Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-02
"A Day of Activity for Hughes
Favors Suffrage Amendment
Hughes
Tuesday
Address

1t is an especial pleasure to meet you
this afternoon and to recognize the very
deep interest that you feel in this cam
paign. l am particularly glad to have
the support Of this organization. 1t bears
the name Of a great American. 1t bears
the name Of one who has very recently
brought the whole country to a sense of
its obligation, and aroused very deep
feeling with regard to some of our most
important concerns. I welcome the sup
port of the Roosevelt League.
Women's Attitude
This is a campaign in which I am
sure women cannot fail to take a very
profound interest. They, if there can be
any comparison in such matter. feel
more keenly perhaps than anyone else
with respect to the national honor and
the importance Of it's maintenance to our
proper preparation and our security;
and, further, to that organzat ton in our
life in all it's activities which will give
us in America going forward to meet the
responsibilities which are sure to be upon
US after this war is over.
II note that you represent very
strong feeling with regard to our rela-
ton to American rights in connection
with that war-to our relation to the
maintenance Of American rights in con-
nection with Mexico. We do not wish in
this country to be brought into unneces-
sary conflict. There is not the slightest
danger of that in a just, firm and con-
sistent American policy.
1T is very difficult to satisfy our
friends on the other side. If you say
that the administration has been weak
and vacillating they reply: That is an
old story They knew that before. If
you say they have been lacking in firm
ness and consistency they say: We are
going to be firm and consistent now. We
are looking to the future. and we are
going to turn over new leaf
The Reckoning Time
Now, my friends, this is the reckon
ing time. We are all stockholders in a
great corporation and the balance sheet
is presented in order that We may know
what kind of administration of our af-
fairs We have had. We look over that
balance sheet and we find serious debit
balance, and we do not trust the admin
istrators that have brought it about.
Oe1eSI OF SndTdCIST
"There is an insurable defect of char
acter in the administration with respect
to the weakness and vacillation which
have characterized it; and we cannot ex-
pect Improvement from that source. We
can judge by what has been done and by
what has not been done; and we are here
together under circumstances very unex-
pected to me, to see if we cannot have
a genuine revival of American sentiment
so that we may face the world erect and
prepared.
II explained last night my position with
regard to a very important subject in
which many of you, If not all of you,
are deeply interested. l refer to woman
suffrage; and. as then said. l have come
to the conclusion that the granting of a
vote to women is inevitable. 1 base that
conclusion upon consideration of our
economic conditions.
There may be those who disagree with
that view; but I confess do not under
stand how any candid mind can examine
| the tendencies of our life and reach a
! conclusion that permanently votes will
be denied to women. l think it is impos-
sible.
That being my conviction, l depre-
ciate most deeply sex organizations
based upon sex and not upon the gen.
eral obligations of citizenship borne by
ALL I view with great deal Of mis-
giving a continuation of the agitation,
which I am sure will grow more and
more intense as this movement meets
determined opposition.
As Citizens With Men
Il speak with reference to the Amer
lea of the future, and the great i'm
portance that in our preparedness we
should deal with real powerful issues
and not have our political life side
tracked by a great and determined
movement made by determined oppo-
sition, with regard to the composition
of our electorate. That is a matter
that is fundamental. We must start
with our electorate and then discuss
the matters with respect to which
they are to act according to their con-
victions. And so want to say that
women, if they are to have the vote,
as / believe, ought to come in as citi
zens with men.
Il desire to see them not organized
on sex basis, developing sex antag-
cnism: but with the responsibilities Of
citizens and coming n: as men do. and
in connection with the great ques-
tons Of the day, to exert their power
full influence according to their con-
victions on those questions. And so i
stated that I favored woman suffrage.
Now, did not state last night my
attitude with regard to the Federal
amendment. That matter was not
stated specifically in the Republican
platform. I did not deal with It in
making my formal response to the no
t:fication Of my nomination. Today, in
answer to a telegram from Senator
Sutherland of Utah, stated, that,
consistently with the principle and
view l announced last night, / was in
favor Of the Federal amendment.
II take that position because, reit-
Grating what have already said, II
believe this question should be prompt
" settled. !. see nothing but .danEeE.tQl