Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-12
Democrats and Equal Suffrage.

grace is in danger OF fouhoer'h9-
Democrats and Equal Suffrage.
Not all Democrats agree with M.
Nugent Of New Jersey in his opposl-
ton TO votes for women, or If they
do. they are astute enough not to say
so. The wiser ones among them
recognize the fact that vote in the
hands Of a woman is no less vote
than in the hands of man. They
also realize that there will be need
for them to count all possible ballots
in the coming presidential race and
the more they are sure Of at the
start, the less sleep they will lose
toward the end of the campaign.
The occasion of Mr.. Nugent's
declaration that woman suffrage is
the mother of all 'isrns'" and the
greatest menace now threatening
the stability Of American govern
ment" was a letter from Chairman
Cummings Of the Democratic ma
tionaI committee asking him to work
for ratification Of the Anthony
amendment in New Jersey. Mr..
Nugent is entitled to his own opin-
ions. like any other American. Of
course. 1t would be useless to point
out TO him that woman suffrage has
no more to do with the isms' and
n1enaces' than it has with the phases
of the moon, but one feels bit OF
::umiration for his independent spirit
hat refuses TO bend its energies 10
collecting votes for their own sake.
1t is in refreshing contrast to the
remarks Of his partis4-is of greater
fame. What they are saying may be
.i2ttering TO the women voters, but
thoughtful sensible women of this
country will do with their votes as
they think right, and as they woull
expect honest men voters to do.
The pleas ard gasps Of Democratic
PARTY leaders are tinged with a little
.aomething that sounds like a bid for
= pity from sympathetic women. 20
wit:
Senator Hitchcock at the jackson
day dinner:
We will shall win because the
business men. the laboring men. the
churches, the independent voters ard
above all the women of America, are
for the league and for peace. We
shall win because America is land
Of hope and not OF despair"
Likewise Bryan on the same occa-
sion. having assumed the party would
accept national prohibition. obviously
because there is nothing else for it to
10. continued,
Il assume that the party will ac-
cept woman suffrage also as an ac-
complished fact. The women saved
our party from defeat in the last con-
sregation and we need their aid to
hasten the triumph of every right
eous cause"
On the same day he sent out a
message to Democratic state legisla
lures in which he said:
Il am especially anxious that the
Democratic States shall act prompt
~ and favorably:
"First-In order that the Demo-
cratic Party may be able to make a
successful appeal to women voters;
and,
"Second-Because we need the
conscience OF women to aid the moral
causes to which Democracy ID
pledged. take it for granted that
special sessions will be called in
States that do not have a regular
session soon. No time ought to bs
lost in settling this question on the
side Of suffrage"
Here are three leaders, Chairman
Cummings Of the national committee,
Senator Hitchcock, minority leader of
the Senate. and Mr.. Bryan. leader
extraordinary and auto-plenipoten-
tiazy. al Of whom want to pin a four
year license number on the dear old
donkey again, and acknowledge that
they must have the help of the
women to do it.
Ths women themselves, ve believe.
YIN b the judges Of where they viii
put tnair inAuenea. and ~ sho have
faatA Gnsuxh in then - Deilevs they
viii oooAt6er ths needs Of The nation
above the desires Of the Democrats.