The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-03-05
AS WOMEN TAKE POLITICS.
Democratic Leagues Meeting Was
No Pink Tea Affair.
Washington Correspondence Kansas
City Star.

The ladies. God bless 'em. will they
take their politics seriously? That S
the question.
You can get your answer right here
In Washington, either from the Ma
tional Suffrage Association or from
the national convention of the Wo-
mems Democratic League, which has
been sizzling two days. The women
OF the latter organization not only
take II seriously, but they fight with
each other for their political rights
the same as they would at a bargain
sale or anywhere else where human
rights have to be fought.
The Democratic Women's League
has not heretofore been as serious a
matter as 1t now is. 1t has awakened
since the last campaign and will
proceed to indulge in politics right
along now.
The Democratic women are going
to do their part in the effort to head
off the Progressive party The Pro-
gressives have a program that ap-
peals to women. Jane Adams.
Anna NJ. Shaw and the other great
women who blessed it with their pray
ers and energies made it dear to the
heart of American womanhood.
The party now coming into power
has seen the need Of their womanhood
getting into action and this weeks
national convention of Democratic
women is the answer. 1t isn't {. suf-
frage league altogether. Its declared
purpose is to fight for the principles
OF the Democratic party, as expressed
by President-elect Wilson 1t will es-
tablish a bureau of Democratic in
struction for women. If they fight for
Democratic instruction as vigorously
as they did over organization this
league is going to spread some doc
trine.
The league meets in the exquisite
yellow room in the Willard Hotel and
VIC hShl oNer the election OF preSl-
dent was a thing to be remembered
Mrs. Steven h. Ayres, wife Of a New
York Congressman, was made presi-
dent.
Did she get ii on a silver platter?
She did not. She got it after a hot
feminine fight, in which the exchange
of courtesies were spirited and at
times full of anything except courtesy
Also she got 1t by just a vote.
When Mrs. Matthew J. Scott, who
is the Presidcnt-geperal OF the Daugh-
ters OF the American Revolution.
mounted the piatfrom 10 nominate
Mrs. Ayres Mrs. Crosby, the retiring
president of the Democratic League,
who was n candidate to succeed her
sedlf, invited Mrs. Scott to get right
from the floor.
Fractional feeling developed right
there and progressed as rapidly as IT
ever did anywhere. Kisses from one
part of the hall greeted Mrs. Crosby's
action Mrs. Scott, with dignity and
heightened color, nominated Mrs
Ayres from the floor. Mrs. Crosby al
ready had been nominated.
Then Mrs. James Pryor Tarvin, Of
Kentucky. arose and suggested that
Mrs. Crosby should leave the platform
herself since she was a candidate. Mrs
Crosby refused on the ground that
she was within her constitutional
rights. Mrs. Scott rebuked some hiss
es by saying: "Only the asp and ser
pent hiss and only the Shiny trail of
the serpent was left in the Garden of
Eden"
Anyone could see with half an eye
that Mrs. Scott meant all she said and
even more. She compressed her lips
in a thin line, but she didn't forget
that she was a lady.
Ms. Scott took issue whit Mrs.
Crosby, who had declared Woodrow
Wilson was a tree trader.
He is not Mrs. Scott said. He
has said So himself, he is an advocate
OF tariff for revenue only, whatever
that may b.
The candidate put i'm nomination
is orthodox in her Democracy and !
would state also that she is not sin
gle taXcr.'
This was going after Mrs. Crosby
who had declared herself the day be-
fore to be both free trader and sin
gle taNcr. Before She got through
Mrs. scott declared that President
elect Wilson had intmatcd privately
ANrcs as president.