Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-13
SENATE COMMITTEE
|NDORSES SUFFRAGE
Report Submitted by Senator
Ashurst Urges ''votes for
Women"
AMENDMENT FAVORED
TO THE CONSTITUTION
Should Not Be Denied Voice in the
Enactment and Enforcement of
Laws. He Says.

<S VS. AAS SeAJs
FL, Is or at least ought to be, an AK
ioru Of american liberty that class of
persons ready and willing to obey the
laws as are the women should not be
denied voice in the enactment and en-
forcement of the laws and the concerns
of the government"
This is the opinion of the ma aiority of
the Senate woman suffrage committee, as
expressed in a report on the proposed
constitutional amendment giving women
the franchise. submitted to the Senate to-
day by Senator -Ashhurst of Arizona
rhe proposed amendment to the Con-
sttution is as follows:
The rights of citizens of the United
States TO vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by any
state on account of sex. Congress shall
have the power by appropriate legislation
10 enforce the provisions of this article
Senator Ashurst announced today that
he would use every means in his power
to have the Senate act upon the resolu-
ton at the present session providing for
submitting the amendment to the states
for ratification. Senator Thomas. chair
man of the woman suffrage cOmittee
has also declared that he will do all in
his power to advance the resolution
i VIII not, however, use such means
might make enemies for the resolu-
ton said Senator Ashurst, but l will
urse the Senate to act, as forcibly as
can. He added that he hoped the SEN
ate would pass the measure.
Ashurst's Report on Resolution.
Senator Ashurst's report on the reso-
luton was in part as follows:
Wiset an most profound citizens of this
republic believed that by reason of the
complicated procedure and large majori-
ties required it was difficult IL not i'm
possible, to amend the Constitution of
the United States. and some eminent
statesmen even urged that strained con-
structions should be placed upon the
constitution so as to change somewhat
the structure of our political system
bring il into conformity with the dynamic
conditions of the day, and thus secure
needful reforms.
But contrary to the opinion which a
few years since prevailed among many
thinking people. within the past five
months two amendments to the Constitu-
tion of the United States have been pro-
claimed. and they were adopted under the
procedure which is indisputably compli
these amendments in addition to
the valuable reforms they will bring
about, has convinced the American
p"ople that our federal Constitution
rotects persons as we'll as property. and
t.Iat il is not a procrustean bed of fixity
acapable of amendment or change.
Not Radical Movement.
Butt it cannot fairly be argued that the
proposed constitutional amendment which
rTovides that the rights of citizens of the
United States shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or any
state. by reason Of sex, is a new. novel,
az radical movement, for every phase
of this subject has been discussed from
time to time by many of the ablest minds
OF the nation. 1t has been considered in
It's relation; to the Constitution, and con-
slitutonal law bearing upon such polity
has been given earnest and careful con-
Sideration.
''On July .. 1916. two days before the
Declaration of Independence was signed,
New Jersey, in her first state conStitu-
ton, enfranchiSed the women by chang
Ing the words of her provincial charter
from male freeholders worth fifty pounds
TO all Inhabitants worth fifty pounds
and for thirty-One years the women of
that state voted.
Eighty years ago women could not
Vote anywhere, except to very limited
t\t'nl III sweden ana IN a lew other
places i'm the old World.
We do not feel called upon in this
report to discuss Gf. indeed. X be de-
bdtablct the question as TO the equality
OF Inequality of the two sexes from an
intellectual standpoint 1t is. or at least
ought TO be- an axiom of American lib
erty that class of persons ready and
willing to obey the laws as are the
women. class which has a peculiar care
for the rights of others. a class liable
as I is to be taxed in its labor and prom
er;y for the support of the government:
liable as il is TO punishment for acts
which the law makes criminal class
lea med. and in a large measure ca pabIe
OF the highest degree of efficiency in the
useful arts and sciences; a class patient
beyond estimate and constantly pouring
forth costly sacrifices for the common
good OF the species. should not be denied
a voice in the enactment and enforcement
of the laws and concerns of the govern
meut.
Government is simply a tool in the
hands of the people for the fashioning
OF tnat peoples civilization Government
IS strong weak, capable or deficient
according to the people who control and
make up that government. In this re-
public the people constitute the govern
nent- They are its creators and its MAIN
terance; they are the government That
the granting of the elective franchise to
women would add To the strength eff
cheney, justice and fairness of govern
ment we have not the slightest doubt
Says Women's Votes Would Help.
1t is anomalous and archaic in a free
republic. professedy made up of, con-
trolled by and administered for all the
peopis, to deny TO one-half of it's citizens
the rignt to exercising a valuable function
OF citizenship, to wit. the elective fran
cflises and thus preclude that one-half
from the right and power to say what
law or polity shall be its rule of conduct
And this anomaly becomes odious and
abhoErent when We reflect that the par
tlcular oue-half of citizenship thus ex-
ciud"d is the identical one-half from
whi' h springs so much wisdom, courage,
cheer. hope and good counsel
IN this republic We are engaged in a
struggle against fraud and violence. ava
rec and cuIidifY: z STRUGGLE In hehalf of