Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-09-09
wilson Tells WOMEN
Suffrage Will WIN
"We Want Vote During
Your Administration"
Replies DR.. Shaw
SAYS HE FIGHTS
FOR THE CAUSE

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., sept. ~
Triumph for the woman suffrage cause
in a little while.'' was predicted by
President Wilson here last night in a
speech before tho annual convention Of
The National American Woman Suffrage
Association.
81 have come here to fight with you"
the President declared
Immediately the 900 women present
stood and cheered.
A few minutes later Dr. Anna How
ard Shaw, honorary president Of the as
ISOLATION, with Mr.. Wilson still present,
declared.
we have waited long enough 30 get
the vote. We want IL now. / want II
TO come during your administration
Again the great audience Of women
stood and cheered, waving handker-
chiefs.
The Presidents pledge of support to
the suffrage question caused Mrs. Car
RE Chapman Gait, president OF the or
ganization, to say in a speech soon after
he closed:
you touched our hearts, won our
fealty, when you said you had come here
10 fight with us"
Question Of Method Ignored.
The President did not speak on the
method by which he would bring about
woman suffrage, but said:
we shall not quarrel In the long run
At the method Of IT,"
The women present in the speeches
also failed to mention the question Of
method.
m !. -. A. .... l.. .....I...a Il
before. during and after his speech.
With Mrs. Wilson he sat during several
addresses. Fears expressed before the
meeting that he might be "heckled" did
not matrialize. AZ the end Of his ad-
dress Mrs. Catt thanked him for speak.
ing.
Declaring that sometimes he became
"a little impatient" over discussions
about the channels through which
votes for women are to come. the
President caused the delegates to ap-
piaud by saying: Il have felt here the
wholesome contagion OF the ocoa-
sion
The meeting came to an end with
tho President and Mrs. Wilson stand
ing between suffrage leaders Joining
n singing patriotic songs
Sees Change In Nation.
N his address the President did
not mention HIS previously expressed
belief that suffrage should come
through action by the States
AT the time the United States was
formed, Mr.. Wilson said, only a law
yer knew enough 10 run the Nation,
but since the Civil War the country
has been faced more and more by so.
eial questions and women have more
AID more taken an interest in public
affairs.
THE whole nature Of our political
questions has beNs Uttered" he said.
Speaking of the future OF the move
nent. Mr.. Wilson said the tide was
Using and would come to its food.
The Presidents address follows:
Madam president. ladies OF the as
socistion;
II have found II a real privilege 10
be here tonight and to listen to the
addresses which you have heard.
Though YOU may not all OF you be-
lieve it. would great deal rather
hear somebody else speak than speak
myself. but I should feel that was
omitting a duty n I did not address
YOU tonight and say some OF the
things that have been I'm my thought
as ] realize the approach OF this even
Ing and the duty that would fall upon
me
THE astonishing thing about the
movement which you represent is
not that II has grown so slowly, but
that II has grown so rapidly. No
doubt for those who have been long
time In the struggle, like your hon
bred president. Il seems a long and
nrduous path that has been trodden.
but when you think OF the cumulat-
ing force Of this movement In recent
decades, you must agree with me that
{f4s one of the most astonishing tides
In modern history.
Two generations ago. no doubt
Madame President will agree with
me In saying, II was a handful OF
Women who were fighting this cause
Now 1t is great multitude OF women
who are fighting It And there are
some interesting historical connec-
lions which I would like TO attempt
10 point out to you. One OF the most
striking facts about the history OF
The United States is that at the out
set IL was lawyers history. Al
most all OF the questions to which
America addressed itself, say a hum
dred years ago. we're legal questions.
we're questions OF method. not ques-
tons OF what you were going to do
with your government, but questions
of how you were going to constitute
your government-how you were
going 10 balance the powers Of the
States and the Federal Government,
how you were going to balance tie
claims OF property against the pro-
cesses Of liberty. how you we're 60
ing to make your government up so
as to balance the parts against each
eiher so that the Legislature would
eheck the Executive. and the Execu-
tive the Legislature. and the courts
both OF them put together. The whole
conception Of government when the
United States became Nation was a
Mechanical conception Of government.
md the mechanical conception of
government which underlay It was
he Newtonian theory OF the uni
verse
rhe NeWtOnian Theory.
eff you pick up the Federalist.'
op1~ parts OF it read like a treatise on
astronomy instead Of a treatise on
government. They speak a. the CEN
fifugal and the centripetal forces. and
ocate the President somewhere in a
ofating system. And the whole thing
calculation of power and an ad-
nstment of parts.