Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-28
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1917.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1917.
SPLITTING HAIRS ON THE SUFFRAGE DEFEAT.
IF A. ploases Mrs Florence Bayard Hllos state Chair
4 man Of the Congressional Union for Woman suf-
frage 10 split hairs when discussing the rebu0s that
abe and her associates have suffered at the hands OF
the Delaware Legislature, have objection TO her
iudulgng in that pastme. Such indulgence her
part however does prevent feeling that the
time thus spent might be used by her TO better adj
vantage along broad-guage discussion OF the Suffrage
question. What mean by the above may be CLEANED
by perusa OF the following letter which we have
received from Mrs Hilles and 10 which gladly give
space
TO the Editor Of THE EVENING JOURNATc
Sr-Your editorial Of February "a entitled. "rhe
Defeat of Women Suffrage" and beginning Delaware
Sunragsts have lost their fight" leads me to ask
for space for few words on the subject Woman SUI
irage is not defeated You cannot defeat something
that does not exist 10 the amendment TO get It
that defeated Regarding the statement that Del
Suifragists have lost their fight" the members
OF the Congressional Union do feel that we have
lost our fight We have called the bluff" OF the
party endorsements, and have shown concusvey that
neither Republicans nor Democrats have much on each
other when It comes TO breaking party pledges.
The federal amendment. which Is the goal OF the
Congressional Union has greater value today because
Of the action OF the General Assembly.
happened TO be In Dover weeks ago and wit
messed the mock ceremony Of coNoning and adjourn
ing the House, Ca proceeding which continued for
weeks rand IS said TO have cost the state thousands
OF dollars at conservative estimated which took
place in five minutes with only two members to
the roll call but the minister asked blessing on
all assembled and for Divine guidance OF the affairs
on state and country, and prayed over an imaginary
ASSEMBLY Just as he did days later when the deadlock
broken and all S5 members there. was
impressed with the mocery and hypocrisy of the whole
proceeding, and found myself wondering how Justice
could be gotten out of Assembly where honor and
good feeling seemed TO have so little place
Later, when the deadlock broken and the As
sembly really did convene and after the prayers
gone over there passed resolutions OF
fealty 10 the President of the United states in the
Legislators pledged" themselves, just they did in
1915 regarding the party platforms to stand by the
President in Of What have the
people OF Delaware to put faith in these pledges? It is
just easy to break one another; besides, some
OF these have also broken their individual prom
iSes OF support to our amendment thereby showing
the little value they set given word of honor.
nor has Suffrage been defeated" The Delaware As
semby has failed and through their failure every
loyal Sufragst realizes the necessity for a cheerful
heart and steady work If the Delaware men will not
enfranchse the Delaware women men and women Of
the United States WILL and the result OF this leg
slative action Suffrage has not in any way dis
courased us. We shall so right on and we shall win
Yours
FLORENCE BAYARD EuLLEs.
State Chairman.
wilmington, Del February 81. 1917
We do not think that anything Mrs. Hiles has
written above will change IN the minds of the Della
people the plain. everyday opinion that the
House defeated the House Woman Suffrage bill Il was
defeat for woman Suffrage; and that when the Sem
defeated the Senate Woman Suffrage BILL II was
another defeat for woman suffrage. Not necessarily
nnal defeats in two fields of action but defeats
just the The future must decide whether they
are retrevable or irretrievabe defeats our candid
opinion is that they retrievable and that sooner
later the of Delaware VIII be onfranchsod.
The period OF waiting will not be shortened how
ever, by such hair-splitting as Mrs Hnles has in
duged in, or by her action in ignoring wholly the
concluding paragraph OF the editorial TO which she re-
! iers, which was follows:
"Anti-suhraeists are iubant They have valid right
TO be They supplied 10 the House by utterance and
canvass the excuse for doing what it did against the
a"enument H. however they fatter themselves that
uo nsn' rs ended. they doubtless will find themselves
s uu'n mistaken II past experience counts for
new campaign WIN "" ui'''
phrase: way or para
Eyes, Mrs Hnes. the surr.,,.,.
Suffrage has been defeated to tho $50 .eled and
get through the Delaware Legislature ~. o nshl 10
bill providing for suffrage amendn,o,, t session
stitution. Dress 1t IN whatever oral rarb - e Con
defeat, but we have said before No, W. II IS
irretrieyabe defeat. We said in that editori, my
past experience counts for anything the nay
already at work on their campaign and yo,r 49,
ter bears out the assertion"
Mrs Hiles and her associates have worked rolo,i,
and unselhshly achieve victory for Suffrage in Dela
They have had full talk full leave 1,
print and full leave to appear by delegation before
The members OF the Legislature and urge their cause
For varying chiefly political no doubt the,
have failed TO win to their side in either branch o
the Legislature the two-hirds needed for success
fact IN neither house did they win the support OF I
majority OF the whole membership. IT is only natural
therefore that they feel aggrieved especially when