The review., 1916-06-22


Minority Report on Suffrage Amend
ment-Senator Stone After 80 Sleep
less Hours Asked Senators Walsh
and Hollis to Read the Platform
Which Was Adopted and the Con
vention Adjourned.
st. Louis.-The Democratic Nation
al Convention finished its work Friday
by adopting the platform exactly as
approved by President Wilson and sub.
mitted by the resolutions committee,
includin gthe plank on Americanism
and that favoring woman suffrage, bu4
not until the harmony of it's three days
sessions had been disturbed with a row
over the suffrage plank.
No voice was raised against the
vigorous declarations of the Ameri-
canism plank, but at one time it look
ed as If the suffrage plank had been
lost. And Senator Walsh of Mon
tana had told the convention that
President Wilson himself considered
it vital to party success, however, it
was voted into the platform by bal
lot of 88S 1-2 to 181 1-2 The entire
platform then was adopted without
roll cain.
Plank on Americanism.
The plank on Americanism con-
demns the activities of all persons,
groups and organizations in the Uni
ted States that conspire to advance
ho int of
Thorough preparedness on land and
sea against unexpected invasion and
the joining of the United States with
other nations to assist the world in.
securing settled peace and justice"
are urged.
On the Mexican question, the plat
form asserts that American troops
should remain in Mexico until the
restoration of law and order there,
and asserts that Intervention is ere
voting" to the people of the United
States.
Other planks declare for mer-
chant marine, good roads, conserva-
uon and improved conditions for the
farmer.
AS it went into the platform the
suffrage plank stands:
I'VE favor the extension of the
franchise to the women of this coun-
try, state by state, on the same terms
as to the men,"
The woman suffrage leaders con-
sidered it a much more favorable dec
laration than they got from the Re-
publican convention at Chicago; they
threw all their force behind it and
won the support of the administra-
tion leaders who were found fighting
for them when danger threatened.
Haggard and worn from an all
night session the platform-makers
were not ready with their report until
in the afternoon when Senator Stone,
sleepless for more than 80 hours, took
the speakers stand and explaining
that he was too tired to read the docu-
ment, gave over this task to Senator
Walsh, of Montana, and Senator Ho1-
lis, of New Hampshire, who took
turns reading the long declaration.
The fight on the suffrage plank was
in the air. Everybody was keyed up
to it and when at the conclusion of
the reading of the platform, Martin |
Lomasney, of Boston, a delegate, |
claimed the attention of the chair, it |
was thought he was opening the fight. |
1t was several minutes before the !
shouts of APPROVAL and disapprovaq |
could be stilled sufficiently to hear |
that he wanted to put the son on
record as sympathizing with the peo-
pie of Ireland
"Raus NIT him." roared a Balti-
more delegate and the convention hall
rocked with laughter.
Gov. Ferguson Starts Flight.
The real fight broke Immediately
after, however, when Governor FNergu-
son of Texas, who headed the minor
ty report against the administration
plank, was given 80 minutes in which
20 present it.
The plank offered by the minority
N0s:
The Democratic party always has
stood for the sovereignty of the sew
,ral states in the control and erg11la.
ion of elections. We reaffirn the
historic position of our party IN this
'egard and favor the continuance ~
hat wise provision of the Federal
constitution, which vests in the sev.
raj states in the control and reeula.
o prescribe the qualifications of their
electors"
BESIDES Governor Ferguson. the re-
'oTT was signed by former Repreaen.
aG1ve Charles 7. PartloAh - n.~- | ,