Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-19
MRS, GAIT CHEERED
BY BIG AUDIENCE
OF SUFFRAG|STS
Eight Hundred Persons Attended
a Meeting Held in the du Pont
Ballroom Last Night.
MIR. McADOO NOT PRESENT

Former Secretary of the treasury
William G.. McAdoo and United states
Senator's Selden p. Spencer OF Missouri
and Arthur G.. Capper of Kansas were
unable to attend the meeting held IN the
ballroom of the Hotel du Pont last night
by the suffragists of Delaware. Mr.. Nc
Adoos absence was due TO illness. Mr..
Spencer was detained at Washington by
senatorial duties, and MIR. Cappcr sent
regrets Mrs. Henry Ridgely, president
of the Delaware. Equal Suffrage ASsocia-
t,on announ ced that MIR. McAdoo was
suffering from an attack OF bronchisis ana
had decided n defer his visit to this state
until the Legislature assemblies IN speclai
session. when he will make an address AT
Dover.
CONGRESSMAN Caleb r. Layton, who
was chairman of the meeting, read w
following message from secretary oi 'iie
Navy Josephus Daniels
II sincerely wish that pressing ofhclai
duties did not deny me the pleasure OF
heing present and Joining with Others IN
the great meeting to urge the legislators OIL
Delaware that they embrace the oppor-
,unity of rendering lasting service by
ratification of the amendment making
women equal partners with men IN the
business of government housekeeplhg
| have no doubt that the amendment VIII
be ratified, and | trust and believe that
Delaware, which, while very small IN
area. has had great part IN american
history. will do itself the honor OF making
this further contribution to good govern
ment"
Eight hundred persons thronged the
ballroom. Many politicians were IN the
assemblage. but few legislators were
present. The addresses were interesting
and the audience was enthusiastic. Irving
c. easier led in chorus singing, ana MISS
Winifred Bach presidedat the piano.
When presenting Congressman Layton
as chairman, Mrs Ridgely spoke IN behalf
of woman suffrage, saying:
That scholar who represents to us the
o,intessepee of medieval scholastlclsIn,
Thomas Aauinas, showed his belief m the
popular right to vote when ne SAID that
sovereignty belongs TO the whole people
II took MANY centuries for this belief to
become really popular, and even then men
failed to realize that women were part o.
the people In some ages they looked upon
them as toys, again as SAINTS, out on+y
lately have they walked up 70 thc lact
that they are really and truly people, lthat
10 exercise the right of franchise docs not
necessarily imply that the person must
have been born q male.
'sSeyenty-five wears ago the hrst Ma
tionsl Wonan Suffrage Convention was
allied IN the United States, and it WAS
eaIled bv a body Of men. Those men were
Ralpb Waldo Emerson, Thomas Went
worth Higginson, Wendell Phillips, VIII
liam Henry Chaning and William Lloyd
Garrison. The last National Woman Sut-
grage Convention was held IN chicago
few weeks ago. Then the curtain was rllng
down on the great nationwide struggle
which had extended over nearly three
fourths of a eentury. It seems as Il the
very halls in which the FIRST state OF the
ware-was born would WIT
ness the birth of the nationwide freedom
of women. III earnest hope that the VIC
tory which we are going to acnleNe there
may be for the lasting good OF Deiaware
and that the new citizens may toe well
equipped for their new responsibilities
We have already provided the tools which
they demand.
Congressman Layton made a brief
address when accepting the charmanship.
He said he had been an advocate OF wo-
man suffrage for many years lie dld not
think there is one valid reason Tor de-
privinp women of the right TO vote. He
held that if wornen's influence is good in
the church il would be good IN politics.
He hoped the state would realize the
necessity of ratifving the Federal suffrage
amendment He stated there is no reason
for Delaware always being at the tail end
Of the procession" and declared that even
though woman suffrage IS temporarily
held up in this campaign it will be part OF
the supreme law of the land three months
hence
Congressman S D. Fess of Ohio de-
that State He held that If women demand
the protection OF the government they
should have the privilege of making laws.
If politics are a dirty pool, women should
be permitted to enter politics and clean
the pool. II women pay taxes they should
not be Disseminated against MIR. Fess
said 81 States have ratified the Federal
amendment. He predicted that the State
# Washington viii ratify 1T next week and
Congratulated Delaware on its Opportu-
aitv- He did not want Delaware Re
nublicaus to take back step. With two
great political parties pulling together, he
thought they 'iought to put 1T over" He
paid a beautiful tribute 10 woman, say
mg:
ssIt was she who entered the valley and
Dassed under the shadows TO give mother
mood 10 humanity. 1t was she who,
through the lonely night ana ANXIOUS Gay
waited and watched the ebb and iiow OF
hope and despair as the childhood of the
world was guarded and guided by her
hand. II was she who taught us TO take
our first step, to answer to our many
childish wants, 70 lisp our simple prayers
1t was she who supplied Us the things
that would help and withheld from us the
things that would hurt IL was she who
commended our virtues and condemned
our vices. Ii was her heart that warmly
loved, and her hand that gently chided
the wayward child throughout the years
of tender teens. 1t was her mother love
that was transfused into nobility Of
character that proved safe anchorage IN
the hour of temptation. II was her steady
ing hand that led the youth step by step
through the unsettled and unsettling
period of adolescence, when, If ever, wise
council should prevail. 1t was the mem
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