New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-09
Roosevelt Is Simply Climbing
on the Band Wagon, Say
Leaders of Cause" Here.
TOO VAGUE TO SATISFY
Lure Not Bright Enough to
Warrant Breaking Rule
Against IndOrsing Po-
litical Parties.

Roosevelt has put a perfectly good sri- /
frage plank in the National Progressive
party platform. and they refuse to get
excited about IL.
They say that 1T T. IS getting on the
band wagon
They plume themselves that he wants
the votes &C the women in the suffrage
states"
They observe that while it IS Of course
perfectly splendid that a political party
has put a suffrage plank in its platform,
exactly what does plank couched Il
such general terms mean?
And then they refer back unkindly 10
certain article IN which Mr.. Roosevelt
said let the women have the ballot when
a majority Of them want Il.
Mrs. a. T. Townsend, treasurer OF the
Women's Political Union. even went so
far yesterday as 10 ha, Ia A derisive IA,
ia over the telephone wire about Mr..
Roosevelt and his suffrage plank.
Why. don't YOU know" she said, that
as late as the day before yesterday
Roosevelt was trying 10 have the Pro-
gressive platform declare simply for a
referendum on the suffrage cues ion 70
The women OF the states where they
haven't the franchise and where there's
no suffrage campaign under wayf He
didn't get his Will. because there are some
men with different ideas-and women. too
in at the making Of that party. Oh. 7
think the way the P-ogressives are recog-
niz;ng women is perfectly splendid. and
can quite understand Miss Addams's
enthusiasm. and I'm glad the suffrage
plank is in the platform, for It can't DO
tsny harm and may DO some good. but as
sto Theodore Roosevelt-ha, ha. ha"'
Rule Still Inviolsbi..
Aad Mrs. Townsend hung Up the re
ceiver she said before she did it. though.
that the WoEan's Political Union wasn't
likely 10 break. for the sake OF the new
party rs invariable rule OF never IN
do-sing or working for any political
party Il would keep right on working
Sor woman suffrage IN its own political
way
II Mr. Roosevelt wants 20 prove that
be really sincerely stands for the poliri-
cal enfranchisement of women" said P.
g.. Beadle. executive secretary Of the
Mems League FOR Woman Suffrage. "let
him accept the invitation the league ex-
tended 10 him 10 speak on that subject
tn Carnegie Hail. Let him stand up and
tel the people that he's for woman SUI
frsge, and why and what he's going 20
Do for Il.
wen give MIN Carnegie Hall 20 do il
81. But though II was a good many
weeks ago that we invited him, he hasn't
answered the invitation yet"
NJ. Beacle said that as an expression
-.oc faith on the part Of the new party. the
vi ff,-fr f-rs-
a practical point Of view il Wasn't worth
the paper Il was written on.
The words OF the plank are" he said,
that the party pledges itself to the task
% securing equal suffrage 70 men and
women alike That Is vague
4 understand the idea among the Pro
grsSsiyes Is that woman suffrage rnHst
be gained BY the individual action OF the
states. We'll aren't the states one by
one giving women the BALLOT How will
that plank help then2 The Progressive
party speakers may give the suHragists
s-rs encouragement in the different
Ftstes. but 7 can't see what that plank -
Euiag to accomplish.
'Tts significant because II shows how
popular the woman suffrage movement
has become. II shows thar the question
Gan no longer be avoided.
ION 5sndwsson; That's AL"
Roosevelt saw the writing on the wall.
Sc wanted 70 get on the bandwagon
THAT Is all
Mics Jessie Ashley. lawyer and former
president Of the Collegiate Woman SUI
eTsge League. doesn't take much stock
IN the suffrage plank Of the Progressives'
platform, nor in any Of the rest Of H. for
shat matter
1T sounds expedient." she said. But
Sou know I'm a Socialist, and the reforms
tist platform stands for seem 70 me
srst a Swimming over the surface q
things. The Socialist party has always
been squaEely for woman suffrage and
dominates women for Office as we'll as
men.
Am / surprised that Jane Adams.
INST vice president OF the National
Woman Suffrage Organization seconded
Mr. Rooseyelts nomination? No; for I
have read what she says, that the new
party advocates the reforms she has
worked for all her nfe-child welfare, a
national department Of labor, and so on.
She trusts the new party, and I don't
thipk woman should keep mum about
neT pOluCal DeHeIA because she IS SUI
fragIst. I don't. am Socialist. and I
have 10 hope In Roosevelt"
Miss Elizabeth Cook executive secre-
tsry Of the Womans Political Union. who
works for suffrage every minute she can
STARE from learning 10 be banker dovn
IN the financial district. said that Of
course she was glad 20 see suffrage sd-
vertised anywhere. She was glad 70 see
IL III the Progressives' platform
DO YOU. believe in EOosevelt's sin
esrity? she was asked
Il don't believe he wants woman SUI
frage as We want H." she said
In Five Hundred Years.
He would. have always gathered.
Ike women 70 have the franchise seine
time IN the future say 1--WE hundred
years hence but now he IS anxious to
have the votes OF the women in the suf-
Srsge states.
The plank Is rather indefinite but I
hear the party stands for woman suf-
frage. gained state by state That is the
only way. Each state has its special
problems. IN some OF the Southern states.
as Georgia, the women haven't thought