The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-28
D0RAH DISCUSSES SUFFRAGE,
TOLD WOMEN 18TH AMENDMENT
STOOD IN THE WAY.
A Good Showing Was Made ana n
Forces I'm senate Favoring Equal
Suffrage Had United Women Would
IIave Won.

ground OF sex I'm their suffrage re-
strictions. together with the vote on
the amendments submitted to the res
olation by the Mississippi senator's
leaving 10 the States the choice OF re-
strictions I'm all respects except sex
made two points plain.
The first Is that Senator Borah. of
Iowa. was right in warning the woman
suffrage advocates that they could
not hope To accomplish their purpose
through the Federal Constitution
while the 18th amendment remained
I'm that instrument, complicating the
question OF sex with that Of race.
color or previous condition OF servi-
tude." Many believe, with Mr. Bo-
rah. who Is the giant of the Republi-
can side. that racial amendments in
the Constitution absolutely preclude
the adoption OF woman suffrage by
Federal interposilion.
Others. however. see hope for the
shortcut attainment OF woman suf-
frage in the possibilities of the sec
ond point. which was made clear by
the vote OF last Thursday. That is
tho demonstration that the Southern
and some OF tho Western Senators are
ready to vote for woman suffrage
amendment IL II be coupled with re-
peal OF the racial suffrage provisions
OF the Constitution. Some observers
In Washington, including anti-women
suffragists as well as pros" look for
juncture OF these two currents of
political thought which will have an
effect In increased force like that of
tho tuncture OF the Mississippi with
tho Missouri.
Thursday the suffrage senators
mustered thirty-flve votes for their
proposition. About q score OF sena-
tors who voted against II voted for
the amendments coupling 1t with the
repeal OF the racial suffrage provisions
VI the Constitution.
IL these two forces had been unit
cd there would have been a total of
over iifty votes. possibly flfty-four
votes. for woman suffrage. To carry
the resolution for submission Of an
amendment TO the States would have
required two-thirds. or sixty -four
votes Without such union OF forces
IL would be even harder to get suf-
frage amendment ratified by the
States than II would be To get 1t sub
mittod by congress. because the I-ti-
hcation OF the constitutional amend
ments requires the Affirmative votes of
three-fourths of the States, casting
their ballots as units.
There are Southern Senators who
admit privately. though not them
selves advocates OF woman suffrage
as separate issue. that they regard
the adoption OF constitutional
amendment by the combination just
described as among the reasonable
possibilities OF the present decade.
They believe that the suffragists win
profit by the object lesson given by all
OF the Southern and some OF the
Western senators i'm Thursdays vote
and undertake to furnish the South
and Pacific West the necessary
"quid pro quo
IL is amusing TO supporters OF the
Wilson administration TO hear the
outcries that proceed successfully
from the two Republican rings of
the political circles because OF the al
legged purioining OF tricks by the
Democrats i'm the big central ring.
When President Wilson mado his
dcliveranco early in the session In fa-
vOr OF presidential primary elections.
the Bull MoOsers emitted u loud yell
tO the effect tina, this was avowedly
and originally Progressive Ropubli-
can" doctrine. and that the Demo-
cratic president was committing po-
litical larceny in appropriating IL
without any acknowledgment. The
administration has never taken any
notice Of this complaint. the existence
Of any foundation for IL being entirely
a matter of opinion. IL is. no doubt.
the view OF the majority OF the Dem
Ocrats i'm congress. perhaps. that IL
would bc best to- leave To the Bull
Moose the business of advocatin. |.
such primary by constitutional
amendment and make the Democratic
movement one towards accomplishing
the same result by the independent
action OF the states
Now tho regular Republicans are
addressing the welkin vocifcrOusly
with the charge that the administra-
ton policy OF establishing an in,cr-
state trade commission. provided ioi
In the COvinstOn bill. recently intro