The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-12
SUFFRAGE F|GH1l WON. "
PRESIDENT WILSON THROWS HIS
INFLUENCE IN FAVOR OF
AMENDMENT.
Advises Congressman to Vote for Con-
situiOnal Amendment Granting
Suffrage to WOmen--Believed That
This VIII Insure Passage.

Washington, Jan. 9.-Presdent
Wilson tonight threw his support to
the federal amendment for woman
suffrage. On the eve of q vote on
suffrage in the house IL Democratic
members called at the White House
with word that many of their col
leagues wanted advice from the head
of their party as tos the position they
should take. There was a conference
OF 40 minutes, the result of which was
described in this statement, dictated
by the president himself and made
public by the delegation
The committee found that the
president had not felt at liberty to
volunteer his advice to members of
congress in this important matter but
when we sought his advice he very
frankly and earnestly advised us to
vote for the amendment as an act of
right and justice for the women Of the
country and of the world"
In these few lines suffrage cham
pions saw certain victory where a few
days ago most of them privately were
conceding defeat. large majority or
the Republicans in the house have
been counted upon to support the
amendment and enough Democrats
are committed to insure close vote.
With the weight of the presidents ir-
fluence to line up doubtful Demo
Gratis Representative Parker chair
man Of the suffrage COMMITTEES, jubi-
lantly predicted tonight that the ne
cessary two-thirds would be exceeded
by Is or 90 votes
Opponents of suffrage were claim
ing safe margin against the amend
ment during the day in spite of init
nations from the suffragists that a
trump card yet was 10 be played
There were no formal predictions
from the opponents tonight but tire.
mendous fight is promised.
The news Of tho presidents actor
came as complete surprise to nearly
everybody in the capital. Until nov
in all public utterances the presiden
has held to the view that suffrage wa.
q question to be determined by thu
individual States and not by fedora
action.
No statement was forthcoming from
the White House tonight to explain
his present stand. Members Of con
gress who participated in the con
:. ference, however, said the president
told them he still believed that the
proper and orderly way of dealing
with the question was to permit each
State to take it's own action but in
view of conditions now existing in the
United States and the world general,
he felt free to advise submission Of q
federal amendment to the States.
In emphasizing this point he is said
to declare that the United States as a
leader in the great family of nations
can not disassociate itself from the
family and can not be reactonary or
any great world question. When his
callers talked Of the State rights is
sue the president is said to have told
them he did not feel that this comp1i-
Gated the situation at all; that suffra ge
was policy and not a principle He
pointed out that the federal constitu
ton now deals with the qualifica-
tons of electors and prescribes the
qualification Of those entitled to vote
for members Of congress.
All of the members who went 10
the White House were Democrats and
most of them supporters Of the
amendment, but there were several
uncommitted. In the delegation were
Representatives Baker, Taylor, Bark
ley and Cantrill, Hayden, Gregg and
Jones (Texas) Ayers, Caraway,
Mayes, Linthicum and Brumbaugh.
After Mr.. Baker had explained the
object of the call each told the presi-
dent Of the situation in his State. One
said the presidents advice would aid
him in determining the question and
that many others were similarly situ-
ated.
The president is said to have re-
piled that while he had felt il was
not proper to send for members or to
volunteer his advice he was glad of
the opportunity that the visit of the
delegation gave him. He indicated
that he had not felt at liberty to go
beyond the party platform which had
declared woman suffrage to be q
State issue. until changed conditions
made it necessary.