The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-08
PRESIDENT NOT
VERY POLITE
Turned Down the Plea of SUI
fragettes That He Advo-
cate Votes for
Women.
HE USED DIPLOMACY
Refused Their Request But Did So In
Graceful Manner and Gave
a Good Ex-
cuse.
HE USED DIPLOMACY
Refused Their Request But Did SO in


United Press Leased Wire service.l
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-Facing al
delegation of American militant suf
fragists, President Wilson this after
noon refused to send a special mes
sage to congress urging votes for wo-
men. He also declined to incorporate
such suggestion in one Of his regular
messages, and until congress itself
asks him to, he said he could not
recommend that the house represen
tatives appoint a special committee to
investigate the question of suffrage
as not exists in the senate.
However, the president was so dip
lomatic in handling the delicate situ-
alton that the women left him salts
/ fed that If he ever gets the oppor-
tunity he will aid their cause
4 The president based his refusal on
i the fact that his private views co9l1
not govern his actions AS leader OF
his party he insisted that only such
recommendations as had bean passed
upon by national convention or a
conference Of elected repre- gentatives
of the party were subject to his ac-
ton.
The conference in the executive Of
flee was picturesque. Every state and
territorial organization representing
the national suffrage movement had
its delegate present. They marched
4 to the white house in the testh OF a
bitter biting wind, fully deteIm ned
that at last chief executive OF na-
4 tion would be forced, into the open
either for or against the vital ques-
ton for which they are fighting.
} President Wilson received them
standing in front of his big desk His
face was drawn and haggard from the
effects of his recent Illness, but he
shook hands warmly with DR.. Anna
Howard Shaw, president of the ma
: tional association and Mrs. Medill Nc.
Cormick, chairman of the special com
mitee The women gathered in a half
y circle about the chief executive and
he smiled his welcome to three or
four of them whom he knew person
ally When all were in position, DIR
Shaw addressing the president, said:
I'VE have made pilgrimage every
year. We have been received cour
teously. Yet legislation we SO strong
ly advocated has been withheld tr
the senate and house"
: Dr. Shaw reviewed the suffrage
> movement, insisting that congress
had denied women the right of equa
] representation, voice in the maxine
: of the laws. Dr. Shaw said the suf
: fragettes realized the presidents
liberal position on questions affect
I ing the rights of people and felt they
: could appeal directly to him, She
t suggested three ways in which hi
could help-special message; para
4 graph in regular message, or to us'
/. influence on the house to have spe
e cill suffrage camnsittee named
The committee said TIE presiden
was extremely courteous In his tall
h with them. He explained he wantet
o to make his present situation clear t
them and as illustration he suggeste
g who could go and come as he will d
L he was now so carefully GU rded tha
8 he does not have even the privi'eg
of walking the streets unaceompanied ed
r This, he said, was typical of his trans
d fer from an individual with an opt ol
on all subjects, to an official of
great government and spokesman o
a party. He said that as governor .
:. New Jersey he initiated a rule, whic
, he is following as strictly as poss bic
that he 4 not at liberty to urge uro
congress policies which have not ha
y the organic consideration of thos
u whom he is spokesman He said tina
y he has not presented his priyat
views of legislation on any SUI jec
: and never shall. This limitation ha
confined him to those things whi5
have been embodied as promised t
people at an election Under no ci
cumstances he slid can he depai
I from this excepting where he is col
II suited en- new matters by member
e. of congress. In this connection h
explained that member of the h9us
rules committee had asked him I
favor special suff age committee fc
the house and that he had replied thi