The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-06-17
But Democrats Finally
Adopt One and Then
Adjourn
SUFFRAGE PLANK
CAUSES EXCITEMENT
Substitute offered by Minority Com
mittee Finally Voted Down After
Lively Session-vermont Delegation
Voted SohdIy Against Substitute.

ST. LOUIS, June 1.-The Demo
cratic nationol convention finished its
work yesterday afternoon b. adopting
the party platform exactly Us approved
by President Wilson and submitted by
the resolutions committee, including
the plank on Americuuism and that ia
voring woman suffrage, but not I'M
til the harmony of its three days stay
had been disturbed with q row over
the suffrage plank.
No voice was raised against the Wig
orous declarations of the Americanism
plank, but at one time it looked as if
the suffrage plank had been lost. AT
ter Senator Walsh of Montana had told
the convention that President Wilson
himself considered it vital to party
success, however. it was voted into
the platform by ballot Of ssSl2 to
lIS11a. The entire platform then was
adopted without roll cali.
As it went INTO the platform the suf-
/ trage blank stands:
GIVE favor the extension Of thu
! franchise 10 the women OF this
country. state hy state, on the same
| terms as to the men
The woman suffrage leaders consider
| ed it {, much more favorable declaration
| than they got from the Republican con
lvcntion at Chicago; they threw al
their force behind it. and won the sup
port Of the administration leaders WHO
were found fighting Tor them when
danger threatened.
The fight broke when GOV. Ferguson
Iof Texas. who headed the minority re
port against the administration pIanE
was given 80 minutes i'll which to pre-
sent it.
was:
Tho Democratic party always has
stood for the sovereignty of the scVera
Estates in the control aGd regulation o
ielections. We reaiIirm the historic po
sition of our party III this regard an'
favor the continuance Of that wise pro
Vision Of the Federal Constitution
(which vests in the several states of tn
union the power TO prescribe the quail
iGcations of their electors.
Besides GOV. Ferguson, the repor
Twas signed by former Rcprescntativ
Bartlett Of Georgia. James \. Nugen
of New Jersey and stephen b. Flcmin.
of Fort Wayne, Ind.
The burden of GOV. Ferguson 5 argu
ment was that suffrage being purely
state 5 rights question. the wording @
the majority plank was Presumption
recommendation to the states on how
to conduct their clcctoratcs.
The vote of the New England dele
gates on adopting the minority repor
on the suffrage plank was as follows
Connecticut, IL no, l yes; Maine. nc
s not present; Massachusetts, Is yes, ,
Ino: New Hampshire, l yes, no; Rhod
Island. 9 no, / yes; Vermont, no.
A As defeat of the amendment by
? vote Of SS915 to 1917 was announce
, there was a demonstration led by tn
: women.
, Chairman James then ordered
viva yoee vote in adoption of the pli
form. Delegate Lom&sucy Of Mass;
chusctts objected and Chairman jaime
put the question a second time. TIL
roar of ayes approved the party dccls
ration.
After Chairman James had deela1
ed the platform adopted former Repre-
sentative Palmer moved that the cor
vention adjourn sine die, and upon
, viva voce vote Chairman James at 81
clock banged his gave, for the finale
The delegates rushed for the exit
and filed out to the strains of ''Or
ward, Christian Soldiers
In the last hundred years Grea
{ IOx;+ I,o- n