The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1913. WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE IN AMERICA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 21 June 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1913. WOMAN’S SUFFRAGE IN AMERICA.

Woman’s suffrage continues to make, 1 good progress in the United States of America, and recently a Committee of the House of Representatives was appointed to report on the question of the advisability of action by Congress to extend the franchise to women. From tins the New York World concludes that the real importance of the suffragist movement seems to have been recognised. The Chairman of the Senate Commitee on Wo-man-Suffrage is Senator Thomas, of Colorado, and in his State the women have all the rights of equal suffrage with men in State matters, and he is known to favour the extension of the sex’s privilege without limit. He has stated that he has only accepted the chairmanship on the understanding that active steps will bo taken in the present sessions of Congress to submit a suffrage amendment to the people for their approval. Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, President of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association, has expressed the view that whatever happens ten more States will be added to the nine of the Union which now grant, within themselves, equal suffrage rights to men and women and with nineteen States in line the cause will have the balance of power in a national election. No opposition can withstand such a powerful weapon. ft is also stated that in addition to the nine

Stntt's where women already onjov the same voting powers as men, there are five States in which a worn an-suff-rage amendment has successfully run the gauntlet of the legislative and now awaits only the final test of the popular referendum. In three States the amendment has passed both Houses of one legislature, hut must] repeat this proeoss in the next before being finally placed in the hands- of tlm voters. In five States the amend-

nent to give equal suffrage has pass-, a! one House. There is naturally mine eagerness on the part of members to make Party capital out of the question: in New Zealand we had plenty of that in the days when the question was a burning one. One Boston journal remarks that it has been a now and cheering experience to see politicians in several legislatures pull-, ing caps for the privilege of iritroduc-. ing suffrage measures. In one legislature ten different members offered i their services to the women to bring in the Bill. In various cases, when an influential member of one party was on the point of introducing it, a member of another party stopped in ahead and got the start of him. “Let us get the party the credit” has been the cry in legislature after legislature; and still more keen has been the wish to avoid getting the party the discredit. In past years the women have had to keep tab on the record of their opponents. Now each party is keeping tab on the other.