Evening journal., 1917-02-16
SUFFRAGISTS URGE
SOLONS FOR Ballot
Continues From Page onel


Representatives Green, DAILY. Gregg /
and Cross support tho bin I'm cont !
mittee. while Nessrs. Loose, Marvel (
and Pritchett opposed IL.
Mrs Florence Bayard Hllles ana
Miss Anna II. McCue, OF Philadelphia.
were the speakers. and urged passage
OF the suffrage bills. Mrs. Hilles
was tho first speaker.
Mrs. HilIes Says Parties Favor II.
I'VE come before you. gentlemen"
Mrs Hilles said. making plea for
Justice on behalf OF the women or
Delaware. A few years ago Ques-
tiOnaire was sent among the states
asking who were unfranchised. Della
ware answered criminals, insane per
sons. aliens and women. That IS the
classification for the women Of Dela-
ware, and the State ought not be very
proud OF the classification.
1--WE believe the State should quail
ify us as citizens. Last year was the
first time that every political party
put in the platform a plank for equal
suffrage. Our national delegates 10
the political conventions tndorsed
those platforms. When It came TO
the State conventions, however, IN
the Republican platform there was
an equal suffrage plank, which was
taken out and laid on the shelf. The
person who took it out has since been
laid on the shelf himself. In view OF
the pledges that have thus been
made under party Endorsement every
man elected to this legislature Is
/ pledged to support equal suffrage.
"ln 1916 President Wilson wrote
his own platform which recommended
the enfranchisement Of women by
the States. The Republican platform
favored the extension OF the franchise
to women as a measure OF justice.
! recognizing however, tho right OF
each State TO settle tho matter for
itself.
IF a toll were taken in the State
honestly or dishonesty, more women
would say no, they do not want the
right Of suffrage than would say yes
but as a question of principle and
right of self government, if one wo-
Imam i'm Delaware wants the right 10
vote she ought TO have it. The federal
and State constitutions provide i'm the
preamble that all men are created
free and equal. while tho fourteenth
amendment TO the federal constitution
stipulatcs that all persons who are
born or become naturalized IN the
United States are citizens OF the
United States and of the State in
which they reside.
"Three OF the best dictionaries agree
that citizen is a person who has Z
right to vote. No State should ahridg'
this right or dery the right TO life
liberty and the pursuit 'Of happiness
nor should il deny any of its citizeni
the full measure OF protection to whicl
they are entitled"
In conclusion Mr.. Hires said
"All we want is a square deal. w
want to bring the point of view OF IN
mother into law. DO you know tina
| 80 per cent. of the prisoners in IN
p State are men and only 10 per cen
: of them women, and that 80 Der cen
I OF those in the churches are womo
4 and 10 per cent. men?"
!. Mrs. Flllles spoke against the reiere
!, dunn measure for suffrage introduced
y the Senate by Senator HofecSer, al
/, said tho last thing the advocates of su
l. frage want is q question of referendum
3. "1f you put a referendum on US.
!, have no doubt, as we are in III
a. trenches, we will fight. but we don
= want it." said Mrs. Hilles. She spok
: OF going into the streets 10 max
). speeches many times when she di
: not like IL. but added that she woul
}. continue until the women of IN
e country are given their political lib
e erty. You have in your power, ger
tlemen, to set free politically the VIC
men Of the State" she said.
Mrs. Hilles referred TO the can
vass that is being made through tn
State by opponents OF the cause an
. said she had many reports that th
| / canvassers are using the name OF tn
government in making the canvas
and in many instances sign the card
themselves without the women car
10 vassed knowing what is signed.
4 Miss Anna II. NlcCue, of Philadelph
4 known as the "Factory Girl Orator
st who worked in the hosiery mills
AZ Philadelphia for eleven years, and vi
has been lobbying in behalf of the b
n for several weeks followed Mrs. Hilles
nj Miss AicCue said in part:
& "Ihe -suffragists are constant
"a claiming that women viii have 10 81
r. up tho privileges they now possess
IN they are allowed TO vote. What priv
leoes have the working women viii
=, they will lose If they are allowed
~ vote. The only privilege they have
~ YOU call IL such, is the one OF workll
long hours. under unsanitary conditio
and for starvation wages. VIII givi
- her the vote take any Of these aw'
- from herr
- They ignore the fact that the on
20 States where the hours of women al
- limited to eight per day and for s.
~ days in the week are States whel
' women vote.
The States OF Washington, Cal
fornia. Arizona and Colorado all hay
a forty-eight hour working week Il
Mt women. Would this be loss or
is gain to the working women OF Del
he ware? The only States in the umt
SIS where they are obliged by laws
pay a woman living wage are Stat
IL where women vote. The empioye
on of the State Of Oregon after failu
he to have the minimum wage law q
M clared unconstitutional have broug
in the case down TO the Supreme Cou
re OF the United States.
lb- No Chivalry in Industry.
I'VE are told by our opponents IN
al men viii not be as chivalrous TO
ne