Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-30
BORAH UNMOVED
BY SUFFRACISTS
Miss Vernon and Miss Paul,
Who Sought His Support,
Are Disappointed
IDAHO SEN. THINKS
STATES SHOULD DECIDE

BOISE, Ida, Aug. 30.-Alilitant suffra-
gists. are on the trail of William E.
Borah, United States senator for Idaho.
One reason is that he is the only sen
ator from State in which the women
now vote who in the last Congress op-
posed the proposed Susan B. Anthony
amendment to the Federal Constitution
/ providing for woman suffrage. Another
reason is that Senator Borah is looked
upon as a candidate for the Republican
nomination for the Presidency, and these
suifragists think it outrageous to have
Presidential candidate from a suffrage
State opposed to their pet hobby.
Miss Mabel Vernon, of Delaware. a
national organizer for the Congressional
Union for Woman Suffrage. came all the
way from Washington to Boise to. labor
with Senator Borah-to induce him to
see the error of his ways and support
the amendment in the coming Congress.
She failed to move the senator. She
retired, baked, but not defeated. Call
ing to her aid Miss Alice Paul. of Wash
ington, president of the union and a
number Of Western women who are en-
thusiastie IN the cause, she set August
"a as the date for making a final assault
on the obdurate senator. She sent him
a pressing invitation to meet them on
that date to discuss the subject with
them
Senator Borah ducked, but he did not
dodge. Some days before the date men
toned he went up into the mountains
for few days vacation to avoid the
heat, but not before writing Miss Yer.
non as to Just where he stands on the
question Of woman suffrage.
"The more 7 study the question Of
woman suffrage" he wrote, "the more !
believe in the wisdom of giving women
the right TO vote. The class of question
with which the modern State has to deal
demands that women be not only ad.
mitted to the council board. but that
they be given the most potential instru.
ment of political power-the ballot-in
order that they may enforce their
views"
After enlarging upon the intimate
knowledge women have of the forces
touching the home life and the great
gain to society in having her assist
ance in the handling of these prob
lens, Senator Borah wrote:
But / am not only not in favor of
the proposed amendment to the Ma
tional Constitution. but I am affirm
atively opposed to it, It is. in nv
Judgment inexpedient, impracticable.
unwise and unjust"
Senator Borah insisted in his COM
munication to Miss Vernon that there
was no possible chance of having the
Federal amendment adopted al this
time. The Southern States, he in
sists, will never vote for the amend
ment; but assuming that the required
80 States ratified the amendment, this
would only complicate the race prob
lem in the South and add to the in
timidation and fraud that now deprive
the colored voters of the privilege
of the ballot-box. Colored women
would stand no better chance to vote
under the new order than the colored
men do now.
But the Senator's chief objection
to the amendment, as he expressed II.
was that 1t would strike at the most
vital principle of the Federal Union
the right of the States to regulate
their local affairs.
Senator Borah expressed himself
ready to go with the women who
were undertaking to heckle him and
work for woman suffrage in any State
where the fight is on.
It is needless to say that Miss
Vernon, Miss Paul and the other wo-
men now campaigning in the West
in the interest of national suffrage
are dissatisfied with the stand taken
by Senator Borah.