The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-25
SUFFRAGE LEADER
REPLIES TO OBJECTION
Declares Many Southern Democratic
Leaders Favor Amendment 20
National. Constitution.
WOULD CLARITY SITUATION
White Women OF South outnumbcr
Total Male and Female Adult Negro
Population BY More Than Two MIL
Hons,

Miss Perry, formerly OF Richmond,
make the following statement in an
swer To objections brought against al
constitutional amendment for woman
suffrage on the ground that such an
amendment would be fundamental.
not an ordinary one.
Amy amendment to State or ma
tional Constitution granting woman
suffrage must be fundamental
change in law. says Miss Perry, be
cause OF the fact that certain I'M
portant legislation has been omitted
in the drafting of the Constitution. or
certain legislation stated in the Con-
stitution needs to be revised to fill
the needs of today Women in every
State in the Union are fully aware
of this fact when they work for an
amendment to national or State Con-
stitution.
As to states Rights.
THE fact that a large proportion
of Southern Democrats voted for the
sixteenth and seventeenth amend
ments shows unalterably that they do
vote to change fundamental laws OF
the Constitution and do vote willingly
for the enlarging Of national au-
tnority. Instead OF voting to uphold
the rights of one or more particular
providing that a tax shall be levied by
the Federal Government on the in
comes of all American citizens above
a certain amount, regardless Of any
census whatever. IS IN contfoycrsion
of article = section s. of the United
States Constitution. which provides
that direct taxes shall he apportioned
by the taking VI census ever ten
Years Southern men voted for this
10 tee Mt n afs a M
that when the annual rivers and har-
bors appropriation bilI comes before
the United States Congress there Is
no talk of states rights in OPP
+, position to .ls@ sssss4sss4, Gsss&, ~ -ssfs
two hundred and four votes cast
against the suffrage amendment
seventy two % those same men voted
for nationwide prohibition. Sixty
three OF those we're States rights
Democrats. and fifty-cight OF these
were SoulAorncrs
Favor Suffrage amendment.
The fact Thai manS- Southern men
are strongly IN favor Of woman
suffrage amendment is shown by such
names as Senators Sheppard. of
Texas, RandsdAh cf Louisiana, and
Luke Lee. Of Tennessee, and Chiffon.
of West Virginia. Representa- lives
Thompson. of Alabama, Mcclellan. OF
Tennessee. Neefy, OF West Virginia;
Simns. OF Tennessee. Smith. of Mary
land. Austin. of Tennessee, l.angiy.1
~ kentucky; Sells. 81 Tennessee. ana
MIR. Siemp. ~ virginia These are
facts. not theories. II is also a fact
that Southern congressman, with
John Sharp Williams. 81 NJ ssissfppi,
at their head struggled against inc
opposition 81 the Republicans 81 the
House Tor United States ship pnr-
chase bill This Democratic Congress
of fsfs voted for aid obtained the
Panama Canal .ollk exemption bill,
even agasast the Democratic party
platform of Baltimore. showing that
adherence to tradition is not always
mark of Southern congressman
Would Clarity situation.
eIn regard to statement made
recently that, Far from ohviatlng ths
dfficulties cast n the way OF the
southern States by the recent de-
..isgnn az the supreme Court in re-
card TO the ffteenth amendment d
Romans suffrage amendment wouid
further t,ompiicate the situation.
would say that this would be inlpos-
s.bIe Even should this decision ne
used 10 affect Virginia. which accord
ing Is the general idea OF the press
h exceedingly unlikely, quickly en-
acted womaus suffrage Amendment
wnntd go farther than any poss sbie
~S,ate legislation toward clearing away
ali dsfaicuities of such enactment.
ANY one who wllSei*e caretul con
slderatIon to the statistics In the
ccnsus of 1910, which states that the
total Negro population OF Virginia 10
All aas; white women alone 6sa,4@ss
will see that with this preponderance
"a .ss. tss'tss EsHtt q r
tire negro population of both men anu
women together of Virginia, the whlte
yota az Virginia would be put on
stronger and more enduring OASIS
than ever before since 1855. II Is ne
cause we, as Southern women, reaii2e
this facs that we are urging an
amendment TO the United States ton-
ssItutioa which VIII give the Whits
women, as well as the white men @
INT. south. chance Ia legislate IN th's
mater. The preporderance OF whlte
women over negro men and women
put together In the entire South ~
20iT.2s6.
Two Centuries Behind Times.
The opinion of vast number O.
Southern men and women TO-DAY Is
That men who vote against the SUP
mission ia the state legislatures OF
constitutional amendment, when
would merely strike out sex as as
oualification To voting. belong 70 the
Eighteenth century, not 10 the TWEEN
tieth. TO the Confederation of states
a. 1889. not in the Union Of TO-DAY.
\ TO the dead past, not to the ifssns