On January 12, 1915, today a mere 90 years ago, as reported below by the New York Times, women for the second time lost the right to vote. Various comments from congressmen include: “The women of this smart capital are beautiful. Their beauty is disturbing to business.” and “They should have been at home where they belonged.” It would take another 5-1/2 years, not until Aug. 26, 1920, for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing American women the right to vote, to be declared in effect. Given the current climate in la Maison Blanche (White House) and les etats rouge (red states), we seem to be reverting back to 1915...
Suffragists Lose Fight In The House ~
A Constitutional Amendment Resolution Debated Ten Hours and Rejected, 174 to 204
Leaders Are Undismayed
Will Press Senate Resolution Now-Antis' Leader Sees Passing of "Hysteria" Wave.
Special to The New York Times.
Washington, Jan. 12 -- Woman suffrage was discussed from every point of view for more than ten hours in the house today. At the close of the debate the proposed constitutional amendment giving nation-wide suffrage to women was rejected by the overwhelming vote of 174 - 204.
The suffragists fell 78 men short of the necessary two-thirds vote, with 57 members not voting. This vote, coming so soon after President Wilson's firm statement that the women should carry their fight to the States instead of to Congress marks the second defeat for the suffrage cause in the national legislature within a year. On March 19, an equal suffrage constitutional amendment proposed by Senator Chamberlain of Oregon received a vote of 35 to 34 in the Senate, securing a bare majority, but falling of the necessary two-thirds. However, the suffrage workers are not disheartened.
Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, President of the National Suffrage Association, said after the adjournment: "I am not gratified, but the vote was better than I had expected. We now have an alignment from which we can move onward." It is now a political and rational question, for Congress would not take up a local or sectional matter in this way. It never can be said again that it is a local or partisan question. The National House of Representatives has discussed suffrage and has voted upon it. It would not have done that if it were not a question of national importance."
"The Congressional Union," said Miss Alice Paul, President of the Congressional Union, tonight after the vote in the House, "will begin tomorrow to work in the Senate for a vote on the Bristow resolution, which is identical with the Mondell resolution considered in the House today. We believe that when this resolution is passed by the Senate it will come back to the House with new prestige. It is now on the calendar of the Senate. The Congressional Union believes that the Bristow resolution can be passed at this session of the Senate."
Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, President of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, said after the vote was taken tonight: "The deliberations of the House of Representatives today were, of course, of the greatest importance because the final vote was such as to persuade the country forever that the National Congress will not undertake to dictate to the various States what they shall do in the regulation of their franchise.
"In my opinion today's work in the House demonstrated that from now on the wave of hysteria in which the suffragists have indulged or of which they have been the victims will be on the wane."
Voting for the resolution were 86 Democrats, 72 Republicans, 12 Progressives, 3 Progressive-Republicans and one independent, and against it 171 Democrats and 33 Republicans.
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