The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-10-16
MEN OF BRAINS
SUPPORTSUFFRACE
Tell Why Women Need and
Should Have Vote.
WILL FAVOR AMENDMENT.

General Wescott, n. Otto Wittpenn
and Richard v. Lindabury Among
Prominent Citizens Who Refute Sem
ator Marines Anti suffrage Argu-
ments-Present Their Reasons In
Clear, Logical Form.
Newark, Oct. Sat the request of
of New Jersey a group of the best
known men in the state have issued a
statement giving their reasons for sup
porting the woman suffrage amend
ment, which is to be voted upon Oct.
10, and replying to the anti-suffrage
literature which has been franked
through the state by United States
Senator James e. MARITIME.
The group who have replied to this
pamphlet include Thomas A. Edison,
Colonel George Harvey, editor of the
North American Review; Senator Viii
liam Hughes, Attorney General John
W. Wescott, Naval Officer Otto II.
Wittpenn and Richard V. Lindabury,
counselor for the Prudential Life In
franc Company and the United States
Steel Corporation and one of the best
known lawyers of the country.
Included in the group also are Judge
Robert Carey of Jersey City, Seymour
Cromwell, president of the State Char
tiles Aid and Prison Reform Associa-
ton; Cornelius j. Ford, well known
labor leader; Richard Stevens of Cas-
tie Point, Hoboken; Frank H. Sommer,
counselor of the Public Utility Commits
sion; Senator Charles O'Connor Hen
nessey of Bergen county; Fillmore
Condit, president of the Union Oil Com
pany of California, and Judge Thomas
A. Davis.
1t is said that never before has so
distinguished a group of publicists, con-
stitutional lawyers, statesmen and poll
ticians signed their names to a state
ment on woman suffrage. The state
ment follows:
To the Voters of the State of New Jer-
sey.
On the 10th of October the legally
qualified voters of New Jersey will be
called upon to vote for or against a
proposed amendment to the constitu-
ton granting the ballot to women. At
the request of the four leading suf-
frage organizations Of the state the
undersigned have agreed to set forth
what they believe to be the real prin-
ciples involved in the issue, to recite
briefly the controlling factors that lead
them tt support this change in the Or
ganic law and to separate the mate
rial from the immaterial evidence that
has been presented during the cam
paign both by those who favor and
those who oppose the adoption of the
amendment.
The amendment is submitted under
the provisions of article 8 of the con
stitution, which provides that any spe-
cifc amendment may be proposed in
the general assembly and If approved
by a majority of both houses of two
consecutive legislatures 1t shall be sub
mitted to the people at a special cleo
ton.
With these and with all the other
constitutional provisions and require
ments the legislature has complied.
In 1914 the amendment was adopted
in the legislature by a vote of "a to 8
and in 1915 by a vote of rs to 4.
The question is therefore now before
the people and will appear on the bal
lot at the special election to be held
ON the 10th of October in the following
form:
"Shall this amendment, extending
the right to vote to women citizens, be
adopted?'
The Reasons For Support.
In answer to the above question it
is the intention of the undersigned to
vote Yes" and in the hope that it may
have not as yet been able to reach a
conclusion as to the merits of the con
troversy we set forth our reasons for
so doing:
First.-We believe it to be in violation
of the principle of democracy that one
half of the citizens of the state should
be deprived of a voice in the govern
ment under which they live.
There are two underlying principles
of democracy-one, that no group of
men has a moral right to govern any
other group of men without its consent
unless the group so governed, because
of some infirmity, is unable to compre-
bend the standards of organized So
ciety; another, that all those who
have a stake or hazard in the govern
ment organized for their own protec-
ton shall have a share in the man.
agement of its affairs. These princi-
pies are either sound or unsound. If
sound, and we believe them so to be,
they must apply to women as well as
to men, because their stake and hazard
in the government is as great, deep and
vital as that of men and because no
infirmity. moral, mental or physical,
- L. ..-. - Al.