Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-21
SUFFRAG|STS STAGE
BIG DOVER RALLY
Their Flag Day Celebration Yes
terday a Notable Event at
the State Capitol.
stan Correspondence of Every EVENING

suffrage cohorts made picturesque
scene of Dovers historic green yesterday
afternoon. Bands played, autos paraoeu
and hundreds of suffragists were IN Dover
10 take part in the demonstration Wnicn
WAS staged on the green from noon 10
O'Clock. under the joint auspices ot the
Delaware Equal Suffrage Association
and the National Woman's Party.
During the hours ot the speech-maklng
and demonstration, the green was crowd
edwith men and women wearing the yellow
symbol. while a number of antl-sufffagistS
were in evidence, also.
From speakers stand decorated IN
suffrage colors. members of the two sui
frage organizations entertained the gatn-
cring with some forceful arguments IN
behalf of suffrage. Among the speakers
were Mrs Henry Ridgely OF Dover
president of the Delaware Equal Suffrage
Association, Mrs. Florence Bayard Hilles
ot Wilmington chairman of the Delaware
branch of the National Womans party;
Miss Marjorie Shuler, Miss Elsie Hill,
Mrs. Sutherland. wife of the United States
Senator from West Virginia; Miss Mabel
Vernon. Mrs. Albert McMahon, MISS
Agness Downey of Wilmington, Mrs
John II. Cranston of Newport, who Is the
Delaware pioneer in the cause.
The presentation of a beautiful yellow
silk banner TO the Delaware Equal sui
frage Association by Mrs. jeanette buck-
ingham uf Dover. was an impressive part
of the given program. Thlrty-lve stars
an a field of blue. with Delaware's star
token ready. ornament the banner, which
Is the needlework OF Mrs Buckingham.
In accepting the gift, on behalf OF the
association, Mrs Ridgely said IN part
.'Suffrageis is not an eXperIemt, Is MOTH
inc new. nothing startling. nothing hasty,
nor unthoughted about It, The step we
are about To take is one at the end oil
walk. lasting almost seventy years be
gun in New England by such men as
Ralph Waldo Emerson. Alcott, Garrison.
and carried on increasingly by such leaders
rs Susan B. Anthony, DIR. Anna Howard
Shaw. and our present leader, Mrs. Gait.
There Is nothing haStv or unconsdered IN
the action we are asking our state to take.
The marvellous thing is that for hall a
century we have been blind and deaf to
what is going on about us.
Lincoln advocated votes for women,
Garfield saw it coming, all OF the Nation
west of the Mississippi has known It IS
here. and acted accordingly. We need It
lust as truly in Delaware as they need It
ont there. as the women of New ork
need il. The women Of Delaware are as
well prepared to exercise the vote as the
women of Colorado were Twenty-Five
wears ago. The women OF Colorado are
as happy in their homes today, as devoted
~ their children and husbands as the
women OF Delaware are. just the same
TYNE of American womanhood exists there
rs here, only there they have the adva ntage
of being equal partners with the men;
good comrades good citizens together
There was a time when women were
not expected to go to a place OF pubhc
worship. Did contact with the larger
activities of the church unSex her? lt was
predicted that it would There was time
when it was considered unfemlnlne for
girl-child to 90 to a large school. She was
taught in the home or at small dame
school Can any one say that there IS any
lovelier, or more noble type OF young
womanhood than that found IN our col
lcees TODAY? Education. has not unsexed
= her 1t was predicted that 1t would. Now
whv should voting do soI
is an ignorant wife more desirable
than a cultivated wife? No educated man
will saw so. Is wife who never reads
ANYTHING in the newspapers but the
fashion page more likely to make con-
genial comrade than the woman who
informs herself on the questions OF the day.
Most women desire TO talk 10 their
husbands intelligently on public matters.
II takes time to read the papers, 10 talk
them over, but any woman VINO tails TO
do so is certain to be embarrassed IN any
society of thinking people OF either sex.
But how much time Is it going TO take Tor
a woman to express her preference at the
polls? Not even thirty minutes every two
wears. There IS not a woman IN Delaware
who does not spend this much time on
some kind OF amusement. Even the IN
mates Of the almshOuse; the most down.
trodden. sweat-shop worker could relax
that much, and If for amusement, surely
they would not grudge half hour once
in two wears for a patriotic service.
That is what voting should be. To
give your time and thought TO the well
fare Of your country-to consider the
choice of fit persons TO have guard over
her destinies TO east your ballot for such
fit person, or persons, that Is 10 do the
least that good citizen should do Tor the
country.
ssTo exercise YOUR mind IN the interest
of the nation. to take counsel with your
friends IS TO its best welfare, to do your
part towards making II more desirable
place TO live In these are the things which
make women desirous TO vote.
Because / believe in the United States
of America as a government of the people
by the people, for the people whose lust
powers are derived from the consent OF
the governmed; democracy in a republic
"A sovereign nation of many sovereign
states; s. perfect union, one and INSOFAR
able, established upon those principles ol
freedom, equality. justice and humanity
for which American patriots sacrificed
their lives and fortunes. Il therefore be
lieve It is my duty to my country to love
il. to support It's constitution, TO obey
its laws, TO respect its flag and 10 defend
il against all enemies.
'For these reasons i wish with all my
heart. with all my soul to be allowed tc
take my part as a citizen. ! belsve it viii
make me a better woman, q better wife
a better mother, a better nelghbor to be
a real and intergral part of my eountry's
citizenship | believe my country viii
find that through the viii Of its womer
expressed at the polls more spiritua
ideal of American citizenship will come tc
birth.
Il believe the Nation needs the inspira-
tion OF her women as well as the expert
ence Of her men, and that only good ear
come Of this partnership IN political life
] believe that politics is not a dirty mol
an evil word, but that it has acquired al
ugly sound because 1t has been used tC
mean office seeking, Office grabbing
corruption, and selfishness
The womanly woman viii not 90 into
the muddy ways of politics and no politica
mud can adhere TO the woman who desir,
70 xr1fa ~, rr,,bnlA ali t4a.