The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-07
SUFFRAGE AMERICANS.
Are They Not Less Patriotic Than the
Racial H%yphenated?

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Str: Or
May IL THE SuS called attention to the
fact that In the "so-called ~enfranchised
States" several million women would
vote in November for Presidential
electors and that this fact was com
pllcated" by the avowed purpose OF the
women in these States ITO place their
loyalty to suffrage above all personal
party predictions that is to say. the
fitness OF the candidate to perform his
official duties is not to be considered.
The only issue will be, els he in favor
Of s%uffrage?'
Think for one momen OF the con-
di'ion Of a country whose national.
state. municipal or judicial officials
were elected simply because they IA
vored woman suffrage.
Imagine a lawyer OF high standing
and ability opposed TO suffrage tfor
there are such). nominated for a
tudgeship In competition with a shyster
favoring suffrage tfor there are such)
Imagine the we'll trained. honorable
lawyer solely because Of his anti-suf-
frage belief defeated by the shys;er .
II is the stated purpose OF s%uffragists
to d the Presidential campaign
on these lines. Is this the promised
publication Of politlcs"?
In the same issue Of THE SuS was
the letter of May IL written by Mr..
Roosevelt to the secretary OF the Roose-
welt Non-partisan League. in which he
said The sinister revival Of the
politico-racial hyphen in our politics has
emphasized the need Of stern insistence
on thoroughgoing Americanism within
our borders" And he also said There
must be a feeling of broad. radical and
Intense Americanism II good work is to
b" done in any direction. our citizens
must act as Americans. not as Ameri-
cans with a prefix and qualifications"
What do all other loyal Americans
as well as Mr.. Roosevelt. who. by the
way. processes TO he a s~uffragist. think
NJ suffrage Americans. Americans who
put suffrage first and A~mericanism
after? The president Of the National
Suffrage Association. Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait, on November "a. 1918. ad-
vised her followers to have a printed
card to give to people who ask YOU to
do any work saying that on account Of
the deferred acknowledgements OF women
YOU must decline This remark being
greeted with cheers. Mrs. Gait pro-
cceded TO say: II am glad that YOU all
put suffrage first"
How do suffrage Americans diner in
degree Of patriotism from those Ger
man or Irish Americans who have
been 50 ccnsured FOR being moro loyal
to their native lands tina IN America >
These have at least the excuse OF the
tics ~ blood and OF inherited racial
traits. hut what excuse have American
women for putting suffrage first" put
ting II before preparedness. before all
altruis'ic work. before the UNFOLDING Of
the principles ~ democracy. as they
90 when they urse the passing ~ the
Susan y Anthony amendment or when
they ATTEMPT to override tie decision
OF the electorate IN four great States
And why. IN 80 doing. are not, these
suffrage Americans. Who say that thew
VIII sacrifice everything. every national
interest. FOR the sake Of furthering the
cause OF suffrage. more dangerous and
more insia!ous enemies NJ true Arreri-
canism than "hyphera;ed' Americans
MARY \. MAYSARp
NEW YORK, June s.