Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-01-19
SUFFRAGE BILL
PASSES HOUSE,
By Exact Vote Needed to Adopi
Resolution.
274 FOR AND 1885 AGAINST
Women Count On Presidents
Influence To Overcome
Opposition.

Washington.-Wom suffrage by
Federal constitutional amendment
won in the House with exactly the
required number of affirmative votes.
While members in their seats and
throngs in the galleries waited with
eager interest, the House adopted. by
a vote of 274 to 1876, a resolution pro-
viding for submission to the States
of the so-called Susan B. Anthony
amendment for s~~onal enfranchi~>
ment of women.
But for the promise of Speaker
Clark to cast his vote from the chair
for the resolution if it was needed.
the change of single vote to the
opposition would lave meant defeat.
Republican Leader Mann, who came
from a Baltimore hospital where he
has been under treatment ever since
Congress convened, and Representa-
tive Sims, of Tennessee, just out Of a
sick bed and hardly able to walk to
his seat, brought the votes which set
tied the issue.
The House hardly had adjourned be-
fore the suffrage champions began
their fight for favorable action on the
Senate side of the Capitol. Recent
polls there have indicated that the
necessary two-thirds vote could not
be mustered, but encouraged by the
House victory and counting on the
influence of President Wilson, who
came to their support, the suffragists
hope to bring the Senate into line SO
as to have the amendment before
State Legislatures during the coming
year. They feel sure at least of fore
ing a vote in the Senate before tho
present session ends.
Advocates Of the amendment had
been supremely confident of the result
in the House after President Wilson
advised the members who called upon
him to support i2. They were so con-
fident that the close vote was received
with amazement and some of the op-
ponents were almost as much sur
prised.
When the first call was finished
unofficial counts put the result in
doubt and before the Speaker could
make an announcement. there was
demand for a recapitu!ation. Then
the name of each member and the
way he was recorded was read.
Announcement of the vote was
greeted with wild applause and cheer
ing. Women in the galleries literally
fell upon each others necks, kissing
and embracing, and shouting "Glory,
Glory, Hallelujah!"
Resolution As Adopted
The resolution as adopted follows:
Joint resolution proposing an
United States extending the right Of
suffrage to women. Resolved by the
Senate and House, ETC., two-thirds Of
each house concurring therein, that
the follo::ing article be proposed to
the legislatures of the several states
as an amendment to the Constitution
of the United States, which, when rati-
fed by three-fourths of said legisla-
lures, shall be valid as part of said
Constitutio1-1amely:
Section !. The right of citizens
of the United States to vote shall NOT
be denied or abridged by the United
States or by any state on account of
sex.
"sec. 2. Congress shall have power,
by appropriate legislation, to enforce
the provisions of this article"
OF the total membership of 435 there
were 40 members who voted. Their
lineup follows:
For the resolution, Democrats, 1O4;
Republicans, 165; miscellaneous, 5;
total, 274.
Against the resolution, Democrats,
102; Republicans, 80; Progressive, /;
total, 136.