The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1920-02-28
SCOTT FERRIS FANORS
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE.
The Scare Crow of Negro DONNA.
ton Fails to Brighten Him.


ton Fails to Brighten Him.
(Siar News ServiCe.)
MUSKOGEE, Feb. 2S.-ln a re-
cert address on the floor of the
House Of Representatives., the Hon.
Scott Ferris, candidate for tire Okl1-
hona senatorial toga, placed him
Scir Sduarcly in favor of the en-
| franchiScmcnt of American women.
! Despite the efforts of many of his
colleagues from the South, Mr.. Few
ri declared himself free of any fear
! of Negro domination in the South
! land because Negro women as we'll
rs white women would be granted
! the privilege of voting In discuss
! ing this phase. Mr.. Ferris expressed
the belief that the same meth DDS
now in vogue in that section to de
ter Negro men from voting would
apply with equal efficacy in The
| cas-, of women of that race. The
Dmclhods to which he referred are
"eC Lcational tests. poll taxi, and
,, grandfather clause" While we
congratulate our Congressman for
evIdencing breadth Of vision in
diCative Of requisite craftsmanship
fO! the higher position to which he
aspireS, it may be well to observe
here that both Nego men and wo-
men are today prepared to meet the
tests prescribed in The South better
than ever before, and have no tear
OF them. if impartdlly executed. 1t
is a-matier of fact, that there are
mary thousands of Colored men anC
women South of Mason and Dixon,
line who are more than well flied
10 pass any educational test,
wll' are also financially able to pa
the poll tax. The grandfather"
test eXacting that an ancestor ct
Negro must have voted prior to
certain prescribed year is not parti-
cularly a stumbling block. 1t is we'll
known that for over fifty years the
white male constituents of the
Southern Congressman who solidly
opposed Woman'S Suffrage, have
beer working overtime in providing
present day Negro youth with white
grcat-grandfatherS, grand fathers
ard fathers, and all of these have
been and are citizens and voters.
The eloquent address of Mr.. Fer
riS is illustrated by the following
extracts:
Mr.. Speaker: If there were IN
fact danger of negro domination or
if this amendment would contribute
| tC il too, would feel apprehenSive,
fo' have no disposition to inflict
on that great southern country leg
! isl; ton that is obnoxious to them,
offensive to Them. or anything for
which there is no adequate solution.
Bu pause and ask them now what
is tho answer To the question that
tie same educational test that now
prevents the ignorant male voter,
both white and black from exercis-
ing the righi OF suffrage will at the
same time deny the ignorant femele
voter the right? What is the ans
WEI to the question !hat the same
poll-taX law that new largely pre-
vents the ignorant male from voting
will likewise prevent the ignorant
fcrale from Voting? What is ihe
answer to the statement that for
every negro woman so enfranchised
thcr will be hundreds and thousands
of intelligent white women enfran-
ed | can, not share the doubts and
fOrebodingS Of my friends from The
North or South who are to-day OPP
posing suffrage. | car moi think
either their doubts or their fears are
) Veil founded. (Applause.)
"No, Mr.. Speaker. this question to
, dag is great national isSue-one
involving the rights of our mother S
- our wives, our daughters, our wo
men. 1t will never he settled until
ii is settled right. Nest of then
have asked ii with upturned face
feeling that it would benefit them
: would help them, enroble them, and
! strengthen them. 1t is ours to give
= or withhold. For me and mine,
am in favor of giving it to them un-
grudgingly-firSt, because | believe
it is right; second. because find
no sound or satisfying argument
logic, or reason that would justify
a course in opposition to it; third, in
substance, in truth. and in fact, the
four great political platforms of tn,
70 last election promised equal suffrage
? to women as TO men,"