The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-08-09
THE SOUTH AND SUFFRAGE.

Another Southern state has. thro
| its Legislature, voted against the
nineteenth amendment to the FEEDER
al Constitution, the Susan b. Anthony
suffrage measure Georgia has fol-
lowed swiftly In the footsteps OF
Alabama. and by majoritles are near
" as large as the big majorities the
amendment received In Illinois, Iowa
aud other states. The Georgia SEN
ate voted 39 to 10 against 1t and
the House 1872 to a. Georgia has
been regarded as a doubtful state,
and likely to be very close on the
the measure. The large adverse
vote leaves no doubt that the tide Of
opinion has turned against the
amendment In the South. There is
reason to believe that the objection
is not due to the principle Of woman
suffrage itself. although there are
many confirmed anti-suffragists in
this section, but to the verbiage Of
the Anthony measure, and to the
the fear that it may cause embarrass-
ment and difficulties over the con-
troll of suffrage and elections as be-
tween the United States and the
states. The vicious sectional ami
mostly the Republican majority In Con-
gress displayed during reconstruction
days, and which that majority is
showing today. has convinced a large
number OF persons In the South who
favor woman suffrage not to sur
render to legislation Of the Anthony
order, which they so vigorously OPP
posed fifty years ago.
The letter Of Governor Pleasant on
the subject himself a most ardent
advocate Of suffrage, who worked
earnestly for Unjust be held large
ly responsible for the action OF Ala
bana and Georgia; and 1t Is not Sc
riously doubted that other Southern
states, and POSSIBLY Connecticut and
New Jersey, and others in the North,
may persist in their opposition. The
opposition would be still stronger but
for the action Of the word politicians
In New Orleans and a similar class
Of politicians IA Texas in refusing
the women any rights of suffrage.
In both states the proposition was
voted down. although 1t was evil
dent that the best sentiment of both
states was in its favor-and 1t was
defeated by the worst form Of politi-
cal combine in Louisiana A ma
1ority of the state pronounced for
suffage, and II was defeated by the
city Organization alone. In Texas
II was similarly defeated by small
majority, whereupon the General AS
sembly responded to this expression
Of the popular will by ind645sing the
Anthony amendment by big Legis-
lature majorities.
Many OF the states have taken no
action as yet in the matter. There
is no reason to doubt that opposi-
ton to the amendment has increased
In the South with the fuller discus
sion OF the question; but, on the
other hand sentiment seems to run
strongly in its favor in the West
and North. and its advocates still lay
claim to the thirtyzs.x states neces-
sary to force suffrage In the Federal
It is unfortunate that
suffrage, which Is favored by an inn
mense majority Of the American PEG
pie, as in Great Britain and nearly
all other countries, was not adopted
In the United States, as It could and
should have been adopted. by the vote
of The several states; but this plan
was defeated by a few selfish politi- |
cal bosses.
American women must not be de-
MED the right TO participate In the
affairs OF their country. as the wom-
en- OF other lands are doing. II the
failure OF the amendment occurs be-
cause Of the verbiage and provisions
of the federal amendment submitted
to the STATE Legis atures which is
possible but not probable-so poll /
cy that will be adopted must be sub
mitted to the opposing states. New
Orleans and Louisiana will never
again be guilty Of the folly Of a fow1
years ago, when they refused to |
align themselves with the rest Of the |
civilized world.
New Orleans Times Picayune.