Evening star., 1916-12-07

against .he imposition of political
duties upon women we know we voice
the majority of the women Of the
| There have been women's parties
and peace parties recently, but we ac-
| cept the name that one of our leading
| opponents has given us. namely, the
| home, heaven and mother party. We
are proud to accept that title. We
do believe that woman has more power
| in uplifting civilization through the
home than man has through his vote.
I'm this convention we do most
earnestly protest against federal
amendment for woman suffrage upon
| the demand of the minority of women.
we assert that the fundamental princi-
| pie of democracy-majority rule
should be applied to the campaign Of
votes for women. After sixty-fve
years of organized effort woman suf-
frage is a minority movement. The
assumption that a minority has the
/ right to dictate to the unwilling or
Indifferent majority does not belong to
a democracy"
Emotion and Radicalism Alleged.
She continued: THE conservative suf-
fragists have never been able to con-
troll the organized emotion and radical
ism in their ranks. Under our form of
government there Is great danger that
such an element might cripple wise
legislation.
our creed. We anu-suffragists stand
for the conservation of the best of
American womanhood in all conditions
and stations of life. for the preserva-
tion of the home, for the retention Of
the best ideals of preceding generations
adapted to the advantages and oppor-
tunities given to them under modern
conditions.
We believe that women. according
to their leisure, opportunity and ex-
perlence, should take part increasingly
in civic and municipal affairs, as they
have always done in charitable. philan-
thropic and educational activities. And
we believe that this can be done best by
woman without the ballot, as nom
partisan body Of disinterested workers."
Views of Former Senator Root.
The legal and legislative view of why
the women, convened in their first ma
tional convention, are against woman
suffrage for the nation was brought out
in former Senator Roots paper, read by
Miss Chittenden, president Of the New
York State Association Opposed to
Woman Suffrage.
Mr. Roots opinion in part. follows:
II am against having the Constitution
of the United States amended SO as to
impose woman suffrage on the states
which do not wish for 1t, not merely or
chiefly because my Judgment does not
approve of woman suffrage. but for a
much more vital reason.
IF the people of the state of New
York were to vote for woman suffrage
should think they had made mis-
take. but mistake which they had a
right to make-one of those mistakes
which are inevitable in the process of
developing free self-government. II.
however, some other state or combina-
compel and does compel the state Of
New York, against its will, to employ
woman suffrage in carrying on its gov
eminent, that is no step in the exercise
of self-government: 1t Is pro tanto de-
struction of the right of self-government
and a subsection Of the people of New
York to the government of others. That
is what the proposed amendment seeks
to accomplish.
"Better Part Of Liberty" Involved.
without the right Of local self-gov-
ernment we should lose the better part
of our liberty. This country Is so vast
the differences in climate. In pnysicai
characteristics, in capacity FOR pro-
duction, in predominating industries
and in the resultant habits Of living
and thinking. are SO great that there
are necessarily wide differences or view
as iect 10 any NY section Of the country in its
local affairs to the dictation Of the vast
multitude of voters living In otner
narts of the country would create
cpondition OF intolerable tyranny. and
to use the power Of the nation to bring
about that condition would be to make
the nation an instrument OF tyranny.