New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-08
Secretary of State Says
Bill Will Be Advertised
as Required by Law.
REFUSES TO SIGN
WOMEN'S PETITION
Will Stand by Referendum
However, if Party Goes on
Record for Ii.

Secretary of State Mitchell May yes
terday promised a delegation OF suHra,
gists that he would give his persona
attention to the matter of advertising
the suffrage bill. Not that Mr.. May
wants to do so. His personal wlsheS
have nothing to do with the case ne as,
sured the women. He sees his duty ana
he will do what the law compels, tna'
is all. ~. A,
Miss Caroline Lexow and MISS Al,
herta Hill headed the delegation OF
members of the Women's Political
Union who called upon the Secretary
at his office IN the Woolworth build
ing to remind him of the sad fate OF
the New Jersey suffrage bill, when
somebody forgot TO advertise last sum-
mer. and to ask Mr.. May to see that a
similar calamity does not mar the la'r
name Of the Empire State.
Mr.. Nav seemed rather hazy about
that matter of advertising, so MISS
Lexow pulled out copy OF the state
constitution and read him the section
in point. NJ Nov.
"but has your bill passed all the stages
required by the law"
ut has" replied Miss Lexow..
"Oh, indeed, | hadn't heard about
it," answered the Secretary of State;
"but | am going to Albany in the morn
ing. and if you will write out these
statements you have made ! shall De
glad to have the matter attended TO-.
Then it was Miss Hills turn.
"Mr. Secretary, we hope you VIII
sign this petition" she said. asking
the members of the Democratic party
to put a suffrage plank in the next
party platform"
mo, | won't sign that" replied Mr..
May, hastily, 81 am an organization
man. | stand by what the party does.
| take my politics just like religion.
There are some things you don't like,
but you have to take them along with
the rest. If the party goes on record
for a suffrage referendum | Will stand
by it, but | won't dictate TO the party
by telling it what l want it to do. |
may be called to serve in the confer
cnce which will direct the new plat
form in August. Personally ] am not at
all eager for the honor. But | could not
go into that conference bound IN any
way by petition like this"
Miss Lexow reminded him that four
million women would be voting Tor
President and United States Senator'S
from the Western states in in 1916, and
that those four million women had
their eyes on the Eastern politicians.
That doesn't influence me-" said Mt.
May, "as | don't expect TO run Tor
President or Senator in 1916. AS for
the question of women voting, 1t Is
Just this way: Voting is not nat
ural right. 1t is a privilege which
has been given men because they de-
manded it, When women want the
vote they will get it. There is moth
ing in the world women can't get
from men if they want it. Men are
stronger physically, but that is all.
In every other way women have the
best of them"
"a million club women recently de-
manded the vote, and all the women'S
trade union leagues and the oranges
have demanded the vote" said Miss
Lexow, warming up to the argument.
We'll" said Mr.. May. chat may be
so. but it reminds me of the man who
came to me once asking for something,
saying he represented three hundred
thousand men. Well, maybe he did
"But they did" insisted Miss Lexow.
"Well, then, they'll get it," smiled
Mr.. May, "if they 60 about it in the
right way"
what is the right -" the women
chorused, only Miss Hill stopped them,