New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-01


The stars in their courses seem 20 De
bringing suffrage Tor women iu these
blessed DAYS OF This blessed new century.
Its dyocates could ask for nothing better
than the proposition To reorganize the re
publican party 10y changing IT'S basis OF
representation iu national conventions
from that Of population to that Of voters
What could he more unjust ask us lead
eis. than 10 allow Mississippi. for M
stance. 20 have twenty delegates in ma
tional convention when the state casts
ouly So Republican votes and to allo"
New York but ninety delegates. when IN"
state casts f55A2S Republican votes
Wei. il l., great deal more unjust TO
count all the women Of New York in the
basis Of representation on which the state
gets it, ninety delegates and then not al-
low them voice in choosing those dele
gates VINO a." to "reprcrCnt' them IN
nominating the Republican Presidential
ticket and then 10 count them again for
democratic purposes.
That system ~ hasiug district and
state representation on population. put"
and simple. say the Republican news
PAPERS has pcrpotuatcd the crOsscsi m
cnuaIi'i.s II rs far more important
for the party o grow than II Is Tor It to
adhere 10 tradition OF representation
which ha. Lost its validity. quite 50.
The Declaration 81 Independence says
something Of the same sort 1T is duty
to alter or abolish any form - govern
ment which has become destructive OF IN"
ends for which N was Instituted. u is
amazing now easy J., seems for men. cspc-
cially politicians. to recognize injustice to
themselves or their party. and how diih-
cult 10 sec the sam" injustice when only
women and Other non-vctors are affected
bv it, Even the most confirmed stand
pa;tcrs" can now recognize how wrong
il is to count people iu the basis Of repre-
sentation WHO cannot represent themselves
IN the only way possible that is bv cast
ing vofcIand SO II senator Root and
Senator Crane and Senator Pcnrosc ana
the rest OF them can bring II about only
voters shall bo counted in forming TINS
/ basis
Excellent although somewhat late But
! n il IS very wrong TO count those VINO
cannot vote in the basis for representa-
tives in q nominating convention that
meets only once in four years 10 select
| candidates. why is il not positively wicked
ITO count these same non-votlng people as
| n basis FOR the Representatives In Con-
cress who control tho destnies Of the ma
ton all the time? The sunragists always
have taken the ground that 10 do this Is
I fundamentally wrong and wholly unjusti-
! fable.
Even before the Ciyil War. when the
South was all powerful i'm Congress. II
! claimed the right only 10 count the negro
az three ffths Of q person. the other two
ffths being regarded az property. After
the war. when the power was transferred
| from the South To the North and from the
Democratic 10 the Republican party. and
the negro had 20 be counted as an entire
person. the Republicans insisted that the
negro man should have a vote and real
| representation. Then. when there was an
effort I'm the South 10 prevent this. the
party. in 1868. secured an amendment 20
the national Constitution declaring that
| when the right 10 vote Of qualified male
J inhabitants Of state was denied or
n bridged the basis Of repres entation for
| members Of Congress from that state
should be proportionately ro4uced.
Mrs. Stanton, Miss Anthony and the
other leaders made the most vigorous pro-
test against this first Introduction OF the
word male" In the federal Constitution.
and this extending of its protection 10
what was clearly recognized as the
! right Of q negro man. while leaving all
the states free 10 deny this same right
10 all women. white and black They de-
clared that because the Republicans we're
willing TO sacrifice the political rights Of
women they would eventually lose the
mower TO protect the black man I'm these
rights" This prophecy has long since
been fulfilled. as shown by this proposed
MAN TO change the basis OF representa-
ton. and should IL be carried out he will
no longer be counted even as three ffths
OF a person.
4 more complete contras; could not be
! afforded than that between the woman
/ suffrage situation in The United States
! and in Great Britain. Here there is no
| antagonism whatever between men and
| women, tsken as "A whole. The men are
deeply interested. highly amused and
really enjoying the campaign for the bal
lot. They are watching with good deal