BAR ASSOCIATION OF TENNESSEE

be willing to recognize our due and help us when the 1

comes.

Now, I personally cannot see how any Southern man ca opposed to woman suffrage. Many brave lives were lost much blood was shed in order to grant that privilege to negro men of the South. Certainly the trained intelligen the educated women of our land, the experience of the hi makers and house-keepers, and the wisdom of the mothe: our land are worth as much to the nation as the negro vo

Just here I will say that we have in our family a negro cook. He is a very “sissy" old man, but he is deeply ingra with the ancient masculine prejudice. He came to me s time ago and said, "What is all this I hear about this suff business? They tell me that women want to vote. Now,

know, Miss Pattie, women ain't got sense enough to v That is an attitude which I hope our educated white men

evils feared from suffrage have come to pass, but, on the contrary, the result has universally been for the betterment of political conditions and the advancement of legislation favorable to women and children. This is the universal testimony of men in the States where women vote.

Now, we believe that experience is worth all the theory in the world, and so we come before you today and ask that you men of Tennessee help us secure for our State this great good which our neighbors have obtained. For surely the women of Tennessee are not less intelligent and trustworthy than the women of Kansas, Colorado or California, and certainly the men of Tennessee are not less fair-minded and generous. And the reason it means so much to us just now to have your endorsement of this question is that this old Volunteer State of ours occupies a great strategic position. It is the first of the old conservative Southern States to vote upon the question of woman suffrage, and when you men decide the political fate of your women of Tennessee at the polls, you will in large measure decide the fate of the women of other Southern States, of the women throughout our Southland, whose men will largely be influenced in their vote upon this question by the stand which our own State has taken.

Now, this is no sudden movement upon the part of a few hysterical women. We are, on the whole, rather sane, sensible, and even fairly intelligent women, and the number of such women who have asked for the ballot is greater than any number of men who have ever asked for anything in the whole history of our country.

The suffrage sentiment has been of gradual development, It is the growth of a gradual sentiment that was first started by your fathers, and fathers' fathers, when they first opened up to women the opportunity for equal education and equal mental development with men, and that is why we ask you to help us today.

In Tennessee, of course, we are expecting this Constitutional Convention, but we will not come before you and ask that you pledge yourselves to help put a plank for woman suffrage in the Constitutional Convention. We trust your generosity, that when we have proven that we are willing to help you in any way possible, you will see what we have done for you and

a

mot take, anyway.

They tell us that in Europe, since the outbreak of the the cause of suffrage has been won. I believe that it is necessary for our country to enter into a great war to con this nation that your women are ready and willing to s by you ad help you in any way that lies within our pr and if that time should come, which God grant it never when this land of ours will be drenched in a bloody war may rest assured that the American women will be the fi the Red Cross trenches, and that the American women, if be, will gladly engage in the manufacture of ammunitio

their country,

But we do not come before you with threats and dem We only want to help you. For, after all, we are just wives and sisters and daughters, and if woman suffra granted to us, I believe that we will go on admiring you respecting you-bossing you perhaps just a little, loving and even marrying you, just the same.

We have no desire to usurp any of your powers and leges, but we believe that changed conditions demand methods, and it is constantly being borne in upon us i age and generation of the world that just the mere of keeping house and being a mother is a real It is not that you men are indiffo

be willing to recognize our due and help us when the time comes.

Now, I personally cannot see how any Southern man can be opposed to woman suffrage. Many brave lives were lost and much blood was shed in order to grant that privilege to the negro men of the South. Certainly the trained intelligence of the educated women of our land, the experience of the homemakers and house-keepers, and the wisdom of the mothers of our land are worth as much to the nation as the negro vote.

Just here I will say that we have in our family a negro man cook. He is a very “sissy” old man, but he is deeply ingrained with the ancient masculine prejudice. He came to me sometime ago and said, "What is all this I hear about this suffrage business? They tell me that women want to vote. Now, you, know, Miss Pattie, women ain't got sense enough to vote.” That is an attitude which I hope our educated white men will not take, anyway.

They tell us that in Europe, since the outbreak of the war, the cause of suffrage has been won. I believe that it is unnecessary for our country to enter into a great war to convince this nation that your women are ready and willing to stand by you ad help you in any way that lies within our power, and if that time should come, which God grant it never will, when this land of ours will be drenched in a bloody war, you may rest assured that the American women will be the first in the Red Cross trenches, and that the American women, if need be, will gladly engage in the manufacture of ammunition for their country.

But we do not come before you with threats and demands. We only want to help you. For, after all, we are just your wives and sisters and daughters, and if woman suffrage is granted to us, I believe that we will go on admiring you and respecting you-bossing you perhaps just a little, loving you, and even marrying you, just the same.

We have no desire to usurp any of your powers and privileges, but we believe that changed conditions demand new methods, and it is constantly being borne in upon us in this age and generation of the world that just the mere business of keeping house and being a mother is a real man-sized job.

It is not that you men are indifferent to the enforcement of

presence on the boat outing, and at the sessions of the Association:

"And, whereas, the members of the Memphis Country Club have kindly allowed us the full and free use of their beautiful club house for the sessions of the Association;

"And, whereas, we heartily appreciate all these kindnesses

to us;

"Now, therefore, be it resolved, That we express our thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who have entertained us, to the members of the Memphis Bar, and to the members of the Memphis Country Club, for all the benefits and pleasures of their individual and united efforts in our behalf by a unanimous rising vote of the visiting members;

"And it be it further resolved, that a copy of this resolution be reported in and made a part of the annual report of our proceedings."

I move that that resolution be adopted and voted on by the visiting members by a standing vote. The motion was duly seconded.

Mr. Giles L. Evans: Mr. Burch not being a visiting member, I ask Judge Higgins to put that vote.

The motion was accordingly put by Judge Jos. C. Higgins to the visiting members of the Association, and was hy a rising vote unanimously carried.

Judge John W. Judd: Mr. President, I desire to brir:g before the attention of the Association a merely formal motion or resolution, as follows:

"Resolved, that the Secretary of this Association be, and he is hereby, instructed to procure a certified copy of the charter from the records of the Secretary of State, and file the same amongst the archives of the Association; and that he report to the next annual meeting of this Association the number of charter members living, and where they now reside.”

I move that that resolution be adopted.
Mr. C. W. Heiskell: I second the motion.
The motion was put to a vote, and unanimously carried.

Mr. P. D. Maddin: Mr. President and gentlemen, I would like to say just a few words in regard to the American Bar

Association rotates from one division of the State to an
and this time it falls to Middle Tennessee. The memb
the bar from Middle Tennessee held a formal meetin
morning and discussed whom they would suggest to the
ciation, or nominate before the Association as a suitabl
son for its President.

I want to say, Mr. President and gentlemen, at the
we had great difficulty in finding anyone who could f
office as capably as our present distinguished Presiden
is just finishing his term. But, after considering the m
that we had, we felt that there was a gentleman in our
in Middle Tennessee who was the best we could offe
from that part of the State.

Association. Many of you are members of that Association, and I wish that all of you were. The American Bar Association has greatly increased its strength and power for the lawyer, for the judge and for the country. In the last two years its membership has been increased from four thousand 10 nearly twelve thousand. Tennessee has about two hundred members, and it really should have four or five hundred. This Bar Association has something over five hundred members, and every member of this Association should really be a member of the American Bar Association.

The American Bar Association holds its next meeting at Chicago on the 30th and 31st of August and 1st of September. They have prepared a most excellent program, and if you attend you will find ample to interest and benefit you. In addition to that, the Illinois Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association have prepared most delightful and abundant social features. I hope as many of you as can will attend the meeting of the Association, and if you desire to go, if you will let me know, I will be very glad to secure accommodations for you before you go,

Judge H. D. Minor Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Association The Central Council has audited the account of the Secretary, and has found his report as submitted to be correct.

The President: Any other matters to be handed in?

Judge H. D. Minor: No; I have handed that to the Secrctary.

The President: The next order of business is the election of officers. The first officer to be elected is the President of the Association for the coming year.

Mr. James H. Malone: Mr President, I wish to place in nomination for President of this Association for the next year Justice Joseph C. Higgins. To know him is to love him, and to know him longer is to love him more.

Col. Jos. H. Acklin: 1 second the nomination.

Mr. James H. Malone: I move that he be elected by acclamation.

Mr. P. D. Maddin: Mr. President and gentlemen, by a time-honored custom, the high position of President of this

In the first place, gentlemen, he has distinguished h
by his eminent and efficient services upon the Bench, wh
has performed arduous duties with great credit to himse
to the State.

Not only so, but during the time of his incumbency
of the Justices of the Court of Civil Appeals, he has fur
to the lawyers and people of the State six volumes of a
and without his labors, we would have been without
ports of the decisions of this intermediate appellate

which he has given us.

Taking everything into consideration, his own fitn this honorable position and the services he has render Bar and the people of the State, and the further fact t feel that irom time to time the President of this Asso should be one who has left the active practice of his sion and gone to the Bench-and we do that because w to show the Bench that we have no hard feelings agains I have been directed by the members of the Associatic Middle Tennessee to place in nomination as President Association, and 1 second the nomination which ha made, of Justice Joseph C. Higgins, of Fayetteville, Ter

Mr. Jas. H. Malone: Mr. President, I move that elected by acclamation.

The motion was duly seconded by Col. Joseph H. and submitted to a vote, and Justice Joseph C. Higg unanimously elected by acclamation as President of

Association, and as such assumed the chair, and