Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-12
Editorial Comment
The Suffrage Fight Goes On
chr,stian science Monitor.)

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The Suffrage Fight Goes On
christian Science Monitor) -
No argument advanced in favor OF
speedy submission Of the so-callei
Susan B. Anthony amendment to the
United States Constitution has been
| worthy of greater attention by the OPP
ponents of the measure than that which
I held to the certainty of its final success.
| The campaign for woman's political
equality with man in the United states
began exactly 70 years ago. when LII
cretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady STAN
ton called conventions of women to or
ganize for the struggle in Seneca Falis
and Rochester. N. Y. Speedily follow
| ing these gatherings, others OF a like
character were held in Ohio, Indiana,
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. All
of these, in forcible declarations. de-
manded equality of political rights. OF
educational rights. and Of equal COM
pensation with men in the trades and
professions. In 1850 the first national
equal suffrage committee was formed.
with Paulna Wright Davis as president,
Lucy Stone, secretary. and Wendell
Phillips, treasurer. Sixteen years later
the national association was organized
| For So years, then, the organized SUI
fragists Of the ration have been appeal
ing to Washington for relief from I'M
natural and inequitable discrimination
before the Law of the land, constitu-
tional and statutory.
he
date in this summary shall be taken as
the starting leint, the important fact
| is that the movement has made pro-
gress with every stage Of its existence.
1t has not once lost ground. Every
gain made has been held. Three years
after the national organization was
formed, the Territory of Wyoming,
looking forward to statehood. made I'm
| limited and unrestricted political free
tons upon which it would accept that
privilege. Wyoming's demand was &C.
ceded to in 1890, and for q years that
State has been governed jointly. and
governed well. by men and women.
| State after State has since followed
| in the same path, uutil year ago the
movement jumped the barrier of the
| mississippi and won New York. At the
present moment, several states. N the
| Middle West and in the East, are al
most at the point of putting equa. suf-
frage into their constitutions. The fail
| ure of the national Senate to act fav-
orably upon this vital question will give
a new impetus to the suffrage move-
| ment in each Of these states.
The most leplor.ble phase Of the
Senate's refusal to concur with the
House, in RELOCATING the whole question
Of suffrage to the legislatures of the
several states. is that it uslessly post
pones action which, in the very nature
of things, must be taken eventually.
| With every new stat added to the num-
Der committed to suffrage, the number
of representatives and senators pledged
| to submission must grow. It makes no
manner of difference whether the Demo-
cratic party o. the Republican Party
shall be accused of contributing least
toward the success of the measure in
the Senate. or most toward its defeat;
responsibility finally will be made per-
sonal rather than partisan. There is
| nothing in the doctrines or the plat
forms of the great parties that could
| have prevented a senator belonging to
either from voting. the other day. ac-
cording to his Individual inclination and
| Judgment. 1t is presumable that each
| senator voted as he pleased. Indeed.
this is made very clear in the case of
the Democrats who voted in the mega
tive. despite the Presidents request
| that they put personal opinions and
prejudices aside and stand for submits
sion on patriotic grounds.
There is reason for believing that the
equal suffrage question will enter large
| ly into the coming political campaign.
This should not be so. and it would not
have been SO had the necessary two
thirds of the Senate voted for submis-
sion. The question will be forced upon
| the thought of the nation. and perhaps
will be made leading issue. when the
people might easily find plenty Of other
| things of Importance to think and talk
about. and settle. For this state Of at
! fairs those who voted to delay a set
Element Of the suffrage question in a
| way which by this time they must know
| Is unavoidable will have to take the re-
| sponsibility. It Is not fair to lay the
blame upon either of the great parties.