Evening journal., 1918-06-26
THE LONG FIcnr ron WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

agltated FOR It and than million dollars has beer
raised contributed and spent to obtain its passage.
Under several Of the colonial governments women
voted. When the American Constitution framed
women urged that they be included citizens Of the
new republic.
Up to 1878 women in Increasing numbers agitated in
small school house meetings and by neghborhood petit
tions for recognition That year they held the first
large demonstration 'womans rights" convention in
Seneca Falls New York. From then TO the Civil War
they worked in the individual States attempting to have
State laws altered in their favor. When the Civil War
broke sufragss were permitted to give up their
work by the promise Of the men in Congress that when
the justice would be done them"
When the was over they found themselves with
out funds without organization and justice not
done them. To revive interest Miss anthony founded
a woman's magazine which in the days when literary
offerings for her sex were normally called Ladies'
Books" and 'Rosebuds," she named "The Revolution"
The fourteenth and fifteenth amendments passed
and for five years the suragists struggled to
Interpretation Of them that would permit women to vote.
Miss Anthony put the amendment TO the test in 1872 by
going TO the polls and voting She arrested refused
to pay her nne but was jailed for her attempt
Immediately all the efforts Of sunrassts directed
to securing Aother amendment which should apply to
women.
The suffrage amendment in its present FORM which
has been changed FIRST introduced in the Sem
ate by Sargent Of California, in 1875 Il has been in
trOduced thlrty tness reported eleven ana NOleu on
twice n that body. In the Senate vote Of 1887 more
than half Of the house voted mo" The count stood
I6 to 3i In 1911 little than half the house voted
"Yes" the figures standing 35 TO 81.
In both votes the number against 81. and during
these last months Of delay the opponents have again
numbered a. figure which must be reduced by two for
the passage Of the amendment
Every year. for forty years. since the amendment
was introduced have appeared before Congress
demanding their rights. Miss Anthony, in one impas-
stoned appeal after another urged Congress TO take
action and spare women tho waste of strength and
money involved in State campaigns, bn finally learning
that Congress understands only language-v0tes-
sunragsts went into The States and labored TO accumu
late hands the necessary votes TO be heard
in Washington
The National Suffrage Association, under the leader
ship Of Dr. Shaw and Mrs. Gait went from to
in the States abored with The ignorant and foreign by
courageous and daring campaigns and by steady work
from house to house suffrage in twelve states.
When twelve States had enfranchlsed women, Alice
Paul. acting through the Congressional Union, with the
opening of President Wilson's administration in 1912,
began again direct attack upon the national Congress
In these last years suffrage has become recog-
nlzed political ISSUE the subject Of party planks the
topic Of party issue Of party rivalry in the
houses of Congress- and measure made so by the
pronouncement OF The President Of Che nation. Il has
passed the lower house and has arrived at its third vote
in the upper house,
To these results in six years. the Congressional
Union and the Womans Party have spent than
half million dollars. They have oempaigned the
try from Go coast and from the lakes 10 the gulf
They have dramatized their demand by monster process
sions in which thousands OF women walked to the
Capitol; by transcontinenal tours collecting petitions
measured by the mile when they arrived at Congress;
they have organized the first VOTERS political
party with the one plank suffrage for all women" They
have plcketed the White House point out the necessity
of the Presidents support and they have gone 10 Jail
to prove the energy Of their demands and the uness OF
their faith in true democracy.
They have changed President Wilson from a
who said when he took his first oath Of office that "he
had given no thought TO It and had no opinion
woman suffrage" to who declares that the
fun and sincere democratic reconstruction Of the world
which determined 20 bring about at any cost will
not have been completely adequately stalned until
admitted to the suffrage and that only by that
action the nations Of the world realize for the benefit
Of future generations the full ideal force of opinion
the fun humane forces Of action"
During these forty years Of suffrage struggle, the
woman" in changing dependence for independence,
appeal Indirect influence for sellsuneieney and d
rect power has been born. She has made her way In
academies in the professions, in the factories in the
sports Of the field and in the responsibilities of the home
She appeared last in politics and her appearance there
has been bitterly resented and contested Up to the
last men have demanded that she appear to them for
the privilege Of the vote. They have attempted by
every means to suppress her demand for the right
Of enfranchisement.
When the senate passes the amendment she win
have won her fight and many Of the suffrage leaders
feel that ratification is assured. She win have
by her own Efforts her own courage and her own
sacrlces Susan B. Anthony prophesied that American
women would be citizens in 1920 and declared that the
establishment Of her political throne would
be "the greatest Of all revolutions"
Cuffragiste thew pronherv come
true To secure the ratification Of three-fourhs Of the
states they claim will take only the next two years and
that by 1920 they win have brought to end the
luton by which women without shedding drop Of
blood without the Of a weapon have won democracy
for half the human