Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-23
SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT
RATIFIED UNANIMOUSLY
HODGDON sQUELCHEs CONNOR'G
ARROGANT PARTISAN CLAIMS
-REsOLUTION INTRODUCED
BY MRS. HASKELL

The legislature convened in ex-
traordinary session upon the call Of
Gov. Hart, at noon Monday. Both
houses were soon In running order,
Senator Carlyon in the presiding
Office of the senate and Speaker
Adams in the house. The new men,
bers were sworn in, and the senators
then repaired to the house chamber
and there listened to the Governors
message.
The message was read from manu-
script and after briefly reciting the
reasons for the call. that the finances
of the state required emergency leg
islation, that public schools also were
in quite as deplorable a condition
financially as the institutions Of
higher learning, and the suffrage
amendment to the national constitu-
tion required action by our legisla-
ture.
The Governor recommended that
the limit of the levy for general pur-
poses be raised so az to allow the
board Of equalization to make the
levy to take care Of the deficit. As
to the public schools, he said local
boards should be induced to levy the
full 20 mills 30 a. to take care of
their teachers. and then recommend
ed that q commission be appointed
to make thorough survey and re-
port to the next legislature.
The soldiers bonus, he said ss>ould
be referred to the people at the next
election. With recommendation to
ratify the suffrage amendment act,
and an admonition to close the ses-
sion speedily. the Governor concluded
his message.
Shortly after the two houses got
down to business the suffrage amend
ment was taken up and passed unan-
imously by both bodies.
The only ripple OF excitement hap
pened when w. w. Connor Of Seattle
made an attempt to inject partisan
politics into the question by trying to
claim the credit for suffrage for the
Republican party. This party, he
said, with insufferable arrogance.
had condescendingly made free gift
to the women OF the ballot. and here
after whenever they voted they must.
like the negro, recall that they owed
this priceless gift to the gracious
favor of the politicians OF the Repub-
lican party, and bow down in humble
worship of that party forever more.
Quick as fash George H. Hodg-
don of Seattle was ON his feet to
reply.
He began by saying that the wom-
en- of our land owed to no party the
right of suffrage, but to their own
tireless work in the cause was due
the recognition that has finally come
to them. II. however, you want to
speak Of parties. 1t was William Jen-
nings Bryan, that matchless leader
in causes of righteousness. who went
up and down this country for years
preaching equal suffrage, until he
put those Democrats who opposed 1t
so In the corner that they were COM
pelled to support suffrage. And.
having done that, he used the Demo-
cratic party as club to compel even
the Republican leaders to grudgingly
adopt it. A comparison Of states, he
said, would also show as many rock
ribbed Republican states in New
England against suffrage as there
are Southern states.
Hodgdon so completely and crush
ingly answered every partisan claim
of Mr.. Connor that the whole house
arose in tumult of acclaim. Again
and again the wave of applause
swept over the house, and 1t was
some minutes before quiet was re-
stored.
The suffrage resolution was intro.
duced by Mrs. Hasckell of Pierce
county. who said among other
things:
ssThis 40 q very important hour in
the history Of our state and nation.
1or We have met here In special ses-
sion this 22d day of March. in tho
year Of our Lord 1920. to ratify tho
federal suffrage amendment and to
prove to the world the greatness of
our Evergreen state. which Is not de-
termined by the number Of acres that