Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-23
The Presidents pc,nicious Interference

Tic residents pcin1ciOuS interference
MYTH the attempt of Woodrow Wilson,
w President of the United States, to infiu-
ence il not to dictate, the legislative course
Of what rather unctuously and with deliberate
purpose he calls my native State a new
issue, that of suffrage in its bearing the
ratification of he Susan b. Anthony Federal
amendment, is injected into this special SEES
sion of the General Assembly. AS il the plea
OF the President that his native State" step
over into the suffrage list might not be suffi-
cent to turn it from its time-honored and
time observed Democratic standards, the
chairman Of the national committee, Homer
Cummings. seconds the presidential effort and
stresses the party service" that would be
performed by Virginia S ratification. His plea
may be briefly dismissed with the assurance
that Virginia has nothing to sell. not even
if Democratic votes and Democratic victory
be the price. The Presidents interference
with Nirginias domestic affairs, in which he
follows presidents established by himself in
other States since he deserted his party's
platform and took up the suffrage fight,
comes dangerously near being "pernicious
political activity" There is little doubt that
the Honorable General Assembly of the Sow
ereign State of Virginia will so regard it. and
properly resent it.
Under the joint resolution adopted by the
Assembly the suffrage issue come up only
if it is presented by the Governor. 1t is
within his province to present it or withhold
it until the regular session in January Let
ii be hoped that in his wisdom he will select
the latter course for by no wild stretch of
the most elastic imagination can ratification
of the suffrage amendment be deemed an
emergency. or claim the right to interrupt the
work which this session has been called to do
and which is yet far from completion.
NO one can be in ignorance of what will
ensue when the amendment is laid before the
nj ion, mill til,
one of the btterest battles ever staged in
This Capitol of countless historic trays. With
the calendars cleared, the public would say:
Let it come and have it over" but once that
battle starts good roads and real emergency
legislation will have small chance Of running
the ganlet and coming out in anything
family resembling respectable shape The
contest has been brewing ever since the AS
seinbly convened. Lobbyists from the Ma
tional Suffrage Association were on the ground
early, using the famed national tactics of
that organization, and they have been active
among the legislators But, exercising re-
markable self-control. they reserved il for
the President himself to fire the first gun
and tell the Assembly what it must do Adj
mttedly it was we'll staged
Should the Governor deem 1t wise to pre-
sent the amendment there is small doubt that
the Assembly would defeat it Overwhelmingly;
because they feel that they know its attitude.
many antisuffragists would be content to let
the issue rise and come to vote rather
than TO await the new Legislature But if
that Legislature remains representative Vir-
ginian, and the list of those elected proves
that it will, the fate of the amendment at
Its hands will be the same. At least the
interests of the State will not have been
jeopardized by injecting it into this session
The Virginia General Assembly has big,
constructive work 10 do; it will refuse to be
led from its duty even when it is the Presi-
dent himself who seeks TO lead It,