Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-03
Circulation Every 1O700
Evening Yesterday ALSOO
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3. 1918.
Why They So Voted.

In the vote OF the Equal Suffrage
Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, taken in the United States
Senate, Tuesday afternoon, both Senators
from Delaware, Mr. Salisbury and Mr..
Nolcott, voted in the negative And this.
too, in the face OF a personal appeal from
the President Of the United States 10 his
fellow Democrats and fellow Senators IN
Congress. to vote IN favor Of the amend
ment
In view Of this powerful influence, il
required the exercise Of a large amount OF
personal independence on the part of
Dclaware's two Senators both Demo
Gratis and ardent supporters of the Wilson
adniristration-to vote as they did on
this important public question. But they
arc entirely justified by reason of the
political conditions that prevail in the
State they 50 creditablv represent in the
United States Senate, in voting as they
did on this question
Local conditions arc bound 70 influence
the actions and the votes Of men IN re-
sponsible public positions There is no
getting away from them. And local CON
ditions in Delaware. no doubt, actuated
Senator Salisbury and Senator Wolcott
In voting against an amendment 10 the
Constitution which would confer upon
women the privilege of franchise,
Calmly and deliberately considered
there can be no dissent from the con
cIusion that women are justly entitled to
every right and privilege that men enjoy
under the administration Of law IN tins
or any other country That is self
evident fact which cannot be evaded
But, as We have said, local considerations
may override the justice Of this situation
and lead those in power TO vote differently
Such conditions exist in the State OF
Delaware We have here in our midst,
duly enfranChlSed and clothed with the
power OF voting at our elections. from
twelve TO fifteen thousand nr-ic Negroes
Al each recurring election these colorcd
citizens, vested with the same right Of
independent voting that attaches to white
cr1IzenS, insist upon voting a certain
ticket the Republican ticket regard
less OF the character OF candidates or the
ISSUES involved in the campaign. With
equal suffrage. this Negro vote, q solid
and unvarying asset of the Republican
party, regardless Of an other considera-
tons, would be duplicated
Now, think of the result Delaware,
with all the power Of political machinery
and election arrangements that is vested
IN the Republican party with the great
political influence Of all the twelve TO
fifteen thousand male Negro voters that
constitute an absolutely certain asset of
that party, IS what may Toe called a de-
batahle State. The normal Republican
majority is between two and three thou
sand, which may easily be overcome in a
contest where the public conscience of the
State should be arraigned against the
ruling political power But, with equal
suffrage, add to that sohd phalanx of
twelve to fifteen thousand male Negro
voters, intent upon voting simply to cast
a Republican ballot. the votes of an equal
number of Negro women, and what would
be the result?
The State Of Delaware would be as
hopelessly Republican as the State OF
Vermont The Democratic party would
never have look in at the biennial
general elections
This situation. We take it. is the ex-
PLANTATION of the votes Of Senator Sauls-
bury and Senator Nolcott against the
Equal Suffrage Amendment to the Federal
Constitution, even against the urgent
appeal of the President It's adoption
would have meant the political enslave-
ment of their State With equal suffrage,
neither OF them would have the remotest
possibility of reelection And more than
that, il may be said that the material
interests of the State. when we consider
the existing conditions, would he seriously
marred, not improved, b. the extension
of suffrage 10 women There are MANY
q. III
clothed with the privilege Of suffrage,
vote as conscIeDtiously and as indie
pendently, and with as good Judgment,
as men vote. But We know that the great
mass of Negro women. if permitted to
vote side by side with Negro men, would
vote as the latter do all the time for one
party, regardless Of all other considcra-
tons.
Therefore, It may be said that Senator
Salisbury and Senator Nolciott repIe-
sented the best interests Of their State in
voting as they did in respect Of the Equal
Suffrage Amendment