The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-30
VIRGINIA WOMEN
CANNOT VOTE YET
lSenate Committee Joins With
! House in Rejecting Suffrage
Measure.
NOT ONE DISSENTING VOICE
Speakers Plead Eloqucntly and
Then Get Unanimous .Ad-
verse Report.

Woman suffrage received its second
setback at the hands of the General
Assembly last night, when the Senate
Committee on Privileges and Elec-
lions listened respectfully TO two
hours and half of impassioned ap-
peal and patient pleading, and then
retired Into executive session TO for
mulate unanimous recommendation
that tho Senata refuse ito pass the
Harman resolution providing for "A
constitutional amendment comforting
upon women the same political rights
as men In thus following the prece-
dent set by the House last week, the
Senate effectively routed the small
hope still remaining to the faithful
that the upper house would deal more
lcniently with their cause.
Rain In torrents failed to keep the
floor and gallery of the House OF Dele
gates from being crowded with those
who came TO listen, and a small minor
ity that came to scott. One OF tho
speakers seized upon the circumstance
as suitable campaign material. and
pointed TO the eager women who had
hraved the storm as eloquent refutal
of the argument that women do not
want the ballot.
The Female of the Species.
The female of the species is equal
TO th4 male" declared Mrs. John III.
Lewis. president of the Lynchburs
Equal Suffrage League, para phrasing
with good effect Kipilng's much Quoted
TRADE OH the distranchised half OF
humanity. She was the second speak
er. and, in the opinion of many, made
the ahlcst argument OF the evening
in favor of the acknowledgements of
women. She was introduced by Mrs
b. b. Valentino as a mother and grand
mother
Every strata Of society has been
freed except woman" said Mrs. Lewis.
she has been kept in the same class
with tho feeble-minded. the criminal
and the lunatic.'
Quoting the preamble to the Cons,i-
tuition of the United States to the effect
that man is born with certain inalien-
able rights, among which arc life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness, SHE
asked the committee TO remember that
man was here used not solely to des.
ignate the male half of humanity, but
that the term was generic and included
also the other half.
Enemies OF Woman Suffrage.
Among the enemies OF woman suf.
frage Mrs. Lewis included corrupt pol.
iticians, seeking to perpetuate their
power: saloonkeepers and the liquor
interests. keepers OF questionable re.
sorts and Grasping corporations. SIR
admitted the novelty OF the demand
now being made by Virginia women
but reminded the committee that when
the barons rode to Runnymede King
John looked upon ii as an outrage, and
that its newncss therefore should not
be permitted to rout the sense OF jus.
tice.
I'VE women don't want to he put on
a PEDESTAL" she said. The pedestal in
this case is synonymous with the
shelf, and we are tired of being shclvcd
/ honestly believe that shall never
hear the word chivalry again without
feeling sense of nausea. We do not
care for that kind Of chivalry which
bumpers us and regards us as in the
same class with imbeciles.
She concluded her address with the
statement that tho women of Virginia
Will never break ranks or stack arms
until the battle for equal rights is won.
Miss Johnston Sarcastic.
Miss Mary Johnston. in making Tho
first address OF the evening, delved into
history and quoted Epictetus and Aris-
totle TO show the Inconsistency OF the
usual arguments advanced by opponents
of equal suffrage. Her address bristled
with telling argument and scorched
occa sionally with its Intense sarcasm
Society exists to-day for man alone"
said Mics Johnston. land for woman
only in SO far as she is represented BY
man or In HIS keeping. Who delegated
of the human race, taxed without rep
resentation and represented without
its consent?"
The two acorc OF women who recent
CONTINUED on Second Pagc.)