Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-27
D c. CELEBRATES
REAL TRIUMPH OF
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
Members of Both Big Parties
Jam Polls Theater for
Rally.


. great mass meetiug-in the voteless
District of Columbia-last night. The
meeting, which was held in Polls
Theater. was under the auspices of
the National League of Women
y Noters-successo to the National
American Woman Suffrage Associa-
ton
a congratulatory message from
President Wilson was read and ad-
dresses were delivered by Secretary
Colby OF the State Department.. who
earlier in the day had signed the
proclamation giving official recogni-
ton TO ratification of the suffrage
amendment: Mrs. Carrie Chapman
cart and other leaders. who mad taken
part in the battle Of Tennessee"
The meeting was non-partiSan. Mrs.
Harriet Taylor Upton of Ohio. vice
chairman of the national republican
campaign committee. and Miss Chari
Williams of Tennessee. vice chairman
of the national democratic commit
tee. who had been designated by Gov.
Cox to work for suffrage in her state,
were both speakers. They had come
only few hours before from Nash
Vile. If there We're occasional ref
ercnces 10 what the democrats and
the republicans had done for women
in obtaining suffrage they Were good
natured. The burden of the testi-
nrony was that to the good lighting
Qualities of the American woman
alone is due in great part the win
ming of equal suffrage.
Vote Convictions, Colby Urges.
Secretary Colby. too. urged the
we4Hen to align themselves with po-
litical parties their consciences di =
tated. Il hope" he said. that you
Will not succumb To the lure of
party. whether republican or demo
cratic. but that you will vote your
thopghts and convictions FOR the.
country. You are no longer opponents
ola single principle. You have Joined
the jury of the whole people"
In one part of his speech. however.
his democratic feelings broke
through. Let us not" said Mr.. Colby,
loin the snarling pack that runs after
a great man. whose only fault has
been to keep the fires of American
idealism burning"
Now that the women are to vote, he
suggested. there is no longer the fear
of political sabotage. which devotes
the. power of great political party
TO- halt the functions of government
merely because an opposition admin
iSfnation is in power.
Mr. Colby said that he counted it
rare good fortune" that he had been
in position TO give the coup de
grace to all the plottinss and striv-
irIgs of your enemies"
bald. being unavoi dably detained,
but quite in time to catch the cor
diaGty with which YOU have hailed
the mention of the Presidents name
aud every allusion to him. l think
there is no American in this broad
land who cares less to project himself
into this hour-who is less concerned
that his own part in bringing az at
this happy result should be celebrated
or even recognized. for that matter.
think most of you will agree with
me when l say that there is no Ameri-
can of this generatSr1 who more than
he seeks the inspiration and justifi-
cation of his conduct in the highest
principles of action, and cares less for
recognition and reward than Wood
row Wilson.
Praise for the President.
st am sure that if thoughts of his
Party are in the Presidents mind to-
night they are not boastful thoughts.
They are not self-vaunting thoughts.
They are merely pleasant and satisfied
thoughts that his party in the hour when
If vas called upon to act consistent
~ with it's professed convictions was
NOT, found lacking. The President
would be the last man in the demo-
cratic party to claim exclusive or eX-
ceSsive credit for his party for this
result. But, my friends, the credit that
sticks does not have to be claimed.
The credit that is fairly won does
NOT have to be analysed nor conceded
By formal resolution. Certainly this is
true. There never was d man more
deeply or profoundly convinced of the
justice of the suffrage cause than
Woodrow Wilson. And there never
was party leader who held his party
with more stern, austere and unbend-
ing insistence to the performance OF
"a duty dictated by high principle.
The President called me on the
telephone this morning. 1t is pri-
vate wire that connects the Office or
the. Secretary of State with the Ii
brary of the President. And he asked
rae-sif l had been invited to address
this meeting tonight. He expressed his
pleasure when / told him that / had,
and. said: 4 hope you will let nothing
interfere with your attendance. he
said: Will you take the opportunity
te,saY to my fellow-citiZens that
deem it one of the greatest honors OF
Iny life that this great event, the
ratification of this amendment, should
have occurred during the period OF
my administration And he said, fur-
ther: Please say also that nothIns
faga given me more pleasure than the
privilege that has been mine to dc
what / could to advance the cause
Of ratification and to hasten the "a!
when the womanhood OF America
would be recognized by the nation on
it deserves.
Blind Chaplain Sends Prayer.
The meeting was presided over by
Mrs. Maud Wood Park. chairman OF
thA National League of Women Not-
ers., Rev DR.. Henry n. Couden, the
blind chaplain of the House. who IL
the past had led in prayer at meet
ings addressed by Susan b. Anthony
the. pioneer of woman suffrage, leo
the audience in the Lords prayer.
The occasion was Publication, but
with a serious strain running through
it all. AS the women who had tax II
part in the great struggle for ratl-
fication of the suffrage amendment ir
Tennessee told their experiences and
the-story OF the tremendous struggle
that had been waged against the
forces opposing equal suffrage some.
thing of their own feeling was COM
Ipuricated TO the crowd. In the huge
asssmblage, which had filled the the.
alter a half hour before the meeting
was scheduled to begin. were leaders
in all walks of life. Secretary Dan
iels of the Navy. Samuel Gompers
president of the American Federation
of La Dor: former Senator Shafroth OF
Colorado. former Representative keat
ing. also of Colorado, were among
those present.
Miss williams declared her pride il
Tennessee. 1.-The old Volunteer state.
which has set women free" by its
action in ratifying the suffrage
amendment Down in my section Of
the country" she said, most of u:
are democrats" which drew a rounf
of applause from considerable sec.
tion of the audience. Gov. Roberts
who fought for suffrage. she char
aeteriZed as the greatest democrat
OF us ALL Miss Williams said she had
a of roc hi "
as she had been sent by Gov. Cox. a.
vice chairman of the democratic ma.