The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-05
FROM TUE STATE; NOT THE NATION,

Those who oppose equal suffrage in the's states
nv federal enactment sre not merely ra'stnE the
rhost az a dead Issue o. States rights however
r,,cb j. may please its advocates 10 hold to that
eo,nton. and however much satisfaction they
NAV secure from sneerinE at old tosy people who
do sot know that the War Between the states .
KILLED state rights,
Those Who oppose equal suffrage IN the states
by federal enactment are not merely elineinF 10
n A. Il. handed down from the fathers. how
ever much rs advocates may insist 70 the ron
fray They are not mere blind vnrshipers Of an
outvorp cult they are not merely obstruction
ISIS. they are not merely seeking excuse for op
posing equal suffrage.
Those who oppose equal suffrage by federal
enactment are those who know and understand
she reasons for n division Of power between the
state and federal government; who know and
understand why the States insisted upon cir
rurnscribing the powers Of the federal govern
nert before coming into the union Of States;
who know that 1t was not alone iealously and
nride Of power. but the deep, ingrained couvic-
ton that the nearer home the government the
less tyrannical tho government, that made 1t nee
assarx far the States 10 reserve 70 themeelyes
certain powers when the union vas formed; and
who know that the right and power TO determine
who shall and who shall not be suffragans is
81 question Of far more local than national I'M
rortance and that for that reason that power
should rest with the smaller. rather than with
the larger unit
The right of the state to determine who shall
exercise the ballot has come down from the
fathers almost intact because 1t Is fundamentally
State right in a nation of the size and varied
interests az the United States. and not because
1t was so decided by those fathers This nun
damental right has been maintained by the
states because they have known that their very
existence az States depended upon It, and the
only effort TO deprive them OF It has proved a
roaring farce which few have even cared TO see
turned into the tragedy OF enforcement The
federal government sought to give the ballot 70
ahe negro by act of congress and tbreefourths
the States but after writing into the constitution
the words giving that power. little was done to
put life into those words and what little was
Eried was Eied unsuceessfully.
The Vir0inian confesses at the risk of weak,
amendment that it is no warm advocate Of equal
suffrage II is not convinced that TO grant the
ballot to women would prove beneficial as
the suffragtsts tell us II WILL that the result
ant evils would be small This, however is
no, a question that enters into the argument for
and against the proposed amendment to the fed
sral constitution. The Vtrpindn would oppose
that amendment even though 1t heartily
IN favor of suffrage for women. II Is open to con
siction on the question OF granting the ballot TO
women, but on the amendment proposed It oc-
rupies very much the position OF the Irishman,
who was open 10 conviction, but never saw any
one who could convince him.
The Virginia suffragists, we understand, do
not favor the proposed amendment Whether
through motives Of policy or because believing in
the rights OF the States 10 decide the question
for themselves they have declined to endorse
the convention. Just few days ago Mrs. p, b.
Valentine state president. sent letters 10 members
OF the Virginia legislature. asking a hearing
end announcing that Virginia women preferred
10 secure the right Of suffrage from the State Of
Virginia. They viii. Of course. receive a hear
ing They WILL Of course, be given a full OPP
portunity to present their argument, and We are
much inclined 70 believe that IN the not distant
future they win get what they want If they
30 receive IT however, II should be from the gov
ernment having the right to give 1.-THE gov
eminent o. the State.