Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-06-18
STATE SHOULD
DECIDE QUESTION
Miss Laura Clay Gives Out Open
Letter To Public Stating Po-
sition On Equal Suffrage.

~~ @>1sS oSSs
Miss Laura Clay, who is here today
with her sister, Mrs. James Bennett,
gave an open letter to the public
stating the position of the newly
organized Citizens Committee for the
State Suffrage Amendment, which
sets out the position taken by those
OF which she is leader, who favor
submission of the state amendment
for equal suffrage, rather than the
Susan b. Anthony amendment to the
federal constitution. Miss Clay is an
ardent champion of states rights.
She created sensation a few days
ago when she and number of other
leading suffragists withdrew from
the Equal Suffrage Association and
came out against the federal suff-
rage amendment, and in favor of each
state deciding the suffrage question
for itself.
An effort will be made, it is under
stood, to have the Kentucky legisla-
ture submit an amendment to the
state constitution providing for equal
suffrage, rather than ratify the ma
tlonal amendment. Quite an inter-
estlng contest is apt to develop over
this point. There is a strong senti-
ment in Kentucky that the people
should have the right to vote on this
question, rather than that the legis-
lature should take matters into its
own hands, by ratifying the ma
tlonai amendment, and members of
the next legislature are to be inform
ed that large number of the pioneer
Suffrage workers prefer this to be
done.
The letter to the people of Ken
lucky, which Miss Clay has made
public reads as follows
OPEN LETTER TO THE PUBLIC
/ Realizing that the passage by Con-
gress ofthe Anthony so-called suffrage
amendment and its ratification by the
requisite 36 State legislatures with
out any opportunity for the voice of
the people to be heard on the uues-
ton Is a serious invasion of the prin-
clples of State self-government, as
laid down by the trainers of the
United States Constitution, we, citi-
zens of Kentucky, devoted to woman
suffrage and desiring to maintain
: State rights, feel impelled to call up
on the people of Kentucky to de-
mand the submission to the people of
a suffrage State amendment by the
next General Assembly.
e We point to the fact that the
majority of suffragists never have
asked for woman suffrage by Ma
tional amendment. Wherever a
e State referendum has been submitted
/ those who voted for it exceeded in
c number the pre-campaign members OF
the State Association; and in the ag.
: gregate far outnumber those enrolled
in the national or State associations
which by their propaganda and lob,
bies have secured the passage of the
. Anthony amendment. The majority Of
j. suffragists never have expressed
themselves through these associa
! tons; but they have expressed them
d selves through the regular method O.
d national party platforms, all of whicl
N in 1916 declared for woman suffrage
: and among them the Republican AM
II Democratic declared in set terms fo
n State action in contradistinction t,
r. Federal action on the questions.
4 AS citizens whose views on woman
= suffrage are expressed in the Republi
$ can and Democratic national plat
l. forms, we have formed a Committe
n for the purpose of urging a Stat
!, suffrage amendment; and we solemn
:" ly call upon those great parties t
fulfill those pledges and to use thei
whole party organization to secur
suffrage to women by the histori
method whereby alone suffrage ha
been extended hitherto, with tn
! single exception of the 18th amend
NJ ment adopted in 1880, Of which tn
Anthony amendment is an exact re
petition in principle and enforcin
8. provision These take from the State
us not only their right to prescribe VIII
- shall vote in State elections but Civ
% Congress some power to legislate uI
re on State elections-a power unlmow
n in our National government unit
on 1870, and one which jeopardizes tn
ba security of States that their legisls
~ lures will represent the interests Q
at Gheir own States and not those of tn
he dominants party in Congress.
We Faced by those dangers to the sell
90 government of the people we invit
all of those who believe in the rigf
81 of suffrage for women and who desi1
is the maintenance of all the rights c
an States to join in our effort to war
ia these dangers off by securing woma
~ suffrage by State amendment.
ls' (Signed)
he CITIZENS COMMITTEE
For State Suffrage Amendmen
ny Headquarters: 130 N. Upper s.
I'LL Lexington, KY.
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