/WOMEN APPEAL FOR AD) IN
GE FIGHT
Hughes Listens Attentively to Arguments of Delegation Today but Refuses to Commit Himself—Compliments Speakers on Discussion.
Albany, Dec. 23.---Governor Hughes was asked today by representatives of the State Woman's Suffrage Association to recommend in his annual message to the Legislature an amendment to state legislation giving the women the right to vote.
The Governor received the delegation in the Executive Chamber shortly after noon, listened attentively to the speakers and complimented them on the "calm, earnest and dispassionate manner in which they discussed such an important question." So far as his personal views were concerned he said he had nothing to say at this time.
"If it is right for women who live in the villages and the country to vote for school trustees, why is it not right for women who live in the city?" asked Mrs. Ella H. Crossett, president of the association, who introduced the, speakers. "If a woman-may vote for school trustees, why should she not vote for governor, the principle is the same question."
Mrs.   Crossett   referred   adroitly   to the   question   of     direct     primaries, whiche  she   declared   is  considered   a step   in   advance   in   the   progress   pfj our democracy.    "Why," she declared, j "should   there   not   be   progress   for women as well as for men?"
Mrs. Henry Villiard, chairman of the legislation committee of the association, appealing to the Governor to champion the suffrage cause, said: "To no one can we appeal for help in this important matter with greater confidence than to your excellency. Your great influence for good is as highly prized by women, who, alas, have no power to aid you in your fight against machine politics by men." The other speakers were MfSSTtn**  F. Miller of Q.ejagv.a, a member of wasfifijtiye committee; Mrs. Ella A. Boole, president of the State^Women's
Christian Temperance Union, and George Foster Peahody, president, "Vd Oswald G. Villard, member of th\ executive committee of the Men's League for Woman's Suffrage.         J,
G0¥. HOGHES SILENT ON WOMAN SUFFRAGE
Gives   Mew   York   Delegation's1
Plea Close Attention, but De-   i
dines to Tell His Views.       J
PRAISES    THEIR    SPEECHES
Leading Women in the Movement Tell 1 Him  They Want  Citizenship  and the   Ballot's   Protection—Men        | Advocates There Also.              !
Special to The New York Times.            '
¦; ALBANY,    Dec.    22.—Gov.    Hughes   re-1 oeived this morning representatives of theij "Woman  Suffrage  cause  from  New  Yurie! City,   headed  by  Mrs.   Ella  H.   Crossett, I President of the New York State Woman j Suffrage Association.   The delegation represented an organization having a membership of nearly half a million men and women.
Among  the  speakers  were  Mrs.  Henry lriil.ard,   Chairman   of  the  State  Legislative Committee; Mrs. Ella A. Boole, President State W. C. T. U.: Mrs. Lucy Allen, representing the State Grange; Miss Anne i F.  Miller, President of one of the large: Woman    Suffrage   clubs    in    the    Statt George   Foster   Peabody   and   Oswald  G Villard of the Men's League for Woman Suffrage.    With   Miss   Miller   were   Mrs. | Hazard    and    Miss    Hazard,    wife    and daughter of F.   R.   Hazard,  who  led the ( direct primaries for Gov. Hughes in Onon- j dago County last month.                            I
The delegation urged the Governor to ' recommend in his annual message that I the proposed constitutional amendment f giving the ballot to women be submitted j to the vote of the people. There were \ a,, number of personal friends of the' Governor in the delegation, whom he re- \ eeived warmly, chatting with the party i for some minutes before the subject was f presented. The audience lasted about jj three-quarters of an hour. The Governor f listened with the closest attention, say- \ ing later that he was impressed with | the clearness and saneness of the arguments used, but could not give an expression to his personal opinion at present.
Mrs. Crossett made the opening fid-dress and after thanking the Governor for  receiving^ the  party said:
" We wish the extension of the franchise to women not only because we de-glre the complete right of citizenship, but also to protect ua in 1 lie rights we already possess. An expression of opinion from all the citizens in a so-cillcd democracy is more to be desired than the expression of the merely masculine part  of   the   human   race.     Most   women