Suffragists -- United States; Women -- Suffrage -- United States
And so, throughout January and the beginning of February, 1919, the
story of protest continued relentlessly.
Watchfires—arrests—convictions—hunger strikes—release—until again the
nation rose in protest against imprisoning the women and against the
Senate’s delay. Peremptory cables went to the President at the Peace
Conference, commanding him to act. News of our demonstrations were well
reported in the Paris press. The situation must have again seemed
serious to him, for although reluctantly and perhaps unwillingly, he
did begin to cable to Senate leaders, who in turn began to act. On
February 2d, the Democratic Suffrage Senators called a meeting at the
Capitol to “consider ways and means.” On February 3d, Senator Jones
announced in the Senate that the amendment would be-brought up for
discussion February 10th. The following evening, February 4th, a caucus
of all Democratic Senators was called together at the Capitol by
Senator Martin of Virginia, Democratic floor leader in the Senate. This
was the first Democratic caucus held in the Senate since war was
declared, which would seem to point to the anxiety of the Democrats to
marshal two votes.
Several hours of very passionate debate occurred, during which Senator
Pollock of South Carolina announced for the first time his support of
the measure.
Senator Pollock had yielded to pressure by cable from the President as
well as to the caucus. This gain of one vote had reduced the number of
votes lacking to one.
Many Democratic leaders now began to show alarm lest the last vote be
not secured. William Jennings Bryan was one leader who, rightly alarmed
over such a situation, personally consulted with the Democratic
opponents. The argument which he presented to them he subsequently gave
to the press.
“Woman suffrage is coming to the country and to the world. It will be
submitted to the states by the next Congress, if it is not submitted by
the present Congress.
“I hope the Democrats of the South will not handicap the Democrats of
the North by compelling them to spend the next twenty-five years
explaining to the women of the country why their party prevented the
submission of the suffrage amendment to the states.
“This is our last chance to play an important part in bringing about
this important reform, and it is of vital political concern that the
Democrats of the Northern Mississippi Valley should not be burdened by
the charge that our party prevented the passage of the suffrage
amendment, especially when it is known that it is coming in spite of,
if not with the aid of, the Democratic Party.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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