The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04
THAT. IL anything. New York's

woman suffrage Is Just now
uppermost In the minds OF the friends
Of votes for women. Basing Judgment
on established precedent, II is assumed
that no action will he taken in the
convention to defeat the Legislatures
verdict that the time has come for in
termedate bodies to get out OF the
way and let the voters settle the queS-
ton at the polls. But there are vari-
Gus methods which the convention
may adopt TO further this end.
1t may adopt suffrage amendment
Of its own. in which case that amend
ment will take precedence over the
Legislatures resolution TO submit suf-
frage TO the voters. IL the convention
does adopt its own suffrage amend
ment that amendment can be included
with all the others and submitted as
part of the new Constitution. Or II
can he submitted separately.
Again, the convention may drag out
Is sittinss beyond September 15 II
~ Il can't submit anything to the
. voters for the November election and
the Legislatures proposition would be
the one voted on at the polls Novem-
her .. These are some OF the con-
tingenc!es at least that await the suf-
.rase question in convention.
Whatever may he done by the con-
vention in this connection no more
aertly interesting subject will come
before the deliberations of that body.
II the experience of the past proves
anything. To the average citizen II
may seem that equal suffrage has
very recently and suddenly become
important. even to many of the most
active workers OF to-day; the history
OF the movement began only Ave years
ago with the FIRST New York parade.
Nevertheless the enfranchisement OF
women was considered by the Consu-
tutional Convention OF 1867 and was
one Of the most hotly debated issues
Of the convention OF 1894.
At the instance of the Empire State
campaign committee Rose Young, d.
rector OF the committees press sec
ton, and Elmer Byrns. New York
lawyer. have assembled for THE SUN
the story of the part played by woman
suffrage in these carrier constitutional
conventions OF the State.
In the I7T7 and 1871 conventions
tho question Of woman suffrage had
not appeared above the horizon TO veN
the spirits Of legislators. The 1916
convention Just escaped. Had it been
held two years later the spirit OF
awakened womanhood would have un-
duubtodly made itself felt and heard
IN tho chamber sacred To the conven-
ton 5 deliberations. For two years
later WAS tho year of the first woinan's
rights convention ever held in Amer
lea, The next two decades were fuli
OF the woman question: and when
the constitutional convention OF 1900
was called the time was ripe for the
women TO take action for their poiiti-
cal acknowledgements. Their interest
was the keener because opportunity
would not come again for twenty
years.
Meetings were held all over the
State, appeals and petitions were scat
tered broadcast. The activity OF the
women cost them the cooperation OF
no less a suffrage advocate than Hor-
ace Greeley, who explained his oppo-
Euon thus:
This Is a critical period for the Re-
publlc.. party and the life Of the ma
ton. The word white in our Consti-
tuition at this hour has a significance
which male has not. II would be
wise and magnanimous in you to hold
your claims, though just and impera-
tive, / grant, in allowance until the
negro is safe beyond peradventure,
and your turn will come next. ] con-
'nre YOU to remember that this Is
IN" ncgros hour and your first duty
row IS 10 20 through the State and
p"an his ella n-s.'
To which the women thcy were
keen Of wit and quick in answer. those
ppnoors Of IS67D replied: Suppose
Horace Greeley. Henry j. Raymond
Hnd James Gordon Bennett were dis
irauchised what would he thought or
them, II before audiences and In lead
" editorials they pressed the claims
AZ Sambo, Patrick, Hans and Young
Jung 10 the ballot, to be lifted over
their own heads? This" said the
women, 'is the hour to press woman's
claims; We have stood with the black
man In the Constitution over half a
century and II is fitting now that the
constitutional door Is open that We
S."u'd enter with him into the politi-
Cal hngdom Of equality Through all
those years he has been the only de-
''.' compeer we have had. Enfran-
'.so him and We are left outside with
hHntlcs idiots and criminals for an
ohor twenty years"
they were right, more than right.
T"r fprty-eight years the women OF
New York have been left in that elect
c'"nany.
Nlcn the convention was called by
'h' legislature in January Of 1867
J. <fn"th Cady Stanton appeared for
~" women. The gist Of her plea that
w. word male" lie stricken from the
l voters qualifications was IN
!. lowing paragraph;
White males are the nobility OF
u country; they are the privileged
o'd'f who have leg slated as unjustly
Tor women and negroes as have the
hohles OF England for their disfran-
kNlged Ilasaea II thu hia.