Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1916-09-07

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Sept. eff
the suffragists are to win their fight
for votes for women in this country,
both the federal and state campaigns
must continue unabated in accord
ance with the present policy of the
National American Woman Suffrage
association, Mrs. Raymond Brown of
New York declared in an address here
today at the organizations conven-
tion. Only by united action directed
toward both federal and state leg
islation may the ultimate object be
attained, she said.
Mrs. Brown defended the associa-
tion's policy In three-cornered de-
bate in which her opponents were
Miss Laura Clay of Lexington, KY,
who favored abandoning the federal
fight and concentrating on state cam
paigns, and Mrs. Ida Hustled Harper
of New York. leader of the federal
amendment" forces, desiring that the
state fights be discontinued.
Describing equal suffrage as the
liveliest political issue before the pub
lic." Mrs. Brown alluded to the state
campaigns which have been fought
and won, resulting in a growing num-
ber Of men being elected to congress
by the votes OF the women.
when the last group of states
was won in 1913 and 1914, the federal
amendment came into the immediate
foreground Of national politics." Mrs.
Brown continued, land there is no
doubt it is going to be passed before
many years. When it has been passed
by both houses of congress, however,
the fight has only just begun. Not
a woman will be enfranchised until
it Is ratified by three-fourths of all
the states. This means that it is
Of the utmost importance to
strengthen our state organizations"
The national association, having in.
troduced the federal amendment must
now stand behind it and never cease
working for it. Mrs. Brown declared.
Speaking as the leader of the states
rights force, Mrs. Clay said fighting
for suffrage through seeking national
legislation was difficult and precar-
ious." Abiding to how military CO.
ercion was necessary to make some
of the states ratify the fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments she con.
tinued
1.-THE Susan B. Anthony amendment
is repetition of the fifteenth amend.
ment with the substitution of the word
sex for race, color or previous con-
dition of servitude. Before it can be.
come law it must be ratified by the
legislation of SO states. 1t is hardly
to be supposed that the co-erced states
now will subscribe voluntarily prin-
ciple which they rejected formerly.
I'm view of these enormous differ
ences, added to by the likelihood that
our organization cannot continue it's
advocacy of the Anthony amendment
without involving itself in partisan
politics." Miss Clay concluded, II be,
lieve 1t is wise for our association to
work only for such federal legisla-
tion as does not require from the
states the surrender of any portion
of those rights reserved to them by
the constitution"
Mrs. Harper, as the leader of the
federal amendment forces" declared
that the association should concen
trate on the Susan B. Anthony federal
amendment and the work in the indi
vidual state be discontinued.
W6 nave uOW OUtdlACu CuOu6N
equal suffrage states to make pur
measure national ISSUE" Mrs. Harper
said, "to force its Endorsement by
the platform Of all FIVE of the parties
to persuade a political candidate tc
declare for the federal amendment
which his party was too boss-ridder
to favor. to compel the president ol
the United States to reverse his Owr
attitude completely and defy the plat
form on which he was elected; ant
to wrest from a reluctant congress 6
vote in both houses and to scare II
SO badly that it has resorted to ever,
subterfuge known in that body II
order not to put itself on record agair
before election.
"Have we not now reached a poin
where we can stop these minor at
tacks on our opponents right ant
left wings and march our forces
straight up to the congressional
trenches. where the main body Of th'
enemy lie concealed?"
Mrs. Harper named as opponent
"the corporations, the liquor and othe
vice interests"
NEW GROCERY STORE.
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