Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-20
Woman Suffrage and States Rights

THERE is no reason for Democratic dis
appointment, whatever views of the gen.
eral subject may be held by individual Demo-
Gratis. over the refusal Of the st. Louis con-
Vention to indorse suffrage for women by
national constitutional amendment. The
convention urged the States severaly TO
place men and women on voting equality;
that is quite as far Democratic conven-
ton. which holds to Democratic principles,
is entitled to go, and decidedly further than
The rimes-Dispatch thinks it should have
gone.
Whether woman suffrage is blessing or
delusion. the States. i'll Democratic theory,
retain the right TO decide for themselves the
qua lifcations Of voters. In the South large
additions of unframed masses, including un-
trained masses of negro women, to the cleo
torate, in connection with the unwillngness
OF the great ma orty OF white women to
assume the responsibility Of the ballot would
present grave difficulties and render a prob
lem already dangerous. still more COM
picated
But even this serious is the menace in
volved. is not the principal objection. State
control OF the suffrage is of the very essence
of State rights Only once in the history of
the country-and then when war had de-
throned justice and throttled the Southern
people-has this right been infringed II
the Constitution is amended to confer the
ballot women, it proha bly,. or at least
possibly. will be amended to overthrow the
whole structure OF suffrage and election laws
which the South has erected to safeguard
its civilization. Against that hare posi-
bility. against any and every entering wedge
of dissolution. the South protests. and must
continue to protest.
The plank adopted at ST. Louis is just as
strong as, if not stronger than the plank
adopted by the Republicans at Chicago. The
method ii advocates for comforting on women
the doubtful boon OF suffrage is good Demo
cratic doctrine. The right to vote. save as
1t is affected by the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments to the Constitution, has always
been for the States to confer or withhold
1t is not dependent citizenship. for in
several OF the States including some of the
woman suffrage States. aliens who have de-
c!ared their intention to become naturalized
are entitled 10 the ballot.
There is A threat from some of the mill
tants TO seek to punish Democratic candi-
dates for the refusal OF the convention to
throw overheard a cardinal principle of the
Democratic faith. If this threat proceeds
from real disappointment. and is honestly
inspired and intended, ii ought to apply far
more to the Republican than to the Demo
cratic party, for the Democratic party no
longer will be Democratic when 1t strips the
States of right necessary to their protection
and seli-preservation.
II the States desire TO give women the
ha Hot. that Is their affair II the Democracy
OF the nation wants TO urge that this be done,
that is its affair, but the party of Jefferson
and Jackson, unless il would be false to its
whole tradition, must stop right there If
we can have woman suffrage by nationa |
constitutional amendment, then we can have
universal suffrage for men and women in
exactly the same way Every qualification
now established by any Commonwealth can
he destroyed. When that time comes-if il
ever comes-most of us now living in the
South will want to depart and establish our
residence in some other cline