Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-23
GOV. TOWNSEND
POINTS THE WAY
TO LEGISLATION
In Message Which Was Read Be-
fore the General Assembly
at Dover Today.
CONFINES SUGGESTIONS
TO THREE SUBJECTS
Washin ton Bridge, Woman Suf-
frage and Financial Help for
State Schools.
SPECIAL Dispatch From stan Correspondent

.sporaI Dispatch From STAFF Correspondent
STATE HOUSE, DOVER, MARCH %.
Governor Townsend, in message to the
. General Assembly, at noon today, urged
consideration of the three subjects specl-
fed in his call for the special session, which
convened yesterday. The message, which
was read in joint session, asked for legisla-
ton on Washington Bridge, Wilmington,
providing for an increased bond ISSUE
woman suffrage, urging ratification OF the
Federal amendment, and public schools,
providing additional funds out OF the
State treasury, which has surplus that
can be drawn upon The governors sug-
uestions. If followed, will confine the ses-
sion 10 the objects for which 1T was called,
and ought to get through without delay
However, as some of the members want
to omen the door to general legislation, the
session may be prolonged indefinitely
Following is the text of the governor s
message.
GovEnNoR's MESSAGE.
To the members of the General Assem-
bly,: =.
Under authority granted by the Consti-
tuition. the General Assembly has been
called to consider problems, which, IN my
Judgment, are of serious moment.
The act of the last General Assembly,
providing bond issue to erect bridge
over the Brandywine in the city of VIII
mington was found, due to increased costs
az construction, to be insufficient The
commission. thus unable to carry out the
provisions of the act requested the COVER
nor to call a special session of the General
Assembly in order that authority might
be given TO provide for necessary increase
of the bond issue But through the cour-
tesv of Mr. A. l. du Pont, member OF the
commission, the emergency was provided
for by the assumption of any financial
obligations necessary, until the meeting of
the General Assembly.
Therefore while in session, | would sug-
gest that the request of the commission
be considered and provisions be made TO
care properly for the needs of this project
ed Improvement.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
The proposed amendment to the FEEDER
M Constitution, passed by Congress IS pre-
sented for your consideration.
Resolved by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled two
thirds of each house concurring therein),
that the following article is proposed as an
amendment to the Constitution, which
shall be valid TO all intents and purposes as
part Of the Constitution when ratified by
the Legislatures of three-fourths of the
several States.
ARTICLE.
The right of citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by any
State on account of sex.
Woman's suffrage has been a subject Of
public discussion for over half century.
it is not an agitation of the moment.
The right OF equal franchise has been
granted and exercised with success in
several States for years. 1t is not q theory
or untried experiment.
No amendment TO the Federal Consti-
tuition has been so long discussed. The
resolution passed by Congress was the
result of long deliberation. The action
was not due to the excitement of the hour,
Thirtv-four out of forty-eight States
have expressed approval by ratification