SUFFRAGE IS DEFEATED 53 TO 31
Suffrage Is Defeated 53 To 31 Vote Comes As Climax Of Spectacular Senate Contest. President IVilson Pleads For Franchise Clause NOTWITHSTANDING the strong appeal of President Wilson that it be...
...Martin and Benet were counted as favoring suffrage because they were known to be supporters of the President...
...that the republicans did not disclose that they eould get only 32 votes until after the resolution was before the Senate...
...Senator Fall who in 1914 was paired against the resolution, on October 1 was paired in favor of the resolution...
...He said: "You, Senator Smoot, pledged them (the Woman Suffrage Committee) 33 votes, so that they would induce the Democratic members of the committee to get this hill on the floor and you could kill it, and then you could make campaign material out of PRESIDENT WILSON URGES SUFFRAGE "Are we alone to refuse to learn the lesson...
...For 53...
...You are driven to one of two positions...
...Smith of Arisona, Thomas, Thompson, Vardaman and Walsh—26...
...that the republicans knew at the time they said they could deliver 33, that all they could possibly deliver was 32 votes...
...You know that through this action you coo Id probably carry the Senate...
...Are we alone to ask and take the utmost that women can give,—service and sacrifice of every kind,—and still say that we do not see what title that gives them to stand by our sides in the guidance of the affairs of their nation and ours...
...President IVilson Pleads For Franchise Clause NOTWITHSTANDING the strong appeal of President Wilson that it be passed as a war measure, the Senate on October 1, refused to pass the resolution to submit the woman suffrage amendment to the people, by a vote of 53 ayes to 31 nays...
...La Follette arrived on Saturday...
...Senator Cummins In his speech said: "Mr...
...Three Votes in Question...
...These political charges of Senator Pittman were made in the course of debate on September 27th, and were the result of the uncertainty on the Republican side as to the vote of Senator Drew of New Hampshire...
...How much would you give, politically, to do it...
...It is a strange spectacle, Mr...
...He said that the republican managers had promised 33 and that the democrats could deliver 31 votes...
...He charged that for the purpose of obtaining a political advantage the republican friends of the resolution had misinformed and tricked the democratic friends of the resolution into taking action to bring it on for consideration at this time...
...The following Senators were paired: Beckham, Kentucky, Democrat, against, with Hollis, New Hampshire, Democrat and Frelinghuyseu, New Jersey, Republican...
...He said further: "It we be indeed democrats and wish to lead the world to democracy, we can ask other peoples to accept in proof of our sincerity and our ability to lead them whither they wish to be led nothing less persuasive and convincing than our actions...
...You refuse to give him an instrumentality which he has asserted to you with the utmost seriousness is necessary to enable him to accomplish the great purpose he has in view...
...The Senator's position, then, as I understand it, is that in the old battle against human slavery Massachusetts and South Carolina were divided, but in the present battle for the political emancipation of women Massachusetts and South Carolina are united...
...Senators Gore, Johnson, S. Dakota, McCumber, Page, Pittman and Vardaman at that time voted against the amendment, but in the vote of October 1, they are recorded as voting for it...
...I want to say that the statement I made yesterday was based upon the word of not one Democratic member, but a number of Democratic members...
...When the private polls revealed their probable attitude, the suffrage leaders of opposite political parties became acrimonious in the charges they made against each other...
...Senator Jones, of New Mexico, in charge of the resolution upon notice given a week in advance called the resolution up for action Thursday, September 26th, and held it continuously before the Senate until finally voted on the following Tuesday...
...REPUBLICANS:—Calder, Colt, Cummins, Curtis, Fernald, France, Govv, Groona, Jones of Washington, Kellogg, Kenyon, La FoUette, Lenroot, McCumber, MeNary, Nelson, New, Norris, Page, Pomtdexter, Smith of Michigan, Smoot, Sterling, Sutherland, Townsend, Warren and ^Vatson-^27...
...We have made partners of the women in this war...
...There had been changes in the personnel of the Senate during the months that had intervened since the prior consideration of this resolution on June 27th...
...When the Susan B. Anthony amendment was before the Senate on March 19, 1914, thirty-five Senators voted for its adoption and 34 in opposition...
...The friends of the resolution are hopeful the November elections may cause several of the Senators who voted in the negative to see a new light...
...FOR DEMOCRATS:—Ashurst, Chamberlain, Cul-lierson, Gerry, Gore, Henderson, Johnson, of S, Dakota, Kendrkk, Kirby, Lewis, McKellar, Martin of Kentucky, Myers, Nugent, Owen, Phelan, Pitt-nan, RansdelL Robfoson, Shafroth, Shep-pard...
...You are about to flout, disparage, repudiate, and humiliate your President...
...Who is responsible for the change in the poll ©f the Democrats, made necessary by the remarks of Senator Benet...
...Against 31...
...Mr...
...What would you do to do it...
...was subsequently carried, and the suffrage resolution is now on the calendar of the Senate and can be taken up at any time...
...Cummins in Statement...
...At the time it was called up there were a number of Senators absent, some without pairs...
...Mr...
...that they had played a trick for political purposes...
...that there were 31 votes upon that side of the Chamber for the amendment...
...Senator Williams' amendment was laid on the table by a jrote of 61 yeas and 22 nays...
...Are we alone to ask and take the utmost that women can give—service and Sacrifice of every kind—and still say that we do not see what title that gives them to stand by our sides in the guidance of the affairs Of their nation and ours...
...You refuse to give to him an instrumentality which he has asserted to you with the utmost seriousness is necessary to enable him to accomplish the great purpose he has in view...
...Would you rather do that, or pass this amendment...
...The late Senators Tillman, of South Carolina, and James of Kentucky, opponents of woman suffrage had been succeeded respectively by Senators Benet and Martin, and neither had made known his position...
...At the time the resolution was called up in the Senate friends and opponents were equally uncertain as to the result of the vote...
...One by Senator Williams would limit suffrage to white women...
...This vote was the climax to one of the most spectacular of Senate contests of recent years...
...Senator Jones, of New Mexico, after having yoted in the affirmative, changed his vote to the negative, and immediately gave notice that he would move to reconsider the vote, which motion CUMMINS CALLS FOR FULL SUPPORT "You are driven to one of two positions...
...WHILE the debate as to the responsibility for bringing the resolution before the Senate and the political effect of an adverse vote was still under way, the President threw himself into discussions by expressing the desire to appear and address the Senate upon the subject of woman suffrage and while he did not win any votes for the resolution he improved politically the position of his party associates...
...shall we admit them only to a partnership of sacrifice and suffering and toil and not to a partnership of privilege and of right...
...There was no response in votes to the President's appeal...
...President, to me, and I address myself mainly to my brother Senators upon the other side of the Chamber...
...Those voting to limit suffrage to white women were: Senators Bankhead, Benet, Borah, Fletcher, Core, Guion, Hardwick, McKellar, Martin, Ky., Jfartin, Va., Myers, Overman, Reed, Shields, JHmmons, Smith, Ga„ Smith, Md., Smith, S. C, J"ramm-ell, Underwood, Vardaman, Williams...
...If we reject measures like this, in ignorance or defiance of what a new age has brought forth, of what they have seen but we have not, they will cease to follow or trust us...
...The suffrage resolution has been buffeted about the Senate all through this session...
...On the Democratic side, on September 28th, Senator Benet of South Carolina, threw more fat in the fire in a speech declaring his opposition to the suffrage amendment...
...The Senator said if this amendment was adopted, ^e would vote for the resolution...
...You, from a suffrage state, know that if you kill this amendment by a Democratic vote, giving one-half of the two-thirds yourselves and one less than half of two-thirds on this side, you will sweep those states with the women's votes...
...You know that...
...How the Vote Stood...
...President Lends Aid...
...That is my understanding, Mr...
...it in the Western states...
...President, I very much fear that 'a little group of wilful men' are about to defeat a measure which the President of the United States has declared in all the richness of his vocabulary and with all the emphasis which he could command is vitally necessary for the successful prosecution of the war...
...It became a contest to determine if possible which party could secure the greatest political advantage out of the impending adverse vote on suffrage...
...Ico, Martin, of Virginia, Overman, Pomerene, tleed, Saulsbury, Shields, Simmons, Smith of Georgia, Smith of Maryland, Smith of Sooth Carolina, Trammell, Underwood, Williams and IWokott-31...
...Phelan...
...They have seen their own governments accept this interpretation of democracy—seen old governments like Great Britain, which did not profess to be democratic, promise readily and as of course this justice to women, though they had before refuKed it, the strange revelations of this war having made many things new and plain, to government* as well as to peoples...
...The late Senator Gallinger, a strong advocate and consistent friend of suffrage had been succeeded by Senator Drew and the latter had not announced his position...
...AGAINST DEMOCRATS.—Bankhead, Benet, Fletcher, Guion, Hardwick, Hitchcock, Jones of New Mex...
...Several amendments proposed to the resolution were voted down...
...You either refuse to accept the solemn declaration of the President that the passage of this joint resolution is vitally necessary to the prosecution of the war, or you choose to defeat the right of women in this country to vote rather than to aid him in the great conflict in which he is engaged...
...The President said that he regarded "the concurrence of the Senate in the constitutional amendment proposing the extension of the suffrage to women as vitally essential to the successful prosecution of the great war of humanity in which we are engaged...
...This amendment was laid upon the table fcy a vote of 50 yeas and S3 nays...
...He said that the peoples of other countrie* were looking to this country *to lead them to the new day for which they have so long waited...
...When the friends of suffrage on the Senate floor advised Senator La Follette, who was not paired, that his vote was needed he started immediately from California, where he had gone with his son, who for months has been dangerously ill...
...Are we alone to refuse to learn the lesson...
...REPUBLICANS:—Baird, Brandegee, Dillingham, Drew, Bale, Lodge, McLean, Penrose, Wads-north and Weeks—10...
...Swan son, Virginia, Democrat, against, with Wil-fley, Missouri, and*King, Utah, Democrats...
...I sincerely hope that there will not fall upon you that severe condemnation which was at a former time visited upon another 'little group of wilful men' who desired nothing more than an opportunity to amend a measure that was then before the Senate...
...We have made partners of the women in this war...
...Do yon want to do It...
...FOR several days, the leaders on both sides were in a quandary as to these three votes...
...Senator Ftelinghuysen offered an amendment J© prohibit alien women who acquire citizenship !>y marriage from exercising the right of suffrage without being admitted to citizenship in |h« same manner as is a non-citizen male person...
...It apparently was assumed by the friends of suffrage that Senator Drew, successor by appointment to the seat of Senator Gallinger, out of deference to the well known position of his predecessor, would vote in favor of the resolution...
...You either refuse to accept the solemn declaration of the President that the passage of this joint resolution is vitally necessary to the prosecution of the war, or you choose to defeat the right of women in this country to vote rather than to aid him in the great conflict in which he is engaged...
...On the final vote Senator Martin lined up for the resolution, while Senators Drew and Benet were in opposition...
...Borah of Idaho, Republican, against with Fall of New Mexico, and Harding of Ohio, Republicans...
...President, and that is why...
...This made certain that the democrats could only deliver 30 instead of 31 votes in favor of the amendment, so Senator Smoot said in reply to the charges of Senator Pittman: "Yesterday the Senator (Mr...
...Senator Phelan in the course of the debate ¦aid: "The black race is the greatest obstacle today in this body to woman suffrage, but Standing alone the opposition that arises from that source would not be sufficient unless it was reenforced from New England...
...The final vote on the resolution was as follows...
...Senator Penrose who on October 1 voted against the resolution, was absent upon the vote taken in 1914, but it was said at the time he was in favor of the resolution...
...Knox of Pennsylvania, Republican, against with Johnson, California, and Sherman, Illinois, Republicans...
...SENATOR FLETCHER'S amendment, designed to apply the resolution's proposition fcgainst the abridgement of franchise because of •ex to the Federal Government only, was lost |4 to 17...
...Senator Cummins and other Senators made strong direct appeals to the democrats to stand by the President...
...shall we admit them only to a partnership of sacrifice and suffering and toil and not to a partnership of privilege and of right...
...and they think, in their logical simplicity, that democracy means that women shall play their part in affairs alongside men and upon an equal footing with them...
...The vote of October 1 is not the first defeat that suffrage has received in the Senate...
...J call it an unholy alliance...
...Upon two occasions prior to the vote of October 1, efforts were made by its friends to bring it before the Senate for action, but each time it was withdrawn as it was evident it could not command a sufficient number of votes to pass it...
...Senator Pittman, for the democrats, charged bad faith on the part of the republicans, and this naturally was resented by the republicans...
...Pittman) tried to make it appear that I in particular, and the other Republicans who favored woman suffrage, had deceived him...
...Thomas...
Vol. 10 • October 1918 • No. 10
