Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-19
EQUAL SUFFRAGE
IS DEFEATED
Bill Fails in House of Dele
gates by Only Seven
Votes
CAUSE IS HOPELESS
Although There Was a Strong Pre-
sentation Made of the Right Of
Women to Vote.

Richmond. Feb. 19-Equal suffrage
was defeated in the House yesterday
by votes.
The bill received 40 of the 90 votes
cast.
There were - negative votes.
In 1914 the bill received only -
votes; in 1912 it received Is votes.
! The vote yesterday indicates, suf-
fragc leaders declare, a certain vie
! tory in 1918.
The bill was not to give women
the vote. 1t was to let the people vote
ON a constitutional! amendment extend
ing the suffrage privilege to wom-
en-.
| While the majority against the bill
was ~ votes, a change of I votes
would have resulted in an equal SUI
rage victory.
Mr.. Birrel, of Alexandria, voted
for the bill.
Lindsay Gordon, of Louisa, closing
| for the bill scornfully aSsalled what
he characterized as the doubtful Chi
va!rv of the opposition. He said he
was not afraid of his wife He be-
licved the women of Virginia should
no longer have their hands tied. Inc
! last stigma of the degradation Of the
! middle ages should be renewed al
though he said. the ''whiskey trust
opposes it, and organized evil in Vir-
ginia will ,rcmble in feat and agony
and with good reason, when women
arc allowed to vote.
He offered an amendment to the
bill which would permit only those
women to vote who own property
worth 500. The amendment was to
protect the whites. he explained, in
the "black counties.
Hugh White, of RocIlbridge. speak
! mo against the bill. said the negroes
were anXiously waiting for equa! sui
rrape, for then all the negro wonca
Uould want to vote. He said equal
suffrage rights would mean equal race
rights and would tend TO a rcycrsa.
to barbarism. since it would strip wo-
man OF her refinement.
Where equal suffrage prevails wo-
mon have wrinkles and lines in their
faces. he said, and have hawk-like
faces. Moreover. he said, it gave Them
a bad temper.
Women already have all the rights
and privileges they want and need'
he said. and the fact that equal SUI
frage is going instead OF coming Is;
proof enough that it is wrong.
At the end OF Il session behind clos
ed doors Thursday night, the Senate
Finance Committee last night report
ed for passage group OF revenue
bills which provide as follows:
Merchants licenses. minimum IN
creased from s. to $40.
Merchants purchases III excess Oh
100000 tax increased from ~ cents
TO 20 cents on the SlO0.
franchise tax of railroad corpora
tions increased from Is per cent oi
GROSS receipts from transportation t.
. / IA per cent.
t Tax on heat light. water ard power
rompanics. increased IN accordance
with recommendation of State Audi
Tow ,rd Governor, so as TO yield ap'
proximate additional revenue Oh Sz''
e 900.
Soda fountains, license tax increas
4 ed so per cent. -, =.
Manufacturers of soft drinks. Il
;. cense tax increased 50 per cent.
: Assessments for unreported ihtan
4 gibles not to be made turthef Dac'
l. than the year 1872.
h LIQUOR licenses going INTO eHec' ai
ter May / to expire on October
c 1916 and charge to be made oni
:, for half the year.
l. By vote of 81 to "a 'Le MUS
= of Delegates defeated the Brownln
bill. which proposed to restore the Il
J. cense tax on physicians that was .ao
e olished by the General Assembly Q
e 1914.
II Governor Stuart has signed the ol
.designed to prevent untrue, deceF