The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-13
Committee Of House
Agrees to Report Bill
Without Delay.
SIMPLY ASK. THAT
PEOPLE DECIDE 1T
Advocates Want Issue Submitted
to Vote on Question of Consti-
tutional Amendment-Speak-
ers Tell How Movement
Has Grown Since
Last Session.

Tho cause OF woman suffrage was
clearly presented before tho House
Committee on Privileges and Elections
yesterday afternoon and last night by
n number of women speakers thor
ouRhly familiar with every phase OF
the subject. The need OF remedial
Legislation OF shorter working hours
for women, of compulsory education,
of better sanitation and OF more eni-
cient schools were urged as the reason
that women need the ballot for their
own protection, and for the benefit and
betterment Of the children they bear.
century ago the American colonies
adopted drastic measures 10 get into
tho heads OF tho British certain Ideas
of democracy and OF local seif-BoT-
ernmcnt-that taxation without repre-
sentation was tyranny, and that gov
nrnmcnt derived its power from tho
consent of the governed While mil
itant measures might be necessary TO
repeat the operation OF driving such
ideas into the heads OF Euglishmen,
the speakers assumed that IL would not
be necessary to hold over the heads of
the Virginia Legislature a threat more
serious than that OF the adoption OF
female suffrage by an amendment to
the Federal Constitution. approved by
two-thirds OF the States without South
crn aid, II the States themselves do
not promptly give the women what
they want.
VIII Act Promptly.
The committee Is understood 10 he
opposed to any change In the suffrage
clause In the Constitution, but has
agreed to report the bin either favor
ably or unfavorably at once. Stress
was laid by the speakers on the con-
teution that they do not ask the Vlr
ginia Legislature TO vote for woman
suffrage.
All they ask lie that the issue be re-
no HnH la p,1ff. ~
the State. In the shape OF constitu-
tlonal amendment. just men who are
neither dry in their personal habits or
convictions are voting 10 submit TO the
voters or the state the question of pro-
hibit!on or the continued licensed sale
OF liquor.
Delegate S. H. Love. OF Lunenburg,
was the only speaker against suffrage
and his eloquent periods Oh the high
position OF woman We're answered by
the statement that woman no longer
enjoyed or appreciated being placed on
n pedestal, which, in the matter of the
ballot. she shares with criminals in
sane perRons. paupcrs. idiots and other
classes denied tho right to vote.
Delegate Myers. of Richmond. wns
the only member OF the committee
brave enough 70 ask questions. and the
suffrage advocates had the facts and
figures at their fingers ends TO an
swer him. He made the point that
suffrage leagues in the State while
were tha amendment TO be adopted, 1t
would impose the State poll tax of
$3.50 on many thousands OF women
who may have no desire whatever to
vote. The answer came promptly that
the women would do at least we'll In
this regard as the men, and that Mr.
Myers and his associates. who claimed
to represent the city of Richmond. had
been elected by about 5000 votes in a
tn, n hfSIn mot fnGG
than $4,000 men OF voting age.
Hall Crowded 1t Hearing.
The hall OF the House of Delegates
was crowded to the limits of standing
room through both afternoon and night
hearings. When the committee was
called to order. Delegate Chalkley, OF
Wise, one Of tho patrons OF the bill,
explained that II provided n constitu-
Lional amendment for unlimited suf-
frage ms to any distinction between
the sexes subject to the educational
and other restrictions the Constitution
already provides as to male suffrage.
He introduced Mrs. B. Il. Valentine,
president OF the Equal Suffrage League
OF Virginia, who directed the presen-
tation of the suffrage cause.
This is the second time we have
been here" said Mrs. Valentino. but
this time II Is not e. forlorn hope, the
newspapers to the contrary notwith-
standing. We have made wonderful
equal suffrage States has grown from
ak to ten. and -Four others--New York
Pennsylvania New Jersey and Iowa
have voted to submit such amendments
to their Constitutions to their voters.
We have leagues ut work In every
Southern State. This is not only a
growing movement, but has become a
practical issue In politics"
Mrs John II. Lewis, OF Lynchburg,
srcke with firm assurance that when
the men OF Virginia understand tho
issue they would gladly grant It.
Tired of being Animals.
The women of Virginia. she said,
We're tired OF the status of animals.
They felt themselves the equal OF men
in Intelligence, patriotism, loyalty and
moral power and had como to the be-
al animal I'm the world. The divine
right OF males" she considered quite
as ludicrous as the exploded doctrine
OF the divine right OF kings and de-
manded Of the committee to know
where did you get tnat divine right?
Mr.. Jefferson had written of the
rights Of tho people" not of the
rights OF the males With half the
people not represented at ALL the Leg
islature, which. after ALL only repre-
sents majority OF the male half,
could not fairly claim to represent Vir-
Yinia. There was no equality before
tho law when woman was tried by
a jury of the men who make and en-
force tho law.
You would bar us from politics as
nm unclean thing" she continued, and
and build q fence around 1t TO keep
others from coming in. There is moth
ing necessarily unclean In the shaping
tt~--- TTS antI.,,nd -, I,I.yantL raro -