The Washington herald., 1914-03-25
LAWMAKERS HEAR
SUFFRAGE Views
French Speaks in Behalf of
His Bill, While Sherley
Supports ANTS"
REPORT NOT EXPECTED
Women Speakers for Both Sides Also
Present Arguments Before House
Elections Committee.

once more the adherents OF the cause
Of Votes for Women and the oppo-
nents of the contention rallied yesterday
in support Of their respective causes be-
fore the House Committee on Election
OF President. Vice President and Mem
bers of Congress. The bill under imme-
diate consideration was that INTRODUCED
by Representative French, Of Idaho. Re-
publican. whereby suffrage is granted to
women In all elections for Senators and
Representatives.
A throns Of women adherents OF both
sides appeared before the committee, but
the unusual scene was this time pre-
sented OF the principal argument being
made by men. Representative French
addressed the committee on behalf Of his
own bill and Representative Sherley. Of
Kentucky, spoke in opposition.
Mr.. French presented a legal argu-
ment in support of his bill. advancing the
claim that sex had nothing to do with
qualifications for citizenship and suggest
ing that as the House can regulate the
character and personnel Of its own mem
bership II also can regulate the qualifica-
tions OF voters for the office OF Repre-
sentative.
Mr. SherIey told the committee that 1t
has been settled that the right or priv
ileGe of the ballot emanates from the
State He said:
The Fifteenth Amendment to the Fed
cral Constitution gave no new rights. II
simply prevented the States from deny
ing the right because of three things
race color or previous condition OF sery-
itude."
Speaks of VIcioas Practices.
The Kentuckian also criticised recent
attempts to pass laws OF doubtful con-
stitutionality without proper considera-
ton of that essential characteristic. He
charged that the practice OF passing
measures of dubious legality and appar-
ent great popularity with a view TO un-
loading responsibility from the legislative
branch of the government on TO the
judiciary was vicious in the extreme ana
one which was not only unfair and dis
honest. but cowardIy and demoGogicaL
Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby argued IN
favor OF the bill. She told the committee
that women had helped to ratify the
Constitution and that il seemed unfair
that IL should be so interpreted, after II
had become the organic law OF the ma
ton, as to deny them the right of fur
ther participation in the government they
had founded.
Miss Lucy Price, of Washington.
amused the committee with an attack on
the feminist movement.
nave ntdTu. oDoNh
the emancipation OF women, but I have
not yet heard what II is they want to
be emancipated from. Is suffrage the
best thing for this country? That is the
real question. In the States where only
the men vote the very things in which
women are interested are handled just
as well-and in most instances better
than in the universal suffrage States"
The committee took the French bill
under advisement at the conclusion OF
the hearing. but is not expected to make
any report upon II. In view of the re-
cent convincing vote in the Senate the
face of the Democratic majority in Con-
gress is set against the universal suf-
frage contention. The committee con,
sists of nine Democrats, four Rcpubli-
cans and one Progressive.
None Of the Democratic Representatives
are from pro-suffrage States.