Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-22

Sill, is with confident hope that
We ,o,o iook 20 the General Assembly OF
nose states which have removed from
iheir women tho stigma OF dstran-
thisem"n;-thus resumIng her original
status as an advocate OF democracy
and with this CONCLUDING sentence an
article entitled How the States
stand" appeared in The Times Dis
who inflicted. who imposed this stigma
III stigma IL is-upon our fair women.
listers of grace defend them and pro-
tcct their memory from the righteous
wrath 81 an indignant ANA outraged
wrote the celebrated Virginia Bill OF
Rights. since adopted by large
majority Of The States OF this Union
the political religious and civil rights
Of man in all the world, which a great
English statesman said WAS the most
colossal document that ever emanated
from the mind Of man. Was Mason
guilty for having imposed this terri
. PIC stigma on our women. OF was
for this sin. for did he not write and
introduce the Declaration Of indie
pendence. the Magma Charta OF this
republic? Why did he no; declare in
mat very grave and great declaration
something about enfranchsinG the
then disfranchised women? was not
Jefferson very rcmiss in failing TO pro-
vide for women TO resume her origi-
nal status as advocates for democracy
anu ne III acciainied the father OF
democracy. as exemplIlcd in tho Demo
cratic party: And then when the
Solons of America mot in the de-
Lucrative assembly to frame and for
mcnt Of tho people of this republic ia
which. conference Madison, Washing
we have heretofore deemed great.
were forcible factors-why did they
ruthlessly and rudcly forget 10 en-
e In. In
omission. Why did ,hey do this? And
Tor an answer history is deaf, dumb
ceivahle. incomprc hensiblc. passing all
undersna nding., that Robert l.. Lee.
SsoncwaiI Jackson, y. 2. Forrest.
Winfield Scott Hancock, George
Meade. Admiral FarraEut. men OF tho
South and OF The North. whose name
in song and said in story as tho
laurel crowned OF this great country
Why did not these menu <le their
solemn protest against allowing ;his
stigma 10 be any longer cast on our
! fair women? We must confess and
admit with confusion OF face" tina:
teal sin. that they stood silently and
suilenly hy. not even holding up their
lands. and uplifting their heads in
hoiy. horror. in vociferous protestat!on.
/ while our women We're being refused
/ the right and the privilege OF 'resum-
/ ing their original status as advocates
/ OF democracy" Our preachers in the
pu,nit, on. lawyers in the forum, our
judges on the bench. our scientists in
their closets. our inventors in their
shops. our professors in the halls OF
learning. our statesmen in Legislature
ssse mbl!cs. our Presidents and Cover
ncrs in their executive chambers, our
women in their homes, our people in
the country and in the cities, our
trades people in their stores. and our
manufacturers in the factories. our
women and men OF high and low
estate. rich and poor in the years gone
before. should DC held in execration
| for having allowed its stigma Of dis
/ reimbursement OF our women 20 lingcr
/ long; and TO last through the years OF
/ so long ago" For the evidence is full!
\ 10 overwhelming indeed. The proof is
| unim peachable, undenia BILE, beyond az!
I cavii. and above all dispute that they
I Fave the right. the privilege OF vot-
Ing. hence the deductions are equally.
I conclus!vcly Of apparent. indeed trans
/ parent, that. knowing recognizing.
/ and apDrec!stinG that. the stigma OF
Z the s!ranchisenent OF women was
existing in our local politics. and that
our women were refused the right and
privilege of resumins their original
status as advocates of democracy"
they should, il they were unselfsh.
.o%al. real, true. red b.ooded patriotic
10 have awakened from their ictharsy.
and violently. vehemcntly. emphattcaliy
protested. and should have demanded
mat their protest should, and must
be- ooih heard and given affirmative
action by our law makers both alton
al and State
Did they do this- History answers.
no And why" Well. they then be.
lieved; whether women should or
TO be settled; adjudica,ed. BY and for
OF the States should be. When the
fifteenth amendment was pending he
TORE the voters Of the States this right
OF the states was the clarion call"
Ihcn why should IL not be now? II
y Is stigma il should be wiped Out
each state, and not by or through an
amendment 70 the Federal Constitu-
I tion OF the United States Evidently
,hese men OF whom we have mentioned
believed that the basic foundation the
cardinal princip!e OF pure, real. democ-
states 10 IL the qualification OF its own
voters They were champions. advo-
Gates Of the doctrine and propa ga uda
OF that self Discrimination OF whicn
we hear SO much in this day and An
Grafton. That, is, that each STATE
and decide what form of governmemt
the citizens "f that State should live
under. And that tina; form OF govern
ineAt should be determined and fixed
eN the dualified voters of each State
ana. therefore. who shall be a quail
,nea voisr, should be liked. determined.
by the state and not by the Federal
government And the General Assem-
bly, or 1870 o. Virginia, il is confidently
prnphesied and predicted, will so de-
JOHN 7. GooLRIcK.