The Penn's Grove record., 1920-02-13
Jersey Ratifies
Woman Suffrage
Assembly Accepts The Federal
Amendment Already Adopted
by the Senate

Trenton. - The woman suffrage
! amendment to the Constitution WAS
ratified by the house of assembly after
a flibuster directed against the meas
ure lasting hours. The vote on rati-
| fcatiun was 81 to n, and the measure
adopted was Senator Mackay's reso-
luton passed by the senate the previ-
Gus Monday night by d vote of Is to :.
BY the action of the house New Jer-
sey becomes the twenty-ninth state to
ratify the woman suffrage amendment.
When the house met the Republican
leaders, who were intent upon putting
over the ratification suffrage amend
ment to the federal Constitution, found
dat they were short at least three
votes, represented by Hudson county
a~ssemblymen who had not yet reached
Trenton.
To play for time Majority Leader
Hersclltield moved a recess of 40 min
uteS and then called a Republican CON
ference. After the conference it was
found that the three absentees from
the Hudson delegation, Messrs. Stan
ton, Donovan and Coppinger, had ar
| rived.
The house was thereupon reconyen-
ed, and the women crowding the gal
leries and Hobbies were Immediately in
a futter. Then Democratic Leader
Hugh Barrett of Essex moved Il fur
ther recess Of ten minutes for the
purpose of holding Il Democratic con-
ference. Again the house quit bust
ness, and again. at 1915 o'clock, it
was called to order by the speaker.
The woman suffrage amendment was
at once taken up. The leaders OF both
sides went into action, with every foot
of space in the galleries, aisles and
Hobbies filled with interested specta-
tors.
Mr.. Barrett ealled up his amend
ments on various motions in order to
delay the vote. Leader Herschfield
pressed for a direct discussion of the
question. Then the debate settled
down.
Mir. Donovan of HUDSON county said
Governor Edwards ran on a platform
pledging woman suffrage and that it
was equivalent to a referendum.
And | call attention to the fact that
running on that platform in Essex
county Governor Edwards received
more votes than did the Essex assem-
blymen who are opposed to this ISSUE"
Mr.. Donovan said.
Mr.. McAteer of Hudson said he
thought it high time the legislature
stopped pickering on the question.
Qualification ought to be accomplish
ed and the question disposed Of" he
said. Hudson county stands solidly
behind the governor, and we are not
going to vote for any substitute"
Mr.. Freund of Essex declared that
no expression of the voters of the state
has been given on oma suffrage
since 1915, when the question was de-
feated.
I'VE have no evidence that the peo-
pie have since changed their minds"
he said. THE question has not been
put TO them again and until it is l be-
lieve it our duty to stand by the YER
dict of 1919. We favor a referendum.
Let the people decide"
81 believe we are making a mistake
if we don't submit this matter to the
people," said Mr.. Rowland of Camden.
81 believe in woman suffrage, but | be-
lieve the people should have the OPP
p%Ortunity to decide it. We were over
whelmingly defeated on this question
in 1915. 1t might be political expedi-
ency to pass this now, but l doubt it's
wisdom, and | am not so sure 1t is
good political morality. Political ex-
pediency is n of the worst things in
u public life"
The Barrett resolution to refer the
woman's suffrage question to the pres
idential primaries in New Jersey on
April q was defeated by a vote of SO
to %.
Mr.. Barrett then continued his fill
buster by introducing a resolution call
ing upon the secretary of state at
Washington for a certified copy Of the
proposed amendment and other data
concerning its submission to the states
by Congress.
This was defeated by the same vote
Assemblymen McAteer and Donovan.
both of Hudson, spoke In favor of
ratification and tried to discredit the
actions of Minority Leader Barrett in
doing everything possible to block rati-
ficatiOn.
The ~suffragists went about on the
floor of the house lobbying for the res
olution, while "antis' pursued the same
tactics in trying to get votes to defeat
the resolution.
With the support Of the twelve as
semblymen from Hudson county Gov
ernor Edwards was able to fulfill one
of the principal pledges he made DUR
ing his primary and post-primary cam
pa!gns. He promised he would do all
in his power to bring about ratifica-
ton of the Nineteenth Amendment.
He and Mayor Hague of Jersey City