Evening journal., 1920-03-26
SAY SUFFRAGE
IS PARTY ISSUE
OF REPUBLICANS
contlnned from rlrst Pace.

.
/ proteslstions that they are good Re
publicans and their assumption that
they are so important that the Repub-
liean party dare not dlsavow their ac-
tons.
Where does tho Republican party
stand IN regard 10 equal suffrage and
the ratification OF the Federal amend
ment giving women The ballot2 Where
does Il stand In regard 20 the special
eosslou OF the Delaware Legislature
called for The purpose Of ratify ng that
proposed amendment7 Here Is the ans
wer from the record
On January 10, 1910 al meeting Of
the nopublic0n National Committee In
Chicago the following resolution was
unanimously adopted;
"The Republican National Committee
In meeting assembled at Chicago Jan
uary tenth. relierates its belief IN the
necessity OF the enfranchlsement Of tho
women or America, and therefore calls
upon the United States Senate for the
/ immediate passage Of the Federal Suf.
frage amendment and further calls
upon oil Republican Legislatures TO
stand ready TO ratify the amendment
when presented"
/ Last December-only three months
ago-the Republican National Commit
tee assembled IN Washington unanl-
mously adopted he following resolu-
ton:
Resolved. that the Republloai Ma
tional Committee recommend 10 Repub
lican Legislatures 10 ratlfy the Federal
Woman Suffrage Amendment II coL-
graduates the eighteen Republican
States included In the twenty-five which
have already voted and urges that spe-
cial sessions IN other States be called
before February nrst TO complete the
ratification"
This action OF the Republican Nation
al Committee was In line with the ac-
tion OF the Republicans IN Congress
throughout the nght to have Congress
propose an eqsal suffrage amendment
10 the Constitution. II Is Of unusual
interest right now TO get the record OF
/ the two parties IN Congress upon that
subject. II is as follows:
February 3. i9li-Controlling the
House OF Representatives by q ma
Iorlty OF 100, Democrats In caucus
decided not TO let the equal suffrage
amendment come before the House
for discussion. In other words,
with the power In their hands they
stined even any opportunity to dis
cuss equal suffrage.
March i9, i9i4-Amendment foro-
ed to vote IN Senate. where the DEM
Gratis had a clear majority Of six.
They defeated the resolution. The
Republicans In the Senate stood two
/ - o. ha -
three TO one against ".
January ~, i9i5-Democrats con-
trolled House by a clear majority
Of 40. Suffrage amendment came
10 vote and was defeated 204 10 i76
The Democrats furnished III OF the
2Oi negative votes. while the Repub-
Leans furnished only 80.
January 10. i9is-Suffrage amend
ment brought 70 vote In House and
was passed by the Republicans vot-
ing fve TO one for Il. The majority
OF the Democrats voted against IT,
Went to the Democratic Senate
where Il was plseon-holed by the
Democratic committee.
October 4, i9is-Suffrage amend
ment came 10 vote In Senate. Dem
ocrats controlled Il by a clear ma
iorlty OF six. Proposal defeated. the
Democrats contributing twice as
many votes against Il as the Re-
publicans
So the record shows that five times
the present Democratic administration,
the Democrats with n clear working
majority IN both branches Of Con-
grtss, refused TO pass the equal sufr-
rage resolution, while the Republicans
cast an overwhelming proportion OF
their serenrth In favor OF Il.
A Republican Congress was elected
IN November, 1918 II was c'lled in
extra session May 10, 1919. Two days
later, May q, 1919, the Republican
House passed the resolution proposing
the equal suffrage amendment 10 the
Federal Constitution and referring TO
the states for ratification. II WIS re-
garded such an important a Republi-
can policy that Il was the FIRST thing
the newly elected Republican Congress
did. The Senate. Republican by a ma
jorlty OF two, passed the same reso-
luton two weeks later, June 1919.
Even in this last record vote a major
ity Of the Democratic party in Con-
gress stood out against suffrage.
Following the action OF the Republic
can Congress in passing the resolution
submitting the Federal amendment 10
the Constitution, and the call Of the Re-
publican National Committee for "all
Republican legislatures TO stand ready
10 ratify the amendment when pre-
sented, "eiahteen Republican legisla-
lures ratified the amendment In 1919.
Ten Of these eighteen called special
sessions In order TO have u done. Eleven
Republican States have ratified the
amendment since January I, 1920. and
eight OF these have done II In special |
sessions called for that purpose.
II Delaware fails 10 ratify. II VIII be
the first Republican State 90 repudiate
the Republican party's policy, and line /
up with the Democrats. The only /
States which have refused 10 raiify the |
amendment are Alabama. Mississippi |
Georyia, South Carolina, Maryland and |
Virginia. all solidly Democratic.
Republicans everywhere know the |
Delaware legislature Is Overwhelmingly I
Republican In both branches. The wo-
men OF western States know H. too. :
They have served notice on the Repub-
lIcan party that failure Of State so
Overwhelmingly Republican as Delaware
10 rat'fy the amendment and make It's
abortion certain. win he held against
the pe-ublican party In the elections
next fall.
The State legislation women have the
vote In presidential elections In "a
western States having total OF "
electoral votes. These western States
determined the election IN 1915 The
democrats arc making plans TO carry
them again. There are i.00000 women
- l. Il n-... u