Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-05-07


The exact situation ut that time with respect
40 the woman suffrage amendment was fol
bows:
The amendment had been ratified by 81 states.
II had been defeated by six states: Alabama,
Georgia Mississippi. South Carolina, Virginia and
Maryland. Washington and Delaware were hold
ing special sessions. In the other six states the
situation was this:
Connecticut and vermont-No regular sessions
Fntil 1921 and governors had refused to call spe-
riul sessions.
Florida and Tennessce-Cannot vote on ratif
ration in 1920 owing TO the fact that conSttu
iiOnal provisions require intervention Of an cleo
ZION between submission of amendment and ac-
tiOn on ii.
Observation-Disclosures legislature TO meet in
May
North OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to meet in spe-
rial session in July.
The constitutonallty of the ratification by
Ohio where the legislature submitted its ratlfy-
ing action to referendum of the electorate, was
before the United States Supreme court. The
ratification by West Virginia was slated for the
rourts.
Since then there has been all kinds of excite
ment. For example, after Washington had rati-
fed and while Delaware was hanging desperately
10 the top rail of the fence Mississippi nearly
being the thlrtysixth state The Bayou state
legislature had voted against ratification January
u 1920 The senate unexpectedly reScnded its
action and voted for ratification. But the house
stood pat and again refused TO ratify by n vote
nj "a TO %. The members yelled long and Justify
when T. II. Watts of PiSgah and shouted
Il would rather die and 90 to lIadeS than
vote for woman suffrage"
tII this drst-page publicity has aroused an eX-
h-adrdinary public interest in the 70year fight of
the American woman for full suffrage. And it is
most interesting struggle. Though the organ
red movement began in 1913, there are some
high lights before that
Possibly Mary Wostonecraft first set the Eng
Hssr speaking world to thinking on the subject by
publishing her book, "vindicaton of the Rights
Bf Women" Qondon, 1900
In 1920 appeared the first lecturer in this
country She was Frances Wright gifted Scotch
girl Of Twenty-Five years.
In 1886 Ernestne l.. Rose an eyiled Polish
woman. visited this country and advocated the
right Of woman 70 vote In n lecture with the IT,
tie Science of Government" Such was her beau
H. wit and eoquence that she drew crowded
houses
This seed fell on fertile ground American
women had voted under several of the colonial
governments and at the time of the Revolution
had demanded a snare IN government Abigail
Adams spoke for others beside herself when she
wrote to her husband John Adams: III women
are not represented in this republic, there
will be another revolution"
In 1910 the Worlds Anti-Savery convention
was held In London. Several American delegates
we're sent In response to invitation. Among them
we're Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Lucretia Mott 0793lSS0) a Massachusetts
Duateress and an acknowledged minister" Of
The Friends She was the wife of james Mott
and both husband and wife ardent abolition
lists. Elizabeth Cady Stanton CS151902) was
born In New York state and the wife of
Henry +. Stanton, journalist and anti-slavery
speaker.
The London Worlds Ant-Slavery convention
refused to admit these two American delegates
because they were women. Reading between the
lines il is easy to guess that this treatment "got
their spunk up" For before they got home they
Ind decided to have convention of their own to
which they were sure of admission
These two women found kindred spirit in
Snsan b. Anthony (1S20-1906). She was of Mas
Sachusetts Quaker stock and an enthusiastic
worker for Temperance and abolition. In 1S47
she delivered her first "Woman's Rights" address
and was derided as freak of nature.
BY 1S4s the time was ripe for the first wom-
ans rights convention. 1t was held at Seneca
Falls. ~ Y. under the management of these three
women and Mrs Mott and Mrs. Stanton had no
trouble In gaining admittance.
I'D to the Civil war the movement gradually
rnthered strength. During the war the women
we're prevailed upon to give up their suffrage