The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-04-19
TAFT FORCVES
Assures SuffragISts He Has
No III Feeling.
PLAN MARCH ON CONGRESS
Will Present Petitions ADVOCATING
Amendment TO the Constitution
Enfranchising the Women
Of the Nation.
PLAN MARCH ON CONGRESS

Washington. April is. - With the
kissing OF the president OF the United
States thoroughly repudiated. tho OH.
cisl expression OF the Sonventlon's r.
gret and disavowal accepted In grac.
cious spirit by the president snd the
whole incident relegated TO the domain
OF 'steadfastly forgotten" history. the
convention OF the National American
Woman's Suffrage association re.
sumed its normal atmosphere. and
resolutely worked through large
amount of important business. The
suppressed excitement when suffra.
g'sts gathered in groups In the hotel
lobbies or wherever they might meet
and discussed the hisslng incident.
gave way to close attention to the in.
teresting program in hand.
The last detail Of the smoothing
out process was the receipt of Presi
dent Taft's letter OF reply to the apol
ogy sent him by the suffragists. In
a letter. forwarded to the associations
president. Mrs. Frances Squire Potter
the president asked that the whole
matter be forgotten as soon as passi
bic. adding that he entertained no
hard feelings toward any member OF
the organization for the unfortunate
occurrence. The letter SAYS:
1 beg 10 acknowledge your favor q,
April 10 unite with you In regret
ing the incident occurring during my
address to which your letter refers.
regret II. not because Of any personal
feeling. for have none on the subject
at all. but only because much more
Significance has been given to Il than
II deserves. and because II may be
used in an unfair way to embarrass
the leaders OF your movement.
thank the association for the
kindly and cordial tone OF the reso
buttons submitted. and hope that the
feature OF Thursday nights NEE ting
which you describe as one giving your
association much sorrow. may soon
be entirely forgotten"
Senator owen. the woman suffrage
champion OF OKLAHOMA. was heartily
greeted in the lobby. many women
taking the opportunity 10 grasp his
hand. In reply to a query. he said:
4 have seen President Taft and nc
feels no affnront He is a big man and
understands the situation perfectly. II
was intellectually and morally right
Tor the women to do as they did. but
II was politically wrong"
Plan Of March on Congress.
Arrangements were completed for
the presentation 10 congress OF mann
moth petitions from every state and
territory IN the Union advocating an
amendment TO the federal constitution
enfranchising the women OF the ma
ZION. This Is regarded by the dele.
gates as the most important feature
OF the present convention.
Delegates representing each state
and territory. bearing the petitions
signed by citizens OF their respective
commemorative. will enter autcmo
biles at the hotel where the convention
is assembled. and. decorated with tho
banners OF their cause. will descend
upon the capitol. where each delega.
ton Will hand its petition to a sena.
tor or representative OF its state who
nave consented TO present the docu.
ment to the two branches OF con.
gress.
Mrs Rachel Foster Avery. first vfco
president OF the Suffrage association
announced that as some senators are
absent from Washington and as some
representatives are not liberal enough
10 present the petition in the lower
house OF the national legislature. De
utions from the states affected by this
situation would be put together and
laid before congress by members Will
ing TO do So The delegates were very
busy interviewing congressman on the
subject, and Mrs. Avery announced
that not one o. the petitions contained
less than 500 signatures