Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-10
GOVERNOR NONCOMM|TTAL
ON SUFFRAGE QUESTION
Receives Delegation Graciously, Conn
piiments Workers, but Declines
to Make Promises.
SLOW ON RECOMMENDATIONS
Ioints Out That lie Is Chary on Adj
vice, hut Assures Women That lie
VIII Sign Suffrage Amendment II
Legislature PASSES 1t.

eiHia and will he one OF the most i'm.
portaht issues before the State Lcgis-
i'lurc this winter was the claim made
when the first suffrage convention ever
hcId In Iichinond opened it's first SEES
SION yesterday at the jefferson Hotel
Perhaps tie most notable event OF
inc day was the visit OF Il delegation
1" the Governor in the afternoon, to
ASK him TO give his Endorsement TO the
suffrage amendment TO he submitted to
the coming General Assembly
AT 1870 o'clock. after the afternoon
business session. tho entire conven
lion. marching two and two and wear
ing suffrage badges walked down
Franklin Street from the jefferson to
the Capitol Mrs. II. B. Valentine. the
state president, headed the column,
bearing yellow Votes for Women"
banner In Fer hand The delegation.
nearly 300 in number. filled the Gov
errors Office to ovcrnowinr
ASKS GOVERNOR TO
RECOMMEND AMENDMENT
E+fore introducing the speakers. Mrs.
Valentine said: we women, from all
over The State of Virginia. have come
10 ask you to incorporate in your mes-
sage to the Legislature a recommends
tiph that that body shall pass an act
enabling the citizens OF Virginia, 10
vote on an amendment To the state
constitution cnfranchising women"
me first speaker WAS Mrs join! H.
Lewis, Of Lynchburs. who said: Your
f.HcciicncN YOU are a Democrat. rep
rcscnttng the principles Of equality
ana upholding the rights OF the lcoplc
w" are half Of the people. We are in
'crcstcd In the Constitution: ". pay
taxes, teach. work and strive to be good
nj,
iaoolihg women, 5000 are teachers,
io","eo are of voting age. As such We
ictI that II Is our right TO have a voice
~ the government under which we
live"
MISS MARY JOHNSTON
ADDRESSES EXECUTIVE:
MISS Mary Johnston the novelist.
spoh" In behalf of Earth County.
me majority OF the votes in the
county ! represent are in favor Of
woman suffrage. We are only asking
lhht democracy he adhered to- W..
be!i"Ne that our state. which struggled
70 establish the principle OF no taxa
non without representations should
cN'eh" that principle to include All
the people"
Miss Roberta Wexford. WHO reor.-
scented -t!benarl. County. pleaded that
women be allowed 10 serve the country
IN fuller sense. Miss Ellen Robin
son from Hampton. announced tina, IN.
peninsula had 575 members Of sun
iaae leagues. ana LOO signers Of the
suHt"s" petition. Miss J. Anderson
81 lexington, called attention TO Tho
TACT that over half of the desirable
properties In her town is owned h,.
women who do not even have :. vote
on u matter SO vital TO their interests
AS Il bond issue
NOT IMPRESSED ny
Mrs, W. W. King from St,rr,o,
scored point. She began by sayI,r
crazy"
IN" Governor Interrupted her TO saw
No'e very recent one" alludinr 10 ,hc
recent Republican victory in that ais
trict
You have anticipated VIA, y,s
soi's !" say ans crcd the surrapis,
quickly. was going To suggest mar
perhaps the reason for d.mocracy's d..
i'"' 'here has been the failure OF i,s
HNpcHi"S 10 advance the prinCiples Of
democracy In their fullest sense"
o'h.r Speakers were Mrs. Sally Nell
s"h Koh!ns' representing Richmond.
AIRS. x NJ Crawford. representing vii.
Iiamsburg; Miss Elizabeth Cook. -,
NJ 'o.h' Aiss Terry. OF Roanoke. ana
MRS: }. cioyd Byars. from Bristol.
ne Governor welcomed the dele
himself o''''''
This is" he said. the most numerous
ana by far the most attractive deleC,
.'oh mat has waited on me since hay.
beeh Governor. The general disnosi
ZION or my mind Is, and has nlwnv.
peeh: IN the direction OF allowing tho
people TO vote OH any question of v;,,I
Importance to the whole peonIe st.,ii
certainly give this matter m. me-,
careful and serious consideration ana
promise you there shall be M !, cL 20
seriousness on the part of IN. Ieyi.
there" up
DID NOT RECOMMEND
THE ENABLING ACT
lou VIII remember that have AL
ways been slow on making recom,n.r
dations. | did not recommend ,ha -,
abiing act when IL came IN Uou.
ever, VIII say this-if the IegieI,
ture passes The suffrage amendnnert
Will sign it
me AFTERNOON session OF the conven-
ton was largely occupied nv dis
cussion of press work and ,ho Us US
ihS OF an interesting report by MISC
r.udora Ramsey. the State organizer
MISS ramsey has spoken recently at
Manassas. Abingdon, Roanoke, Pearls
burg. Blacksburg. Christiansburg. Taze-
well King William Courthouse, West
iolnt and Salem. This week she also
spoke at Westhampton College. before
me students. On this occasion Pro-
lessons Mctcalf. Ryland. Gaines and
harris expressed themselves as in
favor OF equal suffrage.
mere were also interesting reports
NJ the afternoon session from leagues
In Wytheville. King William. Alcyan-
dria' Norfolk and from the State treas
urer.
The feature OF the evening session
was an address at the hotel auditorium
by MIS-. Beatrice Forbes Robertson
,ialc' niece OF Sir Johnston Forbes
The Need for Woman Suffrage,
TROOPS GUARD
ASHEN REMAINS