THIRTY-THIRD DAY MORNING SESSION. only twelve of those states which have not some form of equal SUffrage, and with your indulgence I WEDNESDAY, March 6, 1912. would like to name just a few of those states so that The Convention met pursuant to adjournment, was we can get some sort of an idea of the suffrage they called to order by the president and opened with prayer have in the respective states of the Union. by the Rev. Washington Gladden, of Columbus, Ohio. In 1838 Kentucky gave equal suffrage to widows and The journal of yesterday was read and approved. children of school age; Kansas gave school suffrage; vVyoming, full suffrage; Michigan, school suffrage; Col Mr. LA}\1PSON: I move that two thousand extra orado and a great number of states, along in the seven copies of Proposal No. 151 by Mr. Anderson, as amend ties and eighties, gave school suffrage. Then a good ed, be ordered printed. many of the rest of the states have municipal suffrage The motion was carried. and suffrage extended to tax-paying women. Mr. PRESIDENT: The question before the house I shall not take the time of the Convention to read all is Proposal No. 91, relating to equal suffrage. The sec of these, but out of the forty-eight states there are only retary will read the proposal. twelve which have not some kind of woman's suffrage. The proposal was read the second time. So you see in this country that in the last eighty years The PRESIDENT: The question is on the adoption this cause of democracy - the rights of the people of the proposal and the gentleman from Trumbull [Mr. has been growing, and men who believe in democracy, KILPATRICK] has the floor. men who have in their hearts true democracy, are be :Mr. KILPATRICK: I want to call your attention ginning to see it is not a democracy in which we are liv first, gentlemen, to the provisions of this Proposal ing if we disfranchise one-half of the people. No. 91. Friends, it is our duty, if we believe in government The section of the constitution which is desired to be by the people and of the people and for the people, changed is article V, section 1. We leave out of that to give women the right of suffrage. We. have section just two words, "white male." \Vhat we are six states in the United States in which women asking in this proposal, gentlemen, is this, that the prop have full suffrage. The last state was that great osition be submitted to the electors of this state whether Woman's Suffrage. of Ohio has produced some truly great men. There I may with your indulgence give you a little idea of have been in this state some great democrats - demo what sort of a man he is by giving a few lines written cratic democrats - but there is one man who in my by him and which are very apropos of the subject under ,estimation stands head and shoulders above them all; one discussion: man who in time to come we will look upon and to whom we shall point our children as being one of the greatest Once, in a world that has gone down to dust pioneers of democracy in this state; a man who was I began to build a place by the sea, ' White pillared, in a garden full of fountains. called away early in his life; that man who did more to The mock-birds in the tall magnolias sang; free the American city than any other man because he And down all ways the Graces and the Joys has placed in our own state a city on the hill which Went ever beckoning with wreathing arms, throws its light out to every municipality in this country The chisels and the hammers of the men Were singing merrily among the stone~, ,and all countries - that man and that great democrat And tower and gable arose against the sky. was Tom L. Johnson, of Cleveland. ,I want to read to you what he says in regard to ,this important proposi A thousand friends, tion. I might say further in this connection that it has All hastening to make ready for the feast, Felt their light bodies whirling in the ball; been my privilege to talk with him personally in regard Were jesting and roaring at the tables spread to these things, and whenever it came to a question of After the masquerade; were sleeping high democracy Tom Johnson was always favorable to de In perfumed chambers under the quiet stars; mocracy. Now listen, friends: When lo! a voice came crying through my heart; "Leave all thou hast, and come and follow Me. After all democracy is not a matter of sex, any Then all at once the hammers and the tongues more than it is a matter of race, color or previ Grew still around me, and the multitude- ous conditions, but a matter of people. The more The endless multitude that ache in chains perfect the recognition of the common rights of That we may have our laughter and and our wine all people, the more perfect and the more just the Rose spectral and dark to pass before my face. I saw the labor-ruined forms of men; . democracy. A truly enlightened and democratic Faces of women worn with many tears form of government would of course recognize Faces of little children old in youth. the equal rights of women. I left the towers to crumble in the rain, Father Scully says: And waste upon the winds; myoid-time friends The opposition to female suffrage is a matter Flung back their fleering laughter after me. I raised a low roof by a traveled road of course. All great social and political reforms, And softly turned to give myself to man- as well as religious ones, have always been resist To open wells along a trodden way, ed by prejudice, customs and the old cry of "in To build a wall against the sliding sand, opportune." So it is with this. It is a battle To raise a light upon a dangerous coast; When suddenly I found me in a Palace reason and justice opposed by senseless fears and With God for Guest! selfish notions. The cause is just. It may be de feated today, but never conquered, and tomorrow There in a Palace, fairer than my dream, I dwell: it will be victorious. High company come and go through distant sounding doors. Israel Zangwill, that great Jew who has written so I want to read what William Lloyd Garrison had to many books which have truly touched the heartstrings say upon. this proposition: of thousands upon thousands of readers and who has done so much good toward upbuilding humanity, says: Those who are ruled' by law should have the There is no problem upon which an intelligent power to say what shall be the law and who the woman cannot throw some light. In neglecting lawmakers. Women are as much interested in woman's help, men are blundering not merely in legislation as men, and are entitled to represen what they do but still more badly in what they do tation. not do; in the terribly important provinces of life which they leave untouched by legislation. Now one more. I want to read you what Harriett \Ve men require women's suffrage as much for Beecher Stowe had to say about this proposition. Every our own sake as for women's sake. one here knows what she did in regard to the great ques tion of black slavery. This is what she says in regard Now I want to read you what the great democratic to the abolition of white slavery: poet has to say, Edwarc;l l\1arkham. We all know what he has done for democracy. We all know what he has If the principle on which we founded our gov done for the great cause of labor by sending out those ernment is true, that taxation must not be without beautiful thoughts of his clothed in language so express representation, and if women held property and ive and filled with true democratic meaning: are taxed, it follows that women should be repre sented in the state by their vote. I think the state The woman movement of this country is its can no more afford to dispense with the votes of most significant movement, because it brings hu women in its affairs than the family. man hearts together. We want not the rule of gold, but the Golden Rule. To carry this out in How many men are there in this Convention hall who this world we need the help of the women. I know how many women there are in the United States am a very ardent woman suffragist. or in the state of Ohio that are working in the mills and CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday \\loman's Suffrage. in the factories and the sweatshops of this country? Do not do better than to say that since the adoption you know that down in Pennsylvania and in our own of the equal suffrage amendment in the state of state - your state, if you please, and my state - there California three important city elections have been are women who are working in the rolling mills side held. One of these city elections, that of Los by side with men? In Pennsylvania there are women Angeles, was the most exciting and most bitterly working in the foundries, in the tube mills, in the tin contested ever held in the state, and, it was be mills, thousands of them. I am not going to take time lieved, fraught with the gravest consequences to to give the figures so far as the United States are con that community. In these elections, the first test cerned but in this state we have approximately three of equal suffrage with us, the women of California hundred thousand women who are working every day acquitted themselves with firmness, courage, for their daily bread. Do you know that in the United ability, and with the very highest intelligence. If States we have over two million boys and girls under these elections are a fair indication of the practical the age of fourteen that are working in the mills and working of equal suffrage, California will never mines and sweatshops and factories? Do you realize regret the adoption of the amendment. what that means to the oncoming generations, our chil dren and their children? I f you could only see this ques All of the letters which I hold from these various tion, if men could only be aroused to the situation and governors are strongly in favor of equal suffrage. They what this matter means by placing in the hands of all are too lengthy, however, to take your time with now. the people of the state and of all the people of the nation There is another thing - one other man from whom I the right to govern themselves, we would not have a vote wish to quote, and he wa~, as you have heard before in this Convention against the initiative and referendum stated in this Convention hall, the greatest American, or against equal suffrage. And how can any man in this Abraham Lincoln: Convention who espouses the cause of the initiative and referendum conscientiously vote against the proposition God bless 'em." Don't know what we'd 'a' done of submitting this question to the electors? Every single if it hadn't been for the way the women have taken labor organization in the United States that has passed hold. Come down here willin' to do anything upon this question of equal suffrage has done so in its women that never saw a cut finger before will stand favor. The Federation of Labor of twenty-three states over a wound so terrible men will faint at the sight have passed favorably upon this proposition. The Ohio of it. I've known of women spendin' whole nights Federation of Labor on October 13, 191 I, passed a reso on a battlefield huntin' for somebody they'd lost lution, the resolving clause of which is as follows: and stoppin' as they went to give water and take messages. I've known them to work steady for That the Ohio Federation of Labor, acting as three days and nights without a wink of sleep a body and through the individual members, use down at the front after a battle, takin' care of the every effort to secure from the coming; conven wounded. Here in Washington you can't stop 'em tion the submission of the question of woman's as long as they can see a thing to be done. At suffrage as a separate proposition to be voted home they're supportin' the families and workin' upon at the same time that the new constitution day and night to help us. They give their hus is to be acted upon. bands and their boys and then themselves. God bless the women. vVe can't save the Union with The American Federation of Labor 'passed .a.a resolu out 'em. tion in favor of equal suffrage. I hold in my hand a telegram from Governor Hay, of the state of Washing It did not require a civil war, though, to make Abraham ton, which I wish to read: Lincoln appreciate women or to demand a "square deal" for them. Away back in 1836 he declared in a letter to During the short time that woman suffrage has his constituents: "I go for all sharing the privileges of been in effect in this state a profound interest has government who assist in bearing the burdens, by no been manifested among all women in the study of means excluding women." civic questions and the promotion of legislation and projects designed to advance the best interest And listen to this further. To me one of the greatest of the people of the state. They are taking their things Abraham Lincoln ever said was this: "All that responsibility seriously and providing a powerful I am and all that I hope to be I owe to my angel mother." agency of progress. Is there a man in this Convention hall who says that he is greater than his mother? Is there a man here in this I have one from Governor Hawley, of Idaho, and I Convention hall who would have the audacity to say upon hold a letter here from Governor Shafroth, of Colorado. this floor that he knows more and has a better right, if I also have one from Governor Carey, of Wyoming, and you please, under our government to say what this govern_ here is a letter from Governor Johnson, of California, ment shall be than his mother? W:e sometimes forget in which he says: that we are all a part of humanity and the time is coming, and I think the time is here, when you men are going to I have your letter of December 5 relating to throw aside selfishness and superstition. This supersti the suffrage amendment which the women of Ohio tion is going to be thrown aside and we are going to ap are preparing to present to your Constitutional preciate the fact that we alI belong to one human family. Convention, and I note your request that I write Many men say that the world pays homage to women you briefly my opinion of equal suffrage. I can and for that reason she ought not to be taken down from March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES Woman's Suffrage. that high estate. If that were only true what a world this everything connected with that are concerned, are better would be. True it is that there are certain women who than in any of the other states in the Union. possess the graces perhaps to whom man pays homage. Now, let me ask Mr. Bowdle: Suppose we should pass. But don't insult the thousands, aye the millions, of women a law in this state that every man in the state of Ohio by who toil every day that they may keep body and soul to the name of Bowdle should not vote. Then we could gether, who experience every day new sorrows and new say, would the laws in this state be any better if the Bow humiliations and new sufferings. Don't, I say, insult dIes did not vote? But just another question, what would these women by saying to them that they cannot have a Mr. Bowdle think about that? right to exercise this franchise that men alone shall say Mr. BOWDLE: I can not state it here. under what conditions they shall live so far as voting Mr. KILPATRICK: I take it then that the language goes. Give them the right to say for themselves. No would be so expressive that perhaps the roof might go matter what the ability of a ~oman may be, or what the off if you would give vent to your feelings. experience of a woman may have been, she has just ex Mr. ELSON: Do you think that Colorado has a better actly the same inalienable right that man has. And, friends, government than Ohio? Is there a city in Ohio, with all the time is rapidly coming when the chains which have of its misgovernment, that has been so badly governed in bound us to the wrongs of the past are going to be broken the past ten years as Denver? and civilization is giving us a better view of right, and lVir. KILPATRICK: I could name several munici we are beginning to appreciate that before Almighty God palities in thIS state which I think are infinitely worse and the eternal bar of justice, women possess the same governed than Denver possibly could be, and I want to. inherent rights that man does and that we have no right say this to you, so far as Denver is concerned, that Denver under this form of government, a democracy, to say to has produced one man who has done more for the youth woman that she has no right to vote if she wants to. A of this country and perhaps for the youth of the world, man who says that in his heart is a tyrant, and invariably so far as the neglected youth is concerned, than anv other when you find a man or woman who is against equal suf man that the United States has produced, and the election frage you will find a man or a woman who is in favor of of that man was due directly to the women having the restricted man suffrage. They would have those people right to vote. It was the bosses in that city who en vote who they think are capable of voting, and that would deavored to do away with the good which is there. be all. Such thoughts as that are tyrannical and they Mr. FESS: I woul.d like to ask whether the bad gov are productive of the very conditions which exist here in ernment of Denver is due to the voting of the women? our own state and in our own nation today. If you I would like to ask that of Mr. Elson. believe in free speech let speech be free. If you believe Mr. ELSON: I did not know that I was on the car in liberty, and you all do, give liberty. If you want to pet. I was wondering why the government of Denver help democracy, give democracy. That is the thing to was not better than it is as it has had woman's suffrage do. If you believe in equal rights for all give to the peo for nineteen years. I do not mean for a moment to in ple of this state and the people of this nation equal rights. sinuate that the bad government of Denver is due to During the speech of :Mr. Kilpa'trick :Mr. John50n, of woman's suffrage, but to what is it due? vVilliams, took the chair as president pro tem. Mr. KILPATRICK: It is a great deal better there ]\;1r. BOvVDLE: May I ask the gentleman a question? with women's suffrage than it would be without. The PRESIDENT PRO TEM: Does the gentleman . Mr. ANDERSON: Is it not a fact, Mr. Kilpatrick,. yield? that no one knows better than Lindsey the conditions in Mr. KILPATRICK: Yes; I will answer if I can. Denver, and is it not a fact that he is heartily in favor Mr. BOvVDLE: Can you inform us what percentage of woman's suffrage because he wants to do away with of 'women desire to vote? the conditions they have there? 1\11'. KILPATRICK: Mr. Bowdle, in my estimation Mr. KILPATRICK: There is no question about that. it does not make any difference. If there is only one There is another point I want to call the attention of the woman in this state who wants the right of franchise I delegates to before I have finished, and that is this: would sav she should have that right. There are some of us who believe that we should have Mr. BOWDLE: Would you denominate me a tyrant educational and property qualifications so far as the elec because I would not be in favor of amending the consti tors are concerned. I am not one of those, however. tution in favor of that one woman? Let us take for instance in the United States and in this Mr. KILPATRICK: I would consider if she is a part state the proposition from a moral standpoint. Let us of humanilty and had worked all of these years for that take the penal institutions of the United States and of thing, that you would bean absolute tyrant if you refused this state as being indicative of the morals. Let us as to give her that right. sume that, because I want to say that I think there are :Mr. BOWDLE: One further question: How would a great many men in the penitentiary who ought to be out, feminine suffrage in your judgment affect the sweatshop and a great many out who ought to be in, but we will system and the various features of the industrial busi assume for argument's sake that it is indicative of the ness in which women are employed? morals of the community. Statistics show - and statis Mr. KILPATRICK: In all the other states where they tics so far as the inmates of these institutions are con now have woman's suffrage -I have not that at hand cerned are perfectly reliable, because you can get them just this minute to give exact figures, but the laws In re at first hand - statistics show that in the prisons of the gard to the regulation of labor, so far as females and United States there are only five and a half per cent fof males are concerned, so far as school laws and school con the inmates who are women. In this state we have six ditions are concerned, so far as sanitary conditions and teen hundred men in our penitentiary and thirty-six wo- CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO \ATednesday Woman's Suffrage. men, seven of whom are white. If we assume these prem enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they ises, and that that is indicative of the morals of the are denied the use of the only means of securing people of the state, who in the name of common sense them provided by this democratic-republican has a better right to vote from a moral standpoint? government - the ballot. Now I am going to close, and I want to close by read For any state to make sex a qualification that ing an extract - it is very brief - from a speech by one must ever result in the disfranchisement of one of the greatest women the United States has produced. entire half of the people is to pass a bill of at Go back in your pages of history and look at the great tainder, or an ex post facto law, and is therefore women that this cause has produced - Julia Ward Howe, a violation of the supreme law of the land. By Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, Frances Wil it the blessings of liberty are forever withheld lard and many others whom I might mention - great, from women and their female posterity. To them strong, true, democratic women, women who have done this government has.no just powers derived tlom so much for this country in its upbuilding and bringing the consent of the governed. To them this gov to the people true democracy. Would that I had the time ernment is not a democracy. It is not a republic. and you the patience to allow me to enumerate in detail is it an odious aristocracy; a hateful oligarchy of the service of those great souls. In the factories and in sex; the most hateful aristocracy' ever established the shops and in the offices and in every place in life today, on the face of the globe. An oligarchy of wealth, the women have been called out and in every single one of where the rich govern the poor, an oligarchy of those places woman has shown herself perfectly capable learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, of taking care of the position which she is holding. If or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon she gets the right of suffrage rest assured she will take rules the African, might be endured; but this care of herself under that proposition. oligarchy of sex, which makes fathers, brothers, Chicago - that great city - has selected as superin husband, sons the oligarchy over the mother and tendents of its schools a woman; Cleveland has selected sisters, the wife and daughters of every house as superintendent of the schools a woman. In all educa hold- which ordains all men sovereigns, all wo tional, industrial and commercial lines woman today men subj ects, carries dissension, discord and rebel stands the peer ancl in many instances pre-eminent over lion into every home of the nation. man. \Vebster, vVorcester and Bouvier all define a Mr. BOWDLE: You see no incongruity in a woman citizen to be a person, in the United States, entitled becoming president of the United States or chief justice to vote and hold office. of the state of Ohio. The only question left to be settled now is: Are Mr. KILPATRICK: Not if a majority of the elec women persons? And I hardly believe any of our tors want her to be president of the United States or opponents will have the hardihood to say they want her to be on the Ohio supreme court bench, or any are not. Being persons then, women are citizens; other place they want to put her. and no state has the right to make any law, or Mr. BOWDLE: Then you see no incongruity in to enforce any old ·law, that will abridge their Sarah Platt Decker becoming senator of the United privileges or immunities. Hence, every discrimi States from Colorado. nation against women in the constitutions and Mr. KILPATRICK: Not if the constitution permits laws of the several states is today null and void, it and the people of the state wanted her to represent precisely as in everyone against negroes. them there. Mr. BOWDLE: Do you see any incongruity in Sarah 1\1r. BOvVDLE: On the score of exaot and precise Platt Decker being allowed to vote for war when she government, saying that we have been voting a hundred could not go to war? and twenty-five years and we are what we are, would not you be in favor of striking out the word "male" in the Mr. KILPATRICK: She who produces the soldiers cons,titution and inserting the word "female?" is greater than the soldier. Now, with your indulgence I want to finish by reading these words from that great Mr. KILPATRICK: Not by a grea,t deal. The ques woman, Susan B. Anthony: tion which you have asked leads me to believe you must be reasoning that whoever seems to be better able to "We the people of the United States, in order govern ought to govern and that the rest have nothing to form a more perfect union, establish justice, whatever ,to say aboUit it, and how you can stand here in insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the com this Convention and espouse the cause of the people mon defense, promote the general welfare, and through the initiative and refer,endum and then say that secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our one-half of the people ought to have no right to vote, I posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution cannot unders,tand, and when you do that you have not a for the United States of America." proper conception of the word "democracy." It was we, the people; not we, the white male There are men and there are women in this state and citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, in the United States too, perhaps, who have ,cried since the whole people, who formed the Union. And the dawn of this country, and in fact you might go back we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, to the dawn of humanity, "This is not the time, this is not but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves an opportune time for democracy. Just wait until tomor and the half of our posterity, but to the whole row and then we will give it to you." I will agree that people - women as well as men. And it is a there is an opportune time for all things, but I want to downright mockery to talk to women of their say to every member in this Convention that the opportune March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 60s Woman's Suffrage. time for democracy in this state and in every state in this 11r. KILPATRICK: It should be in. It was inad Union and in ,the United States is now and here; in vertantly left out. other words, the hour cometh and now is when we are Mr. SMITH, of Hamilton: Is there any objection to going to have democracy. Notwithstanding Ithe faot my offering the amendment now? that the inopportunist may cry this is not the time, this Mr. KILPATRICK: No. is the time. Democracy is Icoming. The amendment was offered by the delegate from Mr. STALTER: I would like to have the gentle Hamilton [1fr. SMITH] as follows: ":Move to amend man explain the meaning of the expression in the con Substitute Proposal No. 91 as follows: In line 12 insert stitution of the United States, in the preamble thereof, the word "next" after the word "year." "Insure domestic tranquillity." Mr. SlVIITH, of Hamilton: I move the adoption of Mr. KILPATRICK: If the men would do 'what they that amendment. ought to do under the constitution there would be domes Mr. KILPATRCK: I second it. tic tranquillity and political tranquillity too. The amendment was agreed to. Mr. lVIARSHALL: Mr. President and Gentlemen of Mr. STAM1f: I want to know whether the speaker the Convention: I appear before you this afternoon said democracy or duomocracy? I believe as the first man who ever stood before a body Mr. FESS: I would like to ask the gentleman whether of this kind in the state of Ohio on the negative side of domestic tranquillity is the result of a one-sided contract, what is termed the woman suffrage, whether the woman where all is given to the man and nothing Ito the woman? shall have the right to the ballot or not, and while I am Mr. KILPATRICK: I don't believe it would be. here taking this position this afternoon I want to say The delegate from Trumbull here yielded to a motion to the gentlemen and also to the ladies within the sound to recess by the delegate form Cuyahoga [Mr. CROSSER]. of my voice, I am not here this afternoon to tear woman The motion was seconded, was put to a vote and down; I am here to hold her up with all the power carried and the Convention recessed until 1 :30 this after and might I have. By divine law and natural law I ex noon. pect to hold woman up today and stand by her in her behalf, where she was placed by the hand that placed her on the grand and noble pedestal of God Almighty's AFTERNOON SESSION. creation. I shall stand for that, though I am alone, The Convention met pursuant to recess and was called first, last and all the time. to order by the president, who recognized the delegate The good people of Columbus have opened all the re from Trumbull [Mr. KILPATRICK]. sources they have to give to this Convention all the :Mr. KILPATRICK: There are just one or two mat needed knowledge they can in order that we might frame ters I desire to call your attention to before I take my a constitution that will be better than the old one. seat. I shall be very brief. The law libraries have been thrown open, all the li When Proposal No. 91 was reported out by the com braries have been thrown open and every avenue has mittee on Equal Suffrage and Elective Franchise, the been open to us that would lead to the foundations of minority report was signed by twenty members of that information so to speak, that we might do our work and committee; the minority report was signed by one mem do it well. Not during this Convention has there been ber of the committee. The committee went over the one brother, and I don't say that in any way of chas proposal you now find in the book very carefully, and it tisement, but I do say that not since the convening of is the desire of the committee and the desire of those the Convention has any man referred to God's library. of us who are in favor of this proposal to have it sub Mr. DOTY: The member from Hamilton did. mitted as it appears. If there are any men in this Con Mr. BOWDLE: No, not yet. vention who are opposed to the proposal, or opposed to 1V1r. :MARSHALL: I hold in my hand the grandest submission, or opposed to equal suffrage, let them vote book that has ever been known in six thousand years,. "no" on this proposal and vote it down, but those who the grandest book that ever will be known if the world are in favor of equal suffrage, in favor of the submission stands six thousand years more.. It is God's gift to of this proposition, vote in the affirmative. What we man, God's library to man. It contains sixty-six books. want in this matter is fairness. It covers all time from the dawn of creation down the This morning in the preface to my remarks I said I western slope to the end of the world. That library will believed every man in this Convention was absolutely tell every member of this Convention that lives in the fair. I believe that now., and what we ask at your hands, world today or will live hereafter just where he is, and I ask it most earnestly and respectfully, is to give his latitude and longitude at all times and under all cir us this proposal in a fair manner. cumstances, whether it be during- the bright sunshine of Mr. SMITH, of Hamilton: I notice that this No. midday or dead hours of the midnight, whether in sun 91 gives the right of suffrage to every citizen twenty ny fields or on life's tempestuous sea in the middle of the one years of age, and who shall have been a resident of Atlantic ocean - that library will tell you just where of the state "for one year preceding the election." The you are and how you stand, and all our relations to God's present constitution - article V, section I- is the same divine or natural laws. as that except it has the word "next" before the word Now there are some things I want to mention in re "preceding." It reads "one year next preceding the elec gard to my beit}g here at this time. I called your atten tion." Was it your intention to leave that out? tion to the fact a few moments ago that perhaps I was Mr. KILPATRICK: That will be amended. the first man that ever stooel in this hall and took the Mr. SMITH, of Hamilton: I have an amendment. position that I am taking today; notwithstanding the ·606 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday Woman's Suffrage. state of Ohio is over one hundred years old, I stand here that a place called Heaven, sacred to the memory of us the first man to do it - and, by the way, this is my all (we trust), appeared on the calendar of the Crea birthday, the first clay of my sixty-fourth year. Sixty tor's catalogue. Man and woman not having been three years ago today down in Coshocton county, on the created as yet, Heaven's opposite was not yet necessary, north hillside, among the red brush, in a little log cabin, but came in due time, later on. Do you believe that? I first saw the light. Now I am going to commence my l'vIr. DOTY: I did not catch that. I may not believe speech on the first day of my sixty-fourth anniversary, it. from the very first word in the very first book, the first l\![r. MARSHALL: "And God said, Let the waters chapter and the first word, that was ever given to man under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, as his guide from a Divine God. I will read to this and let the dry land appear: and it was so. Convention each day's work and I will comment a little "And God caUed the dry land earth: and the gather at the close of each day's work: ing 'together of the waters called the 'seas; and God "In the beginning God created the heaven and the saw that it was good. earth." "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the If there is a man in this house who doesn't believe herb yielding seed, and the fruit trees yielding fruit that let him hold up his hand. If there is a lady in after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; this house who doesn't believe thM let her hold up her and it was so. hand. "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding Mr. DOTY: It is unanimous. seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose l'vIr. MARSHALL: "And the earth was wi,thout form seed was in itself, after his kind; and God saw that it .and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep; was good. and the ,spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. "And the evening and the morning were the third day." "And God said, Let there be light; and there was :Mr. PECK: Did that dry territory ever become wet? light." Mr. MARSHALL: I will answer all these questions Why? Because God said so. at the end. Don't interrupt me here. "And God saw the light, that it was good; and God The third day's work of creation, we might note, was divided the light from the darkness. the day on which the vegetable kingdom was flung into "And God called the light day, and the darkness He existence, clothed with the power and endowments of 'called night; and the evening and the morning were the reproduction - an inanimated life principle little under first day." stood and yet unfathomed by the best intellectual powers What I want ,to impress on every member of this Con of the world in six thousand years; and yet the third vention at this time - namely, the beginning of creation day's work was not without i,ts opposite - namely, dry - is this faot, that God, in His simplicity, wisdom and lanel and seas, or land and water, which we could more power, gave to everything he created its opposite; and fully realize (for a short time only) if we were cast He did not stop at giving everything its opposite, but into the sea, the home of the whale; certainly we could He clothed each and every part with endowments and not long exist because the surrounding circumstances functions. to fill cer,tain places that harmony might pre are not congenial to our particular make-up. vail in all. Is there any man or any woman here who "And God said, let there be lights in the firmament ot ,doesn't believe that? the Heaven to divide the day from the night; and let l'vIr. DOTY: Unanimous again. them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and Mr. MARSHALL: When the first clay's work of years. creation was completed we have light, called day, and "And let them be for lights in the firmament of the night, called darkness. Day opposite night, and night Heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so. opposite day~ And there could be nothing more unreas "And Gael made two great lights; the greater light -onable or more impossible than for me to conclude that to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; day could take the place of night or night the place of He made the stars also. day, without confusing the entire system of creation "And God set them in the firmament of the Heaven to from beginning to end or from bottom to top. The give light upon the earth. functions and endowments of day could not be clothed "And to rule over the day, and over the night and in the functions and endowments of night, neither could to divide the light from the darkness: And God saw that the functions and endowments of night be clothed in it was good." the functions and endowments of day. First, because Now, by the way, don't forget that God has given they would not fit, and second because the Creator everything its opposite. never intended that they should. Do you believe it? <'''And the evening and the morning were the fourth Mr. DOTY: Take a vote on it. day." Mr. MARSHALL: Now, again: "And God said, Let Thus, we see the fourth day's work of the Creator there be a firmament in the midst of the waters: and let \vas spent in the light business. it divide the waters from the waters. Some small, some large, some for day and some for "And God made the firmament and divided the waters night. Some for signs and some for seasons. which were under the firmament from the waters which We stand in the center of Hi,gh street, Columbus, were above the firmament; and it was so. Oh10, opposite the state house, at night, we look north "And God called the firmament Heaven: and the and we look south, and we see the effects of man's evening and the morning were the second day." skill in the light business, and we say, oh, how beauti Thus, we find at the conclusion of the second dars war!" ful! Turning then to the heaven's constellations, we are n'larch 6, 1912. PH.OCEEDINGS AND DEBATES \\Foman's Suffrage. lost in admiration and wonder of the starry dome of hold, it was very good. And the evening and the morn heaven's canopy. ing were the sixth day." Were I a star in one of those constellations and a We have but little comment to make on the sixth or jealousy should arise on the part of Mrs. Moon, that last day of creation, more than this, that at its conclusion she should have equal rights or all the rights of Mr. ~e. pron~:)U~ced it :v~ry good. Still carrying out His Sun, it seems to me that I would ponder long and well d.lv111e P~111clple. of glvlllg to everything its opposite, espe before I should cast my vote to interrupt the beautiful CIally HIS creatlOn of man and man's opposite, woman. and harmonio1,1s constellation in yonder dome. I cer tainly would reason with myself that the God, our Crea Thus, we have recorded one of the most wonderful tor, knows best. He has created men. He has endowed acts of surgical skill known or that will be known in them, He has given them a place in His divine economy the world's history. This rib, this woman, was the of creation. And it is only wise on my part to not pluck crowning work of God's creation, last but not least. He them from their divine place and sphere. placed her on the highest pinnacle of the wonderful "And God ~aid, Let the wlaters bring forth abund pedestal of His creation, almost in hand-shaking distance antIy the movmg creature that hath life and fowl that of the angelic host of heaven, and I want to say if John may fly above the earth in the open firmament of Heaven. D. Rockefeller at this moment would step into the halls "And God created great whales, and every living crea of this Convention and upon some member of this body ture that moveth, which the waters brought forth abund bestow a billion dollars endowment, it would be as a a~tIy after their kind, and every winged .fowl after his grain of sand on the seashore compared with the endow kmd; and God saw that it was good. ment given to woman by the hand of the wise Creator "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multi when He bestowed on her the endowments of helpmate, ply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multi wife and mother. ply in the earth. An undeniable fact which we find before we come to "And the evening and the morning were the fifth day." the close of the third chapter of the book of Genesis: No We ~i11comment very little on the fifth day's work part or particle of all God's creation ever received exalted of creatlOn. Suffice to say that God saw that His fifth place or rich endowment that God gave to woman whom day's work "vas good. He blest the labors of His power he endowed with (I was going to say with the immortal of that day and carried out the same principle incorpor power, and I guess I will) the power of motherhood. ated in his previous work, namely, endowments to fill Would to God that woman could see nerself today as -certain missions. the queen star in the firmament of creation, as her Crea sai~, tor sees her. And why is it that a few women over the "And Gael I:et the earth bring forth the living state of Ohio have become so masculine in their concep creatures after hIS k111cl, cattle, and creeping things, and beast of ,the earth after his kind; and it was so." tions of their divine place and sphere in the divine econo Think for a moment of the wonderful power of the my of creation that they want to make a fatal leap from the highest pinnacle of the pedestal of creation down to author of our being. He would speak and it was so. its base, alighting in the seething cauldron of political Oh, that I could impress upon this intelligent audience corruption? And not satisfied with this desce'nt on their tonight the insigni!ficance of man and the greatness of own part, they want to take with them in this fatal leap God in His creative splendor and power. your daughters and my daughters, beautiful daughters, "And Gael made the beast of the earth after his kind daughters clothed in their white robes of virgin purity, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepet1~ down with them, alighting in the whirlpool of political upon the earth after his kind; and God saw that it was good. corruption, and thus immersing their white robes of purity in the indelible stench of the political world, which "A?d God said, Let us make man in our image, after our hkeness, and let them have dominion over the fish time can never erase. of ,the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the And yet they come to me asking my assistance in this, -ea~t1e, and over all the earth, and over every creeping their fatal leap. th111g that creepeth upon the earth. Should I conclude to cast my vote in behalf of this "So God created man in His own image, in the image fatal leap, at that moment I should feel that heaven's of God created he him; male and female created He recording angel had dotted down against me the equal them. of the - if not the - unpardonable sin. And again I "And God blessed them, And God said unto them Be would feel that I had committed treason against God and fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth, and ~ub the government of High Heaven by my revolt against due it; and have domination over the fish of the sea and divine and natural law. And again, I should fully realize over the fowl of the air, and every living thing'that that I was casting my vote to blot out three of the most moveth upon the earth. sacred words known in the world's vocabulary of six thousand years, namely, mother, home and heaven. "~nd God sai~l, ~ehold, I have given you every herb beanng seed.' winch IS upon the face of all the earth, and I ask you, gentlemen of this Convention, to blot out every tree, 111 the which is the frui,t of a tree yielding for one moment the three words above mentioned, and seed; to you it shall be for meat. I will again ask you what you have left? Whether or "A~d to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of not you may look on this vital question as I do, I want the aIr, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth to assure you of one thing, and that is that you and I wherein Ithe.re is life, I have given every green herb fa; will never know to the fullest extent the danger of tramp :meat; and It was so. ling under foot divine and natural law, but let me assure "And God saw everything that He had made; and be- you of one thing, that to every departure from divine or 608 CO.NSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday \\loman's Suffrage. natural law there is a penalty attached, the result being A few Bible quotations of women's place and sphere disorganization, confusion and Babelism. in the divine economy of creation: Mr. DOTY: What is that word - "babyism"? And the Lord God said: It is not good that Mr. MARSHALL: No; "Babelism," not babyism." man should be alone. I will make him an help Mr. LAMPSON: We did not catch that. Will the meet for him. (Gen. 2: 18.) gentleman repeat it? And they were both naked, the man and his. The speaker repeated the last two sentences. wife, and were not ashamed. (Gen. 2 :25.) Mr. MARSHALL: At this time I want to read to An Adam called his wife's name Eve, because this Convention a communication sent to me signed she was the mother of all living. (Gen. 3 : 20.) Frances H. Ensign, president of the Ohio W. C. T. U. Unto the woman he said: I will greatly multi Of course this article is human, from a human standpoint, ply thy conception. In sorrow thou shalt bring and at its conclusion I will read from a biblical or divine forth children; and thy desire shall be thy hus standpoint, thus having woman---flesh and blood - on band and he shall rule over thee. (Gen. 3: 16.) one side, and God - divinity and revelation - on the Mr. DOTY: But it doesn't work that way. other, giving every member of this Convention the priv Mr. MARSHALL: But that is God's way. ilege of standing for a farce - whims and delusions Mr. D.OTY: Well it doesn't work that way. on the one hand - or standing for God - divinity and Mr. :M-ARSHALL: Now please keep quiet. revelation on the other. So, we read as follows: The above quotations are only a very few of the We maintain that the woman movement is not many divine declarations made in regard to woman's solely for the interest of womanhood, but equally place in the Old Testament scriptures. But perhaps in behalf of manhood and childhood. The women four thousand years after the quotations mentioned asking for the ballot are opposed to all sex antag above, and under a new gospel dispensation, woman's onism or sex dominance by either men or women, place and sphere are mentioned again with very little and far from their thought is it that there should material change, as follows: result any rivalry or competing claims between Let your women keep silent in the churches; the sexes, the complementary halves of humanity. for it is not permitted unto them to speak. But they are commanded to be under obedience as "The woman's cause is man's; they rise or sink together, dwarfed or God-like, bond or free." also saith the law; and if they will learn any thing -let them ask their husbands at home, Twentieth century women are actuated by a for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the very real desire to render personal service to the church. Paul-I Cor. 14 :34-35.) state by helping to solve some of the political prob But I would have you know that the head of lems and make our democracy more efficient that every man is Christ. And the head of every our brother was talking- about this morning. woman is the man. The head of Christ is GoeL The mothers of men need the development this (1st Cor. II :3.) expansion of woman's thought and work would give. Because women are vitally interested in the Do you believe it? Is there a delegate in this Con progress and improvement of the race, in social vention who doesn't believe it? If there is hold up your welfare and civic betterment, and, moreover, upon hand. the faithful performance of political duties by Mr. DOTY: Unanimous again. men and women, depend the safety, sanctity and Mr. :MARSHALL: solidarity of the home - woman's particular See then, that ye walk circumspectly, not as realm - for' these, and many other reasons of fools, but as wise, redeeming the time. Because justice and highest expediency, we are asking you the days are evil. to submit to the qualified electors of the state the question of woman's enfranchisement. Do you know that we are living in evil days? Realizing as keenly as you must that the polit Mr. DOTY: No; these are the best days you ever ical and moral status of a people depend upon the: saw. place its women occupy, we are confident you will 1\/[r. MARSHALL: be eminently fair and just to your own mothers, wives and sisters, at present belonging to an en Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding slaved class, and vote to grant the civil rights and what the will of the Lord is and be not drunk privileges of American citizenship. with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with Yours for Humanity, the spirit, speaking to yourselves, psalms and FRANCES H. ENSIGN. hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks,. Now that is the human side, the whim side. Now I always, for all things unto God, and the Father, am going to read from the divine side, and I want every in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submit man of you to weigh the human side with the divine ting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. side, and if you think God is greater than man, if God Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands is God, just step right over on the side of God and on as unto the Lord, for the husband is the head of the side of natural law. the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church ;: lVlarch 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 60<) Woman's Suffrage. and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore will pass on. I know a man who, a couple of years ago, as the church is subjed unto Christ, so let the bought from his neighbor eight or ten little lambs known wives be to their husbands in everything. (Eph. among farmers as the tail-ends. They were bought for 5: 15-2 4.) fifty cents per head. The smallest and most trifling one Wives submit yourselves unto your husbands, of all (to all appearances) belonged to the masculine as it is fit in the Lord. (Col. 3:I 8.) side of the house. Those little lambs were wintered. But speak thou the things which become sound When the fleece, in May, was shorn off the little mas doctrine, that the aged man be sober, grave, tem culine chap and was put on the scales, it tipped the beam perate, sound in faith, in charity in patience. The at twenty-one pounds. The foundation or base of that aged women, that they may teach the young wo twenty-one pounds of wool was laid in the transmission men to be sober, to love their husbands, to love of life. And I want to say, as every farmer and per their children, to be discrete, chaste, keepers at haps every other member of this Convention well knows, home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that that this foundation was not laid by either Cotswold or the word of God is not blasphemed. (Titus 2: Leicester. So, with this remark, that like b~gets like, I 4-5·) pass on to make a few remarks on the sub] ect of con servation, a subj ect so intimately connected with the sub Again let us note in the Savior's calling and com ject now under discussion. missioning of the apostles to go into all the world and I am not here to discuss under this head at this time preach the gospel, that they were all men. the conservation of our forest, which has been ruth And again: When he commisisioned or appointed lessly and wastefully destroyed in the last fifty years other seventy and sent them two and two before His and which we begin to feel the effects of more and more face into every city and place whither He, Himself. keenly every year; nor am I here to speak of the con would come, that there was none of the fair sex servation of the soil and the life-giving principles of the included. farms of the state of Ohio, a vast portion of which life And we might go farther and say, that among God's saving principles today lie in the Gulf of Mexico, never special calls; such as Noah, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Sam to return; but I am here at this time to say something uel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, about the conservation of those life-giving principles Amos, and Jonah, there was not a woman incorporated in given to woman by her Creator, to be conserved and those special calls, proving without a doubt that God had a preserved bv her and used by her in the transmission, higher and nobler sphere and purpose for woman to conception and betterment of unborn generations while fill. yet in their embryonic state. :Mr. DOTY: I have just received word that a large With these powers of life, both physical and mental, number of the inmates of one of our institutions for the shattered and worn out by the parasitical sap-sucker of blind are outside and there is no rOOm in the galleries the political world, how, oh, how, I ask you, gentle and they are anxious to come in and hear this speaker men of this Convention, will we ever hope to keep fu and others. I therefore suggest, if there is no objection, ture generations from entering the stream that leal Is that we allow them to come into the lobby. down, down the hillside to the deeper waters of de Nlr. HOSKINS: What institution is that? Did I generation? Let me ask the question: Will quietude understand it was the institution for the insane? of life, will beautiful scenery, will mind over matter, Nlr. DOTY: I said "blind." have anything to do with shaping the destiny of future Nlr. LAMPSON: I understood you to say "deaf and generations, either for weal or for woe? With the ever dumb." lasting worry, hurry and the increased pace in which the Mr. MARSHALL: Now, gentlemen of the Conven world is going today, with increasing paralysis, heart tion, I have no comment to make either on the divine failure, apoplexy, nervous prostration, etc., do we ex or human side of what I just read, leaving it entirely with pect to arrest the progress and ravages of those dis you for your own decision, and will now pass on to make eases by sending our daughters, wives and mothers out a few remarks on the subject of character, manhood into the excitement and revelry of the political world? and womanhood. If we do, let us go home, throw down our fences, turn lVIr. BOWDLE: I observe that you have quoted sev our flocks to the mercy of the dogs, and do all of this era] time~ from ~t. Paul. Do you not know that the in the hope of the betterment of future progeny. suffrage movement repudiates St. Paul? Now, we pass to notice briefly the result of conserv Mr. MARSHALL : Yes; I knew that and I know ing, or the conservation of, th~ vital forces in the veg that a great many people would throw the Bible into the etable kingdom. I believe, if I mistake not, that there sea and continue on the road and go down, down, down is a law on the statute books of Ohio compelling horti to - you know where. culturists to spray their fruit trees. V\T e ask, for what? And I will say first that character, manhood and wo And the answer comes, to kill the germ or parasite that manhood are in some respects like color, their origin or may sap the flow of life-giving fluid from the bud, the source having its foundation laid in the transmission of blossom, yes, and even the prospective fruit while yet life. Don't forget that no man or woman need ever to in its embryonic state, that it may have that normal and pin a white ribbon on the breast and think for a moment natural flow of nature's life-giving fluid in order that per that by so doing he or she can go out into the world and fection may be reached in the full growth and ripening change the color of the little babe that was born black. of the fruit that is to follow. If they do, they are laboring under a grand delusion. We can not have beautiful fruit with trees laden One more thought on this part of the subject, and we with parasites. vVe cannot expect coming generations 20 610 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday "Vornan's Suffrage. to improve physically and mentally by weighting or bur- question bound, where will you be, how will you vote dening mothers down by extra burdens. when the day to cast your ballot comes around? I care not what those burdens be - and they are ]\1 r. DOTY: If you mean me, I "vill vote "yes.n legion, and more coming - they will sap the life. 1\11'. :MARSHALL: As I said before, the highest Abnormal conditions follow, and the result is degen- place and richest endowment given in all the work of eration. creation was given to woman when she was crowned Now, gentlemen of the Convention, we all admit that and endowed with powers of motherhood. The next there are a great many wrongs in this world, all of which highest gift that ever came from God to man was the have their origin in sin. And I cannot see for my part commission, when near two thousand years ago he led how extending the right of suffrage to women would His disciples out as far as Bethany, lifted up His hands help in any way, shape or form to eradicate any evil or and blessed them and said, "Go ye therefore and teach evils now existing in the catalogue of wrong, but on the all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father other hand, I can see in it many, many ways that would and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching. them to contribute to the multiplicity of crime and wrong. And observe all things whatsoever I command you and 10, I if I could give no other reason, this one fact covers it am with you always, even to the end of the world." all, because it would be a departure from God's divine Now, gentlemen of the Convention, let me say by way' and natural law. of conclusion, for perhaps you are becoming somewhat Will you allow me to briefly offer a suggestion which weary- I think would do more good for the betterment of the DELEGATES: No, no; go on, go on. world's condition than any other I can think of? Mr. MARSHALL: I have tried in my weakness to Divide, if you please, the world or people into three point out woman's place and sphere as directed by Di divisions, the first to be known as state; its functions vine wisdom, as given to us by Divine revelation. And of government and power invested in the legislative, my aim has not been to throw her down, but to keep executive, and judicial; its functions so operated and her high up, where she belongs. controlled as to give equal rights to all and special priv- And now, with the Bible in one hand, natural law in ilege to none; its sphere of operations to be entirely rela- the other, and with your daughters and my daughters~ I tive to the temporal and physical wants of man. will ascend the rugged cliffs of this magnificent pedestal The second division of the human familv I would de- of creation, and when I have reached its summit, in the nominate as the church or Kingdom of God, guided, di- presence of that God who is unchanging-the same yes rected and controlled at all times and under all circum- terday, today and forever-I shall there in His presence stances by Divine revelation; its head to be Christ; its plead in behalf of His truth, in behalf of the conserva ihhabitants Christians; its ambassadors, pastors, who tion and preservation of the white robe of virgin purity should feed the flock, not on temporal, not on carnal, belonging to your daughters and to my daughters, ever but on spiritual things, not pertaining to this life, but to holding them up to the highest and noblest place in all that which is to come. Commencing at regeneration or His work of creative power; namely, helpmeet, wife and new birth, feeding the new-born babes in the kingdom or mother, which are only sisters to mother, home and church of Christ on the sincere milk of the world that heaven. they may grow thereby; thus having in the second depart- Submitting these few remarks by way of arguments ment the pastor or ambassador, the word and the flock. against the new, inhuman and ungodly principle of wo- The third and last division, but in no wise the least, man suffrage, I submit the same to you for your consicf would be the home, the throne of woman, whose su- eration, and also submit myself to the shot and shell of preme functions should be helpmeet, wife and mother. this Convention, provided you may have anything to say. With all the powers of mind and body bequeathed to The chair here recognized the delegate from Mont her by the power an'd hand of a wise Creator, llsed and gomery [Mr. STOKES]. utilized in those three divine appointments, namely, help- Mr. STOKES: I desire to offer an amendment. meet, wife and mother, for the purpose of making home Mr. DOTY: 1\1 r. Marshall, you have forgotten your the most beautiful place to be and the most sacred place flowers and your Bible. in the memorv of our affections, connected with the tem- ]VIr. JVIARSHALL: Yes, and I forgot something that poral affairs of earth. In that home, where meditation I intended to say. should be on these questions: How best can I be a help- 1\11'. DOTY: -I ask unanimous consent for the gen meet? How best can I be a wife? How best can I be tleman to continue his remarks. He forgot something. a. mother? ~ith h~r Iife ~pent on this trio of God- Mr. MARSHALL: It was my pleasure during the gIven spheres ~n whIch He l11tencled her to op~rate, we I noon hour with a couple of other friends in the Conven have not the shghtest reason to doubt that her hfe work, tion to take a walk down Broad and across State for thus spent: would thus elevate all concerned pow living recreation. vVe passed a block down on the east side a.nd contnbute to the betterment and elevation of na- somewhere and I looked in and saw they hacl some beau hons yet unborn. tiful flowers. That flower is the product of Divine power. No word has ever been dropped on the bosom of life's It is generated and produced by natural law with Di tempestuous sea in the six thousand years of the world's vinity behind it. In the principle of wisdom, economy history, or will he in the six thousand vears to come, that and power that brought that into existence to fill a cer will vibrate and re-vibrate without any diminution or tain place, there is what we call a normal condition, a loss of power or sweetness, as the word home. Home, normal flow of sap. It makes those beautift11 things sweet home! that I hold in my hand, and whenever the condition that And now of everyone I ask, and may the solemn produces that beautiful flower is by a natural law, we March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 6u Woman's Suffrage. get the normal flower. I mean by normal, right. When ted shall become a part 'Of article V, of the con ever those conditions are just right we have the perfec stitution of this state. tion that God, our Creator, manifested to us in that SECTION 5. The aforesaid proposal is by the beautiful flower. If perchance there is a little bug or Convention submitted to the electors of Ohio and parasite - we will call it a parasite - during the forma shall be placed upon the ballots, independently tion of the bud gets on the flower, that parasite with its of the submission of any revisions, alterations or bill saps some of the natural flow away that makes the other amendments submitted at the election when beautiful flower and the flower will be dwarfed exactly any such other revision, alterations or amendments in proportion to the sapping of the life-giving and beall shall be submitted for their approval or rejection ; tifying principle that was placed in it by the hand of the and if the votes for said proposal exceed those Creator. Is there a man in this Convention who dares against same upon the holding of an election by to deny that, or deny the statement of the natural prin such female citizens above provided for, such ciple? provision shall become a part of article V, of the DELEGATES: No, no, no, no! constitution of this state. Mr. DOTY: It is unanimous again. You have unani mous votes all the time today. Mr. DOTY: I move to lay this amendment on the :Mr. MARSHALL: That flower can be compared with table. the help-meet, wife and mother. She has a certain The motion was carried. sphere to build in order to beautifiy coming generations. 1V[r. WOODS: I offer an amendment. Anything that saps or takes away or destroys any of her The amendment was read by the secretary as follows: vital power, will lead to the degeneracy of coming gen In section 2 in the form of the ballot strike erations, just as we see degeneracy in the flower when out both word "equal" and insert "woman's." the life-giving principle is taken away by a parasite. I In lines 22 and 24, strike out the word "equal" could take a half an hour longer along this line, but I and insert the word "woman's." will desist. The PRESIDENT: The secretary will read the YIr. WOODS: This just changes the form of the amendment offered by the delegate from Montgomery ballot and instead of reading for equal suffrage it makes [lV1r. STOKES]. it for woman's suffrage. The secretary read as follows: 1V[r. DOTY: There is another phase and another question involved besides woman's suffrage and that is Strike out all after the word "to-wit" in line taking out the word "white." Therefore if you label 9 and insert the following: the whole thing woman's suffrage, you are not labelling - SECTION 2. That the general assembly shall, it what it is. The words "equal suffrage" indicates the at its next regular session, provide by law for whole scope of the subject. holding an election by the female citizens of the Mr. BROWN, of Highland: I consider that immate state, having the qualifications of male electors, rial entirely, because the provision in our constitution and at which election there shall be submitted to has been nullified long ago by the federal constitution such female citizens the following proposal: and it does not avail any longer. Every citizen of the United States, of the age l\1 r. WATSON: I move to lay the amendment on of twentY-One veal'S, who shall have been a res the table. ident of' the state one year preceding the elec Mr. WOODS: I don't want to take any time on the tion, and of the county, township or ward in matter. The amendment has been submitted to Mr. which he or she resides such time as may be Kilpatrick and he understands it. It is just a question provided by law, shall have the qualifications of of applying to woman's suffrage. The color question an elector and be entitled to vote at all elections. is really out anyhow, and if we label it "woman's suf SECTION 3. At such election a separate ballot frage" nobody can make any mistake on election day. shall be in the following form: Everybody will understand it. The PRESIDENT: The question is on the adoption EQUAL SUFFRAGE. of the amendment by the delegate from l\1edina [Mr. \VOODS] . The motion was carried. For Female Suffrage Mr. READ: I do not intend to speak very )ong or deliver any logical discourse upon this subject. I only I rise to express what are the sentiments of the particular Against Female Suffrage. I section of the state from which I come upon this ques I tion, especially Summit county. I have received in the last few days a petition signed Separate ballot boxes shall be provided for the hy eighteen hundred electors of the county asking that reception of such ballots. 1 use my voice, my influence and my vote to have this SECTION 4. I f the votes' cast at such election ouestion of woman's suffrage submitted to the electors by such female citizens in favor of "Female Suf of the state as a separate proposition when this consti frage" shall exceed the votes cast at such elec tution is voted on. tion by such female citizens against "Female Nat very long ago I was in sym!pathy with an amend Suffrage" then the clause herein above submit- ment that had been offered and I think wisely laid upon 612 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday Woman's Suffrage. the table - that is, of submitting the question to the have in life,equals that of the men. It may be of a lit women themselves to decide. It seeins it would be fair tle different kind; he may have strangler reasoning fac and just that if a majority of the women wanted to ulties, but she will have the stronger intuition, and vote and would find some way of proving it, they should sometimes intuition leads us in the right path better all have the privilege of the ballot, and if a majority than reason. But there can be no question about her did not want to vote, it would not be right to impose the mentality or ability to vote on these questions. extra duties of citizenship upon them. That was a Now, I do not want to Itake longer on this question thought that had hold of my mind for a while, but af because I know -I feel at least - that nearly every ter more mature deliberation on the subject, and person in this Convention is in favor of giving women especially after talking to some of the women about it, this privilege. The question that confronts us now is I changed my mind I found they had better ideas than not g~anting the franchise to women, but whether we I did about the question. will give to the electors of the state the right to de In the first place it would be hardly possible to get a cide the question. We do not need to discuss the merits correct expression of the women on that question in of this question. It is only a question of whether we that way. In the second place, if we did, it would not be will give the electors of the state a thorough opportu authoritative. Therefore, it would simply be get nity to decide whether women shall have the right of ting an expression of some of the women in regard to suffrage or not. That is the question before us. And that matter. We know that a number of women do not I think when it comes to a vote it will be agreed almost want the ballot, and, as said by the first speaker from unanimously. I can not see how any man could refuse Trumbull [~{r. KILPATRICK] if there is one woman in to give the people an opportunity to decide on this ques the state of Ohio who wants the ballot, we have no right tion. How anyone who believes in the initiative and to deny it to her. This is one of the cases in which the referendum, and who believes in self-government, can rights of the minority rise to the same magnitude as the deny them the right, recognizing, too, that it is a nat rights of the majority, because it is a question of human ural right, I can not see. right. l\![r. BOWDLE: Do yon believe it is a natural right Again it is said that the women don't vote now when for a woman to be - for illustration - president of the they have the opportunity. That is true to a certain United States or chief justice of the supreme court of extent. In the state of Ohio women are now permitted Ohio? to vote upon school questions and some of them don't :M r. READ: A natural right? vote. And if I were a woman I wouldn't vote either. lV[r. BO\iVDLE: Yes. They have an inherent and natural right, a right that Mr. READ: Is it a natural right for man? was coeval with self-government and coexistent with Mr. BOWDLE: I want you to answer the question. every right of American citizenship, and we permit them Mr. READ: If it is a natural right for a man, it is to exercise: part of the right but not all. I would not a, natural right for a woman: Was it a natural right for exercise part of a right either. I would feel humiliated Queen Victoria to be queen of England? in doing it. I don't blame them for not voting for mem l\1r. BO\iVDLE: That is an answer. Would you con~ bers of school boards. Their vote on school matters sent to try a case before a jury or judge who was ruled is less needed than on any other. You talk about wo by intuition? man's influence being so great she don't need to vote Mr. READ: I don't know but that I would. Intui because she has more influence without it - there is no tion sometimes is a good deal better than the reasoning place where she has more influence than in our schools; of some men. in fact, the schools have been handed over to her and Mr. PECK: l\lr. President and gentlemen: I think she has practically everything to do with our schools. you all know it is not my custom to speak long, but I Therefore, she doesn't need the ballot there. Where feel so profoundly on this question that I can not per she needs the ballot is in dealing with the social and mit it to pass without saying a few words. national problems of the world, and this is a national It is a question of great importance. It is a question and a human right. Vve are not granting her any right. that is far reaching and it is one that I believe the peo We are simply laying down the bars ,that she may enter ple of Ohio are now ripe to decide. It has come upon us into the political arena and there exercise those rights. slowly and gradually. It was laughed at a great deal. We are simply granting her the privilege which we have For years and years it was a joke - woman's suffrage no right to deny her. - and it was treated in that way by some people, but Now, whether or not it would be of benefit to the that day is passed. \iVoman's suffrage is pressing every country at large for women to vote, can not be a moot where. It has been adopted in six states in this Union. ed question. Is she not of value in the home? Is not It has within the past few months been adopted in the her judgment and her intuition, which supplements the kingdom of Sweden and women there have been endow reason and experience of her husband, valuable in rais ed with the full right of suffrage; they vote for mem ing the family and conducting domestic affairs? And bers of parliament and everything else to be elected. If would not she in the same way, in that larger field, be you have read in the papers of the fight that is going on of some value to him? We find that where the boys in England, you know the women are fighting for suf and girls in our schools have the same advantages, the frage there and that it is a live question there. And the average ;intelligence :and .qu,kkneSis iand alertness and women will get the suffrage. Nobody doubts that if it natural development of the gi'rls fully equal that of the comes to a vote in parliament, they will get it. In fact, boys, and we also find that the intelligence of the wo for the last year a majority of parliament has been in men, where they have the same opportunities that men favor of woman's suffrage whenever it comes to a vote, March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 61 3 Woman's Suffrage. but the ministry, for political reasons, won't let it come Mr. BOWDLE: I would like to ask the gentleman a to a vote. That is why the women are raising such a question? ruction about it, because the ministry won't let parlia The PRESIDENT: Does the gentleman yield? ment vote. That is what is making all that fighting in M'r. PECK: I do. Fire away. London. It is not so much a question of woman's suf Mr. BOWDLE: I will not fire. Can you not con frage as the refusal of the existing ministry to permit ceive it as possible for a person to be opposed to fem the subject to be voted on, for they know the moment inine suffrage and still vote to submit this question to they permit it to be voted on the women will be endowed the electors? with suffrage. They have it now in municipal, school Mr. PECK: Yes; I can. I think this would be an and local affairs. In Ireland every woman has a right act of fairness. I think that men ought to do that. to vote for everything but members of parliament. The 11r. BOWDLE: Do you know as you stand here Irish woman who comes over to this country with a that that is not my position? shawl over her head left behind her greater political Mr. PECK: I don't know your position. I don't rights than she has here, even after she is naturalized. suppose I will until you vote, but I hope you will vote This is a burning question, a live question, and we for the submission of this question and that is all we men delegated by the state of Ohio to consider consti ask, the right to have it voted upon by the people. Now, tutional questions must consider it seriously and pass will you let us have a referendum on that subject or not? upon it in a sober way. The women of Ohio ought to Mr. KING: Speaking on the subject of fairness, I have the right of suffrage in my judgment. Before I will ask you if it would not be fairer to submit the ques get to the merits of the question I want to call attention tion of woman's suffrage alone, rather than mix it up to the form in which it comes before you. It comes be with the suffrage of a large number of other people in fore you now on a proposition to submit it to a vote order to draw support? of the people. Could anything be fairer? Can anybody object to that? I put it to my friend from Hamilton Mr. PECK: I don't think there is anything in that. county, can he object to it being put to the people? Do you mean this "white" business? I do not think any reasonable a'rgument can be made Mr. KING: There are forty thousand colored voters. against the submission of it. I have never heard any 11r. PECK: Their right to vote is absolutely secured thing like an argument against the proposition. by the constitution of. the United States, and that is the most difficult document on earth to amend. Mr. TALLMAN: Are not the same women who ask lVTr. KING: JVlany of them want that stricken out. that the woman's suffrage question be submitted to a 1\1r. PECK: Possibly they do. If I were one of them vote of the people the women who opposed the submis I would, but I do not think that cuts any figure. That sion of the license question to the people of Ohio, and word "white" stood in the constitution right next to the haven't you got a number of those petitions? word "male" and it ought to go out. We don't want to JV1r. PECK: I don't know anything about the women retain in the constitution of Ohio anything that is in being opposed to the license question and I don't know conflict with the constitution of the United States. anything about those petitions. Everybody wants it out and the people who drafted Mr. TALLMAN: They came together. this amendment thought it was proper to be put that Mr. PECK: If you know anything about this mat way. I don't think there was any expectation of draw ter of license at all, you know that I was for license, ing any votes. What we want is a clear referendum first, last and always, and the two questions ought on this and I think it will be clearly put to the people not to be mixed, for they have nothing to do with each by this proposal. It is as plain as could be. It is not other. full of all sorts of verbiage and restrictions like the :Mr. TALLMAN: Those women were opposed to the liquor amendment. It is perfectly straightforward. It license question being submitted. means just one thing, the enfranchisement of women, Mr. PECK: I know some people have been trying to and I have a profound belief that the people of Ohio mix them up and trying to gain some support for their are going to vote for it, but that is not here nor there. side by claiming that the women were against the other Our business is to say whether they are to have an op proposition. portunity to vote for it, and I have not yet heard any 11r. ANDERSON: Would it be any more inconsist argument that opposes the proposition - that they ought ent for a delegalte to vote for a separate submission to not to have an opportunity to vote for it. the people of the question of license or no license, and On the general subject of woman's suffrage I have lit refuse to vote for a separate submission than to have tle to say. I have been thinking for a good while on it the wom,en take the position stated by Mr. Tallman? and I have come to first one conclusion and then another, Mr. PECK: I don't catch your question. always tending in the direction that we need the women :J\;fr. ANDERSON: Can any delegate be consistent in in our American political life. I think the American saying he opposes the submission of the woman's suf political life has long suffered for the want of many rage question to the people of Ohio, and yet vote to things that women would bring to it. You know that have the license question submitted? there are many things that women could do that men Mr. PECK: I don't think any delegate here who has can not do, as well as there are other things that men confidence in the people, who believes in government can do that women cannot do well. So they supple by the people, can obj ect to submitting any question of ment each other, and so they should supplementeach great and vital importance to a vote of the people. If other in politics as in other affairs of life. We need we believe in the referendum why not submit? Where the quickness of perception and the moral force of is your referendum? women in the political life of this country. 614 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday Woman's Suffrage. Gentlemen, if you want clean streets in your cities Washington and Colorado that the introduction of let the wom,en vote. If you want your streets and high woman's suffrage has had a wonderful effect in those ways kept in repair and your cities kept sanitary, let matters. The vermin are seeking their holes rapidly. the women vote. If you want your school houses kept Mr. BOWDLE: When I hear a word that reflects in order and made sanitary, let the women vote. They on man as man I become naturally agitated, and when will keep them in order. If you want your schools run you say that the women are more moral than men do right and your school teachers kept up to the mark, let you use it in a restricted sense or in a general sense? the women vote. They will take care of that. If you Mr. PECK: No, sir; in the broad sense. I said there want playgrounds for the children, let the women look were some exceptions. after it by their votes. :Mr. BO\VDLE: Do you think the women in the These are some of the things women will do and there contractual sense are more careful and precise about are many others that I might enumerate. It is all in keeping their pecuniary obligations than men? • one direction. There is nothing but what favors the lVIr. PECK: Now you put your finger on the very same conclusion. Take in the matter of civics - any exception that I was thinking about. From long genera thing that pertains to the life of the community, espe tions of mingling in business affairs, there has grown up cially the moral welfare of the whole ,community. I in man a sense of contractual relations that is stronger am speaking of this with reference to the whole com than the same sense in women. I don't think women keep munity; I am not speaking of it as a matter of benefit their promises as well as men. That is the only respect to the women. I am speaking for the benefit of the men in which women are inferior to men, and it has grown as much as the women. Men need the women in poli out of the fact that the men have been doing the business tics just as much as the women need to vote. We want of the world and the women have had nothing to do them. We need their assistance. I know that the wo with it. In every other respect the woman is morally men have suffered a good deal of wrong for the want man's superior and we want the moral force of the of the voting power. I have seen year after year in women in Ohio, in the politics of Ohio, and that is the Hamilton county women tea,chers doing the same work reason why I for one will vote for woman's suffrage if that men do for exactly one-half of the compensation. ever submitted, and I submit to you as honorable men Do you think that would have stood long if the women you can not refuse the state the right to vote for had a right to vote? woman's suffrage. Mr. TALLMAN: Is there any law to uphold that? 1\1r. BOWDLE: You-and I come from the same Mr. PECK: No, sir; it is the regulation of your German county. Believing as we do in representative elective body, and do you suppose if the women had government, do you think your vote to submit the ques the right to vote tha~ would have continued? tion fairly represents the condition of the minds of our There are a great many injustices in that line. The constituents? hours of labor and the wages of women are wrong. l'vir. PECK: My dear boy, I do not admit that Ham There are many ways in which they have been abused ilton county is a German county. Hamilton county in private life as well as in public life, and private em is an American county. Hamilton county has a great ployment as well as public employment. These are things many people of German birth and descent in it. for which women especially need the suffrage. But I Perhaps one-third of its population is of that origin and am not speaking of that so much as I am speaking of the other two-thirds are mixed English, Scotch and the man. Now I am going to give you the real funda Irish, and they have a good deal to say about what goes mental reason why I am for woman's suffrage. We on in Hamilton county. My impression is that when this want the moral force of the women of Ohio in Ohio matter comes to be submitted woman's suffrage will politics. Vlomen habitually live on higher moral planes carry in Hamilton county as well as in the other counties than men. The statistics referred to this morning by in the state. There is a great deal of talk and some of l'vfr. Kilpatrick show that and everybody knows it. There our fellow delegates are very much afraid that women in are a few exceptions to that, but as a rule women ha certain respects may not vote just exactly right. But bitually live on a higher moral plane than men, and we see what happened in Los Angeles! The women di want that moral force in our politics as it is in our social vided on some questions. They divided just as the men life. We want it to help cleanse our political life. Breth did and they will be divided at the caucuses and at the ren, there is no reform on earth like an individual re conventions and at the polls, and that is where we want form. You may reform forms of government, and them. change forms of government and switch them about, Mr. WATSON: I move that speeches hereafter be and have this sort of a board and that sort of a board, limited to ten minutes and that we have a vote on this and this sort of an assembly and that sort of an assem question at four o'clock. bly, and this sort of a court and that sort a court, but The motion was carried. there is no reform that goes ito the bottom of things like Mr. BROWN, of Highland: Gentlemen of the Con individual reform, which makes a man better and purer vention: I had no intention of making a speech on and more honorable, and that is the kind of reform that woman's suffrage until this afternoon when my friend the introduction of women in the politics will forward, Judge Peck thought I was going to make a speeoh and that is the fundamental reason why I am in favor against it, and he was so disappointed that I want to of woman's suffrage. make this speech in payment for the feelings engendered Do you want to drive the political grafter out of pub by that fact. lid life? Do you want to get rid of those vermin? If I am of the opinion that this isa question for sub you do, let the women vote. The testimony is from mission to the people, the right of the women to vote. I March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 61 5 Woman's Suffrage. think that the women of this country and every other so~e qualification touching man'~ su~rage. I want to country are responsible for the prosperi.ty and moral know if we have progressed any m thIS country. . uplift and material well-being of every nation to a larger 1V1r. BROWN of Hig;hland: May I ask a question? extent than the men are. And while I expressed a doubt 1\1r. EVANS: I would prefer not to be interrupted about the propriety of women voting, in the interest of until the end of my speech and then I will answer the maintaining the high positio? tha.t women hold, I do question. maintain, as a matter of nght, 1£ they want to vote they should have a right to vote, and that you should This state was organized in 1802, and until 1839 we give the people a chance to say whether they should vo~e had no free schools in Ohio. All the children who went or not. If we do not furnish them the referendu~ m to school prior to 1839 had th,eir parents and guardians this matter we are not doing our honest duty. I behe~e or friends pay their tuition. In 1839 we adopted the that a man who will vote against it this afternoon WIll system of free schools, thirty-seven years after the or be doing something with a purpose sinister that.is no ganization of the state, and then we didn't ~ompel ~he better to himself than to anybody else. There IS not attendance of children in the schools. N otwlthstandm~ any reason under the sun why t?e matter should t.I0t ?e we had the schools and paid for them it was not untIl submitted to the electorate of thIS state. All of thIS dIS 1892 that we made ~t~~ndance on school. compulsory. cussion is entirely unnecessary. There is no re.ason why Now we are being CIVIlIzed gradually. It we had any there should be two sides to it. They have a nght t<:> be competent system of statistics in. this state, wh~ch we heard, they have a right to vote and they have a. nght have not and which I would lIke to see prOVIded, t to have this matter submitted to the people, and If the could sa; from this platform right now what Ohio has peaple who have the franchise vote it down, then they spent fa:r our public school system since it was organ have had their clay. There is no reason under the sun ized in 1839, and I would be glad to name the sum, for why it should not "be done. Why anybody. should argue it is millions and millions of dollars. I say let us have on the other side is an enigma to me. I beheve .we oug~t an educational qualification. Let us say that a man to take this vote and be done with it and get nd of thIS must read and write English, must have character qual farce of opposing a thing which is absolutely a measure ifications and a property qualification. Now don't misun of right. derstand me on that form, I don't mean actual prop Mr. EVANS: As you are aware, I do not desire to erty, personal property or real estate, but I say this tire you and I shall speak strictly on the subj ect. let us have a minimum value placed on a man and a woman twenty-one years of age. What economic value I regard this subject as by fa: the most important should it be? I say at least $100, and I say if a man that will come before the ConventlOn, and yet for some or woman comes of age and is not worth to the com reason which I cannot explain, and I doubt if any mem munity at least $100 he or she oug;ht not to vote. ber of the Convention can explain, it has not aroused the interest which was taken in the liquor question. Statistics will demonstrate what I affirm. Proposal No. 81 as introduced expresses my views. The proposal We are going in the propos.al 1!nder consideration under consideration does not go far enough. It is the to make citizens and the questlOn IS who shall be the intention of this body, after adopting the fifteen articles bui1~? ~~e foundation of the structure we are going to that are in the proposed constitution, to submit each one prosperity of this state depends upon who. are Its CIti of them separately to the public vote, yea and nay, ~t a zens. Who have the power to create the leglslattl're, and special election and-let the electors vote on each artIcle who have the power to create our.officers, ~n~ who shall 1~ by itself. I have no objection to that, an.d I am of govern us? That is a great functlOll, and It the most thl~k w~ the opinion that it ought to be done. I that the important subject have before us. I say It :vas the constitution we make here ought to be submItted to the most unfortunate thmg that ever happened 1ll. thIS coun oug~t fe~ people at a separate election and it to be sub trv when the right of suffrage was not fixed m the mitted both as a whole and by separate artIcles, and that eral constitution as it ought to have been done, and It each of the electors should be required to vote on the' ought to have been in every state in the Union. constitution as a whole. I say if .that is to be the policy I believe the United States has the power to deter of the Convention, I approve it, but as the matter now mine national suffrage and I am of t~e opinion they ~1ave stands before this body I am not in favor of submitting it under the constitution and I conSIder they have It by these proposals under consideration to the people. I virtue of those powers that every nation has. independ want to know what we are going to do and how we are ent of any written constitution, and I say to you, gen!l~ going to do it. men of the Convention, if there should be another CIVl1 Mr. DOTY: Is it your understanding that this par' war in this country it will be about the right of suffrage. ~alenka~p ticular proposal we are talking about in any event is to Members of the present age of Mr. may be submitted separately? have to take care of that matter. The Councll of the Ancients," sitting in the front row here, will not have Mr. EVANS: I don't know why it should be. I am' anything to do with it. But the states today have the in favor of submitting the constitution without any sep power to determine their suffrage. I admIt that t~e arate question whatever, or else, if that is not agreeable members are all honorable men; as l\i[ark Anthony saId to this Convention, I am in favor of submitting each one of Brutus and his fellow conspirators, they are all "hon separately. orable men". I have not felt that we have always done JVlr. DOTY: If this question is submitted separ our duty. What I want is to make man. suffrage decent ately it meets your ideas? and whenever that is done then I am m favor of wo Mr. EVANS: No; I am opposed to giving women man's suffrage, and not until then. I say I want to see suffrage until we make men's suffrage decent. 616 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday \Vaman's Suffrage. l\1r. LAJ\fPSON: Why not make them both decent The PRESIDENT: No, sir. together? The motion was carried. Mr. EVANS: You have no such requirement. This Mr. THOMAS. Now I move to amend that the de- proposition before the Convention is simply a question bate close at five o'clock instead of four. of perpetuating the rule of political bosses. I say if The amendment was agreed to. you do not eliminate all bad men in the electorate of the The motion was carried. class which Judge Blair has discovered in Adams county, Mr. MARRIOTT: I regret much that I was not and a large body of which is in every state, we are not present to hear the address of the author of this pro ready to have the women vote. I say we should elimi posal. I was asked a few moments ago how I stood on nate the sick and diseased portion of the body politic. I the question under debate, and I answered, "My good say if these men are not loyal to the government, if they friend, in the language of our president, I have no can't read or write in English, you should say that they open mind on the question." lVI y mind is not open. I are unworthy to vote. Now if you look at my proposal, have been in favor of equal suffrage ever since I was those qualifications only apply to those coming to vote old enough to vote. I never could understand why hereafter, those coming to age or becoming naturalized. mother might not have voted with me, nor can I under I reserve to any person who now has the right to vote stand how under the provisions of our national consti the rio-ht to continue voting unless forfeited by crime. tution, which says that every person born or natural r say to you that there is not a constitution in the whole ized in the United States is a citizen of the United forty-eight states that has not the requirement of good States and that no Sltate shall abridge the rights or character indirectly, but I say let us put it in directly. immunities of citizens of the United States, the women Quite a number of the sltates have it. Let us have a can be denied this privilege. complete proposition, let us elevate manhood suffrage, Conceding, therefore, that the women of the country and when we have reached the plane of decent manhood are citizens of the United States, why should not they suffrage that ought to exist, let us say to the women. have the same rights that other citizens of the United "Come and vote 'with us." States have in the matter of the elective franchise? 1 1\1r. BROWN of Highland: If that is your propo am advised that there is a limit placed upon the time sition, would it not be better, more the part of liberality of speakers of ten minutes. I want to thank the gen at least, upon your part to permit the matter to go be tleman from Mahoning [J\1r. ANDERSON] for permit fore the people and then express your opinion at the ting me to say what I have to say at this time, for I polls? Ought you not take a broader vie\v and submit expect to be called away tomorrow. the matter in Ohio regardless of your feelings, and let Gentlemen of the Convention, one of the strongest it have a fair trial? arguments that I can make or that I think can be made Mr. EVANS: T am in favor of the proposal provided in favor of granting the women of this state the small - you will recognize that one hundred and ten years boon that they are asking, towit, to submit to the peo have elapsed since this state was organized. \Ve are not ple the question as to whether the people of this state as strict in this proposal as they were in the constitu will vote to give the women of this state equal suffrage tion of 1802. Why under the constitution in 1802 a with men, is that the people should rule. I say that I man in order to vote was required to be charged with cannot understand how any delegate who believes that a tax, and that was the organic law until 1851. the people shall rule can refuse to let the people say ]\T r. PIERCE: If women had the chance to vote whether our wives and mothers and sisters and daugh would it not be a refining influence at the polls? ters may be permitted to have a part in this govern 1\1 r. EVANS:I don't think there is a man in the ment of ours. I think one of the strongest arguments country who would not favor woman's suffrage if he that I can make will he to refer to a communication thought the women really wanted ~t, and my propo~al, which came floating on to my desk a few days ago- to which I beg leave to call attention, leaves It entire and I agree with the gentleman from Hamilton that ly to the legislature and that body can.pass. wo:nan's so long as we have fought out on the floor of this Con suffrage at any time. At the proper. bme I thmk I vention the question of license or no license that it shall offer my Proposal No. 81 as a substitute lor this ought not to be brought into the discussion of this ques report. I simply say that this committee has not &"one tion-now I read this communication only for the pur far enough, and for that reason I feel I am constramed pose of commenting on its unfairness and inconsistency. to vote against the report. It is sent over the names of the president and secretary Mr. JOHNSON, of Williams: I move that.the vote of the German-American Alliance of the state of Ohio, by which the debate was to be closed be reconSidered. urging, as they had a perfect right to do, the dele Mr. BOWDLE: I second the motion. gates of this Convention to vote for the so-called King Mr. DOTY: I move to lay that on the table. proposal on the subj eat of license. Then it goes on, The motion to lay on the table was lost. "We also urge upon you the adoption of the initiative Mr. THOJ\1AS: I want to offer an amendment. and referendum clause, as agreed upon by the United Mr. DOTY: The motion to reconsider has not been Constitution Committee of Cincinnati," and then they carried. followed that request by this: "The above organization The PRESIDENT: The question before the house also requests you to use all your personal influence is on the motion to reconsider the motion by which the not to have any woman suffrage clause submitted to debate was limrited and setting the time of debate at the people in any manner whatever." four o'clock. I say that those two requests are radically incon Mr. JOHNSON, of Williams: Is that debatable? sistent, one asking members of this association ro vote March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 61 7 Woman's Suffrage. for the initiative and referendum, and to submit that this life is the unclouded welcome of a pure and loving question to the people, and then in the same breath and wife. Her love is of priceless value, and a good wife in the same communication appeal to the members of is heaven's best and riches gift to man, and I say the the Convention not to submit the question of woman's sweetest words in the English language are: "Mother, suffrage to the people in any manner. wife and home." Vlfe do not have to use a magnifying glass or a mi- Home embraces them all, for where there is no math- croscope to ascertain who the people are who are op- er or wife there is no home, and the man who has never posing woman's suffrage in this good staJte of Ohio, heard the merry laugh of a little child in his home has now more than one hundred years old. missed much of the sweetness of life. In my judgment it is a part of practical wisdom that Universal suffrage is no longer a dream, but is a we adapt ourselves to the times in which we live. If progressive fact, as is shown by the several states named we do not we will find ourselves standing alone while which have broken the shackles of slavery and granted other states are pressing forward and winning the bat- to women equal rights with man. tIes of life. In Ohio we have been generous enough to make them If we are to be progressive in fact and not in theory equal with the men in the right to own and hold property only, we must keep abreast of the progressive states of and pay taxes to support the government, yet we have the Union, and not let such states as California, Wash- denied them the right to have a voice in that govern ington, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming blaze the ment. way in every progressive movement. Taxation without representation is and has always Ohio should lead more and follow less. Our mot,to been odious to every true American. should be: "Ohio Leads," and not "Ohio Follows." Our forefathers, under the slogan "Rebellion against California is the last of the states named to give tyrants is obedience to God," gave us our independence; her women equal suffrage with men, and we heard that that is, gave the men their independence, but left our great leader of the progressive movement of the West, women slaves. ' who is firing the hear,ts of the citizenship of the Pacific Is not one hundred and thirty-six years long enough coast, Governor Johnson, of California, say what to earn freedom? Have our American women not prov woman's suffrage is doing for that state. en themselves worthy during these long years of pro- Not one of these states so far as I have learned, would bation? \Vhat more do we want? \Vhat additional today take a backward step in this progressive move- sacrifice do we require? Is she not the equal of man, ment of equal suffrage, and why should Ohio do less yea is she not his superior? for her women than California and these other states If we men of Ohio, we, "the lords of creation," will have done for their women? not admit that our wives ancl our mothers are our Are the women of Ohio less intelligent, deserving, equals, we will at least admit that they are the equal brave and true? Will we stand and let Wisconsin, Kan- of the black man. sas, Oregon and Nevada also show us the way? I say The time of the gentleman here expired and on mo- no, a thousand times no! tion of Mr. Okey, seconded by Mr. Nye, his time was ex- For more than sixty years the women of Ohio, our tended five minutes. mothers and our wives, have been knocking at the door lVIr. l\1ARRIOTT: I thank the members of the Con of equal rights, asking only for simple justice, and the vention. I met the same difficulty the other evening doors have not been opened to' let them in. when I was addressing the Convention on the license I say this is to the everlasting shame of the men of question. Ohio. Today that army of mothers and wives is joined We gave the colored man the ballot fifty years ago by our sisters and our daughters, and they are now and it cost us the best blood of the land to do it. Are unitedly appealing to this Convention for simple jus- we willing to do less for our mothers, our wives, our tice, appealing to be emancipated from the slavery in daughters, than we have done for the colorecl man? which men have held them for all these years. Perhaps it may be true that we cannot control their Will we longer dose our ears to their appeal and votes as some have controlled the votes of the wards refuse their prayer? I say emphatically no. of the Civil War. God grant that it may be true. r have too much confidence in the gallantry, the man- In this connection a: good friend of mine said a mo- hood, and the patriotism of the men who compose this ment ago that he feared that the giving of the ballot to Convention to believe for one moment they w11l be so the women of the state might disrupt the homes. unjust to the noble iwomen of Ohio. If I thought such a thing would occur when it carnes If I had a heart so indifferent and cold, so destitute to a vote I would vote against giving them the ballot, be of human justice, as to say by my vote that the women cause I could not be induced to do anything that would of Ohio are at least not the equals of the colored man, I disrupt the homes. But it will not disrupt the homes, would feel ashamed to again meet the mother of my because the men will not control the women's vote and boys. the husband will not control the wife's vote. Right there Mr. STALTER: May I interrupt the gentleman? let me say if we give the women of Ohio the right to Mr. MARRIOTT: I will thank the gentleman if he vote between now and next fall there will be a division will contain himself until I have finished. :My time is in my home. I will find :1\1r5. :Marriott walking up to limited. the polls with me and casting her vote for Teddy Roos I would feel that I was not entitled to her respect, evelt while I cast mine for Judson Harmon. And I much less her love, and I would not lose either for all don't think when Harmon goes down to Washington the \\;'ealth of the world, for I say the sweetest thing in my wife will have any quarrel with me over it either. 618 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO Wednesday Woman's Suffrage. Mr. LAMPSON: Don't you think your wife will wishes to say that following- the custom here speakers win out at the election? have been listed and there are a dozen. Now there is :Mr. MARRIOTT: If she does I will take her by only time for six speakers and if the speakers will vol the hand and say "God bless you." untarily reduce their time we may be able to get through. We have been for two weeks discussing the liquor 1\1r. ELSON: I was not aware of that custom and I question, trying to find a way to lessen the evils result have not taken any steps to get my name on the list. ing from the traffic in intoxicating liquors. Is there no other way in which we can get recognition? I want to say here, and emphasize the statement, that The PRESIDENT: The chair recognizes the dele high license with strict regulation and woman's suffrage gate from Cuyahoga [Mr. HAHN]. go hand in hand in the contest for sobriety in Ohio. Mr. HAHN: I for one am in favor of woman's suf Our boasted claim of a popular government, a gov frage and the reasons I will state in brief. ernment of the people, by the people, and for the peo I am in favor of woman's suffrage because woman has ple, so long as one-half of the people are deprived of an equal interest in our political life. A century ago a voice in our government is a farce and a delusion. whenever a 'woman desired to enter into anv other sphere With a citizenship of about ninety million people, out of activity than the domestic life she wi's met with a side of the states that have given the women the ballot storm of ridicule and told, "Keep away, only the house one-half of our citizenship is disfranchised, and hence and the home is your proper sphere." But did she keep deprived of a voice in shaping the policies of govern away? No. The more she was repressed the more she ment, .and yet we boast of a republican form of govern forced herself forward, and what was the consequence ment,a government by the people! of it? There is not a sphere of human activity in lit Section 4 of article IV of the federal constitution pro erature, in art, in industry and so on in anything, where vides that: "The United States shall guarantee to every woman has not proved the equal and in some respects state in this Union a republican form of government." even the leader of man. Just look at literature. A great Yet in the face of this guaranty no state of this Union many thousands of good books and excellent contribu has in fact a republican form of government which re tions to the magazines and journals enlightening the fuses equal rights and equal privileges to all its citizens. people are beautiful testimonies of her brilliant qualifi A so-called popular government which deprives one cations. Even in the higher branches of literature they half of its citizens the privilege of citizenship is a false excel as shining lights. pretense and is not a popular government in fact but Go to Harvard University. They have the grandest in name only, and every state which withholds from its ohservatory in the United States of America, and who is women the right to have a voice in its government vio the chief of it? Astronomy is a science that has al lates the spirit, if not the letter, of the federal constitu ways been considered the queen of all sciences. \Vo tion. men are leading, not merely in the Harvard observatory Women are citizens, so declared by the constitution in the East, but also in its southern branch, and are of the United States, and the state constitution which doing original work, and why should women so admir deprives any portion of her citizens of equal privilege ably endovved be precluded from a political sphere? with all other citizens is conceived in unwisdom and born "romen pay taxes, and, as has been already said here of inj ustice. by the honorable judge from Delaware, the American A constitution which fails to guard the integrity of principle is "no taxation without representation." W o American citizenship, and to give all its citizens equal men are wage-earners; and shall she, who is supporting protection of law and participation in government, is herself and her children and her family,have no right and always will be a failure, because it is lacking in in to discuss efficiently a matter that concerns her bread? herent honesty. Shall she merely work as a slave? \;Vhen she is a wage A successful and permanent government must rest earner why should she, a wage-earner, not have a right primarily on recognition of the right of its citizens and to help to determine every question in connection with the absolute sovereignty of its people. Upon these prin the improvement of her social conditions? Women have ciples is built the superstructure of our republic. Their knowledge, and knOli\T1edge is power. Why take away maintenance and perpetuation measure the life of the or keep away such power from them? Every power republic. These principles stand for the rights and lib g-iven them will be used for purity, for the gooel, for ertiesof the people, and,for the power and majesty of the welfare of this commonwealth. If a limb of our the government. A republic, therefore, which does not body is cabused or not treated right there will be trouble recognize justice and equal rights to all its citizens can in the whole body. The women do not form merely one not and ought not longer endure. limb of the body of human society, but they constitute The greatest boon of American citizenship is the right fully one-haH of it, and if they have reason to be dis to participate in government. When one-half of the satisfied, if their conditions are such that they have rea citizenship is deprived of this ri~ht our boasted claim son to complain, how can we expect to have peace, har of a government of the people, by the people and for mony and prosperity in our commonwealth? the people is a false daim, and Lincoln might well have Furthermore, gentlemen, I am in favor of woman's said that "ours is a government, only we are ruled by suffrage, not merely for the reasons I have stated, but men and not by man." also because woman is the educator of society. We Why are the women of our state denied the privilege are proud of our public schools. They are the bulwarks of the ballot? Why are they not permitted to have a of our liberty, the perennial source of popular educa voice in shaping- the policies of our government? tion. We consider them the foundation of democracy. The PRESIDENT: The time is up. The president vVe look upon our public schools as a most glorious mon- March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES V\Toman's Suffrage. ument. They command the admirClition of all civilized Okey, Smith, Hamilton, Ulmer, nations. Who has raised our public schools to such a Peck, Solether, Wagner, Rockel, Tallman, 'Walker, standard? The women teachers have accomplished it. Shaffer, Tannehill, \Vatson, Now when the women come and ask us for equal suf Smith, Geauga, Tetlow, Woods, frage, can we deny it to them? Let me look back into the past. What does our latest Those who voted in the negative are: American history show? Antrim, Harris, Hamilton, Peters, We had a terrible Civil Vlar. When the men were Beyer, Hoskins, Pettit, called to defend the ,country the whole North arose Bowdle, Hursh, Pierce, lik~ one man in ~efense ~f the l!nion. The men ignored Brattain, Johnson, Williams, Price, Brown, Pike, Jones, Read, theIr farms, theI'f factones, theIr business concern's and Cody, Kerr, Riley, they did not care for the millions of treasures it was to Collett, King, Roehm, cost. They were ready to shed their precious blood for DeFrees, Knight, Stalter, the cause of liberty, for the cause of the Union. Who Donahey, Kunkel, Stamm, Dunn, Lambert, Stevens, brought that movement to a focus? A woman! The Dwyer, Lampson, Stewart, woman who wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. And what did Eanlhart Leslie, Stilwell, the other women do? Were they indifferent when the Elson, ' Marriott, Stokes, country was in agony? The same patriotic speeches, Evans, Marshall, Taggart, FitzSimons, McClelland, Thomas, the same songs that have fired the souls and hearts of Fluke, Miller, Crawford, Weybrecht, the husbands, inflamed the hearts of the women. Fox, Moore, Wise, The PRESIDENT: The time of the gentleman has Hahn, Nye, Worthington, expired. Halfhill, Partington, Mr. BOWDLE: I move that the speakers be con fined hereafter to three minutes. The roll call was verified. lVfr. FESS: I believe we ought to make some dif So the motion to table was lost. ferent arrangements because there a're fifteen more peo The PRESIDENT: The question is on the motion ple who would like to speak. to reconsider the vote whereby the time to close de The motion of the member from Cincinnati [}\!Jr. bate on this question was set for five o'clock. BOWDLE] was carried. The motion was carried. l\lfr. KNIGHT: This Convention devoted two weeks 1\1r. KNIGHT: Now I offer an amendment that in !o a free discussion of the good roads question which stead of closing debate at five o'clock it close at I 1:3° mvo1ved a few dollars. It permitted without limita tomorrow. tion a discussion for nealy three weeks of the liquor The motion was carried. question. It proposes now to permit about five hours lVIr. FESS: I now move that we reconsider the vote of discussion on a question which affects more than by which speeches were limited to three minutes. one-half o~ the people of the state of Ohio in their per 1\;[r. DOTY: That was part of the motion that was sonal relatIOns to the government of the state and the just reconsidered. rest of the community. I protest that of all the instances TvT r. KING: There is one time that the gentleman of unfairness to the women of the state of Ohio this from Cuyahoga [1\,r r. DOTY] was not paying attention. is the greatest. If this question is of imnortance and 1\1r. BOWDLE: I made the motion to limit speeches every speaker on the floor today has said' substan'tially to three minutes. it is the most imnortant question that has come before The PRESIDENT: Yes, I understood that. The the Convention, if it is the will of the Convention that question is on the motion to reconsider the vote by a ma~ shoul~ be limited to three minutes to speak up which that motion was carried. ' on thIS questIOn, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves. The motion was carried. I move that the vote by which debate was to be closed 1\1 r. WAT SON:I now move that the speaker's time at five o'clock be reconsidered. be limited to ten minutes. The motion was. seconded. The motion was carried. 1\1[ r. DOTY: I move to lay that motion on the to 1\1 r. PETTIT: I move to amend that to fifteen min ble. utes. The motion was seconded. The PRESIDENT: The motion to amend comes too 1\1r. KNIGHT: And on that I demand the yeas and late, the other motion is carried. The gentleman from nays. Franklin [J\1r. KNIGHT] is recognized. 1\Tr. KNIGHT: I yield my time to the gentleman The yeas and nays were taken, and resulted- yeas who follows me, the member from Greene [Mr. FESS]. 42, nays 56, as follows: 1\J r. FESS: I should like to ask four questions and I Those who voted in the affirmative are: shall try to limit what I have to say to the answers to those four questions. . Anderson, Doty, Johnson, Madison, I am thinking that in all probability I may have the Baum, Dunlap, Kehoe, Beatty, Morrow, Fackler, Kilpatrick, same experience. at the next election that my friend Brown, Highland, Fess, Kramer, from Delaware [1\1r. MARRIOTT] expects. For my house Cassidy, Halenkamp, Longstreth, hold, while it is not divided politically in all probability Harbarger, Colton, Ludey, '111i11 be divided upon the question of woman's suffrage. Cordes, Henderson, Malin, Crosser, Hoffman, Mauck, I think perhaps the "better two-thirds" of my household Davio, Holtz, Miller, Ottawa, will vote against woman's suffrage when the matter 620 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO \Vednesday Woman's Suffrage. comes Up. and if I shall accompany her to the polls I better understand the position she occupies in this mod shall not vote with her but against her. But that is ern time? not an argument that there is going to be a lack of do Now, answering the first question, I regard that there mestic tranquillity. is no doubt about it, that woman does need the protec Mr. BROWN, of Highland: Is it intended by this tion of government. She needs it more than man. Wo provision that we are adopting that the women are to man has every right naturally considered that man has, vote on the question of whether we shall have equal suf and one more - she can demand the right of protection frage? from a brother. That is one more than man himself is Mr. FESS: If the member from Highland is itching exercising. WIoman needs the protection of government for information, I will let him get it elsewhere. even more in every line of this complex condition of our All those people are not agreed, the women are not modern civilization than .does man. I believe you will agreed, as to what they should do or what rights they not dispute it. should have, and if the right of suffrage be granted to Second. Since she needs the protection of govern them it is a question whether they will all use it or ment, does she understand th~ machinery of government not. That argument has been offered against woman's sufficiently that she can seek the protection if she has suffrage. I think that was well answered by the author the ballot? of the bill that even if only one woman wants the right, I believe that while she has not had the opportunity, she should have the right so far as natural right goes, and that there may be some limitations upon her ability and that we should not deny the right to her. I leave to exercise this, still we ought to all be at school today. that argument. . We ought to learn what are the ends of government, and Then on the other hand, if we grant suffrage to women women have not the opportunity now under present con and the women themselves don't use it, that is merely ditions to be effective in this great school where we are their lack of appreciation of the duties that go with all trying to become the best citizens possible, and if vou responsibility, and it is our business to so emphasize the give her the opportunity I assure you that she will show meaning of responsibility that those who otherwise would that she is capable of understanding the machinery of be indifferent will cease to be indifferent and exercise our government and, therefore, can put into operation the duties that are theirs. Simply because we fear that the needs of her own protection in the government. women will not exercise this privilege is not a substan And thirdly, can she exercise intelligent judgment in tial argument that we shall not give them the privilege the selection of officers? I say she can. In a great many of exercising it if they want to. ways women are superior to men in judgment. There Then if women don't exercise it, there are many in are today over a million women devoted to study in the telligent men who do not want to exercise it, and there various social betterments associations in our land, be are many unintelligent men who do not exercise it; and coming most effective in the charity work of the country. why should we 'refuse to let the women have it simply There are eleven hundred and forty-two women on chari because we fear they will not exercise it, when men who table boards according to the census. There are six have it already refuse to exercise it. That is not an hundred and fifteen women on boards of education in argument as I conceive. England. I am speaking of a foreign country, but if Some people say it destroys the chivalry that belongs you take the activities in a city like Columbus or Chicago to womanhood and they say we can see it now; that if or New York or Philadelphia and analyze the activities we get into a car that is filled with men and a woman that are making for social betterment in the cities, you comes in and is compelled to hang on to the strap in will find that women are taking a wonderful position, the street car, the men will not get up and give her a and yet they have not the ballot. place, and they say that is because we are changing the You say let them go on in the good work, without the relationship between man and woman, and woman is ballot. I say give them the ballot and let them become a coming into a recognition of her rights, and that causes political force as well as a social force and see the added men to lose the chivalry that belongs to her. All I can advantage you will have for the woman in her own sphere say about that is this: If I am in a street car and a today. . woman comes in and I still continue to occupy a seat The next point I want to ask is thi~: Does woman while she stands, that is no argument that she ought not need the training that comes from the exercise of the to have the ballot; that is an argument that I am not a ballot? If you answer that she needs it, I ask can she gentleman and if the woman gets the ballot I shall still have it - is she capable of it? I knoWi that prior to the try to be a gentleman the same as I would want to be fifties it was argued that woman should not be educated now in case of meeting her on a plane equal to myself. in higher educational institutions, and there have been Now, there are four questions I want to ask: made from the public rostrum statements by brainy men that would be surprising to you in argument that women I. Does woman need the protection of government? did not have the ability and intellect to be educated prior 2. Does woman understand the machinery of govern- to the forties. \\That do you say now? For every man ment? And if she does not, can she be made to under you will point to in the colleges of today I will point to stand it? a woman, and when she is by the side of the man she 3. Is the intelligence of women such that she can will prove herself equal to him in her ability, especially exercise good judgment in selecting officers of govern along the line of literature and culture studies. And yet ment? men say that if you give her the ballot you will destroy 4. Is woman capable or does her position argue for the kind of nature that belongs to her. I deny it. In her the right to participate in government to make her stead of the ballot destroying in women the finer nature :March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES 621 \\Toman's Suffrage.. it will add to her influence to elevate the plane of poli- will let that alone, the courts will consider that." Then tics. And why do I want women to vote when the when they are required to consider whether a law is wise better side of my household would rather not have that or expedient they say "The governor will attend to that," privilege? I answer you, there are a great many ques- and pass it along. Now, when I came here I took an tions today that man, in the language of Judge Peck, oath which, as I understood it, required me to express has not been able yet to solve. We ought to have her my own individual judgment upon every measure that influence, which is superior to that of man, infusing it- was to be submitted to the people; and I do not think we self into the body politic of America, and especially have a right to pass the thing along to the people simply of Ohio. It will purify politics. Who is the maker of because there are advocates here in support of it. We the citizen today? Who teaches the schools of our pub- should consider the merits of a proposition. lie school system? W'ho maintains the membership of Now, upon the merits I do not differ so very much the churches of today? Who has the finger upon the from the gentlemen who have spoken previously. I my production of the better citizenship today? It is the self have as high an opinion of the abiEty of women to father? The father leaves the home and he is busy. exercise the suffrage properly as any of you gentlemen Mr. JOHNSON, of Williams: I move that the time have. But there is another difficulty. One of our trou- of the gentleman be extended. bles now is an uninterested electorate. vVe have pro- Mr. FESS: I don't want it. I "V ant to give all a posals here to punish men for not doing their duties in chance to speak on this matter, as I feel like Dr. Knight exercising the elective franchise. Some of these days that it is important. we may have to come to that. If you increase your e1ec The PRESIDENT: The member has yet two minutes. torate by adding people who do not care to vote, you in Mr. FESS: I was going to put a question, but I am crease the trouble and difficulty from that cause. not sure that it has not escaped me now. I believe the point I was trying to make, was the influ- Now, is it not wise, is it not fair to see whether the ence of the mother in producing citizens. I will give it women of the state of Ohio really want this duty imposed in a word. The fathers are too busy. They are in the upon them? I say duty because the franchise is not in home for a few hours. :Men come home so infrequently my opinion a privilege or a gift. It is the duty that rests that the little boy in the home is apt to ask his mother upon every citizen to exercise it at the polls, everytime who the stranger was who came here last. That rep- a question comes up, according to the best of his knowl resents in an extreme way a good many homes in the edge and ability. If the women of the Ohio were coming city. The father is too busy. He is in a work-a-day before the people and saying we want to help you in this world and the result of his extreme activity - and I task of government, I would say to them, "Come, we are use that guardedly - he leaves to the mother'the bring- glad of your assistance, and you can help us, and you ing un of the children. Where are the sons, in whose can do us good." But if it is not the women of Ohio, hands? In the hands of our women. I want to know if it is one or two or three or a thousand -I- I don't care what are the influences that teach citizenship? The what the number is, if it is small- I do not think we schools and the churches and the homes. How much are denying them a right when we say to them you can influence has the father in the home over the children not vote because your sisters do not want to. I do not in producing citizenship? How much in the school? think there is any right in the question of suffrage or in LlOW much in the church? If the children are constantlv the matter of suffrage. It seems to me that it is not in under the mothers and that citizenship must come through accordance with our duty to simply pass this question that influence, how can the woman emphasize the politi- along to the men of Ohio, and say, will you give suffrage cal virtues in citizenship if she has no chance to partici- to the women of Ohio, some of whom we know don't pate in anyway? I leave the question with you. I leave want it and some of whom we know do want it? it as Judge Peck did. Weare not voting now for wo- I should think the first thing to be done would be to man's suffrage - we are giving the people the right to ascertain what percentage of the women of Ohio are in say whether women shall vote Of not, and when you give terested in this matter, and therefore I have prepared an them that chance to vote on the subject, I shall use my amendment, which I shall offer as soon as I leave the influence upon the platform to have the men themstlves floor, which will require four weeks before the question see that we can regenerate in some manner the body is submitted to the men of Ohio, that the same question politic of the state of Ohio by the influence of the mothers shall be submitted to the women of Ohio, and that they and sisters and wives, whose presence alone will not shall have opportunity of voting and saying whether they deteriorate, nor degenerate, but will uplift. want suffrage or not; and if a majority of the women The PRESIDENT: The names on my list now in who vote on that question say they want the suffrage, order are Worthington, Watson, Anderson, Jones, Mc- then no matter how small the vote may be, the question Clelland, Stalter, King, Thomas, Knight, Elson, Fitz- will be submitted to the men at the time stated in the Simons, Bowdle, Johnson, Pettit and Kramer. It takes proposal; but if the majority of the women who vote on two hours and forty minutes under the rule to complete that question say they do not want to vote, then the ques those speeches. !ion will be determined. I .submit that that is fair~nd ~t Mr. \VORTHINGTON: Unfortunately I differ with IS all.the proponents of thIS proposal can ask. FIrst It some men as to my duty in this Convention. To my puts l.t uP.the wom~n of Oh:o, an~ enables the t;1en ~o mind one of the evils of representative assemblies for vote llltelhgently, :V1th the .h~ht gIven to them 1ll t~ls some time has· been the shirking of responsibility. Mem._I way by the expreSSiOn of 0pllllOn of the women of OhlO. bers of the general assembly are apt to say when a ques- I offer this amendment. tion of the constitutionality of any law comes up, "We The amendment was read as follows. 622 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF OHIO \Vednesday Woman's Suffrage. Amend Proposal No. 91 as follows: Hoskins, Leslie, Riley, Add the following after line 29: Hursh, Ludey, Roehm, Johnson, Madison, Marshall, Stamm, SECTION 6. All the foregoing provisions, how Johnson, Williams, McClelland, Tallman, ever are conditioned as follows: Jones, Miller, Crawford, Thomas, (~) Four weeks before the date of the election Kerr, Miller, Ottawa, Ulmer, referred to in section 1 hereof there shall be sub King, Partington, Wagner, Knight, Price, Worthington, mitted to the female citizens of Ohio over twenty Kunkel, Redington, one years of age, who are proposed. to be made electors by said proposal, the questIon whether The roll call was verified. they desire to exercise the duty of suffrage. . So the motion to table was carried. (b) All laws relating to the length of resI elec~or v~te, Mr. WATSON: In my present condition physically, dence requisite to entitle an to to the I shall occupy your time for only a few moments, simply electl~ms, :registration of electors at speCial and to add my weight to what has been given before in favor to the proclamation and conduct of elections, and of woman's suffrage., I wish to consider the three foun there.o~, ascertaining the result shall apI?ly to such dation stones on which human society rests, home, church submission, and to female CItIzens deslnng to vote and state. thereat. . No one can question the work that the women have (c) At such submission, the ballot shall be m done to elevate to the present high standard the Ameri the form specified in section 2 hereof. can home. No one can question the amount of effective (d) The female citizens desiring to express work that t'he women have done to elevate to the present their views as to said proposal shall, as to those condition the affairs of the church. Having been tried who favor the adoption of said proposal as a part and tested as to her efficacy in those two lines, no one of the constitution, indicate their wish by 1?lacing should call into question the effectiveness of her work a cross-mark within the blank space OpposIte the if she be granted that wider and broader field to the words "For Woman's Suffrage," and as to those oppos~d uplift of humanity in affairs of state. to such adopti.on! indicate their wish by I can not be called a pessimist; rather may I be called placing a cross-mark wlthm the blank space oppo an optimist. If we but revert to the ages that have site the words, "Against Woman's Suffrage." passed before us, and consider the condition of the wom (e) If at such submission the votes .for en in those times as compared with that of today, we woman's suffrage shall exceed the votes agamst would readily note that her sphere in life is broadening, woman's suffrage, then the election c,alled .for by her influence is growing greater from day to day. Only section 1 hereof shall be held; otherWise said elec a few short years ago the birth of a female child in a tion shall not be held, and said proposal shall be family was considered a calamity. She was looked upon withdrawn. as a mere hireling, a servant, a serf, a slave, an under Mr. KILPATRICK: W'e want it possible to submit ling. She could come into the possession of no property. this proposition to the electors of the state and we wa~t One of the first things our fathers gave us, in the ordi the proposal put up to them so that they can vote on It. nance of 1787, was to put her in company with her For that reason I move at this time that this amendment brothers in the family in line with the succession of be laid on the table. property if a man died without a w~l~. .. Mr. WORTHINGTON: And on that I demand the It has been said here that famIhes may be dIVIded. yeas and nays. I want to say for my own family, if my wife had a vote, The yeas and nays were taken, and resulted - yeas and if she were permitted to go the polls with me, side 54, nays 4 1, as foll0'Ys : . by side, there would be no division, but there would be Those who voted m the affirmatIve are: two votes cast for Woodrow Wilson for president of the Baum, Hahn Pettit, United States. We have been of that political faith Beatty, Morrow, Halfhill, Pierce, from 1896 down to the present time. A few short years Beyer, Holtz, Read, Brown, Highland, Kehoe. Rockel, after we had made up our minds in the family to turn Cassidy, Kilpatrick, Shaffer, from the republican party to the democratic party, we Colton, Kramer, Shaw, stood side by side and had one of the members of the Crites, Lambert, Smith, Geauga, family baptized William Bryan Watson. Crosser, Lampson, Solether, Davio, Leete, Stalter, The question has been asked here, how can a woman DeFrees, Longstreth, Stevens, best be a mother. Let me counter that by asking how Doty, Malin Stewart, can a man best be a father? I want to see my girls Dunn, Marri~tt, Stilwell, Dwyer, Mauck, Taggart, brought to the same level politically as my boys. We Farnsworth, Moore, Tannehill, don't deny them the right of property, and why should Farrell, Nye, Watson, we deny them the right to vote, to say how that property Fess, Okey Weybrecht, should be taxed? Many women in this state have bank FitzSimons, Peck: Wise, Fluke, Peters, Woods, . stock and yet they have not one vote or voice to say how that stock shall be guarded. Many of them have Those who voted in the negative are: deposits in bank and they have no vote in making the law Antrim, Donahey, Fox, to take care of those deposits. Many of them own farms Bowdle, Dunlap, Halenkamp, and they have no voice or vote in saying how those farms Brown, Pike, Earnhart, Harris, Ashtabula, Cordes, Elson, Harris, Hamilton, shall be taxed. I fancy if those women who own farms Cunningham, Evans, Hoffman, were members of this Convention they would stand as March 6, 1912. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES Woman's Suffrage. the rest of the farmers stand, against the classification in the sisterhood of states in this as in aU other questions. of the property for taxation. Let us grant to the peo Now I am going to leave the matter with you, and ple of Ohio through the referendum the right to say for my part I' expect to vote for the submission of this whether the women of the state will be given the right question, and when once submitted I expect tq take the of the franchise. Noone who favors the initiative and platform in behalf of it. referendum should, for one moment, hold himself aloof On motion the Convention here recessed until tomor frona. this vital question. Ohio should take a front rank row morning at 9 :30.
Thirty-Third Day Morning Session
