Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-07
SENATOR GoRMLEY
Con tinueSi from page ]

Replying to your communication, per-
NIT me to say that as q member OF tho
present Legislature and "a a Democrat, l
am very sorry, indeed, that | cannot, ior
various reasons, see my way clear to grant
the request Of the committee.
May ask why such great haste IN the
ratification Of the proposed amendmcntt
Does any sane man, or woman either, De
lieve that If women are not permitted TO
vote at the next election that the country
will suffer any serious inconvenience there
by?
"Why not have a Statewide rctcrcn-
dunn on this question? As Democrats, we
should be at all times ready and willing to
trust the people, and we should be un.
willing to allow a question OF such great
importance to be decided without Inst
giving to the people an opportunity TO ex-
press themselves on the question at issue
And, further, we should not attempt TO
stampede the members OF the Legislature
into adopting the women suffrage ameho-
ment, in view Of the fact that In the cicc-
tions held in 1916 and 1918, when the
members of the present leglslature were
elected the question of votes Tor women
had not been submitted to the States by
Congress, and Was not an iss'ie before the
u
ooh. but YOU will say that it rs bound 10
come and why not get on the band
wagon? ] believe, in these days, that Is
called expedicncy, but | submit that We
should not for expediency's sake lnfiict
suffrage upon the women of this state,
the majority of whom, | am convinced,
are opposed to IT.
1--WE are mt the present time eating an
annie out of that same barrel, the pro-
hibition amendment, adopted and nAtfe
part of our fundamental law during the
period of the war, and there rs grave DOUBT
in the minds of many as TO whether that
law meets the approval of majority ot
the people IN this country:
"Many Democrats with whom i have
talked wonder whether your committee
decided TO ignore altogether the doctrine
of States rights. Surely, as Democrats,
we have always been taught to believe
that il was the right OF a State to do
termine for itself by the vote OF its own
people who shall vote at its own State,
county and municipal elections, prospect
i've of what may bc the law IN some other
State which may be thousand mules
distant. and where conditions arc entireiy
different. When We surrender to any oue-
side power the right to say who shall vote
at our elections, we surrender the r'ens
to determine who shall govern the state,
and without tho right of local self-govern'
ment, we cease 90 be a State, and become
a mere province or possession.
Moreover, the granting OF suffrage to
women must lead to lack of respect for
the marriage ties, the increase OF divorce,
and the gradual breaking up OF the home,
The entrance of woman into politics VIII
withdraw her from those obligations which
belong TO her sex and I'LL her with
ambition TO usurp positions Tor wmch
neither God nor nature ever intended her.
I'm closing. it Is my earnest wish that
the governor will not call the Legislature
in special session for the above mentioned
so that the question of votes for
women may be passed upon by the people
at the election to be held next November.
Respectfully yours,
Thomas +. Gormley.