The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-03
JUSTICE
T00LD CH|VALRY
Equal Suffrage League Holds
Big Demonstration in Capt.
toll Square.
CONGRESSMAN BRYAN SPEAKS
Under Brilliant, Skies, Large
Gathering Hears Argument Fa-
voring Votes for Women.
CONGRESSMAN BRYAN SPEAKS

hood was In flower" declared Con-
gressnan j. w. Brynn. Of Washington
State, before q mass-meeting held I'M
der the auspices Of the Equal Suffrage
League of Richmond in the Capitol
Square yesterday afternoon. They
don't want to be a Dulcinea enshrined
In some castle window waiting for
somc knight to go out and do brave
deeds in her name. That is not tho
problem at all. They want justice
spread equally among all. Many OF
them don't become subject to this old
idea of chiyalry."
who pays the taxes2" yelled big
man from the crowd. But a squad of
uniformed police effectua11y silenced
the rude questioner, and Congressman
Bryan went on without noticing the
interruption. a livelfer scene engaged
the attention of the crowd when the
speaker finished and Mrs. b. e. Valen-
tine, president OF the Equal Suffrage
League of Virginia, said that Mr.. Bry-
an was prepared to answer any ques-
ton that might be put to him.
VIII Not Take Long to Catch Up.
A bricklayer who keeps up with po-
litical and economic questions between
bricks and on off-days. known among
his friends as Commodore" Smith.
asked the question, eff II took the mon
1000 years to get where they are now.
how long will 1t take the women to
get where the men areT
'TIl tell you this.' said Mr.. Bryan.
ut won't take them any longer than
1t has tho men," The sunragfsts
broke Into prolonged applause.
Right you are" shouted tho COM
modore," land that is what I have
tried to impress on those men who
occupied that fortress OK Ignorance,
pointing at tho Capitol Building.
enough sense to vote. I say that they
have too much sense not to vote" All
eyes turned towards him, and Mr.
Bryan gave him hearing.
Look at the muster rolls OF our
high schools" Smith went on. when
ever you see the mime. OF ono boy whit
has graduated you will find along
side the names OF ten girls. It won't
take the women 1000 years to set
where the men are. They can do 1t in
tingly burst In upon him, but the
crowd yelled for him to go on. Mrs.
Valentine silenced the musicians. and
Smith repeated that the women have
more sense than the men, and that
they should be allowed TO vote. After
wards he went up. the portico steps to
speak with Mr.. Bryan. and the Con-
gresham received him cordially.
The First Demonstration.
1t was the first time that public
ever held in Virginia, and fully 1000
people, according to police estimate.
gathered about the steps of the south
portico OF the Capitol Building when
AIR. Bryan began. At first inclined to
he repellentiy silent, the vast ma
jority was soon stirred to enthusiasm
by the wit and fire of Mr.. Bryan,
and statd observers thought that he
had made many converts to the new
creed.
The day was ideal for an open air
mass-meeting, and the white walls of
the nausoleum-ilke Capitol Build
ing formed both beautiful and an ap-
prorriate background for the confess
sion of an erstwhile strange faith. The
members of tho local league took seats
on the left Of the broad stairway, and
In front OF them masscd tho people
to listen to this modern political gos-
pei AT first they hung to the stone
tagging that skirts the roadway, but
on the request of Mrs, Valentine and
the stentorian command of Police Ser
Eeant thinner, the people moved for
ward until they encompassed tho
portico steps in solid array.
Behind the pillars. decorated with
votes for women" banners and ma
tional flags, sat the members OF Kess
nlch's band, playing to popular airs
hymnal sentiments of the cause. Boy
Scouts and young girls moved among
the crowd selling copies of a paper
edited and published by the Equal Suf-
frage League OF Richmond. Women of
staid years and long experience in the
affairs Of life mingled with those on
whose cheeks the blush of youth still
linSers; and men who had once worn
the gray and shouldered arms FOR the
Confederacy jostled With those who had
Just paid their first poll taxes. It was
noticeable that there were moro men
than women who took part In this
the first public demonstration for
woman suffrage.
1
Room for the speakers was made on
the middle of the stairway, and here
the Rev. III. D. G. Maclachlan, D. D..
pastor of tho Seventh Street Christian
Church. rose to announce the princi-
pnl speaker Of the meeting. Dr. Mac
lachlan said that the people of the
United States are facing problem after
problem, and that they would never be
solved until women got into politics.
II am In favor of woman suffrage" he
said humorously, because / want to be
on the winning side. like to get on
tho band wagon. and those men who |
are to-day sneering at the movement.
for woman suffrage will in a year or
two also want to get on the band
wagon. Women have the same right
as men to go to the polls and eXer-
else the right of franchise. I cannot
do better than to quote n man who
said of a movement. Time Is OH our
side, and you cannot defeat time nor
stay It's hands," He introduced Mr.
Rryan. and cheer greeted the Wash
ington Congressman as he stepped for
ward.
Il nm glad" said Mr.. Bryan, "to
stand hero, where SO many before mo
lave spoken for principle. And / feel
that ought not to say anything that
will not square itself with Americana
ism. am here to talk about live Is
sues and their relation to equal suf-
frage.''
He said that the Revolutionary faith
,ers did not fight against the stamp
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