affairs, doubts that "governments of the people" are destined to
replace the monarchies of the world. No listener will fail to hear the
rumble of the rising tide of democracy. No watcher of events will deny
that the women of all civilized lands will be enfranchised eventually
as part of the people entitled to give consent and no American
possessed of political foresight doubts woman suffrage in our land as
a coming fact.

The discussion herein is strictly confined to the reasons why an
amendment to the Federal Constitution is the most appropriate method
of dealing with the question. This proposed amendment was introduced
into Congress in 1878 at the request of the National Woman Suffrage
Association. Since 1882 the Senate Committee has reported it with a
favorable majority every year except in 1890 and 1896. Twice only has
it gone to vote in the Senate. The first time was on January 25, 1887;
the second, March 19, 1914. In the House it has been reported from
Committee seven times, twice by a favorable majority, three times by
an adverse majority and twice without recommendation. The House has
allowed the measure to come to vote but once, in 1915. Yet while women
of the nation in large and increasing numbers have stood at doors of
Congress waiting and hoping, praying and appealing for the democratic
right to have their opinions counted in affairs of their government,
millions of men have entered through our gates and automatically have
passed into voting citizenship without cost of money, time or service,
aye, without knowing what it meant or asking for the privilege. Among
the enfranchised there are vast groups of totally illiterate, and
others of gross ignorance, groups of men of all nations of Europe,
uneducated Indians and Negroes. Among the unenfranchised are the
owners of millions of dollars worth of property, college presidents
and college graduates, thousands of teachers in universities, colleges