WOULD BAR NEGRO WOMEN.
Race Issue Raised in the Fight for
Suffrage in Arkansas
Special to The New York Times.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 19.- Agita-
tion for women suffrage in this State has
brought forth a new phase of that prob-
lem- the race issue. Those who are seek-
ing the influence of woment for an amend-
ment to the State Constitution to provide
for the extension of the ballot have been
met with arguments that such a measure
would again bring to the front the negro
question. Prominent women and men
high in politics are therefore exerting
pressure to balk the suffragists.
An instance of the feeling was given at
a recent meeting of a district federation
fo women's clubs at Augusta. Members
of the club which was entertaining the
convention arranged a table covered with
suffragist literature and a group of pic-
tures of leaders in the movement. Other
members, however, insisted on the re-
moval of the pictures and literature, de-
claring that they did not intend to have
the negro women of the country placed
on an equality with them, politically or
otherwise. When a set of resolutions
was brought forward in the convention
declaring for woman suffrage twenty
delegates refused to vote, and of the nine
who did vote four were agains the
measure.
In consequence of this feeling the pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution, for
which petitions are being circulated, has
been so worded as to bring the negro
women under the same conditions as the
negro men, most of whom are barred
by the "grandfather clause." It reads:
"Female persons shall have the same
right to vote as male persons now have or
shall hereafter have under the Constitu-
tion and laws of this State."
It is proposed to put this amendment
before the voters of the State at the com-
ing election by the use of initiative. Peti-
tions are being circulated among voters
by the leaders of the agitation, and they
hope to have 12,800 signatures by May
8, when the time for filing will expire.
The New York Times
Published: April 20, 1912
