Newark post., 1920-09-22
Delivered by Mrs. Henry Ridgely before the
Democrat State Convention

"For the first time women are included IN
the organization of the Democratic party OF
Delaware. As one of those women and as
spokesman for the associate members OF the
Democratic State Committee, | ask your con-
sideraton of the womans point of view on the
important business before this convention.
"The women of Delaware taking their
enfranchisement seriously. They do not intend
that it's effect shall be only to multiply the
electorate. There is always a certain number
of voters on which party can count at the
polls If the enfranchsement of women should
merely double that vote for each OF the parties
what would their enfranchisement accomplish?
But that will not be the result. The women OF
Delaware will not only demonstrate their in
terest in their government by voting on Novem-
ber 2, but they will consider carefully their
ballots and vote thoughtfully and consclent-
iousy Many male voters consider that party
fealty demands the casting of an unscratched
ballot regardless of the character of nominees.
That is not the womans idea of party fealty.
at is true that women are attaching them
selves to the two great parties, many OF them
working actively for the party of their choice
and rightly so-there should be no sex IN poll
tics and no separate party for women But
women have a different idea of the relation be-
tween voter and party from that of the average
party man. A man gives his party his adhef-
ence A woman gives her party devotion.
Remember, devotion cannot be klndled IN the
mists of mere profession, or in the dank atmos-
phere of corruption and deceit. To win and
hold the devotion of its women, party must
demonstrate that it is worthy of their faith. A
woman pledges herself to work for her party
because she believes that through that party
she can bring about good government. She Will
devote all her energy, strength and enthusiasm
toward putting into office those whom she be-
lieves will be Instruments for the advancement
of right Only candidates who are able and
honorable will she believe worthy to represent
her party She will give devotion to her party,
to the things for which it stands, to the service
she can render to her state through it; not to
any man or set of men in that party. 10 her
the breach of faith to party is to write on the
party ballot a name unworthy of its traditions.
Women Not Self-Seeking
"She will feel that she is no true partisan
if she shall help to put in Office men who use
her party as means of self advancement IN
stead of the advancement Of the state.
"In that sense the mass of women are abso-
lutely independent but they will be found more
party-faithful than the mass of male voters
when it comes to question of principle. They
will lift high the party banner and without
thought of self or selfish seeking they will
carry it on to victory. l say without selfish
seeking for | have yet to meet the Delaware
woman who is looking for an office.
what we desire to do with our ballots is to
make our country better place to live in, to
give our children every advantage that Amer
lean children should have as their birthright
before everything else to see to it that when
the youth Of Delaware attain voting age they
shall not be tempted as the youth of the state
has been in the past to sell their birthright
Demand Clean Elections
"The women of Delaware demand clean
elections, and the party which does not give
straightforward assurance that it will count
enance no corruption will not hold the Della
ware wOmans vote.
"But remember, it will not sufficient for her
to know that no large corruption, fund is being
used at elections; there must be no corruption
fund whatsoever. In exchange for her devo-
ton to her party she demands absolute clean
ness both at the primaries and at the polls.
Politicians appeal to the voters to put princi-
pies above candidates. This sounds fair, but
their real object is to secure support for weak
candidates by high sounding platform profess
sions. Women will not be allured by such per-
verted doctrine. They know that from the days
of the Pharisee down to the present time, sound
principles can no more be expected from un-
sound and incompetent than figs from