Skip to main content

General Bickett’s letter to Mrs. Platt is full of promise and contains the finest of sentiments. He says, in part, “I have always felt that women should be allowed to serve on boards of directors of our schools, and charitable institutions.* * * No man owes more to the highest type of womanhood than I do.* * * However, candor compells me to say that I am not convinced that the condition of women in North Carolina will be improved by suffrage. I greatly fear that the opening of this question will result in bringing negro women to the polls, which, in my opinion, would be an unspeakable calamity. You can terrorize a negro man but I have never yet seen anybody that could terrorize a negro woman. It is probable that the cooks would refuse to cook if they were not allowed to vote.* * * I have always felt that it would be a great thing for women to serve on boards of health, education and charitable institutions." General Bickett is the only one of the candidates for the office of governor who has thus far answered the letters sent them by the league.