The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-05
GATHERING
HERE N DECEMBER
Southern States Woman Suffrage Con
ference to BE Held at che
Jefferson Hotel.
CALI. ISSUED FOR ACTION
Invites All states Rights suffragis,s
to Join i'm Demand On Democratic
Party to Remove Stigma OF Dis
-frnnehisement"- from Women
South,

| The Nirginian Is asked TO print the
following cali:
The Southern States Woman Suf-
frage Conference Wi! hold its annual
convention in the city Of Richmond,
Va, December Ills, in the Jeffer-
son Hotel.
For the first time in the history
of the suffrage movement since It's
inception In the Seneca Falls conveu-
ton in ls4S. there exists State wo-
man suffrage orga nization in every
Southern State: the last links OF this
suffrage chain having been forged by
reorganization during the current
year In Arkansas, North and South
Carolina
"in twelve of the United States the
voices of women asking that the po-
litical liberty so literally extended to
aliens, ex-slaves and indians. be ex-
tended to them. have been needed.
and in consequence, even though 10
further increase occurs In the number
OF the suffrage States that form the
true map OF the republic, the opinions
of four million women will influence
the electoral vote which decides who
shall be the next President of the
United States.
THE South has been charged as
slow In coming into its own on the
Sitnt IHti III Issue OF woman suffrage.
Particularly Is this the case when IT
is realized what pioneer of pioneers
were the Grimke sisters, OF South
| Carolina. and that Kentucky holds
the palm for the first extension of any
form OF woman suffrage in the United
States. when in 1898 she granted to
widowed mothers with chil.ren Of
school age the right to vote =. school
elections.
In this connection, it is we'll TO
remember that the South has come
through one OF the greatest economic
reconstruction that the world has
ever witnessed while confronted with
the necessity for a political readjust-
| ment which called for courage, sac
rifice and patriotism of the highest
order. 1t Is well, therefore. for our
| southern women, in awakening pub
| lie sentiment to the degradation OF
their Acknowledgement. to take cog
nizance of the historical aspect of the
case.
| TO the Southern suffragis,s chat
ing under the irritation and disap-
| pointment of their State legislatures
refusing their first appeals for sub
| mission, and turning in resentment to
a national amendment for relief. we
point to the women OF Iowa, who have
achieved II constitutional submission.
after forty years of effort: to the wo-
men of Massachusetts who are reap
! ing the harvest of the seed sown
seventy-five years ago by Lucy Stone
| for equality of opportunities: to the
ceaseless uninterrupted efforts OF
years which characterize the history
Of constitutional submission in the
States we regard as liberal on our
question.
ITO the suffragists of other sections
| chatting under their long deferred
rights OF citizenship and nov turning
Ito national amendemnt to compel
relief, we point to the folly of ignor.
Ing historical traditions by riding
rough-shod over the principles and
prejndices OF the States that hold the
balance of power.
Never proba bly, in the history OF
the suffrage movement has there
been a greater need for wisdom, coun-
sci and fnrebearanca on the part a
friends of the cause. In this spirit
the Southern states Woman Suffrage
Conference extends an invitation to
all State Rights suftraglsts to join In
a demand upon the Democratic
party. In control in the South, to live
up to the party principles Of State
Right suffrage. and by its indorse-
ment and support remove the stigma
of dfsfranchisement from the women
of the South.
Kate NJ. Gordon. Laura Clay. Alice
Ellington, Hattie Rowland Parker
Mary s. Bartlett, Ida Porter Boyer"