The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1916-10-12
INCONSISTENCY OF
SENATOR PITTMAN

Senator Key .Pittman has attempted
to suggest that not the Democratic
party but Miss Anne Martin, national
chairman of the woman's party, is
responsible for the failure of the
United States Senate to vote on the
Susan B. Anthony amendment.
To prove this extraordinary asser-
ton Senator Pittman cites a letter
sent by Miss Martin to western Sen
ators in June in which she asked that
no vote be taken on the amendment
at that time.
This letter of Miss Martins was
written after Senator Thomas. of Col
orado, who had the suffrage amend
ment in charge, had stated in the
Senate that he would bring it up for
vote as soon as possible, announc
ing at the same time that if it were
voted upon it would lose by heavy
majority. The amendment faced the
organized hostility of the party
in power. 1t would certainly have
failed to pass if put to a vote
in June; which was exactly the
reason why Miss Martin and the Wo-l
mans party wished action deferred.
A vote against the federal amend
ment in the Senate in June would
have ended all hope of passing II
this session. Miss Martin, in pure JUS
tiee to the Democratic party, as well
as in the plain interests of the bill
wished to give Mr.. Wilson and his
colleagues the fullest possible oppor-
tunity, right up to the last day of the
session, of dealing with it favorably
Proof of this is given by the fact
that Senator Pittman read into the
Congressional Record on September
4 a telegram from Miss Martin urg-
ing him to join with other Demo-
cratic Senators in asking President
Wilson to secure, even at the eleventh
hour. favorable vote on the suffrage
amendment, as he had on the Child
Labor bill
The telegram read:
"As chairman of the National Wo-
mans party and legislative chairman
of the Congressional Union, | earn
estly ask you and all other Demo-
cratic Senators to urge President
Wilson, as leader of the Democratic
party, responsible for legislation in
Congress, to secure a favorable vote
on the Susan B. Anthony amendment
as he did on the Child Labor bill
and ask you TO have this telegram
read into the Congressional Record.
AS you know, we have long been
ready for vote at any time, provid- |
ed the President and the Democratic |
majority in Congress will support the
amendment, as they are the only |
power in the country which can Sc
cure its submission. A premature |
vote without this support would only
mean defeat, which is, as you know, |
why we urged delay in the Senate in |
June. The adjournment of Congress |
without passing the amendment will |
constitute a record of hostility to the |
political freedom of American women
on the part of tho party in power. |
ANNE MARTIN,
Chairman National Woman's Party"
Senator Pittman is aware of Miss
Martins purpose in asking last June
for the delay of vote. She had ta-
ken exactly the same stand in jan
uary, and at that time he agreed with
her position. True friends of the suf-
frage measure desired that 1t should |
not come to debate and vote when
it would meet dfeat and on January
"a. 1916, Snator Pittman himself at
Miss Martins request objected to inn
mediate consideration of the suffrage
amendment. in order to protect the
measure until the time most favora-
BILE for it's adoption.
No time was favorable for its adop-
hn
dent and the Democratic party per-
sisted in their opposition. Therefore
Miss Martin is consistent in her po-
stion that the Democratic party is
directly responsible for the failure OF
Congress to act on the suffrage
amendment.