Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-17
cox PLEDGES HELP
TO WIN TENNESSEE
Tells Delegation Of Women's Party
He Will Use Influence for
Ratification.

Columbus, Ohio, July 17.-Gov. James
Nj. Cox, the Democratic nominee for
President, will do all in his power to
secure the ratification of the suffrage
amendment by the Legislature of Tennes-
see which has been called in extra session
for August O. He gave his unqualified
promise to this effect yesterday afternoon
TO delegation of sixty women represent
ing the National Woman's party.
With his promise the Governor coupled
a request that the women give him
their votes, not because of his frank
espousal of their cause, but only after a
search of the policies of the two great
parties had convinced their Judgment
whether the good of the Nation lies
in the twilight of yesterday or the dawn
of tomorrow
The Governors act caused intense
chagrin among the local Republicans, by
whom il was regarded as a masterful
political stroke. More so because the
women who were treated so generously
by Cox have been having their difficulties
with the candidate at Marion, who after
much telephoning has finally consented
to give them a bare twenty minutes on
July %, and this with no assurance that
he would make any reply to their plea.
Members of the party, said that if
Tennessee ratified the amendment it
would undoubtedly mean that to the
Democrats would fall the final credit of
nationally enfranchising IL .0O0. 900 women
voters, and that the National Woman's
Party would give its Endorsement to the
Ohio Governor.
The Governor received the women. who
were led by Miss Alice Paul, the party
Chairman, at desk In one of his outer
9TH fNF
different States, made brief speeches,
some pleadingly and some, notably those
representing the West, bringing the threat
that 'the women of the West are going
to vote for the candidate who makes every
effort TO give us the thirty-sixth State"
At the conclusion of the conference
the Governor suggested that he would
later meet a committee to determine
on ways and means of making his promise
effective.
1T is unnecessary for me to give
any suggestions as to what | think
about the Suffrage cause: that is known
he continued. Il find nothing in Holy
Writ or anywhere else which shows that
the Almighty ever gave man the right
to say that he should vote and woman
should not
Having helped to save the democracy
OF the world, women are entitled TO be-
come a thinking active part in it. In
Ohio we passed through the experience
OF discarding the old order and adopting
the new. We would have been unable
TO do so except for the public opinion
which the women gave us at that critical
time. They were helpful because they un-
derstood what we meant when we dis
cussed changing the fabric of govern
ment and weaving into it the threads
of humanity.
Il owe great debt to the women
OF Ohio for helping me make possible
the new order here. | do at the out
set want to give you, without any reserva-
ton, the assurance that my time, nv
strength and my influence will be dedi-
Gated TO your cause with a view to procur-
ing a favorable result in Tennessee
After that, assuming that action is
favorable, then | ask you not to preach
the gospel that should receive tie votes
Of women because helped to give them
Suffrage, | was never more serious III nv
life than | am in mai ing this statement
There are things more vital tyan reward
ing a man for service which he has rem
dered in behalf of Suffrage.
Before the Governor spoke Miss
! Paul had warned him: There is only
one way we can know your decision
and that is by what Tennessee does.
Others who spoke for the women were
Sue ). White of Nashville, and Mrs.
Crozier French, Of Knoxville, bot=
representing Tennessee; Miss Anita
Pollitzer Of Charleston, $. c.; Mrs.
Florence Bayard Hilles, Of Wilmington,
Del, Miss Mary Wisnor of Haverford,
Pa; Mrs. III. o. Havemeyer of New York
City; Mrs. Sarah James, representing
Wisconsin; Mrs Bertha G. Moller Of
Minneapolis, MINI; Mrs. Margaret
G. Jones of Seattle, representing the Far
Western States, and Mrs. James NJ
Rector of Columbus Considerable dis
pleasure was voiced at the Republicans
for having failed to force Delaware In to
the Suffrage column.