The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1920-02-06
THE Wsman,s suffrage Question.

The following letter has been sent
10 this ofics for publication in re-
CARDS to W0man's Suffrage:
Recently there appeared in the news
columns of . local paper an open let
ter to the Legislators OF Maryland by
the Association Opposed to Woman
Suffrage. 6Rffra gists. in a paid adj
vertisernent on Saturday, January 10,
1890, pointea out that this letter was
full OF mis-statements. The letter
shows plainly that the same tactics,
which have been employed in other
States where unsuccessful attempts
have been made to hold back the rati-
ffcation of the Federal Woman SUI
frage Amendment, are going to be
used in Maryland by its opponents
The Federal Suffrage Amendment
was passed by the Congress OF the
United States on June 4th, 1919. The
ratification campaign opened with
tremendous momentum. Special ses-
sion has followed. special session for
ratification purposes. Every Mary
lander, for suffrage or against it, will
agree that it is Of the utmost import
ance that the decision Of the General
Assembly Of Maryland on this ques-
ton be made, with full understand
ing OF its merits.
In Maryland, as iilS each Southern
state. where this question has been
before the Legislature, Legislature
and press are going TO be flooded with
anti-sufrage literature of bitterly
personal, acutely sectional, viciously
unfair character Every sectional
prejudice, every local problem will be
traded on. Truth will be distorted.
Suffrage leaders, local and national,
will be personally DETAINED Their
words will be misquoted.
We know this because it is kind of
publicity that the opposition every
where INDUCES in So shocking has
been the character of its publicity
that the Lower House of the Legisla-
ture of one Southern state last spring
passed a resolution condemning it as
cheapening and traducing all wo-
manhood. 1t was in May that the
membership Of the House of the 36th
Legislature OF Texas went on record
as cOndemning the circulation of this
character of literature, the like of
which was placed upon our desks to-
day"
With the personal attacks made by
the anti-sufrage material, we are not
concerned. Our business is to present
the argument for the democratic prin-
ciple Of suffrage and for the ratiica-
ton Of the Federal Suffrage Amend
ment as an economical expedient for
applying that principle.
In the interest of fair play we ask
the press of this State to open its col
umns to the suffrage side of the case
and we ask the people to follow the
suffrage question, in general, and the
ratification question, in particular,
with that regard for justice and truth
that has distinguished the highest
ideals of our State in the past We
believe that the General Assembly of
Maryland will ratify the Feredral suf-
frage amendment because the mem
bers of that body will realize that the
principle of justice inherent in it must
rise superior to distinctions between
state and federal sovereignty.
We believe, too, that Maryland S
representatives will realize the in
justice of having the woman electorate
Of America irregularly placed about
the country as it is today. Women
are voting in the West. They are
voting in the Central States. They
are voting in the Southwest as in the
Northwest. They are voting in New
York. They are voting in Maine
and Rhode Island.
What is the matter with the South
ern women, including those of Mary
land, that they should be excluded?
The South will find, as the National
American Woman Suffrage Associa-
tion has found, hut one answer to the
question. There is nothing the mat
ter with Southern women. Their po-
litical acnmen, their wit, their beau
ty, their enthusiasm, ehliven and
strengthen every gathering in the
land They are to be counted among
the most ardent supporters of the
Federal Suffrage Amendment. Their
reasons for that support, together
with the reasons of representative
Southern men, form the basis of our
presentation of the suffrage case, for
which we earnestly ask your unprei-
udiced attention.
MATILDA B. MALOY,
Publicity Chairman.
Both FraneemRnd the United States
have recentlJ disclosed the fact that
there are about $4,000 American
1,nrooc h11riod in Franco