIP FOR WOMEN
Some of the Reasons for Not Favor
ing the Movement Given by
Eminent Writers Discussed.

the National American Woman Suffrage
Association at its annual convention in
1909 resolved to prepare mammoth Pc
tftion to Congress asking that a consti-
tutional amendment removing the polit-
ical disabilities of women be submitted
to the states That petition is now ready
for presentation next Tuesday, the clos
ing day Of the annual convention here
This vast amount of work having been
done by earnest woman volunteers in the
cause, 1t is explained, there could not
be complete canvass of every city and
town in the United States. Notwithstand-
Ing this fact, the result is regarded as
surprising and encouraging. Hereafter, it
is declared, no one who knows can as
sert that ''only few are in favor of
citizenship for women
Everywhere many distinguished per-
sons have unhesitatingly signed the petit
ton where prompt refusal was expected
Miss Nettie Lovisa White Of this city
said today. MANY others, while assert
ing that no reason can be presented
against woman suffrage, have declined
to add their names to the petition, offer
ing no excuse whatever for 80 doing
Thus it will be seen that a large number
OF persons who do not oppose the en-
reimbursement of women are not en-
rolled. Also, among the many who were
not reached at all, measured by the ter
rftory canvassed, there might be many
names for the petition. However, with
out these last there is sufficient num-
Der to carry any other demand under
the sun.
Petitions Sent to Writers.
1.-THE petition is divided into two
parts, q miscellaneous and writ
ers' division. Nearly three hundred petit
lions. with accompanying Enclosures, in
GLIDING stamped envelope, were sent to
writer's, journalists and newspaper men,
Between fifty ard sixty signed petitions
were returned; others were returned un-
signed, with a note inclosed; still others
were returned not signed, and without
comment; many were not returned at all.
In spite of the request to return them,
signed or unsigned" thus illustrating
the logic of the assertion that 1t is the
faithfully executed prerogative OF man
legislation. In contemplating the fate Of
those petitions In the waste paper basket
one is not beguiled into the acceptance
Of faith without works.
Since all persons eligible for the
writer's petition stand high in the esteem
OF the public for brain-power in judg-
ment and ability to inform and enter
tain the readers Of books, magazines
and newsDs Ders. 1t must be inferred
that they are competent on the woman
question.
Among the polite and otherwise
notes returned with some of the unsigned
petitions not one contained valid rea-
son from anybody's point Of view.
Lest an accurate impression may not
be given by the mere declaration that
the reasons were not valid, it may be
well to reproduce three or four of the
most potent ones in exact quotation
that it may be known just how serious
are the objections Of the thinking men
mot the politicians) who deal with the
worlds problems in print to advocating
political equality for women.
View of Newspaper Correspondent.
I'VE may begin with the most distress
ing one, the one from a man who was
for years the Washington correspondent
Of q. prominent newspaper in a neigh
boring city. He is the only confessed
sufferer from self-imposed responsibility
as the guardian of noble womanhood.
He says: Believing that IL the objects of
the petition should be attained 1t would
degrade the noble womanhood OF Amer
lea, ] am opposed to ii with my whole
heart and BRAIN Why does not the his
tory OF the honorable escape OF Ameri-