Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-03
SUFFRAGISTS AND ANTS
SET FORTH ARGUMENTS ON
VOTES FOR WOMEN ISSUE

man Suffrage, today issued a state
ment containing arguments as to why
pledges IA favor OF equal suffrage in
the Republican and Democratic plat
forms should be kept and a suffrage
amendment be adopted by the pres
ent legislature 10 give the vote TO
women Of Delaware:
I'm order that the neonle in this
community shall have full knowledge
OF the reasons why the suffragists are
hopeful Of the success Of their Amend
nent through the present LEGISLATURE,
! will ask you to give space to the fol.
lowing excerpts from a speech deal
ing with party endorsements, OF
pledges. by Chief Justice walter
Clark, OF Raleigh, North Carolina, and
smother on the same subject from
Professor Charles ]. Beard, Profess
eor OF Political Science, IN Columbia
College. New York:
When the Democratic Convention
met at st. Louis. the Captains OF the
Hosts had become aware that as to
81 electoral votes the women could
control the choice Of President. They
also knew that the Republican Party
had recently pledged itself TO Equal
Suffrage resolution to pledge the
party to Equal Suffrage. in the UNI
enfranch'scd States. was introduced.
and when II met opposition. II was
stated from the pratform that Presi-
dent Wilson had drawn that plank
with his own hand. and deemed its
adoption 'csseniai 90 his oucce g. a. 4
requested its passage After the Ma
tional Republican Convention en-
dorsed Equal Suffrage. II would have
defeated Mr.. Wilson I'm all the twelve
States In which women have Equal
Suffrage 10 have gone before them
without the same pledge I'm the Dem
ocratic platform. Can either party
ropudiae its pledge to Sudrage? rhls
pledge was given not hv nm Wroii0nal
mob. but calmly and deliberately, be-
cause 10 was deemed necessary to Sc
cure the majority Of those 81 votes
No one believes that a great party can
stand in the attitude Of obtaining
goods under false pretenses. Years
ago a President was elected by par
~ on q platform containing q pledge
After the election by the enormous
influence of the lobby. backed by GER
ain great financial interests, the
pledge was broken by Congress, and
The President promptly denounced the
act as party perfidy and dishonor."
These we're words that blistered and
burned and that party was defeated
M the next election ] saw ih1t G.
pledge for Equal Suffrage was not
only put In this platform to secure
The electoral votes OF the twelve Equal
Suffrage States, but that q q secure
The electoral votes in 10 Of them, and
gave the election to Mr.. Wilson. There
Rave been instances OF men who made
promises 20 women and then thought
{ a Joke TO deceive them, but the
world has never held such to be hon
orahR men. IL is true that This pledge
waa for Suffrage to Women on the
same terms as men, by State Action,
Il is only such action that can be
taken by the Legislature OF North
Carolina land Delaware) II Is true
thot he Republican Party did not re-
ceive the goods. II did not obtain the
Presidency. The Women I'm the SUI
frago States preferred to believe the
leaders who told them that Mr.. VII
son had gone TO New Jersey to regis
ter and to vote for suffrage, that the
plank in the Democratic platform In
their favor had been drawn by his
own hands and that Mr. Hughes had
never voted for the measure in his
own state. Still It is the doctrine OF
the Republican Party. and must so re-
main tin another convention shall
change &C. and more than that. when
the next election comes on for .Presi-
dent there will not only be 81 cleo
toral votes from states I'm which wo-
men vote. but there viii be many
more. and neither the Republican Par
" nor the Democratic Party can az.
ford to 20 into another Presidential
election without q pledge TO enfran
,hise the women i'm the unredeemeS
States. II any shall remain at tina
time There will be other elections
and those who have broken faith al
TO their pledges ir 'his election vii
fnd Il hard to be credited wit
pledges then. No party can hence
forth elect a President who rs rot p
advocate OF Equal Suffrage. AZ tn
Democratic Party has pledged itsel
for Equal Suffrage by state Action' n
member OF the Legislature who STAND
bv the platform Of his party can vot
against IT. The same is true OF tn
Republican members OF the Leigsla
lure. for that party. too, is pledged I
EouaI Suffrage by state Action. Thes
hedges we're put I'm the respecuy
marty platforms, as a bid for the y
electoral votes IN the States wher
women voted, and to repudiate tina
pledge would prove insincerity an
an attempt 20 obtain the Presidenc
under false pretenses.'
professor Charles Beard says o
the same situation:
Moreover. how are the Eester
Republican leaders going to meet tn
demand OF the Ea tern WON IN 80
State Legislative action granting
Pre- idental suhrage2 Are thew 90
ing 10 say. oh, come now, you know
that platform plank was not oui
honest opinion, but designed 10 catcl
W es IN the present SURFACE states
Surely they would not want teacher
Df Government and politics in GU
schools and colleges whom they ca
upon TO uphold American institution
10 be forced to record. that wise. hol
orable, and responsible gentlemen.
whose keeping the fortunes Of our b
loved country are so largely ca
have sresorted to immoral SUFFERING
for temporary gain. And what Of Z
Democrats, the party OF Jefferson, I
party Of equal rights TO all and 81
eial privileges to none, the party Il