Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-15
HARDING REPLIES
TO G. 0. P. CRITICS
Tired of Misrepresentation of Re.
publicans' ATTITUDE Toward
Suffrage-Cites Party's Rec.
ord on Subject

Marion, O., July Ex-senator Har,iing in
statement Tonight resented what he
characterized as persistent misrepresen- :
tauons" Of The Republican partys attitude
towards woman suffrage and said to that
party belonged the credit for that reform
ever having chance of success.
He deplorcd, however. efforts to make
political capital out of the situation, and
said he hoped ratification would be ac-
complished before November no matter
whether a Democratic or Republican
state was the 36th to approve the suffrage
amendment.
Even If n Democratic state shall finish
the business. the record will still show
that g Republican and seven Democratic
States make up the roll of honor said
Senator Harding. chat is good enough
for us"
My patience is sorely tested sometimes,
over the persistent Misrepresentation of
the Republican party its state governors
and Legislatures. in this matter of wom-
ans suffrage. Whether it manates from
mere mischief-makers, or from partisan
desires cannot help rescnting it. We
must insist on having fair treatment of
the party without whose persistent sup
port of the great reform would never
have had a chance of success.
"a Republican Senate and a Republican
House submitted the constitutional
amendment for equal suffrage A Demo-
cratic Senate having previously refused
70 submit It, twenty-nne Republican
and six Democratic States have ratified
lit.
Six Democratic States have rejected the
ratification resolution and another,
Louis lana has just refused to give it
consideration. Ono Republican State-iust
| one-Delsware--has rejected it. The first
eight States to ratify were Republican
States.
When in 1912 the Republican Senate
finally mustered the necessary majority
30 submit the amendment. there were 36
Republican and only 20 Democratic sena-
tors voting for it: but there were II Dem
ocratic and only eight Republican sem
storS voting against it.
Whether in the Senate or House, in
Congress. or State Legislatures, the
record shows that the Republicans have
been the persistent and effective sup
porterS of this measure In such cir
Observation-Disclosures that arc
| thoroughly familiar to everybody
is simply amazing that Democratic
managers should now have the aMiacity
to be assuming that they are the friend
| of whom the cause must depend if il
| is to succeed.
For myself and for the Republican
Party. 7 earnestly desire that ratifca
| tiop may be accomplished IN time tc
give the whole body of American WON
| en- the ballot in next November ] am
| wearied with efforts to make partisan
| advantage out of this situation. l hope
| there will be ratification, and ] dc
! not care a fig whether it is secured
! through a Republican or a Democrat iC
| State. I will rejoice if North Carolina
| will do it., or If Tennessee will do it
| Just as would rejoice if a Republican
| state lid it,
There will he glory enough for tho
| Republican party, no matter whether the
36th State is Republican or not II any
word of mine could possibly he inf1uen-
tial with any Republican in the North
Carolina Legislature or in the Tennessee
Legislature, the word would. be vote for
ratification and don't worry about who
gets the credit Of putting it over"
Senator Harding spent the forenoon
working on his speech of acceptance, but
later entertained at luncheon A. p.
| Moore. publisher of the Pittsburg Pa
Leader. and Robert r. Wolfe, publisher
of the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch and
Journal. Later he conferred for nearly
an hour with Mr.. Wolfe, who. upon de-
parting, said he came only to make a
friendly can as he and the senator had
| been personal friends for a long time.
| Col Webb Hayes, son of the former
president, who saw the senator to remind
him of promise made before his nomi-
national TO speak in Fremont Ohio. some
! time in September.
! According to an announcement to-
night, no callers scheduled for to-
morrow. and the senator plans to devote
! his attention principally to his speech
which he now hopes to have completed
| by Saturday