The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-02-23

1-he House ha- under consideration
the joint resolution (H. j Res 200)
proposing an amendment to the Con
stitution OF the United States extend
ing the right Of suffrage TO women
Mr.. Ferris: Mr.. Speaker, do not
approve Of or believe in picketing the
White House the National Capitol, or
any other station to bring about votes
for women. do not approve Of wild
militancy, hunger strikes and efforts
OF that sort. do not approve OF the
course OF those women that throw
themselves in front of horses, become
agitators, lay off their womanly quail
ties in their efforts to secure votes
do not approve Of anything unwom
anly anywhere, any time, and my
course today i'll supporting this SUI
frage amendment ! is not guided by
such conduct on the part OF very
few women here or elsewhere. ZAP
plausel
Friends OF mine in this House have
doubts and forebodings as to the adj
Visibility Of giving women the right
10 vote, fearful OF negro domination
in the South and petticoat domination
in the North. | entertain no such
fears.
MI Ragsdale: Will the gentleman
yield?
Mr.. Ferris: l can not yield in the
short time allotted
II there were in fact danger OF ne
gro domination or if this amendment
would contribute to it /, TOO would
feel apprehensive. for | have no dis
position TO ntlict on that great south
ern country legislation that Is obnox
ious to them, offensive to them, OF
anything for which there is no ade-
quate solution But | pause and ask
them now what Is the answer 10 the
question that the same educational
test that now prevents the ignorant
male voter both white ANA black,
from exercising the right ol suffrage
viii at the same time deny the ienor
ant female voter the right? What is
the answer to the question HAT tie
same pottax law that now largely
prevents the ignorant maic from yol
ing viii likewise prevent the ignorant
female from voting2 Whal is The an
swer TO the statement that for every
negro woman so enfranchised there
will be hundreds and thousands Of
intelligent white women enfranchised?
| can not share the doubts and fore
holdings of my friends from the North
or South who are today opposing suf-
frage can not think either their
doubts or their fears are well found
ed. Applause
We are told by the opponents OF
suffrage that there are many thou
sands of good women in the country
who do not care 10 exercise the right
to vote and are in fact opposed to Civ
ing the franchise TO women. do
not deny this statement, but | answer
il by saying that in my opinion there
arc but a small per cent OF the A.
100000 women affected by this amend
ment that are really and in fact op-
posed TO granting suffrage. l also as
sert that they have no good or suHi-
cicnt right 10 stand in the way of the
major portion of the good women of
the country who earnestly hope and
pray that this right may be given to
them | answer it further by saying
that il this amendment is passed To-
day and later becomes the law and
full franchise to women is given. it is
not mandatory No woman is com
PEELED to exercise the right 1t is
merely a privilege which She may eX-
ereise or let alone at her option. at
her pleasure in her own way. How
can this offend those who do moi favor
ii nausld but pure selhslmess would
prompt one to deny to others a right
they themselves did moi desire.
hear others during the course OF
this debate say that 10 confer tho