Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-17
WHOM SUFFRAGE
AFTER HARD FIGHT
Platform Makers at st. Louis
Meet Determined Opposition
in Convention.
QUOTE PRESIDENT WILSON
IN SUPPORT OF PLANK
"Antis" Able to Muster 1919
Votes in Favor of Substi-
tute Provision.

sion of the democratic national con-
vention yesterday afternoon was en-
livened by a spirited fight over the
suffrage plank-the only thing ap-
preaching a contest in the entire con-
vention proceedings. By vote of ssSh
to 1914. the delegates adopted the
plank as prepared by the committee on
resolutions, and which, it was an
Wilson.
AS it went into the platform the suf-
frage plank stands:
I'VE favor the extension Of the fran
chise to the women of this country,
state by state, on the same terms as to
the men,
The woman suffrage leaders consid-
cred it much more favorable dec!ara-
ton than they got from the republican
convention at Chicago. They threw all
their force behind it and won the sup
port of the administration leaders, who
were found fighting for them when
danger threatened.
Suffrage Fight in Air.
The fight on the suffrage plank was
in the air when the delegates gathered
for the final session. Everybody was
keyed up to it, and when at the con-
clusion of the reading of the platform,
Martin Lomasney of Boston. a delegate.
claimed the attention of the chair, it
was thought he was opening the fight,
and it was several minutes before the
shouts of approval and cries of dis
approval could be sti1led sufficiently
to hear that he wanted to put the con
vention on record as sympathlzing with
"the peODle of Ireland"
"Raus NIT him." roared a Baltimore
delegate, and the convention Nall
rocked with laughter.
The teal fight broke Immediately
after. however, when Gov. Ferguson of
Texas, who headed the minority report
against the administration plank, was
given thirty minutes in which to pre-
sent it.
The plank offered by the minority
was:
Plank Proposed by Minority.
stood for the sovereignty of the several
states in the control and regulation of
elections We reaffirm the historic po-
sition of our party in this regard and
favor the continuance of that wise pro-
vision of the federal Constitution which
vests in the several states of the Union
the power to prescribe the quaifnca-
lions of their electors"
Besides Gov. Ferguson, the report was
signed by former Representative Bart
lett of Georgia, James r. Nugent of
New Jersey and Stephen 3. Fleming of
Fort Wayne. Ind
ment was that suffrage, being purely
states right question. the wording of
the majority plank was a presumptuous
recommendation to the states on how to
conduct their celebrates.
Anti-sufYrage delegates on the floor
piled the governor with questions. which
brought out in the answers fresh argu-
ments against the administration plank.
When Gov. Ferguson had finished. the
convention was in confusion, and the
tone of the uproar in the delegate sec
lions was indicative of sympathy with
the opponents of the administration
plank
Senator Stone Under Fire.
When Senator Stone took the speak
ers place to defend the plank he was
mbarded with a running fire of aues-
lions and arguments from delegates on
the floor, which eventually exhausted
the time allotted to him without per-
hitting him to speak ten successive
minutes.
Ant1-SuH uelekdtcS louuIy CHdl-
lenged his references to Gov. Fergu-
sons statements with cries Of That's
not what he said" and That's not fair"
Many delegates openly took the posi-
ton that the question was becoming
much confused by the manner of its
presentation. Finally. Senator Stone
yielded to Senator Pittman of Nevada.
one of the suffrage champions.
The crowd wanted to howl Pittman
down and cried, Vote! Vote :"
Yes. I know you want to vote" Pitt
man shouted at his opponents. You'd
rather do anything else than hear the
truth.
Are you men who are willing to hear
women denounced afraid to hear a man
say something in their behalf? I want to
appeal to you to give your sisters and
daughters and mothers the right to vote"
Whats that got to do with this?" cho-
rused the delegates.
Finally ignoring lesser outbreaks and
shouting above the din and confusion,
Senator Pittman managed to get through
with his speech.
Says President Wants It.
In an impassioned speech. Senator
Walsh swept aside the smaller questions
which had been injected into the fight
and told the delegates that President Will
son himself knew the plank was in the
platform and considered it essential for