The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-12
SOFfRAcISTS DISCUSS
QUESTION OF METHODS
SAau Southern States Work On State
BY stats or National Amendment
Plan
sxmousLr CONSIDERS PROBLEM
Southern states Conference scene OF
Intensely Int resdnG Debate--Mrs.
fna.An Makes Yer. Effective
Slee<h.

eru States should fellow the state or
EeiAral go45 70 Suffrage was the sub
tect o. 81 open deb2n last night At
the Jefge4s-l auditorium at the first
public meeting o. the Southern States
Conference.
Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatah, OF
New YORK. the daughter OF tho IA
NOUS pioneer safsras3st Eliza both
CsaY stanton. pleaded FOR the Federal
n3er.nlepf
''states rtssta' said A3Ta Batch.
lie only 4 bQboIA Of masculine sukter~
fage. You MAYER really got referen~
iunu to tia peop,e OF the STATE. orly TO
a few Of the nas4ea IT q time for wo-
man 20 think nationally. The time Is
coming, and L. not far OF, when tlis
world is going 10 think OF itself inter
nationally Men have always basn
arr3tee tod by the Federal Constitution
Ase- s.qssaG- 50 much stronger than
man that they do MOI need that aan1e
protection ="
Speaking for State action, Arixs Kass
Gordon. Of louisiana. president Of the
Southern srait,e Conference said.
"There IL no use IN threatening tia
ps.r ~ IN power In the South. as thsre
r. nc ether party to put IN - riate-
To n.sc- .rto suffrage hi "a Issue
Is oQrdhnlng II with wei@ht It can
not carry I believe Il viii be utterly
Impossible 70 Set thEty-slx stasss TO
raG.ty tho ana andua ant -
Mrs. CotlnaA SasealtA
One Of The most effective speeches
of the evening was made by Mrs.
Florence cotnlAn. OF Arka \ sas Ms.
~otrnan 10 A very attractive WOMAN.
with wen erful carrying voice and
Ane rage presence. She gave e.
very vivid description OF the recent
suffrage parade in New Torg
+ Tour years age" she said. ninety
+ brave men n az ched IL suffrage pa
rade in New York. Whan the aue
sst naenth was being arranged, iayt-
tatlone were cent to those ninety TO
/ lead the procession. When 500 az
the ninety had accepted. they gave
up ih aswtlder raent."
"a result OF the p@rsu as.ve quail
( tee af Mrs. Katie Rowland Parker.
, cause Mira G, e. Townsend. Of Nor
! folk. whn Esvn 81 IN honor Of her
grandson. william Douglas Mason.
accompanied 1t With ar inseresting
arsodote, Ths boys grand fsthsr,"
she said. "vss6 an unrsco nssraot axd
rebel He was 80 near dead at .he
time that the authorities did not CON
! slider it necessary to make him take
/ tbs oath Of allegiance. 50 he never
Qs4, &Iu Wz0 DugSeG IOuY Years xX0
/ wrapped IN the t1oh fsderato tag
i Tho meeting was opened with pray
I sr by the Rev. H d. g Maclachlsn
and closed with the singing o. TO
wonan,s America"
4 Methods Are Discussed
It became quite evident vesterda =
that the principal business OF the
Il Southern States Woman Suf1 &c
L Conference, to which delegates have
come to Richmond from fifteen
1 Southern States was the discussion
OF methods---thst Is, whether greater
emphasis should be placed On State
or Federal work
/ Since the concentration. Of al SUIT
frage forces on tho Susan 8 Anth ony
amendnae emit. Instead OF the Shafroth
amendment and the recent defeat Of
suffr age In four Of the Eastern Sra tea
many sufTra gtsts have announced
their intention Of working exclusively
hereafter for The Federal amendment
and the question Of what policy the
Southern organizations shall follow
has become very vital one
In thu meeting yesterday norn,n :
the president Mis- Kate Gordon. a
New ORLEANS, who l. a most ardent
believer in States Rights, sxpressed
her opinion that the state by State
way vac the quickest, and by far the
most effective way Of getting the
franchise.
The object Of the Southern States
Association. she said rs TO be q
flank movement to, the nat,onsi agl-
tatton at Washington. In my opinion
that can be nothing more than an
agitation unless there Is great
change IN the policy OF the Demo
cratic party Of the South"
Mrs, Lewis For National Effort.
In the general discussion that FOL-
loved Miss Gordons speech, Mrs.
John Lewis. OF Lynchburg. made a
plea for more rational point OF
gfew. The foundation OF States
Rights she declared, rs absolute
democracy. individual liberty OF OK
preston If States Rights does not
/ mean that. wherein lies It's value >
We all know perte-tly well thar rhera
! Is no such as thing as real democracy
n the South for either sex"
Miss Mary Johnston pointed out
that there were different shades of
The same problem in every States, and
eaen State should be left to deal with
its own
Mre. Harvey Clarke. Of Richmond.
welcomed the delegates in behalf Of
the Virginia league In. an. excellent
speeeA, which was ably replied TO by
Mrs Martin Stoner, Of Washington
d c. -.
This was followed by the report OF
the corresp ending secretary. Mrs
Hattie Royland Parker, Of Louisiana
and the report of the treasurer, Mrs
! Mary Marriott, also OF Louisiana.
Afternoon Session.
2 The afternoon meeting was chief,
occupied with reports from the dit.
ferent sftes as TO the progress o,
suffrage ia the South onA of the mos,
stirring speeches OF all was made b.
Miss F,orenca Cotman. OF Arkansas
Miss Cotman Is personally very al.
tfacttve and a toresful spaaker He,
: account Of the suffrage hearing IN the
Arkansas Legislature was very anus
.rg.
"one legislator" she declared