Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-06-24
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j. THE SUFFRAGE PLANK.

(. 1--WE recommend the extension :.
i. of franchise TO the women of the =
: country by the states upon the =
= came terms as 70 men," =
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1t was the above little plank that
inspired Gov. Ferguson Of Texas to
mount the platform in the Coliseum
and read a minority report withhold
ing the party support from the ladies
who want the vote. That the Demo
cratic party should scOrn the political
exigencies OF the situation and defy
the u western states in which women
vote was the burden of his argument.
Sharing the same opinion with him
were c. L. Bartlett OF Georgia,
Stephen B. Fleming Of Indiana 'and
| Jim" Nugent of New Jersey, the old
time enemy of President Wilson. This
trio signed the minority report with
the Texan.
Lined up against Gov. Ferguson,
/ who acted as spokesman for the mi
nority, were Senator Stone of Mis-
souri,, Senator Fittman of Nevada and
Senator Walsh of Montana.
Senator Walsh did not mince mat
tiers in his argument for the adoption
Of the suffrage plank He stated plain
~ the adoption of the plank was
necessary as a matter Of political ex-
pediency, adding that the present
political situation in this country was
condition and not theory.
The states in which women vote
control 81 votes in the electoral col
lege," he said, adding significantly,
every political party has declared for
woman suffrage in some way CT other
1t becomes a simple question whether
/ you will incur the enmity of these
. women.
Now, my friends" he continued,
"as late as 1907 there were but two
states west of the Missouri river that
returned Democratic senators and now
we have 10 of them. The question is,
! are you ready to surrender the Is
votes you have in the United States
!; senate and turn them over to your
{ political enemies?"
: In conclusion, Senator Walsh said
that he revealed no secret when he
said President Wilson knew all about
! the suffrage plank.
1.-THE president believes It vital to
Z his success that It stay in the Biat.
FORM" he said. II ask you in all the
! feryor of my soul, who is there wiser
d or more patriotic than he?"
Following Senator Walsh's speech
d Gov. Ferguson was allowed FIVE min
3 utes for rebuttal. The vote was then
1 taken and his minority report voted
y down, after which the original SUI
q frage plank, as approved by the reso
z buttons committee was unanimousl,
4 adopted.
g The Women Delegates.
q The presence of the IS women dele
3 gates at the Democratic convention
d not only added color to the affair. bu
y changed the views CT a number of III.
s. men delegates on the subject of DO
e Utica activity for women. For tn,
8 women delegates were a fine, whole
E some-iocking lot and they fought ius
as enthusiastically for the best inter
q ssts of the party as the men.
be Three OF them, Miss Mary e Fo
e OF California, Mrs. T. S. Talliaferr
r Of Wyoming, and Mrs. ". A. Harri
& of Kansas, spoke before the resoIr
3 tons committee ir favor of the sut
8 frase plank which the National Anne,
s lean Woman Suffrage Association mr.,
8 scented 10 tie cen, ention.
4 One OF the other delegates, Mr,
z Teresa E Graham, Of Idaho. was nop
& mated by the National Democrat d
3 committee TO be one Of the commit 9
D that will notify Vice President M
Z t-all Of his nomination. !