Thursday, 10th July 1913 Beavers’ War on Vice is Lauded by Women

The Atlanta Georgian

Thursday, July 10, 1913

Georgia Suffragists Adopt Resolution Indorsing Chief's Course in Atlanta.

Chief of Police Beavers' fight against vice was enthusiastically indorsed at the Thursday morning session of the convention of the Georgia Woman Suffrage Association. The following resolution, introduced by Mrs. Margaret T. McWhorter, was adopted:

The Georgia Woman Suffrage Association realizes the high civic ideals which actuate Chief of Police James L. Beavers, of Atlanta, and we wish to place ourselves on record as indorsing every move which he has taken for good government and clean morals, and especially do we commend his action in the matter of recommending the appointment of women probation officers for Atlanta; therefore,

Be it Resolved, That we convey to him our hearty congratulations and pledge to him the support and co-operation of the association in securing the appointment of these women officers, and also pledge our co-operation in any movement toward bettering civic conditions of Atlanta, which mean better civic conditions for the whole State, and be it further

Resolved, That The Atlanta Georgian, The Atlanta Constitution and The Atlanta Journal be requested to publish these resolutions.

Mrs. McWhorter's resolution invoked tremendous enthusiasm among the delegates to the convention, and the indorsement of the association was given to Chief Beavers without a dissenting vote.

The Georgian's Editorial Praised.

The association also gave its unofficial indorsement to an editorial appearing in Thursday's Georgian, which was read from the president's platform by Mrs. Susan Cunningham, of Decatur, formerly vice president of the Alabama Equal Suffrage Association. The editorial comments on the action of the Georgia Senate in refusing to allow the suffragists to meet in the Senate chamber, and congratulates the House for allowing the women to meet in its chamber.

Mrs. Cunningham referred to the editorial as inspiring and wonderful, and declared that it embodied the thoughts of the members of the association.

The recommendation of the committee that the association work for a constitutional amendment striking out the word "male" from the State Constitution was adopted.

Contrary to expectations, no members of the Atlanta Civic League appeared to fight for the control of the State organization. Mrs. Mary L. McLendon, State president, made but a brief reference to the trouble with the league members, headed by Mrs. Frances Whiteside.

She declared that the members of the Civic League had outlawed themselves from the State Suffrage Association because of non-payment of dues.

She declared that the contention of the leaguers that the State association had ceased to exist because no convention was held in 1912 was not borne out by the provisions of the constitution, which declare that the holding of a convention shall be at the discretion of the executive committee.

The routine committees of the convention were appointed by the president and probably will report at the Thursday afternoon session.

Leader Predicts Success.

Several of the members of the association delivered short talks at this morning's session, Mrs. Samuel Cunningham, of Decatur, head of the DeKalb County branch, declared that woman suffrage is coming just as surely as all good things are bound to come. She drew a round of applause when she declared that despite the assertions of opponents of the cause, the first thought of the true suffragist is of her home, and that the granting of the vote to woman would not impair her work as a wife and mother.

Mrs. H. Augusta Howard, who organized the State association and was its president for six years, told a pathetic story of the persecutions she was forced to undergo during the first few years of the movement in Georgia. Members of her family, she declared, took sides against her, and because of her loyalty to the cause, her two little children were taken from her.

She declared her belief in the ultimate triumph of womanhood over the narrowness and bigotry of man, and asserted that the weak will never be adequately protected until woman has a hand in the making of the laws.

Addresses also were made by Mrs. J. P. Scott, of Harrington, Kans., who has voted and served as a judge of election; Mrs. Mary L. McLendon, Mrs. Margaret McWhorter and others.

The final session of the convention will be held in the House of Representatives Thursday night. It will be featured by an address by Mrs. William A. Felton, of Cartersville, one of Georgia's most noted women, who will make her first public appearance as a suffragist.

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