The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-07
.ELOM COLLEGE DECIDES
SUFFRAGE QUESTION
'Dcbaters from Virginia, Texas and the
Carolinas Clash on Old Issue and
Negative Arguficrs Win.

Especial to The Richmond Virginian.
Elon College, n. c., April 6.--Wom-
ans suffrage received a decided set.
back SO far as the Psiphelian Society
was concerned in it's annual public
debate here last night when the mega
tive argument against the elective
franchise for wo.len triunphed in q
splendid exhibition of feminine ora
tory. ~
OF course it is understood that the
affirmative was not satisfied that the
argument OF the negative was really
worth while nor was the opinion OF
a single suffra gist, of whom there are
many In the college community,
changed 1t was evident, however,
that the masculine element of the
student body were decidedly anti suf-
fragettes in their attitude, applauding
to the echo. every wltticism INDUCED
In by the negative and responding but
poorly in their appreciation of the
equal witticisms of the Affirmative,
The debate was opened by Miss
Frank" Mcneil. of Nederland, Tex,
who urged woman's right to vote on
the intellectual and moral grounds.
giving a survey of wonan's superb
accomplishments, and achievements in
these realms. She declared also, that
taxation without representation is as
unjust today as when our forefathers
took up arms against Great Britain
on the same basis in 1875. If the
Revolutionary War was justihcable. so
is woman suffrage.
Miss Iva Rothgcb, Luray, Va. APP
peared as the first sponsor for the
negative. She urged that the suffra-
gists were not demanding the rights
of women 10 he women, but to be
men, She gave many reasons why
woman who really appreciated the
high privileges and prerogatives Of
womanhood do not wish TO vote, but
the best reason she could think OF
was the good old woman's reason
that she don't" The. therefore,
urged that woman has not the mental
endowment Of inclination to be poll
tician and still further that woman's
suffrage has failed to be a panacea for
social Ills, as was urgently claimed by
the ultra -suffragists.
Miss "Patt" Preston. Below Creek.
n. c., favored womans suffrage be-
cause woman Is naturally good
housekeeper and at the same time a
GOOD hOuSetieHneF. Sne beHeFcS tn3t
woman would prove as efficient in
the political housekeeping as she has
in the realm of the home lettering
social and political conditions
wherever her influence is felt. She
futher urged that womans position
as an educator made it imperative for
her to be vested with the elective
franchise
The second speaker on the negative,
Miss Jennie Willis Atkinson. of the
Hill spoke against the movement be-
cause the Creator had evidently not
designed women for the political
arena; that the women who clamor
go loudly for 1t fur ,sh an addition
evidence that ii should not he granted;
and that woman's real work Is In her
home. The judges of the occasion
were President J /. Fount. State Nor
NAL Greensboro, n. C.; n. r. Fon~
vile. Esq. Burlington, \. c., and Pro-
fessOr r A. Campbell Dayton, Ohio.
In addition to the debate the pro-
gram included an essay by Miss Alma
Boyden, Norfolk, Va. a humorous
reading by Miss Eunice Wanons,
Smithfield y C., a piano solo py
Miss Beatrice Mason. Asheville. ", G.,
and words of welcome by Miss Myrtle
Moser, presiding officer