The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-01-15
Resolution to Submit Amend
], meat to States Rejected
DEMOCRATS STRONG IN OPPOSI-
TION TO THE MEASURE.
Champions OF Cause Declare Propa-
ganda Will be Pressed Onward to a
Finish,

resentatives by a vote of 204 to 174
refused Tuesday night to submit to the
states an amendment to the federal
constitution to enfranchise women.
The vote, the second in the history
OF congress on the woman suffrage is
sue, came at the close of day of long
preparation oratory, during which
the many speakers were listened to
with frequent evidences of approval
or disapproval by packed galleries.
: The question was before the house on
the Mondell resolution to submit a
constitutional amendment providing
that the right Of suffrage should not
be abridged because of SEX"
A two-thirds affirmative vote was
necessary to pass the resolution; it
was defeated by a majority of 3O
Party lines were not strictly drawn
in the fight, although Democratic Lead
er Underwood, voicing the attitude of
his party that suffrage is a state issue,
strongly opposed the resolution, while
Republican Leader Mann was one of
the chief speakers Of the suffragists.
Enthusiasm mingled with detection
when Speaker Clark announced the
result, and into the corrid0Fs4EoaA OPP
posite galleries filed the hundreds Of
suffragists, with their purple and yell
low sashes, and the red rose bedecked
antf-suffragists.
This was the second defeat of the
suffrage cause in the national legisla-
ture within a year. March 19 last an
equal suffrage constitutional amend
ment proposed by Senator Chamber
lain OF Oregon received vote of 35
to "a in the senate, securing bare
majority, but failing of the necessary
two-thirds. However, suffragist lead
ers are mot dismayed.
AS they left the galleries, led by DR..
Anna Howard Shaw, Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait and other champions of the
cause they declared that the fight was
by no means over and that the suf-
frage propaganda would be pressed
forward and onward until every wo-
man in America should have the right
to cast ballot.
'The result was what we expected
said Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, president
of the National Association Opposed to
Woman Suffrage. "It means that the
suffrage movement, fostered by hys-
terical women, is on the wane."
Often during the earnest and at
times bitter debate preceding the vote,
Speaker Clark was forced to interrupt
the speakers on the floor, fill the
chamber with the deafening battering
of his gavel and warn both members
and spectators that order must be pre-
served Several times he threatened
to have the galleries cleared unless
the disturbance subsided. But the
murmurs of approval and disapproval
persisted as each speaker voiced his
support for or opposition to the cause
OF votes for women"
The turmoil eliminated in a storm
of kissing that greeted a speech made
by Representative Bowdie, Of Ohio,
opposing the amendment He had
treated the subject humorously, and
remarked that the Women of Wash
ington are beautiful, but they have no
interest in the affairs of state.
Opponents OF the resolution based
their opposition largely upon the ar
gument that for the federal govern
ment to prescribe qualification for suf-
frage would be an unwarranted inva-
sion of the right of the individual
further, upon the contention that
there was no adequate public de-
mand" for this amendment showing 1t
to be necessary"
Advocates of the amendment con-
tended that the widespread demand
for woman suffrage, it's success in the
states where 1t has been tried, and the
principle "of allowing the people to
rule" justified the submission of the
proposal to the states for ratification.
Preceding the general debate there
was debate OF an hour and a half
on special rule providing for con-
sideration of the resolution, which was
adopted by rising vote OF 209 to 81
Q<o<acroon