Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1917-02-09
CALDWELL
EXPLAINS VOTE.
Speech Delivered By M. Caldwell Before
The Senate on Tie WonaRs Equal
Suffrage Measure.

Reasons for his vote against tne
bill to give the women Of Tonnes
see partial suffrage were given in
the speech delivered by Senator
lD. P. Caldwell before the state
senate Thursday. Senator Cald-
we'll is the representative Of Obion,
Weakley and Lake counties. His
speech was as follows:
Believing that the advocates
of equal suffrage are entitled to
submit to the vote Of the people OF
the state the question Of equal
suffrage to both sexes, we favor
the submission Of this question
to the people for their determine
ton at the ballot box" SO says
the platform.
Il regret | cannot see my way
clear to vote for this bill, and if
the senate will bear with me, !
shall try and present .some Of my
reasons in a plain, common, sense
way.
| hold my commission as a
senator by reason Of the support
Of my party which assembled in
convention in this city last May,
and in a declaration Of principles.
as to what particular legislation it
favored, said it was in favor of the
submission OF this question oil full
and complete suffrage to our wo.
men to a vote of the people. 1t
failed to say even in an advisory
way that the legislature might
piecemeal this grave question, and
on its own initiative give the wo-
men limited suffrage for federal
and municipal Offices. This con-
vention was one Of the greatest
conventions the state democracy
ever held, and from it, dates the
complete unifcation Of the party.
Nor has the national democratic |
party gone on record for any
measure Of this character, further
than referring it back to the states
to settle as they thought best, and
our state platform says by q vote
Of submission to the qualified
voters OF the state. An amend
ment was proposed in the legisla-
ture Of 1915 and again to be voted
on in this legislature-will get the
issue squarely before the people
SO why piecemeal this question,
for if our women are competent to
WELD the ballot for federal and
Offices, she is certainly
to vote in a state elec-
ion. Then why not let her wait
patiently, until the whole matter
comes before the people on popu-
ar vote in which she asks for full
and complete suffrage?
why should democratic legis-
AZURE wish to shoulder this legis. :
alton on their own initiative, with
open disregard Of our party's pro-
1ouncement in convention on this ]
grave question? Why should we Y
yet ourselves up in judgment
against our party platform as to !
he proper method Of procedureY /
The democratic platform is my
hart on this, as well as other
srave questions, and | must vote
accordingly, | am expressing no
opinion on the merits OF this
Questionable wisdom or unwis-
lom-of clothing her with the t
lights of limited or full suffrage;
he time for that is when the
question is submitted, but | do :
ay if she is qualified for limited i
uffrage, such as this bill extends
o her, she certainly would be fully 1
and qualified to vote in =
ny state election. But | want .
be question forever settled in the |
7ay our last state democratic d
lattorm declared to be the fair +
nd proper way. Until my party
axes a more advanced position on = :
ais question, | refuse to be a b
loses-or a myrtyr, and 20 W
lrther than my party has done " "
D my own responsibility-con. al