Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-18
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
ON TOPICS OF THE DAY
politicians in Grand Rush for
Womsn's Bandwagon Following
ratification OF Amendment.

10 the Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
Silt hns boon n littlo amusing TO
an hahos, and perhaps greatly anus
'"s W The women themselves, to OBJ
servo the extravagnnt enthusiasm
with which professional politicians Of
All parties. all colors u ,! all creeds
haVe lenDed headlong f,r tho equal
suffrage band wagon, slice Tennessee
Gust the thirty-sixth vote on the side
vi ratihcation. There has been no
such stampede perhaps In tho his
'ory OF American politics, certainly
hothing so precipitatc has been wit
messed by this generation of citizens.
Tho outbusts of the two presidential
candidates themselves have pro-
duced broad smile from end to end
OF tho land. One would assume. to
reaa lheir fulsome utterances. that
cach had ycarned for nothing since
fo"chihg tho age OF understanding 30
much asfor the Acknowledgement OF tho
women OF the country: that until that
iact has achieved. life for Mr.. Cox ana
Mt Harding was filled with deepening
gloom and that now that the sun has
nurSt through lowering clouds. all
tho world Ii filled with happiness.
PioWiSo ana poetry.
Also 1t would seem. 10 read the
inted statements OF candidates, man.
AYERS. big bosses and little ones, that
equui suffrage for women meant the
eternal salvation OF tho nation. Gov
ernor Cox went SO far AZ to assure us
that the civilization OF the world
had been saved" with women voting
this year in tho United States. U,opian
dreams Will come true: all the base
ness and sordidncss Of practical poll
Yes VIII be removed ana all the re-
torms tor which the country and the
"orid mas pinned for centuries VIII
now be realized.
This is the fashion In which the
new women voters are being greeted.
They arc being treated morning. noon
ana night 10 tiubdub that Is enough
To sicken them. Nor nrc the women
fooled by this exhibition OF inEincer-
ny. Thcy know that they are being
played for as voters ana that In their
hearts. nine out OF ten men who are
HOW clarifying them as holders OF
suffrage have opposed the nineteenth
amendment and still oppose H.
The entrance OF American women
into politics will not hurry the MIL
lannium-not one day. Their influence
on The whole may be IN the direction
eminent; IT. would be amazing r. It
We're not But women will not revo-
!utionize .he politics OF the nation.
They have voted In any States for
years ana they have c3vlded hrtwccn
inc parties there In much the same
way that the men divided They have
not organized themselves into "A Inuss
TO purify the governments under
when they live md they will not DO
1t in the States affected by the rntin-
cation Of the constitutional amend
Inent.
There has been much misunder-
standing OF tho actual erect OF this
amendment. anyway. II VIII not en-
franchise more than 100000 nj,
most. Nearly 100000 already had
I he right to vote In presidential elec-
lions under state cnactmcnts or the
100000 new voters. at least 5000
uO0 OF them arc negro women OF The
south whose participation In politics
VIII not change the political complex
ION OF their States. The remaining
!. O0O.5aG or 6,o00, 900 women will have
y voice In the election OF tho next
Prcsihen, that viii! count, Of course
and IL any great majority of them
go as body into one camp or the
other they will be able to elect the
next President.
But the chances are as already In
dioated. that they Will divide very
much as the labor vote divides. the
Catholic vote, the Protestant vote and
other masses OF voters.