Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-06
CONGRESSIONAL UNION
. WILL HOLD MEETING HERE
Virginia Branch OF National Woman
Suffrage Organization to BE
Formed.
MRS. o. Fl. p. BELMONT COMING
Convention to BE Held at jefferson
Hotel on Thursday-Committ
VIII Ask for Statement of Position
From Congressman Montague.


movement will reach n most important
stage next year. resulting. many
think, in its adoption by the Federal
Congress. The effort to gain the pas
sage of Federal amendment granting
the suffrage TO women dates back to
the close of the War Between the states.
when the question OF negro enfranchise-
ment was being discussed. AT that
time Susan r. Anthony, Elizabeth Cody
Stanton, the mother OF Harriet Stanton
Blach: Lucy stone and several other
women pioneers went before Congress
in an attempt to have the words ''or
SEX added to the fifteenth amendment
as II now stands. making it read as
follows:
The right OF citizens of the United
States 10 vote shall not be denied or
abridged on account OF race, religion,
previous condition of servitude, or sex
They were, however, politely dis
missed, and told that they must be
patient and wait their turn-this was
tho negroes hour. and the question OF
his emancipation must not be compN-
Gated by other issues.
WYOMING FIRST STATE
TO GIVE WOMEN THE BALLOT
State in which women had the right
to vote, that right having belonged to
them ever since Wyoming had achieved
statehood. This sturdy State. sure OF
it's own ability to decide what 1t
wanted. had insisted upon the equal
suffrage clause in its constitution. even
that constitution on account of the
Objectionable clause.
When the period OF Reconstruction
was over, and the negroes" day had,
presuma bly,. passed. the delegation of
women went before Congress again But
they received scant attention then, or
on the occasion Of later visits. So
finally, in temporary discouraEcmcnt
they gave up the idea OF the Federal
amen3m ent and decided TO turn their
attention to the States. five OF which
had. by that time, achieved the suf-
frage. From 1894 to 1913 the suffrage
question was not seriously aEitated in
washington.
In 1913 Alice Paul and Lucy Burns
wore put on the congressional commit
tee OF tho National Woman Suffrage
Association. Ono of the first things
that these two energetic new mem
bers did WAS to plan and produce the
monster parade given on March 3, the
day before the presidential Inaugural
ton. This parade, In which 5000 pco-
pie took part. would have been n spec
tacular and beautiful affair If II had
not been married by the immense crowds
gathered to see it, which, rs 4 result
Of outrageous police neglect and in
efficiency. We're uncomfortable, and
crowded into the street in such num-
hers that the effect OF the parade was
greatly marrcd.
TREATMENT OF PARADE
INTENSIFIED MOVEMENT
This treatment, however. only in
creased the determination of the suf
fragists, and was regarded by most OF
them as an eloquent argument in their
favor, and about as effective in qucnch-
ing their ardor as the ancient Hood Of
the martyrs had been in drowning the
Christian spirit. They had in fact.
marched through the disorderly crowd
TO the tune OF Onward Christian Sol
diers.' though that is about as far to-
ward mili,ancy as they have ever
gotten.
They were determined to make suf-
frage a vital and important issue be
fore Congress that year, and get. II
possible, favorable vote upon il when
the time came. .,.>rcordingly, numerous
deputations wenL.to the President and
10 every member OF Congress AS Il
result of this effort. the Progressive
caucus, which met before the new Con
Cress assem- bled gave its unqualified
Endorsement TO the proposal to create
a woman suffrage committee in the
House OF Representatives similar to the
one in the Senate, in order that the suf-
fragc question might receive full con-
siderntion, instead OF being sent 10 the
~.
the graveyard OF tho House. The
Democratic caucus was urged TO take
similar action, but entirely ignored the
question
SUFFRAGE DEMONSTRATION
ON OPENING DAY OF CONGRESS-
On the opening day Of the special
session Of the Sixty-third Congress
onstration. Delegates from every con.
gressional district In the United States
assembled & Washington and. after =
stirring mass-!nectinG. marched 10 the
doors OF Congress. The procession was
greeted on the steps OF the Capitol hS
Representative j ". Bryan, who vel
coined the petitioners, pledged his sup.
port 70 their cause and conducted then
into the building. where large mum.
her oc Legislators was lined up TO re,
ceive them. After the petitions hat
been presented Representative Mondel
(RepuhNcan). OF Wyoming. and Scna.
tor Chamberlain CDemocrat). OF Oregon
introduced the bill! providing for tht
amendment. the bin now known rs tht
Rristow Mondell suffrage amendment tc
the Constitution
From this time on the women worked
without intcrmission One dcmonstra.
ton followed another, and delegations
without END visited the different con
Gressmen. The chairman of the Rules
Committee alone was visited by no les.
than 1875 delegations. Active surnmc,
campaigns were waged in u number o.
States in IN effort 10 create "A demand
for the amendment in the consti
tuences, Tire result OF all this effort
was very marked. The bill was IA,
vorab!y reported BY the Senate Com.
m:ttce. and received majority vot.
Of one. not enough. however, to pass il
In the House IL received 17i votes
falling by only seventy eight Of Ia,
necessary two thirds
NEW SUFFRAGE ORGANIZATION