[Transcriber's Note: Every effort has been made to replicate thistext as faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variantspellings and other inconsistencies. Text that has been changed tocorrect an obvious error is noted at the end of this ebook. 

Also, many occurrences of mismatched single and double quotes remainas they were in the original. ]

[Illustration: MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT. President of theInternational Woman Suffrage Alliance from its founding in 1904 and ofthe National American Woman Suffrage Association 1900-1904 and from1915. 

Standing in an automobile on the way from the railroad station in NewYork after the campaign for ratification of the Federal SuffrageAmendment was completed by Tennessee. (See page 652. )]

 THE HISTORY

 OF

 WOMAN SUFFRAGE

 EDITED BY

 IDA HUSTED HARPER

 ILLUSTRATED WITH COPPERPLATE AND PHOTOGRAVURE ENGRAVINGS

 _IN SIX VOLUMES_

 VOLUME VI

 1900--1920

 IN A TRUE DEMOCRACY EVERY CITIZEN HAS A VOTE

 NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

 COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY

 NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION

INTRODUCTION

WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN THE STATES OF THE UNION

In the preceding volume a full account is given of the forty years'continuous effort to secure an amendment to the Federal Constitutionwhich would confer full suffrage on all the women of the United Statespossessing the qualifications required of men. Antedating thebeginning of this effort by thirty years was the attempt toenfranchise women through the amendment of State constitutions. After1869 the two movements were contemporaneous, each dependent on theother, the latter a long process but essential in some measure to thesuccess of the former. There is no way by which the progress of themovement for woman suffrage can be so clearly seen as by a comparisonof the State chapters in this volume with the State chapters in VolumeIV, which closed with 1900. The former show the remarkable developmentof the organized work for woman suffrage, especially in the lastdecade, which brought the complete victory. 

In Volume IV it was possible to give a résumé of the Laws specificallyrelating to women and one was sent with each chapter for this volume. The space occupied by the account of the work for the suffrage, however, made it necessary to omit them. It required thousands ofwords to record the legislation of the last twenty years relatingespecially to women in some of the States and the large part of it towomen in the industries, which they had scarcely entered in 1900. Thesame is true of child labor. Every State shows a desire for protectivelegislation. Many States provide for mothers' pensions, a moderntendency. About half of the States now have equal guardianship laws. There is a gradual increase in those enlarging the property andbusiness rights of married women. The "age of consent" and the age formarriage have been raised in most States where they were too low. Inevery State for a number of years the large organizations of womenhave made a determined effort to obtain better laws for women andchildren and Legislatures have yielded to pressure. In every State assoon as women were enfranchised there was improvement in laws relatingto their welfare and that of children. 

The Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment went into effect in August, 1920, and the following winter there was a greater amount of advancedlegislation in the various States than had taken place in thepreceding ten years collectively, and the résumé of existing laws thathad been prepared for this volume was soon at least partially obsoletein many of them. A brief statement of Office Holding was incorporatedbut its only value was in showing that in all States this was almostexclusively limited to "electors. " When the Federal Amendment wasproclaimed it carried with it eligibility to the offices. In someStates it included Jury service but in others it was held that forthis special legislation was necessary. In all States the professionsand other occupations are open to women the same as to men. In the wayof Education every State University admits women, and the vastmajority of institutions of learning, except some of a religiouscharacter, are co-educational. A few of the large eastern universitiesstill bar their doors but women have all needful opportunities for thehigher education. Some professional schools--law, medicine andespecially theology--are still closed to women but enough are open tothem to satisfy the demand, and the same is true of the technicalschools. To meet the lack of space every chapter had to be drasticallycut after it was in type. 

Women now have in a general sense equality of rights, although inevery State they have learned or will learn that this is not literallytrue and that further effort will be required, but now, as neverbefore, they are equipped for accomplishing it. It will be a long timebefore they have equality of opportunity in the business and politicalworld but for the majority this will not be needed. Women will find, however, that in the home, in club life and in all lines of religious, philanthropic, educational and civic work the possession of a vote hasincreased their influence and power beyond measure. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 PAGE

 INTRODUCTION i

 Position of women in regard to laws, office holding, education, etc. 

 CHAPTER I. 

 ALABAMA 1

 Early work -- Progress of organization -- Conventions held, reports and speeches made, activities of the association -- Officers and workers -- Legislative action -- Campaigns -- Help of the National Association -- Action on ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment -- Interest taken by President Wilson, National Committees and party leaders -- Celebrations. 

 [This form is followed in all the State chapters, with names of officers, workers, friends and enemies and many incidents; also results where woman suffrage exists. The chapters are alphabetically arranged, I to XLIX. ]

 CHAPTER L. 

 WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN THE TERRITORIES AND THE PHILIPPINES 713

 ALASKA 713

 Legislature gives suffrage to women -- Privileges to Indian women --Other laws -- Women in prohibition campaign -- Women's war work. 

 HAWAII 715

 Congress refuses to let its Legislature control the suffrage --National Suffrage Association protests -- Its president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, at Honolulu -- Mrs. Pitman, of Brookline, Mass. , holds meetings there -- Legislature sends resolution to Congress -- Senator John F. Shafroth gets Bill through Congress -- Efforts of Hawaiian women with their Legislature. 

 THE PHILIPPINES 719

 The National Suffrage Association demands franchise for their women -- Governor General Taft and Archbishop Nozaleda support the demand --The U. S. Congress ignores it -- Position of Filipino women --Commissioner's wife describes their efforts for the suffrage. 

 PORTO RICO 722

 Status of suffrage for men -- They demand their own Legislature -- National Suffrage Association asks that women may share in the suffrage -- Senator Shafroth shows that it can not be put into the Bill -- Efforts of Porto Rican women with its Legislature. 

 CHAPTER LI. 

 GREAT BRITAIN 726

 Situation as to woman suffrage at commencement of the present century -- Status of the Bill in Parliament in the first decade -- Premier Campbell-Bannerman advises "pestering" -- Strong hostility of Premier Asquith -- Beginning of "militancy" -- Its effect on the suffrage movement -- Mrs. Fawcett's opinion -- Constitutional societies repudiate it -- Labor party supports woman suffrage --Treachery in Parliament -- The Conciliation Bill -- Women left out of the Franchise Reform Bill -- Deputation to Premier Asquith -- Lloyd George's attitude -- Speaker Lowther kills Bill -- Suffragists go into politics -- Great suffrage "pilgrimage" -- Outbreak of war --Important war work of the suffrage societies -- Coalition Government -- Conference Committee on Electoral Reform Bill -- Premier Asquith supports Woman Suffrage -- Lloyd George becomes Premier -- Suffrage clause in Bill gets immense majority in House of Commons -- Big fight in House of Lords but goes through -- Royal assent given -- Two women elected to House of Commons -- Oxford University opened to women. 

 CHAPTER LII. 

 WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN BRITISH COLONIES 752

 NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA 752

 CANADA 753

 First Woman Suffrage Society in Ontario -- The gaining of Woman Suffrage in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Efforts of the Women to secure action from the Legislature of each Province -- Victory in Ontario after long struggle -- War time Woman Suffrage Act of the Dominion Parliament -- Granting of complete suffrage in 1918 -- The Legislatures of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia give Provincial suffrage -- Quebec refuses -- Women of Newfoundland still disfranchised. 

 SOUTH AFRICA 767

 The National Parliament persistently declines to enfranchise women --Their strong efforts for the vote -- Granted in several of the States -- Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, spends several months in South Africa conferring with the women. 

 INDIA 769

 CHAPTER LIII. 

 WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN MANY COUNTRIES 771 FINLAND 771 NORWAY 774 DENMARK 776 ICELAND 779 SWEDEN 780 THE NETHERLANDS 783 BELGIUM 786 LUXEMBURG 788 RUSSIA 788 GERMANY 789 AUSTRIA 792 HUNGARY 793 BOHEMIA 794 SWITZERLAND 795 ITALY 797 FRANCE 799 GREECE, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, PALESTINE, CHINA, JAPAN, SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA, MEXICO 802-804

 CHAPTER LIV. 

 THE INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE 805

 Desire of Early Leaders -- International Council of Women -- Miss Anthony and Mrs. Catt call Conference in Washington on International Suffrage Alliance -- Ten Countries represented -- Proceedings of Conference -- Plan of Temporary Organization -- Declaration of Principles -- Valuable Reports on the Status of Women. 

 PERMANENT ORGANIZATION IN BERLIN IN 1904 809

 Conference and Congress in Copenhagen in 1906 812 Delegates present, addresses, Memorials for Miss Anthony, reports, social entertainments, Badge adopted. 

 CONGRESS IN AMSTERDAM IN 1908 817

 Welcome of Dr. Aletta Jacobs, president of the National Suffrage Association -- Mrs. Catt's president's address -- "Militants" present -- Entertainments -- Victories in Finland and Norway -- _Jus Suffragii_ established -- A day in Rotterdam. 

 THE FIRST QUINQUENNIAL IN LONDON 828

 Mrs. Catt's address -- Mrs. Fawcett, president of the British Suffrage Association, speaks, refers to "militants" -- Mass meetings in Albert Hall -- In touch with Queens -- Flag and Hymn selected --Resolutions adopted -- Officers elected -- Dr. Shaw in the pulpits. 

 CONGRESS IN STOCKHOLM 838

 Honors to Mrs. Catt -- Many delegates and eminent guests -- Dr. Shaw preaches in State church -- Selma Lagerlöf speaks -- Growth of Alliance -- Non-partisanship declared -- Men's International League formed -- Beautiful outdoor entertainments --Tributes to Sweden. 

 CONGRESS IN BUDAPEST 847

 Great number of delegates -- Official welcome in Academy of Music --Mrs. Catt's president's address -- Dr. Jacobs presents Banner from women of China -- Royal Opera House opened for the Congress -- Many excursions -- "Militant" methods discussed -- Resolution on commercialized vice -- Activity of Men's League -- Rosika Schwimmer, national president, speaks -- Officers elected. 

 CONFERENCE IN GENEVA 860

 First meeting of Alliance after the World War -- Miss Royden preaches in National church -- Mrs. Catt uses the War as text for great speech -- It brought Woman Suffrage to many countries -- Women present from thirty-six, including five members of Parliament -- Delegates entertained by the Municipality -- Treasurer's report tells of help of United States -- Congress votes to continue the Alliance. 

 APPENDIX 872

 Anti-suffrage Manifesto of Nebraska men. 

 SUFFRAGE MAPS 626-629

 ANTHONY MEMORIAL BUILDING _Opp. Page_ 442

CHAPTER I. 

ALABAMA[1]

In 1902 Miss Frances Griffin of Verbena sent to the national suffrageconvention the following report as president of the State suffrageassociation: "Two clubs in Alabama, in Huntsville and Decatur, areauxiliary to the National American Woman Suffrage Association. TheState president did some aggressive work within the year, speaking inmany different towns before women's clubs and at parlor meetings. Shedevoted much time to work of this character in Montgomery, hoping tobring to bear sufficient influence upon members of the ConstitutionalConvention to secure some concessions for women citizens. The resultswere bitterly disappointing, for it not only refused to grant suffrageto tax-paying women but it gave to the husbands of tax-payers theright to vote upon their wives' property! Women in the larger townsare taking an interest in municipal and educational affairs. Some havebeen placed on advisory boards in State institutions, such as theGirls' Industrial School, the Boys' Reform School and others. All thismeans a gradual advance for the suffrage sentiment, a generalmodifying of the anti-sentiment. "

There were also short reports for 1903 and 1904, which, while showingno practical, tangible results of the efforts of that earnest pioneerworker, are interesting as evidences of the backward, unprogressivespirit against which the women of Alabama have had to contend. Thesereports mark the end of the first period of suffrage activity in theState, which had been maintained by a few devoted women. The new erawas ushered in by the organization in Selma in 1910 of an EqualSuffrage Association which was the beginning of an aggressive, tireless fight. Miss Mary Partridge, after seeing the defeat of aconstitutional amendment for prohibition in Alabama despite theearnest but ineffectual efforts of the women who besieged the pollsbegging the men to vote for it, decided that the time was ripe for awoman suffrage organization and wrote for advice to Dr. Anna HowardShaw, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, who answered in part: "I cannot express to you how happy I am that youare willing to begin the work in your State where very little has beendone for suffrage because of the great conservatism among the women ofthe South. I am very glad if they are now beginning to realize theirabsolutely helpless and unprotected position. We have the temperanceagitation to thank for arousing a great many women over all thecountry. .. . "

Shortly after the receipt of this letter Miss Partridge sent out a"call" in the Selma papers and on March 29, 1910, Mrs. FrederickWatson, Mrs. F. T. Raiford, Mrs. F. G. DuBose, Mrs. F. M. Hatch andMiss Partridge met at the Carnegie Library and organized theassociation. This action was reported to Dr. Shaw and she extended thegreetings of the National Association with "thanks and appreciation. "

The Birmingham Equal Suffrage Association was the outgrowth of a smallgroup of women who had been holding study meetings in the home of Mrs. W. L. Murdoch. The enthusiasm and earnest conviction resulting fromthem found expression in a "call" for a woman suffrage organizationand on Oct. 22, 1911, the association was formed at a meeting held inthe Chamber of Commerce, where the following officers were elected:President, Mrs. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs; first vice-president, MissEthel Armes; second, Mrs. W. L. Murdoch; third, Mrs. W. N. Wood;corresponding secretary, Miss Helen J. Benners; recording secretary, Mrs. J. E. Frazier; treasurer, Mrs. A. J. Bowron. 

Special mention is made of these two societies because theyconstituted the nucleus on which the State organization was formed. Anurgent "call" was sent out by the officers of the Birmingham societyto "all men and women who wish to further the cause of woman suffrageto unite in a State organization at a meeting in Birmingham Oct. 9, 1912. " Selma sent six delegates who met with the Birminghamsuffragists at the Parish House of the Church of the Advent, where theAlabama Equal Suffrage Association was organized and a constitutionand by-laws adopted. Mrs. Jacobs was elected president; MissPartridge, first vice-president; Mrs. Raiford, second; Mrs. Murdoch, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Julian Parke, recording secretary; Mrs. C. M. Spencer, treasurer; Miss Partridge, State organizer. [2]

The following delegates were appointed to attend the nationalconvention in Philadelphia in November; Mrs. Jacobs, Miss AmeliaWorthington, Mrs. O. R. Hundley, Mrs. DuBose, Miss Partridge, Mrs. Chappel Cory. The new State organization affiliated at once with theNational Association. 

The first annual convention was held in Selma Jan. 29, 1913, withtwenty-five representatives from Selma, Birmingham, Huntsville andMontgomery. Mrs. Jacobs was re-elected president and a splendidprogram of constructive work was outlined for the ensuing year. Theassociation was represented at the meeting of the InternationalSuffrage Alliance held in Budapest in June of this year by Mrs. T. G. Bush of Birmingham. 

The second State convention, held in Huntsville Feb. 5, 1914, was madenotable by the inspiring presence of three of Alabama's pioneersuffragists--Mrs. Annie Buel Drake Robertson, Mrs. Humes, and Mrs. Virginia Clay Clopton. The following local societies were representedby their presidents, named in the order in which they were organized:Selma, Mrs. Parke; Birmingham, Mrs. Hundley; Montgomery, Mrs. SallieB. Powell; Huntsville, Mrs. Clopton; Cullman, Mrs. Ignatius Pollak;Greensboro, Miss S. Anne Hobson; Tuscaloosa, Mrs. Losey; Vinemont, Miss Mary Munson; Pell City, Miss Pearl Still; Coal City, Mrs. J. W. Moore; Mobile, Miss Eugenie Marks. Mrs. Jacobs was re-elected despiteher wish to retire from office and her report of the past year told ofa great amount of work done by all the members of the board. 

In January, 1915, a resolution to submit a woman suffrage amendmentto the State constitution to the voters was for the first timeintroduced in the Legislature. It was referred to the Committee onPrivileges and Elections in the House and the Legislature afterwardsadjourned until July. In the meantime the women worked to securepledges from the members of the committee to report the bill favorablyand 14 of the 16 gave their promise to do so. Instead of this it was"postponed indefinitely. " The women did not rest until they persuadedthe House to compel a report and then a hearing was granted to them. Among those who worked in the Legislature were the legislativechairman, Mrs. O. R. Hundley; Mrs. Jacobs, the State president; Mrs. Chappel Cory, president United Daughters of the Confederacy; MissMollie Dowd, representing the wage earners, and Miss Lavinia Engle ofMaryland, field organizer for the National Association. The bill cameto a vote late in the session, when Representative Joe Green, who hadasked for the privilege of introducing it, spoke and voted against it. The vote stood 52 ayes, 43 noes, a three-fifths majority beingnecessary to submit an amendment. As the Legislature meets only oncein four years this was the only action ever taken on a Stateamendment. 

At the State convention, held in Tuscaloosa in February of this year, reports were made from 19 auxiliary branches and the organization of23 non-auxiliary branches was reported. The address of Dr. Shaw, thenational president, gave a great impetus to suffrage work in theState. Mrs. Jacobs and the other officers were re-elected, except thatMrs. Frederick Koenig was made auditor. 

On Feb. 9, 1916, the State convention was held in Gadsden and theevidences of the growth of the suffrage movement were most heartening, 26 local associations sending reports. Mrs. Parke was chosen forpresident, Mrs. Jacobs having been elected auditor of the NationalAssociation. 

The State convention was held in Birmingham Feb. 12-13, 1917, and theofficers re-elected except that Miss Worthington was made recordingsecretary. It was followed by a "suffrage" school conducted byrepresentatives of the National Association, who generously gave thevaluable help that a course of study under such able instructorsafforded. Over 200 pupils attended. It was reported that there werenow 81 suffrage clubs in the State, which were being merged intopolitical organizations with the county as a unit, and there werechairmen in 55 of the 67 counties. There were also chairmen in nine ofthe ten congressional districts. A paid organizer had been at work. State headquarters were maintained on the principal street in Selmaand a bi-weekly press bulletin issued which was used by thirty-fournewspapers, while eight published weekly suffrage columns. TheBirmingham _News_ got out a suffrage edition. Four travelling suffragelibraries were kept in circulation. Automobile parades had been given, a mass meeting held in Birmingham and street meetings in every part ofthe State. 

The State convention was held in Selma May 7-8, 1918. The reports madeby local and State officers showed that the suffragists had lentthemselves and all their machinery of organization to every form ofwar work. Mrs. Jacobs had been appointed by Mr. McAdoo, Secretary ofthe Treasury, State chairman of the Woman's Liberty Loan Committee. Suffrage work was in no wise suspended but the more active forms ofpropaganda were held in abeyance. The Federal Amendment was endorsedin no uncertain terms and the following resolution was adopted:"Whereas, the Senate will soon vote on the Federal Suffrage Amendment, therefore, be it resolved, by the suffragists of Alabama assembled intheir sixth annual convention, that the U. S. Senators, John H. Bankhead and Oscar W. Underwood, be, and they hereby are, earnestlypetitioned to forward the march of democracy, to carry out the policyof the Democratic administration and to represent truly the wishes ofthe women of their own State by supporting this amendment and votingfor it when it comes up in the Senate. "

It was reported that the State association had energeticallycooperated with the National in all its suggestions and plans andnotwithstanding the efforts made to raise money for the purposes ofthe war it had collected over $10, 000 for State suffrage work and morethan paid its pledge of $1, 000 to the national treasury. Thousands ofcopies of U. S. Senator Shafroth's speech, the gift of the LeslieSuffrage Commission, had been mailed to the rural voters. The clergyhad been requested to speak on woman suffrage in their sermons on"mothers' day" and many responded. Miss Lola Trax, the Stateorganizer, reported a chairman in all but two counties. Each of theState's representatives in Congress had been interviewed. Dr. AnnaHoward Shaw, the national president, had lectured in seven places andMrs. Walter McNab Miller, national vice-president, in five. Thepetitions for the Federal Amendment were being circulated. 

The Alabama delegates to the national convention in March, 1919, learned while there that the Federal Amendment was likely to be passedby Congress in time for action to be taken on its ratification by theLegislature of the State, which had been called to meet July 8. Theywent before the National Board and secured the promise of definitehelp, which was to consist of literature, press work and organizers, and certain obligations were undertaken on the part of the State. TheNational Association did more even than it promised and the Statesuffragists made heroic efforts to live up to their part of thecontract. 

On May 1 the campaign was under way although the amendment had not yetbeen submitted. A Ratification Committee was appointed by thepresident consisting of Mrs. John D. McNeel of Birmingham, chairman;Mrs. W. D. Nesbit of Birmingham, vice-chairman; Mrs. Bibb Graves ofMontgomery, resident member, and Mrs. Jacobs, ex-officio member. County chairmen were appointed in 53 counties and a Men's Committee ofOne Hundred was organized. Headquarters were equipped with some paidand much faithful volunteer help and the distribution of literatureand press work was started. Early in the month Mrs. Albert McMahon, Miss Edna Beveridge and Miss Josephine Miller, organizers, were sentby the National Association, to which group Miss Mary Parke London ofBirmingham was added and contributed her services throughout theentire campaign as an organizer and lobbyist. Press work wassystematically carried on, some of the material sent from nationalheadquarters but most of it originating in Birmingham. Speakerscovered all important public meetings to which access could be had;Governor Thomas E. Kilby and other prominent men were interviewed anda poll was taken of the legislators before they convened. [3] At thejoint hearing, which was arranged almost immediately after theLegislature met, John C. Anderson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court;W. D. Nesbitt, State chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee;ex-Senator Frank S. White; Judge S. D. Weakley, legal adviser of theGovernor, and others spoke for ratification. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Amendment was submitted by Congress June 4and the Legislature met July 8. For days before the vote was taken itoccupied almost exclusive attention at the capital, many of thenewspapers saying that the opposition were placing the State and theDemocratic party in a grave position. The Republican party wasclaiming credit for the submission and Democratic leaders felt it tobe very necessary that the Alabama Legislature should ratify. On July12 President Wilson telegraphed to Governor Kilby as follows: "I hopeyou will pardon me if I express my very earnest hope that the suffrageamendment to the constitution of the United States may be ratified bythe great State of Alabama. It would constitute a very happy auguryfor the future and add greatly to the strength of a movement which, inmy judgment, is based upon the highest consideration both of justiceand expedience. "

On the same date Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels sent a longmessage to Mrs. McNeel, chairman of the Ratification Committee, and amultigraphed copy to each member of the Senate, setting forth themerits of the amendment and saying: "The South has nothing to fearfrom the amendment but it would be a loss to southern chivalry andsouthern prestige if our section of the country halted this greatreform. I earnestly hope that the people of Alabama will take the leadof southern States east of the Mississippi and follow the wiseleadership of Texas and Missouri and other progressive commonwealths. There is no doubt of its ratification. Let Alabama lead and notfollow. " Homer S. Cummings, chairman of the Democratic NationalCommittee, and other prominent Democrats added their earnest appealsto the Senate for favorable action. 

The ratifying resolution was introduced in the Senate by John A. Rogers and in the House by W. H. Shaw. The date set for the vote inthe Senate was July 17 and a hearing before a joint meeting of Senateand House was granted on the 16th. Women journeyed to Montgomery fromnearly every county to plead for the amendment but its defeat hadalready been planned. The vote was 13 ayes, 19 noes. 

The House did not act on the measure until September 17 and during theinterim every possible pressure was made on its members to obtain afavorable vote. President Wilson sent an urgent telegram to Speaker H. P. Merritt. Chairman Nesbit convened the State Democratic Committee onAugust 21 to consider the amendment. It adopted a resolution by a voteof 20 to 13, which endorsed the favorable action of the NationalCommittee the preceding May and said: "We pledge our support in everyproper way to accomplish the result desired. " Mrs. George Bass, chairman of the Women's National Democratic Committee, went toMontgomery for this meeting and remained several days working for theamendment. The Central Labor Union of that city at a mass meetingpassed a resolution asking the Legislature to "take steps immediatelyto ratify the amendment. " A majority of the House were pledged to votein favor of ratification but after it had been defeated in the Senatethey considered it useless to keep their promise and the vote was 31ayes, 60 noes. 

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor Nathan L. Miller maintained aneutral position. The mainspring of the opposition from beginning toend was U. S. Senator Oscar W. Underwood. Senator John H. Bankhead wasequally opposed. Both Senators had voted against the submission of theFederal Amendment and of the ten members in the Lower House only one, William B. Oliver of Tuscaloosa, had voted in favor. [4]

Because of the campaign no convention took place in 1919. On April8-9, 1920, the last one of the State Equal Suffrage Association, assuch, was held in Montgomery. A large "pioneer luncheon" was given inthe Exchange Hotel and a beautiful set of silver baskets was presentedto Mrs. Jacobs. The sessions were held in the Senate chamber of thehistoric Capitol and by unanimous consent the association was mergedinto the State League of Women Voters. Mrs. A. J. Bowron was electedchairman. 

After the amendment was finally ratified by the necessary 36 Statesthere was a victory parade in Birmingham in which 1, 500 took part. Abrass band headed 36 automobiles, each a mass of banners, flags andflowers, labeled in the order in which the States ratified. Mrs. Jacobs and the pioneers led the marchers, followed by professional andbusiness women, the League of Women Voters, the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union and other organizations. It ended with addresses andsinging in Capitol Park. 

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Pattie RuffnerJacobs, eight years president of the State Equal Suffrage Association, three years auditor of the National Association and now secretary ofthe National League of Women Voters; also to Miss Helen J. Benners, research chairman of the State League of Women Voters. 

[2] Those who held office in the State association during the nexteight years were as follows: Mrs. Milton Humes, Mrs. Frederick D. Losey, Mrs. Parke, Mrs. Angus Taylor, Mrs. J. D. Wilkins, Mrs. W. J. Chambers, Miss Annie Joe Coates, Mrs. John Lusk, Mrs. Leon Weil. 

[3] On June 17, 1919, Mrs. James S. Pinckard called a meeting of womenof wealth and social standing at her home in Montgomery. With the helpof a constitutional lawyer they organized the Southern Women'sAnti-Ratification League, with Mrs. Pinckard chairman, Mrs. CharlesHenderson, vice-chairman; Mrs. W. T. Sheehan, secretary; Mrs. MarieBankhead Owen (daughter of the Senator), chairman of the LegislativeCommittee. Members of the Executive Committee were Mesdames Charles S. Thigpen, Hails Janney, Jack Thorington, J. A. Winter, OrmondSomerville, W. J. Hannah, Clayton T. Tullis, J. Winter Thorington, E. Perry Thomas, William M. E. Ellsberry, J. H. Naftel, W. B. Kelly andMiss Mae Harris. They sent a memorial to the Legislature which began:"We look with confidence to you to protect us from this device ofnorthern Abolitionists. " They "worked night and day, personally and byletter, " and, after the defeat of ratification in the AlabamaLegislature, Mrs. Pinckard and others transferred their efforts tothose of Louisiana and Tennessee, where they "lobbied" for many days. 

[4] Among the men in the State who were especially active and helpfulwere: Colonel Bibb Graves and John H. Wallace, of Montgomery; L. B. Musgrove, of Jasper; Judge W. R. Chapman, of Dothan; H. H. Patterson, of Atmore; John W. Abercrombie, of Anniston; John D. McNeel, PhilPainter, Ex-Governor B. B. Comer, James Weatherly, Fred M. Jackson andJohn R. Hornaday of Birmingham. 

Among those especially active in opposition were: Congressman John H. Bankhead, Jr. , of Jasper; C. Brooks Smith, Judge John R. Tyson and RayRushton, of Montgomery; R. A. Mitchell, of Gadsden; Wiley Tunstall andLen F. Greer, of Anniston; Judge Joe Evans, Martin Calhoun and JoeGreen, of Selma; W. W. Brandon, of Tuscaloosa; John D. Leigh, ofBrewton; Emmett O'Neal and E. D. Smith, of Birmingham. 

CHAPTER II. 

ARIZONA. [5]

Since this chapter is to commence with the year 1900, this will bewhere Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt and Miss Mary Garrett Hay, chairman andmember of the Organization Committee of the National American WomanSuffrage Association left off in the spring of 1899 after they hadspent a month laboring with the Territorial Legislature. Theysucceeded in getting a bill through the Lower House by a vote of twoto one but by the deciding vote of Morris Goldwater of Prescott, president of the Council or Upper House, it was sent to a committeeand prevented from coming to a vote. The hand of the "boss" of thesaloon-keepers was clearly recognized in the game that was played. 

Undaunted Mrs. Catt and Miss Hay came back in 1900 and organized thefirst full-fledged suffrage association in the Territory, with Mrs. Pauline O'Neill, wife of that staunch suffrage friend, the gallantRough Rider, William O'Neill, as its president; Mrs. Lida P. Robinson, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Frances W. Munds, recording secretary, Mrs. Porter of Phoenix, treasurer. All were inexperienced and thesociety did not flourish and although 1900 was election year nopre-election pledges were obtained. A Territorial Legislature canextend suffrage to women without referring the question to the voters. A bill for this purpose was introduced in 1901 through a committee ofwomen headed by Mrs. Robinson but it received little support and aftercreating the usual amount of excitement failed to pass either House. 

During the following year suffrage work seemed to lapse and theorganization would have died a natural death but for the will of Mrs. Robinson, who called a convention to meet in Phoenix in the spring of1902, where she was elected president with Mrs. Munds correspondingand recording secretary and Mrs. Ada Irving treasurer. Under Mrs. Robinson's guidance a list was made of all who had previouslyexpressed an interest and they were notified that something was doingin the suffrage line. Dr. Frances Woods of Kansas was sent by theNational Association and made a tour of the Territory which wasremarkable for the haste in which it was made and the resultsobtained. She organized clubs in every county and set the women towork obtaining pre-election pledges, with the result that when theLegislature convened in the spring of 1903 it lacked only a few votesof having a majority in both Houses pledged to suffrage. Mrs. Robinson, Dr. Woods and Mrs. Munds constituted themselves a committeeto work with the members and succeeded in getting a woman suffragebill through the Legislature by a two-thirds vote. The rejoicing wasshort, for the Governor, Alexander O. Brodie, an appointee ofPresident Roosevelt, vetoed the bill. Representatives Kean St. Charles, a newspaper man, and Morrison, a labor leader, were mostactive in its behalf, while the scheme that finally sent it down todefeat was concocted, it was said, by Joseph H. Kibbey, a lawyer ofPhoenix. He was the leader of the Republican minority in the Counciland traded its solid Republican vote for one needed vote on anotherbill, with the understanding that the Governor would veto the suffragebill. 

Governor Brodie afterwards resigned and Mr. Kibbey, the arch-enemy ofwoman suffrage, was appointed in his place. Mrs. Robinson continuedpropaganda through a little paper which she published and distributedherself throughout the Territory. This well-edited paper kept alivethe favorable sentiment and through it the leading men and womensuffragists in Arizona were in touch with each other. In the spring of1905 Mrs. Mary C. C. Bradford of Denver was sent by the NationalAssociation and spent several weeks working with the Legislature butreceived practically no cooperation from the local women, as it wasconceded that the situation was hopeless while Kibbey was Governor. Mrs. Robinson moved from the Territory and the organization waswithout a head. It languished for about three years and its enemiessang cheerful requiems for the dead. The Legislature that met in 1907had a peaceful time as far as women were concerned for no suffragebill was introduced. 

In January, 1909, Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky, an officer of theNational Association, came to Arizona at her own expense. The lastTerritorial Legislature was then in session and Miss Clay labored longand faithfully with it but the resident women were apathetic and gaveher little assistance. The bill that she had introduced failed in bothHouses, the members availing themselves of the excuse that Arizonawomen did not want suffrage or they would make some organized effortto get it. Miss Clay had the right kind of spirit and gathering afaithful few together they worked out a plan whereby the first reallyefficient suffrage organization was effected. This plan was the sameas the political parties in the Territory used, namely, a Statechairman with a chairman in each county and a chairman for each localclub. A convention was called in Phoenix under Miss Clay's directionand Mrs. Munds was made Territorial chairman. During the yearstatehood for Arizona began to loom up and vigorous work was done forthat event. The National Association sent the very woman needed, MissLaura Gregg of Kansas. She made an extensive tour of the Territory andby the time Congress had passed the Enabling Act in June, 1910, it wasthoroughly organized with suffrage clubs in every county and in all ofthe larger towns and cities, with a membership of about 3, 000 men andwomen. 

Strenuous effort was made to have a majority of the members of theConstitutional Convention pledged to vote for a suffrage plank but itsucceeded with only about a third of them. It met in October, 1910, with eleven Republican and thirty-three Democratic members. Throughthe demands of organized labor backed by a heavy labor vote a veryprogressive constitution was written. Miss Gregg and Mrs. Mundsstruggled with the delegates during its entire session to have a full, partial or conditional woman suffrage clause incorporated but to noavail. Members who proudly proclaimed themselves the only original"progressives" were far too timid to put anything so "radical" aswoman suffrage in the constitution for fear that the voters would notaccept it, and yet those same men wrote into it the initiative andreferendum, recall of judges and many other far more radical measuresand it was adopted by an overwhelming majority. It was plain that ameasure was deemed radical or not according to the voting power behindit. The Republicans were in a minority and only two voted for thesuffrage clause, although there were enough Democratic pledges to havecarried it with the solid Republican support. The Republicans were fora "safe and sane" constitution, something like the one adopted at thesame time by New Mexico, under which women never could get suffrage byState process. One Democrat who offered "to do and die for it" in theconvention was Senator Fred Colter of Apache County. 

Not at all discouraged by the defeat the women, now aroused andinterested, began as soon as the constitution was accepted by thevoters and statehood was effected to get ready for the first Stateelection, as now it was necessary to have an amendment submitted bythe Legislature and accepted by the electors. Headquarters wereestablished in the house of Mrs. Munds at Prescott and a constantstream of literature and correspondence went out in an effort to electsuffragists to the first State Legislature. The men, however, were sopleased with the members of the Constitutional Convention that alittle thing like their voting against woman suffrage did not matterand every one who was a candidate for anything was elected, some tothe Legislature and others to the various State offices. George W. P. Hunt, who was president of the convention and had vigorously opposedthe suffrage plank, was elected the first Governor of the State. Hedid recommend in his message to the Legislature that it submit a womansuffrage amendment to the voters. Senator John Hughes, son of formerGovernor and Mrs. L. C. Hughes, who had done so much to obtain womansuffrage in early territorial days, prepared and introduced such ameasure but it failed in both Houses. The Legislature was 90 per cent. Democratic. 

It was then determined to use the initiative and collect the requisitenumber of names on a petition that would compel the Legislature tosubmit the question. Women in every county volunteered to get thesesignatures, fifty or sixty altogether, and did the drudgery ofcanvassing until the required number of signatures were obtained. 

After a year's continuous educational work, in September, 1912, theNational Association was notified that Arizona was ready for the finalcontest and asked to send Miss Gregg. She came and again campaignedthe State and through her efforts every labor organization pledged itssupport. Mrs. Alice Park of Palo Alto, California, came at her ownexpense and took charge of the distribution of literature. Mrs. Mundswent to Phoenix and opened headquarters in the Adams Hotel and tenweeks were spent in a most strenuous campaign. The NationalAssociation contributed Miss Gregg's salary and expenses, nearly$1, 000, and $200 in cash. The rest of the campaign fund was raised inArizona with the exception of voluntary contributions from suffrageorganizations in other States. Dr. Shaw came and spoke for a week inthe principal cities, making a tremendous impression. The press withone or two exceptions was favorable and gave generous space. The presswork was in charge of Miss Sally Jacobs and Mrs. Maybelle Craig ofPhoenix. State Senator H. A. Davis did splendid campaign work andloyal men and women too numerous to mention gave freely of their timeand money. 

On November 5 the amendment received 13, 442 ayes, 6, 202 noes, amajority of more than two to one. Every county was carried. The votewas small, as most Mexicans were disfranchised by an educationalrequirement. 

The campaign was conducted without parades or demonstrations of anykind and the saloon-keepers, not realizing the strength of thesuffragists, paid no attention to them until the closing days, thensuddenly woke up and put forth strong efforts to defeat them but theywere too well organized. The campaign closed with no deficit on thebooks. Later a League of Women Voters was formed and Mrs. M. T. Phelpsof Phoenix was elected chairman. 

The first State Legislature completely revised the civil and criminalcodes of Arizona and without any demand on the part of the womenincorporated some excellent laws for women and children. Since thenothers have been added, partly through the efforts of womenlegislators. 

RATIFICATION. Women have taken so active a part and have been sogenerally accepted in the political life of the State that it causedscarcely a ripple of excitement when a special session of theLegislature was called by Governor Thomas E. Campbell for the purposeof ratifying the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment. It convened at noonFeb. 12, 1920, and adjourned at 9:30 p. M. Of the same day. Theresolution for ratification was introduced jointly by the four womenmembers and passed both Houses without a dissenting vote. Protestsfrom Mrs. Mabel G. Millard and Mrs. Frances Williams of the Iowa andVirginia Associations Opposed to Woman Suffrage were listened to inthe Senate with good-natured amusement. 

In the second Legislature of the new State, the first after women wereenfranchised, Mrs. Frances W. Munds of Prescott served as Senator andMrs. Rachel Berry of St. Johns as Representative. The third had in theLower House Mrs. Rosa McKay of Globe, Mrs. Theodora Marsh of Nogalesand Mrs. Pauline O'Neill of Phoenix. The fourth had Mrs. McKay andMrs. H. H. Westover of Yuma. 

About ten times as many women as men are teachers in the publicschools. 

FOOTNOTES:

[5] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Frances W. Munds, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association until women wereenfranchised and then elected State Senator. 

CHAPTER III. 

ARKANSAS. [6]

There was little general suffrage activity in Arkansas before 1911;perhaps the only specific work after 1900 was an occasional articlewritten by Mrs. Chester Jennings of Little Rock and published invarious papers in the State. She was called "the keeper of the light. "Arkansas was not affiliated with the National American Associationprior to 1913, there was only correspondence between individualsuffragists and national officers. 

In January, 1911, the Political Equality League was organized inLittle Rock. This organization came about indirectly as a result of anarticle written by Mrs. D. D. Terry of this city and published on thefront page of the _Arkansas Gazette_, the largest paper in the State. It was in answer to a scathing criticism of women by another paper forattending the trial of a child victim and was a demand that thesuffrage should be given to women. 

Immediately following this occurrence Mrs. J. W. Markwell called apublic meeting in one of the Methodist churches to discuss thisquestion. She was chairman and Mrs. Rice, Mrs. Terry, Mrs. L. B. Leigh, Mrs. Minnie Rutherford Fuller and members of the Woman'sChristian Temperance Union and the College Women's Club, almost to aunit suffragists, were among the prominent women present. They weredeeply stirred and as the Legislature was in session they asked for ahearing. This was granted by the Judiciary Committee and they werecourteously received, as they stated their desire. They went from thehearing into one of the committee rooms of the Capitol and decided toform a woman suffrage society. The same women with a few others met inthe home of Mrs. Markwell that evening. Miss Julia McAlmont Warnerwas made chairman and the following officers were elected: President, Miss Mary Fletcher; vice-president, Mrs. W. P. Hutton; secretary, Mrs. Jennings; treasurer, Miss Warner, and the name adopted was Woman'sPolitical Equality League. It started with $20 in the treasury--ofwhich $3 were paid by men--Dr. J. W. Markwell, Mr. Boyer and ClioHarper. 

The semi-monthly meetings were first held in the public library, onein the afternoon, the other at night, so that working women, teachersand men might attend. The president soon went to Europe and the workpassed into the capable hands of Mrs. Hutton. One of the most valuablehelpers was Rabbi L. Witt, who always attended and helped out many aprogram. Leagues were formed in Hot Springs and Pine Bluff and thesewere the only three prior to 1913 when a State association wasorganized. 

In October, 1913, Mrs. O. F. Ellington was elected president of theLittle Rock League. At that time it was holding its meetings in theChamber of Commerce and few people would climb two flights of stairsto hear a subject discussed in which there was little interest, so theexecutive board secured the parlors of the City Hall. If the womencould accomplish as much in the offices of the City Hall as they didin the parlors no fair-minded person would have objected to theiroccupancy. Important local, State and national affairs were studiedand discussed and prominent State and national speakers addressed thateager body of women. 

Under the auspices of the league the first national suffrage May daywas observed in Little Rock with speeches from the steps of the OldState House. Seventy-five letters were sent out to prominent men inthe State, asking them to make five-minute speeches and after ten daysDr. L. P. Gibson, the well-known physician, was the first to accept. The next morning the _Arkansas Gazette_ told that Dr. Gibson of LittleRock would be one of the speakers and then every man who could arrangeto be in town that day accepted his invitation. Among the women whospoke were Mrs. George Pratho, Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. C. E. Rose, Mrs. T. T. Cotnam, Miss Julia Warner, Miss Josephine Miller, Mrs. George E. Cunningham, Mrs. Terry, Mrs. S. S. Wassel, Mrs. E. W. Gibb, Mrs. W. G. Whipple, Mrs. A. Marinana. The intensely interested crowd stood twohours and a half earnestly listening to these leading citizens askingthe right of suffrage for Arkansas women. 

It had been the custom to disband during the summer months but thesummer of 1914 the Political Equality League opened a class for thepurpose of studying all the questions of the day and learningsomething about speaking extemporaneously. In response to a call fromthe president, Little Rock and Hot Springs sent representatives to aconference held in the former city for the purpose of devising waysand means of forming a State association. An organization committeewas formed of the following: Mrs. Ellington, Miss Fletcher, Miss MaryHouse, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Leigh, Mrs. Jennings, all of Little Rock; MissAdele Johnson of Hot Springs. In October the State Woman SuffrageAssociation was formed in Little Rock at Hotel Marion, with sixleagues represented by the following presidents: Hot Springs, MissMary Spargo; Pine Bluff, Mrs. L. K. Land; Augusta, Mrs. RufusFitzhugh; Malvern, Mrs. Mary Jackson; Hardy, Mrs. S. A. Turner;Fayetteville, Mrs. LeRoy Palmer. The officers elected were, President, Mrs. Ellington; first vice-president, Mrs. Fuller, Magazine; second, Mrs. N. F. Drake, Fayetteville; corresponding secretary, Mrs. P. J. Henry, Hot Springs; recording secretary, Mrs. Cunningham, Little Rock;treasurer, Mrs. Cotnam, Little Rock. 

In October, 1915, the first annual meeting took place in Little Rock, eleven counties being represented, and this board was re-elected. Theprincipal business of this convention was to lay plans for thelegislative work early in the following year. 

In October, 1916, the second annual convention was held in Pine Bluff, its principal work being to devise ways and means of raising money forcontinuing the organization of the State. Mrs. Cotman presented afeasible plan for raising money which was accepted by the convention. New officers elected were second vice-president, Mrs. J. D. Head, Texarkana; third vice-president, Mrs. J. H. Reynolds, Conway;corresponding secretary, Mrs. Maud O. Clemmons; recording secretary, Mrs. G. D. Henderson, both of Little Rock. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Suffrage Association, had come toLittle Rock in April and spoken most acceptably to a large audience. She held a conference with the State officers and later theassociation financed a two-months' campaign for organization. MissGertrude Watkins and Miss Josephine Miller of Little Rock gave theirservices for their expenses only and organized sixty committees. [7]

The new Primary law was almost equal to the full suffrage, as whereone party is so largely in the majority the primaries decide theelections, and it gave a great impetus to the movement throughout thecountry, especially in the southern States. 

After the Primary bill passed the suffragists re-organized along thelines of the State Democratic party. Where it had a State CentralCommittee they had an Equal Suffrage State Central Committee and so onthrough the organization. The object was to teach women how to workthrough and with political parties but they were not fullyenfranchised and could not give up their suffrage organization, therefore they held together on semi-political but non-partisan linesuntil such time as they could go into the various parties. 

At the close of Mrs. Ellington's administration in August, 1917, seventy-eight papers in the State were handling news items each week. Eighty-five organizations had been completed. The Primary bill hadbeen passed by the Legislature and thousands of women had assessedthemselves and paid their poll tax of one dollar a year preparatory tovoting in the spring elections. Under the law the assessor can putthis tax only on male citizens and the women in asking for the Primarysuffrage voluntarily assumed it, as no one can vote until it is paid. This was held to be legal by Attorney General John D. Arbuckle. 

Mrs. Ellington left Arkansas on August 1 and Mrs. Cotnam was electedby the State Board to take charge of affairs. On November 28 she waselected chairman of the State Suffrage Central Committee upon thereceipt of Mrs. Ellington's formal resignation. Mrs. Cotnam appearedbefore the State Farmers' Union in August and secured a unanimousendorsement of woman suffrage and in September at the meeting of itsexecutive committee she secured a resolution calling on ArkansasSenators and Representatives to vote for the Federal Amendment. Shewent to New York City in September to take part in the State suffragecampaign. After six weeks she returned to Little Rock, where the greatvictory won in New York was celebrated at a luncheon in the MarionHotel. Governor Charles H. Brough was a speaker and prophesied asimilar victory in Arkansas. 

Dr. Shaw visited Arkansas for the first time on April 3, 1918, andspoke to an immense audience. She came under the auspices of theNational Council of Defense, as chairman of the Woman's Committee, butshe won many friends for suffrage and the sincere admiration of all. 

Active work to assure the writing of woman suffrage in the new Stateconstitution culminated at the first annual meeting of the EqualSuffrage Central Committee on April 2, 1918, when a close organizationcovering the State was perfected. At this meeting Mrs. Cotnam wasre-elected chairman; Mrs. C. T. Drennen of Hot Springs firstvice-chairman; Mrs. Stella Brizzolara of Fort Smith secondvice-chairman; Mrs. Frank W. Gibb, secretary; Mrs. R. W. Walker ofLittle Rock, treasurer. The National American Association contributed$1, 675 to the campaign. The constitutional convention met the firstMonday in July and the suffrage clause was adopted on the third day ofthe session. Only one man spoke and finally voted against this clausebut it was not acceptable to the majority until amended to make juryservice for women optional. The suffragists were consulted and agreedbecause it was plain that a refusal might cause a long drawn outdebate. The constitution was defeated at a special election on Dec. 13, 1918, but it was generally conceded that the opposition caused bythe suffrage amendment was negligible. 

The first State-wide Primary election in which women had the right tovote was held in May, 1918; between 40, 000 and 50, 000 voted and allpapers commented on the intelligence of the new electors. The StateDemocratic convention met in Little Rock on July 10 and for the firsttime women delegates were present from many counties. Fifty wereseated and more were present in proportion to their representationthan were men. They attended in force all minor committee meetings andcontrolled the action of some of these committees. The _ArkansasGazette_ of July 11 commented: "It may safely be said that nothing wasput over on them by the wily politicians. There wasn't a chance--not achance in the world. " There were women on the platform, theresolutions and all prominent committees. The suffrage plank, aswritten by the women, was unanimously adopted and for the first time awoman was elected member of the State Central Committee, Mrs. Brizzolara. The one appointed as a member of the Democratic Women'sNational Committee was Mrs. Head, chairman of her congressionaldistrict for the suffrage organization. 

On January 14 resolutions were introduced in the Senate by Senator LeeCazort and the House by Representative J. D. Doyle, memorializing theSenate of the United States to submit the Federal Amendment. Theypassed unanimously and later were read into the Congressional Recordby Senator W. F. Kirby. 

RATIFICATION. As soon as the Federal Amendment passed, letters weresent to legislators asking them to agree to a call for a specialsession. In less than one week answers were received from a majorityexpressing willingness and even eagerness to hold the ratificationsession. Many offered to pay their own expenses and waive the regularper diem. With this support in hand a committee of fifty women went tothe State House and asked Governor Brough to call a special session. This he agreed to do and set the date for July 28. While thesuffragists were never in doubt of ratification they were genuinelysurprised to find a few real enemies in the House and to hear some ofthe moss-grown arguments of 1911. The Senate ratified by a vote of 29to two and the House by 74 to 15. Henry Ponder of Lawrence countyintroduced the resolution in the Senate and said he believed hischildren would be prouder of that act of his than of anything else hemight ever do. An identical resolution was introduced in the House byRepresentatives Riggs, Joe Joiner, Carl Held, Neil Bohlinger and J. D. Doyle. The Senate resolution passed first and went over to theHouse. The two Senators who voted against it were W. L. Ward, Leecounty, and W. H. Latimer, Sevier county. Many women came from overthe State to this special session and filled the galleries. 

On Dec. 3, 1919, at the second annual meeting the Equal SuffrageCentral Committee was merged into a State League of Women Voters andMrs. Cotnam was elected chairman. 

While the suffragists were working for the vote they confined theirorganized effort to that one measure but it is significant that thesame Legislature that passed the Primary bill, gave women the right topractice law and provided for a Girls' Industrial School; that of 1915removed all legal disabilities of married women. 

Miss Josephine Miller and Miss Gertrude Watkins of Little Rock are onthe staff of national organizers and Mrs. Cotnam has served asinstructor in suffrage schools and also as a speaker in twenty States. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: 1911. In January Representatives Grant of Newportand Whittington of Hot Springs introduced an equal suffrage resolutionin the House. It was not initiated by the suffragists and apparentlynot introduced to advance woman suffrage, as it was said to contain a"joker. " Nevertheless, when it became known that the bill had beenintroduced they appealed to Representative Hearst of Fayetteville, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for a hearing. On the day andhour that it had been promised Mrs. Chester Jennings, Mrs. J. W. Markwell, Miss Julia Warner, Mrs. Rutherford Fuller and Mrs. D. D. Terry went to the Capitol but were unable to find either Mr. Hearst orhis committee. On March 11, however, the committee met at the MarionHotel, as it was customary to hold committee meetings at night in thehotel, and a hearing was granted to the women. Miss Olive Gatlin (nowMrs. Leigh) and Mrs. Fuller made excellent speeches which seemed tomake an impression. Later the suffrage resolution was reported to theHouse and received six favorable votes. 

1913. House joint resolution giving women the right to vote wasintroduced by Robert Martin. This year the suffragists had a mostsuccessful hearing before the House Committee on ConstitutionalAmendments. The president of the Senate, W. K. Oldham, Lonoke; JudgeW. L. Moose, Morrillton, and Rabbi L. Witt, Little Rock, made eloquentpleas in addition to those of the women. The committee reported theresolution favorably and the vote was 35 for, 55 against. 

Between the two Legislatures the State Woman Suffrage Association wasformed and its influence was immediately felt in political circles. 

1915. Senator George W. Garrett, Okolona, introduced a jointresolution proposing an amendment to the constitution giving womenfull suffrage and it passed by 23 to 12. The House called a nightsession for the third reading. A resolution signed by RepresentativesYearger of Chico county, Dunlap of Phillips and Wilson of Jefferson toallow a representative of the Woman Suffrage Association ten minutesin which to present the reasons for the enfranchisement of womenpassed and Mrs. Cotnam was introduced, the first woman ever given theprivilege of the floor. The vote was 51 in favor, 18 opposed, with 31absent. The amendment failed to get on the ballot, as under theArkansas law only three amendments could be submitted at one electionand the next morning before this one could be properly recorded theFederation of Labor had filed an initiated amendment with theSecretary of State and that for suffrage became the fourth. Thesuffragists tried to get the Federation of Labor to withdraw theiramendment, which had no chance of being adopted, but were unsuccessfuland it did fail at the general election. 

1917. On January 11 Representative John A. Riggs of Hot Springsintroduced a joint resolution for the amendment, signed by himself, C. B. Andrews of Nevada county, Stephen P. Meador of Clark and Carl W. Held of Sebastian. Mrs. Ellington, president of the State SuffrageAssociation, explained to them that it had entered into an agreementwith all other State associations at the last national suffrageconvention not to go into a referendum campaign without the consent ofthe National Board, if they expected financial assistance from thatorganization, and the resolution was withdrawn. On February 7Representative Riggs introduced what was known as the Primary Bill, which in brief was as follows: "An Act to provide that women may votein all primary elections: From and after the passage of this act andsubject to all the provisions of the laws of this State as to age, residence, citizenship, payment of poll taxes and otherwise regulatingthe manner and form of holding the same, but especially exempt fromevery disqualification, direct or indirect, on account of sex, everywoman shall have the right to vote at any primary election held underthe laws of this State. "

This form of suffrage is unique and deserves some explanation. WilliamHodges, Associate Justice of the Court of Civil Appeals, Texarkana, Texas, suggested the idea to Senator O. S. Lattimore of Fort Worth, who formulated the bill of which the Arkansas bill is substantially acopy. The Texas Legislature defeated it. Mr. Riggs wired for a copy ofthe bill, had a similar one drawn and submitted it to U. S. SenatorKirby and a number of prominent lawyers, all of whom were unanimous inthe belief that it was constitutional. Justice Hodges said, "I havefelt deep interest in the suffrage question for several years and theidea of permitting women to participate in Primary elections occurredto me casually as I was thinking of how to meet the stubbornopposition offered in the Texas Legislature to the submission of anamendment to the constitution. "[8] Mr. Riggs said his eagerness topass a suffrage bill was to do justice to the women of Arkansas and tokeep a promise to his mother that if he ever was elected to theLegislature he would introduce and work for one. 

The Legislature of 1917 was soon discovered to be a progressiveassembly and gave promise of success for the bill. Mrs. Ellingtondecided the time had come to adopt business methods in the suffragelobby and undertook with Mr. Riggs the whole responsibility of guidingthis bill on its eventful journey through the House and Senate. Thesuffragists held themselves in readiness to do any special workneeded, which they did quietly and effectively, seeing legislatorswhen necessary, but the Legislature was not harassed by a large andconspicuous lobby. [9]

Sufficient pledges were secured in both House and Senate before thebill was allowed to come even to a test vote. Judge Josiah Hardage, Arkadelphia, assisted by W. J. Waggoner of Lonoke and James A. Choateof Floyd, led the opposition in the House and conducted the bitterestfight waged during the session. Sixteen men stood solidly with them inall parliamentary tactics in hopes of killing the bill. Nineteen mencould delay it but they were destined to defeat when 78 men, led bythe astute floor leader, J. O. Johnson of Sebastian county, weredetermined that it should pass. After several hours' debate the Housepassed the bill February 15 by 71 ayes, 19 noes, 10 absent. 

When the bill came up in the Senate Walker Smith of Magnolia led theopposition, although several days before he had promised Mrs. Head andMrs. Ellington to vote for it. Senator Houston Emory of Hot Springsguided it to a successful vote on February 27--17 ayes, 15 noes. Senators George F. Brown of Rison, George W. Garrett of Okolona, H. L. Ponder of Walnut Ridge, J. S. Utley of Benton and R. Hill Caruth ofWarren aided materially in passing the bill. The first time during thesession that every man in the Senate was in his seat to vote was whenthe Primary bill came up. Two Senators unalterably opposed to womansuffrage had been expelled for bribery and this made its successpossible. 

The Senate slightly amended the bill and returned it to the House, which accepted it March 6. Never did a man serve the cause of suffragemore loyally or more efficiently than John A. Riggs and the women ofArkansas owe him a lasting debt of gratitude. Governor Brough signedthe bill in the evening at a public meeting amid great enthusiasm. 

The Legislature met Jan. 13, 1919, after thousands of women had votedat the Primary election. Not one member had been asked to present aresolution proposing a constitutional amendment for woman suffrage. Infact the women were following closely the advice of the NationalAssociation and were ardently hoping to avoid a State campaign. Theywere reckoning from past experiences but times had changed. Twenty-five men came ready to propose a full suffrage amendment;Representative Riggs, the father of the Primary bill, was the firstman on the floor after the House was organized and his bill got firstplace on the calendar. It passed the Senate January 30 by 27 to one, and the House February 3 by 73 to three. In November it went to thevoters and was defeated. It received the largest favorable vote of anyof the amendments submitted but not a majority of the largest numbercast at the election, as required by the constitution. The women hadfelt certain that this would be impossible. In August, 1920, fullsuffrage was conferred by the Federal Amendment. 

FOOTNOTES:

[6] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. O. F. Ellington, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association, 1914-1917, and Mrs. T. T. Cotnam, State treasurer during these years and chairman of theState Suffrage Central Committee from 1917. 

[7] The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mrs. Ellington;secretary, Mrs. Gibb, Little Rock. Finance Committee: Chairman, Mrs. Cotnam; Mrs. C. C. Cate, Jonesboro; Mrs. Land, Mrs. William Ells, Texarkana; Mrs. W. H. Connell, Hot Springs. Committee that framedconstitution: Mrs. Fuller, Magazine; Mrs. Head, Mrs. Blaisdell, HotSprings; Congressional chairman, Mrs. Ada Roussans, Jonesboro; Mrs. Fitzhugh, Mrs. H. E. Morrow, Mrs. Head, Mrs. W. L. Moose, Mrs. Drennan, Mrs. Garland Street, district chairmen. 

[8] In June, 1912, Miss Kate Gordon offered a Primary bill as asubstitute for the constitutional amendment in the LouisianaLegislature, but it never came out of committee. Miss Gordon said:"The idea came to me as a solution of the woman suffrage question in aflash and it struck me as a good one. The Primary idea was mine asearly as 1912. "

[9] Most of the women whose names are mentioned in this chapter, withthe addition of Mrs. John P. Ahmand, Mrs. De Mott Henderson and MissJennie De Neler, did valuable legislative work during this and othersessions. 

CHAPTER IV. 

CALIFORNIA. [10]

The first ten years of the new century--Woman's Century--were years oflaborious effort in California to educate the public mind andfamiliarize it with the idea of "votes for women. " At the beginning ofthe second decade the State had given them the complete suffrage andat its close the women of the entire nation were enfranchised by anamendment to the Federal Constitution. 

A resubmission of the question in California could not be expected forseveral years after the defeat of a constitutional amendment in 1896, although no subsequent Legislature met without discussing the subjectand voting on some phase of it. The liquor interests continued apersistent opposition but the suffrage association had a powerful allyin the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, with its franchisedepartment and its well organized army of workers, and, althoughsomewhat discouraged for a few years, held its annual convention andreorganization was gradually effected. The State convention of 1900met December 14, 15, in Golden Gate Hall, San Francisco, with thepresident, Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, in the chair. A resolution wasadopted commending the former State president, Ellen Clark (Mrs. AaronA. ) Sargent, for instituting suit against the tax collector for thereturn of her taxes paid in San Francisco under written protest. [SeeVolume IV, page 504. ] The members were urged to file a protest whenpaying taxes because they had no representation. It was declared thatthe time was opportune for organized effort to have the Legislatureagain submit an amendment to the voters. A vote of thanks was givento Miss Clara Schlingheyde for her success in obtaining donations forthe national suffrage bazaar in New York and appreciation expressedfor the generous response of California people, especially for thedonation of William Keith, the artist, of his picture, Spring in theNapa Valley. Mrs. Swift having served four years as president declinedto hold the office longer and Mrs. Mary S. Sperry retired as treasurerafter serving seven years. The following board was elected: Honorarypresidents, Mrs. Sargent of San Francisco and Mrs. Ellen Knox Goodrichof San Jose; president, Mrs. Annie R. Wood, Alameda; first, second andthird vice-presidents, Mrs. Lovell White, San Francisco, Mrs. E. O. Smith, San Jose, Mrs. Annie K. Bidwell, Chico; correspondingsecretary, Miss Carrie Whelan, Oakland; recording secretary, Mrs. Dorothy Harnden; treasurer, Miss Schlingheyde, both of San Francisco;auditors, Mrs. A. K. Spero and Mrs. Keith. 

A visit in 1901 from Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of theNational American Suffrage Association, greatly encouraged the clubs. Acting upon her urgent request, Mrs. Keith revived the Berkeley club, which soon doubled its membership and with the Oakland and Alamedaclubs became a strong influence. There were three clubs in SanFrancisco and an active organization in Santa Clara county, made up ofSan Jose, Palo Alto and other clubs. Mrs. May Wright Sewall, presidentof the International Council of Women, came for an extended course oflectures in the interest of women's advancement. Women's organizationsurged many changes in the unjust community property law, the W. C. T. U. , the Women's Parliament of Southern California and the StateSuffrage Association sending representatives to plead with thelegislators. A School suffrage bill passed the House and was defeatedby only seven votes in the Senate and there was constant agitation. The State convention this year was held at San Francisco in YosemiteHall, Native Sons' Building, October 18, 19, with a large number ofdelegates and an interesting program. Executive board meetings hadbeen held throughout the year and it was reported that eighty paperswere publishing suffrage matter sent them. Mrs. Leland Stanford in aninterview in the San Francisco _Examiner_ had declared herself infavor of woman suffrage and a letter of appreciation was sent to her. 

The annual convention met October 24, 25, 1902, in Century Hall, SanFrancisco, with a large attendance and many excellent speakers, amongthem Dr. David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University, and B. Fay Mills, the noted revivalist. Greetings were read from Miss SusanB. Anthony, Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, the national treasurer, andMrs. Caroline M. Severance, the loved pioneer, now in her 83rd year, who had come from the East to Los Angeles over twenty years before. The reports showed that the board had been in constant communicationwith the national officers; an organizer, Mrs. Florence Stoddard, hadbeen engaged; the treasury receipts were increasing; eighteen newclubs were recorded and there was general progress. Miss VidaGoldstein, a prominent suffrage leader of Australia, had been theguest of the association and a letter was sent to the Woman's Councilof Australia, expressing gratitude for the assistance she had been inthe United States. Australia's recent enfranchisement of her 800, 000women with eligibility to the national Parliament had given greatencouragement to those of California. Mrs. Sperry was persuaded totake the presidency. [11] An interesting event reported was a suffragemeeting of the Sierra Club of mountain lovers one summer evening inKing's River Canyon, where it was encamped. In the audience of overtwo hundred prominent men and women were Professor Joseph Le Conte, John Muir, William Keith, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, head of the U. S. Biological department and Dr. Gannett, of the geological department. 

The State convention of 1903 met in Golden Gate Hall, San Francisco, November 18, 19. Among the addresses of welcome was one by the Rev. Bradford Leavitt of the Unitarian church and one by President Benhamof the city Labor Council. Mrs. Sargent and Mrs. E. O. Smith paidtributes to the memory of the association's honorary president, Mrs. Sarah Knox Goodrich, a devoted supporter of the cause for the pastthirty-five years. Greetings were read from Miss Anthony, Henry B. AndAlice Stone Blackwell, Mrs. Upton and Mrs. L. F. Darling, president ofthe State Federation of Women's Clubs. Miss Gail Laughlin, a younglawyer from the East, who was now State organizer, was among thespeakers, and Albert H. Elliott, a San Francisco lawyer, gave aninstructive talk on California Laws for Women. The executive boardmade the excellent appointment of Dr. Alida C. Avery of San Jose ashistorian. One hundred dollars were sent to the national board for usein the New Hampshire campaign. The State association endorsed Mrs. Sargent's protest against a referendum vote on the issuing of SanFrancisco's city bonds in which women were not allowed to take part. 

A question considered at many board meetings had been the advisabilityof trying to obtain from the Legislature another submission of anamendment. The Los Angeles Suffrage League was waiting to know whataction would be taken. Mrs. Catt had written that it might be well tomake the effort and so a resolution was unanimously adopted to askthis of the session of 1905. A letter had been sent by Mrs. Cattsuggesting plans of work to this end for the coming year and one wasreceived from Miss Anthony asking that Mrs. Stanton's birthday becelebrated on November 12. 

The Los Angeles Equal Suffrage Society had not affiliated with theState Association because of the long distance to San Francisco andthe announcement by Mrs. Sperry that the affiliation had now been madewas enthusiastically received. The movement had been active inSouthern California, where federations, parliaments and societies ofmany kinds flourished, and the Woman Suffrage League had held monthlymeetings. Besides Mrs. Severance, another pioneer suffragist had comethere from the East many years ago, Mrs. Rebecca Spring, now past 90and still alert and interested. Mrs. Clara Shortridge Foltz, Mrs. Alice Moore McComas and Mrs. Almeda B. Grey were still among thecapable and valued workers. 

In answer to an invitation from the Los Angeles city and countysuffrage leagues the State convention of 1904 was held in the Woman'sClub House, October 6, 7, with three sessions daily. Articles ofincorporation had been drawn by George C. Sargent of San Francisco andfiled with the Secretary of State, and the State organization had beenincorporated under the name of the California Equal SuffrageAssociation. The convention was welcomed by Mrs. Ada J. Lingley andMrs. Mabel V. Osborne, county and city presidents. Mrs. Sperry inresponding expressed her great pleasure that Northern and SouthernCalifornia would now work together for woman suffrage. The report ofMiss Laughlin, State organizer, showed that fifty-two new clubs hadbeen formed and that the membership had more than doubled in the pastyear, and the treasurer, Miss Schlingheyde, told of $2, 063 contributedfor organization work. Subscriptions to the amount of $1, 110 weremade, Mrs. Keith leading with $500. Miss Amanda Way, an Indianapioneer, now of Whittier, made her offering. Mayor M. P. Snyder, JudgeWaldo M. Yorke, the Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes and a long list of ablespeakers addressed the evening meetings. Strong resolutions presentedby the chairman of the committee, Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn, wereadopted. Mrs. Severance and Mrs. Spring were made honorary presidents. 

The work for the coming months was to secure a large petition to theLegislature for the submission of a woman suffrage amendment and Mrs. Osborne was appointed chairman of the committee. Heading the 15, 000names which were eventually obtained were those of Governor George C. Pardee, President David Starr Jordan, U. S. Senator George C. Perkins, W. S. Goodfellow, T. C. Coogan, Fred S. Stratton, A. A. Moore, GeorgeA. Knight, Henry J. Crocker, William H. Mills, Lovell White, M. B. Woodworth, Congressman James G. Maguire, Judge Carrol Cook and F. J. Murasky, all men of influence. The amendment was endorsed by the Stateassociation of 1, 000 teachers. With the aid of the NationalAssociation 10, 000 copies of Mrs. Catt's leaflet, Do You Know? werecirculated. 

The suffrage leaders made a vigorous effort at Sacramento at the nextlegislative session in 1905 but the measure was defeated in bothHouses. California's full delegation of fourteen was in attendance atthe annual convention of the National American Suffrage Association inPortland, Ore. , in June. On the way from Portland Miss Anthony, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw and several other eastern delegates stopped at Chico, the home of Mrs. Bidwell, vice-president of the State association, where Miss Anthony spoke at the dedication of a magnificent park of2, 200 acres which she was presenting to the town. They were royallyentertained in California, beginning with a public reception at theSequoia Hotel in San Francisco. This was followed by others inOakland, East Oakland and Berkeley, attended by hundreds. A massmeeting of 1, 500 was arranged by the Equal Suffrage League in theAlhambra Theater, San Francisco. [12] Similar meetings and receptionsawaited them in Southern California and they addressed an audience of10, 000 at Venice, the noted seaside resort. 

The State convention met in Wheeler's Auditorium, San Francisco, inOctober. Deep interest had been felt in the campaign for a womansuffrage amendment carried on in Oregon during the summer and theassociation had wished to assist with money, organizers and speakers. For this purpose the entire contents of the treasury, about $500, werecontributed and clubs and individuals sent more than that amount. Mrs. Keith gave $1, 000 in the name of the State the following year. 

The year 1906 opened auspiciously. In all parts of the State the clubswere holding public meetings, supplying columns of suffrage matter tothe newspapers, now largely willing to publish them, and preparing fora siege of the next Legislature. In April the city was almostdestroyed by fire and earthquake. One month afterwards the State boardof officers met with a full quorum, ready to begin the effort toobtain woman suffrage planks in the platforms of the political partiesat the approaching State conventions. This was accomplished in all butthat of the dominant Republican party. The work was continuedthroughout the State of securing resolutions of endorsement fromvarious kinds of organizations and by the end of the year theseincluded a dozen State associations, and with societies other thansuffrage in the different cities the list filled two pages of aleaflet sent out from the headquarters. The annual convention was heldin Calvary Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, October 5, 6, with anattractive program of men and women speakers. The initial number of_The Yellow Ribbon_, a monthly magazine edited by Mrs. Katharine ReedBalentine in the interest of woman suffrage on the Pacific coast, wasdistributed among the delegates. 

The State convention of 1907 met in October in the Ebell Club House ofOakland, where excellent arrangements had been made by the variouscommittees, and it was the most satisfactory yet held. There was aprogram of very good speakers, well-known men among them, and Mrs. Maud Wood Park of Boston was a guest of the convention. The chairmanof the Press Committee, Mrs. Mabel Craft Deering, reported that 203newspapers were using all the suffrage matter sent them. The chairmanof the State Central Committee, Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, said thatall the labor leaders were standing for woman suffrage. It wasannounced that headquarters for pushing the submission of an amendmentwould be established in Sacramento as soon as the Legislature openedin January. There was a resolution on the death of Mrs. Laura de ForceGordon, the pioneer lawyer and suffragist. The work conferenceconducted by Mrs. Coffin was a valuable feature of the convention. Over 5, 000 clubwomen outside of the suffrage clubs had now declaredfor suffrage. 

In January, 1908, Mrs. Maud Wood Park was invited to address thestudents of the State University in Berkeley at the Friday morningmeeting and Professor Morse Stephens said he never heard as able apresentation of any subject in so short a time. She organized branchesof the National College Equal Suffrage League here and at LelandStanford University. All conventions during the year were askedthrough Mrs. Keith's committee to adopt woman suffrage resolutions andmany of them did so. Steps were taken through the State Central andLegislative Committees to interview candidates for the Legislatureand pledge them after they were elected. The convention was held atthe California Club House, San Francisco, October 2, 3. The workconference was conducted by Mrs. Keith. 

In 1909 strenuous work was done with the Legislature but it againrefused to submit the suffrage amendment, which it was the generalopinion the voters would adopt if given an opportunity. The officialboard sent a telegram to President Roosevelt asking him in the name of10, 000 California women to recommend woman suffrage in his lastmessage to Congress but without effect. Committees were appointed forNorthern and Southern California and a chairman in each county tocollect signatures to the petition of the National Association toCongress to submit a Federal Amendment. The State convention was heldin Stockton September 30-October 2, one of the largest on record. Itwas welcomed by the Mayor and the president of the chamber of commercewith a response by Mrs. Sperry and there were greetings from a numberof organizations of various kinds. The addresses were of a high orderand among the speakers were Franklin Hichborn, J. N. Stuckenbruck, member of the Legislature; Mrs. Sturtevant Peet, for sixteen yearspresident of the State W. C. T. U. ; Thomas E. Hayden, president of theSan Francisco Board of Education; Mrs. Elinor Carlisle of the Berkeleyboard and Mrs. James B. Hume, president of the State Federation ofWomen's Clubs. Mrs. Sperry, who had filled the office of president forseven years, insisted upon retiring and Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson, aminister, lecturer, writer and philanthropist, president of the SantaClara Club, was prevailed upon to accept the office. Mrs. Sperry, Mrs. Swift, Miss Sarah Severance and Dr. Jordan were added to the list ofhonorary presidents. A full delegation had attended the nationalconvention at Seattle in July. 

After the earthquake and fire in 1906 headquarters had beenestablished at 2419 California St. , conveniently fitted up in part ofa dwelling house adjoining the residence of Mrs. Sargent, who presidedand dispensed hospitality at the monthly board meetings. By 1910larger and more central accommodations were needed and commodiousheadquarters were secured in the Pacific Building, corner of Marketand Fourth Streets. Here the increasing business of the associationwas transacted and free lectures were given. Mrs. Alice Park, aschairman, superintended the wide distribution of literature throughoutthe State. The association's committees on Child Labor, Education, Peace and other public questions were actively at work. The committeeon Petitions to the Legislature for the submission of a woman suffrageamendment to the voters, of which Mrs. Sperry was chairman, secured14, 000 signatures. Mrs. Lowe Watson said in her report to the nationalconvention that splendid work was being done in organization throughthe generous financial aid of Mrs. Keith and Mrs. Charles D. Blaney. House to house canvasses were being made and assembly district andprecinct clubs formed. Mrs. Keith gave $100 a month during 1909 and1910 to this and other headquarters work, largely financed thelegislative work and frequently bore the principal expense of Stateconventions. [13] Space was freely granted in most of the newspapersand many were giving editorial endorsement. The College Women's EqualSuffrage Leagues were active and the subject of the universities'intercollegiate debate for the year was: Resolved that the ballotshould be extended to women. Men's Auxiliary Leagues were formed inNorthern and Southern California. A Votes for Women business club anda Wage Earners' club were organized in San Francisco and did importantwork. There were five downtown suffrage headquarters. Most of thewomen's clubs had introduced a civic section. Mrs. Lowe Watsonlectured before labor unions, church societies, W. C. T. U. 's, "nativedaughters, " women's clubs and suffrage clubs. The throng onSocialists' "woman's day" filled one of the largest halls in SanFrancisco and at the close of her address gave a unanimous standingvote for equal suffrage. 

The annual suffrage convention took place Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 1910, inthe Palace Hotel, San Francisco, the 40th that had been held in theState. The long program of prominent speakers, fraternal greetings, committee and club reports, showed the gathering weight and importanceof the movement. J. Stitt Wilson, Mayor of Berkeley and Socialistcandidate for Governor, made a most encouraging address and J. H. Braly, an influential citizen of Pasadena, came to tell of what wasbeing accomplished in Southern California. The visits of the nationalofficers, Professor Frances Squire Potter, Mrs. Florence Kelley andMrs. Ella S. Stewart had greatly inspired the workers and thefavorable action of the next Legislature seemed almost certain. 

For the past year California had been in the midst of a crucialpolitical campaign. The State government for forty years had been theservant of a powerful political "machine" controlled by large publicservice corporations. The people had tired of it and public opinionwas ripe for a change. The "progressive Republicans, " as they werecalled, came into power at the election of November, 1910, and HiramW. Johnson was elected Governor to carry out their reforms, womansuffrage being one of them. 

The Legislative Committee was composed of Mrs. Coffin, Mrs. Blaney, Mrs. Edson and Mrs. Arthur Cornwall Juilliard. Senator Charles W. Bellof Pasadena had continuously stood for woman suffrage in the face ofthe opposition of the Senate and in the organization of theLegislature he was made chairman of the Republican caucus. AssemblymanA. H. Hewitt of Yuba City, also a staunch friend of years' standing, took charge of the amendment in the House and when elected Speaker heplaced it in the hands of Assemblyman Cattell of Pasadena, who made ithis chief interest. The Anti-Suffrage organization of women for thefirst time maintained a lobby at the Capitol. The amendment wasintroduced in both Houses the first week of the session. The JudiciaryCommittee of the Senate granted a hearing on the evening of Jan. 18, 1911. The crowd was so large it had to be held in the Senate chamber, and gallery, aisles and lobby were filled. Mrs. Katharine PhilipsEdson of Los Angeles introduced the speakers and Mrs. ElizabethGerberding of San Francisco made the opening argument. Miss MaudeYounger spoke in behalf of the working women; Miss Ethel Moore andMrs. Cornelia McKinne Stanwood of the College Equal Suffrage Leaguerepresented the children and the women of the State; Mrs. Coffin, speaking for the State Suffrage Association, urged the legislators tostand by the suffrage plank in their party platforms. Mrs. ShelleyTolhurst closed the appeal. Then Mrs. George A. Caswell of LosAngeles, representing the women anti-suffragists, read a paper offifty minutes. 

Possibly there was no measure before the Legislature in which deeperinterest was manifested or which had the urge of stronger publicsentiment. Lieutenant Governor A. J. Wallace of Los Angeles was a truefriend and Senator A. E. Boynton of Marysville, president pro tem. , had for years loyally supported it. The Los Angeles delegation withbut few exceptions were pledged in favor. Many opponents of years'standing, feeling the pressure of popularity, were prepared tocapitulate. Senator J. B. Sanford of Ukiah, who had long been a thornin the flesh of the suffrage lobby, attempted to block it but wasprevented by Senator Louis Juilliard and a spirited debate was led bySenator Lee C. Gates of Los Angeles, a leader of progressive measures. On January 26 the amendment came up for third reading and finalpassage. There was no need of further debate but each Senator seemeddesirous of paying his tribute. It received 35 ayes and the oppositioncould muster only five votes. The Senate resolution was submitted inthe Assembly and voted on February 2. Gallery and lobbies werethronged and only time limited the oratory. It received 66 ayes, 12noes. Governor Johnson had insisted on the submission of the amendmentas a party pledge. 

Pink roses were sent by the committee to Mrs. Johnson, wife of theGovernor, and violets to Mrs. Wallace for their helpful cooperation. Cordial appreciation was expressed to the wives of Senators andAssemblymen who did yeoman service, among them Mrs. Bell, Mrs. Gates, Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher Brown, Mrs. Miguel Estidillo and Mrs. Cattell. 

After the adjournment of the Legislature a conference was called bythe Progressive leaders to outline the plan of campaign for the manyamendments which had been submitted and it was decided _not to mentionthe suffrage amendment_, as much needed contributions had been made onthis condition lest it might cause some of the others to be defeated. There was strenuous objection to this plan by some of its friends butthe majority prevailed. Governor Johnson was present at the meetingand carried out its program during the entire campaign, not referringto the suffrage amendment in his speeches. It was said that heexpected it to lose and did not want to jeopardize the amendmentswhich would enable the voters to take the law-making power into theirown hands and secure all desired reforms. A notable exception amongthe official speakers was Francis J. Heney, who never failed toinclude it with the others in his appeals to the voters. 

The general political situation in California at the time, however, favored the suffrage campaign. The five parties had put a womansuffrage plank in their platforms and the voters could concentratetheir attention on the twenty-three proposed constitutionalamendments, for which a special election was called October 10. Therewere but eight months for what would have to be a "whirlwindcampaign. " The president of the State association, Mrs. Lowe Watson, said in her report to the next national suffrage convention:

 The situation was very different from that of 1895-96. Not only were the suffragists better organized but as a result of the previous campaign, in which the National Association largely participated, there were earnest suffragists in every kind of association in the State, in the Federated Women's Clubs; the W. C. T. U. , with a franchise department in every local; the Socialist party, the State Grange and the ever-growing Labor Unions. We determined to make a strenuous effort to get into touch with every progressive element. Our State Campaign Committee, with headquarters in San Francisco, consisted of chairmen of the ten departments of work. .. . In addition we had an Advisory Council composed of picked men and women over the State. During the two preceding years the State association had been carrying forward organization work under the able supervision of Mrs. Helen Moore as chairman but there still remained much to be done. Our territory was large, a portion of it immensely difficult. It was conceded that a house to house canvass was of the utmost importance, particularly in the large cities. 

 The suffragists of Southern California, whose work with the Legislature had been of incalculable value, led by J. H. Braly, president of the Los Angeles Political Equality League, assumed the responsibility of caring for the ten counties south of the Tehachapi Pass and nobly did they fulfil all expectations. We realized that the great "interests" were arrayed against us. Untold money was at the command of our enemies and they were schooled in political methods. We had little money and less political experience but we had consecration of purpose and we gave ourselves to the work, North and South, with unbounded enthusiasm. .. . 

 There was scarcely a corner of the State unvisited by good speakers. Under the supervision of Mrs. Rose M. French, the State association issued 3, 000, 000 pages of literature, while the College Women's Equal Suffrage League and other organizations in the North, and the Political Equality League of Los Angeles, also published countless thousands of leaflets, besides ordering many from the National Association. Under the tactful management of Mrs. Ringrose, 50, 000 Catholic leaflets were distributed at the doors of Catholic churches. The picture slides and stereopticon talks, superintended by Mrs. Lucretia Watson Taylor, were very effective, particularly in the outlying districts. Posters, pennants and banners played a conspicuous part in the campaign. The attendance at the meetings held in theaters, churches, halls and on the street corners was surprisingly large and in many instances splendidly enthusiastic. The attitude of the public generally was respectful and often profoundly sympathetic. Our country clubs and county organizations followed closely the plans recommended by the State association. It was purely an educational campaign, without one shadow of partisanship or militant methods. The victory in the State of Washington in 1910 and the manner in which the enfranchised women used their newly acquired power contributed much to the success in California. The pulpit and the press were also largely with us. We worked hard to make sure of these two great instrumentalities for the education of the people. 

 Our inland co-workers largely financed their own special lines of propaganda. The generous contributions of the National Association and the smaller personal donations through that body, amounting altogether to about $1, 800, and the noble work of the national vice-president, Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, were a large factor in our success. The Woman Suffrage Party of New York sent us able speakers. Among our many good fortunes was the coming of the National Education Association convention to San Francisco. Miss Gail Laughlin was of immense service as a speaker and as chairman of the Election Committee. .. . 

 The State association disbursed about $10, 000, not counting the expenses in Southern California. Mrs. Keith contributed $3, 000 within the year; Mrs. Anna K. Bidwell $1, 000 through the State treasury, besides assisting her own county organization. Mrs. Charles D. Blaney gave generous sums, while others in an equally liberal spirit donated from $200 down to one, according to their means; and others again, having no gold or precious stones, gave what was best of all, themselves, nobly, untiringly, out of their love for justice. 

 * * * * *

No active work in suffrage was done in Southern California for someyears after the defeat of 1896. In November, 1900, the Statepresident, Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, went to Los Angeles, a parlor meetingwas held and later a public address was given by her at the Woman'sClub House. Here it was determined to revive the Woman Suffrage Leagueand an executive committee was appointed, Mrs. Sarah Burger Stearns, a veteran suffragist, formerly of Minnesota, chairman. On December 1 ameeting was called by this committee and the league was re-organized;President, Mrs. Caroline M. Severance; vice-president, Mrs. ShelleyTolhurst; secretary, Mrs. Lenore C. Schultz. Monthly meetings wereheld for several years at the Woman's Club House, the money for therent being given by Mr. Wilde, whose sympathy was strong for suffrage. The years from 1900 to 1910-11 were just years of "carrying on" andwell the pioneers did their work. [14] They kept the fires burning andgradually all kinds of organizations of women became permeated with abelief in suffrage for women and were ready for the final campaign. 

The work of John Hyde Braly in Southern California deserves a place byitself. A prosperous business man and public-spirited citizen, whenthe call came to assist the movement to enfranchise the women of theState he saw the necessity of interesting men of prominence. Fromearly in January, 1910, he worked to secure the enrollment of onehundred names of the leading citizens of Los Angeles and Pasadena. Finally he arranged a mid-day banquet on the fifth of April and aboutfifty responded. Organization was perfected with a charter membershipof one hundred influential men under the name of the PoliticalEquality League of California and the following compact was signed:"We hereby associate ourselves together for the purpose of securingpolitical equality and suffrage without distinction on account ofsex. " The officers elected were: J. H. Braly, president; Judge WaldoM. Yorke, first vice-president; Hulett Merritt, second; J. D. Bradford, secretary and treasurer. Enthusiastic speeches were made andMr. Braly said that they were initiating this movement at thepsychological time, for the progressive fever was in the Californiablood. It was a man's job to take a hand in the enfranchisement ofwomen, since it was the men who must decide it by their votes. Theleague was pledged to work to induce the legislators to submit theamendment to the voters. Nine men were organized in a Board ofGovernors and it was decided to have women become associate membersof the organization, they to select nine women to be governors withthe men. The movement was thus popularized and desirable men and womenof all classes rapidly joined it. 

Headquarters were established in the Story Building and systematicwork begun. Judge Yorke was chairman of the legislative and politicaldepartment. The 850 delegates and the audience at the Los AngelesCounty Republican convention in Simpson Auditorium in August wereenthusiastically for woman suffrage. Eighty-three delegates went fromthat convention to the State Republican convention of 430 delegates inSan Francisco. Mr. Braly was not only one of these delegates but alsoa member of the platform committee. The suffrage plank went into theplatform and was received with the same enthusiasm apparently as inLos Angeles. After a progressive Legislature was elected in the fallof 1910 the Political Equality League gave a banquet at the AlexandriaHotel in honor of the southern legislators, the State officers-electand their wives, with nearly 600 present. Mr. Braly said of thisoccasion: "We all felt that we were making history and casting breadupon the waters that would surely return to us in a day of need, which, thank God, it did, for without it I think the suffrage billwould not have been passed. "

The organization's express purpose was to use all legitimate means toinfluence the Legislature to submit the amendment and every legislatorof the nine southern counties went to Sacramento pledged to vote forit. After the Legislature had submitted the amendment the PoliticalEquality League held its annual election. It was felt that it would beunjust to ask Mr. Braly to have charge of the details of the strenuouscampaign and with expressions of the highest appreciation he was madepresident emeritus and Mrs. Seward A. Simons, president. Mr. Bralyarranged to have Mrs. McCulloch of Chicago make a speaking tour ofSouthern California in company with a party consisting of himself andwife, Judge Neely, Judge W. S. Harbert and Senator Lee C. Gates, athis own expense, as was all of his work. Mrs. Edson wrote to him afterthe campaign: "Without the platform pledges of the Republican countyand State conventions we could never have held the legislators and toyou the women of California are indebted for making this possible. "

Mrs. Simons in her comprehensive report said in part:

 In the southern part of the State the work from the beginning was undertaken with the understanding that everything possible should be done to counteract the effect of the probable San Francisco vote and the California Political Equality League concentrated its attention on Los Angeles and the country districts throughout the State. The Executive Board, composed of the following members, Mrs. Simons, president; Mrs. Tolhurst, chairman of the Speakers' Committee; Mrs. Berthold Baruch, of the Meetings Committee; Miss Louise Carr, Literature; Mrs. Edson, Organization; Mrs. Martha Nelson McCan, Press; Mrs. John R. Haynes, Finance; Miss Annie Bock, secretary, concerned itself with effective publicity work--public meetings, the distribution of literature and the press. .. . 

 Leaflets and pamphlets that appealed to every type of mind were printed to the amount of over a million. .. . Votes-for-Women buttons to the number of 93, 000 and 13, 000 pennants and banners added their quota to the publicity work. .. . One of the most effective means of publicity was that of letters of a personal nature addressed to members of the various professions and vocations. A letter was sent to 2, 000 ministers asking their cooperation; 60, 000 letters were sent through the country districts. Leaflets in Italian, German and French were given out at the street meetings in the congested districts of Los Angeles. A circular letter was sent in September to every club and organization asking that they give an evening before the election to a suffrage speaker to be supplied by the league. Suffrage was presented to every class from the men's clubs in the churches to the unions' meetings in the Labor Temple. 

 The importance of getting the endorsement of large bodies of women was recognized. A few of these endorsing were the Woman's Parliament of 2, 000 members; State Federation of Women's Clubs, 35, 000; Federated College Clubs, 5, 000; State Nurses' Association, 800; State W. C. T. U. , 6, 000; Woman's Organized Labor, 36, 000, and the Los Angeles Teachers' Club, 800. All of these endorsements were secured at conventions held in Southern California and the Northern women pursued the same policy. These do not include those made by organizations of men, or of men and women or of clubs for suffrage alone and these in the South exceeded fifty. In a large measure success was due to the inestimable assistance given by the eminent speakers, among them supreme court judges, prominent lawyers, physicians, ministers, noted educators and philanthropists and by men and women from all callings and occupations. .. . 

 During the last two months meetings were arranged in all the towns of the southern counties where it was possible. When a hall could not be had they were held in the open air. The last month from fifty to sixty meetings a week were planned from the league headquarters, speakers supplied and literature sent. These did not include those arranged by local organizations in smaller towns nor the many street meetings which were held by every one who could command an automobile. The climax was in the largest theater in Los Angeles on the evening of September 30 when over 4, 000 people listened to the best speakers of the campaign. In addition another thousand gathered in Choral Hall for an overflow meeting, while many hundreds were turned from the doors. It was the largest political demonstration in the history of Southern California. 

 The most important phase of the publicity work was that of the Press Committee, formed of active newspaper women. Miss Bess Munn was made secretary and her time was devoted exclusively to supplying material to the local press and the country newspapers. Double postals asking individuals their opinion of the suffrage movement were sent to the members of the Legislature; to city, county and State officials from San Diego to Siskiyou; to judges, lawyers, merchants, bankers, physicians and all prominent visitors within the gates of the city. Their answers were from time to time printed in the form of interviews. Letters went to club women in every town asking for cooperation in securing space for suffrage material in the local press. Personal letters were sent to all the editors informing them that a weekly suffrage letter would be sent to them from the headquarters of the league. This contained nothing but the shortest, pithiest items of suffrage activities and enclosed were the leaflets which were often printed in full. At the close of the campaign more than half of the papers of the State regularly used the letter either as news or as a basis for editorial comment. In Los Angeles alone more than 10, 000 columns were printed on suffrage. In monetary value this amount of space would have cost $100, 000. The last week before election a cut of the ballot showing the position of the suffrage amendment was sent to 150 newspapers of the South with a letter offering the editor $5 for its publication but many printed it without compensation. .. . 

 The majorities from the country districts won the victory by counteracting the immense majority rolled up against the amendment in San Francisco and thus proved that the country residents are most satisfactorily reached by the country press. 

The anti-suffragists made a more open fight in California than everbefore. A month preceding election a Committee of Fifty was organizedin Los Angeles composed of the reactionary elements, men representing"big business, " corporation lawyers, a number connected with theSouthern Pacific R. R. , some socially prominent. The only one knownnationally was former U. S. Senator Frank P. Flint. The president wasa Southerner, George S. Patten, who wrote long articles using thearguments and objections employed in the very earliest days of thesuffrage movement sixty years ago. They claimed to have thousands ofmembers but never held a meeting and depended on intimidation by theirrather formidable list of names of local influence. 

The Women's Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage was more active. Itwas formed in Los Angeles, with Mrs. George A. Caswell, head of afashionable school for girls, as its president. It organized also inNorthern California with Mrs. C. L. Goddard president and Mrs. Benjamin Ide Wheeler heading the list of honorary presidents. Bothbranches had a long list of officers, some with social prestige, andmaintained headquarters. They also claimed to have a large membershipbut held only parlor and club meetings. The National Anti-SuffrageAssociation sent its secretary, Miss Minnie Bronson, to speak, write, organize and have charge of headquarters. Mrs. William Force Scottcame as a speaker from New York. The association was not an importantfactor in the campaign. 

Theodore Roosevelt lectured in California in the spring of 1911. Hehad been in the State twice in preceding years and each time hadreferred disparagingly to woman suffrage. During the present visit hespoke in the Greek Theater at the State University in Berkeley to anaudience of 10, 000 on March 25 and the San Francisco _Examiner_ of thenext morning said in its report:

 Here is what Colonel Roosevelt said on the burning question of woman suffrage:

 "A short time ago I was handed a letter from the president of an Equal Suffrage Association asking me to speak in behalf of it. I have always told my friends that it seemed to me that no man was worth his salt who didn't think deeply of woman's rights and no woman was worth her salt who didn't think more of her duties than of her rights. Personally I am tepidly in favor of woman suffrage. I have studied the condition of women in those States where that right is exercised but I have never been able to take a great interest in it because it always seemed to me so much less important than so many other questions affecting women. I don't think the harm will come of it that its opponents expect, and I don't think that one-half of one per cent. Of the good will come from it that its friends expect. It is not a millionth part as important as keeping and reviving the realization that the great work of women must be done in the home. The ideal woman of the future as of the past is the good wife and mother, able to train numbers of healthy children. "

There were flourishing suffrage societies in all parts of the State. An Equal Suffrage League had been formed in San Francisco from aconsolidation of suffrage clubs, with a large membership of men andwomen, Mrs. Mary T. Gamage, president. With its various committees itwas an active force throughout the campaign. Great assistance wasrendered by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, as had been thecase in 1896. During the fifteen years' interval it had been carryingon a steady work of education through its local unions and theirmembers were among the most active in the suffrage clubs also. Socomplete was the cooperation that they took off their white ribbonbadges toward the end of the campaign to disarm prejudice. Mrs. Keith, president of the Berkeley Club, hired a house in the central part oftown for eight months as headquarters and Mrs. Hester Harland wasinstalled as manager. An advisory committee was formed of Mrs. GeorgeW. Haight, Mrs. John Snook, Mrs. Fred G. Athearn, Mrs. Irving M. Scott, Jr. , Dr. Helen Waterman, Mrs. Samuel C. Haight, Mrs. AaronSchloss, Mrs. T. B. Sears, Mrs. C. C. Hall, Mrs. Frank F. Bunker, assisted by many others toward the close of the campaign. Mrs. J. B. Hume and Miss Blanche Morse toured the State as speakers andorganizers. Mrs. Keith herself spoke on a number of special occasions. Mrs. Watson spoke night and day for three weeks in Sacramento Valley;at Chico to an audience of 3, 000. [15]

The Central Campaign Committee was created in July, three monthsbefore election, consisting of one member from each of the fiveprincipal campaign organizations in San Francisco doing State work. Mrs. Watson Taylor, daughter of the president, represented the StateEqual Suffrage Association; Mrs. Aylett Cotton, the Clubwoman'sFranchise League; Mrs. Robert A. Dean, the Woman Suffrage Party; MissMaud Younger, the Wage Earners' League and Mrs. Deering the CollegeLeague. This committee was formed at the suggestion of Mrs. JamesLees Laidlaw of New York, who visited San Francisco with her husbandin January, for the purpose of having all the organizations share inthe money and workers sent by the New York Woman Suffrage Party. Over$1, 000 were received from it, of which $500 came from General HoraceCarpentier, a former Californian and ex-mayor of Oakland, sent throughMr. Laidlaw. The Men's New York League sent $200; the RochesterPolitical Equality Club, $280; Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt $300. New Yorksuffragists also paid the railroad expenses of the three organizersand speakers whom they sent and Chicago suffragists paid thetravelling expenses of Mrs. McCulloch, who contributed her services. 

From outside States came Miss Helen Todd, former factory inspector ofIllinois; Miss Margaret Haley of Chicago; Miss Jeannette Rankin ofMontana; Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley, Mrs. A. C. Fisk and Mrs. John Rogersof New York; Mrs. Mary Stanislawsky of Nevada; Mrs. Alma Lafferty, member of the Colorado Legislature. These speakers were sentthroughout Northern California. 

The chairman of the Press Committee, Mrs. Deering, had been carryingon the press work steadily for the past five years and hundreds ofpapers were ready to support the amendment. Before the end of thebrief campaign, under her efficient management, almost every paper ofprominence either endorsed it or remained silent. The Los Angeles_Express_, Sacramento _Bee_, _Star_ and _Union_, the San Jose_Mercury_, the Oakland _Enquirer_, the San Francisco _Bulletin_ andthe _Daily News_ were especially helpful. James H. Barry, editor ofthe _Star_, was an unfailing advocate. The _Call_ made a sustainedfight for it and the _Examiner_ and _Post_ advised a vote in favor. The German papers were outspokenly opposed. The _Chronicle_ in SanFrancisco, owned by M. H. De Young, and the _Times_, in Los Angeles, by Harrison Grey Otis, were relentless opponents. Much assistance wasrendered in the Legislature and the campaign by E. A. Dickson, aprominent journalist of Los Angeles. The women connected with thepress were sympathetic and helpful. 

A most important feature of this remarkable campaign was the work ofthe College Equal Suffrage League of Northern California, which hadbeen organized in 1909 for educational work among college women. Whenthe suffrage amendment was submitted in February, 1911, the leaguedecided to go actively into the campaign. The officers elected in Maywere as follows: Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney (Wellesley), president;Dr. Adelaide Brown (Smith), first vice-president; Miss Caroline CookJackson (Cornell), second; Miss Lillien J. Martin (Vassar), third;Miss Belle Judith Miller (California), recording secretary; MissGenevieve Cook (California Woman's Hospital), corresponding secretary;Mrs. Genevieve Allen (Stanford), executive secretary; Dr. Anna Rude(Cooper Medical College), treasurer; Dr. Rachel L. Ash (California), delegate to Council. Directors: Miss Ethel Moore (Vassar); Mrs. MabelCraft Deering (California); Miss Kate Ames (Stanford); Mrs. CarlottaCase Hall (Elmira); Miss Frances W. McLean (California); Mrs. ThomasHaven (California); Dr. Kate Brousseau (University of Paris); Mrs. C. H. Howard (California). [16]

Altogether $2, 075 were sent to the league from the East. Its totalreceipts were $11, 030 in fixed sums and the personal donations of itsworking members in telegrams, postage, car fare, expressage, use ofautomobiles, etc. , amounted to thousands. At a meeting held in OaklandMiss Sylvia Pankhurst spoke to more than a thousand persons who hadpaid for their seats. 

Every legitimate method of campaigning was used, beginning with theprinting of 900, 000 leaflets. There were posters and all kinds ofdesigns; city circularizing of the most thorough kind in manylanguages; pageants, plays, concerts and public social functions; theplacarding of city bill boards over miles of country; advertising ofevery possible kind; huge electric and other signs; long weeks ofautomobile campaigning in the country and the villages; specialspeakers for all sorts of organizations; a handsome float in the laborday parade; speaking at vaudeville shows--there was no cessation ofthese eight months' strenuous work. The campaigning in Sacramento wasin charge of Mrs. Mary Roberts Coolidge, assisted by Mrs. E. V. Spencer, against great odds, but the city gave a small favorablemajority, due chiefly to the union labor vote. 

During the last six months the College League held more than fiftypublic meetings in halls in San Francisco, the audiences at the largerones varying from 1, 300 to 10, 000 with hundreds turned away. The Rev. Charles F. Aked, the brilliant English orator, had just come from NewYork and he made his first appearance outside of his pulpit at asuffrage mass meeting in Savoy Theater, donated by the John Cortmanagement, and afterwards he could not refuse to speak at othermeetings. His debate with Colonel John P. Irish in the ValenciaTheater just before election was one of the great features of thecampaign. One of the most important meetings, with 1, 500 present, wasaddressed by the eloquent young priest, the Rev. Joseph M. Gleason, with the boxes reserved for prominent Catholics. Rabbi Martin H. Meyerwas one of the strong speakers. At the meeting in the beautiful newauditorium of Scottish Rite Hall Mrs. Alexander Morrison, president ofthe National Collegiate Alumnae, was in the chair and among thespeakers were Dr. Aked, William C. Ralston, U. S. Sub-Treasurer; Mrs. W. W. Douglas and Albert H. Elliott. In the Italian theater was heldthe largest meeting of a political nature known to that quarter, addressed by Emilio Lastredo, a prominent banking attorney; EttorePatrizi, editor of the daily _L'Italia_; Mr. Elliott, Miss MargaretHaley and Mayor J. Stitt Wilson of Berkeley. A second great suffragemeeting assembled there again, at which Mme. Adelina Dosenna of LaScala, Milan, sang. The culmination was the mass meeting in DreamlandRink, the largest auditorium in the city. Mrs. Lowe Watson, presidentof the State association, introduced by George A. Knight, was in thechair. There were 6, 000 in the audience and 4, 000 on the outside, whomMrs. Greeley and other speakers kept in a good humor. These were Mrs. McCulloch, Dr. Aked, John I. Nolan, union labor leader; Mr. Wilson, Miss Todd, Miss Laughlin and Rabbi Meyer. 

The campaign closed with a "business men's meeting" in Cort's Theaterfrom 12 to 1:30 p. M. The day before election. The theater was crowdedand it was necessary to begin before noon. For several hours thespeakers held forth to an audience changing every half hour. Mr. Elliott presided and the speakers were F. G. Athearn of the SouthernPacific R. R. ; Dr. Aked, Mr. Wilson, R. C. Van Fleet, Miss Todd and A. L. Sapiro. Then came the climax to the campaign when Mrs. ErnestineBlack stepped forward and announced that Mme. Lilian Nordica wouldspeak for woman suffrage and sing in Union Square that evening!

The great prima donna had come to San Francisco to sing at theground-breaking for the Panama Exposition and in an ever-generousspirit agreed to give her matchless services to the cause in which shewas deeply interested. The crowds were packed for blocks in everydirection and suffrage speakers were addressing them from automobileswhen Madame Nordica stood up in masses of flowers in Union Squareopposite the St. Francis Hotel and very simply made her plea for theenfranchisement of California women. Then her glorious voice rang outto the very edges of the throng in the stirring notes of the StarSpangled Banner. The campaign was over. 

 * * * * *

The amendment went to the voters Oct. 10, 1911. It was most importantto watch the vote in San Francisco and Oakland, as their expectedadverse vote would have to be counteracted by the rest of the State ifthe suffrage amendment carried. Oakland was put in charge of Mrs. Coolidge, who had a corps of efficient helpers in the members of theAmendment League, composed of old residents of Oakland, who had beenengaged for many years in church, temperance and other social work, among them Mrs. Sarah C. Borland, Mrs. Agnes Ray, Mrs. A. A. Dennison, Mrs. Emma Shirtzer, Mrs. Jean Kellogg, Mrs. F. M. Murray and Mrs. F. Harlan. Of these league members 240 stood at the polls twelve hours, not half enough of them but they were treated with the greatestrespect and undoubtedly they helped reduce the adverse majority. Thiswork was paralleled in Berkeley, Alameda and other places around thebay. 

Four weeks before election two representatives of each of the ninesuffrage associations of San Francisco met and placed in the capablehands of Miss Laughlin the difficult task of looking after theelection in that city and this committee of eighteen acted as anexecutive board for carrying out her plans. Her management receivedthe highest commendation from political leaders. Dr. Mary Sperry andMisses Miriam and Julie Michelson were a permanent office force andMiss Schlingheyde, Mrs. Chapin and Miss Sullivan carried much of thework. The Woman Suffrage Party gave the use of its headquarters in theLick building. The State association and the clubs of San Franciscocontributed about $1, 500. A captain was appointed for each districtwho selected her precinct captains and was supplied with anautomobile. Connection was established with the chairmen throughoutthe counties and all were charged to "watch the count. " On electionday and the next day $94 were spent for telegrams. To nearby placesexperienced workers were rushed when the word came of dishonestelection officials. There were 1, 066 volunteer workers in SanFrancisco, 118 of them men. On election day hundreds reported for dutybefore 6 o'clock and after standing at the polls twelve hours manywent into the booths and kept tally of the count until midnight. InOakland Pinkerton men were hired to watch it and in San Francisco thevault where the ballots were deposited was watched for two days andnights. 

The vote in San Francisco was 21, 912 ayes, 35, 471 noes, an adversemajority of 13, 559, and even the imperfect watching of the womendetected a fraudulent count of 3, 000. In Oakland there were 6, 075ayes, 7, 818 noes, an adverse majority of 1, 743. Berkeley alone of theplaces around the bay came in victorious with 2, 417 ayes, 1, 761 noes, a favorable majority of 656. Los Angeles, which in 1896 had given amajority of about 4, 600 in favor, returned 15, 708 ayes, 13, 921 noes, amajority of only 1, 787. On election night and for two days followingthe suffragists judged from the vote in the cities that they weredefeated but the favorable returns from the villages, the countrydistricts and the ranches came slowly in and when the count wasfinally completed it was found that out of a total of 246, 487 votesthe suffrage amendment had been carried by 3, 587, an average majorityof one in every voting precinct in the State. [17]

With the winning of this old, wealthy and influential State the entiremovement for woman suffrage passed the crisis and victory in theremaining western States was sure to be a matter of a comparativelyshort time. As soon as the result was certain Mrs. Watson, the Statepresident; Mrs. Sperry and Miss Whitney, representing Northern, andMr. And Mrs. Braly, Mrs. Ringrose and Mrs. French, SouthernCalifornia, went to Louisville, Ky. , to carry the report to theconvention of the National Association, of which this State hadforty-five life members, more than any other except New York. 

No State convention had been held in 1911 but one was called to meetin San Francisco in January, 1912, and it was decided to maintain theState association to assist the work in neighboring States. Mrs. William Keith was made president and the officers and executivecommittee held all day monthly meetings in her home for several years. After the National League of Women Voters was formed in 1919, whenCongress was about to submit the Federal Suffrage Amendment, a meetingwas held on Feb. 12, 1920, and a California branch was formed withMrs. Robert J. Burdette as chairman. 

 * * * * *

The demand of the newly enfranchised women for guidance and knowledgewas met at once by the College League, which reorganized in November, 1911, and became the California Civic League for social service, education for citizenship and the promotion of just legislation. Theexcellent work of Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney was recognized bycontinuing her as president of the new league from 1911 to 1914. It iscomposed of about twenty-five centers in the cities and towns ofNorthern California, with a membership of nearly 4, 000 and manycenters wield a strong influence in municipal affairs. 

The Women's Legislative Council of California was organized inDecember, 1912, the outgrowth of the Legislative Committee of theState Federation of Women's Clubs. This council, which isnon-sectarian, non-partisan and non-political, is in reality a CentralCommittee of State, county and some local organizations--about sixtyin all--representing a membership of over 100, 000 women. Its purposeis to coordinate the efforts and concentrate the influence of women'sorganizations behind a legislative program, especially for the benefitof women and children. A list of at least thirty excellent laws sincethe enfranchisement of women have been either directly sponsored bythis council or greatly aided by the efforts of women. [18]

Space can not be given for local societies but the suffrage history ofCalifornia seems to require the mention of one--the Susan B. AnthonyClub. It was formed in the hour of defeat In 1896 in honor of thegreat pioneer, who had worked with the California women through allthat long campaign, and in order to hold together some of those whohad shared in the toil and the disappointment. The club was formed inthe home of Mrs. Mary S. Sperry in San Francisco and she was itspresident many years. Other presidents were Mrs. Sargent, wife of U. S. Senator Sargent, who in 1878 first introduced the Federal SuffrageAmendment; Mrs. Swift, wife of John F. Swift, Minister to Japan; Mrs. William Keith, wife of the distinguished artist; Mrs. Isabel A. Baldwin and Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn, all officers of the StateSuffrage Association also at different times. Dr. Alida C. Avery wasits treasurer and Mrs. Sarah G. Pringle its press representative for anumber of years. Its membership comprised many influential women, itheld regular meetings and was a liberal contributor to suffrage workin California and other States. In 1911, when all the suffrage clubswere disbanding, this one remained in existence and continued to holdsocial meetings for many years. 

In 1916-17 the Committee of Political Science of the State Federationof Women's Clubs, Mrs. Seward A. Simons, president, made a Survey ofthe results of five years of woman suffrage in California, which waswidely circulated. It was a most valuable résumé of the registrationand the vote of women, the legislation they had obtained, the officesthey had held, their service on juries, their political work and theeffect of the suffrage on women and on public life. A very completereport was made also by Mrs. Coolidge, president of the Civic League. 

LEGISLATIVE AND CONVENTION ACTION. 1901. A bill for School suffragewas defeated. 

1905. A resolution to submit a constitutional amendment was defeatedin both Houses by large majorities. A bill legalizing prize fightingwas passed the same day. 

1906. A Suffrage State Central Committee of twenty-one competentworkers was organized, Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, chairman, Mrs. Katharine Reed Balentine, secretary, and it continued its activitiesin behalf of an amendment to the State constitution for the next fiveyears. The plan was to secure its endorsement by all conventions andorganizations and have it incorporated in the platforms of thepolitical parties and the Central Committee was divided intosub-committees with representatives in every part of the State. TheExecutive of this Central Committee, Mrs. Mary S. Sperry, Mrs. NellieHolbrook Blinn, Mrs. Helen Moore and Mrs. Coffin, were the delegatesto the State Republican convention in Santa Cruz in 1906, which wascompletely under the control of the "machine. " It was at thisconvention that the "insurgent" sentiment began to crystallize intothe "progressive" movement. Woman suffrage was not put in theplatform. James G. Gillette, nominated for Governor, approached thewomen and pledged himself, if elected, to do all he could to carrythrough the amendment. Later, at Sacramento, the Democraticconvention, under the leadership of Thomas E. Hayden, Albert Johnson, Max Popper and John Sweeny, incorporated the amendment in theplatform. It was placed in the platform of the Labor party, Miss MaudYounger and Mrs. Francis S. Gibson assisting the LegislativeCommittee. 

1907. The Legislature of this year was the last under the completedomination of the corrupt political forces. The graft prosecution inSan Francisco was in full swing, the result of which was an awakenedpublic conscience. Every legislator had been interviewed and the SanFrancisco delegation was pledged in favor of the suffrage amendment. It was introduced by Senator Leroy Wright of San Diego and in theHouse of Grove L. Johnson of Sacramento the first week of the session. Mrs. Coffin, Mrs. Moore and Thomas E. Hayden, an attorney retained bythe State association, were the lobby maintained in Sacramento duringthe entire session. The amendment was reported favorably out ofcommittee in both Houses. When the roll was called in the House it wasdiscovered that the San Francisco delegates had received orders andthe entire delegation voted "no. " The result was a bare majority andnot two-thirds. On demand of the suffrage lobby Mr. Johnson obtainedreconsideration. When the vote was next taken it showed that the SanFrancisco delegation had been again instructed and voted solid for theamendment, giving the necessary two-thirds, 54 to 16. Thus was thiscity able to control every measure. 

Then began the long struggle in the Senate. President pro tem. EdwardI. Wolf of San Francisco and Senator J. B. Sanford of Ukiah, Republican and Democratic senior Senators, were bitter opponents ofthe amendment of long years' standing. After weeks of effort, with adeadlock of constantly changing votes and always "one more to get, " itwas decided to appeal to Governor Gillette to redeem his pledge ofhelp and Mrs. Coffin and Mr. Hayden called upon him at the Capitol. Hereceived them without rising or inviting them to be seated and whollyrepudiated the promises he had made to the women at the Republicanconvention, saying he was only fooling! The amendment went down todefeat, lacking two votes. 

1908. The Democratic convention in Stockton in 1908 again incorporatedthe amendment in the platform. The Labor convention did likewise, Mrs. Edith DeLong Jarmuth rendering valuable service on the committee. Theconvention of the Republican party, the dominant one, was held inOakland. The Suffrage State Central Committee opened headquarters atthe Hotel Metropole simultaneously with the Republicans, much to theirchagrin. Rooms were also opened in the Bacon Block, financed by theOakland Amendment League, who were coming to lobby. Three hundredwomen marched in the first suffrage parade in the State behind ayellow silk suffrage banner, with the State coat of arms richlyembroidered on it by Mrs. Theodore Pinther, who carried it to reservedseats in the front of the gallery of the McDonough Theater, where theconvention was held. Mrs. Sperry, Mrs. Pease of Colorado and acommittee of eight women representing as many separate interests hadspoken before the Resolutions Committee the evening before, with twominutes allotted to each. Mrs. Josephine Manahan, Miss Younger, Mrs. LaRue, Mrs. Barron and Mrs. O'Donnell composed the labor committee. Filling the galleries and boxes the suffragists waited for the result. In lieu of a suffrage plank the Republican chairman stepped forth andin his pleasantest manner thanked the women for their attendance, assuring them that by their grace and beauty they had contributedmaterially to the success of the convention. Mrs. Pease, who wasseated in the front row, rose and answered that the women were notthere for bouquets but for justice and declined their thanks. 

1909. This year the amendment was in the middle of the stream. It hadthe promise of support from individual members but the party leadershad declined assistance. The Progressives felt topheavy with reformsand feared to be overbalanced if it were adopted as part of theirprogram. They had the majority in both Houses but failing to secureany part of the organization they were left off of all importantcommittees and were on the outside. Apartments for the suffrage lobby, under the care of Mrs. E. L. Campbell, were opened near the Capitol. Delegates from many parts of the State were constantly arriving torelieve the others, with the exception of Mrs. Coffin and Mrs. Moore, who were in constant attendance and with other members of thecommittees and Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson, the president, carried theburden of the work. Assemblyman Johnson again introduced theamendment. A ruling was made, aimed at the women, that no lobbyistsshould be permitted on the floor of the Assembly. To the amazement ofevery one the women began to secure votes. The Judiciary Committeerecommended the amendment and it came up as a special order. SpeakerPhilip A. Stanton was an avowed opponent, as was Assemblyman J. P. Transue, floor leader, both of Los Angeles. The San Franciscodelegation, under the direction of Assemblyman J. J. McManus, lined upwith them. The debate lasted an hour. Assemblymen Otis, Telfer, Juilliard and Hinkel were among those speaking for the amendment. Theatmosphere seemed favorable but at 12 o'clock, when the vote shouldhave been taken, to the amazement of its friends, Mr. Johnson movedfor a recess until one o'clock. In that hour every possible pressurewas brought to bear against the amendment. When the session reconvenedthe galleries were packed with persons there in the interest of therace-track bill and the suffrage lobby were compelled to sit on thesteps. Without preliminaries the amendment went down to defeat, Mr. Johnson refusing to ask for reconsideration. 

The members of the suffrage lobby toured the State, telling the storyof the legislative defeat and showing what would be the benefits of adirect primary law. During the Chautauqua meeting in the Yosemite inJuly, through the efforts of Assemblyman Drew of Fresno, an entire dayand evening were granted for an excellent suffrage program of a strongpolitical flavor with Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Coffin and Mrs. Gamage in charge. 

1910. The reform element in the Legislature did succeed in enacting adirect primary law, which, although imperfect, enabled the voters forthe first time in the history of the State to speak for themselves. Stimulated and encouraged the Republican State convention of 1910 metin San Francisco and was dominated by the progressive element. Thegood government forces had been successful in Los Angeles and hadunanimously included the suffrage plank in their county platform, J. H. Braly assisting in this result. Santa Clara county under theleadership of Charles Blaney had done likewise, and the delegates cameto the State convention prepared to force its adoption. It needed thatsolid front of eighty-three votes from south of the Tehachapi and themilitant argument of the sturdy Santa Clara delegation to bring theSan Francisco leaders into line. The amendment plank was taken up bythe Resolutions Committee, of which Harris Weinstock was chairman, andgiven the same careful consideration accorded every other proposedplank. The women attended the convention in numbers but were notrequired to go before this committee, which adopted it unanimously. Itwas adopted as part of the platform by the convention with threecheers. Thus it became a man's measure and the policy of theProgressive Republican party. To the regret of many prominentsupporters of the amendment in the Democratic ranks the convention ofthat party failed to endorse it. The reason was simple--the "machine"forces which had hitherto dominated the Republican conventions nowconcentrated their strength on the Democratic. A progressiveLegislature was nominated and a man for Governor who had sufficientcourage to carry out a progressive program--Hiram W. Johnson--thewomen contributing to his success in not a few counties. The electionwas a Progressive victory and the chairman of the Republican StateCentral Committee called a meeting of its members and the memberselect of the Legislature for 1911 at the Palace Hotel in San Franciscoand appointed committees for assisting the legislators in carrying outthe promises of the platform. A committee of the leading legislatorswas appointed to see that a woman suffrage amendment to theconstitution was submitted. 

1911. The action taken in 1911 has been described. 

In 1915 the Legislature by unanimous vote of both Houses passedresolutions which said in part:

 Resolved, That so successful has been the operation and effect of granting political rights to women that it is generally conceded that, were the question to be again voted on by the people of this State, it would be reendorsed by an overwhelming majority; and be it further

 Resolved, That the adoption of woman suffrage by California is one of the important factors contributing to the marked political, social and industrial advancement made by our people in recent years. 

In 1917 in the midst of the war, when the Federal Suffrage Amendmentwas hanging in the balance in Congress, a petition from the StateFederation of Women's Clubs was sent to the Legislature through Mrs. Alfred Bartlett of Los Angeles that it would memorialize Congress onthe subject. Without a dissenting vote the following passed bothHouses in just twelve minutes: "Whereas, the women of the UnitedStates are being called upon to share the burdens and sacrifices ofthe present national crisis and they are patriotically responding tothat call, be it Resolved by the Senate of California with theAssembly concurring that the denial of the right of women to vote onequal terms with men is an injustice and we do urge upon Congress thesubmission to the Legislatures of the States for their ratification ofan amendment to the U. S. Constitution granting women the right tovote. "

RATIFICATION. Governor William D. Stephens called the Legislature tomeet in special session Nov. 1, 1919, for the one purpose of ratifyingthe Federal Amendment, which had been submitted June 4. The Women'sLegislative Council had unanimously urged this action in convention. More than a hundred members of the various suffrage societies went toSacramento and before the vote was taken they gave a luncheon for thelegislators, which was attended by the Governor, Lieutenant Governorand State officials. The speakers were the Governor and the presidentsof many State organizations of women. The ratification was not amatter of controversy and the vote in favor was unanimous in theSenate, 73 to 2 in the House--Robert Madison of Santa Rosa and C. W. Greene of Paso Robles. 

Mrs. Mary L. Cheney, secretary of the University of California, prepared for this chapter a complete list of the offices filled bywomen and the positions held by women in the universities, which thelack of space compelled to be omitted. In 1918 for the first time fourwere elected to the Legislature and received important committeeappointments and there have been a few other women legislators. In SanFrancisco a Doctor of Jurisprudence of the University of California, Mrs. Annette Abbott Adams, was the first in the country to hold theposition of U. S. District Attorney. In 1920 another, Miss Frances H. Wilson, was assistant district attorney. On the teaching force of theState University at Berkeley were ninety-three women in December, 1919, including Dr. Jessica Peixotto, full professor of economics, three associate and seven assistant professors and two assistantprofessors in the medical college. At Leland Stanford JuniorUniversity are one woman professor emeritus (psychology); twoassociate professors, eight assistant professors--over 40 women on theteaching force. 

FOOTNOTES:

[10] For the "assembling" of the different parts of this chapter andmuch of the work on it the History is indebted to Mary McHenry (Mrs. William) Keith, president of the State Equal Suffrage Association; forLegislative Action to Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, chairman of theState Legislative Committee; for matter on Southern California to MissM. Frances Wills and Mrs. Adelia D. Wade. 

[11] Mrs. Sperry was reelected the next six years. Miss Carrie A. Whelan and Miss Clara Schlingheyde were retained six years ascorresponding secretary and treasurer. Others who held State officesduring the years were Mrs. Chapman, Mrs. Corbert, Dr. Minora Kibbe, Mrs. Alice L. Park, Mrs. Osborne, Dr. Charlotte Baker, Miss BelleAngier, Miss Josephine R. Cole, Rev. Mrs. Wilkes, Dr. Avery, Mrs. Blinn, Mrs. M. A. Woog, Mrs. Chapman J. Arnott, Mrs. Nellie S. Scoville, Mrs. Lulu Pyle Little, Mrs. Josephine Mastick, Mrs. ThereseS. Speddy, Mrs. Coffin, Mrs. Ella Mitchell, Dr. Minerva Goodman, Mrs. Francesca Pierce, Mrs. Lucretia Watson Taylor, Mrs. Helen Moore, Mrs. Lilian Hough, Mrs. Lehman Blum, Mrs. Martha Pierce, Mrs. AugustaJones. 

[12] While in San Francisco Miss Anthony found time to give onesitting for a large oil portrait by William Keith, which was completedafter her death in the spring of 1906 and looked down upon theaudience from the chancel of the Unitarian church in San Francisco atthe memorial services for her on Palm Sunday, April 8. It was shippedto her home in Rochester, N. Y. , the day before the earthquake ofApril 18, but it escaped destruction by fire only to meet with mishapafter the death of Miss Mary S. Anthony, to whom it had been presentedby the wife of the artist. Miss Anthony was shown seated near an openwindow from which a beautiful sunset was seen; a lavender robe and acrimson curtain background set off the face and figure in fine relief. 

[13] Mrs. Keith was by no means a woman of wealth but it was said thatduring the years that led up to the campaign and in the campaign hercontributions amounted to about $15, 000. --Ed. 

[14] Among the early workers, besides those already mentioned, were:Mrs. Charlotte LeMoyne Wills, Mrs. Mila Tupper Maynard, Mrs. Lulu PyleLittle, Mrs. Sarah Wilde Houser, Mrs. Josephine Marlett, Mrs. Alice E. Brodwell, Mrs. Mary A. Kenney, Mrs. Mary Alderman Garbutt, Mrs. MarthaSalyer, Miss Margaret M. Fette, Mrs. Cora D. Lewis. 

[15] Among the names that constantly occur in the State work asspeakers, writers, on committees, etc. , besides those speciallymentioned, are Mrs. Emma Shafter Howard, Miss Mary S. Keene, Mrs. J. A. Waymire, Mrs. Isabel A. Baldwin, Mrs. Ella E. Greenman, Miss MaryFairbrother, Dr. Sarah I. Shuey, Miss Anna Chase, Mrs. Abbie E. Krebs, Miss Ina Coolbrith, Mrs. Nellie Blessing Eyster, Mrs. FrancesWilliamson. 

The comprehensive booklet published by Miss Selina Solomons, "How WeWon the Vote in California, " preserves scores of these names andcontains a wealth of details in regard to this interesting campaign. 

[16] After the election was over the College League at a generalrequest issued a pamphlet of 139 pages, edited by Louise Herrick Wall, describing in detail its many activities during the campaign, everypage of which is a record of marvelous work. 

[17] The consideration of Secretary of State Frank Jordan wasappreciated in placing the amendment on the ballot with an explanatoryfootnote that would prevent any one from not recognizing it. Thevictory was partly due to this advantage. 

[18] The very complete résumé of the activities of these organizationsmade by Miss Martha A. Ijams, Council Secretary, had to be muchcondensed for lack of space. 

CHAPTER V. 

COLORADO. [19]

In Colorado the period from 1900 to 1920 began and ended with avictory for equal suffrage. In 1901 the woman suffrage law of 1893 wasby vote of the people made a part of the State constitution. In 1919 aspecial session of the Legislature ratified the Federal SuffrageAmendment. A half-century ago, Jan. 4, 1870, Governor Edward M. McCookin his biennial report to the Territorial Legislature had urged it tobe a leader in this "movement of progressive civilization, " but it wastwenty-three years later when the lone example of the sister State, Wyoming, was followed and Colorado became the second State toenfranchise woman. 

When Colorado was admitted into the Union in 1876 a strong effort wasmade to have its constitution provide for equal suffrage but it wasnot successful. School suffrage was given and provision was made thatthe Legislature might at any time submit a measure to the voters forthe complete franchise, which, if accepted by the majority, shouldbecome law. This was done in 1877 and defeated. It was submitted againin 1893 and adopted by a majority of 6, 347. Women were thus entitledto vote on the same terms as men but it was by law and not byconstitutional amendment. Aliens could vote on six months' residenceand on their "first papers, " without completing their citizenship. In1901 the Legislature submitted the following amendment: "Every personover the age of twenty-one years, possessing the followingqualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections: He or sheshall be a citizen of the United States and shall have resided in theState twelve months immediately preceding the election at which he orshe offers to vote. " It is worthy of note that Casimero Barela, knownas the perpetual Senator who had opposed equal suffrage since thequestion was first raised in Territorial days, esteemed it a privilegeto introduce the resolution for this amendment. The vote on Nov. 4, 1901, stood, ayes, 35, 372; noes, 20, 087; carried by a majority of15, 285, which was nearly 64 per cent. Of the vote cast. After a trialof eight years the voters, men and women, thus securely entrenchedwoman suffrage in the State constitution. 

The Equal Suffrage Association has continued its existence in order toassist the women in other States to get the franchise and also to lookafter legislative and civic affairs at home. It has not held annualconventions but its regular monthly meetings have taken place foryears at the Adams Hotel in Denver where they could be attended bymembers from all parts of the State and strangers within the gatesfrom this or other countries. The presidents after Mrs. John L. Routtretired were, Mrs. Katherine T. Patterson, Mrs. Amy K. Cornwall, Professor Theodosia G. Ammons, Mrs. Minerva C. Welch, Mrs. Harriet G. R. Wright (8 years), Mrs. Dora Phelps Buell, Mrs. Honora McPhearson, Mrs. Lucy I. Harrington, Mrs. Katherine Tipton Hosmer, 1918. 

Three of these presidents have passed over the range, Mrs. Routt, wifeof the former Governor; Mrs. Patterson, wife of U. S. Senator ThomasM. Patterson, and Professor Ammons, who established the department ofdomestic science in the Colorado Agricultural College. Two eminent andhighly valued suffragists who have passed away are Mrs. Sarah PlattDecker and the Hon. Isaac N. Stevens. Mrs. Decker, one of the mostaccomplished and forceful of women, was president of the State Boardof Charities and Corrections and vice-president of the first StateCivil Service Commission from 1909 until her death July 7, 1912, inCalifornia during the biennial of the General Federation of Women'sClubs, of which she had been president. Mr. Stevens, editor for yearsof the Colorado Springs _Gazette_ and later of the _Pueblo Chieftain_, member of the Legislature and prominent in politics, was always anardent and influential supporter of woman suffrage. Among the pioneerworkers who are still living are Mrs. Ione T. Hanna, the first womanelected member of a school board in the State; Mrs. Alma V. Laffertyand Mrs. Harriet G. R. Wright, former members of the Legislature; Dr. Mary Barker-Bates, Dr. Minnie C. T. Love, Mrs. William N. Byers, Mrs. James B. Belford and Mrs. Celia Baldwin Whitehead. [20]

The State Association has been non-partisan but its members personallyhave been connected with the various parties. This does not mean thatthey always have voted a straight party ticket; they have not, neitherhave men, and scratched tickets are common. Women do not necessarily"vote just as their husbands do" but many a pair go amicably to thepolls and with perfect good feeling nullify each other's vote. It is anoteworthy fact that during all the years no bill which the Stateassociation actively opposed has been passed by the General Assemblyand every bill which it actively supported has been enacted into law. It has thus conclusively been proved that, while women must bandthemselves together for bettering the condition of their sex and forthe general good of the State, yet having planned together they mustwork out their problems through their political parties. Theassociation has consistently opposed the so-called National Woman'sParty with its "militant" methods, giving wide publicity toresolutions adopted Oct. 2, 1917, which said: "We denounce the methodsand actions of the women 'picketing' the White House as unpatrioticand not in accord with the principles of this association; we declarethey have impugned the good faith of the United States in the eyes ofRussia and other foreign nations . .. And we request the AttorneyGeneral of the United States to institute an investigation of theassociation supporting the 'pickets' and the sources of its moneysupply. .. . "

Though actively engaged with serious problems of State government, ofcity administration and of home economics, the association has neveroverlooked the fact that social activities are essential to goodgovernment and right living and has made its social affairs anoteworthy feature during the past years. 

There has never been any question among the people generally inColorado as to the benefit of woman suffrage. Sanitary conditions areimproved, beginning at everybody's back yard and extending throughevery business place and every public domain in the State. Businessmethods are different. Visiting women say they can tell when in thelarge department stores, groceries, etc. , that the women are voters. Political campaigns are very differently conducted since women have apart in them. Election methods have changed to make election day whatthe men deem fitting since their wives, mothers and sisters are votersand the polling places are unobjectionable. Not only has it beenconceded that the commonwealth has been blest by the votes of thewomen but also that the women themselves have been benefited; theirlives have been enriched by their broadening experiences; their largervision has made possible greater culture; their wider opportunity fordoing has led to more deeds of kindness; their interest in Stategovernment and civic economics has improved their ideas of homegovernment and domestic economy; their assistance in State and civic"house-cleaning" has imbued them with a higher sense of duty tosociety and their own homes. 

From time to time wholly unwarranted attacks were made on the effectsof woman suffrage in Colorado in order to prevent its adoption inother States. During 1908-9 the misrepresentations became so viciousthere was a general feeling that as the men voters largely outnumberedthe women they should not remain silent. Through the efforts ofAssistant District Attorney Omar E. Garwood the Equal Suffrage AidAssociation of men was formed with former Governor Alva Adamspresident; Isaac N. Stevens, vice-president, and Mr. Garwoodsecretary. Prominent men joined it and it rendered such excellentservice in giving authoritative information that in a few years theattacks and misrepresentations almost wholly ceased. Mr. Garwood wenton to New York, where the National Men's League for Woman Suffrage wasorganized with James Lees Laidlaw of New York City as president andMr. Garwood as secretary. He aided in forming similar leagues in otherStates and for several years participated actively in the suffragecampaigns of Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and SouthDakota, and lectured as far south as Mississippi, finding muchinterest in Colorado's experiment. It was believed that the men'sorganizations, actively taking the stand for the enfranchisement ofwomen, contributed substantially to the ultimate success of themovement. In 1915 and following years an obscure lawyer employed bycertain vested interests in Colorado and elsewhere went into easternStates where suffrage amendments were pending and scattered falsestatements about the situation in this State. The newspapers of theEast were flooded with denials by Colorado men, women andorganizations and when they published these he filed suits for libelbut never allowed one of them to come to trial. 

Again and again the Legislature has given official testimony in favorof woman suffrage when it would be helpful. On Jan. 2, 1919, when theU. S. Senate was about to vote on submitting the Federal Amendment, Mrs. Hosmer, president of the State Association; Mrs. Anna M. Scott, first vice-president, and Mrs. Sarah K. Walling, a member of the boardof directors, went before the Legislature at the opening of thesession, asking for a memorial to the Senate urging favorable action. In less than an hour the rules had been suspended in both Houses andthe following resolution passed unanimously:

 Whereas, Colorado has long enjoyed the help and counsel of its women in all political matters of citizenship and by these years of experience demonstrated the benefit to be derived from equal suffrage; and whereas, there is now pending in the Senate of the United States a constitutional amendment providing for national woman suffrage; therefore be it

 Resolved, that we urge the United States Senate to take up and submit this amendment at the earliest possible date in order that all the women of the nation may have the right of suffrage and the nation may have the benefit of their citizenship. 

Both Democratic and Republican parties, and the Populist andProgressive parties when they existed, have stood for equal suffrageand unequivocally endorsed it in their platforms. The appointment ofvice-chairwomen of the political State Committees is a foregoneconclusion. During the memorable campaign of 1914, Mrs. Steele, wifeof the late Chief Justice Robert W. Steele, successfully filled thisplace in the Democratic party during a time fraught with difficulties, as the then Congressional Union opened headquarters in Denver tooppose every Democratic candidate for Congress under the excuse ofholding the party in federal power responsible. The injection of sucha movement in a State where equal suffrage had long been in force andthe women had allied themselves with the parties of their choice, created among them a keen resentment and acrimonious controversy. TheDemocratic Senator, Charles S. Thomas, and Democratic Representativeswho had always been friends of woman suffrage, were re-elected. 

Beginning with 1908 the following women were sent as delegates oralternates to the presidential nominating conventions: Mary C. C. Bradford, Katherine Cook, Anna H. Pitzer, Eugenia Kelley, NancyKirkland, Helen L. Grenfell, Alice B. Clark, Mary Nichols and Anna M. Scott. The following have served as presidential electors: Gertrude A. Lee, Sarah K. Walling, Adella Bailey, Julie Penrose, Anna WolcottVaile. 

On Jan. 1, 1919, one of the most important receptions in Denver wasgiven by the State Equal Suffrage Association to the new Governor, Oliver H. Shoup (Republican) and his wife, and the retiring Governor, Julius C. Gunter (Democrat) and his wife. Both were on the board ofdirectors of the association. It was held in the roof ballroom of theAdams Hotel and was a most democratic affair, all classes beingrepresented, as all had found a common interest in public welfare. Afew months later the association gave a handsomely appointed luncheonat the Adams with Senator Agnes Riddle as guest of honor. Its purposewas to show appreciation of her heroic stand for women when she votedagainst the male appointee of the Governor of her own party to takethe place of a woman expert (a member of the other party) on the Boardof Charities and Correction. 

In May, 1919, when it was known that the Federal Suffrage Amendmentwas certain to be submitted in a short time, the State Associationrequested Governor Shoup to be in readiness to call a special sessionof the Legislature so quickly that Colorado might be the first Stateto ratify. It offered to supply without salary or compensation of anykind all necessary clerks, stenographers, pages and sergeants-at-armsin order that the State should be put to no expense except for themileage of the legislators, whose salaries are paid by the year. Whenthe amendment was finally submitted on June 4 the newspapers, whichhad been loyal to the cause all these years, and the men and womenwhose interest and support had never flagged, were overjoyed withthanksgiving and jubilation. The _Rocky Mountain Herald_ of Denver wasone of the first papers to support the Equal Suffrage Association inasking for an immediate ratification by a special session of theLegislature. The Governor promised to call one eventually but wouldnot consent to do it at once, claiming that legislators from thefarming districts asked for delay. Every possible influence wasbrought to bear on him but the situation remained unchanged. "Forreasons" the party in power (Republican) decreed that, while of coursethe special session must be held, this could not be done until fall orwinter. The members of the association, knowing the futility offurther effort, proceeded to arrange for a public jubilee. 

The meeting was held in the City Park of Denver on the night of June25 in connection with a concert by the city band. Mrs. Hosmer presidedand prayer was offered by Mrs. Almira Frost Hudson. Jubilant speecheswere made by Mrs. Harrington, State Senator E. V. Dunkley and CaptainMorrison Shafroth to an audience of about 1, 500. Governor Shoup wasout of the city but sent a letter to be read. The Mayor wasrepresented by Commissioner J. W. Sharpley. At the Fourth of Julycelebration held under the auspices of the Colorado Patriotic Leagueat the same place, the president of the State suffrage association wasone of the speakers. Her subject was "Woman's First Fourth of July"and so this celebration also took on the nature of a rejoicing overthe new women electorate of the nation. 

RATIFICATION. The Legislature met in special session Dec. 8, 1919, anda resolution for ratification was introduced in Senate and House, inthe latter bearing the names of the two women Representatives, Dr. MayT. Bigelow and Miss Mable Ruth Baker, and that of the Senate the nameof the one woman member, Senator Agnes Riddle, and as passed it boreall three names. It requires three days for action on a resolution andthe ratification was completed on the 12th, both Houses votingunanimously in favor. The day of the final passage was made a greatoccasion for the Equal Suffrage Association. Legislators referred toit in their speeches and Mrs. Walling, one of its board of directors, was escorted to a seat beside Speaker Allyn Cole. Mrs. Hosmer was outof the city. A short recess was taken that the first vice-president, Mrs. Anna M. Scott, might be heard, who made a brief but eloquentspeech. When the time came for the final vote Speaker Cole surrenderedhis place to Representative Bigelow, so that a woman might wield thegavel when the result was announced. [21] The bill went immediately tothe Governor, who signed it on the 15th. Colorado had by thisratification placed the seal of her approval on the twenty-six yearsof woman suffrage in the State. 

During the war, the Woman's State Council of Defense was a mostefficient organization, Governor Gunter saying that he ascribed itsremarkable work to the experience which the women had gained by theirquarter-of-a-century of active citizenship. On June 17, 1920, theState Equal Suffrage Association became incorporated under the name ofthe League of Women Voters with Mrs. Scott as chairman. A number ofprominent eastern women en route to the Democratic national conventionin San Francisco stopped at Denver and were guests at the banquet incelebration of the new league. 

The legislative council of the State Federation of Women's Clubs holdsweekly meetings during the sessions of the Legislature and takes upbills for consideration, particularly those relating to women andchildren, education and public health. After discussion and studythese bills are approved or not approved and the legislators, the clubwomen and the general public are informed as to their action. 

There is no law prohibiting women from filling any offices in theState and it has been said that a really determined effort could placea woman even in that of chief executive. The office of StateSuperintendent of Public Instruction has been filled by a woman since1894 and no man has been nominated for it. Those who have held thisimportant office are Antoinette J. Peavey, Grace Espey Patton, HelenL. Grenfell (three terms), Katharine Craig, Katharine Cook, Helen M. Wixson (two terms), Mary C. C. Bradford from 1915 to the present time. During her second term she was elected president of the NationalEducation Association. Mrs. Walling succeeded Mrs. Sarah Platt Deckeras vice-president of the Civil Service Commission and served sixyears. In 1913 Mrs. Alice Adams Fulton became secretary and chiefexaminer of the commission. Mrs. Mary Wolfe Dargin was appointedregister of the U. S. Land Office in 1915 and Miss Clara Ruth Mozzerto the office of Assistant Attorney General in 1917. There have beenwomen clerks, auditors, recorders and treasurers in seventy-fivecities and towns, including Denver, and several aldermen. Mrs. LydiaTague was elected judge in Eagle county. A few years ago 600 womenwere serving on school boards. 

Prior to the year 1900 nine women had sat in the House ofRepresentatives--three in each Legislature after the passage of theequal suffrage law, and there have been nine or ten since then, anumber of them re-elected. In 1913 Colorado's first woman Senator, Mrs. Helen Ring Robinson, was elected. She was the second in the equalsuffrage States, Mrs. Martha Hughes Cannno of Utah the first. In 1917Mrs. Agnes Riddle was elected. 

FOOTNOTES:

[19] The History is indebted for this chapter to Katherine Tipton(Mrs. George E. ) Hosmer, president of the State Equal SuffrageAssociation. Mrs. Hosmer wishes to express her obligation forassistance in securing data to the past presidents and executiveofficers of the association. 

[20] Among those who worked in the first decade of this century were:Helen L. Grenfell, Mary C. C. Bradford, Ellis Meredith, Hattie E. Westover, Mrs. John F. Shafroth, Minnie J. Reynolds, Gail Laughlin, Drs. Elizabeth Cassady, Jean Gale, Mary Long, Mary E. Bates, Rose KiddBeere and Sarah Townsend; Lillian C. Kerns, Martha A. Pease, AlicePolk Hill, Mrs. A. C. Sisk, Mrs. A. L. Cooper, Bessie Lee Pogue, HelenWixson, Anna M. Scott, Carrie Marshall, Nora B. Wright, LauraHoltzschneider, Hattie Howard, Rosetta Webb, Sarah Purchase, HelenBedford, Inez Johnson Lewis, Eva Rinkle, Evangeline Heartz, Louisa M. Tyler, Mary Nichols, Helen Miller, Louise Blanchard, Margaret Keating, Lillian Hartman Johnson. 

[21] The day before a joint session of the two Houses had been heldthat they might listen to the reading of a poem written for theoccasion by one of the oldest members of the association, Mrs. AlicePolk Hill. 

CHAPTER VI. 

CONNECTICUT. [22]

In 1901 the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association had been inexistence for thirty-two years, and, except for the first two years, Mrs. Isabella Beecher Hooker, who had led the movement for itsorganization, had been its president. Closely associated with herduring all these years was Miss Frances Ellen Burr, who was recordingsecretary from 1869 to 1910. Under her leadership and with the aid ofher husband, John Hooker, an eminent lawyer, legislation had beensecured giving mothers equal guardianship of their children and wivesfull control of their property and earnings. The only concession thathad been made to the steady demand of the women for suffrage was thegrant of the School franchise in 1893 and eligibility to the schoolboards. Interest in woman suffrage was at a low ebb when the newcentury opened. The membership of the association had decreased and atthe State convention in Hartford in 1901 the treasurer's report forthe year showed an expenditure of only $21. 75. The report of thepresident and secretary said: "The work of the association is confinedto the annual fall convention and the legislative hearing. "

A convention for the revision of the State constitution was to meet inHartford at the opening of 1902, whose delegates from the towns andcities were chosen in the fall of 1901. Little was done to securepledges from the candidates but the association obtained theconcession of a room at the Capitol for its use. The National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association sent an organizer--Mrs. Mary Seymour Howellof New York--into the State and paid her salary for four weeks and shespent seven weeks in Hartford, living with Mrs. Hooker and giving hertime to the convention. Mrs. Hooker prepared a Memorial that waspresented and referred to a committee, which refused not only to granta hearing to the suffragists but even to receive for distribution inthe convention the copies of the Memorial which had been printed. Charles Hopkins Clark, editor of the _Courant_, was chairman. Twosuffrage resolutions were presented in the convention at the requestof the State association, by Daniel Davenport of Bridgeport andColonel Norris Osborn of New Haven, and were defeated without debate. 

In 1902 the State convention was held at Collinsville, in spite ofsome unwillingness of local suffragists to "shock the town" by havingsuch a meeting there. By this time Mrs. Hooker, though stillpresident, had largely relinquished the work to Mrs. Elizabeth D. Bacon, the faithful vice-president. A general feeling ofdiscouragement was perceptible in the reports to the convention of1903, which was held at Mrs. Hooker's home in Hartford with only 21delegates present; also to the convention of 1904 in New Haven. Nevertheless it was voted to ask the Legislature for Municipalsuffrage for women. 

During these years the annual expenditures never amounted to $200. In1905 at the convention in Hartford on November 1 the treasurerreported that $137 had been spent. In 1906, when the convention washeld at Meriden, November 2, the disbursements were reported as $162. There were only nine delegates and Mrs. Hooker, who had not attendedthe meetings for two years, was made honorary president, and Mrs. Bacon was elected to the presidency. Mrs. Hooker died in January, 1907, at the age of 85, thus taking from the movement one of the mostbrilliant figures of the early period. 

The convention of 1907 was held in Hartford October 29, and thefollowing year it met in New Haven on October 1. A slightly increasedmembership was reported and some younger women had come into themovement, including Mrs. Jessie Adler of Hartford, who was responsiblelater for the candidacy of Mrs. Thomas N. Hepburn. The expendituresfor 1908 were $265. In 1909 the convention was held at Meriden. It wasreported that the National Association had sent a request toConnecticut for a petition to Congress with a quota of at least30, 000 signatures but that the number collected had fallenconsiderably short of 5, 000. Miss Caroline Ruutz-Rees, principal of aflourishing girls' school in Greenwich, attended as a delegate from anewly formed Equal Franchise League in that town and several young andenthusiastic suffragists, including Mrs. Hepburn, who had lately comeinto the State, were in attendance with the delegation from the EqualRights Club of Hartford. 

In October Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, whose "militant" movement inEngland was attracting world-wide attention, spoke in Hartford. Atthis meeting Mrs. Hepburn met Miss Emily Pierson of Cromwell, ateacher in the Bristol High School. Both received an inspiration fromMrs. Pankhurst and they began a campaign in Hartford, organizingpublic meetings for which they obtained speakers of nationalreputation. To support this work the Hartford Political EqualityLeague (afterwards the Equal Franchise League) was formed with amembership at first of four, all of whom were officers. It quicklyattracted members and got into touch with the equally vigorous andenthusiastic young league in Greenwich. 

In the fall of 1910 the State convention was held at Greenwich, with alarge delegation from these leagues. These younger members had come tothe decision that if any active work was to be done there must be acomplete change in the management of the State Woman SuffrageAssociation, an idea that was warmly endorsed by some of the olderleaders. A new "slate" of officers was presented headed by Mrs. Hepburn, who had consented to nomination on condition that theGreenwich and the Hartford leagues should each pledge $1, 000 for thework of the coming year. Miss Burr had resigned three months beforethe convention the secretaryship which she had held over forty years. The treasurer, Mrs. Mary Jane Rogers, who had been in office forsixteen years, was re-elected and continued to serve until 1913. Thenon her refusal to accept another term she was elected auditor and heldthe office until her death in 1918. In 1912 ex-presidents were put onthe executive board and Mrs. Bacon regularly attended the meetings andaided the newer workers with her experience and advice until her deathin 1918. The income for 1910 had been $400, the largest everreceived. 

The convention of 1911, held in Bridgeport, showed great advance inorganization and general activity. Miss Pierson was elected Stateorganizer and an automobile tour of one of the eight counties wasundertaken in August under her spirited leadership. Thirty-onemeetings were held and fourteen new leagues were formed and affiliatedwith the State association. The income was reported at the conventionas having been $3, 966 and the enrolled membership had increased toover 5, 000. At this convention Mrs. Hepburn declined re-election onaccount of family duties and Mrs. William T. Hincks, president of anew and active league at Bridgeport, was chosen. Mrs. Hepburn remaineda useful member of the board. 

In 1912 the annual convention was held at New Haven, where after muchdifficulty Miss Pierson had organized a flourishing Equal FranchiseLeague with Mrs. Carlos F. Stoddard president. A Political EqualityClub had existed here from before the opening of the century but itsmembership was small and it made no appeal to a large number of womenwho were ready to come out for suffrage. It seemed better, as inHartford in 1909, to form a new organization with younger leaders. 

The annual convention in 1913 was held in Hartford. Mrs. Hincksrefused re-election and Mrs. Hepburn was again chosen, with Mrs. M. Toscan Bennett as treasurer. The work accomplished during the year, asreported at the convention, had included the collection of 18, 000names to a petition to the Legislature for full suffrage for women, while campaigns had covered the smaller cities and towns and resultedin the organization of all the State except one county. 

The convention of 1914 again took place in Hartford and Mrs. Hepburn, with practically the whole board, was re-elected. The work of the yearincluded a "ward campaign, " in which a beginning was made oforganizing on the lines of a political party, automobile campaignscompleting the organization of the whole State; the first suffrageparade took place in Hartford on May 2. Political work had resulted inobtaining a woman suffrage plank in the Democratic State platform. Thetotal income for the year was $17, 779. 

In 1915 at the State convention in Hartford Mrs. Hepburn was againre-elected. The reports included accounts of the activities of thesixty-nine clubs and leagues affiliated with the State association. Inthe Legislature not only had the suffrage measures been turned downbut almost all of those favored by the women, owing to the bitterhostility of the Republican "machine, " by which it had long beendominated. This convention declared in favor of concentrating on Statework, the majority opinion being that it was as yet of no use to workfor the Federal Suffrage Amendment. The income for the year wasreported as $19, 476, this being entirely apart from the money receivedand spent locally by the affiliated leagues. During the year apetition to submit a State amendment with over 43, 000 names of men andwomen had been collected and presented to the Legislature. [23]

The convention of 1916 was held at New Haven and Mrs. Hepburn wasre-elected. The reports showed that the year then ended had been themost active in the history of the association. In the winter of1915-16 work had been undertaken in the counties whose Representativeshad made the worst showing in the preceding Legislature. Miss HelenTodd, who had worked in California in 1911 when its victory wasgained, was secured as the principal speaker for a campaign organizedfor her by Miss Catharine Flanagan of Hartford. Other organizers wereMiss Alice Pierson of Cromwell, Miss Katherine Mullen of New Haven andMiss Daphne Selden of Deep River, Miss Emily Pierson remaining Stateorganizer and directing the work. In the spring of 1916 Miss AlicePierson married Ralph Swetman and during the summer both undertook ahouse to house campaign, with numerous open air meetings in thesmaller towns of Hartford county. The income for the year was $27, 442, nearly all of which was expended. The membership of the Stateassociation by careful count was 32, 366 and the affiliated leaguesand clubs numbered eighty-one. During the year a bulletin fromheadquarters was sent twice a month to each dues-paying member. InJune a delegation went to Chicago and marched under the leadership ofMrs. Grace Gallatin Seton in the great parade of the National SuffrageAssociation that braved the rain and wind on its way to the Coliseum, where the cause of woman suffrage was presented to the ResolutionsCommittee of the Republican National Convention. 

The State convention of 1917 was held in Hartford November 7, 8, andthe reports showed that attention had been concentrated on the threemeasures before the Legislature--a bill for Presidential and Municipalsuffrage; a bill for Excise suffrage (a vote in local option), and aresolution for a State constitutional amendment also but both billswere defeated in House and Senate. The amendment resolution, however, secured a majority in the House and as the constitution provides thatthe House alone shall consider an amendment on its first presentation, this victory insured that it should pass to the next Legislature forfinal action. Through the whole of 1917 much work also was done forthe Federal Suffrage Amendment, deputations being sent to each of theU. S. Senators and Representatives from Connecticut. 

The suffragists felt the urge of patriotism and Mrs. Hepburn in thename of the association offered its services to Governor Marcus A. Holcomb. The offer was graciously received though not definitelyaccepted but requests for clerical help came to suffrage headquarters. In response some 540 hours of work were given by volunteers. A CentralWar Work Committee, under the auspices of the association, was formedin April, immediately after the declaration of war, the chairmanshipheld first by Miss Ruutz-Rees, who had been a member of the executiveboard of the association from 1910. When she was made chairman of theWoman's Division of the State Council of Defense, the chairmanship wastaken by Miss Katharine Ludington and other leading suffragists gavetheir services. The War Work Committee had chiefly to do with foodconservation and $5, 350 were collected by it for this purpose. 

In addition to the money contributed by suffragists for war work, theincome of the association for the year was $29, 933. At this conventionMrs. Hepburn, who had been strongly stirred by the jailing of themembers of the National Woman's Party at Washington, announced herintention of working with that organization and Mrs. Bennett refusedre-election for the same reason. Miss Ludington was elected president, with Miss Mabel C. Washburn as treasurer. Mrs. Seton, who had beenvice-president since 1910, retained her position and Miss Ruutz-Reesremained. Miss Ludington had shown her qualifications for the Statepresidency, first as president of the Old Lyme Equal Franchise League, then as chairman of New London county and during 1917 by herorganizing and executive ability as chairman of the War WorkCommittee. At the annual convention of 1918 held at New Haven, she wasre-elected. The year had been a peculiarly difficult one on account ofthe absorption of many women in war work but the income was $30, 085, of which $1, 879 had been contributed for the oversea hospitals of theNational Suffrage Association. The work of the year had been directedtowards (1) the Federal Suffrage Amendment and the securing of afavorable Connecticut delegation to Congress; (2) influencing the twomajor parties in the State to include suffrage planks in theirplatforms; (3) securing the election of members of the Legislature whowould be favorable to ratification. 

At the jubilee convention of 1919, held at Bridgeport after theFederal Amendment had been submitted in June, a new constitution wasadopted, which provided for the election of five political leaders inaddition to the other officers and an organization of the State bycounties and districts, looking towards the forming later of a Leagueof Women Voters. During the year there had been a financial campaign, which was carried on under the direction of Mrs. Nancy Schoonmaker, resulting in gifts and pledges amounting to $30, 993, of which $25, 813were paid at the time of the convention. The total income for the yearwas $63, 398. Miss Ludington was again elected and most of the otherofficers remained on the board. After thorough discussion it wasresolved that the policy of the association for 1919-20 should be tooppose especially the small group of Republican politicians who hadblocked and were persistently blocking the progress of womansuffrage. This resolution pledged the association to a fight againstthe Republican "machine, " which was made with intense determination. 

RATIFICATION. The final struggle came in 1920 over ratification of theFederal Suffrage Amendment. Great efforts had been made to obtain amajority favorable to it in the Legislature that would meet in 1919and had Congress submitted it in time to be voted on at the regularsession it would doubtless have been ratified, as both parties knew itwas inevitable. It was not passed by Congress, however, until June 4, and by this time the Legislature had adjourned, not to meet again fortwo years unless called in special session. All that the suffragistswere able to do during the winter of 1919 was to press for aPresidential suffrage bill such as had been adopted by a number ofStates. In support of this a petition signed by over 98, 000women--increased afterwards to 102, 000--was presented to theLegislature when the bill came up for consideration. Nevertheless, through the intense hostility of the Republican "machine, " the billwas defeated by a single vote in the Senate after having received alarge majority in the House. 

When Congress finally sent the amendment to the Legislatures most ofthem had adjourned and would not meet again until 1921. If women wereto vote in the general election of November, 1920, ratification wouldhave to be by special sessions. The suffragists of Connecticut weredetermined that it should be one of the States to hold an extrasession. Deputations from the State Association and the NationalWoman's Party waited upon Governor Holcomb in the summer of 1919 toask that he call one in order to ratify the amendment. He refused onthe ground of a constitutional limitation of the Governor's power. TheState constitution provides that the Governor may convene the GeneralAssembly "on special emergencies" and he held that no specialemergency existed. The association then concentrated on the RepublicanState Central Committee and the other leaders whom they considered thechief opponents of suffrage. A petition signed by 478 prominentmembers of the Republican party was presented to the chairman of thiscommittee on Feb. 11, 1920, by the Men's Ratification Committee--acommittee friendly to woman suffrage and anxious for the ending ofthe long struggle, which had been formed with Colonel Isaac M. Ullmanchairman. No effect was produced by this petition nor by an interviewwith John Henry Roraback, the State chairman, by Miss Ludington, inwhich he was urged to put Connecticut among the 36 States necessaryfor ratification, in order that the women might be able to feel thatsuffrage had been granted them by their own State. 

By March 35 Legislatures had ratified and only a group of three orfour States held out any hope of the 36th and final ratification, ofwhich Connecticut was one. Leading Republicans in and out of Congresstried to impress upon those in Connecticut that this was no longer aState but a national issue. At their State convention in March theResolutions Committee gave a hearing to the suffragists and reported aresolution in favor of a special session, which was passed by theconvention and presented to the Governor. It then returned to powerthe very men who would prevent it. The Governor remained obdurate. Tothe first petition he had replied that the desire of a few women didnot create an emergency. Then he had argued that suffrage was not anissue when the Legislature was elected and therefore the legislatorswere not authorized by the voters to act upon it. A little later hegave it as his opinion that persistent appeals do not constitute anemergency. Finally on April 10, in reply to a letter from ColonelUllman, he stated that he was ready to receive proof of the existenceof an emergency. The Connecticut women decided to give him the proofand the National Suffrage Association offered its cooperation bysending women from all over the country to Connecticut to join in agreat protest against the blocking of woman suffrage for the wholenation. May 3-7, 1920, was declared "emergency week" and a SuffrageEmergency Corps was organized of 46 eminent women from as many States. They assembled in New York the evening of Sunday, May 2, as dinnerguests of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the national president, andreceived their "marching orders and field instructions" from her andMiss Ludington. 

The Emergency Corps arrived in Hartford Monday morning and were guestsat a luncheon given in their honor at the Golf Club, whose rooms werecrowded with men and women to meet these doctors, lawyers, professors, scientists, officials, business women, presidents oforganizations--a remarkable gathering. There were roll call andspeeches and then they separated into four groups and departed bymotors for the four largest cities, where they spoke at mass meetingsin the evening. A carefully planned tour was made of thirty-six townswith a total of forty-one meetings, at which they were introduced andassisted by prominent men. Mrs. Catt spoke to a large audience inWoolsey Hall, New Haven, with Mayor Fitzgerald presiding. The objectof the campaign was to show the sentiment in the State for a specialsession of the Legislature and a resolution calling for it wasenthusiastically adopted at each meeting. 

The Governor appointed Friday morning at 11:30 for the interview andthe visitors and the officers and staff of the State SuffrageAssociation were at the Capitol. Every possible point bearing on thecase was brought out by the speakers and they pleaded with theGovernor to settle this question of ratification by a stroke of hispen for the women of the whole nation. He said he would reserve hisdecision till he had carefully considered their arguments, and theywent out to report to the mass meeting in progress on the grounds ofthe Capitol. The following Tuesday he made public his answer, whichwas that, while the arguments proved that there was a strong desirefor a special session, they did not prove the existence of the"special emergency" mentioned in the constitution and he feltcompelled to decline. 

A petition asking for a special session was then sent to the Governorsigned by a majority of both parties in both Houses of theLegislature, which had not the slightest effect. The State associationheld a meeting and resolved to try to defeat those Republicancandidates who were opposed to ratification and especially the littlegroup who composed the Republican "machine. " Miss Ludington issued amanifesto giving in detail their action which had determined thispolicy and saying:

 Our fight now is "November, 1920. " One of the most important presidential elections in years is to be held then. Women are just as vitally affected by it and as deeply interested in it as men. Although 35 out of the necessary 36 States have ratified, no women can vote in this election under the Federal Amendment until the 36th State has ratified. It is curious how slow the public--women as well as men--have been to realize this. They talk of our being "almost" voters. They do not seem to understand that although Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, etc. , have ratified the amendment, the women of these States will not vote until the 36th State ratifies. Who is responsible for the delay which may keep over 10, 000, 000 women from the vote for President and about 20, 000, 000 from the vote for members of Congress, State officials, etc. ? Both political parties but the Republican in greater degree. .. . It lies in the power of this party to speak the word that will fully enfranchise the women of this country and where there is power there is responsibility. 

 "But, " the Republicans say, "we have given you 29 States. Think of that! You ought to be grateful to us. " "Exactly, " we answer, "but you have withheld that one State which would make just the difference between our voting or not voting. And by the way you didn't 'give' us those 29 States--we had to work pretty hard to get some of them!" An emancipator is not the man who takes the prisoner all the way to the door and lets him look out but the man who actually unlocks the door and lets him go free. Once in history the Republican party played the part of a genuine emancipator. Now it looks very much as if it was playing petty politics. .. . At the time of the last State Republican convention the Hartford _Courant_ obligingly explained that the suffrage resolution it passed was a pretense and really meant nothing--a statement, it is only fair to say, repudiated by many honorable Republicans. Now it is Chairman Roraback, who, with happy unconsciousness that he is exhibiting his party in a "yellow" light, tells the public that the national Republican platform should not be taken seriously. .. . "The leaders of the party, " he says, "put in the suffrage plank to please women in the voting States but they meant nothing by it. " Are the men who are to lead a great party as double-faced and untrustworthy as Mr. Roraback paints them? Were they laughing in their sleeves as they wrote the solemn pledges in the rest of the national platform? We wonder if Connecticut Republicans will let Mr. Roraback smirch the party honor unchallenged. 

 The course for the State Suffrage Association is clear. We must play our part in this sector of the national suffrage struggle and we must let our opponents see that they can not keep American citizens out of their fundamental rights with impunity. 

A committee of Republican women circulated a pledge to give no moneyor work for the Republican party as long as women had no votes. Threeinfluential Republican women travelled to Columbus, O. , to put beforethe Republican National Executive Committee the opinions of Republicanwomen who were questioning the sincerity of the party in regard towoman suffrage. In August thirty Connecticut women, headed by MissLudington, went to New York by appointment to call upon Will Hays, chairman of the National Republican Committee, and ask him what theparty was doing to secure ratification in Connecticut. He receivedthem in the national headquarters and Miss Ludington, who spoke forthe deputation, reminded him that his party was taking the credit forthe ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment thus far but notbringing any effective pressure on the Republican Governors ofConnecticut and Vermont, each of whom could insure its full success, and said: "What the women want is the vote in November. What theparties apparently want is a good record as a talking point in thecoming campaign. What to the women is the supremely important thing isthat 36th State. What to the parties seems to be most important is toexact their full due of gratitude from women who have not as yetreceived the gift that was promised. .. . In our own State, where theRepublican party is responsible, the women are actually being calledupon to aid its campaign while it is repudiating the policy andpromises of the national party in regard to ratification. "

The speaker then quoted the resolution adopted by the NationalRepublican Committee Dec. 10, 1919, calling for special sessionsbefore February to complete ratification, accompanied by the publicstatement: "The party managers will cooperate with the women in adetermined effort to bring about the calling of special sessions. " Shequoted the resolution passed by this committee June 1, 1920: "SuchRepublican States as have not already done so are urged to take suchaction by their Governors and legislators as will assure theratification at the earliest possible time. " She then gave a part ofthe plank in the national Republican platform adopted two months ago:"We earnestly hope that Republican Legislatures which have not yetacted will ratify the 19th Amendment to the end that all women mayparticipate in the election of 1920, " and said: "We have had no proofas yet that the party means to make good on these declaredintentions--in fact many things seem to point the other way; first, the Republican failure to ratify in Delaware; second, the weak plankin the Republican national platform, which was emasculated _at therequest of the Connecticut delegates_ until it was an affront to theintelligence of women and a mockery of the Connecticut and VermontLegislatures; third, the present situation in Connecticut. 

"From the time when suffrage became an issue, " Miss Ludingtoncontinued, "it has had the opposition of the leaders of the Republicanparty in this State. Since the amendment passed Congress they haveresisted every expression of public opinion, every plea forratification on grounds of justice and fair play. For a year thesuffragists have tried sincerely and patiently to work in and with theRepublican party to overcome this opposition, and have beencooperating with a Republican Men's Ratification Committee formed forthis purpose, but we are apparently no nearer a special session thanwe were a year ago. " She then concluded:

 During all this time we have had no evidence that the National Republican Committee was really working in the State. We have found it very difficult to reach you personally and our appeals for specific help have been ignored. Mr. Roraback and Major John Buckley, secretary to the Governor, have stated that he has never been asked by you to call a session. They evidently feel, and wish the public to understand, that the National Republican Committee has given them a free hand to pursue their obstructionist course. And to confirm this comes President-elect Harding's refusal to attempt to persuade Governor Holcomb. 

 In the meantime, we women are being told that the Republican party can not be held responsible, because the Governor stands alone in his opposition! We submit that so long as the official leaders of the party in the State are in entire harmony with him in opposing us and the national party keeps hands off, they are accomplices in his opposition and must be held responsible accordingly. And we further submit that if a national party is to come before the voters on the basis of its policies and promises, then it must be held responsible for making those promises good through its State branches. .. . If the Connecticut Republican leaders can play a free hand without interference from the national party, then that party faces the alternative of either admitting powerlessness and disintegration or of being an accomplice in the State's attitude of repudiation. 

 Connecticut women will remain voteless unless their State or Vermont or a southern State ratifies. The Republican party can help us in two ways--either by giving a solid Republican vote in Tennessee or by putting forth a really vigorous effort in a New England State. 

The situation in Connecticut remained unchanged but about two weeksafter this interview the Tennessee Legislature ratified by means ofboth Republican and Democratic votes. This made the 36th State andSecretary Colby proclaimed the Federal Suffrage Amendment a part ofthe National Constitution. The Democrats were claiming the credit andthe general election was only two months away. The Republicans, especially those in Connecticut, keenly felt the situation. GovernorHolcomb was obliged to call a special session to enact legislation forregistering the women. The Legislature was called to meet September 14and the Governor warned it that it must restrict itself to thebusiness outlined in the call. No such restriction had ever beforebeen laid upon a Connecticut Legislature and the Governor himself twoyears before had urged that he was powerless to prevent it fromenacting any bills that it pleased when once it had been called inspecial session. The members of House and Senate were almost unanimousin resenting this attempt to fetter their action and plans were laidto ratify the Federal Amendment. 

Before September 14, however, developments in regard to the Tennesseeratification seemed to threaten its validity and Governor Holcomb andthe Republican leaders perceived that there was an emergency whichcalled for ratification by Connecticut to prevent difficulty in thecoming elections. This was especially apparent to U. S. Senator FrankB. Brandegee, who had been an uncompromising opponent of the FederalSuffrage Amendment and voted against it every time it came before theSenate. He sent an urgent letter to Colonel Ullman, chairman of theMen's Ratification League, in which he said: "In view of the fact thatthe validity of the ratification of the amendment by the State ofTennessee has been questioned and that the result of the entireelection throughout the country may be imperilled thereby, and inconsideration of the fact that the amendment is certain to be ratifiedby more than the required number of States as soon as theirLegislatures assemble in 1921, I earnestly hope that the Legislatureof Connecticut will ratify it. "[24]

As soon as the special session opened Governor Holcomb went before itand asked it to adjourn without action, as he intended to issueanother call for it to meet a week hence to ratify the amendment aswell as to enact the necessary legislation. Both House and Senaterefused to accede to his request but by unanimous vote in the Senateand by a vote of 216 to 11 in the House, the Federal SuffrageAmendment was ratified, although the Governor had not submitted thecertified copy to them. [25] After passing a number of other bills, allof which were outside of the limits set by the Governor, theLegislature adjourned to September 21, when the second session hadbeen called. 

When the Legislature met on September 21 the Governor appeared beforethe two Houses and asked them to ratify the amendment which he nowlaid before them. Many of the members were unwilling to do this, as itseemed a confession that their former action was invalid. Wisercounsels prevailed, especially as Miss Ludington and the State Boardstrongly urged them not to allow their scruples to stand in the waywhen there might be a possible doubt as to whether the firstratification was legal. The amendment was again ratified, by theSenate unanimously, the House 194 to 9. Later in the day a motion wasmade to reconsider and confirm the action of the first session. Thiswas done to satisfy the members who were determined that the firstrecord should stand as authentic. Thus after a struggle lasting overfifteen months, the Legislature at its first opportunity ratified theFederal Suffrage Amendment, once, twice and thrice, and if there wasany doubt about Tennessee there was none whatever about Connecticut. 

 * * * * *

The long fight for ratification and the contest against SenatorBrandegee made it impossible to organize a League of Women Voters in1920. On November 8 and 9, after the election was over, theConnecticut Woman Suffrage Association held its last convention inHartford. It voted to keep the organization in existence for a coupleof months until a league could be formed and then, without furtherceremony, to dissolve. Preliminary organization work was continued andon Jan. 18, 1921, at a convention in New Haven the League of WomenVoters came into existence with Miss Mabel C. Washburn chairman. [26]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The Connecticut Legislature has only a melancholyrecord of defeats, having given the women nothing except a vote forschool trustees and on some school questions in 1893. 

1901. A bill for Municipal suffrage was adversely reported fromcommittee and defeated. 

1903. The same bill was defeated in the House on roll call by 105noes, 40 ayes; in the Senate without roll call. 

1905. The same measure had a favorable report from the Joint WomanSuffrage Committee but it was not accepted by House or Senate. 

1907. In addition to the Municipal suffrage bill the associationpresented one for Presidential suffrage. The Senate rejected bothwithout a roll call; House vote on Municipal suffrage, noes, 86; ayes, 56; on Presidential, noes 93; ayes, 55. 

1909. For the usual bill the Legislature substituted one giving womena vote on levying a tax for maintaining a public library, which passedthe Senate without roll call and the House by 82 ayes, 50 noes. Itnever was put into operation. 

1911. The two usual bills received unanimous favorable reports fromcommittees. The Municipal passed the Senate but was defeated in theHouse, both without roll call. A resolution to submit an amendment wasdefeated in the House, not voted on in the Senate. 

1913. State constitutional amendment defeated in the Senate by 20noes, 9 ayes, and in the House without roll call. 

1915. The above action was repeated except that both Houses defeatedwithout a roll call. 

1917. Three measures were introduced--a bill for Presidential andMunicipal suffrage, a bill giving women a vote in local optionelections and the amendment resolution. The two bills were fought withgreat determination. The first was defeated in the Senate by 19 noes, 13 ayes; in the House by 149 noes, 85 ayes. The Excise bill was tabledin the Senate, rejected in the House by 139 noes, 69 ayes. Theresolution passed the House by 138 ayes, 96 noes and was referred tothe next Legislature for final action, as required by law. 

1919. The State constitutional amendment came automatically before theLegislature but a legal opinion given by former Governor Baldwin heldthat it would sweep away the literacy test for voters and the suffrageleaders, who doubted the wisdom of going to the work and expense of areferendum campaign when the Federal Amendment was so near, were gladto have so good a reason for not pressing the matter. The Presidentialsuffrage bill secured a majority favorable report from the Joint WomanSuffrage Committee and it passed in the House by a majority of 27. Inthe Senate the Republican "machine" was determined to defeat it. Inthe first vote there was a majority of two against it but onreconsideration there was only one. The "machine" only defeated it bywinning a few Democratic votes. The fight over this measure had beenmade with skill and courage by the women against the most determinedopposition on the part of the Republican "machine, " which since 1900had completely controlled both Houses. 

The chairman of the Republican State Central Committee, John HenryRoraback, and Major John Buckley, secretary to the Governor, wereaccounted by the women their most bitter enemies and Speaker of theHouse James F. Walsh used his large powers to defeat the suffragebills. Of the fifteen important House committees anti-suffragists heldeleven of the chairmanships. The chairman of the Woman SuffrageCommittee, Admiral William S. Cowles, was an "anti" but in spite ofhis influence the committee report was favorable. This was due to theprogress of public sentiment, accelerated by the work of women duringthe war and to the organization for suffrage which had been goingforward. Of the more progressive group of Republicans in theLegislature who fought for suffrage may be mentioned LieutenantGovernor Clifford Wilson, Senators John B. Dillon, Charles E. Williamson, William H. Heald, Arthur E. Bowers and RepresentativeHarry R. Sherwood. Senator Charles C. Hemenway, Democratic leader andeditor of the Hartford _Times_, was one of its most valuablesupporters. 

The liquor forces always employed lobbyists against the suffrage billsand fought the movement secretly and openly. There were a number ofprominent women opposed but they were not organized until aroused bythe activity that followed the election of Mrs. Hepburn as presidentin 1910. The State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage was thenformed with Mrs. Daniel Markham as president and she held the officeuntil the proclamation of the Federal Suffrage Amendment put an end toher organization. It held occasional meetings with speakers fromoutside the State. The members attended legislative hearings and atthe large one on the Municipal and Excise bills in 1917 they occupiedthe right of the chamber with row on row of the liquor men back ofthem wearing the red rose which was their emblem. 

As the Democrats constituted a minority party it was always easier tosecure from them expressions favorable to woman suffrage and in 1916and 1918 such planks were placed in their platform. In 1918 theydeclared for the Federal Suffrage Amendment and a majority of thoseelected pledged themselves to vote for ratification, if it came beforethe Legislature, and did vote for the Presidential suffrage bill. Thewomen went to the Republicans conventions each year to ask for asuffrage plank but were steadily unsuccessful. In 1916 the Stateplatform reaffirmed the national one, which declared in favor of womansuffrage. In 1918 the Republican platform included a plank approvingthe principle of woman suffrage but leaving it to the States foraction and not to a Federal Amendment. 

FOOTNOTES:

[22] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Annie G. Porritt, journalist, author and lecturer, officially connected withthe Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association from 1910 as corresponding, recording and press secretary. 

[23] In June, 1915, a branch of the Congressional Union (later theNational Woman's Party), was organized with Mrs. William D. Ascough aschairman. At that time the Woman Suffrage Association was giving itsattention almost exclusively to State work and the new organizationbegan by sending deputations to each of the Congressmen and Senatorsto ask support for the Federal Suffrage Amendment. Meetings and apress service to promote the amendment were carried on untilratification was completed. Connecticut members took part in everynational demonstration of the Union and eleven suffered terms ofimprisonment. Annual conventions were held each year and in 1918 Mrs. Thomas N. Hepburn was elected chairman, Mrs. Ascough having removedfrom the State. The Union raised money for the ratification campaignsin New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, West Virginia, Delaware andTennessee and sent workers to assist them and also to secure a specialsession in Vermont. 

[24] Notwithstanding this letter the State Suffrage Association usedits whole strength against Senator Brandegee's election on November 2. It was estimated that 90 per cent. Of the women voted. Although thebig Republican landslide elected him he received 12, 446 fewer votesthan the Republican candidate for President. 

[25] A certified copy of this vote was immediately dispatched toWashington by Miss Flanagan, one of the National Woman's Partyworkers, and Secretary of State Colby accepted it as valid. It istherefore on record in Washington that Connecticut ratified theFederal Suffrage Amendment on September 14, 1920. 

[26] The officers of the State Association from 1901 to 1920, besides the presidents, not already mentioned, were as follows:Vice-presidents, Mrs. Annie C. S. Fenner, 1906-1910; corresponding andrecording secretaries, Mrs. Ella B. Kendrick, Mrs. Marcia West, Mrs. Jessie Adler, Mrs. Annie G. Porritt, Miss Mabel C. Washburn, Mrs. Frederick C. Spencer, Mrs. Hiram P. Maxim, Mrs. William H. Deming, Mrs. Samuel T. Davis, Jr. , Mrs. S. H. Benton, Mrs. William C. Cheney. 

Among those who served in other official capacities were Mesdames E. J. Warren, Cynthia B. Fuller, Henrietta J. Pinches, A. Barton Hepburn, Julius Maltby, H. H. DeLoss, Carlos F. Stoddard, Henry Townshend, Jonathan A. Rawson, T. S. McDermott, Ruth McIntire Dadourian; MissesEmily Whitney, Mary A. Goodman, Mary Bulkley, Frances Osborn. 

The names of the many women who gave devoted service to this causeduring this score of years can never be recorded. 

CHAPTER VII. 

DELAWARE. [27]

During the past twenty years the advocates of woman suffrage havecontinued to suffer from the handicap peculiar to Delaware--noreferendum to the voters possible on constitutional amendments--andtherefore it never has had the advantage of a State-wide educationalcampaign. An amendment must be passed by two-thirds of each branch ofthe Legislature at two successive sessions and it then becomes a partof the constitution. However, the State Equal Suffrage Association hasheld conventions every year. Many distinguished advocates from outsidethe State, including Miss Susan B. Anthony, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Miss Mary Garrett Hay, Mrs. Beatrice ForbesRobertson Hale, Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Mrs. Frank A. Vanderlip and Mrs. Borden Harriman, have been among the speakers. Prominent endorsers ofwoman suffrage have been the State Grange, Grand Army of the Republic, Ministerial Union, Central Labor Union and Woman's ChristianTemperance Union. The last is the only leading woman's organization togive official sanction. 

The annual State convention was held Nov. 6, 1901, at Newport, withthree clubs--Wilmington, Newport and New Castle--under the presidencyof Mrs. Martha S. Cranston. Dr. Shaw, vice-president-at-large of theNational Association, was the speaker and the presence of reporterswas an encouraging feature. 

The convention of 1902 took place November 8 in Wilmington. Miss JaneCampbell, president of the large Philadelphia county society, andHenry W. Wilbur of the Friends' society, New York, were the speakersfrom outside the State. During this year the W. C. T. U. And theWilmington District Epworth League passed suffrage resolutions. TheLife and Work of Susan B. Anthony was placed in travelling libraries. Women were urged to pay their taxes "under protest. " The Newport Clubpetitioned that the word "male" be omitted from the new town charterbut without success. Governor John Hunn in his Message to theLegislature said: "The time is coming when the participation of womenin all our civil affairs will be voluntarily sought as an infusion ofindispensable new elements into our citizenship. "

The convention of 1903 was held November 28 at Newport, with MissHarriet May Mills of New York as the chief speaker. The master of theState Grange declared his belief this year in the equality of thesexes and urged that some provisions be made for the higher educationof Delaware women. The convention of 1904 was held November 22 inWilmington with an address by Dr. Shaw and $25 were pledged to theNational Association. In 1905 the convention was held November 4 inNew Castle, with Dr. Shaw the speaker. A pledge of $25 was again madeto the National Association and Delaware's quota to the Oregoncampaign was subscribed. The State convention took place at Newport onNov. 6, 1906. This year the G. A. R. Endorsed both State and nationalsuffrage. 

The convention held Oct. 2, 1907, in Wilmington, arranged to send theState president to the congressional suffrage hearing at Washington. The outside speaker was Mrs. Susan S. Fessenden of Massachusetts. Achairman of church work was appointed. Reports showed that muchsuffrage sentiment was now manifested in the State. 

The convention of Nov. 12, 1908, at Newport, was addressed by Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery and Miss Lucy E. Anthony, the latter describingthe great suffrage parade in London in which she had taken part. Amemorial to David Ferris, a prominent friend of woman suffrage, wasread by Miss Emma Worrell. The Higher Education of the Young Women ofDelaware was discussed by Professor H. H. Hayward, dean of Agriculturein Delaware College. 

The convention of Nov. 29, 1909, in Wilmington, was addressed by MissCampbell and Miss Mary Winsor of Haverford, Penn. Memorials to HenryB. Blackwell and William Lloyd Garrison were read by Mrs. Gertrude W. Nields. The national petition work for a Federal Amendment wasundertaken in Wilmington with Miss Mary R. De Vou and Mrs. Don P. Jones in charge; in the rest of the State by Mrs. Cranston. Legislators and the State at large were deluged with literature. MissPerle Penfield, a national organizer, was sent for one week bycourtesy of Mrs. Avery, president of the Pennsylvania association. Ahearing was arranged by Professor Hayward before a Senate committee inthe interest of the higher education of women in Delaware, withoutresult. [28] A telegram and a letter were sent by the State presidentand corresponding secretary to President Theodore Roosevelt, askinghim to remember woman suffrage in his message to Congress. 

The annual convention held Nov. 10, 1910, in Wilmington, was addressedby Miss Lida Stokes Adams of Philadelphia and Frank Stephens of theArden Colony near by. A fine tribute to Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, who hadrecently passed away, was given by Miss Worrell. The Newport and otherclubs sent $30 for the Susan B. Anthony Memorial Fund and acontribution was made to the South Dakota campaign. 

In March the society of Wilmington, the largest branch, began holdingmonthly meetings. In response to a letter from the NationalAssociation, Miss Mary H. Askew Mather, Miss de Vou and Miss Emma Lorewere appointed to investigate the laws of Delaware affecting thestatus of women in regard to their property rights and theguardianship of their children. A committee was appointed to supportthe candidacy of Dr. Josephine M. R. White deLacour for membership onthe school board of Wilmington, where women had school suffrage. Thisyear woman suffrage in Delaware lost another friend by the death offormer Chief Justice Charles B. Lore, who framed the petition to theState constitutional convention in 1897 and who stood unfailingly forthe equality of men and women before the law. The State convention metNov. 9, 1911, at Newport. 

At the State convention held Nov. 20, 1912, in Wilmington, addresseswere made by Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, State president of Ohio, andMiss Harriet May Mills State president of New York; and on the subjectWhy Delaware Needs a College for Women by Mrs. Emalea P. Warner andDr. Hayward. It was decided to have a bill presented to theLegislature of 1913 for striking the word "male" from the constitutionof the State. A branch club had been formed at the Arden Single TaxColony. The State association had held 22 meetings. 

On Jan. 4, 1913, a delegation from the Wilmington club was granted ahearing before the Charter Commission and asked for a clause in theproposed new city charter giving Municipal suffrage to women. Nine ofthe ten commissioners were present and arguments were presented byMiss Worrell, Mrs. Margaret H. Kent, Mrs. Cranston, Arthur R. Spaid, county superintendent of schools; George B. Miller, president of theboard of education; Miss Grace B. Tounsend and Miss de Vou. This wasrefused and the charter was defeated by an overwhelming majority withno suffrage clause to handicap it. In February the club held a largepublic meeting at the New Century Club with the Rev. Dr. George EdwardReed, former president of Dickinson College, as the speaker. The cluborganized a municipal section to study the work of the city boards andto offer assistance in forwarding civic improvement, which wasaddressed by the Mayor and heads of departments. The State associationwas represented in the great suffrage parade in New York City on May 4by Mrs. J. R. Milligan and Miss Tounsend. 

At the State convention in Wilmington Nov. 6, 1913, fraternaldelegates were present from the W. C. T. U. , Consumers' League andJuvenile Court Association. Addresses were made by Irving Warner, Mrs. Mary Ware Dennett, corresponding secretary of the NationalAssociation, and Miss Mabel Vernon, of the Congressional Union. Themusic was generously furnished as usual by the treasurer, Miss Lore. There were now 174 dues-paying members and 560 registeredsympathizers; 12 executive sessions had been held and 35 meetings, 18outdoors, and 10, 000 fliers and leaflets distributed. On February18-20, the association was sponsor for "General" Rosalie Jones and herPilgrim Band en route from New York to Washington, D. C. Mayor Howellof Wilmington welcomed them in the City Hall and they were guests atthe Garrick Theater, where they spoke between acts to an overcrowdedhouse. The State association was well represented in the famous paradein Washington, D. C. , on March 3, and again on April 7 when 531 womenfrom various States marched to the Capitol bearing special messages tomembers of Congress, urging their support of the Federal Amendment. Atent was established at the State Fair in September, realizing a longcherished desire of the president, with Miss Ella W. Johnson incharge. The two organizations joined forces and opened headquarters inWilmington, from which petitions to Congress were circulated and muchliterature sent out. 

The annual convention was held Oct. 30, 1914, at Dover, the Statecapital but with no suffrage club. Secretary of State James H. Hugheswelcomed the convention for vice-Mayor McGee, who refused to do so. The speakers were Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley of New York, Samuel H. Derbyof Kent county and Mrs. Florence Bayard Hilles, Delaware chairman ofthe Congressional Union. In Wilmington a meeting was held February 15in honor of Miss Anthony's birthday, with Miss Anna Maxwell Jones ofNew York as the speaker. In April on Arbor Day a "suffrage oak" wasplanted, Mayor Howell presiding. In May a successful parade, thefirst, was given in Wilmington with Mrs. Hilles in command. InSeptember both political State conventions were asked to endorse womansuffrage but refused. Two rooms were furnished by and named in honorof the State association, one at the Industrial School for Girls inClaymont and one at the College for Women in Newark. It again had atent at the State Fair; prizes were given in the schools for the bestessays on woman suffrage; Lucy Stone's birthday was honored in August13; members were enrolled by the hundreds and fifteen executivemeetings were held. The City Council's invitation was accepted tomarch in the Old Home Week parade. 

The convention for 1915 took place on November 11, in Wilmington, withspeakers, Dr. Shaw, Miss Worrell on Elizabeth Cady Stanton's 100thBirthday; Miss Ethel Smith of Washington, D. C. , on National Work. Mrs. Cranston, "the Susan B. Anthony of Delaware, " the association'sfirst and only president since January, 1896, retired and was madehonorary president. Mrs. Mary Clare Brassington was elected hersuccessor. This year connection was severed with the CongressionalUnion, which unexpectedly announced its purpose of forming anotherState society, while the old association continued its affiliationwith the National American. Three mass meetings were held with MissJanet Richards, Mrs. Beatrice Forbes Robertson Hale and Mrs. BayardHilles the speakers. The association was represented in May in theparade of the Woman Suffrage Party in Philadelphia, under the auspicesof the National Association. 

The annual convention met Nov. 10, 1916, in Wilmington, with Chas. A. Wagner, State Commissioner of Education; Chas. W. Bush and Dr. Shaw asspeakers. Mrs. Brassington had been appointed to take part in thesuffrage demonstrations at the Republican and Democratic nationalconventions in Chicago and St. Louis. The State Central Committeeswere again petitioned in vain for an endorsement of woman suffrage. 

At the State convention held in Newport, Nov. 22, 1917, a $500 pledgewas made to the National Association. A telegram of congratulation hadbeen sent to Governor John G. Townsend, Jr. , upon the declaration forwoman suffrage in his inaugural address. Miss Lola Trax, a nationalorganizer, was in the State five weeks, forming centers, and manymeetings were held. Federal Amendment Day was observed by tableaux onthe Court House steps in Wilmington, with Mrs. Florence Updegraff, national organizer, and Miss Ospina, local congressional chairman, incharge, Mrs. Brassington presiding, to whom a farewell luncheon wasgiven, as she was removing from the State. She was succeeded by MissAgnes Y. Downey, first vice-president. 

The annual convention in Wilmington Nov. 29, 1918, was addressed byMrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president and Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, recording secretary of the National Association. Mrs. Albert Robin waselected president. In May a congressional petition campaign waslaunched at a large subscription luncheon given in Hotel DuPont, Wilmington, with Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Frank Vanderlip, Mrs. Maud Wood Parkand Mrs. J. Borden Harriman guests of honor and speakers. Mrs. J. Frank Ball, State vice-president, presided. Miss Mabel Willard, acting for the National Association, conducted the petition "drive"and secured 175 volunteer workers, who enrolled 11, 118 names toinfluence the votes of Delaware's U. S. Senators on the FederalAmendment. Mrs. Robin being absent from the State, Mrs. Ball becameacting president. A conference with U. S. Senator Josiah O. Wolcottwas held at her home in June, a large number of prominent personsbeing present, at which the Senator declared himself open toconviction. Mrs. Halsey Wilson gave a week in September to work in theState. An active educational campaign was carried on until theNovember elections and suffrage literature was distributed at thepolls. 

The State convention took place in November, 1919, at Dover, with Mrs. Raymond Brown, national vice-president, as the principal speaker. Amemorial address for Dr. Anna Howard Shaw was presented by Mrs. Cranston. At the reception given in the State House by GovernorTownsend and Secretary of State Everett C. Johnson the Governor saidin his welcome: "I feel more than ever since the war that women shouldhave the ballot. I will be glad at any time to use my influence towardgiving those of Delaware the right of suffrage. " A luncheon followedat the Hotel Richardson, attended by the Governor, Secretary of Stateand other officials. All of the legislators were invited. The guestswere welcomed by Mrs. Roswell P. Hammond, president of the Doversociety, and James H. Hughes. Mrs. Robin, who presided, spoke ofratification as the one goal of their efforts and Secretary Johnsonendorsed it. The Opera House was crowded in the evening to hear theaddress of Mrs. Brown. 

Reports showed that in January the National Association sent anorganizer, Mrs. Maria McMahon, and with the financial assistance ofthe Wilmington society she opened headquarters in Dover, organized anumber of towns and won many friends for the cause. Later Mrs. HalseyWilson gave another week to the State. About 600 telegrams were sentin February to the Delaware Senators urging them to vote for thesubmission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment but Senator Wolcott andSenator Willard Saulsbury both voted "no" on February 10, when it wentto defeat. In May Mrs. Robin circularized the Delaware representativesin Congress and on the 21st, when the amendment was passed by theLower House, Caleb R. Layton, Delaware's one member, voted "aye. " Inthe Senate, the newly elected Senator, L. Heisler Ball, was paired infavor, Senator Wolcott again voting "no. " At a meeting of the StateBoard a resolution was passed rejoicing over the success and callingfor a special session of the Legislature to ratify the amendment. ARatification Committee was appointed with Mrs. Robin chairman forWilmington and the State; Mrs. Cranston for rural New Castle county;Mrs. Henry Ridgely for Kent county; Mrs. Robert G. Houston for Sussexcounty; Miss Leah Burton, legislative chairman; Miss deVou, presschairman and Mrs. Brassington chairman of literature. Mrs. Ridgely ofDover was elected president and activities for the campaign were sooncentralized. 

RATIFICATION. [29] When it became evident that the Federal SuffrageAmendment would be submitted by the next Congress, the presidents ofState associations began to plan for ratification and many asked helpfrom the National American Association. In response to a request fromthe president of Delaware Mrs. McMahon was sent, arriving the last ofJune, 1919, and beginning an active campaign of organization. T. Coleman du Pont placed a motor at the disposal of the suffragists andin a few weeks Newcastle county had been covered with the assistanceof Miss Downey and Mrs. J. W. Pennewell. Working out from Rehobothwith the assistance of Mrs. Robin, Mrs. Ridgely, Mrs. Houston, Mrs. John Eskridge and others, Sussex county was organized and later Kentwith the help of Mrs. James H. Hughes, Mrs. Roswell Hammond, Mrs. EmmaBurnett, Miss Winifred Morris and others. The interviewing ofinfluential men was carried on with the organizing through the autumn. 

Headquarters were opened in Dover in January, 1920, and effort fromthat time was for a special session. Resolutions endorsingratification were secured from State and local Granges, from the StateFederation of Women's Clubs, State Methodist convention, StateFederation of Labor, State committees of Republican and Democraticparties, and the Wilmington City Republican Committee, the largest inthe State. No opposition was expressed by any organization. Each ofthe fifty-two legislators was interviewed either by Miss Leah Burton, Mrs. Ridgely or members of the Legislative Committee, Mrs. HarmonReynolds, Mrs. Cummins Speakman, Mrs. Hughes or Miss Morris, and byMrs. McMahon. Assurances were given by the majority in both partiesthat their votes would be cast in favor of ratification. GovernorTownsend and Secretary Johnson were constantly helpful. The RepublicanNational Committee, through its chairman, Will Hays, and theCongressional Committee, through its chairman, Simeon D. Fess, rendered every possible assistance and the latter sent arepresentative to work in Dover. On January 15 a delegation headed byMrs. George Bass, chairman of the Woman's Division of the NationalDemocratic Committee, appealed to this committee to take some actiontoward ratification and it gave its endorsement. Mr. Isaacs, chairmanof the State Democratic Committee, asked the women to appear before itand on January 22, after an address by Mrs. Ridgely and fulldiscussion, it endorsed ratification. The Republican State Committeeendorsed it after Governor Townsend had called the special session forMarch 22. Only one Legislature was now needed to give the 36th andfinal ratification. 

All looked so favorable that the women were little prepared for theweeks of intrigue and double dealing into which they were thrustimmediately upon the convening of the Legislature. Personal andfactional fights entered into the question, while the School Codeplayed a prominent part and complicated the situation. It was brieflythis. A very large sum had been offered to the State by Pierre du Pontfor the much needed extension of Delaware's public school facilitiescontingent upon the raising of a like sum by the State. The gift wasaccepted by the Legislature and the people must raise the State'sshare of the fund. This meant taxes and taxes meant opposition. Thosewho wanted the School Code repealed or modified were inclined to tryto make terms on the suffrage measure. The men of Sussex, the mostsouthern county, were particularly hostile and at a meeting inGeorgetown hundreds of them protested not only against the School Codebut also against prohibition and woman suffrage. It was therepresentatives of these men who eventually blocked ratification inthe House and it was their two leaders, Daniel Layton, chairman of theState Central Committee, and former Governor Simeon S. Pennewell, whose influence caused much of the opposition. Governor Townsend, whoaimed to raise Delaware from thirty-second place in educational ranksby the new code had aroused the personal antagonism of some of theleaders, but when it became apparent that Delaware was vitally neededto complete ratification he laid aside his fears that the code wouldbe repealed and called a special session. 

Suffrage mass meetings were held in all parts of the State and theweek before the Legislature met Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, addressedlarge audiences in Wilmington and Dover. The Ratification Committeeappealed for more help and Miss Marjorie Shuler, national director offield publicity, was sent and later Miss Betsy Edwards for politicalwork. When the special session opened not one of the three dailypapers was supporting ratification, public meetings were being held bythe "antis, " their publicity was being sent broadcast to themetropolitan press of the country and the impression was created thatthe whole State was opposed to ratifying. To counteract this situationrequired weeks of hard work by the suffragists. Outside correspondentswere secured who would send out the true story of the politicalintrigue underlying the failure to ratify. The Wilmington _MorningNews_, under the ownership of Alfred I. Du Pont, came out forratification and made a strong fight for it to the end. 

In his message to the two Houses in joint session the Governor said:"Woman suffrage has been a subject of public discussion for over halfa century. It is not an agitation of the moment, it is a world widequestion of right and wrong. Your supreme duty is to think and act forthe good of your State and nation. " Separate resolutions wereintroduced in Senate and House, the former by a Republican, John M. Walker of Hockessin, the latter by Walter E. Hart, Democrat, ofTownsend, the only one of eleven Democrats in the House who favoredit. 

On March 25 there was a hearing before the General Assembly. Theopponents had rushed into town every farmer and small politician theycould secure and the women "antis" pinned a red rose in hisbuttonhole. The suffragists had given a yellow jonquil to everyfriend. Behind the Speaker's desk hung a huge yellow banner inscribed"Votes for Women, " and so crowded was the room with determined men andeager women that the sergeant-at-arms had to clear a space for theSenate. The suffragists had two hours in the morning and the "antis"the same amount of time in the afternoon, with thirty minutes each forrebuttal. Mrs. Catt, at the earnest request of the State association, spoke at this hearing, and its president, Mrs. Ridgely; also Mrs. Florence Bayard Hilles, president of the Delaware branch of theNational Woman's Party (Congressional Union), United States SenatorsMcKellar of Tennessee and Stirling of South Dakota came fromWashington to urge ratification. People crowded into Dover from overthe State and hot arguments took place in hotel lobbies and on thestreets. The State anti-suffrage association was represented by MissCharlotte Rowe of Yonkers, N. Y. , employed by their nationalorganization. Mrs. Catt closed the argument and her speech wasconsidered by the hundreds who heard it, according to the staffcorrespondent of the Wilmington _Evening Journal_, "one of theclearest, strongest and most reasonable arguments for votes for womenever heard in Delaware. "

From this time until the vote was taken telegrams from outside theState urging ratification were poured into the Legislature. They camefrom the President of the United States; from Attorney General Palmerand Secretaries Daniels, Houston and Meredith of his Cabinet; fromRepublican Governors, State chairmen and party leaders throughout thecountry, urging Daniel Layton to see that enough votes be given by theRepublican legislators to assure a majority in both Houses. In theSenate all but five of the seventeen members were Republicans; in theHouse, all but twelve of thirty-five. If they had adhered to theexpressed policy of their party the amendment could have been ratifiedthe first day of the session. On March 30 word was received that theMississippi Senate had ratified the Federal Amendment. This wasfollowed by a telegram from Mississippi to the anti-ratificationistsin Delaware that this Senate vote was only "a flash in the pan" andwould be reconsidered. A meeting of the Republican opponentstelegraphed to the Speaker of the House in Mississippi: "Stand firmagainst ratification. Delaware Legislature still firm for State'srights and will not ratify. " A hasty call was made for a meeting ofall the Republican members of the Senate and House favorable toratification. This was addressed by the Governor, by United StatesSenator Ball, and by Congressman Layton, father of "Dan" Layton, whohad always heretofore favored woman suffrage. By this time, however, the whole question had narrowed to his personal fight against GovernorTownsend and at this conference he publicly announced that he wouldoppose ratification. 

The Governor did everything possible to make it easy for the leadersof the southern part of the State to bring over its representatives tothe amendment. In a noble speech he offered to withdraw his candidacyfor delegate to the National Democratic convention if the Sussexcounty members would vote for it. John E. McNabb, the Democratic floorleader, boldly repudiated the telegrams from President Wilson, hisCabinet, Homer Cummings, chairman of the Democratic NationalCommittee, and other party leaders. He said that not twenty-fivepersons in his district favored ratification and in two days apetition from five hundred was handed to him by Mrs. F. E. Bach andMrs. Pennewell of Wilmington. Alexander P. Corbitt, Speaker of theHouse, was indirectly connected with the Pennsylvania railroad and tohim was due a large share of the responsibility of its defeat. Prominent among the lobbyists were Henry B. Thompson of Wilmington, husband of the president of the Anti-Suffrage Association; MajorEdmund Mitchell, former Republican State chairman; George Gray, formerFederal Judge; George A. Elliott, Mifflin Wilson, George W. Sparks andHenry P. Scott of Wilmington, chairman of the State Republican Waysand Means Committee. His argument, widely circulated, was as follows:"If the Legislature will refuse to ratify the proposed amendment andthus prevent the hysterical rout of the politicians of the country tomake shreds and patches of our sacred Constitution, the State ofDelaware will receive in the near future the greatest possible glory. "

Governor Townsend went to New York and laid the danger of thesituation before T. Coleman du Pont, whose influence in the State wasvery great. He came to Wilmington, interviewed various men, wroteletters and then went to Dover where he worked for the amendment. Gradually there was a weakening in the opposition with the gain of avote here and there, but the southern part of the State remainedsolidly opposed. On March 23 Senator Thomas F. Gormley (a "wet"Democrat) introduced a bill providing for the submission of everyconstitutional amendment to the electorate before ratification orrejection by the Legislature, which was defeated by 9 noes and 5 ayes. 

The date for the vote was finally fixed for March 31 and as its defeatseemed certain, Assemblyman Hart, who, according to the rules, mustagree to have it brought up, held off heroically under politicalthreats and intimidations of every kind and at last left the Capitolfor home. After a conference with "anti" members, Representative Lloydintroduced an exact copy of the Hart resolution. Mr. Hart then broughtup his resolution the next day, April 1, and it was defeated by 23noes to 9 ayes, with 2 not voting. Meanwhile the lobbying went madlyon. Much of the opposition came from notable "wets"; and many of theopponents were connected with the Pennsylvania railroad. 

The Republican State convention met in Dover April 20 and the EqualSuffrage Association made one of the most remarkable demonstrationsthe State had ever seen. Every road was ablaze with decoratedautomobiles and hundreds of suffragists arrived on every train. Theymarched and they talked and in themselves they constituted the bestargument that could be made for ratification. American flags andsuffrage banners were used all over the town. With Mrs. Ridgelypresiding, speeches were made all day on the green in front of theState House, and from an automobile in front of the Republicanconvention hall Miss Shuler and others spoke. Long petition sheetswith the names of 20, 000 Delaware women asking for ratification wereexhibited. The crowning feature of the day was a parade of "suffragechildren"--the children of suffragists--a long line mounted on poniesand bicycles down to the babies in the "go carts. "

The speech of the permanent chairman of the convention, a staunchsuffragist, Robert Houston of Georgetown, Sussex county, was a strongappeal for ratification and it called out the greatest outburst ofenthusiasm of the day. The convention unanimously passed a resolutioncalling on the Legislature to ratify the amendment. On the table was avase of jonquils, and when the president of the anti-suffrageassociation rushed to the platform and demanded that they be removedor that red roses be added she was met by the chairman of arrangementswith the quiet answer, "We are not complimenting the 'antis' today, weare using the Republican color and that is the suffrage color. " Thejonquils largely outnumbered the roses on the coats of the delegates. 

While no Republican could now vote against ratification withoutrepudiating his party it was plainly evident that the majority ofDemocrats were opposed to it and on the day of their State conventiontheir party leaders, including United States Senator Wolcott and thechairman, Josiah Marvel, blossomed in red, the "anti" color. FormerUnited States Senator Saulsbury's paper printed editorials of violentopposition throughout the struggle. 

The resolution to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment was called upin the Senate by Senator Walker Wednesday, May 5. Senator Gormley, Democratic leader, offered as a substitute a referendum to the voters, which was defeated by a solid Republican vote of 13 to 4. The roll wascalled on the resolution to ratify and it was adopted by 11 ayes, 6noes--ten Republicans and one Democrat voting for and two Republicansand four Democrats against it. The House had adjourned when the votewas taken and the plan was to send the resolution to it Thursdaymorning and attempt action Friday, but Thursday morning revealed aclear intention to defeat it and it was therefore placed under lockand key in the Senate. Senator Gormley attempted to offer a motionordering its delivery to the House but was ruled out of order by thepresident pro tem. J. D. Short, whose recent accession to the suffrageranks had made the Senate victory sure. 

In the House "Bull" McNabb launched an attack on those who werewithholding the resolution, using freely the words "bribery, ""cajoling, " "threats" and much profanity. Mrs. Thompson, theanti-suffrage president, kept calling out encouragement to him untilthe Republican floor leader, William Lyons, had to ask her to stop. 

The Senate refused to send the resolution to the House and finally theRepublicans succeeded in forcing an adjournment of the Legislatureuntil May 17, hoping to bring about a change of sentiment. Some ofthose who were interested in the ratification were asked to meet atthe capital that day. Among those who responded were Alfred I. , T. Coleman and Pierre S. Du Pont, Governor Townsend, Senator Ball, Representative Layton, former United States Senator J. F. Allee, Secretary of State Johnson, Charles Warner, former Congressman HiramR. Burton, Speaker Charles Grantland and others. These men argued andpleaded with the Republican legislators to give the 36th and finalratification of the 19th Amendment but without effect. 

On May 28, twenty-three days after the resolution had passed theSenate, it was sent to the Lower House. In the interval the LaborUnion of Wilmington passed resolutions unanimously calling upon theirthree Representatives, McNabb, Mulvena and Mulrine, to vote forratification. President Wilson was assured that only three Democraticvotes were needed and he, therefore, telegraphed these three: "May Inot as a Democrat express my deep interest in the suffrage amendmentand my judgment that it would be of the greatest service to the partyif every Democrat in the Delaware Legislature should vote for it?"Speaker Corbit was interviewed by members of the Republican NationalCommittee and Republican leaders from within and without the State andstrongly urged to stand with his party, but to no avail. Theresolution was read twice and a motion was unanimously carried thatthe House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole. RepresentativeLyons here offered a motion to vote on the resolution, which wasdefeated by 24 noes, 10 ayes. A motion was then put to adjourn until12. 30, June 2, on which day it had been previously voted to adjournsine die at noon, and it was carried! The House thus again placeditself on record against ratification and ended all furtherlegislative action. 

The causes that led to the defeat were briefly: 1. Factionaldifferences in the Republican party; antagonism toward GovernorTownsend; half-hearted interest and even treachery on the part ofcertain Republican leaders. 2. Democratic opposition either because ofthe negro question or for national political reasons. 3. Influence ofthe liquor interests. The cost of the campaign to the NationalAmerican Suffrage Association was approximately $4, 500. The financialcost to the suffragists of the State could not be estimated and evenmore impossible would be an estimate of time and labor during manymonths. [Long list of names of workers omitted for lack of space. ]

Following the final ratification of the Federal Amendment by theTennessee Legislature the Executive Board, which was in session atRehoboth, on August 27, 1920, merged the State Equal SuffrageAssociation into the League of Women Voters and elected Mrs. Ridgelychairman. This action was confirmed at a State convention held inWilmington September 29, 30. 

Among men and women not elsewhere mentioned who have been helpful towoman suffrage are Mrs. Mary T. Challenger, Lea Pusey, George B. Miller, Lewis W. Brosius, Mrs. J. R. Milligan; the Reverends FrederickA. Hinckley, Thomas P. Holloway, Adam Stengle, Alexander T. Bowser, Joel S. Gilfillan; Mrs. John F. Thomas, Congressman Thomas W. Miller, George Carter, editor _Evening Journal_; Mrs. Samuel H. Derby, FrankC. Bancroft, master of the State Grange; Mrs. Samuel Bancroft, Mrs. Francis I. Du Pont, Mrs. Victoria du Pont, Sr. , Mrs. Philip Burnett, Sr. , and others mentioned in the chapter. 

State officers not named otherwise were Mrs. William L. Duggin, Mrs. Alfred D. Warner, Mrs. Willard Morse, Mrs. Mary H. Thatcher, MissElizabeth S. Gawthorp, Mrs. Mary Price Phillips, Mrs. Frederick L. Steinlein, Mrs. R. Barclay Spicer, Mrs. Harry Hayward, Mrs. GeorgeNewcombe, Miss Willabelle Shurter. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION, 1913. A bill to strike from the suffrage clause ofthe State constitution the word "male" was for the first timepresented to the Legislature. It was introduced in the Senate January7, by David J. Reinhardt; in the House by Albert I. Swan. The membershad been previously circularized by the corresponding secretary, MissMary R. De Vou, announcing this action in the spirit of the age, inthe name of justice and democracy and for the credit of the State. OnFebruary 26 a hearing was granted at a joint session, with the Housechamber crowded. Mrs. Cranston introduced the speakers, headed by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, national president. Miss Jeannette Rankin ofMontana, a field worker sent by the National Association, spent twoweeks in Dover, canvassing the legislators, assisted by members of theState association. At the Senate hearing March 14 strong speeches weremade by Senators Reinhardt, John M. Walker, and a number of leadingwomen. Senators Zachary T. Harris and Dr. George W. Marshall workedfor the bill, which was endorsed by the Woman's Christian TemperanceUnion, Ministerial Union, State Grange, Central Labor Union andSocialist Party, but it was lost the same day by 11 noes, 6 ayes. Thebill was reported favorably by the House committee and Dr. John H. Hammond declared that it was time to quit playing politics with it andpass it but on March 19 it was defeated without debate by 23 noes, 8ayes. 

1915. A full suffrage bill was presented jointly by the Stateassociation and the Congressional Union, introduced by Senator Harrisand Representative Frank M. Saulsbury. The Campaign Committeerepresenting the two associations and headed by Mrs. Florence BayardHilles opened headquarters at Dover with Miss Mabel Vernon in charge. Expenses of maintenance were paid by Mrs. George Day of Connecticut, amember of the advisory council of the Union. A suffrage processionheaded by Mrs. Hilles and Mrs. Victor du Pont, Jr. , marched to strainsof martial music from the station to headquarters on its opening dayearly in January and gave the stately old capital a decidedinnovation. Speaking followed from a gaily decorated automobile. "Suffrage fliers" (motor cars) carrying able speakers and workers, made whirlwind trips throughout the State. The anti-suffragistsorganized as a committee, with Mrs. Henry B. Thompson chairman andMrs. David J. Reinhardt secretary. 

On January 21, before the Revised Statutes Committee of the House, allof the Representatives and many of the Senators, a hearing was givento the suffragists. The speakers were Mrs. Cranston, Miss Leila Aaronof Dover, Miss Vernon and Mrs. Hilles, whose argument was nearlyflawless. On February 3 the "antis" spoke before practically the sameaudience and the enthusiasm equalled that of the suffrage hearing. Thomas F. Bayard, brother of Mrs. Hilles, opened the hearing andintroduced Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Grace W. Goodwin of Westfield and Mrs. Preston Lea, wife of a former Governor. On February 9 the suffragistswere granted a second hearing, all members of the Senate and severalof the House being present. On February 16 the House Committeereported the bill favorably. On March 8, with an hour's intervalbetween, the House killed it by a vote of 22 noes to 8 ayes; theSenate by a vote of 11 noes to 6 ayes. Legislative friends wereSenators Edward Hart, John A. Barnard and Speaker Charles H. Grantland. 

Preceding the vote was a gay and colorful parade of suffragists, followed by speechmaking outside the State House. Able speakers andworkers from other States had spoken during the campaign, among themUnited States Representatives J. A. Falconer of Washington and WilliamKent of California; Mrs. Kent, Mrs. Thomas R. Hepburn, president ofthe Connecticut Equal Suffrage Association and Miss Anne Martin, president of the Nevada association. Among local speakers were Dr. George Edward Reed, D. D. , former president of Dickinson College; JohnS. Hamilton of Wilmington and Mrs. Cranston. On March 11, three daysafter the defeat, at a well-attended luncheon in Hotel du Pont, Wilmington, was opened the campaign for 1917 in true Bunker Hillspirit. 

1917. A full suffrage bill was presented, the Congressional Union incharge. The State was canvassed for and against. Before the jointhearing on February 16 the bill had been reported favorably bycommittees of both House and Senate. It went to defeat, however, onFebruary 23 by a vote in the House of 21 noes to 12 ayes, in theSenate on February 26 by a vote of 6 noes to 8 ayes. Among theanti-suffrage leaders were Judge George Gray, General James H. Wilson, Miss Emily P. Bissell, Mrs. George A. Elliott and Mrs. Henry P. Scott. 

FOOTNOTES:

[27] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Mary R. De Vou, corresponding secretary of the Delaware Equal Suffrage Associationfourteen years; also treasurer and auditor. 

[28] The Women's College affiliated with Delaware College at Newark, the State College for men, was opened in September, 1914. 

[29] The History is indebted to Miss Winifred Morris, secretary of theState Equal Suffrage Association, for much of the material in thisstory of the effort for ratification. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. [30]

While the women in the District of Columbia rejoiced with those in theStates over the successful end of the long, hard fight for the FederalSuffrage Amendment their joy was tempered by the fact that they stillhad before them a struggle for an amendment which would enfranchisethe residents of the District--one really for equal suffrage, men andwomen alike being without the vote. The Congress itself now has entirejurisdiction, each branch appointing a committee for the purpose. 

The district is a municipal corporation, administered by a Board ofthree commissioners, two of whom are appointed by the President of theUnited States from civil life, confirmed by the Senate, the thirdbeing detailed by him from the engineer corps of the army. Theargument for the citizen's franchise is that representation inCongress for the residents of the District would only give them avoice in the governing body without impairing the "exclusivejurisdiction" given to Congress by the National Constitution. It has apopulation greater than six of the States and pays taxes in excess oftwenty-two States--each of which has two Senators and Representativesbased on its population. Local self-government also is advocated bysome residents but the majority are behind the movement to obtainrepresentation in Congress and the vote for presidential electors. From the time this matter was first agitated the woman suffrageassociation of the District has insisted that women should have thesame rights granted to men. 

Although the suffragists of the District had no hope ofenfranchisement from the Federal Amendment, nevertheless theirinterest in the cause never flagged and they gave freely of their timeand money to aid the movement for it. From 1869 to 1895 they assistedevery year the convention of the National Woman Suffrage Associationin Washington, and afterwards whenever it was held in this city. Itsgreat celebration of Miss Susan B. Anthony's 80th birthday inFebruary, 1900, gave a new impetus to the cause. The various societieshad been organized in 1898 into the District of Columbia State EqualSuffrage Association, corresponding to those in the various States. The old parent society formed in 1868 and the first Junior Club wereaugmented by the Political Study Club organized in 1900, to study theorigin, growth and government of cities and later agitating thequestion of placing women on boards of charities, schools, etc. ; bythe Elizabeth Cady Stanton Club, organized in 1901, to take up thestudy of general taxation, methods of carrying on the public schools, tariff, finance and city government; by the College Equal SuffrageLeague, organized in 1909 and doing excellent work, and in 1916 by theAnthony League, organized in 1911 primarily for suffrage, but takingup civic affairs. The Woman Suffrage Council was formed from thesesocieties in 1914 to aid the Congressional Committee of the NationalAssociation at its branch headquarters in Washington. The name wasafterwards changed to Equal Franchise League when it was decided tokeep the organization intact for the purpose of working for suffragein the district. Mrs. Glenna Smith Tinnin was the first chairman, followed by Mrs. George A. Mosshart and Mrs. Louis Brownlow. 

The D. C. State Association held regular meetings about four times ayear and some special sessions. It kept the woman suffrage sentimentactive and was responsible for a great deal of progressive work. Thefollowing served as presidents: Mrs. Helen Rand Tindall, 1898; Mrs. Ellen Powell Thompson, 1899; Mrs. Carrie E. Kent, 1900; Mrs. Tindall, 1901; Mrs. Kent, 1902-3; Mrs. Mary L. Talbott, 1904-5; Mrs. JessieWaite Wright, 1906-7-8; Miss Harriette J. J. Hifton, 1909-10; Mrs. LeDroit Barber, 1911; Miss Florence Etheridge, 1912; Mrs. Nina E. Allender, 1913; Mrs. Kent, 1914; Miss Mary O'Toole, 1915 to 1920. [31]

A number of prominent women in the District were officers of the localsuffrage clubs and worked under their auspices, being connectedthrough them with the D. C. State Association. A part of the programof the latter in 1904-5 was a study of Fisk's Civil Government of theUnited States, Laws affecting Women and Children, taxation and othersubjects of public interest. There was also discussion of bills beforeCongress of special interest to women and the association supportedthose for the protection of neglected and delinquent children, compulsory education and restriction of child labor. A bill to raisethe salaries of public school teachers was strongly pressed. Amongthose especially active were Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey, Dr. EmilyYoung O'Brien and Mrs. Alice Stern Gitterman. Through their effortstwo truant officers were appointed, one white and one colored. Duringthis period the work was being done which led to the establishment ofa Juvenile Court with one probation officer, Mrs. Charles Darwin. In1906 and 1907 the suffragists were active in agitating for women onthe Board of Education and succeeded in having two white women and onecolored woman appointed, as well as thirty women supervisors of thepublic playgrounds. In 1908, also as a direct result of the efforts ofMrs. Helen Rand Tindall and other members of the association, twopublic comfort stations were built at a cost of $35, 000, with bath, rest rooms and all sanitary conveniences, the first in the city. Theassociation and the College Equal Suffrage League sent representativesto a hearing before the Commissioners to ask that if a referendum onthe excise question should be taken women should have a vote as wellas men. In 1909 the association assisted in the petition work of thenational organization and paid the secretary who was in charge oftheir headquarters in Washington for keeping them open evenings. Underthe auspices of the association lectures were given by Mrs. EmmelinePankhurst and Mrs. Ethel Snowdon of England. 

In 1910 at a hearing granted to the National Association by theJudiciary Committee of Congress the District was represented by MissEmma M. Gillett and Mrs. Katharine Reed Balentine, who overheard oneof its members say that if the women really wanted suffrage theyshould do something more than come up there to make speeches so as tohave them cheaply printed and mailed without postage. Miss Gillett, who soon afterwards was made chairman of the National CongressionalCommittee, was so stimulated by this remark that at her request the D. C. State Association raised $100 and she herself contributed $100 andused the fund to circularize every candidate for Congress in the 1910campaign. She appealed through the _Woman's Journal_ forcontributions, but only $14 were received. The circular asked sevensearching questions covering all forms of woman suffrage. The answerswere tabulated and sent out by the Associated Press. [See Chapter X, Volume V. ]

President Seth Low, of the National Civic Federation, called aconference in Washington Jan. 17-19, 1910, of delegates to beappointed by the Governors of States and "presidents of commercial, agricultural, manufacturing, labor, financial, professional and otherbodies national in extent. " The program was to include discussions of"public health, pure food regulations, uniform divorce law anddiscrimination against married women as to the control of theirchildren and property. " The suffragists asked the Commissioners toappoint women among the twelve delegates to represent the District, but this was not done. Mr. Low in answering Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt'scriticism that women delegates had not been invited, said it had notoccurred to him that women would be interested but that he wouldplace the name of the National Suffrage Association on the list forfuture calls of a like character. 

This year the clergymen of Washington were circularized to ascertaintheir position on woman suffrage and the great field of usefulness itwould offer for women in moral and social reforms was pointed out. Miss Hifton and Miss Anna C. Kelton (afterwards Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley)took charge of this work and the 129 letters they sent received onlyeight answers, five in favor, two non-committal, one opposed. For thefirst time permission was obtained from the school board to postnotices of the national suffrage convention in the school buildings, Miss Anna MacLaren arranging for it. 

In 1911 representatives of the association addressed many conventionsin Washington and asked that resolutions favoring suffrage for womenbe passed. They were not successful but presented their cause. In1912-13 the suffragists were busy among other things in agitating thequestion of having a woman as Juvenile Court Judge. President Taftpractically promised the appointment, but the male incumbent wasallowed to hold over another year. A meeting of women lawyers was heldand a committee appointed to call on Attorney General Wickersham tourge the name of Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey, then Dean of theWashington College of Law. She was endorsed by several thousand menand women, over six hundred of whom were teachers in the publicschools and familiar with Mrs. Mussey's excellent work on the Board ofEducation, but no woman was appointed. (In 1918 Miss Kathryn Sellers, president of the College Women's Equal Suffrage League, was appointedby President Wilson. )

On March 3, the day before the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson, for thefirst time women marched on Pennsylvania Avenue. The parade wasarranged by the Congressional Committee of the National Association, of which Miss Alice Paul was chairman. Objection being made bySuperintendent of Police Sylvester to giving a permit, the womenappealed to the Senate Committee for the District on the ground thatas citizens and tax-payers they had the right to use the avenue, and ajoint resolution was passed by Congress granting it. Adequate policeprotection, however, was not given, indeed some of the policethemselves hooted and jeered with the mob which attacked the paraders. Doubtless it was composed of persons who had come from outside to theinauguration. It took three hours to march the mile from the PeaceMonument to the Treasury, where tableaux were given on the steps. Finally it was necessary to call the troops from Fort Myer. The Senateordered an investigation and the Police Superintendent resigned. Itwas said that this parade won thousands of friends for the cause ofwoman suffrage. 

This year the Congressional Union was organized to work in theDistrict and the States solely for the Federal Suffrage Amendment, with Miss Paul chairman, Miss Lucy Burns, Mrs. Crystal Eastman, Mrs. Mary Beard and Mrs. Lawrence Lewis the other officers. It had its ownheadquarters and was not affiliated with the National AmericanAssociation. 

In 1914 the suffragists protested again, this time to the Chamber ofCommerce, against a constitutional amendment sponsored by it toenfranchise the residents of the District, because it did notdefinitely state that women should be included. This protest was alsotaken up in the Federation of Women's Clubs through the auxiliaries ofthe State Suffrage Association, which were affiliated with it. During1915 and 1916 suffragists addressed all the civic bodies in Washingtonon the necessity of including women in any measure looking to theenfranchisement of the residents of the District. As a result of thiscontinuous agitation a compromise was reached to hold the question inabeyance until a constitutional amendment was passed enabling Congressto grant suffrage to the District. The association as usualparticipated in commemorating the birthdays of Mrs. Stanton and MissAnthony and placed wreaths on the bust of Lincoln in the rotunda ofthe Capitol. It joined in the contest with the school board whichtried to exclude married women as teachers. 

During the closing years of the long campaign for woman suffragestreet meetings were held. Among those who helped in this work wereMrs. Frank Hiram Snell, Miss Florence F. Stiles, Miss ElizabethEggert, Miss O'Toole and Miss Sellers. Receptions were given to the"yellow flier, " the automobile sent across the continent by theNational Association, and to the "prairie schooner, " the car sent bythe Just Government League of Maryland to tour its southern counties. Miss O'Toole travelled with the "schooner" two weeks, speaking severaltimes a day. A delegation from the College League met it at theDistrict line and a procession accompanied it into the city underpolice escort. In the evening a public reception was given at theWashington College of Law. From 1916 the association assisted theNational Association at its new headquarters, 1626 Rhode IslandAvenue, by serving tea afternoons and raising money through bazaars, rummage sales, card parties, etc. 

During 1918 all the suffrage societies in the District devoted theirenergies to war work and co-operated in every possible way with theWoman's Committee of National Defense, whose headquarters were inWashington, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw chairman. They rejoiced in thesubmission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment by Congress in 1919 andits ratification in 1920, although notwithstanding their many years ofloyalty and assistance to the National Association they could receiveno benefit from the victory. 

More women hold office in Washington than in any city in the worldbecause of their very extensive employment by the National Government. When Volume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage was written in 1900 anofficial statement gave the total number of government employees inthe District as 20, 109 men, 7, 496 women, a total of 27, 600. At therequest of Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, a vice-president of the NationalWoman Suffrage Association and a member of the U. S. Civil ServiceCommission, the following information was sent in 1920 to be used inthis volume, by the president of the commission, Martin A. Morrison:

 In 1907 the Bureau of the Census issued a report in which it was stated that men outnumbered women in the Government service by about eleven to one in Washington, D. C. , and outside. The percentage of women in the District was much larger than outside for the reason that the great bulk of the employees in field branches are in services the duties of which are not ordinarily performed by women--the mechanical forces at navy yards, ordnance establishments, engineer departments, reclamation service projects, lighthouse service and the like; also the letter-carriers, city and rural, railway mail clerks and such classes. 

 It is believed that the proportion of women to men in the entire service did not change materially until the beginning of the war. When the United States entered the war, there were approximately 38, 000 employees in the executive civil service in the District of Columbia, approximately two-fifths of them women. The force was increased by 80, 000 during the war, of whom approximately 75 per cent were women. The force has now been reduced to about 90, 000, of whom approximately 50, 000 are women. The proportion of women is being constantly reduced by the return of former soldiers and sailors to civilian employment, who are allowed preference under the law. The Federal Civil Service outside the District of Columbia increased by approximately 280, 000 during the war period, possibly one-third of this increase made up of women. That force numbers now about 550, 000 as compared with 450, 000 before the war and it seems safe to say that twenty per cent. Are women. 

 These positions are open to any who pass the civil service examinations but the chiefs of the bureaus and departments are appointed by the President, and Secretaries of Departments, and they have always been men. Men have succeeded also in getting the highly paid positions under civil service. 

No law excludes women from the District offices. There are, of course, no elections. Some officials are appointed by the President, some bythe Commissioners, and the Supreme Court of the District appoints theBoard of Education, three of whose members must be women. In 1920President Wilson appointed Miss Kathryn Sellers, a member of theDistrict bar, to be Judge of the Juvenile Court. This was largely dueto the efforts of Justice William Hitz, of the District Supreme Court. The President appointed also Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor a member of theRent Commission, created to consider rent problems growing out of thewar, and Miss Mabel T. Boardman as Commissioner of the District. TheCommissioners appointed two women trustees of the public library. Formerly it was necessary to make an effort to get women on the boardsof charities, hospitals, etc. , but now such places are seeking thewomen. Within the past ten years many women graduates of the lawschools have been appointed as law clerks in various departments, WarRisk, Treasury, especially the income and customs divisions, and inthe Solicitor's office for the State Department. The InteriorDepartment appointed Miss Florence Etheridge, at one time president ofthe D. C. State Equal Suffrage Association, probate attorney for theCherokee Indians. Miss Marie K. Saunders was the first woman appointedpatent examiner, as the result of a competitive examination, and shehas been advanced until the next step is that of principal examiner. Women hold important positions as secretaries of committees at theCapitol. 

The Board of Commissioners appoint the Superintendent of Police andunder Major Raymond J. Pullman a Woman's Bureau was established in1918, after several women had been serving on the force. Mrs. MarianC. Spingarn was made director. When she left Washington the followingyear Mrs. Mina C. Van Winkle was appointed and continues to hold theposition. To give her power she was made Detective Sergeant and in1920 was promoted to a Lieutenancy, so that she might legally be incommand of a precinct where the Woman's Bureau is on the first floorof the house of detention and the preventive and protective work forwomen and children is directed. The functions of this bureau are verywide and very important and the work of the women police covers theentire city. 

The national appointments of women have attracted the attention notonly of this but of other countries. They began in 1912 with theselection of Miss Julia C. Lathrop of Hull House, Chicago, byPresident Taft as Chief of the newly created Federal Children'sBureau, which position she still holds (1920). President Wilsonappointed Mrs. Frances C. Axtell in 1916 a member of the FederalEmployees' Compensation Commission; in 1920 Mrs. Helen H. Gardener amember of the Civil Service Commission; Mrs. Annette A. Adams, U. S. Attorney in San Francisco, Assistant Attorney General; Miss MaryAnderson, chief of the Women's Division of the Department of Labor. 

FOOTNOTES:

[30] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Mary O'Toole, attorney and counsellor at law, president of the District of ColumbiaState Equal Suffrage Association from 1915 to 1920, when the FederalAmendment was ratified. Appointed Judge of the Municipal Court byPresident Harding, Aug. 4, 1921. 

[31] Vice-presidents: Justice Wendell P. Stafford, Commissioner HenryB. F. McFarland, Dr. William Tindall, Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley, Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood, Mrs. Philander P. Claxton, Mrs. Wesley, M. Stoner, Mrs. Anna E. Hendley, Miss Helen Jamison, MissGertrude Metcalf, Miss Catharine L. Fleming, Miss Annie Goebel, MissBertha A. Yoder, Mrs. C. C. Farrar, Dr. Margaret S. Potter, Mrs. Monroe Hopkins, Mrs. Caleb Miller, Mrs. Henry Churchill Cooke, Mrs. Ruth B. Hensey, Mrs. George Easement. There were few years when Dr. And Mrs. Tindall did not occupy some official position. 

Corresponding secretaries: Miss Henrietta Morrison, Mrs. B. B. Cheshire, Mrs. Jennie L. Monroe, Mrs. L. M. Coope, Mrs. Ida FinleyMcCrille, Miss Lavinia H. Engle, Miss Abbie R. Knapp, Miss Helen M. Calkins, Francis Scott, Mrs. Rachel Ezekiel, Mrs. Edna V. Bryan. 

Recording secretaries: Miss Emma M. Gillett (8 years), Miss Mary H. Williams, Mrs. Jeannette M. Bradley, Miss Josephine Mason, Mrs. SarahNewman, Mrs. Louis Ottenberg. 

Treasurers: Mrs. Kate Ward Burt (5 years), W. G. Steward, Mrs. AliceP. Rand. Mrs. Kent served in some official capacity from 1898 untilher death in 1918. 

Auditors: George A. Warren, Miss Edith Harris, William Lee, Mrs. R. G. Whiting, Mrs. F. M. Gregory, Mrs. Jessica Penn Hunter, Miss AudreyGoss, Mrs. L. Aveihle, Miss Alice Jenkins, Mrs. Jeanne F. Brackett, Mrs. Sarah Beall, Mrs. Frank Pyle. Many of the above named also filledother offices. 

Among the names which appear in the records of the years as chairmenof committees, in addition to many of the above, are those of MissHelen Varick Boswell, Dr. Clara McNaughton, Miss Nettie Lovisa White, Mrs. Katharine Reed Balentine and Miss Abby T. Nicholls. 

CHAPTER IX. 

FLORIDA. [32]

With the removal from the State of Mrs. Ella C. Chamberlain in 1897and no one found to take the leadership, the cause of woman suffrage, which was represented only by the one society at her home in Tampa, languished for years. In 1907 John Schnarr, a prominent business manof Orlando, circulated a petition to Congress for a Federal SuffrageAmendment which was sent down by the National Association and obtainednumerous signatures. It is interesting to note that, from thebeginning of the suffrage movement in Florida, men as well as womenhave been its active supporters. 

As the years passed and the movement waxed strong throughout thecountry and important victories were won, the women of Florida imbibedthe spirit of their day and generation. It became a frequent topic ofdiscussion and women in various places began to realize the need oforganization. On June 15, 1912, the Equal Franchise League wasorganized at Jacksonville in the home of Mrs. Herbert Anderson byherself and Mrs. Katherine Livingstone Eagan, with about thirty ladiespresent. Monthly meetings were held in a room in a large new officebuilding given them for headquarters by the owners and forty-fivemembers were enrolled. Mrs. Eagan, the president, soon went to Parisand her duties fell upon the vice-president, Mrs. Roselle C. Cooley;the secretary, Miss Frances Anderson, and the other officers. In theautumn two leading suffragists, who were attending the National ChildLabor Convention, were invited to address the League, but neither theBoard of Trade nor the Woman's Club would rent its auditorium for asuffrage meeting, so they had to open a door between theirheadquarters and an adjoining room and a large audience was present. The league affiliated with the National American SuffrageAssociation, which the next year sent a field worker to help inlegislative work. In 1914 it published a special edition of _TheState_, which was put into the hands of all the Florida members ofCongress and the Legislature. Mrs. Medill McCormick, chairman of theNational Congressional Committee, sent one of the national workers, Miss Lavinia Engle, to assist. This year Mr. Heard, president of theHeard National Bank, gave the league the use of a large front room onits first office floor. 

On Feb. 13, 1913, the Political Equality Club of Lake Helen was formedwith Mrs. S. A. Armstrong president and Mrs. Irene Adams secretary. Onthe 27th the Equal Suffrage League of Orlando was organized with theRev. Mary A. Safford president, and in October the first demand forsuffrage was made here. The Mayor issued a notice that all freeholdersmust register for the sewerage bond election by the 9th, and a fewsuffragists saw their opportunity. Very secretly and hurriedly, beforethe Mayor could get word of it and give notice that the election wasmeant for men only, Miss Emma Hainer and Mrs. Helen Starbuck gatheredtogether several women who owned valuable property and they went tothe city clerk's office and announced that they had come in responseto the Mayor's call to register for the coming election. He referredthem to the Mayor, who referred them to the Council, which referredthem to the city attorney. He told them that the law did not permitwomen to register. This they knew, but their action caused adiscussion of the question and disclosed a widespread belief thatwomen should have the right to vote. 

At a meeting of the executive board of the Orlando league in the homeof Mrs. J. C. Patterson April 21 the question of forming a StateAssociation was earnestly considered and Miss Safford was requested toprepare a "call" for this purpose. Soon afterwards she and Mrs. Starbuck were sent to Tallahassee by the league to aid the suffragework being done in the Legislature. Here the great need of a Stateorganization was very apparent, as legislators constantly asked, "Where are the suffragists from my district?"

During the summer through conversation with interested suffragistsand correspondence with Mrs. Cooley, president of the Jacksonvilleleague, arrangements were made for calling a convention to organize aState association at Orlando at the time of the meeting of the StateFederation of Women's Clubs. This took place Nov. 4, 1913, MissSafford was chairman, Mrs. Isabel Stanley secretary of the conventionand addresses were made by women from half a dozen towns. A committeewas appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws which reported at anadjourned meeting on the 6th, when they were adopted and the followingofficers for the State Equal Suffrage Association were elected:President, Miss Safford, Orlando; first vice-president, Mrs. C. J. Huber, Webster; second, Mrs. Ella Chamberlain, Tampa; third, MissCaroline Brevard, Tallahassee; corresponding secretary, Miss ElizabethAskew, Tampa; recording secretary, Miss Frances B. Anderson, Jacksonville; treasurer, Mrs. John Schnarr, Orlando; auditors, Mrs. Anna Andrus, Miami, and Mrs. J. M. Thayer, Orlando. 

In 1914 Miss Safford published a bulletin, showing that the StateAssociation had auxiliaries in Jacksonville, Lake Helen, Orlando, Zellwood, Pine Castle, Winter Park, Pensacola, Milton, Miami, Tampa, and a Men's Equal Suffrage League in Orlando with Mayor E. F. Sperryas president and Justin Van Buskirk as secretary. Miss Kate M. Gordon, president of the Southern Woman's Suffrage Conference, had held asuccessful meeting in Jacksonville. The Orlando League had had a floatin the trades' parade of the midwinter fair and a booth at the fairwhere the names of voters in favor of submitting a State suffrageamendment were obtained. It had had "teas" for replenishing thetreasury and closed the year with a banquet complimentary to the Men'sLeague. A committee was preparing a program on the laws of the Statefor the next year's work. The Pensacola league was arranging to issuea special edition of the _Journal_ and have a booth at the tri-countyfair. Most of the leagues had formed classes to study history and theduties of citizenship and had distributed literature and some of themhad held a celebration on May 2, as the National Association hadrequested. 

The first annual convention, held at Pensacola, Dec. 8-10, 1914, stressed the pledging of candidates for Congress and Legislature andsecuring signatures to petitions. The second, at Orlando, Feb. 3, 1915, formed congressional districts, according to the plan of theNational Association. The third, at Miami, March 15-16, 1916, arrangedfor suffrage schools and planned to assist work outside the State. Thefourth, at Tampa, Nov. 20, 1917, found the members busy with war work. The fifth, at Daytona, Nov. 19, 1918, planned to introduce a bill forPrimary suffrage in the Legislature and co-operate with the Federationof Women's Clubs to secure it. The sixth, at Tampa, Oct. 30-31, 1919, was devoted to plans for ratification of the Federal SuffrageAmendment and citizenship. 

While the State association could show no definite accomplishment, itswork had been largely educational and a considerable public sentimentin favor of woman suffrage had been created. Its organization andgrowth center about the name of the Rev. Mary Augusta Safford, apioneer worker in the suffrage cause in several States. She came in1905 to make Florida her home from Des Moines, Iowa, where she hadbeen pastor of the Unitarian church for eleven years. Her energy, enthusiasm and devotion carried all before her and but for herorganization might have been delayed for years. For four years she wasthe untiring State president, then Mrs. Frank Stranahan served in1917, Miss Safford again in 1918. The following, in addition to thoseelsewhere mentioned, are among those prominent in the suffrage work inthe State: Mrs. A. E. McDavid, Miss Minnie Kehoe, Pensacola; Mrs. Susan B. Dyer, Winter Park; Mrs. H. W. Thompson, Miss C. H. Day, Milton; Mrs. S. V. Moore, Cocoanut Grove; Mrs. Kate C. Havens, Miami;Miss Pleasaunce Baker, Zellwood; Mrs. Grace Hanchett, Orlando. 

From its beginning the association worked for the Federal SuffrageAmendment, although it tried also to obtain from the Legislature thesubmission of a State amendment to the voters. In 1915 Dr. Anna HowardShaw, the national president, assisted Miss Safford and the otherworkers in holding conventions in several congressional districts. Many local meetings were held, much literature distributed, resolutions secured and legislators interviewed. The Federation ofWomen's Clubs, the largest organization of women in the State, endorsed the movement. In 1916 Miss Safford went for a month toassist the campaign in Iowa, to which the association sent $100, andthe vice-president, Mrs. Frank Tracy, directed the State work. Newleagues were formed, delegates to the national presidentialconventions were interviewed and Florida women attended those inChicago and St. Louis. Dr. Shaw was present at the State conventionwhere 550 members were reported and the distribution of 750 packagesof literature. A series of meetings was held in cooperation with theCongressional Committee of the National Association and work in theLegislature was done. 

By 1918 a number of counties had been organized and the Stateconvention, encouraged by the granting of Primary suffrage to women inArkansas and Texas, decided to make this its legislative work for1919, and plans were made to raise $5, 000 through local conferences. AState organizer was put into the field and the National Associationsent its recording secretary, Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, a trained worker, to assist the State organization. In January, 1919, Dr. Shaw attendeda conference at Orlando and $1, 000 were raised; later at a conferencein Tampa, $198 and at one in Miami and West Palm Beach $260. MissElizabeth Skinner was appointed State organizer and the NationalAssociation sent one of its most capable organizers, Mrs. MariaMcMahon. The 38 county chairmen had obtained nearly 2, 500 signaturesto petitions to the Legislature and an active campaign was undertakenfor Primary suffrage. 

In January, 1919, the National Association's Congressional Committeesent its secretary, Mrs. Minnie Fisher Cunningham of Arkansas, and itspress secretary, Miss Marjorie Shuler of New York, to spend severalweeks in a quiet campaign to influence U. S. Senator Park Trammell tocast his vote for the Federal Suffrage Amendment, this beingconsidered useless in the case of Senator Duncan U. Fletcher. Theysecured newspaper comment in favor, interviews with prominent peopleand resolutions from conventions, but these had no effect. At theannual convention in October the following officers were elected:President, Mrs. John T. Fuller, Orlando; first vice-president, Mrs. Edgar A. Lewis, Fort Pierce; second, Miss Elizabeth Skinner, Dunedin;third, Dr. Minerva B. Cushman, St. Petersburg; correspondingsecretary, Mrs. W. R. O'Neal, Orlando; recording secretary, Mrs. C. E. Hawkins, Brooksville; treasurer, Mrs. Clara B. Worthington, Tampa;auditors, Mrs. J. W. McCollum, Mrs. J. D. Stringfellow, Gainesville;Legislative Committee, Mrs. Amos Norris, chairman, Tampa. A memorialmeeting was held for Dr. Shaw, who had died July 2. 

The annual meeting in 1920 took place in Orlando. Mrs. Fuller wasre-elected and plans for extensive work were made but the associationwas not quite ready to merge into a League of Women Voters. This wasdone April 1, 1921, and Mrs. J. B. O'Hara was elected chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. Before the State Association was organized theEqual Franchise League of Jacksonville decided to ask the Legislature, which met in April, 1913, to submit to the voters a woman suffrageamendment to the State constitution. A bill was prepared and an appealfor assistance made to the National American Association. In responseit sent its very capable field worker, Miss Jeannette Rankin, who wentwith the executive officers of the league to Tallahassee. Itspresident, Mrs. Roselle C. Cooley, said in her report: "The House ofRepresentatives decided to hear us in a Committee of the Whole, at anevening session. In this case it meant the whole House, the wholeSenate and the whole town. Seats, aisles, the steps of the Speaker'srostrum were filled, windows had people sitting in them and in thehall as far as one could see people were standing on chairs to hearthe first call for the rights of women ever uttered in the Capitol ofFlorida. Four women and three men spoke, the vote of the committee waspublicly called at the close of the speaking and the bill passed intothe House of Representatives without recommendation. Weary days andweeks of waiting, time wasted on petty legislation, members going homefor week-ends and not returning for Monday work kept us still anxious. At length the bill was called and the vote was 26 ayes to 38 noes. 

"As we were leaving for our homes on Saturday evening a Senator said:'If you will come into the Senate we will show those men how to treatladies. ' So we went back on Monday and were fortunate in having forour sponsor Senator Cone of Columbia county, the leader of theSenate. He took up our bill, placed it on the special calendar andadvised us in our procedure, the bill having come into the Senate withfavorable recommendation from the committee. Again the weary waiting, the petty legislation, the filibustering of the 'corporation' membersand the whisky men, and at last a motion to postpone indefinitely wascarried by one majority, 15 to 16, the sixteenth man being one who hadbeen with us from the first until this moment. "

The Legislature meets every two years and in 1915 the Stateassociation, which had now sixteen well organized branches, wassponsor for the bill, or resolution, and a large number of legislatorshad promised their support. Hearings were granted by both Houses, butit was defeated. 

In 1917 strenuous efforts were again made in behalf of a Stateconstitutional amendment. Mrs. William Jennings Bryan, who now had awinter home in Florida, was among those who addressed the Legislaturein favor of it, and on April 23 the resolution to submit the amendmentpassed the Senate by 23 to 7. The struggle was then begun in the Housebut the corporate and liquor interests combined with thenon-progressive character of many of the members accomplished itsdefeat. 

In April, 1919, the State Federation of Women's Clubs, which now had asuffrage chairman, co-operated with the State Equal SuffrageAssociation in the effort to obtain a Primary Suffrage Bill, such ashad been passed by the Legislatures of Arkansas and Texas. Mrs. McMahon, a national organizer, and Miss Skinner did organizing andlegislative work from March 6 to April 22. The former was sent to workfor Presidential suffrage, but the State Board believed that Primarysuffrage had a better chance. This, however, met with so muchopposition that it was never brought up. The moment the FederalAmendment was submitted by Congress a delegation of women--Mrs. FrankStranahan, chairman of the Legislative Committee; Dr. Safford, Mrs. W. S. Jennings, Mrs. Edgar A. Lewis--went to Tallahassee to try to havethe Legislature ratify it, arriving one day before adjournment. Theyquickly canvassed the members and found a small majority willing tovote for it but there was no time. Governor Sidney J. Catts couldhave called a special session for the next day but insisted that therewas no assurance of ratification, as some of the men listed asfavorable were in the habit of changing their vote, and he did notwant to put the members on record. Some of them who were alleged to besupporters declared that they would not stay over even for one day. Itwas impossible to persuade the Governor to call a special session atany time afterwards, but in 1920 Florida women were enfranchised bythis amendment. 

SUFFRAGE. By special acts of the Legislature, charters were granted tovarious cities giving Municipal suffrage to women and the votersaccepted them. Sixteen towns had such a charter: Felsmere, Aurantia, Cocoa, Orange City, Deland, West Palm Beach, Delray, Florence Villa(where Dr. Anna Howard Shaw had a winter home for a number of years), Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Moore Haven, Orlando, Clearwater, Dunedin, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs. Felsmere was the pioneer, receiving itscharter in 1915. 

FOOTNOTES:

[32] The History is indebted for this chapter to Alice G. (Mrs. George) Kollock, prominent in the work for woman suffrage in Florida, with thanks to others who assisted. 

CHAPTER X. 

GEORGIA. [33]

The first suffrage society in Georgia was formed at Columbus in 1890and the second in Atlanta in 1894. Here the first State convention washeld in 1899 and the State association, auxiliary to the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association, never ceased its labors until theyear following the ratification of the Federal Woman SuffrageAmendment. 

Mrs. McLendon became an officer in 1892 and held official positionduring the entire twenty-nine years. For thirteen years she wasvice-president or honorary president and for the remainder of the timepresident of the association. Mrs. Thomas was second honorarypresident for five years before her death in 1906. The followingserved as presidents: Miss H. Augusta Howard, 1890-1895; Mrs. FrancesCater Swift, 1895-1896; Mrs. Mary L. McLendon, 1896-1899; Mrs. Gertrude C. Thomas, 1899-1901; Miss Katherine Koch, 1901-1904; Mrs. Rose Y. Colvin, 1904-1906; Mrs. Mary L. McLendon, 1906-1921. [34]

In 1900 the same suffrage measures presented the year before wereagain offered to the Legislature with the same barren result. TheSouthern Chautauqua invited the association to hold an all day meetingand also engaged Miss Frances A. Griffin of Alabama to lecture. F. Henry Richardson, editor of the Atlanta _Journal_, and Lucian Knight, editor of the Atlanta _Constitution_, brought the "woman's rightsmovement" as prominently before the public as they were permitted todo by the managers of those newspapers. 

On Nov. 25, 26, 1901, the State convention was held in theUniversalist Church of Atlanta. Addresses were made by Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt, president of the National Association; Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Alice Daniels and Mrs. McLendon. The meeting adjourned early in theafternoon to go to the Atlanta Women's Club room, where Mrs. Catt wasinvited to address that body. The night meeting was held in the hallof the House of Representatives, where Mrs. Catt, Mr. Richardson andthe Hon. Robert R. Hemphill of South Carolina addressed a large andappreciative audience. The convention decided to employ a Statelecturer and organizer. 

With but two exceptions State conventions or conferences were heldevery year, always in Atlanta until 1919, in the Congregational andUniversalist churches, in the Grand Building, the hall of theFederation of Labor, the Carnegie Library, the Hotel Ansley and thePiedmont Hotel. The membership gradually increased, a series ofliterary meetings in the winter of 1902 adding fifty names. This yeara committee was appointed to revise the charter of Atlanta and theofficers of the association appeared before it and asked that itinclude Municipal suffrage for women. The sub-committee on franchisesrecommended that instead it provide for women on school, hospital, park and health boards, but the general committee reported adversely. The Atlanta branch protested to Mayor Livingstone Mims against theinjustice of not allowing women taxpayers to vote on the proposed$400, 000 bond issue. He expressed himself in favor of woman suffrageand promised to bring the matter before the city council, but therewas no result. 

Miss Kate M. Gordon, national corresponding secretary, gave a mostconvincing address in the Carnegie Library the next year, 1903, on howthe taxpaying women of Louisiana won the right to vote on questions oftaxation; strong articles were published, but all the women were ableto do was to post large placards at the polls, "Taxpaying women shouldbe allowed to vote at this bond election. " Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, national vice-president-at-large, came to assist at the Stateconvention and delivered her famous lecture, "The Fate of Republics. "This year the association distributed 10, 000 pages of suffrageliterature at the Interstate Fair. It attempted to bring a bill beforethe Legislature for police matrons but not a member would introduceit. 

During these years the suffragists found it very difficult to persuadea legislator to present a bill for raising the age of consent orcompulsory education in order to take the young children out of thefactories or for the enfranchisement of women. In 1905, at the requestof the National Association that fraternal greetings should be sent tovarious organizations, Mrs. McLendon, who had been a member of theWomen's Christian Temperance Union since 1890, carried them to itsconvention and made an earnest but unsuccessful effort to have itadopt a franchise department. Thousands of pieces of suffrageliterature were distributed at the State Fair. In 1906 memorialservices were held for the great leader, Susan B. Anthony, and theassociation carried out to its full power all the State work plannedby the National Board, including a petition to the Legislature to passa resolution asking Congress to submit a Federal Suffrage Amendment. 

The membership of the association was increased in 1907 by theaddition of three prominent W. C. T. U. Officials, Mrs. J. J. Ansley, Mrs. Jennie Hart Sibley and Mrs. L. W. Walker, who were promptlyappointed superintendents of Church Work, Legislation and Petition andChristian Citizenship. Miss Jean Gordon of New Orleans and Mrs. Florence Kelley of New York made splendid addresses in favor of womansuffrage when they came to Atlanta in April to attend the Child LaborConvention. Dr. Shaw gave a stirring suffrage speech in the hall ofthe House of Representatives on May 4. 

The evening sessions of the annual convention in 1908 were held in theSenate Chamber of the Capitol. Miss Laura Clay, Mrs. Sibley, Miss H. Augusta Howard and W. S. Witham were the speakers, with Mrs. McLendonpresiding. Miss Clay's address, entitled Who Works Against WomanSuffrage? created a profound impression and she was of muchassistance. Mrs. McLendon was invited to speak before the conventionof the Georgia Agricultural Association, one of the oldest in theState, on Woman's Education and Woman's Rights. A rising vote ofthanks was accorded her and the address ordered printed in theminutes. The State Prohibition convention placed a strong womansuffrage plank in its platform and the delegates to the nationalconvention were instructed to vote for one if it was offered. Mr. Witham, the Rev. James A. Gordon and Mr. Barker, editor of _TheSouthern Star_, worked faithfully for this plank. 

In 1909, at the request of the National Association, letters werewritten to Georgia's Senators and Representatives in Congress, askingthem to vote for a Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment. Polite butnon-committal replies were received from Senators Clay and Bacon andRepresentatives Griggs and Lewis. The other eight evidently did notconsider disfranchised women worthy of an answer. The city council ofAtlanta decided that its charter was forty years behind the times andagain a committee of forty-nine men was appointed to draw up a newone. The Civic League, an Atlanta auxiliary to the State SuffrageAssociation, set to work to have this new charter recognize the rightsof the women taxpayers. It was discovered that the women paid taxes onmore than $13, 000, 000 worth of real and personal property in the city. Several hundred personal letters were written to leading taxpayingwomen asking their opinion of the league's movement; only favorablereplies were received and many friends of the cause developed amongthe influential women. Strong articles were published in the citypapers and widely copied throughout the State, but the charterentirely ignored the claims of women. Many letters were written toRepublican and Democratic delegates asking them to vote for a suffrageplank in their platforms. The annual convention was not held in Macon, as intended, because there was so much sentiment against it in thatcity. This year women in the Methodist Church South became active tosecure laity rights, which had been granted to women members in theNorth, East and West after they had worked years for it, but thebishops in the South were bitterly opposed to it. Mrs. Mary HarrisArmor, the well-known national organizer and lecturer for the W. C. T. U. , and four years president for Georgia, joined the suffrageassociation. 

The National Association's petition to Congress had been distributedthroughout the State for signatures and returned to Washington. In1910 letters were written to President Taft, to the members ofCongress from Georgia and to Governor "Joe" Brown, as requested by Dr. Shaw, national president. Senator Clay and Representatives W. C. Brantley, S. A. Roddenberry and W. C. Adamson were the only ones whocould spare time to answer. Atlanta was to have an election for athree-million dollar bond issue on February 15, Susan B. Anthony'sbirthday, and the Mayor and president of the Chamber of Commerce hadappealed to the City Federation of Women's Clubs to "make the men goto the polls to vote for bonds. " The suffragists distributed broadcasta poster headed by a cartoon by Louis Gregg representing women of allsorts, armed with brooms, umbrellas, rolling pins, etc. , driving themen to the polls. 

Over 6, 000 pages of suffrage literature were distributed in the State, a considerable amount of it to young people engaging in debates orwriting essays. Dr. James W. Lee and Dr. Frank M. Siler, Methodistministers of Atlanta, fearlessly expressed themselves in their pulpitsas in favor of the enfranchisement of women, regardless of the factthat Bishop Warren A. Candler was bitterly opposed to it. Dr. Len G. Broughton of the Baptist church and Dr. Dean Ellenwood of theUniversalist also declared themselves as favoring equal rights inChurch and State for women. Judge John L. Hopkins, one of Georgia'sforemost lawyers, who codified the laws, proclaimed himself a believerin equal rights for women in a letter to the _Constitution_. In Junewhen it was again proposed to revise the charter of Atlanta, acommittee from the Civic League went before the charter committee andpresented a petition asking Municipal suffrage for women. Later at ameeting of the city council the petition was brought up forconsideration and was treated with ridicule and contempt. On August 8the association held its convention in the hall of the Federation ofLabor, its true friend. Walter McElreath of Fulton county offered aresolution that the House of Representatives should be tendered forthe evening session, but Joe Bill Hall, a noted anti-prohibitionistand anti-suffragist, marshalled the liquor men and they defeated it. 

In 1912 the State association conformed to the plan of the Nationaland appointed a committee of education, who would offer money prizesfor the best essays on woman suffrage by the seniors of the highschools, with Mrs. Helmer chairman and Miss Koch secretary. It workedvigorously for the bill to permit women to practice law. Mrs. RebeccaLatimer Felton became a member and was elected a delegate to thenational suffrage convention in Philadelphia. Attorney Leonard J. Grossman joined the association and was made general counsel. 

In 1913, while Mr. Grossman was attending the convention of theNational American Woman Suffrage Association as a delegate, he wasrequested by James Lees Laidlaw, president of the National Men'sLeague for Woman Suffrage, to undertake the organization of a GeorgiaMen's League. He did so immediately on returning home, with thefollowing officers: President, Mr. Grossman; vice-presidents, the Rev. Fred A. Line, the Rev. J. Wade Conkling, C. W. McClure, Dr. FrankPeck, E. L. Martin, ex-president Macon Chamber of Commerce; S. B. Marks and L. Marquardt, ex-presidents of the State Federation ofLabor. Mr. Grossman toured the State on behalf of woman suffrage underthe joint auspices of the Men's League and the State association. Hedrafted, at their request, proposed bills and ratificationresolutions; appeared before the annual conventions of the Federationof Labor, obtaining their formal endorsement of woman suffrage;secured also the endorsement of the Civic Educational League, comprising a great majority of the Jewish citizens of Atlanta;occupied church pulpits and addressed women's clubs, civic bodies, city councils and legislative committees. The members of the Men'sLeague gave whatever assistance was required. 

The many State victories in 1912 put new life into the movement in1913. The Georgia Young People's Suffrage Association was organizedwith Miss Ruth Buckholz as president. To represent the associationMrs. Amelia R. Woodall, corresponding, and Miss Katherine Koch, recording secretary; Miss Mamie Matthews, treasurer of the youngpeople's society, Mrs. Landis Sanna, Mrs. Margaret Gardner, editorTrox Bankston of West Point and J. J. Williams of Chatterton, weresent to Washington to march in the parade on March 3. They carried thesuffrage flag made for the national convention in Atlanta in 1895, with two handsome yellow banners prepared especially for the parade. Five bills before the Legislature were supported this year as well asthe Federal Amendment. When Presidential suffrage was given toIllinois women in 1913, the Atlanta _Constitution_ was so impressedwith the "nearness" of woman suffrage that it created a suffragedepartment and offered the editorship to Mrs. McLendon. U. S. SenatorsHoke Smith and Augustus O. Bacon had been obliged to present thepetition of Georgia suffragists asking for the Federal Amendment, butno beautiful speeches were made by them. Senator Smith had been onrecord all his life as being "unalterably opposed to woman suffrage"and voted against it whenever he had opportunity, adding insult toinjury by declaring, "Our best women do not want it. " Senator W. S. West, who succeeded Senator Bacon, was more amenable to reason, butSenator Thomas W. Hardwick, who followed after Mr. West's death, hasbeen an implacable opponent. For the second time the AtlantaFederation tendered the use of its beautiful Temple of Labor for theday sessions of the State convention which met July 9, 10. TheLegislature was persuaded by John Y. Smith of Fulton county to permitan evening session in the House of Representatives. Senator Starkeopposed the use of the Senate Chamber "because Christ did not selectwomen for his Disciples" but saner counsels prevailed and it wasopened for a session. 

During 1914 there were 275 meetings in Atlanta, Rome, Athens, Decatur, Macon and Bainbridge by the auxiliary societies, with five open airmeetings. On March 1 a mass meeting was held in the Atlanta theater towhich members of the Legislature were especially invited. The speakerswere officers of the National Association, including thevice-president, Miss Jane Addams. To enlarge the scope of the workthere was organized in February the Woman Suffrage Party Incorporated, as a branch of the State association, with Mrs. McLendon president. It secured a charter and prepared for an aggressive state-widesuffrage campaign. A chairman for each of the twelve congressionaldistricts was appointed and instructed to organize in her district. This year for the first time a hearing was granted before the HouseCommittee on Constitutional Amendments. Mrs. Felton and Mrs. RoseAshby spoke for the association, Mrs. Cheatham and Mrs. Frances SmithWhiteside for the Woman Suffrage League. The association distributed40, 000 pages of leaflets, fliers, newspapers, etc. ; about a dozen ofthe leading newspapers were supplied with local and national suffragenews and members of the Legislature with suffrage literature. In 1900, when the first National W. C. T. U. Convention was held in Atlanta, woman suffrage was a forbidden subject at all temperance meetings inGeorgia. In 1914, when the second was held, Mrs. McLendon, presidentof the State Suffrage Association, was selected to welcome the WhiteRibboners in behalf of the suffragists of the State. [35]

The annual convention of the State association was held July 21, 22, in the ballroom of the Hotel Ansley, beautifully decorated for theoccasion. Miss Kate M. Gordon aided largely in making it a success. Mrs. Annie Fletcher of Oldham, England, visited Atlanta this year andspoke on the suffrage situation there. Mrs. Georgia McIntyre Wheeler, a practicing attorney of West Virginia, helped greatly in securing theWoman Lawyer Bill. Atlanta and Waycross suffragists applied to thecity governments to grant women Municipal suffrage. The associationdid not parade on May 2, as requested by the National Board, but thepresident made a suffrage speech on the steps of the State Capitol andmembers sold copies of the _Woman's Journal_. The Rev. A. M. Hewlett, pastor of St. Marks Methodist Church South, accompanied Mrs. McLendonand Attorney Grossman to Cox College in March and by invitation of itspresident they gave addresses in favor of suffrage for women beforethe student body. There was a growing sentiment in favor of it amongclergymen of various denominations. 

The State convention was held in Atlanta Nov. 15-20, 1915, at the sametime as the harvest festival, and the first suffrage parade tookplace, led by Miss Eleanor Raoul on horseback. Mrs. McLendon followedin the little yellow car which once belonged to Dr. Shaw, driven byMrs. Loring Raoul. As a protest against taxation withoutrepresentation Dr. Shaw allowed it to be sold for taxes and it wasbought by Miss Sallie Fannie Gleaton of Conyers, who walked behind itin the parade. The suffrage carriages were decorated with yellow, those of the W. C. T. U. With white. Mrs. William R. Woodall, president of the Atlanta association, and Miss Katherine Koch hadcarried on a suffrage school the first and second Wednesdays fromFebruary 24 to December 1. The motion picture suffrage play Your Girland Mine had been put on in the Grand Opera House. The branch in Romepublished an official organ called _The Woman's Magazine_. 

In February, 1916, the State association and its three auxiliaries inAtlanta worked with the Equal Suffrage Party and the Woman SuffrageLeague to secure 10, 000 names to a petition to the city council askingfor the Municipal franchise. State Senator Helen Ring Robinson ofColorado and Mesdames Brooks, Kenney and Horine of Washington, D. C. , came to their assistance. There were street speaking from automobilesat night and meetings at private residences and they secured over9, 000 names. The city council gave a hearing, the Hon. Claude Peytonmaking the presentation speech. The members listened apathetically andappeared much relieved when Attorney Robert M. Blackburn assured themthey could not give women Municipal suffrage, as the Stateconstitution declared only male citizens could vote. Letters were sentto the delegates to the two national conventions of the dominantpolitical parties, asking them to put a strong suffrage plank in theirplatforms and Mrs. Woodall and Mrs. Laura Couzzens responded to Mrs. Catt's call for marchers at the Chicago and St. Louis conventions. Governor N. E. Harris refused to include woman suffrage in the callfor the special session of the Legislature which made the State "bonedry, " but this year it enacted a number of laws for which theassociation had long worked. 

On Feb. 12, 13, 1917, officers of the National Association held asuffrage school in Atlanta. When the Legislature assembled in June allthe members found on their desks a notice that bills grantingMunicipal suffrage to women, also full suffrage, and one to raise theage of consent from 10 years to 18 would be introduced. The Stateassociation sent the national suffrage organ, the _Woman Citizen_, fora year to the United States Senators and fourteen Representatives inCongress; to the members of the Legislature and all State officials. The Atlanta association again conducted a three months' suffrageschool. The State convention in December in the Assembly Hall of thePiedmont Hotel closed with a luncheon at which many prominent men andwomen were present. Representatives John C. White and John Y. Smith atthat time pledged themselves to introduce and work for suffrage bills. During this and the following year the suffrage associations did theirfull share of war work. Mrs. McLendon represented the Stateassociation on the Women's Council of National Defense, and Mrs. Martin, first vice-president, was chairman of the StateAmericanization Committee. 

In 1918 the Parent-Teacher Association adopted strong suffrageresolutions. The Baptist and Methodist churches South granted laityrights to women. State suffrage headquarters were deluged withrequests for literature by educational institutions for debates. TheState Superintendent of Public Instruction, Professor M. L. Brittain, had been an advocate of votes for women many years. The Atlanta_Journal_ gave the State association a column in its Sunday issues, which Mrs. Martin edited. Raymond E. White wrote a number of finesuffrage editorials for the _Constitution_. In July the Hearst paperscirculated a petition for a Federal Suffrage Amendment and the Atlantaassociation secured 5, 000 names and other auxiliaries 1, 000. 

On May 3, 1919, a progressive city Democratic Central Committee gaveAtlanta women the right to vote in the Municipal primary election tobe held September 3. A Central Committee of Women Citizens was at onceelected at a mass meeting of women to see that they registered andnearly 4, 000 did so, paying one dollar for the privilege. 

Mrs. McLendon represented the State Association at the convention ofthe National Association in St. Louis in March, 1919. On May 21 sheand her sister, Mrs. Felton, sat in the House of Representatives inWashington and had the pleasure of hearing W. D. Upshaw, member fromthe fifth congressional district of Georgia, vote for the submissionof the Federal Suffrage Amendment, the only Representative from theState to do so. On June 4 the new U. S. Senator, William J. Harris ofGeorgia, voted for the submission of this amendment, giving one of thelong needed two votes. The official board of the State Associationthrough Mrs. McLendon mailed to each member of the Legislature apersonal letter with copies of letters from Mrs. J. K. Ottley, theDemocratic Executive Committee woman from Georgia, and the eminentclergyman, Dr. J. B. Gambrell, urging the members to ratify theFederal Suffrage Amendment. The annual convention of 1919 was held inthe auditorium of the Hotel Piedmont, Atlanta, on December 5. 

A League of Women Voters was organized in Atlanta in March, 1920, outof the Equal Suffrage Party, but the State association decided thatthis action was premature, since there were no women voters inGeorgia, and that the old association, organized in 1890, would neverdisband until women could vote on the same terms as men. 

On June 1, in response to a petition of fifty representative women ofAtlanta, a hearing in charge of Mrs. McLendon was granted by thechairman of the Democratic Executive Committee, at the request ofMayor Key. After a number had spoken a motion was made to let thewomen vote in the white municipal primary in Atlanta and was carriedwith only four negative votes. The Atlanta and the Young People'sSuffrage Associations endorsed the re-election of Mayor Key and workedfor him, and he was returned by a majority of three to one on July 28. Afterwards several other cities and villages permitted women to votein the primaries and on bond issues. 

After the Federal Suffrage Amendment was ratified in August 1920, itwas announced that women would not be permitted to register and votein the primary on September 8 and the runover primary of October 6 forthe general election because they had not registered for it in Apriland May, which they had no right to do. When the Legislature hadassembled June 23, Mrs. McLendon, Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Woodall hadcalled on Representatives Covington and John Y. Smith and SenatorsElders Dorris and Pittman and begged them to introduce an Enabling Actto provide for the women to vote in November if the 19th Amendmentshould be ratified. They promised faithfully to do this and theSenators did so, but it was held back. The Representatives never didintroduce it. Mrs. McLendon then appealed to Governor Dorsey, but hewas candidate for U. S. Senator and had no time to attend to it. TheLegislature adjourned and the women were left in the lurch. 

Then Mrs. McLendon decided to make a test and see if women could notvote in the primary on September 8, as the returned soldiers who didnot reach Georgia before May were allowed to vote in all electionswithout registering. She wired to Senator Fermor Barrett of Stevenscounty, chairman of the sub-committee of the State DemocraticExecutive Committee, asking him to call it together and see if itcould provide some way. He called it to meet in Atlanta on September3, and he and H. H. Dean made speeches and voted to try to arrange it, but the other five members voted against it. Mrs. McLendon then wentto the chairman of the County Democratic Executive Committee and herefused to take any action, saying, "Our committee is only the agentof the State committee and must obey its mandates. " Then she and Mrs. Julia H. Ellington, Mrs. Jane Adkins and Mrs. Nancy Duncan called onthe tax collector and asked to be allowed to pay their State andcounty taxes and to register. They were sent to the chairman of theRegistration Committee and he also refused to enroll their names. Thenthey went to the polls September 8 and were told, "No women votinghere. "

Mrs. McLendon telegraphed to Bainbridge Colby, Secretary of State, whoanswered: "The matter to which you refer is not within the province ofthis Department and I am not in a position to give you any advice withregard thereto. " She next asked Governor Dorsey to call an extrasession of the Legislature to provide some way for the women to votein the general election, but he said he could not. Then she went to afull meeting of the State Democratic Executive Committee, heldSeptember 16, but no chance to be heard was given her. The next dayshe attended a meeting of the Fulton County Commissioners, whodeclared their willingness but their inability to do anything. Shethen called on Attorney General R. A. Denny, who advised her to go tothe polls and make the effort, saying: "The 19th Amendment is abovethe laws of any State. " Women in Georgia, however, were not permittedto vote at the Presidential election two months after they had beenenfranchised by this amendment. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The first request for woman suffrage was putbefore the Legislature in 1895, the last in 1920, and in the interimevery session had this subject before it, with petitions signed bythousands of women, but during the quarter of a century it did notgive one scrap of suffrage to the women of the State. From 1895 billsfor the following measures were kept continuously before it: Age ofprotection for girls to be raised from 10 years; co-guardianship ofchildren; prevention of employment of children under 10 or 12 yearsold in factories; women on boards of education; opening of thecolleges to women. Year after year these bills were smothered incommittees or reported unfavorably or defeated, usually by largemajorities. In 1912 a bill was passed enabling women to be notariespublic; in 1916 one permitting women to practice law, which thesuffragists had worked for since 1899; in 1918 one raising the age ofconsent to 14. The suffrage association had worked for it twenty-threeyears and always asked that the age be 18. 

 * * * * *

In 1912 another association to further the movement for woman suffragewas formed in Atlanta, the Woman Suffrage League, and Mrs. FrancesSmith Whiteside, who had been from early days a member of the oldassociation, was elected president. Mrs. Whiteside was for thirtyyears principal of the Ivy Street school and during the first tenyears of the existence of the State Association she was the onlyteacher who dared avow herself a member, as the very name of suffragewas so odious to the public. Through her family connections and wideacquaintance she was able to exercise a strong personal influence inbringing well-known men and women to a belief in this cause. Theleague did active work among teachers and business women and convertedsome of the leading legislators. It inaugurated an educationalcampaign in the schools and gave business scholarships for the bestessays on woman suffrage. In co-operation with the other associationsit obtained signatures to petitions for the Municipal franchise. Thefirst street speaking was done under its auspices. 

When Leagues of Women Voters were authorized by the National AmericanSuffrage Association in 1919, the organization disbanded and themembers entered the league formed in Georgia. Mrs. Whiteside had beencontinually the president and there had been only two changes in theboard of the following officers: First vice-president, Mrs. ElizabethMcCarty; second, Miss Laura Barrien; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Jack Hawkins; recording secretaries, Mrs. William H. Yeandle, Mrs. Mary Peyton; treasurer, Miss Ethel Merk; auditors, Mrs. A. G. Helmer, Miss Minnie Bellamy. Mrs. Yeandle died in 1915 and Mrs. Mary Peytonwas elected in her place. This year Mrs. Helmer became president of abranch league and was succeeded as auditor by Miss Minnie Bellamy. 

THE EQUAL SUFFRAGE PARTY OF GEORGIA. [36]

For some time there had seemed a necessity in Georgia for anorganization which would undertake more aggressive work in behalf ofwoman suffrage. Early in 1914 the psychological time for it becameapparent and a meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Emily C. McDougaldin Atlanta. A group of influential men and women were present, whodeclared themselves in favor of an active campaign and pledged theirsupport. On motion of Linton C. Hopkins a committee was appointed tonominate temporary officers, and reported for president Mrs. McDougald; for vice-president, Mrs. Hopkins, and for secretary, Mrs. Hugh Lokey. A constitution and by-laws were adopted and a petitionfor a State charter was filed under the name of the Equal SuffrageParty of Georgia. 

On July 29 a meeting was called for permanent organization and withrepresentatives from different parts of the State present thefollowing were elected: President, Mrs. McDougald; firstvice-president, Mrs. John Dozier Pou of Columbia; second, Miss MildredCunningham of Savannah; secretary, Mrs. Henry Schlesinger; treasurer, Mrs. Benjamin Elsas; organizer, Mrs. Mary Raoul Millis; auditor, MissGenevieve Saunders, all of Atlanta. Members of the Executive Boardwere: Mrs. Mary Meade Owens of Augusta; Mrs. Mayhew Cunningham ofSavannah; Miss Anna Griffin of Columbus; Mrs. Charles C. Harrold ofMacon. Affiliated branches were organized with presidents as follows:In Savannah, Mrs. F. P. McIntire; in Augusta, Mrs. Owens; in Columbus, Miss Anabel Redd; in Atlanta, Miss Eleanore Raoul; in Macon, Mrs. Harrold; in Athens, Mrs. W. B. Hill; in Albany, Mrs. D. H. Redfearn. 

From these centers a great deal of work was done for suffrage in theadjacent smaller towns. The city organizations opened offices andcommittees of local women were put in charge of the work of raisingmoney and distributing suffrage propaganda. Tens of thousands ofletters, leaflets, books and speeches were distributed throughout theState. All of the women's clubs were urged to endorse suffrage;schools were asked to debate the subject and prizes offered for thebest arguments in debate and in written composition. Suffrage paradeson foot and in automobiles were had in all the cities, suffrage playsput into the theaters, suffrage slides into the movies and every meansof educating the public was used. The best national speakers werebrought into the State and immense audiences worked up for them. Thebeloved Dr. Anna Howard Shaw spoke in Atlanta to one of 6, 000. TheNational American Woman Suffrage Association, of which the EqualSuffrage Party was an affiliated branch, gave hearty co-operation insecuring these speakers. The party held annual conventions, where newofficers were generally elected as a matter of democratic policy. Thesecond took place in Atlanta Nov. 17, 1915, where Mrs. McDougald wasre-elected president and the other officers selected were Mrs. J. D. Pou of Columbus, first vice-president; Mrs. Cunningham, second; MissSchlesinger, secretary; Miss Aurelia Roach, treasurer; Mrs. Millis, organizer. The party already had branches in 13 counties, includingthe largest cities. 

The annual convention on Oct. 28, 1916, was held in Atlanta and Mrs. L. S. Arrington of Augusta was elected president; Mrs. S. B. C. Morganof Savannah, first vice-president; Mrs. Harrold, second; Miss JuliaFlisch, secretary, and Miss Annie G. Wright, treasurer, both ofAugusta. The effort in Atlanta to secure a petition for Municipalsuffrage for women had resulted in obtaining the signatures of 6, 000women and 3, 000 men. All the delegates to three national Presidentialconventions had been circularized in behalf of a plank for Federalwoman suffrage, and all the members of the Legislature asking for thesubmission of a State amendment. The next annual convention was heldin Augusta Nov. 24, 1917, and Mrs. Frank P. McIntire of Savannah wasselected for president. The convention was omitted in 1918, as thewomen were occupied with war work. 

At the convention held in Savannah Jan. 15, 1919, Mrs. McDougald wasagain elected president. The splendidly efficient service of women inall the departments of war work proved that without them it would havebeen most difficult to succeed in the Liberty Bond sales, the RedCross and all the "drives" for raising money. The officers of theEqual Suffrage Party and those of its affiliated societies wereselected as leaders in the work of the Woman's Council of Defense, National and State. 

From every part of the State hundreds of letters were sent to the U. S. Senators Smith and Hardwick, asking them to vote for the FederalSuffrage Amendment, but to no avail. The year had been a fruitful one, even though the Legislature had failed to ratify the FederalAmendment, which was submitted by Congress in June. An adverseinfluence, which it was very hard to combat, was that of the StateFederation of Women's Clubs. Its president, Mrs. Z. L. Fitzpatrick ofMadison and other officials were violently opposed. A large majorityof the women in the city clubs were suffragists and not influenced bythe attitude of the federation officers but this was not true of therural women, who were constantly warned that woman suffrage was agreat evil not to be even mentioned in their clubs. Thisanti-suffrage influence reacted upon the rural legislator and gave himground for the oft-repeated argument, "The women of my district do notwant the vote, they won't even discuss it in their clubs. " There hadlong been a strong desire to have woman suffrage endorsed by the StateFederation, the largest organization of women in the State, with30, 000 members, and every year the Equal Suffrage Party had sent toall the club presidents an earnest letter urging them to give theirmembers an opportunity to vote on the question and pointing out thegreater achievements of the clubs in States where women had thefranchise. At every annual meeting, however, when a resolution wouldbe offered from the floor, the president of the federation woulddeclare it out of order and prevent action on it. In 1917, at itsconvention in Augusta, a resolution was offered to send acongratulatory telegram to the women of New York on their newlyacquired enfranchisement, whereupon a storm of protest arose, thepresident ruled it out of order and it was tabled. 

In 1919 every club was again circularized and the answers showed thatthe women throughout the State wanted favorable action by the StateFederation. At its convention in Columbus in November, 1919, tworesolutions were prepared, one or the other to be presented, as seemedmost expedient at the time. One was a simple endorsement of womansuffrage; the other, submitted by Mrs. Morgan, asked for anendorsement of the Federal Amendment and its ratification by theLegislature. At the last moment, the suffragists decided to take abold step and send the latter to the Resolutions Committee, which wasdone, and this committee recommended its adoption. The president, Mrs. James E. Hayes of Montezuma, ruled it out of order. Mrs. Rogers Winterof Atlanta appealed from the decision of the chair; Mrs. AlonzoRichardson of Atlanta seconded the appeal and was sustained and theresolution was brought before the convention. It was carried by a voteof 85 to 40. [37]

When the report of this action was received in Macon, an indignantprotest went up from the anti-suffragists. Mrs. Bruce Carr Jones, secretary of the State Federation, sent in her resignation. Mrs. Walter D. Lamar and Mrs. Thomas Moore went before the women's clubs ofthe city and urged that they withdraw from the federation. The Macon_Telegraph_ devoted much space to denouncing it as a most dishonesttrick and approved heartily the efforts of these women to dismemberthe federation. Through their influence six clubs resigned. Sixty-ninenew clubs joined the federation in the twelve months following itsendorsement of the Federal Amendment. [38]

The white women of Atlanta were given the vote in the city Primariesin May, 1919. For several years all the suffrage forces in the cityhad been working to secure this privilege from the DemocraticExecutive Committee, but without success. In 1919, however, thepersonnel of the committee had changed to such an extent that it wasdecided to make another effort. The chairman, E. C. Buchanan, was agood friend and with his help Mrs. A. G. Helmer, Mrs. Charles Goodmanand Mrs. McDougald had the opportunity of making a personal canvass ofeach of its forty-four members. When the chairman called a meeting forMay 3, to consider, he said, the request of the Equal Suffrage Party, there was every reason to believe they would make a favorable report. A resolution written by Mrs. McDougald was adopted by a vote of 24 to1. On the roll call each man stood up and in a few gracious wordsexpressed his pleasure in being able to show his confidence in thehelpful co-operation of women in city government by granting them thissuffrage. A mass meeting of women was called at once to name a centralcommittee to take charge of the task of getting the women registeredimmediately as a city election was near at hand. Miss Eleanore Raoulwas made chairman, and with her able co-workers in every wardaccomplished a wonderful work. Public meetings addressed by prominentmen and women were held daily; $1, 200 were raised and 4, 000 women wereregistered in a few weeks. The Executive Committee in 1920 againincluded women in the electorate and to this body of men is due thehonor of being the first in Georgia to recognize the value of women incivic affairs. 

In 1919 all the district school superintendents inaugurated a seriesof competitive debates on the question, Shall Georgia Grant Suffrageto the Women of the State? This created intense interest in everycounty and the Equal Suffrage Party found it difficult to supply thedemand for literature from the hundreds of schools. The AtlantaChamber of Commerce elected five women as members in recognition oftheir public service. In addressing the Landowners' Convention atSavannah in November Governor Hugh M. Dorsey said: "I hope that asGovernor of Georgia I may be given the privilege of signing a billgiving women equal rights in this great commonwealth. "

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. In June, 1915, the Equal Suffrage Party made itsfirst effort to sponsor a suffrage bill in the Legislature. It openeda booth in one of the corridors between the House and Senate chambers, supplied it with the best suffrage literature and put it in charge ofa committee of women who worked faithfully to convert some of thatwilful and reactionary group of politicians. It was a hopeless task. The first bill was introduced in the House by Mr. Wohlwender ofMuscogee county and in the Senate by Senators Dobbs and Buchanan andreferred to the Judiciary Committee, which granted a hearing. Representatives from all the suffrage associations were present andmade speeches. Mrs. Walter D. Lamar and Miss Mildred Rutherford, headof the Lucy Cobb Institute of Athens, represented the Anti-SuffrageAssociation. Mrs. Lamar's arguments were based upon the theory thatwomen did not have sufficient integrity to be trusted with the ballot;that long years ago when those of New Jersey had it it had to be takenfrom them because they were so dishonest in their use of it. She alsosaid that women were universally the hardest taskmasters, requiringmore work and paying less for it than men. Miss Rutherford begged thelegislators to disregard the request of the few women desiring theballot, as they did not represent the true type of the southern woman, who had always rejoiced in being upon a high pedestal where men hadplaced her and worshipped her and that women were more than satisfiedwith that which men had so lavishly and chivalrously given--their loveand their money. These speeches were received with howls ofappreciation from the legislators, who dwelt upon the type thatappealed to them, "the woman who was the mother of children andrealized that her place was at home with her hand on the cradle. " Thecommittee made an unfavorable report. 

In 1916 this experience was repeated. In 1917 and 1918 the leaders ofthe Equal Suffrage Party were absorbed in war work and had no time towaste in so helpless and disagreeable a task. They realized that theywould soon be enfranchised by a Federal Amendment, the only hope ofthe women of Georgia. 

RATIFICATION. In 1919 came the great struggle over ratification. Thebest the suffragists hoped for was that no action would be taken. During the first days of the session, however, the resolution toratify was introduced in the House by Representative J. B. Jackson ofJones county and in the Senate by Senator T. H. Parker of Colquittcounty, both of whom explained that their action was taken in order tokill it. The resolution was referred in both Houses to the Committeeson Constitutional Amendments and a joint hearing was set for an earlydate. 

The suffragists had more friends and stronger ones on the HouseCommittee than the "antis" and more than they had realized. All theyasked was that the resolution be tabled, not reported favorably, forthey knew that defeat on the floor of the House was certain. One oftheir strongest supporters, Judge W. A. Covington of Colquitt county, was detained at home by illness in his family and telegraphed thechairman of the House Committee, John W. Bale of Floyd county, askingthat the hearing be postponed a few days so that he might be present. This courtesy, commonly extended without question, was refused by Mr. Bale. Immediately on the opening of the hearing Mr. Jackson asked tosubstitute for his original resolution one which explicitly rejectedratification. By permission of the chairman this substitute wasaccepted. After the hearing, at which Miss Rutherford alone appearedin opposition while seven women spoke for it, the committee went intoexecutive session. On a motion to postpone action the vote was 13 to13, and the chairman cast his vote against it. During the executivesession Robert T. DuBose of Clarke county became ill and asked if hemight cast his vote ahead of time and leave. Permission was grantedhim and he wrote on a slip of paper a vote for postponing action. Whenthe final vote was taken Mr. Bale ruled that Mr. DuBose's vote couldnot be counted. If it had been the suffragists would have carriedtheir point by a vote of 14 to 13. After the motion to postpone waslost the Jackson resolution to reject was reported favorably. 

The Senate Committee acted in open session. After prolonged debate theParker resolution to ratify was reported unfavorably by a vote of 10to 3, and the next day it came before the Senate. The opponentsbelieved they could make short work of it or they would not havepermitted it to come up. By a vote of 37 to 12 the Senate refused todisagree to the committee report. In order to dispose of theresolution, however, it was necessary to agree to the report and whenthis motion was made the suffrage supporters started a "filibuster"which they continued for several days. Finally the anti-suffrageSenators promised that if the suffragists would call off their"filibuster" they would vote to recommit the resolution to thecommittee with the understanding that it would stay there theremainder of the session. But on the same day that this agreement wasmade Senator Parker introduced another resolution, which, like theJones substitute, called for rejection of ratification. It wasreported favorably by the committee and after several days' debate, Senators Claude Pittman, W. H. Dorris, H. H. Elders and George G. Glenn, speaking for ratification, the rejection resolution was carriedon July 24 by 39 to 10. The Senate then voted down a proposition tosubmit to the voters a woman suffrage amendment to the Stateconstitution. On the same day the Jackson resolution to reject waspresented in the House and after a spirited debate led by JudgeCovington and A. S. Anderson for ratification the resolution wascarried by 132 to 34. 

This contest had occupied about two-thirds of the time since theLegislature convened and yet the opponents, after all their efforts, failed to have the Legislature go on record as rejecting the FederalAmendment, for the House resolution was never concurred in by theSenate and the Senate resolution was never concurred in by the Houseand the session adjourned without completing formal action. PresidentWilson had sent a telegram urging ratification for party expediencyand U. S. Senator Harris went to Atlanta to lobby for eitherratification or no action, but he was denounced by the legislators andthe President was called a "meddler. " Members of the DemocraticNational Committee and Clark Howell, editor of the Atlanta_Constitution_, and James Hallanan, its political editor, stronglysupported ratification, as did Governor Dorsey. The suffrageassociations made no effort in 1920, knowing the hopelessness of it. The National Woman's Party endeavored to secure an Enabling Act, sothat women might vote under the Federal Amendment although the timefor registration had passed, but were not successful. 

The last meeting of the Equal Suffrage Party was held in Atlantaduring the regional conference of the National League of Woman Voters. Thirty-five States had ratified the Federal Amendment, and feelingassured that ratification would soon be fully accomplished, Mrs. McDougald had gained the consent of all the branches to take thisoccasion to merge it into a State League. This was done April 3, 1920. Miss Annie G. Wright of Augusta was elected chairman and Mrs. McDougald and Mrs. S. B. C. Morgan honorary presidents for life. [39]

FOOTNOTES:

[33] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Mary LatimerMcLendon, a resident of Atlanta over 60 years, who also wrote theGeorgia chapter for Volume IV. Before the absolutely necessarycondensation of the present chapter it included 22, 000 words and was amost remarkable production for a woman in her 81st year. It will bepreserved intact in another place. 

[34] During the years from 1901 the following held office in the Stateassociation: honorary vice-president, Miss Madeline J. S. Wylie;vice-presidents, Mrs. P. H. Moore, Miss S. A. Gresham, Miss RebeccaVaughn, Miss H. Augusta Howard, Mrs. Emma T. Martin, Mrs. J. Dejournette, Mrs. W. Y. Atkinson; corresponding secretaries, Mrs. Mamie Folsom Wynne, Miss Katherine Koch, Mrs. DeLacy Eastman, Mrs. Amelia R. Woodall; recording secretaries, Miss Willette Allen, Mrs. Alice C. Daniels; treasurers, Mrs. E. O. Archer, Mrs. Mary Osborne, Mrs. M. K. Mathews, Mrs. E. C. Cresse; auditor, Mrs. W. H. Felton. 

[35] In October, 1919, when Mrs. McLendon attended the W. C. T. U. Convention, she was called to the platform on the opening night, presented as a "brave pioneer" and highly eulogized by the present andformer State presidents. The audience gave her the Chautauqua saluteand the White Ribbon cheer and in return she gave them a womansuffrage speech, which was enthusiastically received. Nevertheless theState society never endorsed votes for women, although local societiesdid so. 

[36] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. Emily C. McDougald, president of the Equal Suffrage Party of Georgia. 

[37] The resolution was voted on in the last hours of the conventionand a number of the suffragists had taken trains for home. Mrs. Hayesdesired to have the resolution pass but as the convention thepreceding year had sustained the ruling of the president that it wasout of order she felt obliged to make a similar one. 

[38] The only organized antagonism to woman suffrage came from a verysmall but very vindictive association in Macon, vigorously abetted andencouraged by the _Telegraph_, the only paper in the State whichfought suffrage and suffragists. Every week a column or more, editedby James P. Callaway, was filled with abuse of suffrage leaders andevery slanderous statement in regard to them which could be found. Miss Caroline Patterson of Macon was always president of thisassociation and Mrs. Lamar, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Moore and a few otherwomen, all of Macon, were ardent co-workers and leaders and frequentcontributors to Mr. Callaway's column. The association still holdstogether and the members are pledged not to vote but to give theirtime and money to any effort made in the courts to invalidateratification of the Federal Amendment (1920). 

[39] In 1921 the League prepared a bill "to remove the civildisabilities of women, " which provided that women should be eligibleto vote in all elections, primary and general, in municipalities, counties and the State, and should be eligible to hold public office. The only objection made to the bill was to women on juries. The womenobjected to this exemption but had to yield. In the Senate the vote onJuly 22 stood 36 for, 3 against; in the House almost unanimous onAugust 10. These legislators were so courteous and obliging the womencould scarcely believe it was a Georgia Legislature. They gaveeverything asked for and inquired, "Is there anything else we can dofor you?"

The State organizer of the League of Women Voters is Mrs. Z. L. Fitzpatrick, former president of the State Federation of Women'sClubs. She is most enthusiastic over the new order of affairs and istouring the State organizing leagues and urging women to get out andvote and to nominate women for the offices!

CHAPTER XI. 

IDAHO. [40]

Idaho women have been voting citizens for twenty-four years and duringthese years much has been accomplished for the making of a bigger andbetter State, especially along educational lines. The women came intotheir suffrage sanely and quietly, working shoulder to shoulder withmen in everything vital to their country. State and local politics hasbeen materially improved since women have been electors. No strictlysuffrage association has been maintained since the franchise wasgranted, but when the National League of Women Voters was institutedin 1920 a branch was formed in Idaho with Dr. Emma F. A. Drakechairman. Work heretofore had been done through the Federation ofClubs, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and other organizationsof women. Political leaders always consider what women will think of acandidate before he is nominated and it is constantly demonstratedthat nothing puts the fear of God into a man's heart like the ballotin the hands of a good woman. The women vote in about the sameproportion as the men and there never is any criticism of it. Womenhave worked for many good laws and have seen the most of them passed. 

The women are not ambitious for office, but they fill regularly, without question, the following: State Superintendent of PublicInstruction, County School Superintendent, County Treasurer, CityTreasurer and, in many counties, Auditor and the appointive offices, Law Librarian and assistant, Traveling Librarian and assistant. InJanuary, 1920, Governor D. W. Davis appointed Mrs. J. G. H. Gravely onthe State Educational Board. The following women have filled theoffice of State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Miss PermealFrench, Miss Belle Chamberlain, Miss Bernice McCoy, Miss May Scott, Miss Grace Shepherd, Miss Ethel Redfield; of Law Librarian: Mrs. MaryWood, Mrs. Arabella Erskine, Mrs. Carrie A. Gainer, Mrs. Minnie PriestDunton, Mrs. William Balderston; of Traveling Librarian: Mrs. E. J. Dockery, Miss Louise Johnson, Mrs. Marie Schrieber, Miss Margaret S. Roberts. 

Only six women have served in the Legislature, all in the Lower House:Mrs. Hattie F. Noble, Mrs. Clara Campbell, Dr. Emma F. A. Drake, Mrs. Mary Allen Wright, Mrs. Lettie McFadden, Mrs. Carrie Harper White. 

RATIFICATION. Governor Davis called a special session to ratify theFederal Suffrage Amendment Feb. 11, 1920. It was carried unanimouslyin the House, after Dr. Emma F. A. Drake, the only woman member of theHouse present, made a strong and logical speech introducing theresolution. It was carried in the Senate but had six opposing votes. The following are the names of the men who were proud to vote againstthe ratification: Elmer Davis of Boise county; C. B. Faraday ofElmore; Ross Mason of Shoshone; R. T. Owens of Oneida; E. W. Porter ofLatah; John S. St. Clair of Owyhee. [41]

FOOTNOTES:

[40] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Margaret S. Roberts, Librarian of the Idaho Free Travelling Library. A fullaccount of the winning of woman suffrage in 1896 will be found inVolume IV, History of Woman Suffrage. 

[41] If "happy women have no history" those of Idaho are fortunate, asthe above is all that could be obtained for the State chapter. --Ed. 

CHAPTER XII. 

ILLINOIS. [42]

The Illinois Equal Suffrage Association started on its work for thenew century with a determination to win full suffrage for women--theone great purpose for which it was organized in 1869. The Stateconventions were always held in October or November. In the earlieryears they usually went to the "down state" cities or towns, but asthey grew large Chicago was generally selected. In October, 1900, theState convention was held at Edgewater and Mrs. Elizabeth BoyntonHarbert of Evanston resumed the presidency, which she had held for anumber of years. Delegates from four places besides Chicago werepresent. Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch was made legislative chairmanand work was continued for needed changes in the laws. 

At the convention of 1901 Mrs. Elizabeth F. Long of Barry was electedpresident. Great effort was made to interest the press in the suffragequestion and a leaflet entitled Suffrage for Women Taxpayers waspublished and sent to all the large newspapers. The Chicago Teachers'Federation, under the leadership of Miss Margaret Haley and MissCatherine Goggin, rendered valuable service in arousing the people tothe injustice of taxation without representation. The Ella Flagg YoungClub, an organization of the women principals of the public schools, affiliated this year with the State suffrage association. Petitionswere circulated and suffrage resolutions passed by various kinds ofclubs and plans were made to introduce in the next Legislature theMunicipal and Presidential suffrage bill as well as a full suffrageamendment to the State constitution. Among the women who renderedefficient service in these early years were Dr. Julia Holmes Smith, Mrs. Lucy Flower and Mrs. Lydia Avery Coonley-Ward. 

The next convention was held in Jacksonville in 1902 and the Rev. KateHughes of Table Grove was elected president. At the convention of 1903Mrs. Hughes was re-elected. A feature of the educational work thisyear was to urge the directors of the libraries of the State to placeon their shelves the official History of Woman Suffrage, recentlybrought up to date. A leaflet by Mrs. McCulloch, Bench and Bar ofIllinois, was published by the association and widely circulated. Itgave the opinions of some of the ablest jurists and statesmen on thewoman suffrage question. 

At the 1904 convention Mrs. McCulloch was elected president. Notablegrowth was made in suffrage societies during the year and favorablesentiment was aroused in organizations formed for other work. Amongthese were the State Federation of Women's Clubs and the Teachers'Federation, the former with a membership of 25, 000 and the latter with3, 500. All party conventions but the Republican passed strong suffrageresolutions and all parties including this one nominated women astrustees of the State University. The Democratic Mayor of Chicago, Edward F. Dunne, appointed Miss Jane Addams, Dr. Cornelia DeBey andMrs. Emmons Blaine as members of the School Board. The legislativework was encouraging this year, for in both Senate and House theMunicipal and Presidential suffrage bill was reported out of committeewith favorable recommendations, and in the Senate it reached secondreading. 

The State convention of 1905 was held in Chicago and Mrs. Ella S. Stewart was elected president. During the year much literature wasdistributed and a committee was appointed, that included as manyfederated club presidents as would serve, to secure if possibleMunicipal suffrage in the new Chicago charter which was then beingconsidered. Mrs. Charles Henrotin, former president of the GeneralFederation of Women's Clubs, was appointed chairman. The women wereallowed to make their appeal before several minor committees, but notbefore the whole Charter Convention, which tabled their request. Theentire charter was tabled in the Legislature. Miss Alice Henry, formerly of Australia, editor of the magazine _Life and Labor_, gavevaluable assistance in organizing suffrage clubs. Educational work incolleges was begun and Mrs. Elmira E. Springer, an ardent suffrageworker, contributed a fund of $1, 000, the interest to be distributedas prizes at an annual inter-collegiate oratorical suffrage contest. As a result suffrage societies were formed among the college studentsauxiliary to the State association. It published suffrage leafletswritten by Judge Murray F. Tuley, a prominent Chicago judge; Mrs. Eugenia M. Bacon, former president of the State Federation of Women'sClubs, and one by Miss Anna Nicholes, an active settlement worker, onthe need of the ballot for the working woman. 

At the convention of 1906 Mrs. Stewart was re-elected. Much literaturewas published and valuable educational work was carried on in additionto the legislative work at Springfield under the auspices of Mrs. McCulloch. In the fall of 1907 the State convention was held on theFair grounds at Springfield, and Mrs. Stewart was re-elected. At theconvention of 1908 Mrs. Stewart was continued as president. Theassociation co-operated with the National American SuffrageAssociation in requesting the National Republican Committee, which metin Chicago, to incorporate a woman suffrage plank in its platform. Anactive educational campaign was started to appeal again for Municipalsuffrage for women in another charter which was being prepared. Thistime the charter convention acceded to the request of the women, butthe whole was defeated at Springfield. In this work important help wasgiven the association by the Teachers' Federation, the Chicago Woman'sClub and the Trade Union League. The Chicago Political EqualityLeague, as well as other affiliated suffrage organizations, took anactive part in this campaign and about 60, 000 signatures to a petitionwere obtained. 

In October, 1909, the State convention was held in Chicago and Mrs. Stewart was again re-elected. This year the State associationorganized the Chicago Men's Equal Suffrage League with former SenatorThomas J. McMillan, the "father" of the Illinois School suffrage law, as its first president. The members were from many walks of life, among them George E. Cole, founder of the Citizens' Association, whohad led in civic reform work for many years; Bishop Samuel Fallows, one of the city's most prominent and best loved clergymen; Richard S. Tuthill, for years an influential Judge; Jenkin Lloyd Jones, founderof the liberal church known as Lincoln Center; Dr. Henry B. Favill, one of Chicago's well-known physicians; Henry Neil, who wasresponsible for the mothers' pension law; Andrew MacLeish, a member ofCarson, Pirie, Scott & Company, one of the city's largest dry goodshouses, and many other prominent men, including the husbands of allthe well-known suffragists. This year for the first time permanentheadquarters were opened in the Fine Arts Building, 410 MichiganBoulevard, and Miss Harriet Grim, a student of Chicago University, wasengaged as State organizer. She spoke before women's clubs, laborunions and parlor groups and twenty new societies were formed. Activesuffrage work was also instituted among the churches under themanagement of Mrs. Fannie H. Rastall, chairman of the ChurchCommittee. 

In the spring of 1910 the State Board decided to try suffrageautomobile tours. Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout, president of the ChicagoPolitical Equality League, was appointed to take charge of anexperimental tour which required about six weeks of preparatory workto insure its success. She visited the offices of the newspapers andsecured their co-operation. The tour started on Monday, July 11, andthe edition of the _Tribune_ the day before contained a full coloredpage of the women in the autos and nearly a half page more of readingmaterial about it. The paper sent two reporters on the trip, who rodein the car with the speakers. The _Examiner_, _Record Herald_, _Post_and _Journal_ sent reporters by railroad and trolley, who joined thesuffragists at their stopping places. The women spoke from theautomobile, which drove into some square or stopped on a prominentstreet corner, previously arranged for by the local committees. Mrs. McCulloch spoke from the legal standpoint; Miss Nicholes from thelaboring woman's view and Mrs. Stewart from an international aspect. Mrs. Trout made the opening address, covering the subject in a generalway, and presented the speakers. She herself was introduced by someprominent local woman and on several occasions by the Mayor. 

Sixteen towns were visited, and the _Tribune_ said: "Suffrage tourends in triumph. With mud bespattered 'Votes for Women' banners stillflying, Mrs. Trout and her party of orators returned late yesterdayafternoon. Men and women cheered them all the way in from their laststop at Wheaton to the Fine Arts Building headquarters. " Similar toursin other parts of the State were conducted by Dr. Anna E. Blount, Mrs. Stewart, Miss Grim and Mrs. Jennie F. W. Johnson. Mrs. Trout took hersame speakers and went to Lake Geneva, where meetings with speakingfrom automobiles were held under the auspices of Mrs. Willis S. McCrea, who entertained the suffragists in her spacious summer home. In the autumn at her house on Lincoln Parkway Mrs. McCrea organizedthe North Side Branch of the State association, afterwards (1913)renamed the Chicago Equal Suffrage Association. 

In October the State convention was held at Elgin and Mrs. Stewart wasre-elected. The Municipal and Presidential bills and the full suffrageamendment were introduced in the Legislature as usual. Miss Grim andMiss Ruth Harl were stationed at Springfield as permanent lobbyistsand Mrs. McCulloch directed the work. At the time of the hearing aspecial suffrage train was run from Chicago to Springfield, withspeaking from the rear platform at the principal places en route. 

The State convention was held at Decatur in October, 1911, and Mrs. Stewart, wishing to retire from office after serving six strenuousyears, Mrs. Elvira Downey was elected president. Organizing work waspushed throughout the State. Cook county clubs for politicaldiscussion were formed by Miss Mary Miller, a lawyer of Chicago. Inthe winter a suffrage bazaar lasting five days was held at the HotelLaSalle, under the management of Mrs. Alice Bright Parker. Many of theyounger suffragists took part in this social event. Every afternoonand evening there were suffrage speeches and several Grand Operasingers contributed their services. It was an excellent piece ofpropaganda work and aroused interest among people who had not beenreached through other forms. 

At the April primaries in Chicago in 1912, through the initiative ofMrs. McCulloch, a "preferential" ballot on the question of suffragefor women was taken. This was merely an expression of opinion by thevoters as to whether they favored it, which the Democratic Judge ofElections, John E. Owens, allowed to be taken, but it had no legalstanding. The State association conducted a whirlwind educationalcampaign immediately before the election. Unfortunately, Prohibitionists, Socialists and many independent electors who favoredit were not entitled to vote. The result was 135, 410 noes, 71, 354ayes, every ward giving an adverse majority. In October the Stateconvention was held at Galesburg and Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout waselected president. Mrs. Trout had been on the State board for twoyears and during this time had served also as president of the ChicagoPolitical Equality League, which under her administration hadincreased its membership from 143 to over 1, 000 members. She began atonce to strengthen the State organization for the legislative campaignof 1913. There were still Senatorial districts in which there were nosuffrage societies, and, as the time was short, competent women wereimmediately appointed in such districts to see that their legislatorswere interviewed and to make ready to have letters and telegrams sentto them at Springfield. 

During the Legislature of 1911 Mrs. Trout had twice accompanied Mrs. McCulloch to Springfield and the antagonism manifested against womansuffrage made her realize that new tactics would have to be employed. Mrs. McCulloch after many years of service had asked to be relievedand Mrs. Elizabeth K. Booth of Glencoe had been elected legislativechairman. Mrs. Trout and she adopted a new plan without spectacularactivities of any kind, believing that much publicity was likely toarouse the opponents. It was decided to initiate a quiet, educationalcampaign and as the only possible way to secure sufficient votes topass the measure, to convert some of the opponents into friends. Itwas agreed also that a card index, giving data about every member ofthe Legislature, should be compiled at once to be used later forreference. This plan was approved and adopted by the State board. 

The members of the Board and suffrage friends throughout the Stategathered information about the legislators and sent it to Mrs. Booth. The cards when filled out stated the politics and religion of thevarious Senators and Representatives, whether they were married orsingle, whether their home relations were harmonious, and tabulatedany public service they had ever rendered. This information made iteasier to approach the different legislators in a way to overcometheir individual prejudices. All effort was to be concentrated on thebill, which, with variations, the State association had had beforemost of the Legislatures since 1893. It read as follows:

 All women [naming usual qualifications] shall be allowed to vote for presidential electors, members of the State Board of Equalization, clerk of the appellate court, county collector, county surveyor, members of board of assessors, members of board of review, sanitary district trustees, and for all officers of cities, villages and towns (except police magistrates), and upon all questions or propositions submitted to a vote of the electors of such municipalities or other political division of this State. 

 All such women may also vote for the following township officers: supervisor, town clerk, assessor, collector and highway commissioner, and may also participate and vote in all annual and special town meetings in the township in which such election district shall be. 

 Separate ballot boxes and ballots shall be provided. .. . 

As soon as the Legislature convened in 1913 a struggle developed overthe Speakership, and there was a long and bitter deadlock beforeWilliam McKinley, a young Democrat from Chicago, was finally elected. Then another struggle ensued over a United States Senator. Duringthese weeks of turmoil little could be accomplished for the suffragebill, but February 10 Mrs. Booth went to Springfield and from thenattended the sessions regularly. She sat in the galleries of theSenate and House and soon learned to recognize each member and roundedup and checked off friendly legislators. 

The Progressives had a large representation and had made plans tointroduce as a party measure a carefully drafted Woman Suffrage bill. Mrs. Trout and Mrs. Booth suggested to the leaders that it would befar better to let the State association sponsor this measure than tohave it presented by any political party. They finally agreed, butMrs. McCulloch had accompanied Mrs. Booth to Springfield taking thebill which she herself had drafted and which she insisted upon havingsubstituted. Out of deference to her long years of service her billwas taken instead of the Progressives'. It named the officers forwhich women should be allowed to vote instead of being worded like theProgressive draft, which said: "Women shall be allowed to vote for allofficers and upon all propositions submitted except where theConstitution provides that the elector shall be a male citizen. " InMrs. Booth's official report to the State convention, held in the fallof 1913 at Peoria, she said: "As we failed to introduce the form ofbill approved by the Progressives' constitutional lawyers theyintroduced it, and it required considerable tact to allay theirdispleasure and induce them to support our bill. " Medill McCormick, one of the leading Progressives in the Legislature, helped greatly instraightening out this tangle. He was a faithful ally of the suffragelobby and rendered invaluable assistance. Other Progressives who gaveimportant service were John M. Curran and Emil N. Zolla of Chicago; J. H. Jayne of Monmouth; Charles H. Carmon of Forrest, and Fayette S. Munro of Highland Park. [43]

On March 10 Mrs. Trout went to Springfield to secure if possible thesupport of the Democratic Governor, Edward F. Dunne, for the bill. Mrs. Booth said in her official report: "The Governor told us that hewould not support any suffrage measure which provided for aconstitutional amendment, as this might interfere with the Initiativeand Referendum Amendment, upon which the administration wasconcentrating its efforts. We assured him that we would not introducea resolution for an amendment and that we desired the support of theadministration for our statutory bill, as we realized that no suffragemeasure could pass if it opposed. He then acquiesced. " The work atSpringfield became more and more complicated and at times seemedalmost hopeless. No politicians believed the suffragists had theslightest chance of success. From April 7 Mrs. Trout went down everyweek. The women had the strong support of the Chicago press andeditorials were published whenever they were especially needed duringthe six months' struggle. After considerable educational work theSpringfield newspapers also became friendly and published suffrageeditorials at opportune times. The papers were refolded so that theseeditorials, blue penciled, came on the outside, and placed on thedesks of the legislators. 

The bill was introduced in the House by Charles L. Scott (Dem. ) and inthe Senate by Hugh S. Magill (Rep. ). All efforts were centered on itspassage first through the Senate. After nearly three months ofstrenuous effort this was finally accomplished on May 7, 1913, by avote of 29 ayes (three more than the required majority) and 15 noes. It is doubtful whether this action could have been secured without theskilful tactics of Senator Magill, but he could not have succeededwithout the unfailing co-operation of Lieutenant Governor BarrattO'Hara. Among other Senators who helped were Martin B. Bailey, AlbertC. Clark, Edward C. Curtis, Samuel A. Ettelson, Logan Hay and ThomasB. Stewart, Republicans; Michael H. Cleary, William A. Compton, KentE. Keller, Walter I. Manny and W. Duff Piercy, Democrats; George W. Harris and Walter Clyde Jones, Progressives. 

The day the bill passed Mrs. Trout left Springfield to address asuffrage meeting to be held in Galesburg that evening and the next dayone at Monmouth. In each place resided a member of the House who wasmarked on the card index as "doubtful, " but both, through theinfluence of their constituents, voted for the bill. Mrs. Boothremained in Springfield to see that it got safely over to the House. The two women wished the bill to go into the friendly ElectionsCommittee and the opponents were planning to put it into the JudiciaryCommittee, where it would remain during the rest of the session. Thesuffrage lobby worked into the small hours of the night making plansto frustrate this scheme. Arrangements were made with Speaker McKinleyto turn it over to the Elections Committee, and when the morningsession opened this was done before the opponents realized that theirplot had failed. 

The women were indebted to David R. Shanahan, for many years aninfluential Republican member, who, representing a "wet" district inChicago, felt that he could not vote for the bill, but without hiscounsel it would have been still more difficult to pass it. Toovercome the pitfalls, Mrs. Trout appealed to the enemies to give thewomen of Illinois a square deal, especially to Lee O'Neil Browne, apowerful Democratic leader. He had always opposed suffragelegislation, but he finally consented to let the bill, so far as hewas concerned, be voted up or down on its merits. It was this spiritof fair play among its opponents as well as the loyalty of its friendsthat made possible the final victory. 

Up to this time Mrs. Trout and Mrs. Booth had worked alone, but nowMrs. Trout asked Mrs. Antoinette Funk, a lawyer, of Chicago, who haddone active work for the Progressive party, to come to Springfield, and she arrived on May 13. A week later Mrs. Medill McCormick came toreside in the capital and her services were immediately enlisted. Shewas a daughter of the late Senator Mark Hanna, who had inherited muchof her father's ability in politics and was an important addition tothe suffrage lobby. On May 14 the bill had its first reading and wasreferred to the Elections Committee. On the 21st it was reported witha recommendation that it "do pass. " The opponents were now thoroughlyalarmed. Anton J. Cermak of Chicago, president of the UnitedSocieties, a powerful organization of liquor interests, directed thefight against it. Leaflets were circulated giving the "preferential"suffrage vote taken in Chicago the year before, with a list of thenegative votes cast in each ward to show the Chicago members how badlyit had been beaten by their constituents. The bill was called up forsecond reading June 3 and there was a desperate attempt to amend andif possible kill it, but it finally passed in just the form it hadcome over from the Senate. 

The hope of the opposition now was to keep Speaker McKinley fromallowing the bill to come up for third reading. He told Mrs. Troutthat hundreds of men from Chicago as well as from other parts of theState had come to Springfield and begged him to prevent it from comingto a vote. The young Speaker looked haggard and worn during thosedays, and he asked her to let him know it if there was any suffragesentiment in the State. She immediately telephoned to Mrs. HarrietteTaylor Treadwell, president of the Chicago Political Equality League, to have letters and telegrams sent at once to Springfield and to havepeople communicate by telephone with the Speaker when he returned toChicago for the week end. Mrs. Treadwell called upon the suffragistsand thousands of letters and telegrams were sent. She also organized atelephone brigade by means of which he was called up every fifteenminutes by men as well as women, both at his home and his office, fromearly Saturday morning until late Monday night the days he spent inChicago. She was assisted in this work by Mrs. James W. Morrisson, secretary of the Chicago Equal Suffrage Association; Mrs. George Bass, president of the Chicago Woman's Club; Mrs. Jean Wallace Butler, awell-known business woman; Mrs. Edward L. Stillman, an activesuffragist in the Rogers Park Woman's Club; Miss Florence King, aprominent patent lawyer and president of the Chicago Woman'sAssociation of Commerce; Miss Mary Miller, another Chicago lawyer andpresident of the Chicago Human Rights Association; Mrs. CharlotteRhodus, president of the Woman Suffrage Party of Cook County and otherinfluential women. Mrs. Trout telephoned Miss Margaret Dobyne, presschairman of the association, to send out the call for help over theState, which she did with the assistance of Miss Jennie F. W. Johnson, the treasurer, and Mrs. J. W. McGraw, the auditor. 

A deluge of letters and telegrams from every section of Illinoisawaited the Speaker when he arrived in Springfield Tuesday morning. Heneeded no further proof and announced that the bill would be called upfor final action June 11. The women in charge of it immediately beganto marshal their forces for the last struggle. Messages were sent toeach friend of the measure in the House, urging him to be presentwithout fail. [44] On the eventful morning there was much excitement atthe Capitol. The "captains, " previously requested to be on handearly, reported if any of their men were missing, these were at oncecalled up by telephone and when necessary a cab was sent for them. Thefour women lobbyists were stationed as follows: Mrs. Booth and Mrs. McCormick in the gallery; Mrs. Trout at the only entrance of the Houseleft open that day, and Mrs. Funk to carry messages and instructionsbetween these points. Mrs. Booth checked off the votes and Mrs. Troutstood guard to see that no friendly members left the House during rollcalls and also to prevent the violation of the law which forbade anylobbyist to enter the floor of the House after the session hadconvened. The burly doorkeeper, who was against the suffrage bill, could not be trusted to enforce the law if its enemies chose to enter. 

Events proved the wisdom of this precaution. A number of favoringlegislators who started to leave the House during the fight werepersuaded to return and the doorkeeper soon told Mrs. Trout she wouldhave to go into the gallery. As she did not move he came backpresently and said that Benjamin Mitchell, one of the members of theHouse leading the opposition, had instructed him that if she did notimmediately go to the gallery he would put a resolution through theHouse forcing her to do so. She politely but firmly said it was herright as a citizen of Illinois to stay in the corridor and remained ather post. As a consequence no one entered the House that day who wasnot legally entitled to do so. During the five hours' debate all knownparliamentary tactics were used to defeat the bill. When SpeakerMcKinley finally announced the vote--ayes 83 (six more than therequired majority), noes 58--a hush fell for an instant before thewild outburst of applause. It seemed as if there had passed throughthose legislative halls the spirit of eternal justice and truth andthe eyes of strong men filled with tears. 

Politicians declared it was a miracle, but it was a miracle madepossible by six months of unceasing toil, during which the suffragelobby worked from early in the morning until late at night and wereshadowed by detectives eager to acquire testimony that would prejudicethe legislators against their measure. It was most encouraging to theworkers when they won over Edward D. Shurtleff, who had been for yearsSpeaker of the House and was acknowledged to be one of the mostastute men in Springfield. His practical knowledge of legislativeprocedure made his advice of the greatest value. Representative Scott, who introduced the bill in the House, was a highly esteemed member whorefused to present any others so that he could be free to devote allof his time and energy to this one, and others were equally loyal. Mrs. Trout's leadership received the highest praise from the press andthe politicians of the State. The Illinois Legislature led the way andwithin a few years bills of a similar nature had been passed by thoseof fourteen other States. 

The State Equal Suffrage Association tendered a banquet at the LelandHotel in Springfield on June 13 to the legislators and their wives, opponents as well as friends, and prominent suffragists came from overthe State. Mrs. Trout asked Mrs. McCormick to take charge of thebanquet and she had a roll of honor printed which the men who votedfor the suffrage bill were invited to sign, and the Governor'ssignature was also obtained. As soon as he entered the banquet hallMrs. Trout, in charge of the program, called upon the banqueters torise and do honor to the Governor who would soon, by signing thesuffrage bill, win the everlasting gratitude of all men and women inIllinois interested in human liberty. The very day the bill passed theHouse a committee of anti-suffrage legislators called upon GovernorDunne to urge him to veto it and tried to influence Attorney GeneralPatrick J. Lucey to declare it unconstitutional, which would give himan excuse. Mrs. McCormick immediately went to Chicago and securedopinions from able lawyers that the bill was constitutional, and hestood out against all opposition and signed it on June 26. 

On July 1 a jubilee automobile parade was arranged by Mrs. Treadwellwith Mrs. Kenneth McLennan as grand marshal, and the cars filled withenthusiastic suffragists extended several miles down MichiganBoulevard. The first important work was to arouse the women of theState to a realization of all the good that could be accomplished bythe wise use of the franchise. The entire cost of the Springfieldcampaign, which lasted over six months and included railroad fare forthe lobbyists, innumerable telegrams and long distance telephonecalls, postage, stationery, printing, stenographic help, hotel billsand incidentals, was only $1, 567, but it left the treasury of theassociation empty. The board therefore gratefully accepted the offerof William Randolph Hearst of a suffrage edition of the Chicago_Examiner_. He agreed to pay for the cost of publication and permitthe funds raised through the sale of the papers and the advertising togo into the suffrage treasury. The women were weary from the campaignand most of the board were going away for the summer but Mrs. Troutrallied her forces, was general manager herself and persuaded Mrs. Funk to be managing editor, Miss Dobyne advertising manager and Mrs. Treadwell circulation manager. As a result of almost six weeks' workduring the hottest part of the summer nearly $15, 000 were raised. After all commissions and other expenses were paid and new andcommodious suffrage headquarters in the Tower Building were furnisheda fund of between $7, 000 and $8, 000 was left to maintain them and pushorganization work. 

The constitutionality of the law was soon attacked and Mrs. Troutconsulted frequently with the officers of the Anti-Saloon League, forthe attacks always emanated from the "wet" interests, and mostefficient service was rendered by F. Scott McBride, StateSuperintendent; E. J. Davis, Chicago superintendent, and Frank B. Ebbert, legal counsel for the league, who said it was also theirfight. A case was brought against the Election Commissioners ofChicago for allowing women to vote on certain questions, decided intheir favor by the lower courts, appealed and brought before theSupreme Court of Illinois. A meeting of the board of the State EqualSuffrage Association was called at once, which voted to raise adefense fund and fight the case to a finish. The chairman of thecommittee was Mrs. George A. Soden, first vice-president, and it waslargely through her efforts and the contributions of her husband thatthe fund was raised. Not only the legislators who had voted for thebill but also a number who voted against it sent money to help defendthe law. The opponents of the law--the liquor interests--wererepresented by Levi Mayer of Chicago, counsel for the United Societiesas well as for big brewery interests and considered one of the ablestconstitutional lawyers in the State. It was therefore necessary forthe association to secure the best and they engaged John J. Herrickand Judge Charles S. Cutting, who by agreement with the ElectionCommissioners took charge of the fight. The women consulted also withCharles H. Mitchell, their regular counsel, as well as with JudgeWillard McEwen, whom the commissioners engaged as special counsel. They frequently conferred with Judge Isaiah T. Greenacre, counsel forthe Teachers' Federation, and Joel F. Longnecker, a young lawyeractive in the Progressive party, both of whom donated their services. 

There was a long delay in the Supreme Court and during this time itwas vitally necessary to demonstrate that the women wanted the ballotby bringing out as large a registration as possible for the municipalelection to be held in April, 1914. The opponents were saying: "Womendown the State have voted because they are interested in local optionbut not 25, 000 women will register in Chicago. " It was, therefore, ofparamount importance to arouse the Chicago women. This work was incharge of Mrs. Edward L. Stewart, assisted by Mrs. Judith WeilLoewenthal, members of the State Board. Mrs. Stewart called upon everyorganization of women in the city to assist. Valuable help was givenby Mrs. Ida Darling Engelke, city chairman of ward organization forthe Chicago Political Equality League; Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen, presidentof the Woman's City Club, and Mrs. James Morrisson, president of theChicago Equal Suffrage Association. There were public meetings inevery ward, and a mass meeting the Sunday before the election in theAuditorium Theater, which seated over 4, 000 people, but overflowmeetings were necessary. As a result of this united effort over200, 000 women registered in Chicago alone and thousands morethroughout the State. 

On May 2, 1914, was held the first large suffrage parade in Illinois. It was managed by the State association and its affiliated Chicagoclubs. Mrs. Trout, with the members of the Board and distinguishedpioneer suffragists, led the procession, and Governor Dunne and MayorCarter H. Harrison reviewed it. The city government sent to head theparade the mounted police, led by Chief Gleason, called "the beautysquad, " only brought out on very special occasions. Nearly 15, 000women, representing all parties, creeds and classes, marched downMichigan Boulevard and hundreds of thousands of people lined bothsides for over two miles. Captain Charles W. Kayser of Wheaton plannedthe procession with military skill. The Parade Committee, includingthe heads of divisions and numbering over a thousand women, wasinvited immediately after the procession to the Hotel La Salle byErnest Stevens, manager and one of the owners, where they were guestsof the management at supper, which was followed by music and speaking. 

In June the General Federation of Women's Clubs held its biennialconvention in Chicago and the question uppermost in the minds of allclub women was, would the president, Mrs. Percy Pennybacker, refuse toallow a woman suffrage resolution to be presented, as her predecessor, Mrs. Philip Moore, had done in San Francisco at the precedingbiennial, and also would it receive a favorable vote if presented? TheState Board, realizing that with the suffrage law still hanging in thebalance in the Supreme Court, it was vitally important to have theendorsement by this convention, representing 1, 500, 000 members, appointed Mrs. Trout to secure favorable action if possible. TheFederation Board on request of Mrs. Pennybacker appointed a specialcommittee to confer with her and as the result of co-operation thefollowing resolution, presented by Mrs. Lucretia L. Blankenburg ofPhiladelphia, an officer of the Federation, was adopted on June 13:

 WHEREAS, the question of the political equality of men and women is today a vital problem under discussion throughout the civilized world, therefore, _Resolved_, that the General Federation of Women's Clubs give the cause of political equality for men and women its moral support by recording its earnest belief in the principle of political equality regardless of sex. 

There were between 1, 700 and 1, 800 delegates present, representing allsections of the country. The vote was viva voce and so overwhelminglyin the affirmative that it was not counted. The Chicago _Tribune_said: "The anti-suffragists made no fight against the resolution onthe floor of the convention, probably realizing they were hopelesslyoutnumbered. There was a considerable chorus of nays when it was put, but not enough for any one to demand a count. " Afterwards theIllinois members recommended Mrs. Trout as an honorary member of theGeneral Federation and she was unanimously elected. 

By an interesting coincidence the day the suffrage resolution waspassed by the Biennial the State Supreme Court pronounced the SuffrageLaw constitutional. A banquet had already been planned by the Stateassociation for that evening to be held in the Gold Room of theCongress Hotel in honor of the General Federation, and it proved to bea memorable occasion. Over a thousand women were present and nearly asmany more could not find room. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Miss MaryGarrett Hay and other well known suffragists, as well as the officersof the Federation, made speeches. 

All these events changed public sentiment in regard to the womansuffrage question. As Congress was in session this summer its memberswere unable to fill their Chautauqua lecture dates, and Mrs. Trout wasasked to make suffrage speeches at fifty Chautauquas in nine States, filling dates for a Democrat, the Hon. Champ Clark, and for aRepublican, United States Senator Robert LaFollette, and for WilliamJennings Bryan. 

The State convention was held in Chicago in 1914 and Mrs. Trout wasagain re-elected president. During this year the Chicago EqualSuffrage Association did excellent educational work by establishingclasses in citizenship in the Woman's City Club and by publishingcatechisms for women voters in seven different languages. 

At the annual convention held in Peoria in 1915 Mrs. Trout positivelyrefused to stand again for president and Mrs. Adella Maxwell Brown ofPeoria was elected. Four State conferences were held during the yearand Mrs. Brown represented the association at the National SuffrageAssociation at Washington in December; the Mississippi ValleyConference at Minneapolis the next May; the National Council of WomenVoters at Cheyenne in July and the National Suffrage Association atAtlantic City in September. In June, 1916, the State association, assisted by those of Chicago, took charge of what became known as the"famous rainy day suffrage parade, " held in that city while theNational Republican convention was in session. Mrs. Brown waschairman of the committee, Mrs. Morrisson vice-chairman and Mrs. Kellogg Fairbanks grand marshal of the parade. 

There was much speculation among the political parties as to how thewomen would vote at their first presidential election in November, 1916. As their ballots were put into separate boxes they could bedistinguished and they were as follows: Republican, 459, 215;Democratic, 383, 292; Socialist, 17, 175; Prohibition, 16, 212; SocialistLabor, 806. 

Much important legislative work was to be done in the next session ofthe Legislature and at the State convention held in Springfield inOctober, 1916, Mrs. Trout was persuaded to accept again thepresidency. Delegates were present from every section and the policyfor the ensuing year was thoroughly discussed by Mrs. McCulloch, Senator Magill, Lewis G. Stevenson, Secretary of State; Mrs. GeorgeBass, and others. The consensus of opinion was that owing to the greatdifficulty of amending the State constitution the only practical wayto secure full suffrage for women was through a new constitution. Thisconvention, therefore, voted in an overwhelming majority to work inthe Legislature of 1917 for the calling of a constitutionalconvention. The Citizens' Association, composed of leading men ofChicago and the State, had been trying over thirty years to obtain anew State constitution and as soon as they learned of this action theysent Shelby M. Singleton, its secretary, to request of Mrs. Trout andMrs. McGraw that the work be directed by the leaders of the StateEqual Suffrage Association, to which they agreed. They went toSpringfield at the beginning of the session in 1917 and a strugglefollowed that lasted over ten weeks. 

[Mrs. McGraw prepared a very full account of the work in theLegislature to have it submit to the voters the question of calling aconvention to prepare a new constitution. Representatives of all theleading organizations of women assisted at Springfield from time totime. The resolution had the powerful support of Governor Frank C. Lowden, Congressman Medill McCormick, Roger C. Sullivan and otherprominent men, but the Citizens' Association in an official bulletingave the larger part of the credit to "the tireless and tactful workof the women's lobby. " After Senate and House by more than atwo-thirds majority had voted to submit the question to the votersthe State association organized an Emergency League to establishcenters in each of the 101 counties and an immense educationalcampaign was carried on. Over a thousand meetings were held in thesummer and fall preceding the election Nov. 5, 1918, when the proposalfor a convention received a majority of 74, 239. The next yeardelegates to the convention were elected and it met in SpringfieldJan. 6, 1920. One of its first acts was to adopt an article giving thecomplete suffrage to women. Before the constitution was ready tosubmit to the voters the women were fully enfranchised by the FederalAmendment. ]

After the victory was gained in the Legislature and just as all planswere laid for the campaign in the spring of 1917 the United Statesentered the war against Germany. Mrs. Trout was appointed a member ofthe executive committee of the Woman's Council of National Defense andall the members of the board immediately engaged in Liberty Loan, RedCross and other war work. During this period of strenuous activityanother attack was made on the constitutionality of the suffrage lawby the liquor interests and the case was again brought before theSupreme Court. The State Board engaged James G. Skinner, an ablelawyer, formerly Assistant Corporation Counsel, and in December thelaw was again pronounced constitutional. 

The State convention was held in the autumn of 1917 in Danville andMrs. Trout was re-elected. The association now had affiliatedsocieties in every senatorial and congressional district with amembership of over 200, 000 women. Mrs. Trout was soon called toWashington by Mrs. Catt to work for the Federal Suffrage Amendment andspent many months there while Mrs. McGraw directed the organizationwork of the State association. She secured the co-operation of Mrs. R. M. Reed, legislative chairman of the Illinois Federation of Women'sClubs; they appointed two workers in each congressional district andnearly every woman's society in the State had constitutionalconvention programs. In the spring of 1918 Governor Lowden appointedJudge Orrin N. Carter, of the Supreme Court, chairman of a state-widecommittee that worked in co-operation with the state-wide committee ofwomen. The annual suffrage convention was held in the latter part ofOctober, 1918, in Chicago, and Mrs. Trout was re-elected. 

RATIFICATION. When Congress submitted the Federal Suffrage AmendmentJune 4, 1919, Mrs. Trout and Mrs. McGraw immediately went toSpringfield where the Legislature was in session. They had alreadymade preliminary arrangements and without urging it ratified theamendment on June 10. The vote in the Senate was unanimous, in theHouse it was 135 ayes, 85 Republicans, 50 Democrats; three nays, allDemocrats, Lee O'Neil Browne, John Griffin and Peter F. Smith. A minormistake was made in the first certified copy of the resolution sentfrom the Secretary of State's office at Washington to the Governor ofIllinois. To prevent the possibility of any legal quibbling GovernorLowden telegraphed that office to send at once a corrected, certifiedcopy. This was done and the ratification was reaffirmed by theLegislature on June 17, the vote in the Senate again being unanimousand one Democrat, Charles F. Franz, added to the former three negativevotes in the House. 

Owing to a misunderstanding of the facts for a short time there wassome controversy as to whether Illinois was entitled to first place, as the Wisconsin Legislature ratified an hour later. Attorney GeneralBrundage prepared a brief showing that the mistake in the firstcertified copy did not affect the legality of the ratification on June10, as the mistake was made in copying the introductory resolution andnot in the amendment itself. This opinion was accepted in theSecretary of State's office at Washington. So Illinois, the firstState east of the Mississippi River to grant suffrage to its women, was the first to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment. In celebrationa jubilee banquet was held on June 24 at the Hotel LaSalle, Mrs. Troutpresiding, with Governor and Mrs. Lowden the guests of honor. Amongthe speakers were the Governor, prominent members of the StateLegislature and the leading women suffragists. 

In October the State convention was held in Chicago, with delegatespresent from every section, and Mrs. Trout was re-elected president. It was voted to continue to work for the speedy ratification of theFederal Suffrage Amendment in other States and if this was notobtained in 1920 to work for the full suffrage article in the newconstitution when it was submitted to the voters. At the convention ofthe National American Association in St. Louis the preceding March theIllinois association had extended an invitation to hold the next onein Chicago, which was accepted. The State board called togetherrepresentatives from the principal organizations of women, which wereappointed to take charge of different days of the convention andvarious phases of the work. Mrs. Trout and Mrs. McGraw were madechairman and vice-chairman of the committee; Mrs. Samuel Slade, recording secretary, was appointed chairman of the Finance Committee, which raised the funds to defray all the expenses of this largeconvention in February, 1920. [Full account in Chapter XIX, Volume V. ]

A meeting of the State Board was called and a committee formed to getas many women as possible to vote in November at the election forPresident. Mrs. Trout was elected State chairman, Mrs. McGrawvice-chairman, and Mrs. Albert Schweitzer, a member of the board, wasappointed Chicago chairman. The Woman's City Club, of which Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen was president, took an active part in the campaign andwas the headquarters for the Chicago committee. In August in the midstof the campaign came the joyful news that the 36th State had ratifiedthe Federal Amendment. A call was issued for the State convention tobe held in Chicago October 7-9, when the Illinois Equal SuffrageAssociation, its work finished, disbanded, and its members formed aState League of Women Voters, with Mrs. H. W. Cheney of Chicago aschairman. 

FOOTNOTES:

[42] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. J. W. McGraw, eight years on the Board of Directors and six years LegislativeChairman of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association. She is underobligations for many of the facts relative to the campaign of 1913 toMrs. Grace Wilbur Trout, State president for seven years. 

[43] The State association always did everything possible to cooperatewith the National Suffrage Association. On March 1, headed by Mrs. Trout, 83 women left Chicago by special train for Washington. In thebig suffrage parade there on the 3rd they wore a uniform regalia ofcap and baldric and were headed by a large band led by Mrs. George S. Wells, a member of the State Board, as drum major. There was a womanout-rider, Mrs. W. H. Stewart, on a spirited horse. Mrs. Trout led, carrying an American flag, and the Illinois banner was carried byRoyal N. Allen, a prominent member of the Progressive party and therailroad official who had charge of the special train. 

[44] "Captains" had been appointed among the members and eachfurnished with a list and it was his duty to see that the men on itwere in their seats whenever the bill was up for discussion. Thefollowing Representatives served as "captains" and rendered importantservice: William F. Burres, Norman G. Flagg, Edward D. Shurtleff, Homer J. Tice and George H. Wilson, Republicans; John P. Devine, FrankGillespie, William A. Hubbard, W. C. Kane, Charles L. Scott andFrancis E. Williamson, Democrats; Roy D. Hunt, J. H. Jayne, MedillMcCormick and Emil N. Zolla, Progressives; Seymour Stedman, Socialist. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

INDIANA. PART I. [45]

Although Indiana was one of the first States in the Union to form asuffrage association in 1851 there were long periods when it wasinactive but there were others when it flourished. In 1851 aconstitution was adopted whose provisions for women were probably moreliberal than existed in any other State and they did not feel apressure of unjust laws; co-education prevailed from an early date andall occupations were open to them. Thus they were not impelled bypersonal grievances to keep up a continued fight for the suffrage. After 1900 there was a period of depression which the NationalAmerican Suffrage Association tried unsuccessfully to relieve. Finallyin May, 1906, it called a convention to meet in Kokomo, where one ofthe old societies had continued to maintain an organization, anddelegates were present from societies in Indianapolis, Logansport, Tipton and Montpelier. Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, treasurer of theNational Association, presided and a good deal of interest was shown. The following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Sarah Davis;first vice-president, Mrs. Laura Schofield; secretary, Mrs. E. M. Wood, all of Kokomo; second vice-president, Mrs. Anna Dunn Noland, Logansport; treasurer, Mrs. Marion Harvey Barnard, Indianapolis;auditors, Mrs. Jane Pond, Montpelier, Judge Samuel Artman, Lebanon. The association affiliated with the National body and always remainedan auxiliary. Mrs. Davis left the State during this year and thereseems to be no record of anything done by this board. 

In April, 1908, Mrs. Upton wrote to Mrs. Noland begging her to call aconvention. Acting as president, secretary and treasurer and supplyingthe funds from her own purse, Mrs. Noland sent hundreds of lettersover the State asking for names of people interested in suffrage andfrom the names she formed committees to interest others. Her onlyassistant was her husband, Dr. J. F. Noland, who helped in leisurehours. In October the work of organization began by Mrs. Noland andMiss Pearl Penfield. A convention was called to meet in Logansport, March 16-17, 1909. Fifteen clubs had paid small dues but only sevensent delegates. It was welcomed by Mayor George P. McKee. Muchinterest and a great deal of publicity resulted. The _Reporter_, aLogansport daily paper, published a suffrage edition March 17, onepage edited by a committee from the association. Mrs. Ella S. Stewartof Chicago, Miss Harriet Noble of Indianapolis and Mrs. B. F. Perkinsof Fort Wayne were the speakers. The following officers were elected:President, Mrs. Noland; first vice-president, Dr. Susan E. Collier, Indianapolis; second, Mrs. Mary Mitchner, Kokomo; correspondingsecretary, Mrs. Bessie Hughes, Logansport; recording secretary, Mrs. Wood; treasurer, Mrs. Barnard; auditors re-elected; member NationalExecutive Committee, Mrs. Perkins. During the year Sullivan, TerreHaute, Amboy, Lafayette, Red Key and Ridgeville became auxiliaries. Mrs. Antoinette D. Leach of Sullivan was made State organizer; Mrs. Flora T. Neff of Logansport chairman of literature. 

In 1911 a resolution to amend the State constitution by striking outthe word "male" was presented to the Legislature, drafted by Mrs. Leach. It passed the House committee unanimously, went to thirdreading and was shelved because of a proposed plan for a newconstitution brought out by Governor Thomas R. Marshall. The MunicipalLeague composed of the mayors and councilmen of all the cities in theState invited the Equal Suffrage Association to provide speakers forthe annual meeting at Crawfordsville June 20 and Mrs. Noland, MissNoble and Mrs. Leach responded. They were courteously received andheard with much applause. The convention was not interested in womansuffrage but the press gave much publicity. A State suffrageconvention was held at this time. In August a monthly journal calledthe _Woman Citizen_ was established in Indianapolis by the associationwith Mrs. Leach as editor, its columns open to all suffrageorganizations, and published for two years. New Albany, Jeffersonville, Markleville and Valparaiso clubs were added to theState association. The New Albany society was large and active andgave suffrage much prominence in southern Indiana. Mrs. Nolandreported 5, 000 letters sent out in 1911. 

On June 28, 29, 1912, Logansport again entertained the Stateconvention. Mrs. Noland acted as publicity chairman. The Call was sentbroadcast; press notices in every daily and weekly paper; largeposters put up at the cross roads in every county; banners stretchedacross Broadway announcing the date. On the Saturday before themeeting circulars announcing it and a parade were dropped over thecity from an air ship. Every business house was beautifully dressed insuffrage colors. Mayor D. D. Fickle gave an address of welcome. Theprincipal speaker was Dr. B. O. Aylesworth of Colorado. The parade wasviewed by more than 50, 000 people and Pathé made films of it. Theconvention was widely noticed by the press. Eleven new societies wereadded to the State association. Mrs. Noland was re-elected. Otherofficers were: Mrs. O. P. Smith, Logansport; Mrs. Anna Cassangese, NewAlbany; Mrs. Margaret Williamson, Red Key; Dr. Emma G. Holloway, NorthManchester, vice-presidents; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. KatharineHoffman, Logansport; member National Executive Committee, Mrs. Leach;standing committees, Legislation, Mrs. Leach; Church, Mrs. Alice JudahClark, Vincennes; Endorsement, Mrs. Harriet Houser; Press, Mrs. Neff, both of Logansport. 

A publicity campaign was begun. Billboards were covered with postersand barns, fences and stones along the country roadways were decoratedwith "Votes for Women. " Free literature was distributed and handbillswere given out at every opportunity. Sunday afternoon meetings wereheld in picture show halls in many towns. Booths were secured atcounty and street fairs. Tents were placed on Chautauqua grounds withspeakers and all kinds of suffrage supplies. This program was kept upuntil the World War called the women to other duties. The Gary CivicService League affiliated with the association and Mrs. Kate Wood Ray, its president, was made press chairman. 

On Oct. 12-14, 1914, the annual convention was held in Logansport, welcomed by Mayor Guthrie. Among the speakers were Judge S. T. McConnell of Logansport and O. P. Smith, a State and national laborleader. Both had attended the meeting at Kokomo in 1906, since whichtime Judge McConnell had been a legal adviser of the association. Mr. Smith was a member of the legislative advisory committee. Miss LauraClay of Kentucky, Dr. Frank Stockton of Bloomington and Miss FlorenceWattles of Kokomo were the principal speakers. Miss Clay was made anhonorary member. Mrs. Mary P. Flannegan, secretary-treasurer, was theonly new officer; new committee chairmen, Mrs. McConnell, Mrs. L. E. Sellars, Mrs. E. B. De Vault, Miss Wattles. The secretary's reportshowed 28 affiliated societies. It was voted to cooperate with theLegislative Council of Women and work for Presidential suffrage. Mrs. Noland, as chairman of the committee, was in Indianapolis from thetime the bill was introduced until the Assembly adjourned. 

In February, 1915, Mrs. Noland went before the national convention ofminers in Indianapolis and secured a unanimous resolution favoringState and national woman suffrage from the 1, 600 delegates. In thesummer the State association sent Miss Wattles for two months'speaking in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania suffrage campaigns. InJuly the Municipal League held its annual meeting in Logansport andthe association, again called upon for speakers, sent Mrs. Noland, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Sellars. The enthusiasm with which they werereceived and the discussion by the delegates which followed showed amarked change since the meeting at Crawfordsville in 1911. At theState convention in the fall a committee was appointed forinterviewing candidates before the spring primaries, especially thosefor Governor and members of the Legislature and Congress. Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Leach and Mrs. Noland composed the committee. 

In the fall of 1916 the question of a new State constitution wasreferred to the voters and the association placed women at all pollingplaces in the cities and large towns. In the small towns and countrythe voters received literature and letters asking them to vote infavor. It was lost but the work gave the women a new zeal and with theenlightenment of the voters the effort seemed more than worth while. At the State meeting in October it was decided again to join handswith the Legislative Council to work for a partial suffrage bill andto cooperate with the Woman's Franchise League in legislative work ifa mutual decision could be brought about. The association all over theState was very zealous in behalf of the bill and Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Nolandand Mrs. Stimson worked continuously in the State House until theGovernor signed it on February 28. 

To the Legislative Council of Women belongs much of the glory for thefinal suffrage victories in Indiana. Formed in 1914 to work with theLegislature it was composed of the following State organizationsrepresenting 80, 000 organized women: Federation of Women's Clubs, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Mothers' Congress, Woman'sFranchise League, Woman's Press Club, Association of CollegiateAlumnae, Consumers' League, Woman's Relief Corps, Equal SuffrageAssociation. These organizations represented an influence that couldnot be ignored. The officers were as follows: President, Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter (later Mrs. Edward F. White), Indianapolis; vice-presidents:Miss Vida Newsom, Columbus; Mrs. Flora Millspaugh, Chesterfield; Mrs. A. D. Moffett, Elwood; secretary-treasurer, Miss Dora Bosart, Indianapolis. The Executive Committee was composed of the presidentand one delegate from each organization and Mrs. S. C. Stimson ofTerre Haute was chairman. The Council was financed by theseorganizations, assisted by churches, business men's clubs, ministers', teachers' and farmers' associations and individual contributions. 

The Act was ruled unconstitutional in October but the women had ataste of citizenship, for all over the State they had registered andin some places they had voted on prohibition and public improvements. The Legislative Council sent out 75, 000 registration cards. Municipalauthorities had appointed women to places of trust. The Suffrage Boardformulated a plan for the study of citizenship, of the United Statesand State constitutions, methods of voting, etc. , which has since beenon the program of study for the local societies. 

In July, 1917, Mrs. Noland and Mrs. Ray were again asked to speak atthe annual meeting of the Municipal League and the following wasadopted with enthusiasm: "Resolved; That the Municipal League ofIndiana does hereby recommend full and equal suffrage for women inboth State and nation. "

By a vote of the local societies it was decided not to call aconvention during the war, as every woman was engaged in war work, butmonthly board meetings were held in different towns in 1917 and 1918, keeping the busy women in touch with suffrage work. During theLegislature of 1919 other organizations seemed desirous of pushing thesuffrage work and the association voted to give them a free hand. Itassisted the effort for the ratification of the Federal Amendment bysending letters and having resolutions passed by organizations. It hasat this time (1920) 29 affiliated societies, 500 dues-paying membersand over 6, 000 non-dues-paying members. 

INDIANA. PART II. [46]

During the early years of the present century there was no definitecampaign for suffrage in Indiana but the partial success of repeatedefforts to influence the General Assembly to pass various suffragebills showed a large body of interested if unorganized favorableopinion. The State had never been entirely organized but there wereseveral centers where flourishing associations kept up interest. In1901 the State Woman Suffrage Association under the presidency of Mrs. Bertha G. Wade of Indianapolis engaged chiefly in legislative work butit gradually ceased effort. There were attempts toward itsre-organization in the following years, assisted by the NationalAssociation, but interest proved to be not sufficiently keen orwidespread. 

The Indianapolis Equal Suffrage Society, organized in 1878 under thedirection of Mrs. May Wright Sewall, had never suspended activities. Dr. Amelia R. Keller was its president in 1909 and in order tostimulate interest and give an outlet for the energy of its members, assisted by Mrs. Grace Julian Clarke, Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter, Mrs. John F. Barnhill, Mrs. W. T. Barnes, Mrs. Winfield Scott Johnson andDr. Rebecca Rogers George, she formed the Women's School League onOctober 1, "to elect a woman to the school board and improve theschools of Indianapolis. " Dr. Keller was made president and the otherofficers were, vice-presidents, Dr. George and Mrs. McWhirter;secretary, Mrs. Julia C. Henderson; treasurer, Miss Harriet Noble;directors, Mrs. Clarke, Mrs. Barnhill, Mrs. Arthur B. Grover, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Linton A. Cox, Mrs. Laura Kregelo, Mrs. Edgar A. Perkins, Dr. Mary A. Spink, Miss Belle O'Hair and Miss Tarquinia Voss. Many of these names become familiar in the later records of suffragework. 

The first part of the league's program succeeded and a woman waselected to the school board of Indianapolis. At the same time thewomen of Terre Haute, where under a new law the school board waselective, made a like attempt through the Woman's Club and the localsuffrage society and were also successful. These were the only placeswhere school boards were elective. Many women showed themselves eagerto work for a woman on the school board who were indifferent to thelarger aspects of suffrage. It was soon clear, however, that theschools could not stand alone in municipal affairs but where boardswere not elected it would be necessary to vote for Mayor andcouncilmen to influence school conditions, therefore on April 21, 1911, the organization dropped the word "school" from its title andbecame the Woman's Franchise League of Indiana. Dr. Keller continuedas president and associated with her as officers were Mrs. MeredithNicholson and Mrs. McWhirter, vice presidents; Mrs. Henderson, secretary; Mrs. Barnhill, treasurer. 

A State convention of the league was held in Indianapolis April 12, 1912, and one took place annually after that date, always in thecapital. At this convention Dr. Martha Griffiths of Crawfordsville andDr. Adah McMahon of Lafayette were added to the directors. This yearthe league affiliated with the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation. [47] By May, 1916, there were sixty branch leagues and3, 000 members; in May, 1919, there were 300 branches and 16, 000members. Dr. Keller continued as president until the convention of1917, when Mrs. Richard E. Edwards of Peru was elected and served twoyears. At the convention of 1919 Miss Helen Benbridge of Terre Hautewas chosen. The Franchise League was exceedingly fortunate in itsthree presidents, who gave the most of their time, thought and effortto its demands without salary. Dr. Keller organized it largely throughthe force of her own personality and was able to gather around herother strong and determined women through whom the idea of suffragewas carried out into the State. Mrs. Edwards took up the work of moreintensive organization of the State outside of Indianapolis andsucceeded, with Miss Benbridge as State organizer, in multiplying thebranch leagues and the members by five. Miss Benbridge's work aspresident was that of consolidating these gains and directing thewomen in the use of the vote which they thought they had won. The listis too long to be given of those who deserve special mention for yearsof devoted service. 

From the spring of 1917 to the autumn of 1918 the members of force andcharacter were drawn upon for war service and the league suffered thetemporary loss of some of its best workers, who were filling executivepositions in the many war agencies. Of the directorate Miss Adah Bushworked first in Washington with the Woman's Council of NationalDefense and later went to France with the Young Women's ChristianAssociation; Mrs. Fred McCulloch was State chairman of Liberty Loans;Dr. McMahon went to France on the staff of the Women's OverseaHospitals; Mrs. Henderson was chairman of the "four minute speakers"who at their own expense went over the State speaking for LibertyLoans, Red Cross, etc. 

Under the able direction of Miss Benbridge the league continued toincrease until there were but four counties in which it had norepresentation. The changed status of members from suffrage workersto voters necessitated a different sort of activity. Organizers werestill employed to some extent and suffrage propaganda used in the moreremote counties but the stress was laid upon teaching women to use thevote intelligently and appreciate the power it gives. A CitizenshipSchool of the nature of a Normal School was held in Indianapolis inOctober and women from all over the State attended a five days'session and heard talks on the nature and various functions of thegovernment and the duties of citizens, by men and women who wereexperts in their various lines. They took back to their own towns theinspiration received and these schools were carried on quitegenerally. The State Superintendent of Education sent out a bulletinasking the teachers to give their aid and recommending that the publicschools be used for this work. A monograph entitled An Aid to theCitizen in Indiana was prepared by Miss Martha Block of Terre Hauteand published by the league. This movement to train the new voterscommanded the respect of educators and several professors ineducational institutions offered their services as teachers in theschools of citizenship. 

The convention of April, 1920, was the end of the Franchise League. With the near ratification of the Federal Amendment work for suffrageseemed to be finished in Indiana. As a Presidential suffrage bill hadbeen passed by the General Assembly the women of the State werealready partial voters, so the league disbanded and in its place wasformed the State League of Women Voters, with Mrs. A. H. Beardsley ofElkhart as president. The branches became auxiliaries and theleaders realized that the task of getting the vote was nearlyaccomplished--that of using it had just begun. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1901. Through the efforts of the Equal SuffrageAssociation a resolution for an amendment to the State constitution tostrike out the word "male" in the suffrage section was introduced. Inthe Senate it was buried in committee. In the House it received a voteof 49 ayes, 33 noes--a two-thirds majority being necessary. Later itwas reconsidered and passed by a vote of 52 to 32. This vote was alsoreconsidered and the amendment laid on the table. 

1907. Municipal suffrage bill was defeated by the Senate. 

1911. A similar measure was reported favorably out of committees butlost in the Lower House by 41 ayes, 48 noes, and no action was takenby the Senate. 

1913. A resolution to submit a woman suffrage amendment was held up incommittees. The Senate passed a School suffrage bill by 27 ayes, 10noes, but there was no action in the House. 

1915. A Presidential suffrage bill passed in the Senate by 37 ayes, 3noes, was held up in the House. 

1917. This year will long be remembered by suffrage workers as one oftriumphs and defeats. The legislative session was a continued triumphand showed that public opinion was in favor of granting politicalrights to women. A great help was the agitation for a newconstitution. The present constitution was adopted in 1851. An earlycourt decision that an amendment in order to carry must have amajority of all the votes cast at the election made amending it apractical impossibility and for a long time there had been awidespread demand for a new one for the sake of many needed reforms. The suffragists joined the agitation for it, as this seemed the onlyway to get the vote by State action. 

The General Assembly of 1917 was carefully selected to pass theProhibition Amendment and was known to be favorable to the calling ofa constitutional convention. While the suffragists placed their hopein a new constitution yet in order to leave no means untried theLegislative Council of Women was formed at the suggestion of Mrs. Grace Julian Clarke, composed of representatives of eight or ten Stateorganizations, of which the Women's Franchise League was one. Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter was made president and it was decided to present aPresidential and Municipal suffrage bill similar to the one passed bythe Illinois Legislature in 1913 and sustained by the courts. 

The Council had quarters in the State House granted by the Governor;the Women's Franchise League immediately established a bureau there byhis consent with Mrs. John F. Barnhill and Miss Alma Sickler in chargeand all the women labored diligently for the success of the measure. The work over the State was necessarily done largely by the FranchiseLeague, as it had the local societies necessary. The Council securedthe aid of Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, a lawyer of Chicago, whohad been closely identified with the Illinois law. For the first timein the history of Indiana's struggle for equal suffrage there wasactive opposition by women. Nineteen, all of Indianapolis, appealed tothe Senate Committee on Rights and Privileges, which had the bill incharge, for a hearing in order to protest. [48] This was granted but itresulted in an enthusiastic suffrage meeting. The "nineteen, " whoasserted that they spoke for 90 per cent. Of unorganized women inIndiana, were represented by Mrs. Lucius B. Swift, Miss MinnieBronson, secretary of the National Anti-Suffrage Association, andCharles McLean of Iowa, who was in its employ. Mrs. McCulloch, Meredith Nicholson, Mrs. Edward Franklin White, now president of theCouncil, former Mayor Charles A. Bookwalter and a number of othersspoke for the bill. 

The calendar of suffrage events in the Legislature of 1917 was asfollows: On January 23 the bill for a constitutional convention passedthe House by 87 ayes, 10 noes; on the 31st it passed the Senate by 34ayes, 14 noes, and on February 1 was signed by Governor James P. Goodrich. On February 8 the Presidential-Municipal suffrage billpassed the Senate by 32 ayes, 16 noes. It also provided that womencould vote for delegates to the constitutional convention, wereeligible to election as delegates and could vote on the adoption ofthe proposed new constitution. On the 22nd it passed the House by 67ayes, 24 noes, and was signed by the Governor. The Legislature alsovoted to submit a full suffrage amendment to the electors. 

Although it was early apparent that these laws would be carried intothe courts preparations were at once made by the women forregistering. The Franchise League opened booths in the shoppingdistricts in the cities and urged the women in the country to go tothe court house and register when in town. They sent out womennotaries with blanks to register the women. [49] In Vigo county, ofwhich Terre Haute is the county seat, 12, 000 registered, more than theaverage number of men who usually voted at elections. In all parts ofthe State the registration of women was very large and the women werestudying political questions and showing much interest in their newduties. 

Meanwhile the action of the Legislature was taken into the courts. OnJune 25 Judge W. W. Thornton of the Marion County (Indianapolis)Superior Court gave a decision that the Legislature had no authorityto call for an election of delegates to a constitutional conventionand no right to grant to women the privilege of voting for suchdelegates or any constitution which might be submitted to the voters. The case was at once appealed to the State Supreme Court, which onJuly 13 sustained the decision. Chief Justice Erwin wrote the opinionand Justices Spencer, Harvey and Myers concurred. Justice M. B. Lairyfiled a dissenting opinion. There was a wide difference of opinionamong the lawyers of the State. 

This decision did not affect the limited suffrage law, which gavewomen the right to vote for (1) Presidential electors; (2) all Stateofficers not expressly named in the constitution, including AttorneyGeneral and Judges of the Appellate, Superior, Criminal, Probate andJuvenile Courts; (3) all city, township and county officers not namedin the constitution. The law was referred to as nine-tenths suffrage. 

Action was brought in the Superior Court of Marion county for adecision on this law. The Court gave an adverse decision but itembraced definitely only the Municipal suffrage. On October 26 theSupreme Court upheld this decision concerning Municipal suffrage andimplied that the entire Act was invalid. The counsel for thesuffragists, including some of the foremost lawyers in the State, with Eli Stansbury, Attorney General, and Mrs. McCulloch, presentedmasterly arguments. The decision of the Supreme Court was condemned bymany besides the suffragists. The hearing was not held before a fullbench and the decision was not unanimous, Judge Lawson J. Harveyhanding down a dissenting opinion, so that two men virtually decidedthis momentous question. 

By Jan. 1, 1919 the Federal Suffrage Amendment had passed the LowerHouse of Congress and was pending in the Senate and the first act ofthis year's Legislature, convened in joint session before either Househad organized, was to adopt a resolution with but one opposing votecalling on the U. S. Senate to submit the amendment, which was signedby the Governor and forwarded to Washington. 

There still remained from the legislation of 1917 the amendment to theState constitution, which in order to be submitted to the voters hadto be passed also by the Assembly of 1919. The result of the electionof 1918 in the State had been an overwhelmingly Republican victory. Since the party had the Governor and a majority of both branches ofthe Assembly, it wished to put through a program of legislation thatcalled for amending the constitution and the leaders requested thewomen to withdraw the suffrage amendment, as while one was pendinganother could not be introduced. Feeling that withdrawal with afriendly majority was better than defeat and enmity, the board of theFranchise League consented. One of the rewards for this sacrifice, which meant a delay of two years in presenting a State amendment tothe voters, was the Presidential suffrage bill, which passed onFebruary 6 with six dissenting votes out of a membership of 150. Threeof these were in the Senate, Erskine of Evansville, Haggerty of SouthBend and Kline of Huntington; three in the House, Sambor, Bidaman andO'Neal, the last two from Terre Haute, Sambor from Indiana Harbor. Thevote to submit an amendment was unanimous in both Houses. 

RATIFICATION. When the U. S. Senate finally voted on June 4 to submitthe Federal Suffrage Amendment the Legislature of 1919 had adjourned. The question of ratification was of course uppermost in the minds ofthe leaders of the Franchise League and there would be no regularsession until 1921. Governor Goodrich came to the rescue by promisingto call a special session, probably in August or September of thepresent year, and sent out an invitation to other Governors of Statessimilarly situated to join him in securing enough special sessions toratify the amendment at an early date. The Governor of Indiana haspower to call a special session but can not restrict its action. Owingto internal affairs of the State which developed the Governorpostponed indefinitely calling the session, assuring the suffragists, however, that it should be held in time for them to vote at thegeneral election of 1920. Finally after repeated importunities heannounced on December 30 that he would call the special session forJan. 15, 1920, if a two-thirds majority of the Legislature would agreeto consider only ratification. 

Although both political parties had declared in favor of ratifying theamendment yet the women were expected to secure these pledges and itwas no small task but it seemed to be the only way. The suffragistslooked to the Franchise League for action and it assumed the burden. Miss Helen Benbridge, its efficient president, soon made thepoliticians see the wisdom of a special session. Under her skillfulmanagement letters from the Governor were sent immediately to all thelegislators enclosing this agreement: "I hereby pledge myself toattend a special session of the General Assembly limited to theratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment and to vote foradjournment immediately afterwards. "

The Franchise League opened headquarters in Indianapolis and everypressure, political and other kinds, was brought to bear on themembers and answers began to come in as early as January 4. Itcertainly was a surprise to the politicians when on the afternoon ofJanuary 13 Miss Benbridge was able to take to Governor Goodrich signedpledges from 35 Senators and 67 Representatives, a two-thirds majorityin each House. The Governor at once issued a call for a specialsession on January 16, allowing two days for members to reachIndianapolis. That so many legislators were willing to lay aside partyprejudice and meet for a non-partisan purpose speaks volumes for thepersonnel of the General Assembly of 1919. Recognition is dueespecially to the Democratic members, as the Republicans were obeyingthe call of their chief but the Democrats, on the summons of aRepublican Governor, laid aside their convictions and acted solely inthe interest of the women of their State. 

The Assembly convened at 10 a. M. On Jan. 16, 1920, and more than ahundred suffrage workers from all parts of the State were present tosee the fruition of their hopes. Miss Benbridge, president, and Mrs. Edwards, past president of the league, sat on the rostrum in theSenate Chamber beside Lieutenant Governor Edgar D. Bush, and in theHouse beside Speaker Jesse Eschbach, while the vote was being taken. The Senators enjoyed what was termed "the last wail" of the threeanti-suffragists who voted no--Kline, Haggerty and Franklin McCray ofIndianapolis. Forty-three votes were cast in favor. The resolution wasthen taken to the House, which had organized and was waiting, and, after suspension of the rules so that the three necessary readingsmight be had in one day, it was passed by the unanimous vote of the 93members present. It was signed at once by the presiding officers andat half past four of the same afternoon by Governor Goodrich, whowished in this way to show his agreement, though his signature was notlegally necessary. Mrs. Goodrich, Miss Benbridge, many officers of theFranchise League and other interested suffragists witnessed thesigning. With this act the long struggle for political rights forwomen which began in Indiana in the middle of the nineteenth centurywas finished. 

A large and enthusiastic meeting of the board of the Franchise Leaguewas then held and there was general congratulation. Miss Benbridge, who presided, said: "The work that assured the special session and theresult achieved was done, not by the little group of women in theIndianapolis headquarters, although their work was well done, but bythe women over the State. Much credit for the success belongs to theFranchise League members everywhere, who have won the sentiment oftheir localities for woman suffrage. "

FOOTNOTES:

[45] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. AnnaDunn Noland, president of the Stale Equal Suffrage Association. 

[46] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. Lenore Hanna Cox, an officer of the Woman's Franchise League from itsbeginning in 1911 until its work was finished in 1920. 

[47] From 1912-1919 the following women served as vice presidents, some for several terms: Mrs. Meredith Nicholson, Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter, Mrs. Ovid B. Jameson, Mrs. John F. Barnhill, Mrs. JuliaFried Walker, Mrs. Isaac Born, all of Indianapolis; Mrs. Lenore HannaCox, Mrs. C. M. Curry, Miss Helen Benbridge, Mrs. Leon Stern, of TerreHaute; Mrs. Fred McCulloch, Mrs. Olaf Guldlin, of Fort Wayne; Mrs. Horace Stilwell, Anderson; Mrs. R. M. Johnson, Franklin; Mrs. A. D. Moffett, Elwood; Miss Adah E. Bush, Kentland; Mrs. A. H. Beardsley, Elkhart; Mrs. Charles J. Gill, Muncie; Mrs. Chester Evans, Bloomington; Miss Betsy Jewett Edwards, Shelbyville. 

Mrs. Julia C. Henderson, secretary from 1912 to 1917, was succeeded byMiss Dora Bosart, both of Indianapolis; Mrs. John C. Morrison ofLafayette, and Mrs. Richard E. Edwards, of Peru. 

Miss Harriet Noble, the first treasurer, was succeeded by MissesEldena and Sara Lauter, both of Indianapolis; Miss Adah E. Bush; Mrs. Mindwell Crampton Wilson, Delphi; Mrs. Charles J. Gill. 

[48] Mesdames Lucius B. Swift, William Watson Woollen, George C. Hitt, L. H. Levey, S. A. Fletcher, Harry Murphy, Edward Daniels, SamuelReid, H. H. Harrison, William H. H. Miller, S. B. Sutphin, F. G. Darlington, Philamon A. Watson, Henry Scott Fraser, E. C. Atkins, A. Bennett Gates, Evans Woollen; Misses Caroline Harrison Howland andJosephine Hershall. 

[49] Issued by the Campaign Organization Committee of the Woman'sFranchise League and circulated by the thousands. 

This is a Statewide campaign drive, so do your part by fully carryingout the following program: 1. On Saturday June 30, an auto tour mustbe made in each county. Start these tours in every town where there isan organized league and proceed through the county, distributingflyers, posting bills and making ten minute speeches in every town andvillage. 2. Sunday, July 1, is Woman Citizen's Sunday throughout theState. Ask that forceful appeal be made from all pulpits urging everywoman to recognize and discharge her new citizenship duty. The clergyof all denominations feel the importance of this step--you will findthem ready and willing to cooperate. 3. Push registration of womenduring the week of July 4 as a patriotic measure. Secure favorablemention of woman suffrage in all speeches. 4. Close the week'scampaign by a mass meeting of all local women's organizations, including clubs, lodges and church societies. 5. Secure all thenewspaper space possible for this patriotic week. Publish this entireprogram and report its progress daily to your local papers. .. . 

CHAPTER XIV. 

IOWA. [50]

The Iowa Equal Suffrage Association was still conducting in 1901 thecampaign of education begun when it was organized in 1870, as fullydescribed in Volume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage. It seemed attimes a deadly dull process and there rose bolder spirits occasionallywho suggested more vigorous and spectacular means of bringing thecause to the attention of the general public and of focusing thesuffrage sentiment, which evidently existed, on the members of theLegislatures and putting them into a more genial attitude towardsubmitting a State constitutional amendment, which seemed in thoseyears the only method of attaining the longed-for goal. Women, however, are conservative and the Iowa laws on the whole were notoppressive enough to stir the average woman to active propaganda for ashare in making and administering them. Therefore the associationproceeded along the beaten path--by way of education, aided by socialand economic evolution, from which not even the most non-progressivewoman can protect herself, much less protect her daughters. Theassociation never missed an annual meeting and the women elected eachyear to carry on its work were those who knew that the cause might bedelayed but could not be permanently defeated. 

The convention of 1901 was held in November at Waterloo and Mrs. Adelaide Ballard was elected president, having previously served twoterms. The conventions of 1902, 1903 and 1904 took place in October inDes Moines, Boone and Sheldon, and Mrs. Mary J. Coggeshall was eachyear elected president, having held the office two years at earlierdates. The annual meeting of 1905 was held in November at Panora; thatof 1906 in September at Ida Grove, and Bertha A. Wilcox was each yearelected president. 

The conventions of 1907 and 1908 took place in October at Des Moinesand Boone and the Rev. Eleanor E. Gordon was at each electedpresident. Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association, who was present at the Boone convention, had just returned from England and was accompanied by two youngEnglish women who had campaigned for suffrage there and who took partin the convention. She had marched in a parade in London and was verydesirous that parades should be held here. After much urging from herand the president, and with great trepidation and many misgivings onthe part of the members, a procession was formed and marched throughthe principal streets on October 29. The Boone _Daily News_ said: "Themembers of the Equal Suffrage Association in convention, scores of thelocal women interested in the movement and the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union united in a monster parade through the main streets. The Wilder-Yeoman Band led with the Rev. Eleanor Gordon, president, Mrs. Coggeshall, honorary president, Mrs. Julia Clark Hallam, Dr. Shawof Philadelphia and the Misses Rendell and Costelloe of London next inthe procession. From every viewpoint it was a success. " This was thefirst or one of the first suffrage parades to be held in the UnitedStates and it required much courage to take part in it. The crowdwhich lined the sidewalks was most respectful and when Dr. Shaw andthe English visitors spoke from an automobile there was enthusiasticresponse. 

In 1909 at the State convention held in Des Moines Mrs. Hallam wasmade president. In 1910, at the convention in Corydon, Mrs. Harriet B. Evans was elected to this position. The report of the correspondingsecretary, Mrs. Lona I. Robinson, was similar to those that had beenmade in many preceding years and that continued to be made for severalfollowing years. It showed that hundreds of letters were sent to theofficers of local clubs, asking them to interview the candidates forthe Legislature on their attitude towards woman suffrage; to sign thepetitions to Congress for a Federal Amendment, which were sent tothem; to strengthen their organization; to increase their propagandawork, for which quantities of literature were furnished. The reportshowed the activities of the State officers, meetings arranged, addresses made and legislative work done. 

At the annual meeting in October, 1911, at Perry, the Rev. Mary A. Safford became president. This year the _Woman's Standard_, a monthlynewspaper published since 1886 by the association, was discontinued, as there was an ever-increasing opportunity for suffrage news andarguments in the newspapers of the State. On Dec. 22, 1911, Mrs. Coggeshall, who had been the inspiration and leader of the Statesuffrage work since its beginning and part of the time an officer ofthe National Suffrage Association, passed away. She was the linkbetween those who began the movement and those who finished it. Whatever the later workers in Iowa had done had been as a candle flamelighted from the torch of her faith and devotion. She was a friend ofSusan B. Anthony, of Lucy Stone and of many of the other veterans. Herdelightful home was open to every suffragist of high or lowdegree--there were no degrees to her if a woman was a suffragist. Sheshowed her faith in the cause not only by her gifts, her hospitalityand her unceasing activity during her life but also by bequests of$5, 000 to the State association and $10, 000 to the NationalAssociation. The former was used, as she would have wished it to be, in the amendment campaign of 1916 and the National Associationreturned a large part of its bequest for use at this time. 

In October, 1912, the convention was held in Des Moines and the Rev. Miss Safford was re-elected president. By this time new methods ofpropaganda were being used. During the State Fair the City Council ofSuffrage Clubs in Des Moines arranged for the photoplay Votes forWomen to be shown in a river front park near a band stand wherenightly concerts were given and literally thousands of people hadtheir first education in suffrage through the speeches made there. 

The State convention met in October, 1913, in Boone and Miss FloraDunlap was made president. An automobile trip crossing the Statetwice, with open air meetings in thirty towns, had been undertaken inSeptember. Governor George W. Clark and Harvey Ingham, editor of theDes Moines _Register_, a long time supporter of woman suffrage, spokeat the first meeting and other prominent men, officials, editors andclergymen, joined the party for one or more days. Two reporters fromDes Moines newspapers went with it and there was excellent publicity. Mrs. P. J. Mills of Des Moines managed the trip and accompanied theparty with her car, Miss Evangeline Prouty, daughter of an Iowa memberof Congress, acting as chauffeur. Miss Dunlap also made the entire twoweeks' journey, while other workers joined for briefer periods. J. R. Hanna, Mayor of Des Moines, wrote the Mayors of all towns in whichmeetings were scheduled asking the courtesies of the city for theparty, and this, with the Governor's opening speech, gave a helpfulofficial sanction. 

The annual meeting took place in October, 1914, at Des Moines and MissDunlap was re-elected president. In March the Mississippi ValleyConference, with many interesting delegates, had been held in thatcity and made a very favorable impression. Miss Jane Addams and Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, president of the Ohio Suffrage Association, hadspoken at a Sunday afternoon mass meeting in the largest theater. Whenthe convention met at Des Moines in October, 1915, a woman suffrageamendment to the State constitution had at last been submitted by theLegislature to be passed upon by the voters in June, 1916. Miss Dunlapwas again re-elected and arrangements were perfected for continuingthe vigorous campaign already under way. By the time the associationheld its convention at Waterloo in September, 1916, the amendment hadbeen defeated but nevertheless the meeting was large and enthusiastic. Miss Anna B. Lawther was elected president and arrangements were madefor securing as soon as possible the re-submission of the amendment. 

The convention of 1917 met in October at Des Moines and Miss Lawtherwas re-elected. The country was now in the midst of war, and, likepatriotic women everywhere, Iowa suffragists turned all theirattention to helping win it. Miss Lawther served on a specialcommittee appointed by the Governor to organize the women of the Statefor war activities. Every woman on the suffrage board filled animportant position in the various State war organizations and everycounty chairman and local member was active in the work of hercommunity. The women worked long, full days for the war and far intothe night for suffrage. 

When the State convention met at Cedar Rapids in September, 1918, thewomen were still immersed in war work. Meanwhile the Lower House ofCongress had voted to submit the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment andfor some months the efforts of the association had been centered onthis amendment. It had secured pledges from all the Iowarepresentatives in Congress to vote for it except Harry E. Hull, whovoted against it. In June a "suffrage school" had been held in PennCollege, Oskaloosa, for the express purpose of educating women in theneed of this amendment and the necessity of educating Statelegislators to the point where it would be ratified as soon as it wassubmitted. Miss Lawther was again re-elected but resigned the nextJune and Mrs. James E. Devitt, the vice-president, filled the office. 

In 1919 the association was in the thick of the struggle to obtainfrom the Legislature Primary and Presidential suffrage. The former wasdefeated; the latter passed both houses in April. The FederalAmendment was ratified by the Legislature July 2. 

The work of the Equal Suffrage Association seemed finished. The halfcentury of agitation, education and evolution was completed. The 48thand last annual convention was held Oct. 2, 1919, in Boone, which hadbeen its hostess many times, and the association was happily dissolvedby unanimous vote. The State League of Women Voters was at onceorganized with Miss Flora Dunlap, chairman, and the old workers facedthe new task of making political suffrage for women the privilege andblessing they always had believed it would prove to be. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. A resolution to submit to the voters a womansuffrage amendment to the State constitution was introduced in everyGeneral Assembly beginning with 1870. In the early years petitionswere sent, the number of signatures rising from 8, 000 in 1884 to100, 000 in 1900, but after that time they were almost entirely givenup, as they had no effect. The resolution was introduced according tocustom in the Legislature of 1902. Also according to custom, notalways so carefully observed, the Senate passed the resolution by 28to 16, this being the Senate's year for this courtesy, and the Houseaccepted the report recommending indefinite postponement. 

In 1904 the resolution was defeated in the House and did not emergefrom the Senate committee. In 1906 this program was repeated. Themeeting of the Legislature was now changed to the odd years and in1907 the above program was reversed. After this year the membersomitted even the customary graciousness of an understanding that onebody would pass it and the other kill it, thus keeping the womenfriendly and dividing the responsibility for the defeat, and bothHouses in 1909 rejected it. 

In 1911 the Senate treated the resolution in a most contemptuousmanner by voting to strike out the enacting clause and then passingit. This was the last time it was defeated. The tide was changing andeven the most confirmed opponents knew that it was a rising and not afalling tide. Fortunately most of the active workers who sat throughthat humiliating experience lived to see the men who were responsiblefor it either retired entirely from public life or so changed insentiment as to claim a place among those who "always believed inwoman suffrage. "

The neighboring State of Kansas fully enfranchised its women in 1912, as did several other western States, and favorable pressure wasgrowing very strong. In 1913 the resolution to submit the amendmentpassed in the House on February 20 by a vote of 81 to 26 and in theSenate on March 7 by a vote of 31 to 15. The deadlock was broken andevery suffragist rejoiced. 

The resolution had to pass two Legislatures and in July, 1914, theRepublican State convention strongly urged the next one to pass it. In1915 this was done, by the Senate on February 12 by a vote of 38 to11, and by the House on the 23rd by one of 84 to 19. The date for thereferendum to the voters was set at the time of the primary elections, June 5, 1916, over three years from the time the resolution was firstpassed. After forty-five years thus far had the workers for womansuffrage arrived. 

 * * * * *

The activities of the State association were at once turned to theeducation of the voters. It had been long thought by both State andnational leaders that if the amendment could be brought before themthey would give a large majority for it. Probably no State ever wentinto a campaign under more favorable auspices and until the last fewweeks it seemed that victory was certain and the women had learnedthat it was not entirely a State matter but one of national interest. The national president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, gave six weeks oftime to the campaign and liberal contributions of money, as sheconsidered Iowa her State, having spent a large part of her lifethere. The honorary president, Dr. Shaw, other national officers, State presidents and men and women suffragists from many other Statesrendered valuable help in time, money and service of all sorts. Largenumbers of Iowa women who had never helped before now did effectivework. The long-time suffragists devoted themselves wholly to thecampaign. Many Iowa men gave great assistance. A Men's League forWoman Suffrage, John H. Denison, president, was organized withheadquarters at Des Moines and branches in all the large cities, fortyaltogether. These leagues not only assisted with counsel but raisedfunds, placed speakers and helped get out the vote. O. G. Geyer wasthe executive secretary and the State offices of the League adjoinedthose of the State Suffrage Association. There were the closestcooperation and the greatest harmony in the work of the twoorganizations. An unusually well-conducted press campaign was carriedon with Mrs. Rose Lawless Geyer at the head of the press departmentand she and Miss Alice B. Curtis, executive secretary, gave long hoursand invaluable service to the campaign. Five-sixths of the newspapersnot only used plate matter and a weekly press letter but supported thecause editorially and some of them refused the paid advertising of the"antis. "

Dr. Effie McCollum Jones was finance secretary; Miss Mabel Lodge wasthe first organizer in the field and there is a long list of men andwomen whose names deserve mention for the abundant time and unstinteddevotion they gave to the campaign. In some of the counties along theMississippi River, where the situation was the most difficult, werestrong groups of men and women workers. Miss Anna B. Lawther ofDubuque headed one of the most active and the record of the rivercounties would have been even blacker than it was but for theherculean work that they did. In Keokuk, the most southern city on theriver, this was so effective that it alone was a white spot in thelong, black line when the election returns came in. Each of theeleven Congressional districts had an organizer in charge from Januaryuntil election day. In every one of the ninety counties there wasorganization. Nine-tenths of them opened headquarters from one tothree months before the end of the campaign and 2, 000 precinct workerswere enrolled. The whole State was covered by auto-trips in the lastmonth. Approximately 5, 000, 000 pieces of literature were distributed, much of it especially printed to meet local needs and the falsestatements circulated by the opposition. One cent postage for onecircularization of the voters of Iowa cost $5, 000. 

As suffragists throughout the nation gave their help, so the opponentsoutside the State tried to defeat the amendment. The women's NationalAssociation Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage sent a numberof its paid workers and a considerable sum of money into the State. There was a small anti-suffrage organization in Iowa during thecampaign affiliated with this national association, with branches inDes Moines, Davenport, Clinton, Sioux City and a few other places. Mrs. Simon Casady of Des Moines was State president. John P. Irish, aformer resident, came from California under its auspices to workagainst the amendment but the press department widely circulated hisfavorable declarations for woman suffrage in early years and reprintedhis editorials written during the Civil War, in which his disloyaltyto Lincoln and to the Union was shown. He was much disturbed by thispublicity concerning his past and soon left the State. The women'santi-suffrage association did no particular harm but the forces ofevil with which it was allied did great damage and in the end defeatedthe amendment. Iowa women had believed that their men were free fromentanglements with these forces but they learned that no State linebars out the elements which work against democracy and the influenceof women in government. 

In spite of these opposing forces the amendment would have won but forpolitical complications which arose during the last few weeks of thecampaign. It became necessary for the Republican party to sacrificewoman suffrage to its "wet" candidate for Governor, as it felt surethat he could not be elected in November if the vote should be givento women in June. A prominent supporter said openly: "We had to do itin self-defense. "

The special election and the primary election were held on June 5, 1916, and after several days of waiting the final returns showed thatthe amendment was defeated--ayes, 162, 683; noes, 173, 024--lost by10, 341 votes. 

The adverse vote was almost entirely in the counties along theMississippi River. They were in revolt against the State prohibitionlaw and there was constant evasion of it and agitation for its repeal. Naturally those opposed to prohibition were also opposed to womansuffrage. The vote in these counties was large enough to overcome thevote in the central and western counties where the sentiment wasgenerally "dry. " Des Moines, the capital and largest city in theState, voted in favor; Sioux City, the second largest, recorded asmall adverse vote; Council Bluffs on the western border returned afavorable majority; Keokuk on the river in the southeastern corner ofthe State was carried, but all the other cities on the eastern bordervoted "wet. " The river counties of Dubuque, Scott and Clinton gave9, 383 of the 10, 341 adverse majority. They were the stronghold for thecommercial liquor interests of the State. The Republican candidate forGovernor received a majority of 126, 754 and this party could easilyhave carried the amendment. 

It was evident that there were many irregularities in the election andthe board of the State Suffrage Association conferred with competentattorneys but after much consultation it was decided that it would notbe practical to contest it. The defeat of the amendment was a seriousdisappointment to the temperance forces and the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union determined to have the returns canvassed and ifpossible discover the cause. The election proceedings and officialsreturns were investigated in 44 counties and the report in affidavitform consisted of 200 closely typewritten pages. The Des Moines_Register_ of Oct. 15, 1916, said of this report:

 The investigation revealed several strange conditions. The records in the Secretary of State's office disclose that there were 29, 341 more votes cast on the equal suffrage amendment than the total cast for all candidates for Governor by all parties. The canvass in these 44 counties, however, shows that there were 13, 609 more names listed as voting, as shown by the poll books, than there were suffrage ballots. Add to this the 2, 289 votes where certain precincts show more votes on the amendment than names recorded in the poll books and altogether 15, 898 more names are found on the poll books than there were ballots cast on woman suffrage. If this proportion is maintained in the other fifty-five counties, there would be approximately 30, 000 more voters listed than there were votes on the amendment. The question the investigator raises is: "Did 60, 000 men go to the polls and fail to vote a primary ballot, and did 30, 000 of these fail to vote on the amendment? Did 30, 000 go to the polls and fail to vote for anybody or anything?"

 The W. C. T. U. Can draw but one conclusion from this condition, namely, that they were defrauded out of their right to the ballot. 

 The investigators found that in the 44 counties . .. 4, 743 ballots, shown to have been cast by the list of voters, are absolutely unaccounted for. .. . In 15 counties it was found that in certain precincts 2, 239 more ballots were certified than there were names on the list of voters. .. . In 15 counties there were 8, 067 more ballots on the amendment than there were voters checked as having voted. 

 In 30 counties where the combination poll books were used no voter was checked as having voted, but the certificates show that 55, 107 votes were cast on the amendment. In 27 cities canvassed, a total disregard or ignorance of the registration laws in nearly all precincts appears and in many of these the violations are most flagrant. 

 The law requires that the judges and clerks of election shall make out a certificate showing the total number of votes cast, the number voting "yes" or "no" or "rejected. " A total of 9, 320 votes in these counties are not properly certified to and the "true return" is not signed in many instances by any of the clerks or judges and in others not by all. In this class 27, 362 votes were affected. In six counties certificates properly signed by the clerks and judges had been changed by a different hand and in some cases several different precincts had been changed by the same hand. .. . 

Many other instances were given of incompetence and dishonesty beyondquestion, but, notwithstanding this positive evidence, the legalrequirements and restrictions were such as made any effort for arecount or another election of no avail. [51]

 * * * * *

A conference of the suffrage leaders was held in Des Moines the nextmonth after the election. Every one was sad but no one was resignedand those who had worked the hardest and sacrificed the most were thefirst to renew their pledges for further effort. It was decided thatwhile their forces were well organized they should at once beginanother campaign. The half-century-old resolution was presented to theGeneral Assembly of 1917, and, though there were arguments that thevoters had just spoken and that the question ought not again besubmitted in so brief a time, the resolution passed by a vote of 35ayes, 13 noes in the Senate and 85 ayes, 20 noes in the House. 

The women continued their work for the second vote, which must begiven by the Legislature of 1919. When it convened the discovery wasmade that the Secretary of State, William S. Allen, did not publishnotice of the passage of the resolution the first time, as required bylaw and it had to be voted on again as if the first time. It passedwith but one dissenting voice in each House but the second vote couldnot be taken till 1921. 

A bill for Primary suffrage passed the Lower House in 1919 by 86 ayes, 15 noes, but met with great opposition in the Senate even from menposing as friends of woman suffrage. In a one-party State, as Iowa hadbeen for many years, the dominant party hardly could feel that itssupremacy would be threatened by women's votes in the primary, but, asone speaker naďvely disclosed in the debate, the "machine" might bethrown entirely out of gear. "Why, " said he dramatically to thelistening Senate, "the Republican party would be in hopelessconfusion. Nobody could tell in advance what candidate the women mightnominate in the primary!" The bill was postponed by 31 ayes, 17 noes. 

The next step was to have a bill introduced to give women a vote forPresidential electors. One of the contributing factors to its successwas the ever-increasing number of victories for similar bills in otherStates, particularly the recent victory in Missouri, which hadcompleted the circle of "white" States surrounding Iowa. One of thefeatures of the debate in the Senate was the reading of a letter fromJohn T. Adams, vice-chairman of the National Republican Committee, heretofore an anti-suffragist, by Senator Eugene Schaffter, thesponsor of the bill, in which he impressed upon the Republicans thepolitical urgency of granting the Presidential franchise to women. After a hard campaign by the Legislative Committee of the StateSuffrage Association, with Mrs. Frank W. Dodson of Des Moines aschairman, the Iowa legislators joined the procession and on April 4, 1919, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 38 ayes, 8 noes, theHouse following on April 19 with a vote of 84 ayes, 2 noes. 

RATIFICATION. When the Federal Amendment went to the last vote inCongress, the Iowa delegation maintained its record on each votethat had been taken, both Senators and ten of the elevenRepresentatives--all but Harry E. Hull--casting their votes in theaffirmative. Immediately Mrs. Devitt of Oskaloosa, acting president, and Mrs. Fred B. Crowley of Des Moines, corresponding secretary of theState association, requested Governor William L. Harding to call aspecial session of the Legislature to ratify it. It met on July 2 inspecial session for this sole purpose. Men and women had made theirway early to the Capitol, filling the galleries and the rear of thechambers. The legislators, too, were apparently as happy as boys, witha new idea of real democracy in Iowa. It seemed like a gathering ofgreat-hearted, honest-of-purpose men who were eager to do an act ofjustice. The joyous expressions of these men, who had taken hot, dustyrides on day trains from their farms and stores in the scorching Julyweather to come and cast their votes for ratification, assured thewomen of victory. It was a wonderful moment. After a joint session at10 a. M. , to hear the reading of the Governor's message, by 11:40 thevote had been taken in both Houses. Every Senator but two was presentand was recorded in the affirmative; the vote in the House was 96ayes, 5 noes; E. H. Knickerbocker, Linn county; T. J. O'Donnell, Dubuque; C. A. Quick and George A. Smith, Clinton; W. H. Vance, Madison. Senators J. D. Buser of Conesville and D. W. Kimberly ofDavenport were absent. The former had voted against Presidentialsuffrage and the latter had not voted. 

An informal luncheon followed in one of the Des Moines tea rooms whichhad often housed the suffragists in times of desolation and it wasturned into a jollification meeting. Three former State presidents andother women spoke and there were many present for whom the occasionmeant the fulfillment of an idea to which they had given years ofdevoted service. 

FOOTNOTES:

[50] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Flora Dunlap, president of the State Equal Suffrage Association 1913-1915 andchairman of the League of Women Voters. 

[51] Space is given to this report because it is a fair illustrationof the conditions under which woman suffrage amendments were defeatedagain and again in different States. 

CHAPTER XV. 

KANSAS. [52]

Kansas was not yet a State when in 1859 twenty-five of herjustice-loving men and women met and formed the first association togain political freedom for women, and the liberty lighting torchkindled then was kept aflame by organization for fifty-three yearsbefore the women received equal political rights with the men in 1912. A State Equal Suffrage Association was formed in 1884 and thereafterannual conventions were held. 

During 1901 Miss Helen Kimber, president of the association, travelledthrough fifteen counties and held twenty-five meetings. She hadobtained for the national suffrage bazaar held in New York inDecember, 1900, besides many smaller donations, a car load of flourfrom the Kansas Millers' Association and two hundred pounds of butterfrom the Continental Creamery Company of Topeka. She was re-electedpresident at the convention held in McPherson, Nov. 7, 8, and thefollowing year visited more than half the counties, formingorganizations where they did not already exist. The attempt made inthe Legislature through the influence of the liquor interests todeprive women of their Municipal suffrage, possessed since 1887, brought more of them to realize its value and at the spring electionmore than ever before were elected on school boards, for which womencould vote. 

The convention of 1902 was held in Topeka October 14-15 and MissKimber was re-elected; Mrs. John B. Sims, secretary. Several thousandpeople listened to the inspiring addresses of Mrs. Carrie ChapmanCatt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and the senior editor of the _Woman's Journal_, Henry B. Blackwell. Headquarters were established in Topeka. Petitions for Presidentialsuffrage with about 32, 000 signatures had been secured to be presentedto the Legislature of 1903. There was an increased vote of women atthe spring election and forty-two were elected as county officers, forwhom only men could vote. 

The State convention of 1903 was held in Abilene December 8-9 and MissKimber was again re-elected. She reported suffrage meetings conductedat the Winfield, Beloit and Lincoln Chautauquas. Mrs. Mary C. C. Bradford of Colorado was the outside speaker and afterwards spoke infour of the principal cities. Mrs. Sadie P. Grisham of CottonwoodFalls was elected president at the convention held in Topeka Nov. 9, 10, 1904. The increase of membership of nearly a thousand was largelyaccredited to the efforts of Mrs. Alice Moyer, State organizer. Presidential suffrage was again adopted for the year's work. Thesuffrage departments were maintained at the Chautauqua meetings andliterature and letters were sent to every member of the incomingLegislature. The convention of 1905 was held in Topeka October 20-21. Mrs. Grisham refused a second term and Mrs. Roxana E. Rice of Lawrencewas elected president. On Oct. 14, 1906, the convention met in Topekaand Mrs. Rice was re-elected and with others of her board representedKansas at the national convention in Chicago the next February. 

The annual meeting of 1907 was again held in Topeka on November 14 anda report from the national convention was given by the vice-president, Mrs. Lilla Day Monroe, but all propositions and resolutions offered bythe mother organization were either rejected or referred to acommittee and at the conclusion of Mrs. Monroe's report she moved that"the Kansas Equal Suffrage Association withdraw from the National. "After discussion to the effect that it could do more effective workalone the motion was carried. Mrs. Monroe was elected president, Mrs. J. D. McFarland first and Mrs. Rice second vice-president. Thetreasurer reported $260 in the treasury and was instructed to pay $25to the Susan B. Anthony memorial fund. The board decided to publishthe _Club Member_, devoted to women's activities. 

The convention of 1908 met October 30-31 in Topeka, the GoodGovernment Club and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of thatcity uniting with the association in an evening program. Mrs. A. H. Horton was elected president, Mrs. Monroe first and Mrs. Margaret HillMcCarter second vice-president. The fact was evident that there hadbeen no organization work and little activity throughout the State forseveral years, and, as there was now no connection with the NationalAssociation, interest was awakened only at biennial periods by theconvening of the Legislature. 

At the convention of 1909 in Topeka, December 10, 11, T. A. McNeal ofthis city, former member of the Legislature, principal speaker at theevening meeting, chided the women and declared that the little advancemade along suffrage lines of recent years was not because of men'slack of interest but on account of women's indifference. Mrs. Catharine A. Hoffman was elected president; Mrs. R. V. Chambers firstand Mrs. McCarter second vice-president; Mrs. E. E. Raudebush, secretary; Mrs. Emma Sells Marshall, treasurer; Mrs. McFarland andMrs. Rice, auditors. The president appointed an advisory board offifteen men and women and named Mrs. Genevieve Howland Chalkley Stateorganizer. The press was used to advantage and good speakers fromKansas and neighboring States helped to make woman suffrage a morepopular subject. A number of meetings of a semi-social nature wereheld in the capital city before the Legislature met. One, "a Kansasequal suffrage banquet, " followed a business meeting of theassociation, Jan. 28, 1910, at Hotel Throop. About one hundred guestswere present, Governor W. R. Stubbs and wife and former Governor W. E. Hoch and wife having seats of honor. Mrs. Hoffman was toastmistressand about twenty men and women responded to toasts. 

Mrs. Hoffman's policy was to make a strong appeal to the nextLegislature for the submission of a full suffrage amendment to thevoters. On Dec. 9, 1910, she called her officers and a number of wellknown workers to a conference in Topeka and a plan of action wasoutlined. A room in the State Historical Department, which throughthe courtesy of Geo. W. Martin had been used as legislativeheadquarters in other years, was again retained with Mrs. Monroe assuperintendent. Mrs. William A. Johnston, Mrs. Stubbs and Mrs. C. C. Goddard were appointed a legislative committee. Governor Stubbs hadbeen re-elected in November, 1910, and in his message to theLegislature in January he strongly advised the submission. Then thebattle royal for votes opened. The resolution was introduced early inJanuary. Every legislator was asked by each member of the committee tovote for it; many of the members' wives were in Topeka and teas, dinners and receptions became popular, at which the "assisting ladies"were asked to keep the subject of woman suffrage to the front and inthis way many men and women were interested and educated. 

Mrs. Hoffman was a conservative but diligent worker and among her ableassistants were a number of men and women from the colleges anduniversities. Mrs. Lillian Mitchner, president of the State W. C. T. U. , was a constant helper. The names of all the valiant workers wouldbe those of hundreds of Topeka people and hundreds more out in the"home districts, " who used their influence with the legislators, andthose of wives of Senators and Representatives who influenced theirhusbands' votes. The State House headquarters was a busy place and alarge amount of work was done there. The amendment resolution waspassed by the votes of the men but it could not have been done withoutthe careful, well planned work of the women. It was adopted by a largemajority in both Houses and signed by Governor Stubbs Feb. 12, 1911. 

The State convention met in Representative Hall, Topeka, May 16, 1911. Kansas women were now for the third time entering a campaign forpolitical liberty, which made the meeting one of unusual interest. Mrs. Hoffman could not serve longer and the following officers wereelected: Mrs. Johnston, president; Mrs. Stubbs first and Mrs. Cora W. Bullard second vice-president; Miss Gertrude Reed, correspondingsecretary; Miss Helen N. Eacker, recording secretary; Mrs. S. A. Thurston, treasurer; Mrs. William Allen White, auditor; districtpresidents, Mrs. Bullard, Mrs. Chalkley, Mrs. P. H. Albright, Mrs. L. C. Wooster, Mrs. Matie Toothaker Kimball, Mrs. Anna C. Waite, Mrs. W. Y. Morgan, Mrs. Nannie Garrett. An enthusiastic mass meeting was heldin the evening, the speakers, Chief Justice William A. Johnston; JohnMcDonald, former Superintendent of Public Instruction; George W. Martin, secretary of the State Historical Society; David Leahy, secretary to the Governor, and Mrs. Mitchner; Mrs. Hoffman presiding. The next day a joint meeting of the old and new officers was held. Thetreasurer reported $37. 50 received as membership fees, and $100, agift from Mrs. Catt. This was a small sum to begin a campaign forabout 500, 000 votes, but all hearts were filled with courage. Laterthree district presidents resigned and Mrs. Minnie J. Brinstead, Mrs. H. Wirick and Mrs. M. B. Munson were appointed; also Mrs. Hoffman, chairman of press; Dr. Alberta Corbin, of membership extension, andMiss Effie Graham of education. 

These eighteen women constituted a board of management. At its meetingJuly 10 a program was submitted by the president of the associationfor the complete organization of the State. Organization, educationand publicity were the watchwords adopted. The need of money was sopressing that the board made personal pledges of from $25 to $200, which in many instances were more than doubled before the vote wastaken. This act of self-denial and consecration gave strength andcourage to go to others, for worthy as was the cause money would notcome without asking. The big public is much like the Lord, who helpsthose who help themselves. The half-million voters to obtain andalmost as many women living in 105 counties to educate meant work aswell as faith. 

The hottest summer and the coldest, stormiest winter followed and theworkers learned what it meant to travel across country with themercury ranging from 110 in the shade to 22 degrees below zero; tohave a Turkish bath while making a "votes for women" speech or bedelayed for hours on a freight or passenger train by a snow blockade. By January, 1912, however, one-third of the counties were organized, many newspapers pledged to help, and headquarters established in thebest business building in Topeka. Then began a "day in and day out"battle for votes. At first there was one stenographer, later threeand two secretaries, and the president broke all the maximum hourlaws. Besides the regular county and precinct organizations, collegeclubs were formed and a Men's State League, with Dr. E. S. Pettyjohnpresident. This league had a large and influential membership, including the Governor, the Chief Justice and other State officers;many prominent business men, leading ministers, lawyers, teachers, professors and politicians. It gave the campaign prestige with thevoters and its members were invaluable as advisers and active workers. 

The State convention was held in Wichita, May 7-9, 1912. Greetingswere given by Mrs. W. J. Babb, the new president of the district; Mrs. W. T. Johnston, hostess and president of the county, and Mrs. SallyToler, president of the City Federation of Clubs. Mrs. Mitchnerpledged the support of the W. C. T. U. And Mrs. W. D. Atkinson, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs, brought itsendorsement and pleaded with other State organizations to "bring inthe reserves. " Telegrams and letters were read from Miss Alice StoneBlackwell, editor of the _Woman's Journal_; Governor John F. Shafrothof Colorado; Judge Ben Lindsey of Denver; Omar E. Garwood, secretaryof the National Men's League; Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of theNational Association; Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont of New York; J. H. Braly of California and others. Dr. Helen Brewster Owens of Ithaca, N. Y. , field organizer, gave an interesting report of her work, whichincluded addressing 176 audiences and organizing five college leagues. The first "motion" was that application be made for reinstatement inthe National Association, and it was carried unanimously. Pledgesamounting to $1, 000 were given in five minutes to finance a whirlwindcampaign proposed by Mr. Braly similar to the one successfully made inCalifornia the year before. 

The evening meeting was held in the Crawford Theater and many wereunable to gain admission. Mrs. Johnson presided, Mayor W. W. Winnickgave the address of welcome and Mrs. Stubbs responded. The Rev. Olympia Brown of Wisconsin, a pioneer suffragist, and Miss Jane Addamsof Chicago were the principal speakers. During the conventionencouraging reports were made by chairmen of the three departmentsand eight congressional districts and many county presidents. TheState officers were all re-elected; Mrs. C. W. Smith was madepresident of the sixth district and Mrs. Babb of the eighth. Theafternoon features were an automobile ride by courtesy of the CommerceClub and a street meeting where Miss Addams made her first outdoorspeech, standing on the rear seat of an automobile. An eveningreception at the Masonic Temple was a delightful finale to thebiggest, most enthusiastic suffrage convention ever held in the State. 

An executive board meeting and a conference took place May 9, at whichdate the State, district and county officers of the organized forcesnumbered more than 2, 000 women. These with the men in favor and mostof the newspapers created a suffrage sentiment which reached everycorner of the State. Nearly all of the forty field workers wereKansans, but assistants and money came from other State organizationsand individuals. The National Association contributed in literatureand money $2, 076. Mrs. Laura M. Johns, now of California, and other"formerly of Kansas" women sent counsel and gifts. Kansas people gavemost of the money which the campaign cost, and some of the $6, 000expended was so sacred that it was handled with tearful eyes andreverent touch. For instance, one letter enclosed a check for $100, representing "the life savings of Mary, " who wanted it used in acampaign State. In another was $10 "from mother's money, who wantedthis justice for women, but it did not come while she lived. " Anotherwoman wrote: "This is my sainted mother's birthday and I want this $5used in her memory. " One had made provisions in her will to leave $200for the next campaign, but thanked God it had come while she couldwork as well as give. There were the widows' mites, many times meaningsacrifice and toil, and single dollars came from women who were tooold or too ill to work but wanted to have a part. There were also afew surreptitious dollars from women whose husbands were boasting thattheir wives did not want to vote, and "joy dollars" for sons anddaughters or the new-born babe. All these gifts were thrice blessed. 

With votes as with most of the dollars--they were not comingunsought, and in order to make sure of them they must be looked for intheir own habitat. This the women did on horseback, in wagons, carriages, steam cars and automobiles. They were found in the shops, offices and stores, at the fairs, conventions and Chautauquas, at thetheater and the circus, on the farms and the highways, at the firesideand in the streets. One automobile trip covered a part of the sameroute travelled by the Rev. Olympia Brown and other suffrage workersin the campaign of 1867, when they often rode in ox-teams or on Indianponies, stopped over night in dugouts or sod houses and finally weredriven back by hostile Indians. This mental picture made the trip overgood roads and through villages of pretty homes seem like a pleasureride. Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky; the president, Mrs. Johnston; Mrs. Kimball and Mrs. Hoffman, who furnished the car, made one trip of1, 000 miles in the fifth district and Miss Clay was then placed incharge of the sixth district offices, where she rendered valuableservice for two weeks longer, all gratuitous. 

Arthur Capper, owner and publisher of the Topeka _Daily Capital_, andL. L. Kiene, editor of the _State Journal_, were most helpful. Thefavorable Catholic vote was largely due to the excellent work of Mrs. Mary E. Ringrose and her sister of California and to David Leahy ofWichita, an active worker in the Men's League. W. Y. Morgan, member ofCongress from Kansas, and Professor S. J. Brandenburg of Oxford, Ohio, looked after the voters in the colleges and universities. Four-year-old Billy Brandenburg came with his mother to help in theautomobile tours and was adopted as the "campaign mascot. " At thestreet meetings his little cap was often heavy with nickels andquarters when he helped take collections. Kansas had often stood inthe lime-light, but while the women avoided the humdrum, allspectacular methods were discouraged and they won by keeping theirefforts on dignified, conservative lines. 

All along those in charge of the campaign were warned that the biginterests whose business thrives on the degradation of human lifewould rather defeat suffrage in Kansas than in any other two States. Early in the summer of 1912 a bound book of letters, entitled"Business Versus Woman Suffrage, " was brought out by a certain C. F. Tibbles of Chicago, cunningly devised to arouse the prejudice ofevery kind of business man or reform worker. Later two other editionswere issued, enlarged and more daring in their statements. They wereleft in railway coaches and sent to newspaper offices with strongappeals for the publishing of the letters from time to time, butKansas men had fought too many battles with the saloon power not torecognize its hydra head. Toward the last came one clothed in theofficial garb of the exalted Methodist Church, but warning had beensent by the women of Oregon, where he had united his efforts with theworst elements to defeat the suffrage amendment in two campaigns. TheMen's League, the press and the ministers co-operated with the womenand "Clarence, the Untrue, " was effectively bound and gagged. Aboutthis time one of the good friends in Kansas City, Mo. , discovered thatthe same plan which had defeated the amendment in Ohio was going to beused in Kansas, and he loyally reported it to headquarters. A busy dayfollowed and Mrs. Edwin Knapp, Miss Eacker and the president remainedup all night getting out letters to expose the plan. These were sentto all of the weekly newspapers for their last issue before theelection and an Associated Press letter to be used in the Sunday andMonday issues. 

Thanks to the splendid manhood of Kansas, these were sufficient, andwomen came into their own on November 5, 1912, by a vote of 175, 246ayes, 159, 197 noes--a majority of over 16, 000. No other State had wonby so large a majority and because the count was made and the victoryreported first of the three that were carried in 1912, Kansas claimsthe right to the seventh place on the list of equal suffrageStates. [53]

The Jubilee Convention, May 19-20, 1913, was held in the BaptistChurch at Lawrence, and men and women came from every part of theState. The evening program was under the auspices of the Men's League, Dr. Pettyjohn, presiding. Professor W. H. Carruth of the StateUniversity gave the address of welcome and the Hon. W. S. Guyer, anactive helper in the campaign, responded. Addresses were made byGovernor George H. Hodges (Democrat), ex-Governor W. R. Stubbs(Republican), the Hon. W. Y. Morgan and the Rev. C. M. Sheldon. Thetheme was The New Citizen, and she had a liberal share of thecompliments and good advice. At a large evening meeting Mrs. AgnesRiddle, member of the Colorado House of Representatives, gave aninteresting address. As befitted a jubilee convention, there werefeasting and music, but the subjects discussed revealed a seriousrealization of the enlarged responsibilities which the vote involved. The name of the association was changed to the Good CitizenshipLeague. Mrs. Johnston declining re-election, received the title ofpresident emeritus, and Mrs. Chalkley was elected president; Mrs. Stubbs first and Mrs. Laura Reed Yaggy second vice-presidents; MissEacker, recording secretary; Mrs. Magdalen B. Munson, treasurer; Mrs. W. T. Johnston, auditor, and eight district presidents. 

During the months that followed, educational work and helpful interestin States having campaigns was carried forward. At a meeting inEmporia, April 3, 1914, the measures to be supported in the nextLegislature by the association were chosen and a study of thepolitical situation was made. The candidates for Governor, ArthurCapper (Republican), George H. Hodges (Democrat) and Professor GeorgeW. Kleihege of Washburn College (Socialist) presented the principlesof their parties. Henry J. Allen (Progressive) sent greetings and DeanRelvix of Ottawa University explained the tenets of this party. Alegislative school followed, attended by women from many sections ofthe State. A rally to help the campaign in Missouri was held in KansasCity October 15, with a banquet and speeches on the Missouri side andan all day and evening meeting on the Kansas side. The principalspeakers were Dean Sophonisba Breckinridge of the University ofChicago and Justice J. S. West of the Kansas Supreme Court. The annualconvention met in Lawrence Dec. 19, 1914, and Mrs. Bullard was electedpresident. 

In 1915 the convention was held in Topeka. As war problems werefilling the hearts and minds of the people, only a business meetingwas held. The usual resolution urging the delegation in Congress touse all honorable means to put through the Federal Suffrage Amendmentwas passed. 

In 1916 the convention was held in Memorial Hall, Topeka, and the nameEqual Suffrage Association was restored. Governor Capper commended thewomen for their good influence on legislation. Mrs. Catt, president ofthe National Association, reviewed its activities, and urged Kansaswomen to work for the Federal Amendment and go to the nationalpolitical conventions. Money was raised for the Iowa campaign. Therehad been several attempts to organize a "militant" suffrage society inKansas under the name of the Congressional Union and a number of menand women had been innocently led into it. A "question box" conductedby Mrs. Catt did much to clarify the situation, making it plain thatthere was no chance of united work by the two organizations as theywere diametrically opposed in methods. She addressed the CommercialClub at a noon luncheon and many business men testified to the goodresults of woman suffrage. Mrs. W. Y. Morgan was elected president. The Kansas members of Congress, all of whom were in favor of theFederal Amendment, were continuously urged to press for itssubmission. About fifty Kansas women marched in the great suffrageparade in Chicago at the time of the Republican national convention inJune. 

The convention met in Topeka June 21, 1917, and Mrs. Morgan decliningre-election, Mrs. Charles H. Brooks of Wichita was made president. Theannual meeting of 1918 was held in Wichita June 12. The money had beenraised to send two envoys to the Southern States and then on toWashington, Mrs. Henry Ware Allen and Mrs. Yaggy, both of charmingpersonality and belonging to the Democratic party, to obtain the helpof Congressmen from the South, and it is gratifying to remember thatthe securing of the last necessary votes in the House in January mightbe attributed to the efforts of these two women. It was voted to sendmoney and speakers to help in the Oklahoma campaign, where the liquorinterests were making a strong fight against the amendment. Mrs. Brooks' excellent work soon brought results. It was hard to raisemoney for anything except winning the war but she never lost sight ofthe fact that winning votes for the Federal Amendment was winningdemocracy for the world. Almost without exception the officers of theassociation represented families with men in uniform. The suffragistssold in the Third and Fourth Liberty Loans $20, 000, 000 worth of bondsand they worked in every "drive" through the Woman's Committee of theCouncil of Defense. Mrs. Brooks and her entire board were re-elected. As guests of the Wichita Equal Suffrage Society delegates and visitorswere entertained at tea in the home of the Hon. Henry J. Allen. 

The convention of 1919 was held in Wichita June 10-11. Mrs. Brooks hadbeen elected president of the National League of Women Voters and theKansas association loyally changed its name to the State League ofWomen Voters. A largely attended "victory dinner" was given at theLassen Hotel. Mrs. Brooks was succeeded by Mrs. Henry Ware Allen, wholater resigned, and the Executive Board in November called on the wellbeloved veteran, Mrs. Catharine A. Hoffman, again to take thepresidency. A special meeting of the association and a citizenshipschool were held in Wichita Jan. 19-25, 1920, the latter conducted byMiss Marie B. Ames of St. Louis, the regional director of the NationalLeague of Women Voters. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. After an amendment to the State constitution wasdefeated by the voters in 1894, women asked for full suffrage only nowand then, but encouraged by Henry B. Blackwell of Massachusetts theymade special efforts after 1900 to obtain the vote for presidentialelectors. 

1901. The Presidential suffrage bill passed the Senate by a vote of 22to 13, but the next day the vote was reconsidered on motion of SenatorG. A. Knofster and the bill defeated by 23 to 13. It died on the Housecalendar. On January 14 Representative J. A. Butler of Wyandottecounty introduced a bill the purpose of which was to deprive women ofMunicipal suffrage. A storm of protests began at once to pour in andit was estimated that 10, 000 letters were sent to members by womenfrom their home districts. The bill was twice killed in committee andreceived less than ten votes, amid derision and laughter, when itsauthor tried to have it placed on the calendar. 

1903. Senator Dumont Smith introduced the Presidential suffrage billand worked faithfully for it, but it was defeated on January 28 by 21noes, 13 ayes. Cyrus Leland introduced it in the Lower House, where itwas killed in Committee of the Whole on February 11 by 62 noes, 57ayes. At this session an extension of bond suffrage was granted towomen. They had had the right to vote on bonds for school buildingssince 1887, but this act extended the privilege to all other publicimprovements in cities of the first class. 

1905. Governor Edward W. Hoch in his message to the Legislaturerecommended full suffrage for women and a committee of seven on thePolitical Rights of Women was appointed in the House. Early in thesession the politicians stated that no full suffrage measure would beintroduced. Later I. W. Crumley, chairman of the committee, introduceda bill for Presidential suffrage, which passed the House, 65 ayes, 50noes, and was killed in the Senate. 

1907. A House concurrent resolution to submit a constitutionalamendment died in Committee of the Whole and no action was taken inthe Senate. 

1909. The House bill conferring Presidential suffrage was reportedfavorably, made a special order for February 16 and received 59 noes, 57 ayes. The Senate bill was reported adversely. 

1911. The amendment resolution was introduced by Representative HenryBlock, and all available space on the floor and in the galleries wasfilled during the discussion. It passed on February 7 by 94 ayes, 28noes. The Senate resolution introduced by Senator George H. Hodges waspassed on February 11 by 27 ayes, 12 noes. A two-thirds majority isrequired to pass an amendment resolution and Senator Frank Travis castthe last and deciding vote. It was signed by Governor Stubbs. Theamendment went to the voters Nov. 5, 1912, and received a majority infavor of 16, 049. 

1913. The attitude of the Legislature this year was in marked contrastto that of previous sessions and those who feared that women wouldlose influence by being enfranchised were certainly undeceived. Judging from the number of welfare bills introduced without theirsolicitation it seemed that the members were vying with each other asto who should champion the most. Instead of dodging or ignoring therequests of women's committees their advice and wishes were sought. 

1915. The following resolution was passed unanimously by both Houses:"Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas, the Houseconcurring therein, that it is the judgment of this Legislature thatthe granting of the right of suffrage to the women of the State, solong withheld from them, was not only an act of justice to adisfranchised class, but that it also has proved to be of great goodto the State and to the women themselves. " This was approved March 15by the Governor and sent to Congress, and similar resolutions werepassed by each Legislature until the Federal Amendment was submitted. 

1919. An Act this year required that instruction must be given in thepublic schools in civic government, patriotism and the duties of acitizen. 

Among the women who were active in legislative work were MesdamesLillian Mitchner, C. C. Goddard, W. R. Stubbs, J. D. McFarland, E. E. Rodebush, E. S. Marshall, Lilla Monroe, A. H. Horton, Lottie Case, Frank Lindsay, Festus Foster and S. S. Estey. [54]

RATIFICATION. Governor Henry J. Allen called a special session of theLegislature for the purpose of ratifying the Federal SuffrageAmendment eleven days after it had been submitted by Congress on June4, 1919. Representative Minnie J. Grinstead introduced the jointresolution and it was passed unanimously on June 16 by both Houses andapproved by the Governor and forwarded to the Secretary of State onthe 17th. 

FOOTNOTES:

[52] The History is indebted for this chapter to Lucy B. (Mrs. WilliamA. ) Johnston, president of the State Equal Suffrage Association whenthe victory was won. She is under obligations to H. G. Larimer, legislative reference and bill drafting department; Miss HenriettaAlexander, legislative reference librarian; L. J. Pettyjohn, Secretaryof State; Miss Lorraine E. Wooster, State superintendent of publicinstruction; Miss Suzanne Henry, Supreme Court law clerk; Dr. S. J. Crumbine, secretary State board of health; Mrs. Herbert Jones, department vital statistics; Miss Linna Bresette, State labordepartment; Miss Clara Francis, librarian State Historical Society. 

[53] Among the many who aided in campaign work were Judge and Mrs. Frank Doster, Mr. And Mrs. J. K. Codding, the Hon. A. M. Harvey, theHon. Geo. Waters, the Hon. C. C. Gafford, the Rev. Festus Foster, theRev. S. S. Estey, D. D. , William Allen White, Sim Bromlette, John J. Brown; Mesdames Doster Cook, C. W. Smith, Nanon Herren, Lucia Case, Lida Buckley, Sherman Medill, Margaret Brandenburg, Edwin Knapp, L. S. Corbin, Adrian Greene, Adrian Sherman, Pansy Clark, Z. Nason, Geo. W. Rose, Effie Van Tuyl, Eva M. Murphy, Effie Frost; Misses Laura French, Eva Corning, Florence Welch, Bertha Hemstead, Olga House, E. Galloo, Mary Dobbs, Dorothy Sherman. 

[54] A complete résumé of the unexcelled welfare legislation of thepast twenty years was sent with this chapter but had to be omitted forlack of space. The first State constitution in 1859 guaranteed thesame educational rights to women as to men. The State University atLawrence has 54 women on its faculty; the State Agricultural College, 52; the State Normal, 46. --Ed. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

KENTUCKY. [55]

When the Equal Rights Association was formed in 1888 Kentucky was theonly State that did not permit a married woman to make a will; awife's wages might be collected by the husband; property andinheritance laws between husband and wife were absolutely unequal;fathers were sole guardians of their children and at death couldappoint one even of a child unborn; the age of consent was 12 yearsand it was legal for a girl to marry at 12. An infinitesimal number ofwomen had a bit of School suffrage. In the rest of that century, underthe leadership of Miss Laura Clay, with the able assistance of suchwomen as Mrs. Josephine K. Henry, Mrs. Eliza Calvert Obenchain andmany others, much was accomplished in the improvement of the laws andin other ways beneficial to women. 

No State convention was held in 1900. Conventions took place annuallyin the autumn from 1901 to 1917 inclusive in the following cities:Louisville, Lexington, Covington, Newport, Richmond, Ashland, Owensboro, most often in Lexington. The convention of 1918 waspostponed on account of the influenza epidemic and held in LouisvilleMarch 11-12, 1919. The convention which should have been held in thefall of this year was postponed because of work for ratification andbecame a "victory" convention held Jan. 6-7, 1920, in Frankfort andLexington. 

The first president of the Equal Rights Association, Miss Laura Clayof Lexington, elected in 1888, served until November, 1912. Theconstitution was then amended at her desire to prevent a presidentfrom succeeding herself and to provide for a three-year term. Mrs. Desha Breckinridge of Lexington was elected in November, 1912, and in1915 Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Smith of Frankfort. In 1916, Mrs. Smithresigning because of her election to the National Board, Mrs. JohnGlover South of Frankfort was elected to fill out the unexpired term. In March, 1919, Mrs. Breckinridge was again elected. 

For many years the association worked on a non-dues-paying basis andwas supported by voluntary contributions. Increase of activity isindicated by the following figures: The financial report for 1903shows that $359 were spent; that for 1917 gives an expenditure of$7, 838. In 1912 there were 1, 779 members, with organizations in 11counties; 4, 655 members were reported in November, 1913, and 10, 577 inNovember, 1914, with completely organized suffrage leagues in 64counties; partially organized leagues in 23; a roll of members in 32and but one county in which there was no membership. 

Many suffrage addresses have been made in the State by eminentKentucky men and women and in later years by outside speakersincluding Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Senator Helen Ring Robinson, Mrs. T. T. Cotnam, Max Eastman, Walter J. Millard, Mrs. BeatriceForbes-Robertson; Mrs. Philip Snowden, Mrs. Pethick-Lawrence and Mrs. Pankhurst of England, and Rosika Schwimmer of Hungary. 

Propaganda work has been done by means of the press and the lecturebureau, by the offering of prizes in schools and colleges for the bestessays on woman suffrage and at the State, Blue Grass and county fairsthrough speaking and circulating literature. In recent years manynewspapers have given editorial support and many more have given spacefor frequent articles furnished by the press bureau. Notable amongthose of recent date is the Louisville _Courier-Journal_, in which formany years Colonel Henry Watterson inveighed against woman suffrage inimmoderate terms. From the time it passed into the hands of JudgeRobert W. Bingham, and "Marse Henry's" connection with it ceased, itconsistently and persistently advocated suffrage for women, includingthe Federal Amendment. Miss Clay writes: "The paper with the largestcirculation of any in the State outside of Louisville and of greatinfluence in central Kentucky, the Lexington _Herald_, owned andedited by Desha Breckinridge, has from the beginning of the centuryeditorially advocated and insisted upon suffrage for women, includingSchool, Presidential and full suffrage, whether through 'State rights'or Federal Amendment. It has given unlimited space to suffragepropaganda and is largely responsible for making the question one ofparamount political moment. " The _Herald_ of Louisville has been alsoa valued supporter of the cause. 

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, of which Mrs. Frances E. Beauchamp, always a prominent suffragist, has for thirty years beenpresident, and the Federation of Women's Clubs have continually workedwith the State Equal Rights Association for the improvement ofconditions affecting women. By mutual agreement bills in theLegislature have been managed sometimes by one and sometimes by theother. 

In addition to organizing the suffrage forces and creating favorablesentiment the principal work of the State Association has been tosecure action by the Legislature for suffrage and better laws andconditions for women. This work was under the direction of Miss Clayuntil the end of her presidency, with a corps of able assistants, andshe continued to help the legislative work. She was always sustainedby the interest and generosity of her sister, Sallie Clay (Mrs. James)Bennett of Richmond, Ky. Mrs. S. M. Hubbard of Hickman was the largestcontributor and was a strong factor in the western part of the State. As early as 1902 a bill for the franchise for presidential electorswas presented. In 1904, to the amazement of the suffragists, the actof 1894 was repealed which gave School suffrage to the women of thethree third-class cities, Lexington, Covington and Newport. The reasongiven was that too many illiterate negro women voted. It was made astrict party measure, but one Democrat voting against the repeal andbut one Republican for it. 

Following this action the women went to work to obtain School suffragefor all women in the State able to read and write. In organizing thisprotest against the repeal Mrs. Mary C. Roark, afterwards head of theEastern Kentucky Normal School, was a leader. Mrs. A. M. Harrison, member of the school board in Lexington, was prominently identifiedwith the effort. This proved a long, hard struggle, as it wasconsidered an entering wedge to full suffrage by the liquor interestsand ward politicians of the cities and was bitterly fought. Year afteryear the bill was defeated in the Legislature. At the request of thesuffrage association in 1908 the State Federation of Women's Clubstook charge of it as a part of its work for better schools, but it wasdefeated that year and in 1910. The Federation did not cease its workand in 1912 the Democratic party included a School suffrage plank inits platform. It already had the support of the Republican party andthis year the bill passed both Houses by a vote of more than two toone. The Democrats were in control of the two Legislatures thatrejected it and also of the one that passed it. Mrs. Breckinridge waslegislative chairman for the federation during the years coveringthese three sessions. 

In 1912 the suffragists accepted the invitation of the PerryCentennial Committee to have a suffrage section in the parade inLouisville and their "float" attracted much attention. This isbelieved to have been the first suffrage parade in the South. 

In 1914 amendments to the new primary law were made by the Legislaturesecuring the right of women to vote in the primary elections forcounty superintendent of schools. This right was in doubt the yearbefore and was denied in many counties. Much work was done by theassociation in acquainting the women of the State with their rightsunder the new law. This year after many efforts a resolution to submitto the voters an amendment to the State constitution giving fullsuffrage to women was before the Legislature, presented by Senator J. H. Durham of Franklin and Representative John G. Miller of Paducah, both Democrats. Favorable reports were obtained from Senate and HouseCommittees, it was placed on the Senate calendar, but after its defeatin the House by 52 noes, 29 ayes, was not considered. 

In 1915 a plank was obtained in the Republican State platformendorsing woman suffrage, largely through the work of Mrs. MurrayHubbard, chairman of a committee from the Federation of Women's Clubs. When the Legislature met in January, 1916, the Republicans, under theleadership of Edwin P. Morrow, caucused and agreed to support solidlythe resolution to submit a suffrage amendment to the Stateconstitution. The legislative work of the State association wasmanaged by Mrs. Breckinridge, chairman, and Mrs. Hubbard, vice-chairman. The resolution was presented in the Senate by Thomas A. Combs and in the House by W. C. G. Hobbs, both of Lexington and bothDemocrats. It passed the Senate by 26 ayes, 8 noes. In the House itwas held in the committee and although three test votes were made inan effort to bring it out and a majority was obtained on one of them, a two-thirds vote was necessary and it was not allowed to come to avote. No Republican in the Senate gave an adverse vote and only threein the House. Governor A. O. Stanley (Democrat) used the full strengthof the administration, even invoking the aid of the Kentuckydelegation in Congress, to kill the measure in the House. 

This year the Republican and Progressive State conventions endorsedwoman suffrage, the Democrats refusing to do so. At the nationalRepublican convention in Chicago the Kentucky member of theResolutions Committee voted for the suffrage plank in its platform. Atthe national Democratic convention in St. Louis all the twenty-sixdelegates, on account of the "unit ruling, " cast their votes for theState's rights suffrage plank. 

During 1917 suffrage work was displaced by war work, of which Kentuckysuffragists did a large share. They were asked to raise $500 for theWomen's Oversea Hospitals of the National Association and more thandoubled the quota by the able management of Mrs. Samuel Castleman ofLouisville. Under the direction of Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson of Lexingtona plan to raise money for an ambulance to be named in honor of MissLaura Clay, the pioneer suffragist, was successfully carried through. 

In 1918 for the first time there was every reason to believe that aresolution to submit a State amendment would pass the Legislature, buta majority of the State suffrage board voted to conform to the desireof the National Association to avoid State campaigns and concentrateon the Federal Amendment and no resolution was presented. 

At the State convention, held March 11, 1919, resolutions were adoptedcalling upon all Kentucky members of Congress to vote for the FederalSuffrage Amendment; calling on the Legislature to ratify thisamendment, when passed, at the first opportunity and asking it toenact a law giving to women a vote for presidential electors. MissClay, who for over thirty years had been the leader of thesuffragists, withdrew from the State association, which she hadfounded, and formed a new organization to work for the vote by Stateaction alone, as she was strongly opposed to Federal action. It wascalled the Citizens' Committee for a State Suffrage Amendment andopened headquarters in Lexington. It issued an "open letter to thepublic, " an able argument for the State's control of its own suffrageand an arraignment of interference by Congress, which it declaredwould "become possessed of an autocratic power dangerous to freeinstitutions. " It conducted a vigorous campaign against every move fora Federal Amendment and met the representatives of the old associationat the Republican State convention in May to prevent their securing anendorsement of it. In an eloquent speech before the platform committeeMiss Clay urged it to reaffirm the State's rights plank in theNational platform and pledge the party to secure the submission to thevoters of a State suffrage amendment and to support it at the polls. The plank adopted was as follows: "We reaffirm our belief in thejustice and expediency of suffrage for women and call upon ourrepresentatives in the Congress of the United States, in theLegislature and in all executive positions to use their votes andtheir influence for all measures granting political rights to women. "

The Federal Suffrage Amendment was submitted by Congress June 4. Bothorganizations urged their claims at the Democratic State convention inSeptember and the platform contained the following plank:

 We favor the ratification by the Legislature of Kentucky at its next session of the amendment to the Constitution of the United States extending to women the right of suffrage and we urge our representatives in the Legislature and all executive or other officers to use their votes and influence in every legitimate way to bring about the ratification of the same. We pledge ourselves to support in the next General Assembly, if the Federal Amendment has not become operative by that time, the submission of an amendment to the State Constitution granting suffrage to women on the same terms as to men and when the amendment is submitted to support it at the polls as a party measure. 

Every candidate for the nomination for Governor had stood on asuffrage platform and the successful Democratic candidate, GovernorJames D. Black, defeated at the election by Edwin P. Morrow, was astaunch and life-long suffragist. When he was filling out GovernorStanley's unexpired term and he received a telegram in June, with allother Governors of Southern States, from the Governor of Louisiana, asking him to oppose ratification of the Federal Amendment, he gave toMrs. Breckinridge a ringing interview for use in the press to theeffect that he would not oppose it. Governor Morrow, a Republican, hadalways been a friend of woman suffrage in whatever form it was asked. 

Kentucky suffragists could easily remember when they could poll butone vote in Congress--that of John W. Langley. When in 1919 the finalvote was taken on the Federal Amendment but one of the State's tenvotes in the Lower House, that of A. B. Rouse of Covington, was castagainst it. There was one vacancy. Senator George B. Martin voted forthe resolution and Senator J. C. W. Beckham against it. He had votedagainst it in February, when, having passed the House, it was lost inthe Senate by a single vote. 

RATIFICATION. The November legislative election in 1919 resulted in aRepublican House and a Democratic Senate. The Republicans caucused andagreed to vote for ratification. Governor Morrow urged it in avigorous message personally delivered to the Legislature in which hesaid:

 A government "of the people by the people" can not and does not exist in a commonwealth in which one-half of its citizens are denied the right of suffrage. The women of Kentucky are citizens and there is no good or just reason why they should be refused the full and equal exercise of the sovereign right of every free people--the ballot. Every member of this General Assembly is unequivocally committed by his party's platform declaration to cast his vote and use his influence for the immediate enfranchisement of women in both nation and State. Party loyalty, faith-keeping with the people and our long-boasted chivalry all demand that the General Assembly shall break all previous speed records in ratifying the Federal Suffrage Amendment and passing all measures granting political rights to women. 

By agreement, a Democrat, Senator Charles M. Harriss, presented theresolution for ratification in the Senate, and a Republican, JosephLazarus, in the House. On Jan. 6, 1920, the first day of the session, it was passed by a vote of 30 ayes, 8 noes in the Senate and 72 ayes, 25 noes in the House. The affirmative vote by parties was as follows:In the two Houses 39 Democrats out of a possible 65, and 63Republicans out of a possible 73. That any measure should pass on thefirst day of the session was unprecedented in Kentucky legislativehistory. Democrats were in control of the two Legislatures--1914 and1916--which defeated the full suffrage measures. Democrats were incontrol of the Legislature in 1918 which undoubtedly would have passeda resolution for a State amendment, a Presidential suffrage bill, orwould have ratified the Federal Amendment had Congress acted in time. The leaders of both parties by this time had seen a great light!

The delegates who had gathered in Frankfort for the State conventionwere entertained at a buffet luncheon by the local suffrageorganization, went in a body to the State House and had thegratification of seeing the Federal Amendment ratified. Aglorification meeting was held that night at Lexington, twenty-fivemiles away, at which Governor Morrow told why the new women votersshould enter the Republican party and Judge C. S. Nunn and SenatorHarriss, leader of the Senate, told why they should enter theDemocratic party. The latter were introduced by former Senator Combs, who had sponsored the suffrage cause among the Democrats in the lasttwo Legislatures. The convention closed with an address by Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst of England the following night, and on the next daythe officers and members of the association went to Frankfort again tosee the Governor sign the ratification. 

As it was not certain that the amendment would be completely ratifiedbefore the general election in November the Legislature decided topass a bill giving to women the right to vote for presidentialelectors. On March 11 it passed the House and on the 15th the Senateby almost the same vote given on the Federal Amendment. Only threeSenators voted against it--Thomas J. Gardner of Bardwell, Hayes Carterof Elizabethtown and C. W. Burton of Crittenden. On the 16th billswere passed making necessary changes in the election laws to insurethe voting of the women in the primaries and at the regular elections. 

Kentucky women who rendered conspicuous service in the lobby work atWashington under the auspices of the National Suffrage Associationwere Mrs. John Glover South, Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Smith, Mrs. EdmundM. Post, Mrs. Samuel Castleman, Mrs. Charles Firth and Mrs. SamuelHenning. They were equally helpful in the State political work andamong many others who deserve especial mention are Mrs. James A. Leech, Mrs. J. B. Judah and Mrs. Robinson A. McDowell. The associationis indebted to Mr. McDowell for legal assistance. An important factorwas the press work of Miss Eleanor Hume. [56]

The organizing of classes in citizenship was begun in the summer of1919 and the services of a specialist in politics and history, MissMary Scrugham, a Kentucky woman, were secured to prepare a course oflectures for their use. These were published in the Lexington _Herald_and supplied to women's clubs, suffrage associations and newly formedLeagues of Women Citizens, soon to become Leagues of Women Voters. 

The Equal Rights Association voted at its convention in January, 1920, to change its name to the League of Women Voters as soon asratification of the Federal Amendment was complete or Presidentialsuffrage granted. The league was fully organized on December 15, withMiss Mary Bronaugh of Hopkinsville chairman. 

The first vice-president of the State Equal Suffrage Association, Mrs. South, was elected as chairman of the Women's Division of the NationalRepublican Committee, and the second vice-president, Mrs. Castleman, as Kentucky member of the National Democratic Woman's Committee. 

FOOTNOTES:

[55] The History is indebted for this chapter to Madeline McDowell(Mrs. Desha) Breckinridge, president of the State Equal RightsAssociation 1912-1915 and 1919-1920; vice-president of the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association 1913-1914. 

[56] In addition to the presidents the following served as officers ofthe association: Vice-presidents: Mrs. Mary B. Clay, Mrs. Mary Cramer, Mrs. N. S. McLaughlin, Mrs. John Castleman, Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson, Mrs. Charles Firth, Mrs. Judah, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Samuel Castleman, Mrs. Leech, Mrs. McDowell, Mrs. Joseph Alderson, Mrs. F. A. Rothier. Corresponding secretaries: Miss Anna Miller, Mrs. Mary C. Roark, Mrs. Alice Carpenter, Miss Clay, Mrs. Herbert Mendel, Mrs. South. Recordingsecretaries: Mrs. Emma Roebuck, Mrs. McDowell, Mrs. Firth, Mrs. J. D. Hays. Treasurers: Mrs. Isabella Shepherd, Mrs. Warfield Bennett, Mrs. Judah. Auditors: Miss Laura White, Mrs. Charles L. Nield, Mrs. W. F. Lillard, Mrs. Alderson. Historians: Mrs. Mary Light Ogle, Mrs. M. B. Reynolds. Press work: Mrs. Obenchain. Members National ExecutiveCommittee: Miss Mary E. Giltner, Mrs. Post, Miss Clay. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

LOUISIANA. PART I. [57]

The history of woman suffrage in Louisiana is unique inasmuch as itrecords largely the activity of one club, an influence, however, whichwas felt in the upbuilding of sentiment not alone in Louisiana but inalmost every Southern State. When in 1900 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt onher accession to the presidency of the National American WomanSuffrage Association called for conventions in the Southern States itwas found that in Louisiana the State Suffrage Association, formed in1896 by the union of the Portia and Era clubs, had lapsed because theformer was no longer in existence. The Era Club, however, wasflourishing under the stimulus and prestige gained by the successfulDrainage, Sewerage and Water Campaign of 1899. [58] Mrs. Catt decidedthat, while it was a new precedent to recognize one club as a Stateassociation, it would be done in this case. Mrs. Evelyn Ordway wasmade president, Mrs. Caroline E. Merrick, vice-president; MissJeannette Ballard and Miss Jean Gordon, secretaries, and Mrs. OttoJoachim, treasurer of the new association at a meeting in May, 1900, at New Orleans. It went on record at this first meeting as a State'srights organization, which Mrs. Catt ruled was permissible under thedual character of the National Association's constitution. 

The secretary entered into active correspondence with individuals inall sections of the State known to be favorable to suffrage, but allefforts to secure clubs were unsuccessful. The Era Club, therefore, extended its membership over the State in order that representation inthe national suffrage conventions could be state-wide. It had astanding Legislative Committee and for thirteen years its activitiesconstituted the work of a State association. In 1904, Mrs. Merrick, Louisiana's pioneer suffragist, was made honorary president; Miss KateM. Gordon, president; Mrs. James McConnell, vice-president; Mrs. Armand Romain, corresponding secretary; Miss Jean Gordon, recordingsecretary; Mrs. Lucretia Horner (now Mrs. James McBride), treasurer. There was no change in this board until 1913 except that on the deathof Mrs. Romain in 1908 Mrs. Judith Hyams Douglas was appointed in herplace. 

Clubs were formed during the years in various towns, but did notsurvive, until in 1913 a league was organized in Shreveport which didexcellent work under its presidents, Mrs. S. B. Hicks, Mrs. S. P. Weaver and Mrs. J. M. Henry. The first State convention was held Nov. 12, 1913, in New Orleans, and the following officers were elected:Miss Jean Gordon, president; Mrs. George Wesley Smith, Rayville; Mrs. James C. Wooten, Monroe; Mrs. Louis Hackenjos, Alexandria, vice-presidents; Mrs. R. M. Carruth, New Roads, correspondingsecretary; Miss Lois Janvier, New Orleans, recording secretary; MissOlivia Munson, Napoleonville, treasurer; Mrs. Fannie Wolfson, Coushatta, auditor. 

This board was unchanged until 1915, when Mrs. Clarence King ofShreveport became treasurer and Mrs. M. H. Lawless of Garden City andMrs. D. C. Scarborough of Natchitoches, auditors. There was no furtherchange until 1920, when Mrs. McBride became treasurer and Mrs. HoraceWilkinson took Mrs. Scarborough's place. State conventions met inAlexandria in 1914 and in Shreveport in 1915. Conferences were held intwenty-five parishes in anticipation of the proposed constitutionalconvention of 1915. A convention was held in Alexandria in July, 1918, and chairmen were appointed in forty-eight parishes in preparation forthe State amendment campaign. 

In reviewing the history of woman suffrage in Louisiana three factorsstand out prominently as influences that molded a favorable publicopinion. These are the national suffrage convention in 1903; theinauguration of charity campaigns on the lines of politicalorganization and the forming of the Southern States Woman SuffrageConference, the object of which was to place the Democratic party onrecord for woman suffrage in this Democratic stronghold of the "solidSouth. "

In public opinion woman suffrage was largely associated with theAbolition movement. In 1900 Miss Gordon had accepted an invitation toaddress the convention of the National Association in Washington onthe famous Sewerage and Drainage Campaign of women in New Orleans. Then and there she decided that the most important work beforeLouisiana suffragists was to bring this conservative State under theinfluence of a national convention. In 1901 she attended anotherconvention and was elected corresponding secretary of the NationalAssociation. In 1903 she brought its convention to New Orleans and itproved to be one of the most remarkable in the history of theassociation. [59] So impressed was Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-presidentat large, with the possibilities in the South that she volunteered amonth's series of lectures in the next autumn and many places inMississippi, Louisiana and Texas came under the spell of hereloquence. 

The influence of this convention was immediately seen in theincreasing membership of the Era Club. Its leaders recognized that thebest policy to rouse both men and women to the value of suffrage tothe individual and the community was by applied politics in socialservice. It had already secured a partial franchise for taxpayingwomen and its achievements in the following years made it anacknowledged power. [60] In 1910 a great charity and educationalbenefit was launched for the Anti-Tuberculosis League and the Woman'sDispensary. A complete plan of organizing with Era Club members asward and precinct leaders taught them political organization. 

By 1913 the movement for a Federal Suffrage Amendment was growing soinsistent that southern women who were opposed to this method felt thenecessity of organizing to combat it and to uphold the State's rightsprinciple of the Democratic party. Through the initiative of MissGordon a Call for a conference was sent in August to leading women inevery southern State and signed by twenty-two from almost as manyStates asking the Governors to meet in New Orleans for a conference. It said:

 We are united in the belief that suffrage is a State right and that the power to define a State's electorate should remain the exclusive right of the State. We recognize that Woman Suffrage is no longer a theory to be debated but a condition to be met. The inevitable "votes for women" is a world movement and unless the South squarely faces the issue and takes steps to preserve the State's right the force of public opinion will make it mandatory through a National Constitutional Amendment. .. . 

 While as Southerners we wish to see the power of the State retained, yet as women we are equally determined to secure, as of paramount importance, the right which is the birthright of an American citizen. We, therefore, appeal to you gentlemen vested with the power largely to shape conditions to confer with us and influence public opinion to adopt woman suffrage through State action. Failing to accomplish this, the onus of responsibility will rest upon the men of the South if southern women are forced to support a National Amendment, weighted with the same objections as the Fifteenth. 

It was not expected that the Governors would come, but the desiredpublicity was secured and several of them sent representative women. At the invitation of the Era Club the conference was held in NewOrleans Nov. 10-11, with an excellent attendance. The Southern StatesWoman Suffrage Conference was organized with Miss Gordon president. OnMay 1, 1914, headquarters were opened in New Orleans in charge of Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer of Pennsylvania, as executive secretary, who had hadlong experience in suffrage organization and press work. For the nextthree years Miss Gordon went regularly to these headquarters and gaveher entire time to the promotion of the Southern Conference withoutfinancial remuneration. In October a 20-page magazine, the _NewSouthern Citizen_, made its appearance, which became self-supportingand proved to be a most valuable factor in the work of the conference. The first convention was held in Chattanooga, Tenn. , on Nov. 10, 1914, just before that of the National American Association in Nashville, which its delegates attended. It was welcomed by the Mayor, thepresident of the Chamber of Commerce and many club presidents. Delegates were present from twelve States and in addition a number ofdistinguished visitors. Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont brought with herMiss Christabel Pankhurst of Great Britain and both made addresses. About $1, 500 were pledged. 

Miss Gordon said in her president's address: "The Southern StatesWoman Suffrage Conference has for its immediate object to make theDemocratic party declare itself in favor of votes for women in itsnext national platform. This, we southern suffragists believe, is thefirst step in what will prove a veritable landslide in the South. Theconference therefore recommends to the suffragists of the South theadoption of a policy of concentration upon the Democratic party todeclare itself. "

In December, 1915, a national conference was held in Richmond, Va. Smaller conferences were held in Atlanta, Greenville, S. C. , andLittle Rock. Miss Gordon visited most of the cities of the South toorganize the women. In July, 1916, an executive meeting was held inSt. Louis at the time of the national Democratic convention. ItsResolutions Committee gave a hearing to the representatives of theconference, Miss Clay, Mrs. O. F. Ellington of Little Rock, Mrs. Boyer, Mrs. Wesley Martin Stoner of Washington. Miss Gordon made anextended appeal for an endorsement of woman suffrage in the partyplatform and presented a resolution to "secure for womenself-government while preserving to the State a like self-government. "This was not adopted, but the platform did recommend "the extension ofsuffrage to the women of the country by the States. "

Although the principal object of the conference had been attained, itsleaders hesitated to dissolve it because of its excellent magazine andwork yet to be done. It was maintained until May, 1917, when theentrance of this country into the World War made its discontinuanceseem advisable. [61]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. Prior to 1904 it was an unheard of thing for womenin Louisiana to take an active part in legislative procedure. Awoman's club, the Arena, had been instrumental in obtaining the first"age of consent" legislation, but a Unitarian minister had entirelymanaged the Legislature. Therefore the tyros who formed the firstLegislative Committee of the Era Club showed their ignorance andenthusiasm when their program included at least twelve bills whichthey proposed to have enacted into law in one session. [62] Without anyfriends at court it was with considerable relief that they followedadvice to put them all in the hands of an influential lobbyist. Reformbills were not in his line and the session was drawing to a close withnothing done when the Gordon sisters cast precedent and propriety tothe winds, telegraphed to the Senator from their district for anaudience, boarded a morning train for Baton Rouge and descended uponthe Capitol. Article 210 of the State constitution adopted in 1898made women ineligible to serve in any official capacity. One of thefirst acts of the Era Club had been to try to have it amended so as toallow the appointment of a woman to fill a vacancy on the SchoolBoard. The surprised Senator met them on their arrival, learned theobject of their visit and they will never know whether sympathy, amusement or curiosity actuated the Committee on Judiciary to whom heappealed for a hearing, but a few minutes after their arrival theywere pleading their cause before its members. They then called onGovernor Newton Blanchard, who offered to have Article 210 amended toenable the appointment of a factory inspector, but in their zeal forthe larger object they declined. 

1906. Wiser by two years' experience, the Legislative Committee wasglad to accept Lieutenant Governor Jared Y. Sanders's offer of anamendment for the above purpose, and Miss Jean Gordon was appointedfactory inspector for the city of New Orleans. It was not long beforeshe realized that the Child Labor law, under which she must operate, was not worth the paper on which it was written. She then studied thechild labor laws of every State and selected what was best suited tosouthern conditions, and put it into form for submission. 

1908. The legislative program was limited to the attempt to amendArticle 210, pass a School suffrage bill and the Child Labor bill. TheSchool suffrage bill, under the skillful management of Senator R. E. Gueydan, assisted by Senators Albert Estinopal and James Brady andLieutenant Governor Thos. C. Barrett, passed the Senate but failed inthe House. The Child Labor bill passed the House but not the Senate. 

1910. Senator Gueydan introduced the amendment of Article 210. Representative S. O. Shattuck introduced the first resolution tostrike out the word "male" from the State constitution, withinstructions from the women to substitute a School or Municipalsuffrage bill if a favorable report was more likely to result. By thistime the women had sufficiently progressed to address a joint suffragecommittee hearing in the House in the presence of an immense audience, Miss Belle Van Horn, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Douglas, Miss Gordon and laborrepresentatives presenting suffrage arguments. The School suffragebill was substituted and received a unanimous favorable report, butnot the necessary two-thirds vote. 

1912. The amendment to Article 210 was introduced by Martin Manion inthe House and William Byrnes in the Senate. In the interim between thesessions Mrs. O. W. Chamberlain, legislative chairman, had rolled up amonster petition from all sections of the State and the favorablereport of the committee was followed by the required two-thirds votein the House. There seemed no hope in the Senate, but Miss Gordonappealed to Senator Byrnes to call it from the calendar. There wasactive lobbying among the opponents, but it finally passed and wassent to the voters! In the campaign for it the Newcomb CollegeAlumnae, the State Nurses' Association and the Federation of Women'sClubs were very active, but it was defeated. 

An interesting phase of this year's session in connection with thesuffrage amendment was the presenting of the idea of Primary suffragefor women by Miss Gordon at the hearing. She had grown so tired ofhearing from the opponents of woman suffrage that their objectionrested solely upon the fact that negro women would be enfranchised, that on the part of the Legislative Committee she offered as asubstitute for the full suffrage bill one limiting it to the whiteprimary elections. This novel offer was received with great applauseby the assembled members of the two Houses, but was not accepted. [SeeArkansas and Texas chapters for Primary suffrage for women. ]

1914. The full suffrage bill was introduced by Representative Manionand a quiet committee hearing held, with representatives from theState Suffrage Association and the Woman Suffrage Party. It received60 ayes, 41 noes in the House, but not the necessary two-thirds. Amending Article 210 had become a city administration measure and wasslated for success. A donation towards a Tuberculosis Hospital in NewOrleans had been made by Mrs. John Dibert and the gift wasmunicipalized by a condition which required a certain annual revenuefrom the city. She desired to be a member of the hospital board, butwas ineligible under this article. The Era Club gave notice that itwould challenge her eligibility and she supported its position. Thelong desired amendment was on the way to a successful passage, butwent on the rocks because of the club's campaign against a financialmeasure for refunding the city debt known as the Nine Million Bondissue, in which the provisions for the public schools and theteachers' pay were totally inadequate and it was to be in effect forfifty years! The Era Club and the Mothers' Co-operative Club protestedand worked against this political-financial alliance. In retaliationtwenty-four hours before the election the order went to the voters todefeat the amendment to Article 210, which would have made womeneligible to serve on school and charity boards, and they did so. 

1918. Governor Ruffin G. Pleasant recommended in his message thesubmission of a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution. The State association had a resolution for it introduced in the Houseby Frank Powell; the Woman Suffrage Party one in the Senate by LeonHaas, and it passed in both. 

CAMPAIGNS. There have been two campaigns in the interest of womansuffrage in Louisiana, one for preparing for an expectedconstitutional convention which would have met in 1915, and the otherin 1918 to amend the State constitution by striking out the word"male. " A special session of the Legislature in 1915 proposed aconvention to revise the constitution and submitted the question tothe voters. Immediately Miss Jean Gordon, president of the StateSuffrage Association, accompanied by Miss Lilly Richardson and Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer, visited the various parishes and formed workingcommittees in 40 of the 63. The enthusiastic reception wherever theywent was practical testimony to the sentiment for woman suffrage thatthey knew existed and could be utilized if the politicians could bemade to submit the amendment to the voters. The latter rejected theproposal to hold a convention, but the work done by the women laid thefoundation for the campaign three years later. 

In 1918 there was finally submitted for the first time the longdesired amendment to the State constitution to enable women to vote. To Governor Pleasant is due a great debt of gratitude, for everyinfluence that he could bring to bear was exerted, not alone to secureits submission but also its ratification. He had particularly urged inhis Message at the opening of the Legislature the great importance ofthe South's realizing the danger threatened from the proposedsubmission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment. The State SuffrageAssociation was in the midst of opening the campaign when the WomanSuffrage Party announced that they would retire from all suffrageactivity and devote themselves to Red Cross work. Robert Ewing, memberof the Democratic National Committee, owner of the New Orleans _DailyStates_ and Shreveport _Times_, and a political power, offered hissupport if the Woman Suffrage Party would unite with the Stateassociation and leave the Federal Amendment question entirely out ofthe campaign. They finally agreed to this and a joint committee wasformed of the president and three capable women in each organization. Headquarters were opened in New Orleans; the parish committees whichwere organized in 1915 were found to be ready for active work. Apetition to be signed was sent to each with a strong official letterfrom the Campaign Committee. A bitter three-cornered Senatorial fightwas under way and the women were asked to delay action until after theSeptember primaries, which they consented to do. 

All was ready for beginning a whirlwind campaign on October 1, whensuddenly just before that date the influenza epidemic broke out and noassembling of people was allowed. To add to the difficulties, insteadof the usual dry, clear weather of this season there came a deluge ofrains that lasted for six weeks and the condition of the roads made itwholly impossible to do any work in the outlying districts. Thus therewas practically no campaign in the way of making personal appeals tothe voters, but in New Orleans and other cities thousands receivedurgent letters from Miss Gordon and other leaders. Notwithstandingthese adverse conditions, the majority against the amendment was only3, 600, nearly all of it in New Orleans, where it was the result ofdirect orders from Mayor Martin Behrman, through the ward "bosses" ofa perfectly controlled "machine. " From parish after parish in theState came reports of precincts not even being opened on account ofthe epidemic and the weather. There is no doubt that others whichreported an adverse majority were really carried for the amendment. Ata public meeting of protest immediately after Miss Gordon made anaddress recalling the glorious history of the Democratic party andcomparing it with this election which had repudiated its highestprinciples. 

In 1920 the State Suffrage Association stood alone in again having aresolution introduced for amending the State constitution, all theother suffrage societies concentrating on the ratification of theFederal Amendment, which had been submitted by Congress on June 4. Itwas presented in the Lower House by L. L. Upton, in the Senate by J. O. Stewart. They were followed immediately by Representative S. O. Shattuck and Senator Norris C. Williamson with one to ratify theFederal Amendment. At the close of the session Miss Jean Gordon issuedthe following statement:

 To the Friends of Woman Suffrage:

 Now that the smoke of battle has cleared . .. As president of the State association I feel that an unbiased statement of facts should be given in order that the history of woman suffrage in this State may be correctly recorded. Having been at Baton Rouge from the opening day of the Legislature until its adjournment I can give all the facts and some of the reasons for one of the most remarkable controversies ever held in Louisiana. 

 The proposed amendment to the State constitution having been defeated in 1918 by the malevolent influences of the influenza throughout the State and Mayor Behrman in New Orleans, it was necessary to have another sent to the voters in 1920. 

 Congress having submitted a Federal Amendment to the Legislatures it was to be expected that men and women who believe in centralizing the voting power in Congress would work for its ratification, but that those who claimed to be ardent suffragists would work to defeat State submission after they found the sentiment for ratification amounted to almost nothing in both Houses seems incredible. The fact remains, however, that while the actual defeat of the State amendment was due primarily to personal animosity on the part of Senator Leopold of Plaquemine parish, when he realized what he had done he said that if it was possible to have it re-introduced he would vote for it, thus giving the necessary twenty-eight votes. After all arrangements for re-consideration had been made, Senator Louque, a faithful suffragist of many years' standing, provoked because one of his bills had been defeated, slipped away and it was again deprived of the one vote needed. 

 In the Senate Chamber were those nine Senators who proclaimed all through the session their intense belief in woman suffrage--so intense that they wanted the women enfranchised immediately and they wished to help all the women of the United States--these and many other reasons were given by them for standing firmly for a Federal Amendment but they voted against State submission, knowing the Federal Amendment had been killed overwhelmingly. Therefore the real defeat of the State amendment must be accredited to the following nine Senators: Bagwell, Brown, Cunningham, Hood, Johnston of Bossier, Lawrason, Wear, Williamson and Wood. .. . 

 Very different was the spirit among the proponents of the Federal Amendment in the House. Men who have always been suffragists voted for both Federal and State suffrage. .. . When Senators Craven, Johness, Johnson of Franklin and Durr saw the Federal Amendment was hopelessly defeated they voted for State submission. When Mayor Behrman caught the vision of how a Federal Amendment could help him in the September primary, he had Senators Davey, Thoele and Roberts vote for it, though it was reported that all had said no power on earth could ever make them do it. After it was defeated they continued to vote against the State amendment. The interpretation put upon their attitude was that they would not help it because its success would be considered a victory for Mr. Ewing, as his _Daily States_ had been the only city paper to stand for State submission. Be it said to the credit of Senators Boyer, Butler, Clinton, Doussan, Domengeaux, Dugas, Weil and Wilbert that although avowed anti-suffragists, they worked hard to secure the submission of the State amendment while so-called ardent suffragists worked overtime for its defeat. 

LOUISIANA. PART II. [63]

Louisiana had no State organization for woman suffrage when in March, 1913, Mrs. A. B. Singletary of Baton Rouge organized there the StateEqual Suffrage League, [64] and in April Mrs. John T. Meehan organizedthe Woman Suffrage Party of Louisiana in New Orleans. [65] Bothenrolled men as well as women, affiliated with the National AmericanSuffrage Association and worked harmoniously for the enfranchisementof Louisiana women by State and national legislation. Later the Leaguebecame the Sixth District branch of the Party. When the Woman SuffrageParty was organized its platform contained only a pledge to work foran amendment to the State constitution, but after affiliating with theNational Association it was pledged to work also for a FederalSuffrage Amendment, and this was fully understood by the members. 

By June 15 the Party, with Mrs. Edgar M. Cahn as State chairman, hadenrolled 300 members. It held open air rallies, organized bylegislative districts, which are known as "parishes, " and in theseventeen wards of Orleans parish congressional chairmen wereappointed by the beginning of 1914. This year the Teachers' PoliticalEquality Club and the Newcomb College Suffrage Club became branches ofthe Party, and the Orleans Parish Branch was organized. Delegates weresent to the national suffrage convention at Nashville in November. 

The first State convention of the Party was held in April, 1915, atBaton Rouge and Mrs. Meehan was elected chairman. Throughout thesummer suffragists of all groups campaigned vigorously for therecognition of woman suffrage in the State constitutional conventionexpected in the autumn, but the convention itself was voted down atthe polls. A Men's League was formed and among its members were Dr. Henry Dickson Bruns, W. A. Kernaghan, M. J. Sanders, Solomon Wolff, Oscar Schumert, I. A. Strauss, J. J. Fineran, Lynn Dinkins, JamesWilkinson, Louis J. Bryan, Captain James Dinkins, L. H. Gosserand, Rabbi Max Heller and Rabbi Emil Leipziger. 

In 1916 the resolution for a constitutional amendment to eliminate theword "male" again failed to pass when introduced by Frank E. Powell ofDe Ridder in the Lower House, though asked for by all the suffrageorganizations, which now included a new group--the Equal RightsParty--formed by Miss Florence Huberwald. Owing to the absence of Mrs. Meehan, Mrs. H. B. Myers, vice-chairman, was active head of the partymost of the year. In November Mrs. Lydia Wickliffe Holmes of BatonRouge was elected State chairman at the annual convention in NewOrleans. Under her leadership all the groups in accord with the policyof the National Suffrage Association were merged before the close of1917, so that the Woman Suffrage Party now included the Equal SuffrageLeague, the Equal Rights Party and the Louisiana League for EqualSuffrage, formed the winter before in New Orleans by Mrs. W. J. O'Donnell. At the annual convention in New Orleans Mrs. Holmes wasre-elected. 

State headquarters, known as Suffrage House, were established in NewOrleans in February, 1918, a large house on St. Charles Avenue, whichwas furnished largely through the efforts of Mrs. O'Donnell, who wasin charge. In May a resolution for a State suffrage amendment, introduced in the Upper House by Senator Leon Haas of Opelousas, wascombined with one brought by Representative Powell in the House, andpassed on June 18, to be submitted to the voters in November. Activecampaigning for its adoption at the polls began in September under aJoint Campaign Committee of the Woman Suffrage Party and the StateSuffrage Association. In spite of the influenza epidemic thousands ofsignatures were obtained to a petition asking Governor Ruffin G. Pleasant to issue a proclamation calling on the electors to vote forit. This he did and those in the State at large responded favorably, but their voice was nullified by the adverse votes cast in themachine-controlled wards of New Orleans at the behest of Mayor MartinBehrman, and the amendment was lost by 3, 605 votes. The annualconvention held at Suffrage House in New Orleans after the electionchose Mrs. Holmes again for president. 

In the winter of 1919 an attempt was made to secure such amodification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment before Congress asmight meet the objections of southern opponents by removing the fearof federal interference with elections. An amendment was devised byAssistant Attorney General Harry Gamble and National CommitteemanRobert Ewing, which would leave its enforcement to the States. Theywent to Washington accompanied by Mrs. Holmes and obtained the consentof the officers of the National Suffrage Association. Senator Gay ofLouisiana introduced it and it was unanimously reported out of theCommittee on Woman Suffrage, but the session was just closing andconsent for a vote on it was refused. 

On the social side an "inquiry" dinner dance given at the Country Clubin New Orleans in May to discuss why Louisiana women were not yetenfranchised was attended by the Governor and many other prominentpoliticians from all parts of the State. The annual convention washeld in the autumn at the headquarters, now removed to 417 RoyalStreet, and Mrs. Holmes was elected to her fourth term. [66]

The Woman Suffrage Party conducted a vigorous fight for ratificationof the Federal amendment from the opening of the Legislature May 10, 1920, until its defeat on June 15. The final vote for ratification wasgiven by the Legislature of Tennessee in August, which insured thecomplete suffrage for women in all the States. At the annualconvention of the Woman Suffrage Party in New Orleans, December 8-9, its formal dissolution took place, followed immediately by theorganization of the State League of Women Voters, a branch of theNational League, with Mrs. Philip Weirlein as chairman. The Party'sseven years of work for the enfranchisement of Louisiana women byState and national legislation were fittingly recognized at a dinnerin the Restaurant de la Louisiane, at which the men and women who hadaided the cause in various ways were honored. Prominent men predictedhappy results of woman's political freedom. Gifts in appreciation ofservices were made to Martin H. Manion, Marshall Ballard and Norris C. Williamson. General Robert Georges Nivelle, the hero of Verdun, waspresent and congratulated the women, expressing the hope that ere longthe women of France would gain their political liberty. A silver vasewas presented to the retiring chairman, Mrs. Holmes, from her fellowworkers, and she was unanimously chosen honorary chairman of the newleague. 

RATIFICATION. On the eve of departure for the national convention inFebruary, 1920, Mrs. Holmes, chairman of the Woman Suffrage Party, went to John M. Parker, who had just been nominated for Governor bythe Democratic party, and asked: "If the thirty-sixth State ratifiesthe Federal Suffrage Amendment while we are in Chicago will you sendMrs. Carrie Chapman Catt a telegram of congratulations?" To this heanswered: "You write a message and sign my name to it--I'll stand foranything you may say. " "If, however, the amendment is not ratified andit becomes necessary for Louisiana to make the fight for it, " Mrs. Holmes continued, "what must I tell Mrs. Catt you will do?" "Just sayto her, " he replied, "that I am a suffragist, and she willunderstand. " Mr. Parker had joined the Progressive party in 1912 andin 1916 he had made a campaign as its candidate for vice-president ona platform that strongly endorsed the Federal Suffrage Amendment, sohis support of ratification was fully expected. 

On their return from the convention the leaders of the Party began toline up the important men of the State by letter and by personalinterviews. Beginning with the ex-Governors, they secured theendorsement of L. E. Hall, H. C. Warmoth, N. C. Blanchard, Jared Y. Sanders and W. W. Heard. Against these, however, was the presentGovernor, Ruffin G. Pleasant, who took an aggressive stand for State'srights, although at a public banquet eight months earlier he had toldthe women that 'if Louisiana women could not obtain the ballot byState enactment he would favor Federal action. ' Among those whodeclared for ratification were J. J. Bailey, Paul Capdeville, F. R. Grace, T. R. Harris, A. V. Coco, Semmes Walmsley, Rufus E. Foster, Howell Morgan, Percy Saint, E. N. Stafford, Phanor Breazeale, Donaldson Caffery and many other men of affairs. The New Orleans_Item_ had always advocated woman suffrage and the Federal Amendmentespecially; the _Times-Picayune_ now approved ratification, as didnearly all the papers in the State. The Orleans DemocraticAssociation, which had put Governor Parker in office, passed aresolution endorsing it. The State Central Committee chairman, FrankJ. Looney, and the National Democratic Committeeman, Arsene Pujo, werein favor, and North Louisiana was almost solid for it. The oppositionwas chiefly in New Orleans, where certain elements under ward-bossleadership were opposed to woman suffrage in any form. 

Mrs. Holmes had a number of interviews with Governor-elect Parkeralone, with other women and with Marshall Ballard, editor of the_Item_, one of his valued supporters. She was always led to believethat he would help when the time for it came, although some of hisstrongest adherents were opposed to ratification. It was deemed bestto make the fight along non-partisan lines, and so he was asked if itwould be wiser to have two of his own supporters take charge of it orto have one who had opposed him in the primary campaign. He advisedthe latter course and Norris C. Williamson of East Carroll parish, hisopponent, was selected to introduce the bill in the Senate, and S. O. Shattuck of Calcasieu, a supporter and the introducer of the firstwoman suffrage bill in the Legislature in the Lower House. The dayMayor Martin Behrman came out for ratification, Mr. Parker said toMrs. Holmes: "I have always been for woman suffrage any way it couldbe obtained and I have never understood a suffragist's taking anyother stand. "

Early in March Governor-elect Parker told a group of suffragists thatthe women should get together on a program for the Legislature if theywished to be successful. Acting on this suggestion the Party publiclyinvited all suffrage organizations to come together and form a JointRatification Committee. Men and women from all parts of the Stateattended this meeting on April 7 and one of the speakers, CharlesRosen, pledged Parker to ratification, while Marshall Ballard vouchedfor the authenticity of his statement. The bodies that composed thiscommittee were the Natchitoches Equal Rights Club, represented by Mrs. S. J. Henry; the Shreveport Suffrage Club by Mrs. J. D. And Mrs. W. A. Wilkinson; the Louisiana branch of the National Woman's Party, by Mrs. M. R. Bankston, Mrs. E. J. Graham, Mrs. Rosella Bayhi; the WomanSuffrage Party by Mrs. Joseph Devereux, Mrs. J. E. Friend. Mrs. Holmeswas made chairman, headquarters were taken in Baton Rouge and 46lobbyists were at the Capitol day and night during the session. 

On reaching Baton Rouge the women saw the "anti" forces lining up withthe "State's rights" advocates and witnessed the curious spectacle ofwomen who had worked for woman suffrage for a generation allyingthemselves with the paid organizers of the National AssociationOpposed to Woman Suffrage, headed by Miss Charlotte Rowe of Yonkers, N. Y. , its field secretary. Ex-Governor Pleasant and his wife came outas leaders of the opposition, assisted by the Misses Kate and JeanGordon and other advocates of State action. [67] It was early seen thatthe fight for the Speakership might endanger the ratification programand the women were careful to take no part in it. R. F. Walker waschosen, an unfortunate choice for the suffragists, for he leanedstrongly toward the "anti" side in his rulings, as did LieutenantGovernor Hewitt Bouanchaud. 

Although in his campaign speeches in the autumn Mr. Parker hadrepeatedly said: "I am for suffrage; it is almost here, and we musthave it, " his platform as sent into some of the parishes had containeda "State's rights" plank, designed, with or without his knowledge, bysome of his backers, to placate those who feared the Federal Amendmenton account of its supposed effect on the negro question. This was notknown to the ratification leaders and therefore he created greatconsternation by announcing shortly before his inauguration that he"was going to keep his hands off the suffrage fight; that it was amatter for the Legislature. " After the Speakership contest was over herefused to receive a delegation of women and declined to allow anymember of the Ratification Committee to approach him. On May 10, 1920, the General Assembly convened in Baton Rouge and on the 11th the rivalwoman suffrage bills were introduced. Representative L. L. Uptonpresented the State amendment in the House. The Federal amendmentmeasure was a joint resolution. The attention of the country wascentered on the fight in Louisiana. Thirty-five State Legislatures hadratified and the Republicans were claiming the credit. Democraticleaders were very desirous of having it for the final ratification. Appeals were sent out to prominent Democrats within and without theState for help in putting it through. Colonel William J. Bryan wasone of the first to respond, urging it to help the Democratic party inthe coming campaign. Senator Williamson called on the new "convert, "Mayor Behrman, and he appealed to the New Orleans "organization"Senators, but was not entirely successful. 

On May 13 Governor Pleasant submitted the Federal Amendment to bothHouses, with a message which filled several columns of print, urgingthem not to adopt it but to pass in its stead the resolution for aState amendment. On the 16th, Senator N. C. Simmons, a former leaderof the anti-suffrage forces, issued an appeal for ratification, ridiculing Governor Pleasant's "negro peril" bugaboo. This same dayMrs. George Bass, chairman of the Women's National DemocraticCommittee, came to Baton Rouge at the request of the JointRatification Committee and addressed a large meeting in the IstroumaHotel in favor of it. 

John M. Parker was inaugurated Governor May 17. The next day hereceived a telegram from President Woodrow Wilson which said: "May Inot very respectfully urge your favorable interest and influence inthe matter of the Federal Suffrage Amendment? It seems to be of thedeepest national significance and importance. " The Governor answeredthat he found a great difference of opinion among the legislators, large numbers opposed to any form, and, all being Democrats, anydictation on his part would be unwise. 

Efforts made by the "antis" to force an immediate vote on the FederalAmendment failed and it was decided that all suffrage bills shouldtake the usual course and be referred to committees for hearings. Women thronged the capital. On June 2 the House passed the Upton billfor State suffrage by 93 ayes to 17 noes. That same night a hearingbefore the Joint Committees on Federal Relations was held, whichlasted five hours, with some notable speeches. S. O. Shattuck, PhanorBreazeale, Percy Saint, Judge Rufus E. Foster, Congressman Jared Y. Sanders, Mrs. Holmes, Mrs. Bass, Mrs. E. J. Graham, Miss FlorenceHuberwald, Mrs. Joseph Devereux and Mrs. M. R. Bankston appeared forthe Federal Amendment, while the opposition was voiced by SenatorStewart, ex-Governor Pleasant, Miss Kate Gordon, and Miss CharlotteRowe. On June 4, the Federal Amendment was reported favorably in theSenate. "Get suffrage out of the way" became the slogan, but neitherside was ready to risk a vote. The Federal bill was passed to thirdreading. On June 8 former Speaker of Congress Champ Clark addressedthe General Assembly and urged its ratification as an act of justiceto women and a great benefit to Louisiana and the Democratic party. The next day the vote on ratification was indefinitely postponed by avote of 22 to 19 in the Senate while the Upton bill was returned tothe House calendar. 

On June 14, Homer Cummings, chairman of the Democratic NationalCommittee, wired Behrman urging his help on the ground of partyadvantage, to which the Mayor replied that he was doing all he could. On June 15 the ratification of the Federal Amendment was defeated inthe House by a vote of 67 noes to 44 ayes, and Representative Jordanthen introduced a resolution definitely rejecting it, which was passedby 60 ayes to 29 noes. The House declined to hear Congressman John E. Raker of California on the ground that they had heard enough on womansuffrage. The Upton bill for a State amendment was defeated in theSenate by 23 noes to 16 ayes on June 17. 

On June 18, Representative Conrad Meyer sought to re-introduce theFederal measure but permission was refused by 61 to 18, while a motionto re-consider the Upton bill passed the Senate by 18 to 12. Everypossible pressure was brought to bear by the Governor's forces tosecure its passage. All kinds of tactics and tricks were employed buton July 7 it was again defeated, lacking one vote of the necessarytwo-thirds. Those who were making the fight for the Federal Amendmentfinally appealed to Governor James M. Cox of Ohio, Democratic nomineefor President, to use his influence. On July 7 he sent a telegramurging the ratification and saying that "the Legislature owed suchaction to the Democratic party. " A strong effort was made to obtainanother vote but it failed by 46 ayes, 52 noes, and the Legislatureadjourned on July 8 with the record of having defeated bothratification and a resolution to let the voters decide on amending theState constitution for woman suffrage. Senator Williamson issued astatement saying: "There was never a time during the entire sessionwhen Governor Parker could not have had the Federal Amendmentratified and he is the only man in the State who could have done it. He had control of both House and Senate and when he went afteranything with all his force he did not fail to get it. "

The last day of the session Mrs. Holmes, chairman of the JointRatification Committee, went to Governor Parker and told him that shewould place the blame where it belonged; that the women had helped puthim in office and he had not stood by them, to which he answered: "Goto it. " She therefore issued a statement on July 15 saying in part:"The responsibility for the failure of this Federal Amendment toenfranchise 27, 000, 000 women, including those of Louisiana, rests onGovernor John M. Parker. This assertion is borne out by every womanwho lobbied at Baton Rouge and by all the fair-minded men. It was inhis power to secure ratification the day the session opened; it was inhis power the day Woodrow Wilson wired and asked his support; it wasin his power when Governor Cox sent his request. The women, who, intheir zeal for a broad-visioned progressive leader of clean, honestcharacteristics, did all in their power to elect him Governor--thoseare the women who in sorrow today must realize that it is the onlything he stood for that he did not 'put across. '" . .. 

FOOTNOTES:

[57] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Kate M. Gordon, corresponding secretary of the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation from 1901 to 1909; president of the State SuffrageAssociation from 1904 to 1913; president of the Southern States WomanSuffrage Conference from its founding in 1914 to its end in 1917. 

[58] The gaining of partial suffrage for taxpaying women and thiscampaign are fully described in the Louisiana chapter in Volume IV ofthe History of Woman Suffrage. 

[59] For full report see Chapter III of Volume V. 

[60] Among the accomplishments of the Era Club were the following:Publication of the assessment rolls of New Orleans; admission of womento the School of Medicine in Tulane University; first legislation inthe State against white slavery; the Southern States Woman SuffrageConference; equalized division of Tulane scholarships between boy andgirl students. 

[61] Further matter on the Conference will be found in Vol. V, ChapterXXI. 

[62] Among those specially identified with legislative work were Mrs. Celeste Claiborne Carruth, Mrs. McBride, Mrs. Hackenjos, Mrs. Fred W. Price, Mrs. Wooten, Mrs. Wallace Sylvester, Mrs. George Wesley Smith, Mrs. Lawless. 

[63] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to MissEthel Hutson, chairman of publicity for the State Woman SuffrageAssociation from its organization in 1913 to its close in 1920. 

[64] Other workers were Mrs. Lydia, Wickliffe Holmes, Professor W. O. Scroggs, Mrs. C. C. Devall, Mrs. C. Harrison Parker, Mrs. HoraceWilkinson, Mrs. Elmo Bodly, Mrs. D. R. Weller, Alma Sabourin, NellieSpyker. 

[65] Among charter members of the Woman Suffrage Party were Mrs. E. C. G. Ferguson, Mr. And Mrs. O. W. Chamberlain, Mr. And Mrs. H. B. Myers, Mr. And Mrs. E. J. Graham, Mrs. Rosella Bayhi, Mrs. M. M. Reid, Mrs. Margaret Hunt Brisbane, Miss Florence Huberwald, Edward Wisner, Marshall Ballard, James M. Thomson, Lynn Dinkins, Mr. And Mrs. J. E. Edmonds, Trist Wood, Ethel Hutson, Mr. And Mrs. N. J. Cosu, all of NewOrleans; Mrs. J. R. Mouton, of Jennings, Katherine Channelle and W. E. Krebs, of Lake Charles, Mrs. M. M. Bodenbender of Covington. 

[66] Among other officers and workers were: Mrs. H. Aschaffenburg, Mrs. Eva C. Wright, Mrs. J. G. Skinner, Mrs. C. A. Meissner, Mrs. C. G. Robinson, Mrs. Lee Benoist, Miss E. J. Harral, Mrs. W. W. VanMeter, Miss Anna Morrell, Mrs. L. B. Elliott, Mrs. J. E. Friend, Mrs. J. E. Wilkinson, Mrs. A. F. Storm, Mrs. James M. Thomson, Mrs. ReubenChauvin. 

[67] For their further efforts see Tennessee chapter in this volume. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

MAINE. [68]

There were meetings and some organized work for woman suffrage inMaine from the early '70's but little activity until toward the closeof the century. In August, 1900, a convention of the State associationwith a "suffrage day" was held at Ocean Park, Old Orchard Beach, attended by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association. This year under the presidency ofMrs. Lucy Hobart Day, organized work was systematically begun, withmeetings in eight or ten towns. State conventions were held annuallyfor the next twenty years, in October with but four exceptions. 

In 1901 special attention was given to enrollment and new sections ofthe State were reached in this way. The literature and pressdepartments also extended their work. The summer assembly at OceanPark made "suffrage day" a part of its regular program. At theconvention held at Saco in 1902 plans were made to ask the nextsession of the Legislature to grant Municipal suffrage to taxpayingwomen. The State Grange passed a resolution in favor of this measure, placed woman suffrage on its convention program and from that timegave active support to the movement. 

The State convention took place at Auburn in 1903 and the associationbecame an incorporated body that year. The organization of countyleagues was begun in 1904 and a successful convention was held inPortland. In 1905 after eight years of efficient service, Mrs. Dayretired from the presidency. She had organized several departments inthe association and was in charge of the campaign to secure Municipalsuffrage for taxpaying women. Mrs. Fannie J. Fernald was elected asher successor at the convention held at Old Orchard Beach. Shetravelled extensively over the State, speaking before Granges andother organizations and securing their interest and endorsement. Shealso had charge of the legislative work. 

In 1906 woman suffrage was endorsed by the Maine Federation of Labor, an important accession. The annual convention again was welcomed inSaco. At the convention of 1907 in Farmington it was voted to supportthe National American Association in its efforts to secure a FederalSuffrage Amendment. A department of church work was established. In1908 at the convention in Portland it was arranged to petitionCongress for the submission of this amendment. In 1909 and 1910 theusual propaganda work was continued under the presidency of Mrs. Fernald and the usual State conventions were held at Old Orchard andPortland. In 1911 Mrs. Fernald left the State and the Rev. AlfredaBrewster Wallace was elected president at the convention in Portland. 

The association increased in size and interest and at the conventionof 1912 in Portland Miss Helen N. Bates of that city was electedpresident with a very capable board. At this time the associationbegan to do more aggressive work in personally urging the members ofCongress to support the Federal Amendment. Miss Bates acted aschairman of the Congressional Committee until the submission of theamendment, when the favorable vote of every member of the Mainedelegation had been secured. 

In 1913 the College Equal Suffrage League was formed to help theassociation in its legislative work, with Mrs. Leslie R. Rounds aspresident. The annual convention took place at Portland this year andthe next, and in 1915 at Kennebunk. Many newspapers in the State hadbecome favorable to suffrage and propaganda was carried on throughfairs, moving pictures, street speaking, etc. In 1914 the Men's EqualSuffrage League was formed with Robert Treat Whitehouse of Portlandpresident and Ralph O. Brewster secretary. Many leading men of theState joined this League, which helped in the legislative and campaignwork. The Methodist Episcopal Church endorsed woman suffrage at itsstate conference. 

In February, 1916, a Congressional conference was held in Portland inthe interest of the Federal Amendment, with Mrs. Carrie Chapman Cattin attendance and speaking at public meetings with Mrs. Maud Wood Parkand Mrs. Glendower Evans. It was attended by women from all parts ofthe State and as a result of the great interest aroused many newleagues were organized. Miss Bates resigned on account of ill healthin March and her term of office was finished by Mrs. Augusta M. Huntof Portland, who had always been deeply interested in the suffragecause. The National Association sent Mrs. Augusta Hughston, one of itsfield directors, to put into operation a state-wide plan oforganization. At the State convention in Portland in October Mrs. Katharine Reed Balentine, daughter of the Hon. Thomas B. Reed, waselected president. The outlook seemed favorable for securing thesubmission of a suffrage amendment to the voters. This year Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingston of Bangor was appointed State organizer andlegislative chairman and work begun for this purpose. 

From January 8th to 20th, 1917, the National American Association helda suffrage school in Portland to prepare for the expected campaign. The instructors were Mrs. Nettie R. Shuler and Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, its corresponding and recording secretaries, and Mrs. T. T. Cotnam. The subjects taught were Suffrage History and Argument, Organization, Publicity and Press, Money Raising and Parliamentary Law. This schoolwas attended by suffragists from different sections of the State. Later Mrs. Edward S. Anthoine and Mrs. Henry W. Cobb of the Stateassociation carried on suffrage schools in other towns and cities. OnFebruary 9, 10, Mrs. Catt went to Portland to attend a board meetingof the association at the home of the president, Mrs. Balentine, toconfer on the approaching campaign. 

CAMPAIGN. In February, 1917, urged by the suffrage leaders, theLegislature submitted the amendment. This had been done against theurgent advice of Mrs. Catt, the national president, who knew of theslight organization there, and she wrote to them Oct. 9, 1916: "IfMaine goes into a campaign for 1918 with the chances largely againstsuccess, we feel that it would be a general damage to the cause and awaste of money. If it would plan instead to go into a campaign in1919, taking three years for preparation, we should feel that it wasfar more certain of victory. Let us look at the resources you need toget and which you have not yet secured: (1) a fund to begin with of atleast $5, 000 or $6, 000; (2) at least five State officers who can givepractically all of their time, with the determination to win as manyother people to the same sacrifice as they are making themselves. Imost earnestly recommend that you ask your Legislature this year forMunicipal and Presidential suffrage, making a good strong campaign forthis, which it can grant without referring it to the voters. "

A copy of this letter was sent to the president of the association andat its annual convention held in October it was read and a longdiscussion followed. A delegate thus reported it: "Only a fewdelegates agreed with her. Many women never having been in a campaigndeclared that victory was sure. The convention almost unanimouslyvoted for the referendum and when the vote had been taken and thecheers had subsided, the grand sum of $500 was raised for thecampaign. .. . " Nevertheless the National Association at its nextconvention (still believing that the referendum would not be submitteduntil 1918), voted to back the Maine campaign, although against thejudgment of Mrs. Catt. [69]

At the request of the Maine association the National Association madeit possible for Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingston to take the position ofcampaign manager. Through her extensive work for the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union she was widely acquainted in church, club andsuffrage circles, was experienced in campaigning and an eloquentspeaker. In her report after the election she said: "Maine presentedas difficult a field for the conducting of a suffrage campaign as hasever been faced by any group of suffragists in any part of thecountry. The referendum was submitted the very last of February and asthe election came so early in September only about six months' timewas given us for the campaign. Deducting from this time the months ofApril and May, on account of the almost impossible condition of theroads, and June with its heavy rains, there was left but little morethan three months for active work. Early in the campaign our countryentered the World War, and the whole thought and attention of thepeople were given to securing support for the Liberty Bonds, RedCross, Navy League and other patriotic and preparedness work. Thisgreatly handicapped us in the raising of finances and the creating oforganization, the two foundations upon which the structure of asuccessful campaign must be built, and the two things which more thananything else the State of Maine needed, so far as the amendment wasconcerned. "

A campaign committee was formed from members of organizations in theState in favor of suffrage, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Federation of Women's Clubs, Men's Suffrage League, Civic League, Referendum League, the Grange and the State Suffrage Association, andheadquarters were established in Bangor. There were only fourteensuffrage societies in the State, not all active. Eleven of the sixteencounties had an organizer in charge for the last six weeks and 269local committees were formed in the different towns but many of themwere ineffectual, as they were made up of untrained women and the timewas too short to train them. The argument for suffrage, however, wasput before the voters very thoroughly. One hundred thousand werecircularized with the convincing speeches of U. S. Senator Shafroth ofColorado and later with a leaflet Have You Heard the News? whichcarried the strong appeal of the suffrage gains over the entire world. House to house distribution of "fliers" was made in many communities. Altogether 1, 500, 000 leaflets were distributed, ten to every voter inthe State. In hundreds of towns there was absolute ignorance on thesubject. The clergy were circularized three times--over a thousand ofthem--the State Grange twice, committees of the political parties andmembers of the Legislature twice. 

As soon as a committee was organized petition blanks were sent to itand in this short space of time the names of over 38, 000 women ofvoting age asking for the suffrage were obtained, nearly all byvolunteer canvassers. The names from each county were sent to thevoters from that county and 100, 000 received these lists. Thepetitions did a vast amount of educational work among the women andanswered the men who insisted that the women did not want to vote. 

The newspapers on the whole were favorable. Especial mention should bemade of the valuable assistance continued throughout the campaign ofthe Lewiston _Journal_, Portland _Argus_, Kennebec _Journal_, Brunswick _Record_ and Waldo County _Herald_. The Portland Expressgave editorial support. The Bangor Commercial, owned and edited byJohn P. Bass, made a bitter fight against the amendment and refusedgenerally to publish even letters on the other side. It would notpublish President Wilson's letter even as a paid advertisement. FromJuly 1 to September 10 Mrs. Rose L. Geyer, a member of the staff ofthe _Woman Citizen_, official organ of the National SuffrageAssociation, conducted the publicity work in connection with MissFlorence L. Nye, the State press chairman. On August 18 the Lewiston_Journal_ issued a supplement for the State association, edited byMiss Helen N. Bates, of which 65, 000 copies were distributed throughtwenty-two newspapers. 

President Wilson sent a letter to Mrs. Livingston on September 4appealing to Democratic voters as follows: "May I not express throughyou my very great interest in the equal suffrage campaign in Maine?The pledges of my party are very distinct in favor of granting thesuffrage to women by State action and I would like to have theprivilege of urging all Democrats to support a cause in which we allbelieve. " On September 8 former President Roosevelt sent the followingtelegram addressed to the Campaign Committee: "I earnestly hope thatas a matter of plain justice the people of Maine will vote 'yes' onwoman suffrage. "

The letter and telegram were put on the moving picture screens, whichwere also used in other ways for propaganda. The poster sent by theNational Association and those printed by the Campaign Committee, fastened on trees, fences, windows and every available space, carriedthe message to all passers by. Mrs. Livingston said in her report: "Wecan not express too gratefully our appreciation of the value of thework accomplished by the experienced organizers sent to us by theNational Association and by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island; of that of Mrs. Mary G. Canfield ofVermont, who gave her services for one month; and of the untiring andsuccessful labors of Mrs. Augusta M. Hunt, who had charge of York andCumberland counties. "

The entire State was thoroughly covered by public meetings, over 500being held during the last three months. It would be impossible togive the names of all who spoke at these meetings but among the moreprominent were Governor Carl E. Milliken, U. S. Senator Bert Fernald, former Senator Charles F. Johnson, Representative Ira G. Hersey, former Representative Frank E. Guernsey; among the members of theLegislature and other influential men, former Attorney General W. R. Pattangall, Judge Robert Treat Whitehouse, Ralph O. Brewster, Frank W. Butler, Daniel A. Poling, the Rev. Arthur L. Weatherly. On July 23, 24, in Augusta, and July 25, 27, in Bangor, Mrs. Catt and Mrs. Shuleraddressed mass meetings in the evenings and held conferences with theworkers through the days. In September Mrs. Catt gave a week tospeaking at public meetings in various cities. Other speakers wereMrs. Lucia Ames Mead, Miss Elizabeth Upham Yates, Dr. Lee Anna Starr, Mrs. Sara A. Gilson, Miss Emma L. McAlarney, Miss Anne E. Coughlin andthe Misses Loitman. The members of the Men's League were active andhelpful. The mass meetings were well attended and in all the citiesand many of the towns street meetings were very successful. Mrs. Livingston travelled more than 20, 000 miles in the State, delivered150 addresses and raised over $4, 000. 

Not in any other State campaign had the women anti-suffragists takenso conspicuous a part. There was a society of considerable socialprominence in Portland and the associations in Massachusetts and NewYork sent nearly twenty speakers and workers, all women except J. B. Maling of Colorado and Charles McLean of Iowa, whose utterances hadmore than once been repudiated by the men and women of their States. Mrs. James W. Wadsworth, Jr. , president of the National Association, addressed parlor meetings. Toward the end of the campaign theirnumbers became much less, as they learned that the "machines" of bothpolitical parties expected to defeat the amendment. 

The election took place Sept. 10, 1917, and the amendment received38, 838 noes, 20, 684 ayes--lost by 18, 154, the negative majority nearlytwo to one. About half as many men voted for it as the number of womenwho signed a petition for it. Mrs. Livingston gave as the principalreasons for the defeat: 1. Inherent conservatism and prejudice. 2. Resentment at the "picketing" of the White House by the "militant"suffragists. 3. Briefness of the campaign. 4. Inability because oflack of organization to reach the rural vote. 5. Reactionaries of bothparties uniting in opposition. [70]

In her summing up Mrs. Livingston said: "Without the aid of theNational American Association the campaign would have been impossible. The magnificent generosity with which it furnished speakers, organizers, posters and literature will make the women of Maineforever its debtors. [71]

At the convention of the State Association in September, 1917, inAugusta, Miss Mabel Connor was chosen president and at the conventionsof 1918 in Lewiston and 1919 in Portland was re-elected. At theconvention in October, 1918, having recovered somewhat from itsdefeat, the association voted to introduce a bill for the Presidentialsuffrage in the next Legislature in 1919. The Legislative Committeeconsisted of Mrs. Balentine, chairman; Miss Connor, Miss Bates, Mrs. Pattangall, Mrs. Cobb and Mrs. Guy P. Gannett, with Miss Lola Walkeras executive secretary to the chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The State Suffrage Association and the StateWoman's Christian Temperance Union always worked for woman suffragemeasures in the Legislature in cordial cooperation, beginning in 1887. 

1901. Suffrage bills did not come out of committee. 

1903. A bill was introduced for Municipal suffrage for tax-payingwomen by Representative George H. Allan of Portland. The JointStanding Committee eliminated "taxpaying" and reported a bill givingMunicipal suffrage to all women. The State Suffrage Association did anenormous amount of work in behalf of this bill, sending letters to15, 000 women representing 239 cities and towns who were paying taxeson approximately $25, 000, 000. Several thousand answers urging the billwere received, coming from every county and from 237 of the cities andtowns. It was lost in the Senate by a tie and in the House by a voteof 110 noes, 29 ayes. 

1905, 1907, 1909, no suffrage bills were reported out of committee. 

1911. Four members of the Judiciary Committee made a minority reportin favor of the suffrage measure and the House voted to substitute theminority report but the Senate refused to concur. 

1913. A new resolve asking for submission of a suffrage amendment wasdrafted by George H. Allan and introduced in the Senate by Ira G. Hersey, which gave a vote of 23 ayes, 6 noes. In the House the votewas 89 ayes, 53 noes--only six more votes needed for the necessarytwo-thirds. 

1915. A joint resolution to submit a full suffrage amendment passedthe Senate by 26 ayes, 4 noes; the House vote by 88 ayes, 59 noes--tenmore votes needed for the two-thirds. Introduced by RepresentativeLauren M. Sanborn. 

1917. The resolution was adopted in the House February 21 by 112 ayes, 35 noes; unanimously adopted by the Senate February 22. In signing itthe next day Governor Carl E. Milliken said to the suffrage leaders:"You have appealed to reason and not to prejudice. Your campaign hasbeen a very fine example of what a campaign should be. " The amendmentwas defeated at the polls in September. 

1919. In March an Act granting women the right to vote forPresidential Electors, prepared by George H. Allan, was introduced inthe Senate by Guy P. Gannett of Augusta and in the House by PercivalP. Baxter of Portland. The joint committee by 8 to 2 reported "oughtto pass. " The hearing before the Judiciary Committee was called one ofthe best ever held. Lewis A. Burleigh of Augusta, editor of theKennebec _Journal_, and Professor Frank E. Woodruff of Bowdoin Collegemade the principal speeches. Telegrams were read from U. S. SenatorFernald and Representatives Ira G. Hersey, John A. Peters and WallaceH. White, Jr. , urging the passage of the bill. The "antis" werepresent in force and made a hard fight. They were fully answered byMrs. Nancy M. Schoonmaker of Connecticut. An effort was made to attacha clause to the bill referring it to the voters but it was thwarted, Senator Leroy R. Folsom of Norridgewock making a strong speech againstit. In the House a still more determined effort was made to secure areferendum but it did not succeed. Speeches were made by Frederick W. Hinckley, Percival F. Baxter and Elisha W. Pike, legislators, and Mrs. Katharine Reed Balentine, chairman of the Legislative Committee, andMiss Mabel Connor, president of the State Suffrage Association. OnFebruary 26 the bill passed the Senate by a vote of 25 ayes, 6 noes. On March 19 it passed the House by 85 ayes, 54 noes. 

The favorable vote was obtained after six months of quiet, continuousand intensive political work by the Legislative Committee. Members ofthe Legislature worked for the success of the bill; the Governorsupported it and the press was largely in favor. 

The anti-suffragists immediately announced their proposal to bring thePresidential Suffrage Law before the voters under the initiative andreferendum, upon petition of at least 10, 000 legal voters filed withina specified time. The effort to secure these names lagged and withoutdoubt would have been given up had it not been for Frank E. Mace, former State Forest Commissioner, who organized committees all overthe State at the eleventh hour and petitions bearing 12, 000signatures were filed July 3, within 90 days after the Legislatureadjourned, as required. As there was doubt about the constitutionalityof this referendum, the State Supreme Court, on July 9, 1919, wasrequested by Governor Milliken to decide. On August 6 the Courtrendered its decision that the Act came within the provisions of theinitiative and referendum. As the petition did not ask for a specialelection the Governor sent out a proclamation for the referendum to besubmitted at the next general election Sept. 13, 1920. The FederalSuffrage Amendment was declared to be adopted on August 26 but therewas no way in which the referendum could legally be omitted from theballot. Therefore on September 13 the women, already having fullsuffrage, went to the polls to vote on getting partial suffrage andthe official count showed 88, 080 ayes, 30, 462 noes. 

RATIFICATION. Governor Milliken called a special session of theLegislature for November, 1919. In his message he recommended theratification of the Federal Amendment in the strongest possiblemanner, saying that if only one woman in Maine wanted to vote sheshould have the chance. The anti-suffrage forces of the entire countrywere concentrated on Maine at this time to prevent ratification and itwas with the greatest difficulty that a movement to postpone actionuntil the regular session was defeated. The amendment was ratified inthe Senate on November 4 by 24 ayes, 5 noes; in the House on November5 by 72 ayes, 68 noes. After the vote was taken an attempt toreconsider was made but was unsuccessful. 

The same Legislative Committee of women that had charge of thePresidential bill had charge of the ratification. 

 * * * * *

At the annual convention of the State Suffrage Association in Portlandin October, 1919, it was voted to hold a School for Citizenship atBates College in August, 1920. Mrs. George M. Chase was made chairmanof the Committee of Arrangements and the work was largely carried outby Miss Rosamond Connor, 100 women from many parts of the Stateattending and deriving much benefit. Mrs. Nancy M. Schoonmaker was theprincipal instructor. At a meeting of the association in Augusta onNovember 12 it was merged into the League of Women Voters with MissMabel Connor as chairman. 

Suffrage work in Maine was carried on for many years in the face ofthe greatest obstacles but there was always a small group of devotedwomen willing to make any sacrifice for the cause, who carried thetorch until another group could take it, and every step gained wasfought for. The history would be incomplete without mention of thePortland Equal Franchise League, of which Mrs. Arthur L. Bates waspresident, which for many years was the backbone of the Stateassociation. The list of State officers who freely gave their servicesis too long to publish. Among other prominent workers not alreadymentioned were Dr. Jennie Fuller of Hartland; Mrs. Zenas Thompson andMiss Susan Clark of Portland; Mrs. Isabel Greenwood of Farmington;Miss Anna L. Dingley and Miss Alice Frost Lord, connected with theLewiston _Journal_. [72]

Among the men not mentioned elsewhere, who advocated woman suffrage inthe face of criticism and with no advantage to be gained, were JudgeWilliam Penn Whitehouse and Obadiah Gardner of Augusta; Leonard A. Pierce of Portland; L. B. Dessy of Bar Harbor; E. C. Reynolds of SouthPortland. 

FOOTNOTES:

[68] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Caroline Colvin, Professor of History in the State University, Miss Helen N. Bates, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association, 1912-1916, and MissMabel Connor, president, 1917-1919. 

[69] The above paragraphs have been copied for the sake of historicalaccuracy from an official report of the national correspondingsecretary. --Ed. 

[70] Mrs. Clarence Hale, State president of the anti-suffrageorganization, issued the following: "The large majority vote castagainst suffrage today must indicate, as did the great vote ofMassachusetts in 1915, that the East is not in favor of the entranceof women into political life. The result should satisfy thesuffragists for all time and they should now practice the principlesof democracy and fairness, which they are so ready to preach, byrefraining from further disputing the will of the people. .. . We cannow return to give our services to the State and the nation in woman'snormal way. "

On November 7 the "East" spoke again when the voters of New York by amajority of 102, 353 gave full suffrage to women. 

[71] Besides paying the expenses of the suffrage school, the NationalAssociation paid the salary of Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingston ascampaign manager; the salary of Miss Lola Walker from February 10 toSeptember 10; the salaries of eight other organizers who worked forvarying periods and the expenses of four; for 120, 000 Shafrothspeeches; circularized 1, 200 of the Protestant and Catholic clergy;prepared especially for Maine 125, 000 baby fliers and 100, 000 copiesof Have You Heard? and furnished envelopes and stamps for them; 14, 000pieces of literature for advanced suffragists; 1, 000 copies of Do YouKnow? to circularize the politicians; 400 each of thirteen differentkinds of posters; 500 war measure fliers; 2, 000 blue and yellowposters. The Leslie Commission contributed the services of Mrs. Geyerfor press work from July 1 to September 10. This campaign cost theNational Association $10, 282 and the Leslie Commission $4, 986, a totalof $15, 268. --Ed. 

[72] Among the active workers in the Anti-Suffrage Association wereMesdames John F. A. Merrill, Morrill Hamlin and George S. Hobbs, allof Portland; Norman L. Bassett, John F. Hill, and Charles S. Hichborn, all of Augusta; George E. Bird, Yarmouth; Miss Elizabeth McKeen, Brunswick. 

Among the men actively opposed were the Rev. E. E. Newbert, BenedictF. Maher, Samuel C. Manley, Charles S. Hichborn, all of Augusta;ex-Governor Oakley C. Curtis, of Portland; Governor-elect Frederick H. Parkhurst, of Bangor; U. S. Senator Hale, opposed but finally votedfor the Federal Suffrage Amendment. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

MARYLAND. PART I. [73]

When the fourth volume of the History of Woman Suffrage closed in 1900it left the Maryland association just eleven years old. Since 1894, when the Montgomery County and the Baltimore City Associations united, it has been represented by accredited delegates in every nationalconvention. These thirty-one years of organized effort by no meansrepresent all of the suffrage agitation in the State. [74]

As Baltimore is the only large city and contains more than half thepopulation of the State it is not surprising that this city has beenthe real battleground of the movement. Twenty-five State conventionshave been held here, continuing one or two days, and two Stateconferences of two days each. The first of the conferences wasarranged by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the new national president, andheld in Baltimore in 1900, at which time Miss Susan B. Anthony was theguest of honor and was presented with a purse of gold for her 80thbirthday by the Maryland women. The second conference was held in1902. The speakers at these conferences besides the national officerswere Helen Morris Lewis of North Carolina, Annie L. Digges of Kansas, Clara Bewick Colby of Washington, D. C. , Dr. Cora Smith Eaton ofMinneapolis and Catharine Waugh McCulloch of Chicago. The day sessionswere devoted to business and discussions, followed by addresses in theevening. The State convention of 1901 met in the Friends' MeetingHouse; that of 1902 in Heptasophs Hall, with a bazar and supper; thatof 1903 in the Friends' Meeting House. The local speakers were Dr. O. Edward Janney, R. Henry Holme, Lizzie York Case, Annie Davenport, EmmaMaddox Funck and Mary Bentley Thomas. Out of town speakers were Mrs. Catt, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, national vice-president at large; HarrietMay Mills of New York and Emma M. Gillett, a lawyer of Washington, D. C. The convention of 1904 met in the Church of the Disciples. A supperwas served between sessions and Dr. Shaw and the Rev. Peter Ainsliespoke to crowded houses at night. 

The convention of 1905 was held in the Harlem Avenue Christian Church. Memorial services were held for George W. Catt, husband of thenational president. The following departments of work were adopted:Peace and Arbitration, Church, Enrollment, Finance, Legislation andPress. Dr. Shaw spoke in the evening on The New Democratic Ideal. Invitations were given in 1904 and 1905 to the National AmericanSuffrage Association to hold its annual convention in Baltimore. Thesecond was accepted and the convention took place Feb. 7-13, 1906. Half of the $1, 200 raised for it was given to the NationalAssociation. Most of the delegates were entertained in homes. Themeetings were held in the Lyric Theater and the audiences at theevening sessions numbered from 1, 500 to 3, 000. The State associationsent out 20, 000 invitations. Music was provided for every session bythe Charles M. Stieff Piano Company and clergymen came from variouschurches for the opening devotional services. Three men gave unlimitedtime and assistance to the work of the convention, Dr. J. WilliamFunck, Dr. Janney and Charles H. Holton. As this was the native cityof Miss Mary Garrett and Dr. M. Carey Thomas they united as hostessesof the association during the convention and thereafter becameimportant factors in the national work. [75] This was the lastconvention attended by Miss Anthony, who died a month later. Amemorial service was held in Baltimore, the following taking part: theRev. Alexander Kent of Washington, Mary Badders Holton, Mrs. Funck, Mrs. Janney, Mrs. Holme and Miss Maddox. Music was furnished by theCecilian quartette of women's voices. 

The State convention of 1906 was held in the Friends' Meeting House, addressed by Ellen Spencer Mussey of Washington. In 1907 theconvention met in Arundell Hall November 21 and in the HampdenMethodist Church the 22nd. The afternoon program included interestingtalks by six Baltimore men--Henry White, Dr. Funck, Dr. Janney, R. Henry Holme, State Forester Albert M. Beasley and the Rev. B. A. Abbott, pastor of the Harlem Avenue Christian Church. A large numberof fraternal delegates were present. The Rev. Ida C. Hultin of Bostonspoke at both evening sessions. 

In 1908 the annual meeting was held in McCoy Hall, Johns HopkinsUniversity, with Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Maud Nathan of New Yorkand Rachel Foster Avery of Philadelphia as speakers. Dr. Lewellys F. Barker presided at the evening meeting. In 1909 the convention tookplace in the Baltimore Business College, Nov. 23, 24, with Dr. BartonO. Aylesworth of Colorado and the Rev. John Roach Straton of theSeventh Baptist Church as the orators at the evening sessions. Memorial services were held for Henry B. Blackwell. A supper and bazarwere pleasant features. In 1910 the convention was held in Osler Hall, Cathedral Street, with both sessions devoted to business. A noteworthyevent of the year was the election of Miss Sarah Richmond, a pioneersuffragist, as president of the State Teachers' Association, the firstwoman to be accorded this honor in the fifty years of its existence. Prizes of $25 were offered for essays on woman suffrage by girls inthe high school. 

At the convention of 1911 in Heptasophs Hall the California victory ofOctober 11 was celebrated with a banquet attended by 400 men andwomen, Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood of Washington presiding. The meeting onthe next evening was addressed by Miss A. Maud Royden of London on TheEconomic, Spiritual and Religious Aspect of Woman Suffrage. During theyear a leaflet had been issued entitled Opinions of Representative Menof Maryland on Woman Suffrage, through Miss Mary B. Dixon, chairman ofpublicity, and 600 suffrage posters were placed in the counties. InBaltimore they were made into double faced placards and men wereemployed to carry them through the business sections. Suffragepetitions and resolutions had been endorsed by the State Federation ofLabor, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Ladies of the Maccabees, Grange and Jewish Council of Women. 

The convention of 1912 was held in the Baltimore Business College, theafternoon devoted to discussions of plans of work, reports, etc. , followed by a supper and bazar. A report was given of the organizationof a Men's League for Woman Suffrage by Dr. Donald R. Hooker, Dr. Funck, Dr. Janney, the Rev. James Gratten Mythen, Dr. Warren Lewis, Jacob M. Moses, S. Johnson Poe, Frank F. Ramey and William F. Cochran. In the evening there was a debate on the enfranchisement of women bythe boys of the Polytechnic Institute, Samuel M. North, a member ofthe faculty and a pioneer suffragist, presiding. At the convention of1913 the twenty-fourth anniversary of the State association wascelebrated in Veteran Corps Hall with a supper, dance and addresses byLaura Clay of Kentucky, Clara Bewick Colby of Washington, Ella S. Stewart of Illinois and Lucy Burns of New York. The convention of 1914was held in the Royal Arcanum Building. The speakers were Mrs. RobertLaFollette of Wisconsin, Mrs. Nathan of New York, Mrs. Louis F. Postof Illinois and Mr. Western Star. It was reported that at the greatsuffrage parade held the preceding March in Washington Maryland hadthe largest delegation. 

The business session of 1915 was held in the W. C. T. U. Building andthe evening session in the Universalist Church, whose pastor, the Rev. C. Clifton Clark, spoke on the pro-suffrage side. This year a union ofall the organizations in the State was effected under the name of theWoman Suffrage Party of Maryland. Mrs. Funck was elected president andserved two years. 

The annual meeting of 1916 was held on the lawn at the home ofElizabeth Bruce Gwynn; that of 1917 on the grounds of the YoungWoman's Christian Association; in 1918 at Tolchester Beach and in 1919at the home of Evelyn Albaugh Timanus. The workers during these yearsalways were volunteers, who served without financial compensation. Theassociation is indebted for the past ten years to Mary Elizabeth Wardfor all stenographic work and to Margaret A. Maddox for most of thepublicity work. 

Among those who have represented their counties in State conventionsare the following: Montgomery county, Mary Bentley Thomas, SarahMiller, Rebecca Miller, Mary E. Moore, Mary Magruder; Baltimorecounty, Elizabeth Herring, Josephine E. Smith, Julia F. Abbott, AnnaS. Abbott, Ella Warfield, Kate Vanhorn, Mrs. Charles Weed, Mrs. JamesGreen, Mary C. Raspe, Ethel C. Crosby; Harford, Annie H. Hoskins, Lydia Reckord, Eliza Edell; Carroll, Maggie Mehring; Cecil, AliceCoale Simpers; Somerset, Florence Hoge; Caroline, Miss ElizaMessenger; Anne Arundel, Mrs. Wilhelmina Nichols; Howard, MissElizabeth B. Wilson. 

BALTIMORE CITY CLUB. For more than twenty years this club averagedfrom four to twenty public meetings annually in theaters, churches andsuffrage headquarters. Scores of business and executive meetings wereheld and sociables, suppers, lawn fetes, banquets, excursions andbazars were given. The club opened the first headquarters in 1902 at107 West Franklin Street, one of the city's noted thoroughfares. In1908 they were established on North Gilmore Street, West Baltimore, and in 1912 on the corner of Baltimore and Carey Streets. At bothlocalities the plate glass windows were decorated with pictures ofsuffrage leaders, cartoons, platforms of political parties andliterature; afternoon tea was served and public meetings held atnight. It also inaugurated Sunday afternoon meetings which became verypopular and it was responsible for bringing to Baltimore many men andwomen of national and international distinction. The first English"militant" to speak in Baltimore was Mrs. Annie Cobden Sanderson, onMy Experience in an English Jail, in January, 1908, in the ChristianTemple, the Rev. Peter Ainslie, the pastor, introducing the speaker, who made a profound impression. Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst came next, speaking in Osler Hall on Ideal Democracy, followed by SylviaPankhurst and Mrs. Philip Snowden, the latter speaking at the SeventhBaptist Church, the pastor presiding. 

In 1909 at a mass meeting one Sunday afternoon in the Lyric Theateran audience of over 2, 000 was present, more than half of them men, with Dr. Shaw and Mrs. Florence Kelley the speakers; Judge Jacob M. Moses of the Juvenile Court presided and a number of men ofdistinction were seated on the platform. Mrs. Catt spoke at a massmeeting in the Academy of Music in March, 1913, at which Miss Eliza H. Lord of Washington, D. C. , presided and Senator William E. Borah ofIdaho was a guest. Other Sunday afternoon meetings were held inFord's, Albaugh's, the Garden and the New Theaters with well knownspeakers. Baltimore clergymen assisting at these meetings, besidesthose already mentioned, were the Rev. Dr. Frank M. Ellis and the Rev. Dr. J. W. Wills; the Reverends Kingman Handy, Henry Wharton and W. H. Baylor of the Baptist Church; George Scholl and Thomas Beadenkoph ofthe Lutheran Synod; Richard W. Hogue and George W. Dame of theEpiscopal, E. L. Hubbard of the Methodist and Wynne Jones of theHighlandtown Presbyterian Churches. 

Through the State Woman Suffrage Association and the Baltimore CityClub much educational work was done from 1900 to 1910 in the way ofpublic and parlor meetings. The pictures of suffrage leaders wereplaced in the public schools. The History of Woman Suffrage and theLife of Susan B. Anthony were given to public libraries. Boys andgirls were trained for suffrage debates and prizes given for essays. Subscriptions were solicited for _Progress_ and the _Woman's Journal_;press work was pushed; opportunities were sought to speak before allkinds of organizations and there was a wide distribution of suffrageliterature. Handsomely engrossed resolutions were presented in 1902 toSenator Jacob M. Moses in appreciation of his having introduced thebill in the Legislature to permit women to practice law in Maryland;and to Miss Maddox, the first to be admitted to the bar, a gold pinbearing the State coat-of-arms as an expression of esteem for heronerous work in securing its passage. 

In 1906 and thereafter by specially appointed committees suffrageplanks were requested in the platforms of the political parties butwith no success. In 1907 a delegation appeared before the StateFederation of Labor asking for its endorsement of woman suffrage, which was refused. 

For 1908 the slogan was, Convert the public school teachers. To thisend a mass meeting was held in Baltimore with Miss Grace C. Strachan, a district superintendent of the public schools of New York; the Rev. Olympia Brown of Wisconsin and Mrs. Emma Smith Devoe of the State ofWashington as speakers. Mrs. Funck attended tri-county conventions ofteachers, speaking on woman suffrage and distributing 5, 000 leaflets. Three women attended the hearing before the House Judiciary Committeeof Congress in the interest of the Federal Amendment, Mrs. Funckaddressing the committee. Independence Day was observed by a paradeand street speaking by Mrs. Colby, Mrs. Timanus and others. 

In 1911 the first debate on woman suffrage took place before the Men'sClub of the Harlem Park Methodist Church, Mrs. Funck taking theaffirmative side against two members of the Anti-Suffrage Society, Mrs. Francis T. Redwood and Mrs. Haslup Adams. The following yearanother debate was held at the State Normal School by the pupils. Inboth instances the affirmative won. 

In 1914 a large suffrage bazar was held under the auspices of all theclubs in the Fifth Regiment Armory with good financial results. Thisyear the association entered the political arena, the logicalculmination of previous years of work. Legislation and Publicity wasthe slogan. It specialized in ward work, besieged legislative andpolitical leaders with telegrams and letters, visited their officesand homes, watched at the polls, worked to defeat anti-suffragecandidates; addressed shop and factory employees, spoke on streetcorners and at county fairs, made use of suffrage posters and uniqueadvertisements and had parades. 

The State Woman Suffrage Association has had but two presidents, MaryBentley Thomas of Ednor, 1894-1904 and Emma Maddox Funck, 1904-1920. The latter was president of the Baltimore City Society 1897-1920. Others who served as State officers ten years and more were MaryBadders Holton, Evelyn Albaugh Timanus, Etta H. Maddox, Anne Webb(Mrs. O. Edward) Janney, Pauline W. Holme, Mary Young Taylor, EdnaAnnette Beveridge, Nellie C. Cromwell, Florence E. Barnes, Mary E. Moore, Margaret Smythe Clark and Annie H. Hoskins. Space will notpermit the names of the many women who were loyal and helpful duringthese years. Women were not left entirely alone to fight the battleand many men besides those mentioned assisted and encouraged. 

The Maryland Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage was organized inBaltimore in 1911, opening its first headquarters in North CharlesStreet with Mrs. N. C. Talbott as executive secretary. Later there wassome organization in the counties. The members through publicmeetings, legislative hearings and distribution of literaturevigorously carried on their opposition to women's enfranchisement. Thesociety was affiliated with the National Anti-Suffrage Association andwas organized for the purpose of fighting the movement to enfranchisewomen by both Federal and State amendments. The presidents were Mrs. John Redwood, Mrs. Oscar Leser, Mrs. Rufus Gibbs and Mrs. RobertGarrett, the last named serving until after the Federal Amendment wasadopted. Other women active in opposition were Mrs. Michael Wild, Mrs. Rosalie Strauss, Mrs. W. P. E. Wyse, Mrs. P. Lea Thom, Mrs. CoyleHaslup Adams, Mrs. George A. Frick and Mrs. William L. Marbury. Thisassociation gave substantial aid in money and other ways to theMaryland legislators who went to Virginia, North Carolina andTennessee to work against the ratification of the Federal Amendment bytheir Legislatures. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The Maryland Woman Suffrage Association inconnection with its suffrage activities worked in the Legislature forother progressive measures, among them the use of the public schoolsfor social centers; equal pay for equal service; appointment of womenon boards of education and on all public institutions; the abolitionof capital punishment; initiative and referendum; co-education;abolition of child labor. 

1906. Legislators declined to introduce any suffrage measure andtreated the request as a joke. 

1907. A special committee appointed by the Legislature to revise theelection laws was asked that the word "male" be stricken out. Noattention was paid to the request. 

1910. The resolution for submitting an amendment was framed by Etta H. Maddox, introduced by Delegate William Harry Paire, the Republicanfloor leader, and referred to the Committee on ConstitutionalAmendments. The hearing was held in the House of Delegates atAnnapolis on February 24 before the committee and an audience thattaxed the chamber's capacity. Miss Maddox presided and introduced thespeakers--Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National SuffrageAssociation; the Rev. John Roach Straton, the Rev. Peter Ainslie, Attorney John Grill, Dr. Flora Pollack, Mrs. Mary Badders Holton, Mrs. Funck, the Rev. Olympia Brown of Wisconsin, Dr. J. William Funck andMiss Belle Kearney of Mississippi. An evening meeting also was held inthe same place in the interest of the amendment. On March 24 CarvilleD. Benson of Baltimore county moved to lay it on the table which wasdone by a vote of 61 ayes, 18 noes. No action was taken by the Senate. 

1912. All the suffrage societies united in asking for the submissionof a State amendment for full suffrage. Their best speakers appearedbefore the committees. A petition was presented to both Houses, signedby 30, 000 voters, but it polled only 22 affirmative votes in theHouse. Soon after a limited suffrage bill, sponsored by the EqualSuffrage League, failed by a vote of 16 noes, 9 ayes in the Senate. 

1914. The amendment resolution was introduced in the House by CharlesH. McNab of Harford county and in the Senate by William Holmead ofPrince George county. It was supported by all the suffrage societies, and ably advocated but lost by 34 ayes, 60 noes in the House anddefeated in the Senate. A resolution introduced in the Senate askingfor the full suffrage for women with an educational and propertyqualification, endorsed only by the Equal Suffrage League, failed toget a hearing. One in the Senate requiring a literacy test only wasnot reported. 

1916. The constitutional amendment for full suffrage was introduced inthe House by Lloyd Wilkinson (Democrat) of Baltimore and in the Senateby Sydney Mudd (Republican) of Charles county and strongly supported. House vote was 36 ayes, 64 noes. The Senate committee reportedfavorably and the vote stood 17 ayes, 7 noes, William F. Chesley theonly Republican who voted no. The lobbyists were Mrs. Hooker, Mrs. Dora Ogle, Mrs. Robert Moss, Miss Lucy Branham, Miss Maddox, MissGwendolyn Willis, the Rev. Olympia Brown, Mrs. Charles E. Ellicott, Mrs. Ross Thompson, Miss Emma Weber, Mrs. William H. Maloy, Mrs. Calvin Gabriel, Mrs. Timanus, Mrs. Howard Schwartz, Mrs. Funck. Thiswas the last time a State amendment was asked for. 

1917. At the special session a bill for Presidential suffrage, supported by the State association and the Just Government League, passed the Senate by a vote of 18 ayes, 6 noes, after a joint hearingheld in the State House, where the outside speakers, were Dudley FieldMalone, U. S. Senator Shafroth and Representative Jeannette Rankin. Inthe House it failed by a vote of 41 ayes, 56 noes. 

1918. The Presidential suffrage bill received in the House 42 ayes, 53noes; in the Senate 12 ayes, 13 noes. 

RATIFICATION. For twenty-five years the women of Maryland tried to getsome form of suffrage from their Legislature without success and it isnot surprising that they felt obliged to look to a Federal Amendmentfor their enfranchisement. The delegation in Congress was divided onits submission, Senator Joseph I. France (Republican) voting in favorand Senator John Walter Smith (Democrat) in opposition; twoRepresentatives in favor and five in opposition. After it had beensent to the Legislatures for ratification in June, 1919, pressure wasbrought to bear on Governor Emerson C. Harrington to call a specialsession, as it was reported that a majority in favor might be secured. U. S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer urged it in a letter July10, saying: "Pennsylvania has already ratified and it will be aservice to our party if a Democratic State like Maryland will promptlyfollow suit. " The Governor advised waiting till the regular session as"this Legislature was not elected with the question of this amendmentbefore the people. "

The regular session convened Jan 7, 1920, and Albert Cabell Ritchiehad been elected Governor. Mrs. William Milnes Maloy was chairman ofthe Suffrage Campaign Committee and Mrs. Robert Moss of thelegislative work in Annapolis, and the committee was composed ofprominent suffragists from all the societies. A mass meeting tookplace on January 20 in the State Armory at Annapolis, with addressesby U. S. Senator Kenneth McKellar of Tennessee, State Senator OliverMetzerott and Mrs. Donald R. Hooker. State Senator George Q. Bartlettread letters from Senator France advocating ratification. Many membersof the Legislature were seated on the platform. At the close of themeeting Mrs. Maloy offered a resolution in favor of ratification, which was carried by a large majority. 

On Friday, February 6, Governor Ritchie submitted the Federal WomanSuffrage Amendment to the General Assembly. Senator Metzerott(Republican) introduced a resolution for ratification in the Senateand Representative Cobourn (Democrat) in the House. It was sent to theSenate Committee on Federal Relations, Senator Grason, chairman; tothe House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Mr. Robertschairman. A hearing was set for February 11 but on being informed thatmost of the suffrage leaders would be in Chicago attending thenational suffrage convention at that time and that others of theirspeakers could not be present, Senator Grason said that, with Mr. Robert's consent, the hearing would be postponed until the 18th. 

The suffragists heard no more and great was the surprise of those ofthe committee who were left to find on returning to Annapolis February10, when the session reconvened, that Mr. Roberts absolutely refusedto delay and the hearing would take place on February 11. A hastycanvass of his committee showed that a majority was in favor ofdeferring it until the 18th, so the suffragists returned to theirhomes. The next morning the Baltimore papers announced that it wouldbe held that day. The suffragists learned that the preceding nightSpeaker Tydings had transferred the suffrage amendment from theCommittee on Constitutional Amendments, which was favorable to it, andhad put it into the Committee on Federal Relations, which was hostile!There were of course no members of the suffrage committee present atthe hearing. Mrs. Rufus Gibbs, president of the State Anti-SuffrageAssociation, urged the defeat of ratification. William F. Marbury madea strong argument against it. Senator Legg of Queen Anne's, who hadannounced that he "would do just what Governor Ritchie desired, " spokeagainst it. Delegates Cobourn, Shartzer, Curry and the minority floorleader, Vernon Simmons, explained how the suffragists had beendeceived and made an earnest plea for fair play. 

It had been intended to bring the measure to a vote immediately butthe feeling against this was so intense that it was finally set forthe 17th. The suffragists demanded a hearing but the House committeerefused it and made an adverse report on the resolution to ratify. TheSenate committee granted one for the morning of the 17th. Long beforethe hour set suffragists from many places began to gather. At 10:30the larger delegations arrived, heralded by Farson's band, and marchedstraight into the State House. Their number was so large that ChairmanGrason adjourned from the committee room to the Senate Chamber. Mrs. Hooker presented resolutions and petitions for ratification fromorganizations representing over 125, 000 residents of Maryland. Theywere from many State labor associations, patriotic societies, theGrange, Federation of Women's Clubs, Women's Trade Union League, Teachers' Association, Graduate Nurses, Goucher College Alumnae, clubsfor every conceivable purpose. She was followed by Mrs. EdwardShoemaker, chairman of the women's State branch of the NationalCouncil of Defense, who made an eloquent appeal for the proposedamendment. Judge J. Harry Covington, member of Congress, gave a stronglegal and political argument, answering that of Mr. Marbury. Mrs. Henry Zollinger represented the Women's Anti-Suffrage Association andJudge Oscar Leser spoke in opposition. The Hon. Thomas Parran summedup for the suffragists. 

At twelve o'clock the suffragists went to the reception room of theGovernor, who announced that he wished to give them all the time thatthey desired to present their case. The speakers were Mrs. Sydney M. Cone, Mrs. Shoemaker, Miss Kate McLane, prominent in war work; Mrs. Robert Moss, Guion Miller representing the Society of Friends; Mrs. Robert H. Walker, the college women; Miss Hunt, the nurses; Miss MaryDubrau, the eastern shore. The Governor, answering, said that theratification was a question for the Legislature alone to determine;that the platform on which he ran pledged the Democratic partyagainst it and that he could not ask the legislators to repudiate theplatform. Mrs. Hooker in vigorous language held him wholly responsiblefor the action they took on it. 

In the afternoon Representatives Cobourn, McBride, Shartzer, Demarco, Jones and Gambrill spoke for ratification. The vote stood 64 noes, 36ayes. The same afternoon Senators Metzerott, Gibson, Bartlett andRobins earnestly urged ratification; Senators J. Frank Parran, McIntosh and Legg spoke against it. The vote stood 18 noes, 9 ayes, seven Republicans and two Democrats. In the House 32 of the 45Republicans and 4 of the 56 Democrats voted in favor. 

Undaunted by their defeat the suffragists gathered in front of theState House and with colors flying and band playing martial airsmarched two by two around the Capitol, receiving many cheers and goodwishes from the spectators. A brief meeting was then held at whichresolutions of appreciation were passed for all the brave men who hadfought so valiantly for democracy. 

Committees of both Houses had reported a resolution of definiterejection, which the Senate passed, and a delegation of women from theAnti-Suffrage Association, headed by Mrs. Gibbs, carried it toWashington and presented it to the Acting Secretary of State, servingformal notice that "the State of Maryland denies the lawful right andpower of Congress to propose the amendment for woman suffrage and thevalidity of such an amendment as part of the Federal Constitution evenif ratified by three-fourths of the States. "

The Maryland Legislature was by no means satisfied with itsdemonstration of State's rights in defeating the ratification of theFederal Suffrage Amendment but it undertook to interfere with therights of other States. On February 24 the House of Delegates voted by54 to 44 for a joint resolution to send a delegation of sevenanti-suffrage members to West Virginia to urge its General Assembly tofollow the course of Maryland in rejecting the amendment. This wasadopted by the Senate with little delay and three of its members wereappointed to accompany four selected by the House. The next day tworesolutions drawn up by Mr. Marbury were introduced in theLegislature. One was to "repeal, rescind and recall the resolutionsratifying the so-called Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution ofthe United States. " The other authorized and requested the Governor tocall on the national government, in behalf of the State of Maryland, to "have the so-called Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Actdeclared null and void. " The reason for his opposition to womansuffrage was clearly apparent. 

On March 30 by a vote of 20 ayes, 7 noes, the Senate passed a jointresolution introduced by George Arnold Frick authorizing and directingthe Attorney General of Maryland to bring suit or suits to prevent theSecretary of State of the United States from proclaiming the FederalAmendment prior to the holding of a referendum thereon in certainStates, and to test the validity, should the same be ratified by theelected Legislatures of three-fourths of the States. This also passedin the House. The opponents thought that now they had spiked every gunbut in September it was discovered that the vote on ratification hadbeen pigeonholed instead of being sent by the Governor to theSecretary of State in Washington. Immediately there was hustling tobring it again before the two Houses and on September 22 it wasrejected in the Senate by a vote of 17 to 8 and in the House by 51 to42, nearly a month after the Federal Amendment had been proclaimed!

A Men's Anti-Suffrage Association had been formed under the name ofthe Maryland League for State Defense and a suit was brought by itsboard of managers. This was called the case of Leser vs. Garnett, Judge Leser and his associate lawyers representing this League, Mr. Garnett representing the Board of Registry of the 7th Precinct of the11th Ward of Baltimore. On Oct. 12, 1920, Judge Leser challenged theregistration there of Cecilia S. Waters (white) and Mary D. Randolph(colored) in order to test the validity of what the "antis" called the"alleged" 19th Amendment. The plea was that it exceeded the amendingpower of Article V in the Federal Constitution and that it was notlegally ratified by 36 States. The States arraigned as havingillegally ratified were West Virginia and Missouri. The case camebefore the court of common pleas, Judge Heuisler presiding. BesidesMr. Marbury the attorneys for the petitioners were Thomas Cadwalader, Senator Frick and Everett P. Wheeler of New York. The defendants wererepresented by George M. Brady, Roger Howell, Jacob M. Moses andAssistant Attorney General Lindsay C. Spencer. The case occupied fourfull days and the petitioners lost. Judge Heuisler ruled that thepower to amend the Constitution of the United States granted by theFifth Article thereof is without limit except as to the words, "equalsuffrage in the Senate. " He added: "The court is further of theopinion from all the exhibits and other evidence submitted that therewas due, legal and proper ratification of the amendment by therequired number of State Legislatures. " Mr. Wheeler contended thatthree-fourths of the States had not legally ratified, to which theCourt answered: "There was one legal and proper ratification of theamendment by the required number of State Legislatures. "

The case was carried up to the State Court of Appeals and argued onApril 7. On June 28 the Judge affirmed the decision of the lowercourt. The case was then taken to the U. S. Supreme Court, which gavea decision adverse to all these claims and established the validity ofthe Federal Suffrage Amendment beyond all further controversy. 

MARYLAND. PART II. [76]

The Woman Suffrage League of Maryland was organized Feb. 27, 1917, inBaltimore at a meeting called with the approval of the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association. Mrs. J. Ross Thompson of GarrettPark was elected president and served for two years. The leaguestarted with a sustaining membership of 1, 400, including organizationsin Baltimore and thirteen counties. By 1920 the city was organized bycongressional districts and some of these by wards; twenty of thetwenty-three counties had organizations, some of them strong branchleagues, others merely small groups with a chairman. 

The history of the league must be traced through its mother, the EqualSuffrage League of Baltimore, back to the Mary A. Livermore League, asociety of Friends, which had been founded in 1905 with Mrs. EdwardO. Janney as president. In the spring of 1909 this league, in order tobroaden its scope, became the Equal Suffrage League of Baltimore. Mrs. Elisabeth King Ellicott was elected president and filled this officewith wisdom and rare executive ability until her death in May, 1914. The league, as a branch of the State Suffrage Association, sent MissJulia Rogers as a delegate to the national convention held in Seattlein 1909. This year a mass meeting was held in McCoy Hall, JohnsHopkins University, Dr. Thayer of the Medical School presiding. MissEthel Arnold of England was the speaker and made many converts. 

In 1910 the league had a bill introduced in the Legislature givingMunicipal suffrage to "every bona fide resident of the city ofBaltimore, male or female, 21 years of age. .. . (a) If such person isqualified to vote for members of the House of Delegates; or (b) canread or write from dictation any paragraph of more than five lines inthe State constitution; or (c) is assessed with property in said cityto the amount of $300 and has paid taxes thereon for at least twoyears preceding the election. .. . " The league was fortunate in securingas attorney Judge Jacob M. Moses of the Juvenile Court. He conducted ahearing on February 16 in the House of Delegates attended by bothbranches of the Legislature. Six hundred women and men went on aspecial train to Annapolis, carrying a petition for the billrepresenting 173, 000 names. The speakers were Dr. Howard Kelly ofJohns Hopkins, president of the Men's League; Dr. Mary Sherwood of themedical department; Judge Moses, Mrs. Ellicott, Mrs. Ida Husted Harperof New York, Miss Janet Richards of Washington, Misses Julia Rogers, Mary E. Lent, Ellen La Mott and Sarah Brookes. The House committeereported eight to one in favor. The advocates in the House were RobertH. Carr, who introduced the bill, H. Pairo, R. F. Beacham and Mr. Henderson. It received 67 noes, 24 ayes and did not come before theSenate. Three other woman suffrage bills were defeated this session. 

In 1909-1910 Mrs. Donald R. Hooker, chairman of the Lecture Committee, was instrumental in securing many noted speakers for public meetings. In 1910 she formed the Just Government League of Maryland, which wasaffiliated with the National Association for six years. Miss Lent waspresident two years and then Mrs. Hooker continuously. 

In 1910 a field secretary was engaged by the Equal Suffrage League, ward organization progressed and money was raised through rummagesales, lawn fetes, suppers at headquarters, etc. In 1911 the _NewVoter_ was started, a lively suffrage paper, with Miss Anne Wagner aseditor-in-chief. A committee was appointed, with Mrs. Charles E. Ellicott chairman, to investigate methods in the Criminal Court ofconducting trials when young girls were witnesses in cases of assault, etc. This committee attended trials and employed a woman to keeprecords of cases and decisions. Later it had the first woman probationofficer appointed and paid her salary until 1916, when Mayor Prestonagreed to its payment by the city temporarily. 

The State Equal Franchise League was founded in 1911 and becameauxiliary to the National American Association. Mrs. Elisabeth KingEllicott was the president for two years and she was succeeded by Mrs. W. J. Brown, who was president for one year. The affiliated societieswere the Equal Suffrage League of Baltimore, Woman Suffrage Club ofMontgomery county, Just Franchise League of Talbot county, JuniorSuffrage League of Walbrook, College Suffrage League of Frederick, Equal Franchise Leagues of Thurmont and Emmitsburg, Junior SuffrageLeague of Bryn Mawr School and Political Equality League of Baltimorecounty. It joined in the work of the other associations for variousbills in the Legislature until 1914, when it disbanded, and, theconstitution of the National Association now permitting the directaffiliation of any suffrage society numbering 200 members, the EqualSuffrage League of Baltimore became a direct auxiliary. In May, 1914, it met with a great loss in the death of Mrs. Ellicott, who hadorganized and held it firm for the non-partisan, non-political, educational principles of the National Association. She left $25, 000in the hands of trustees, the interest to be used by the league untilequal suffrage had been obtained in Maryland. Mrs. Charles E. Ellicottthen became president and successfully continued the work. Theextensive development of the Children's Playground Association underher leadership is well known throughout the State. [77]

The Woman Suffrage League of Maryland was formed in February, 1917, and the Baltimore City Committee took the active place of the EqualSuffrage League, which became a funding body to carry out the bequestof Mrs. Ellicott, with Miss Caroline Roberts as president, whoseunwearying and ceaseless service had been for years an inspiration toher fellow workers. Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, chairman of Campaignsand Surveys for the National Association, went to Baltimore thismonth, meeting there Miss Emma MacAlarney and Miss Eleanor Furman, twoof the national organizers, and planning a speaking and organizationroute. The organizers remained in Maryland two months and were verysuccessful in interesting new groups of people all over the State, whojoined the new Woman Suffrage League. Later Miss Alice Hunt, anational organizer, took up this work for four weeks. The total costto the National Association was over $600. 

In the spring of 1917 a Suffrage School was held in Baltimore by theleague to which all were invited. The National Association sent someof its best teachers, among them Mrs. Arthur L. Livermore, Mrs. HalseyW. Wilson and Mrs. Shuler, members of its official board. The climaxof the week was a parade, street speeches and a mass meeting, at whichMrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, national president, was the principalspeaker. An outcome of the school was the printing in Marylandnewspapers of the suffrage literature supplied by the NationalAssociation. 

When the United States entered the World War Mrs. Ellicott, presidentof the league, was appointed by the Governor a State member of theWoman's Council of National Defense and the league cooperated in allof the departments of war work created by the National SuffrageAssociation. A Red Cross Circle was established in its headquartersand it entered actively into the sale of Liberty Bonds. Its war workbrought into it many new members. 

In the work for ratification of the Federal Amendment the Leaguejoined the other suffrage societies in the headquarters at Annapolisand in public meetings, house to house canvass, interviews withlegislators and the other work of a vigorous campaign. The officerswere: Mrs. Ellicott, president; Mrs. Edward Shoemaker, Mrs. WilliamMilnes Maloy and Mrs. Sidney Cone, vice-presidents; Miss Julia Rogersand Mrs. Robert Moss, corresponding and recording secretaries; Mrs. Frank Ramey, treasurer; Mrs. George Crawford and Mrs. William Silver, auditors. 

The officers of the Equal Suffrage League of Baltimore were MissCaroline Roberts, president; Miss Clara T. Waite, vice-president; Mrs. William Chatard, secretary; Miss Mary Claire O'Brien, treasurer: witheight directors. [78]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. This has been described. A Ratification Committeeof Men was formed in 1919 with N. Winslow Williams chairman, De CourcyW. Thom vice-chairman, Arthur K. Taylor secretary, Donald R. Hooker, treasurer. Prominent members of the Allied Building Trades Council, Carpenters' Union and other labor organizations were on the committeeand every county had a chairman. In Allegany it was Francis J. Drum, president of the Maryland and D. C. Federation of Labor; in Baltimorecounty B. John Black, master of the State Grange. In other counties itwas a member of Congress or the Legislature or a Judge or some one ofinfluence. 

FOOTNOTES:

[73] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Emma MaddoxFunck, president of the Baltimore Suffrage Club twenty-five years andof the State Woman Suffrage Association eighteen years. 

[74] Dr. William Tindall, of Washington, has the records to prove thatin 1838, when the people of Georgetown voted on a proposal to withdrawfrom the State of Maryland, 63 women cast their ballots. As early as1867, through the efforts of Lavinia C. Dundore, a large equal rightssociety of men and women was organized in Baltimore, which continueduntil 1874 and was represented in the national conventions by itspresident, Mrs. Dundore. A Baltimore paper of April 4, 1870, says: "Apetition, asking for the right of suffrage and political justice, waspresented to the House of Delegates, signed by Eliza S. White, LaviniaC. Dundore, Ellen M. Harris and 150 other ladies. It was referred tothe Committee on Federal Relations. "

[75] For full account of the convention see Chapter VI, Volume V. 

[76] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Clara TurnbullWaite, vice-president of the Equal Suffrage League of Baltimore. 

[77] Additional names of women who held office or were prominent inwork of the Equal Suffrage League of Baltimore or the State EqualFranchise League of Maryland are Drs. Fannie Hoopes, Lillian Welsh, Mary Sherwood, Florence Sabin, Claribel Cone, Nellie Mark; MesdamesPauline Holme, George Lamb, S. Johnson Poe, J. Williams Lord, FrankRamey, C. C. Heath, George H. Wright, J. H. Webb-Peploe, Jacob M. Moses, Mary N. Parry and W. W. Emmart; Misses Mary Bartlett Dixon, Elisabeth Gilman, A. Page Reid, Henrietta Norris, Romaine McIlvaineand Emma Weber. 

[78] Among these directors, active members of the city committee, chairmen of standing committees and devoted workers not elsewherementioned were Mesdames Edwin Rouse, Jr. , chairman of the citycommittee; Caleb Athey, Harvey Bickel, C. C. Peffer, J. W. Putts, JohnParker, A. Morris Carey, C. C. Heath; Esther Moses and Esther Katz. 

CHAPTER XX. 

MASSACHUSETTS. [79]

From the beginning of the present century the Massachusetts WomanSuffrage Association, organized in 1870, steadily gained in membershipyear after year. Its annual conventions for many years were held inBoston in January and those of the New England Woman SuffrageAssociation in May, when the two united in a great Festival, whichgenerally took place in Faneuil Hall. The day sessions usually wereheld in the rooms of the New England Women's Club, the eveningsessions in some large place, in 1901 at Faneuil Hall. 

At the State annual meeting Jan. 23, 1901, Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, whohad been president since 1893, presided and among the speakers wereMrs. Helen Campbell, the Rev. Charles W. Wendte, Dr. Emily B. Ryderand the Rev. Ida C. Hultin. Mrs. Livermore was re-elected and Mrs. Maud Wood Park succeeded Miss Alice Stone Blackwell as chairman of theState Board of Directors. The office of president had always beenmainly honorary and the actual work was done by the chairman of thisboard. The other officers chosen were Henry B. Blackwell, corresponding secretary; William Lloyd Garrison, treasurer; Miss EvaChanning, clerk; Miss Amanda M. Lougee, Richard P. Hallowell, auditors; Mrs. Judith W. Smith, member National Executive Committee. There was a long list of distinguished vice-presidents. Mr. Blackwellhad been secretary for over twenty years and was re-elected. 

At the Festival on May 22, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe presided, Miss SarahCone Bryant was toastmistress and there were addresses by William M. Salter, the Hon. William Dudley Foulke and others of note. On May 23at the annual meeting of the New England Association, organized inNovember, 1868, reports were made from the New England States, andaddresses by the Rev. Florence Kollock Crooker, Mrs. Isabel C. Barrows, Mrs. Inez Haynes Gillmore and others. Mrs. Howe, who had beenits president since 1893, was re-elected, with a board composed ofeminent men and women. 

During the year the State association sent out 1, 246 press articles, circulated many thousand pages of literature and printed severalleaflets. It held well-attended fortnightly meetings at itsheadquarters, No. 3 Park Street, and gave a brilliant reception inhonor of Mrs. Livermore's 80th birthday. It compiled a list of aboutforty persons ready to give addresses on suffrage and sent a speakerfree to every woman's club or other organization willing to hear thesubject presented. It held ten public meetings and sent out 11, 000circulars to increase the women's registration and school vote inBoston. Many addresses under its auspices were given by Mrs. AbbyMorton Diaz, Professor Anna May Soule of Mt. Holyoke and SeńoritaCarolina Holman Huidobro of Chile. Massachusetts contributedfour-fifths of the money given to the Oregon campaign of 1900 fromoutside that State, and the Massachusetts booth (named the Lucy Stonebooth) at the National Suffrage Bazar that year took in more moneythan that of any other State except New York. The College EqualSuffrage League's prize of $100, for the best essay in favor ofsuffrage by a college student, was won by Ava M. Stoddard of theMassachusetts Institute of Technology. The above is a sample of theactivities carried on year after year by the association during thefirst decade of the century. 

In 1901 the Boston Equal Suffrage Association for Good Government wasorganized through the efforts of Mrs. Mary Hutcheson Page, withPauline Agassiz (Mrs. Quincy A. ) Shaw as president, Mrs. Fanny B. Ames, chairman of Executive Committee, and Mrs. Park as executivesecretary. [80] It continued to be a power in the State till suffragewas won and aimed to devote itself not only to suffrage but to allactivities in which women could be especially useful to the community. 

The National Woman Suffrage Association of Massachusetts, a smallerorganization, disbanded in 1901 after nearly twenty years ofexistence. Mrs. Sarah A. P. Dickerman was acting president, MissLavina A. Hatch secretary. It had held eleven monthly meetings duringthe past year, done congressional work and contributed to the Susan B. Anthony table at the national bazar in New York. 

1902. At the annual meeting on January 23, Mrs. Park presided and awork conference was substituted for the usual public meeting. TheFestival was held on May 28 with the Rev. Anna Garlin Spencerpresiding. Other speakers were the Rev. Dr. James H. Ecob, ProfessorJohn Graham Brooks, the Rev. Ida C. Hultin, Colonel T. W. Higginsonand the Rev. Charles F. Dole. Miss Vida Goldstein of Australiaaddressed a number of meetings this year. An enrollment of suffragistswas begun. There was an increase of women's registration for theschool vote in fourteen cities, in Boston of about 5, 000. Aninvestigation of the tax records by Mr. Blackwell showed that inBoston alone 18, 500 women paid taxes on several hundred milliondollars' worth of property. 

1903. At the annual meeting of the State association on January 13, Mrs. Shaw and Mrs. Park presided. Mrs. Livermore was made honorarypresident and Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead president, Mrs. Mary Schlesinger, vice-president; Miss Harriet E. Turner, corresponding secretary;William Lloyd Garrison, treasurer; Mrs. Otto B. Cole, clerk; Mr. Blackwell, member of the National Executive Committee. Mrs. Page, chairman of the Organization Committee, reported that forty towns hadbeen visited. There were speeches by Mrs. Livermore and Mrs. EnidStacy Widdrington of England. Miss Blackwell presided at the NewEngland annual meeting May 27 and the Rev. Charles G. Ames at theFestival the next day. On August 13 Lucy Stone's birthday anniversarywas celebrated by a pilgrimage to the old farm house near WestBrookfield where she was born. About 400 persons gathered from variousStates, even California being represented. Her niece, Mrs. Phebe StoneBeeman, president of the Warren Political Equality Club, presided andthere were addresses by Mrs. Livermore, Mr. Blackwell, the Rev. MaryA. Safford and others. The beautiful weather and the beautiful scenerycombined with the beautiful memories to make it a memorable occasion. Mrs. Livermore wrote afterwards: "It was greater and grander than anypublic day, not specially devoted to religion, that I have ever known. The hill was a Mount of Transfiguration, the faces of the peopleshone. "

The Rev. Anna Howard Shaw addressed a series of meetings throughoutthe State. Mrs. Page, Mrs. Park, Mrs. Diaz, Mrs. Esther F. Boland, Miss Bryant and George H. Page spoke repeatedly for the association. Work conferences were held in various counties and equal rights playsby Mr. Page were performed for the benefit of the cause. The Stateheadquarters were moved from Park Street to a house at No. 6 MarlboroStreet, the use of which was given by Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw. Massachusetts this year contributed more money to the NationalAssociation than did any other State. The time of the State annualmeeting was changed to October and it began to be held outside ofBoston, a second one for this year in the Newtons, October 29 and 30. It opened with a reception by the Newton League at the Hunnewell ClubHouse, where Mrs. Electa N. L. Walton presided and Mayor Weeks ofNewton and the Hon. Samuel L. Powers gave addresses of welcome. Thefollowing day at West Newton Mrs. Livermore presided, the Hon. GormanD. Gilman gave the address of welcome and Mrs. Florence Kelley and Dr. Shaw spoke. The Enrollment Committee reported obtaining 11, 169signatures. A resolution of tribute was passed to Miss Harriet E. Turner, who retired after 21 years' devoted service at headquarters, where she had suggested some of the most successful lines of work. Mrs. Page was chosen as chairman of the State board, Mrs. Susan S. Fessenden succeeding her later in the year. 

1904. The Festival was held on May 10, Mrs. Howe presiding. Thespeakers were Judge Edward E. Reynolds of Portland, Maine, the Rev. Florence Kollock Crooker of Michigan, Frank K. Foster of the StateFederation of Labor, Mrs. Livermore, Professor George E. Gardner ofthe Boston University Law School, Mrs. May Alden Ward, president ofthe State Federation of Women's Clubs, Mr. Blackwell and Mrs. Mead. The State meeting was held at Attleboro, October 21, in the OperaHouse, with the usual list of well known speakers. The InternationalPeace Congress, held in Boston this year, gave an impetus to themovement. The men from abroad were much impressed by the Americanwomen. Other notable events were the celebration by the State W. C. T. U. Of the quarter centennial of the granting of School suffrage and aconference of women ministers of different denominations, called byMrs. Howe. There was a Suffrage Day at the big Mechanics' Fair inBoston, with addresses by Miss Jane Addams, Miss Sheriff Bain of NewZealand and W. P. Byles of England. A library of books bearing on thewoman question was started at headquarters with a fund given by MissM. F. Munroe in memory of Mary Lowell Stone. 

1905. There was a very large attendance at the Festival on May 10, with Mrs. Mead presiding. Professor Edward Cummings was toastmaster, ex-Governor Garvin of Rhode Island and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt spokeand the Festival then resolved itself into a celebration of Mr. Blackwell's 80th birthday (May 4), with the presentation of a silverpitcher from the State association and addresses by William LloydGarrison and Mrs. Livermore. She had insisted upon coming, although byno means able. She said, "Mr. Blackwell and I have worked together fornearly half a century; we have gone anywhere and everywhere for womansuffrage. This evening he has been doing his best to persuade me to goout to the Oregon convention. I can not say half that ought to be saidof his character, his devoted service, his fraternal spirit. " She dieda few days later and there was profound sorrow for her loss. 

At the meeting of the New England Association on May 11 Miss Blackwellpresided. Francis J. Garrison was elected treasurer. The State annualmeeting was held at Holyoke, October 24, 25, in the Second BaptistChurch and Mayor Nathan P. Avery gave the address of welcome. MissBlackwell was made chairman of the board of directors; Mrs. Mead waselected president; Mrs. Schlesinger vice-president. The associationtook part in the celebration of the centennial of William LloydGarrison on December 10. He had been a life-long champion of equalrights for women and his last public speech was made at a suffragehearing in the State House. There was a noteworthy memorial meetingfor Mrs. Edna D. Cheney, long a pillar of the suffrage association andof the New England Hospital for Women and Children. CatherineBreshkovsky, "the little grandmother of the Russian revolution, "visited Massachusetts this year and addressed a number of meetingsarranged by the suffragists, including a large one in Faneuil Hall. 

The convention was held in October, 1906, at Lowell in the TrinitarianCongregational Church. Harriet A. Eager gave a stone from the pavementof the little church at Delft Haven in Holland, where the Pilgrimsattended their last religious service before sailing for America andthe association presented it to the Cape Cod Memorial Association tobe placed in the monument. The World's W. C. T. U. Convention inBoston this month aroused much interest and enthusiasm. At the openingbanquet Miss Blackwell gave the address of welcome in behalf of thewomen's organizations. 

1907. The annual meeting took place in Worcester at Trinity Church. Letters were read from Colonel Thomas W. Higginson and Mrs. ElizabethSmith Miller, the only two survivors of the 89 men and women whosigned the Call for the first National Woman's Rights Convention, heldin Worcester in 1850; and a poem from the Rev. Antoinette L. BrownBlackwell, D. D. , the only survivor of the speakers on that occasion. Dr. Shaw gave an address and conducted a question box and there was asymposium on Why I am a Suffragist by five young women, one agrandniece and namesake of Margaret Fuller. 

A noteworthy meeting was held on March 23, 1907, by the Boston EqualSuffrage Association to consider "the indebtedness of women ofcollegiate and professional training to the leaders of the suffragemovement. " Every woman's college in the State was represented, as wellas law and medicine. Mrs. Fanny B. Ames presided and college girls incap and gown acted as ushers. The speakers were Mrs. Howe, MissGeorgia L. White, Assistant Professor of Economics at Smith College;Professor Helen M. Searles of Mt. Holyoke; Dr. Emma Culbertson of theNew England Hospital for Women and Children; Miss Emily Greene Balch, Associate Professor of Economics and Sociology at Wellesley; MissCaroline J. Cooke, instructor in Commercial Law at Simmons, and Mrs. Park of Radcliffe. 

On August 13 suffragists from different parts of the State again madea pilgrimage to Lucy Stone's old home, West Brookfield, to celebrateher birthday. Mrs. Cobden Sanderson, a daughter of Richard Cobden, oneof the "militant" English suffragettes, spoke at the women's collegesand elsewhere. The Boston association, in connection with the Women'sEducational and Industrial Union, gave courses in citizenship, addressed by heads of State and city departments. Mrs. Fessendenconducted many classes in Parliamentary practice (these were continuedyear after year), and there was a "suffrage day" in the woman'sdepartment of the great Food Fair. 

The Association of Collegiate Alumnć celebrated its quarter centennialin Boston November 5-9, which brought many distinguished suffragistsfrom other States. In 1872 the New England Women's Club had given areception for the only three college women then in this city. In 1907this association had 3, 147 members, several hundred of them in Bostonalone. At the Whittier Centennial celebration at Amesbury on December17 the poet's championship of equal rights for women was recalled withhis work for other reforms. The Boston Federation of SuffrageSocieties was organized by the Association for Good Government. TheState Federation of Labor and the State Letter Carriers' Associationendorsed woman suffrage. 

The Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Further Extension ofSuffrage to Women changed its organ _The Remonstrance_ from an annualto a quarterly and sent out a copy broadcast. The suffragists followedwith an answer. The _Woman's Journal_ pointed out that the M. A. O. F. E. S. W. , according to its own official reports, had sold $40. 86 worthof literature in 1905, $13. 50 worth in 1906 and $12. 30 worth in 1907, and that in 1906 the total receipts were $2, 907, of which $2, 018 wereexpended on salaries. [81]

1908. The State annual meeting was held in Boston October 27, 28. Mrs. Mead presided and Mrs. Ethel Snowden of England was the chief speaker. There was a reception to Mrs. Howe, with addresses by Mrs. Maud HoweElliott, Mrs. Carota Von Koch of Sweden and Mrs. Howe. Miss JaneAddams gave suffrage lectures this year at Radcliffe, Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Wellesley colleges and Boston University, arranged by theCollege Equal Suffrage League, with large audiences and muchenthusiasm. Mrs. Snowden spoke for the State association at FaneuilHall and a reception was given by the College and Boston suffrageassociations. Another large suffrage meeting in Faneuil Hall wasaddressed by Professor Charles Zueblin. Mrs. Park and Mrs. Eager helda series of meetings in Berkshire county, arousing much interest. Atthe suffrage booth in the Boston Food Fair, in charge of the NewtonLeague, 6, 255 names were added to the enrollment. The association bythis time had more than 100 local branches. This year 145 labor unionsendorsed equal suffrage. The association carried on a "postercampaign, " putting up posters in towns and at county fairs. Mrs. FitzGerald composed the inscriptions and Mrs. George F. Lowell with agroup of friends put them up. At the Biennial of the GeneralFederation of Women's Clubs held in Boston every mention of suffragewas cheered and no one got such an ovation as Mrs. Howe, the fraternaldelegate from the National American Woman Suffrage Association. 

1909. The College Equal Suffrage League of Massachusetts attained amembership of 320 this year and a suffrage club was formed atRadcliffe College. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology anynotices put up by the suffragists were at once torn down. The Stateannual convention was held in Boston October 22, 23, with the eveningmeeting in Tremont Temple, and Miss Blackwell was elected president. For the first time the report of the Legislative Committee was givenby Mrs. Teresa A. Crowley, who continued to be its chairman foryears. 

Ex-Governor Long presided at a memorial meeting for Henry B. Blackwell, with addresses by Edwin D. Mead, Julia Ward Howe, the Rev. Charles G. Ames, Professor Sumichrast, Moses H. Gulesian, Francis J. Garrison, James H. Stark of the Victorian Club, Meyer Bloomfield andMrs. Isabel C. Barrows. Mr. Blackwell was called by Mrs. Catt "one ofthe world's most heroic men. " He was the only man of large abilitieswho devoted his life to securing equal rights for women. In his youtha reward of $10, 000 was offered for his head at a public meeting inthe South because of his leading part in the rescue of a young slavegirl. He made his first speech for woman's rights at a suffrageconvention in Cleveland in 1853. Two years later he married LucyStone. She had meant never to marry but to devote herself wholly tothe women's cause but he promised to devote himself to the same cause. He was the unpaid secretary of the American Woman Suffrage Associationfor twenty years, of the Massachusetts association for thirty yearsand of the New England association for nearly forty years. He traveledall over the country organizing suffrage societies, getting upconventions and addressing Legislatures. He attended the Republicannational conventions year after year trying to get a suffrage plankand in 1872 secured a mild one in the national platform and a strongone in that of Massachusetts. He took part in constitutional amendmentcampaigns in Kansas, Vermont, Colorado, Michigan, Rhode Island andSouth Dakota. In 1889, when Washington, Montana and North Dakota wereabout to enter the Union as States, he attended the constitutionalconvention of each to urge equal suffrage. He was an editor of the_Woman's Journal_ from its founding in 1870 till his death. An ablewriter, an eloquent speaker, he was widely beloved for his kindness, humor and geniality. 

Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader of the "militant" suffragettes ofEngland, visited Boston this year. She was met at the station by thesuffragists with automobiles and flags and was taken through thestreets to the headquarters--Boston's first suffrage procession--andlater addressed in Tremont Temple a huge audience, critical at first, highly enthusiastic at the close. A reception was given by prominentsuffragists to Miss Ethel M. Arnold of England, and there werelectures by her and Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman; a series of"petition teas" and meetings addressed by Dr. Shaw, Miss LeonoraO'Reilly, a labor leader of New York; Judge Ben Lindsey of Denver;Charles Edward Russell, the Rev. Thomas Cuthbert Hall; and by Mrs. Snowden, Dr. Stanton Coit and the Misses Rendell and Costello, all ofEngland. 

In June the first of the open-air meetings that later became soimportant a feature of the campaign was held on the Common at Bedford. The speakers were Mrs. FitzGerald, Mrs. Leonora S. Little, Mrs. MaryWare Dennett, Mrs. Katharine Dexter McCormick and Mrs. Crowley. Theattendance was small; people were shy at first of seeming tocountenance such an innovation but the crowds grew as the meetingscontinued and it was found to be the best if not the only way to reachthe mass of voters. A summer campaign of 97 open-air meetings washeld, the speakers traveling mainly by trolley, covering a large partof the State and reaching about 25, 000 persons. [82] Suffrage buttonsand literature were distributed, posters put up, and sometimes mammothkites flown to advertise the meetings. Mrs. H. S. Luscomb hadpresented a kite big enough to hold up a banner six feet wide by fortydeep. The campaigners were resourceful. At Nantasket, when forbiddento speak on the beach, they went into the water with their Votes forWomen banner and spoke from the sea to the audience on the shore. 

1910. Among the speakers at the Festival in May were Mrs. FrancesSquire Potter, former Professor of English at the University ofMinnesota; Professor Max Eastman of Columbia University, secretary ofthe New York Men's League for Woman Suffrage, and Professor Henry S. Nash of the Episcopal Theological School. At the State annual meetingin Lowell, October 27, 28, Philip Snowden, M. P. , of England was aspeaker. In connection with the convention Mrs. Park spoke before theWoman's Club; Rabbi Fleischer before the Board of Trade; Miss AliceCarpenter at the Congregational Church in Tewksbury; four factorymeetings were held; the suffrage slides were exhibited twelve times atthe Merrimac Theater; Miss Foley and Miss Anne Withington addressedseven trade unions; 27, 000 fliers were distributed and four streetmeetings held. 

An eight-weeks' summer campaign of open-air meetings was conductedthrough the great industrial cities of eastern Massachusetts, withfrom four to six regular and occasional special speakers. ThreeEnglishwomen, Miss Margaret G. Bondfield, Miss M. M. A. Ward and MissEmily Gardner, reinforced the American speakers, Miss Foley, Mrs. FitzGerald, Mrs. Glendower Evans, Miss Emily Pierson of Connecticut, and others. In each city, besides the outdoor meetings, there was somespecial feature; in two, garden parties; in Brockton, the women joinedthe circus parade, driving in a decorated team and giving out fliers. In Fall River they got two popular stores to wrap a colored flier inevery parcel. In Taunton they had an evening band concert on theCommon, accompanied with red fire and speeches. In Lawrence Miss Foleymade a balloon ascension and showered down rainbow literature upon aneager crowd. Several times the women spoke from the vaudeville stageand showed colored lantern slides. They spoke in parks and pleasureresorts and outside the factories as well as in the streets and at oneYiddish and one French meeting. They held 200 meetings and talked toabout 60, 000 persons. Afterwards they held outdoor meetings in andabout Boston and sent an automobile of speakers and literature to theAviation Meet. A fall campaign of open-air speaking followed. Mrs. Park came home from a tour around the world and lectured on the womenof different countries. Mrs. A. Watson-Lister of Australia and Mrs. Dora B. Montefiore of England addressed a number of meetings. 

A week of meetings took place in Springfield, State speakerscooperating with the local suffragists, among them Mrs. HenryPhillips, president of the suffrage league; Mrs. McDuffie and Mr. Myrick, publisher of the "Farm and Home" and "Good Housekeeping. "Headquarters were opened in a vacant store with daily meetings andteas; addresses were given before the Board of Trade, the teachers, the Woman's, the Mothers', the Socialist and the College Clubs, the Y. M. C. A. Training school and other groups; colored slides of suffrageevents were shown and prominent local women opened their homes forsocial affairs. Much interest was aroused and permanent Springfieldheadquarters were opened soon afterwards. Boston started to organizeby wards and invitations were printed in various languages. The firstmeeting, in Ward 8, arranged by Mrs. Leonard, was attended by nearly1, 000 women and there were speeches in English and Yiddish. A class totrain suffrage speakers was started. A suffrage club was organized inthe College of Liberal Arts of Boston University. The suffragists sentAlfred H. Brown to help the campaign in the State of Washington. 

The general sorrow for the death of Julia Ward Howe on October 17brought support to the suffrage movement. In her later years peoplehad revered her as they revered the flag and all her great influencehad been placed unreservedly at the service of this cause. A largememorial meeting was held in Faneuil Hall on December 16. 

1911. The State convention was held in Boston October 27, 28, theevening meeting at Tremont Temple addressed by Dr. Shaw and ProfessorEdward Howard Griggs. The Boston association raised $1, 100 for thecampaigns in Oregon, Kansas, Wisconsin and Michigan and gave Mrs. Park's services to Ohio and Michigan. A Men's League for WomanSuffrage was organized at Harvard University under the presidency ofA. S. Olmstead. At the meeting of the New England Association MissBlackwell was elected president. Mrs. Howe had held the officetwenty-six years. 

Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson, one of the few surviving pioneers, passed away this year. He had been a champion of women's rights formore than sixty years. When a young minister he spoke for the cause. He signed the Call for the First National Woman's Rights Convention in1850. He married Lucy Stone and Henry B. Blackwell in 1855 andprefixed an approving foreword to their published protest against theinequalities of the marriage laws. He took part in organizing theAmerican Woman Suffrage Association, was its president for a year andan officer in the New England and Massachusetts associations until hisdeath. For years he was a great power as a lecturer and writer andaddressed suffrage conventions in many States. Beginning with 1870 hecontributed a long series of brilliant editorials to the _Woman'sJournal_. He wrote four books on the woman question and gave 1, 000books about women to the Boston Public Library. The founder of SmithCollege said she was led to leave her fortune for that purpose byreading his article, Ought Women Learn the Alphabet?

1912. The State annual meeting was held in Boston, October 11, with anunusually large attendance from western Massachusetts. In 1913 it metin Boston May 27, 28. The executive secretary, Mrs. Marion BoothKelley, reported that 111 indoor meetings and 45 outdoor meetings hadbeen held in the past six months. It was voted to have a suffrageparade in Boston the following spring. There was much doubt of thepropriety of this but when a rising vote of the women present wastaken to see how many would march almost the whole convention rose. 

1914. The State annual meeting was held in Boston May 1 and 2, andagain in 1915 on May 13-15. The latter opened with a brilliant banquetat the Hotel Somerset, attended by about 800. Mrs. Park presided andamong the speakers were ex-Governor Bass of New Hampshire, ex-GovernorFoss of Massachusetts, Dr. Hugh Cabot and Mrs. Judith W. Smith, aged93. Suffrage clubs were reported at Wellesley, Smith and Mt. HolyokeColleges, the last formed largely through Miss Mildred Blodgett, assistant professor of geology. A band concert and a mass meeting onthe Common closed the convention. 

1916. At the State annual meeting in Boston May 18, 19, dues wereabolished and provision made for organizing the State along politicalparty lines, as recommended by the National Association. Mrs. B. F. Pitman of Brookline gave a large reception. The treasurer reportedreceipts of $67, 232, expenditures of $63, 483. [83]

1917. At the annual State meeting on May 10 resolutions were adoptedcalling upon the 125, 000 enrolled members to "show their patriotism bydoing their utmost to help their country and the world, " especiallyalong the five lines recommended by the National Suffrage Association;urging nation-wide prohibition as a war measure and commending theefforts to minimize moral dangers at the training camps; protestingagainst "any attempt to lower educational standards or to weaken thelaws safeguarding the workers, especially women and children, " becauseof the war emergency. The Twentieth Century Club rooms were crowded atthe New England Conference and Festival. Miss Blackwell presided. Agreeting from the National Association was brought by Mrs. NettieRogers Shuler, its corresponding secretary, and speakers were presentfrom all the New England States. Pledges and a collection were takenfor the Maine campaign and it was voted to give $2, 000, a bequest fromMiss Marian Shannon, to the National Association, to help it. 

1918. At the winter business meeting held in Fitchburg February 26Mrs. Pitman reported that more than $30, 000 had been raised by theassociation for war work. The State annual meeting in Boston on May24, 25 was crowded and exciting. A resolution pledging theassociation's support to the country in the war was passed byacclamation, and it responded to the request of Mrs. Catt, presidentof the National American Suffrage Association, to follow its programof war work. The convention voted with enthusiasm to take up thecirculation of the national petitions for the Federal Amendment andalso to give $600 to the National Association to finance an organizerin Oklahoma, where a suffrage campaign was in progress and theMassachusetts "antis" were financing the opposition. In the evening amagnificent meeting was held in the Opera House with Mrs. Grace A. Johnson presiding and addresses by Mrs. Catt and Dr. Shaw. Thecollection of $1, 124 was given to the Red Cross. 

On August 13 the State and Boston associations celebrated thecentenary of Lucy Stone's birth by a luncheon at the Hotel Somerset, Mrs. Charles Sumner Bird presiding, with addresses by ex-GovernorWalsh, the Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell, D. D. , 93 years of age;Mrs. Judith W. Smith, almost 97; Miss Blackwell and Mrs. Maud HoweElliott. Letters and telegrams of appreciation were received fromPresident Wilson's secretary in his behalf; from Theodore Roosevelt, ex-Governor McCall, Mrs. Catt, Mayor Andrew James Peters of Bostonand many others. The fall meeting was held in Boston November 30, whenMiss Mary Garrett Hay, national vice-president, spoke on the nationalsuffrage situation and there were addresses by heads of civic andphilanthropic organizations. 

1919. The mid-winter meeting was held in Worcester February 15 andeight young girls presented to Miss Blackwell the national petitionbearing 16, 434 names, many more than the quota for this city. TheState meeting was held May 21, 22, in Boston. While it was in sessionthe news came that the Federal Suffrage Amendment had passed the U. S. House of Representatives. This called out great enthusiasm and it wasvoted to telegraph Mrs. Maud Wood Park: "Three cheers for ourCongressional Chairman! Very proud that Mrs. Park is a Massachusettswoman!" The following Sunday the Boston association held a meeting inTremont Theater to rejoice, with Samuel L. Powers, a prominentRepublican lawyer, presiding, and addresses by Mrs. Park, JosephConry, a prominent Democrat, and Secretary of State Langtry forGovernor Coolidge. 

1920. The annual meeting was again held in Boston, May 27, 28, Mrs. Bird presiding. She stated that it was the 100th anniversary of thebirth of Julia Ward Howe, to whose work for suffrage and other goodcauses a heart-felt tribute was paid. Mrs. Bird presented MissBlackwell with a laurel wreath as representing the pioneers and ashaving been at the head of the association when victory was won. Asthe complete ratification was almost at hand it was voted to takelegal steps to dissolve the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association. Later it was decided, in accordance with the policy of the NationalAssociation, to continue it as a skeleton organization with the sameofficers until all possible need for it should be over. The StateLeague of Women Voters was organized, with Mrs. George R. Fearing, Jr. , as chairman and Miss Blackwell as honorary president, thedelegates and members of the association enrolling in the new society. The New England Woman Suffrage Association never formally disbandedbut simply ceased to meet. 

From 1910 onward what had tended most to increase membership was theformation of the Woman Suffrage Party to work as the Stateassociation, with a non-dues-paying membership of men and women, similar to the political parties, having district leaders, precinctcaptains and ward chairmen, strictly non-partisan and solely topromote woman suffrage. The first chairman was Mrs. Gertrude HalladayLeonard. A convention was held in Faneuil Hall on March 5, 1912, atwhich time twenty-three of the twenty-six Boston wards had beenorganized, also Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, Newton and manyother cities and towns. The membership was 25, 000 and by thereferendum campaign in 1915 it had advanced to about 250, 000. 

This change in the type of organization was indicative of a change inthe whole suffrage movement. It was recognized that more widelydiffused education on the subject was needed and that suffrage mustbecome a political issue. The suffrage leagues were changed intopolitical district organizations; the parlor meeting gave place to theoutdoor meeting; State headquarters were moved from No. 6 MarlboroStreet, a residential section, to 585 Boylston Street in a businessbuilding, and local societies were kept in touch. Every effort wasmade to reach labor unions and other organizations of men withspeakers and educational propaganda and to carry information to theman in the street, who often had never heard of the Woman SuffrageAssociation. The executive board met every two weeks and later everyweek or oftener. Mrs. Page, its chairman, was followed in 1911 by Mrs. Marion Booth Kelley; in 1912 by Mrs. Gertrude B. Newell, and in May, 1913, Mrs. Leonard was elected and served to October, 1917. Upon herresignation Mrs. Grace A. Johnson was chosen, who was succeeded byMrs. Charles Sumner Bird. 

In 1912 a new State organization, called the Political Equality Union, was formed, with Miss Mabel Gillespie as chairman, Mrs. FitzGerald assecretary and Dr. Lily Burbank as treasurer, which made a specialeffort to reach the labor men and women. As the vote on theconstitutional amendment approached, in order that there might be nooverlapping, ten per cent. Of the State was assigned as a field forthe work of the Union and the rest for that of the State association. The two cooperated in legislative work. The Union disbanded inNovember, 1916, advising its members to join the State association. 

CAMPAIGN. Through the campaign year of 1914, preceding the vote on aconstitutional amendment, which had been submitted by the Legislature, the association kept five salaried speakers continually in the field, besides numerous volunteers. On the list of the speakers' bureau therewere 125 women and 76 men. The State and the Boston headquarters had alarge office force, and in the field were nine organizers, giving fullor half time. The State College Equal Suffrage League handled theretail literature for the association and took charge of the officehospitality. The Equal Franchise Committee, Mrs. Robert Gould Shaw, president, had an important part in the campaign. The Men's League forWoman Suffrage was reorganized with Oakes Ames as president and JosephKelley as secretary. The Harvard Men's League cooperated in many ways. The use of one of the University Halls for a speech by Mrs. Pankhurstwas refused to it, much to the chagrin of liberal-minded graduates andundergraduates, but she held a very successful meeting in a nearbyhall. The use of a hall was refused also for Mrs. Florence Kelley, although she had spoken at Harvard on other subjects. In order toavoid further trouble the Harvard Corporation voted that thereafter nowoman should be allowed to lecture in the college halls except by itsspecial invitation. This rule was abandoned later and Miss Helen Toddof California spoke on suffrage in Emerson Hall before a largeaudience. 

Other suffrage organizations sprang up or were enlarged, the Writers'League, the Players' League, etc. Local branches were built up rapidlyunder the leadership of Mrs. Pinkham, State organization chairman, andby the spring of 1914 there were 138 leagues and committees. Justbefore the vote in November, 1915, these had grown to 200. Monthlyconferences of the district leaders were held at State headquarters. Asystematic effort was made to build up strong suffrage organizationsin the cities outside of Boston. Workers and speakers were sentthrough the State to help the local workers. In 1914 a series oftwo-day conferences was held in eleven of the sixteen counties, thefirst day devoted to discussion of work with local leaders and thesecond to holding often as many as twenty meetings by a corps ofspeakers, at factories, stores, men's clubs, labor unions, churchorganizations, on the street, etc. 

To educate the men who were to vote upon the question, a State-widecanvass of voters was begun by Mrs. Crowley, which was carried on upto election day. A body of from five to seven intelligent women, informed on the question, re-enforced by local volunteers, called fromhouse to house, talking to the voter or his wife, leaving suffrageliterature and if possible getting the voter's signature to a cardpledge to vote yes. These canvassers moved from city to city and fromtown to town, reaching from one-half to two-thirds of the registeredvoters, averaging about 1, 500 calls per week and leaving the rest ofthe work to be carried on by local women. By election day over 250, 000voters had been interviewed, 100, 000 had signed pledge cards and morethan 50, 000 others had expressed themselves as favorable. 

Much of this work was made possible by the activities of the Ways andMeans Committee of the State Association, under the chairmanship ofMrs. B. F. Pitman, who, during the many years that she served in thatcapacity, repeatedly rescued the association from the verge of debtand filled up its treasury. Her committee accomplished this by a BayState Bazaar held every year at the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston; byballs, theatrical performances, outdoor fętes, pageants and otherentertainments. 

As an extra provision for the campaign of 1915, the Bay State FinanceCommittee was formed in 1914 by Mrs. Park, chairman, which with theState association raised and spent about $54, 000 in the campaign. Thiswas exclusive of the money spent by the various leagues and branchesthroughout the State, including $10, 820 by the Boston Association forGood Government. 

For two years educational work was pushed in every way. It was carriedinto the country districts by systematic trolley and automobile trips, parties of workers carrying out well planned itineraries in differentparts of the State, involving usually from two to four open-airmeetings per day. Audiences were secured in all the small andscattered places, even the most remote, by postal notices mailed fromState headquarters several days in advance to every registered voter. 

Among the means employed to draw attention were huge "Votes forWomen" kites, voiceless speeches (a series of placards held up to viewin a store window or other public place), distribution of literaturein the baseball parks; a suffrage automobile or a section in theparades on Labor Day, Columbus Day, etc. ; a pilgrimage to Worcester onthe anniversary of the First National Woman's Rights Convention, ledby Miss Florence Luscomb in old-fashioned costume, in Lucy Stone'scarriage; the running of propaganda films in the moving pictures andthe placing of 100, 000 brightly painted tin Blue Birds in conspicuousplaces throughout the State, each bird bearing the words "Votes forWomen, Nov. 2, 1919. " There were speakers and debates at men's clubs, church organizations, labor unions, in factories, granges, at cattleshows and at conventions of all sorts. 

Large indoor meetings were held, addressed by distinguished visitorsto the State, among them Philip Snowden and Mrs. Snowden, SenatorHelen Ring Robinson of Colorado, U. S. Senators Clapp of Minnesota, Kenyon of Iowa and Thomas of Colorado. Mrs. Pankhurst and her daughterSylvia spoke in Boston and Cambridge with great success. Louis D. Brandeis, afterwards Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, came out forwoman suffrage. In Boston, under the direction of Miss Mabel CaldwellWillard, innumerable street meetings were held for a year before thevote, with mass meetings every Sunday in the Tremont Theater and onthe historic Common. 

Press material was supplied to city and country papers. The newspapersas a whole grew more favorable as time went by but their editorialpages were much more friendly than the news columns, which frequentlycarried stories that were unfair or wholly untrue. The Boston _SundayHerald_ printed regular suffrage notes for some months before the voteand once the daily edition gave the suffragists a full page. TheBoston _American_ let them issue a special supplement, in charge ofMrs. Jennette A. S. Jeffrey and Mrs. Leonard, and this example wasfollowed by other papers in the State. As always, the _Woman'sJournal_ did much to hold together, encourage and stimulate theworkers. A special committee distributed more than 100, 000 copies ofsuffrage speeches made in Congress and more than 300, 000 pieces ofother literature within the last few months before the election. 

The most impressive publicity put forth by the State association wasthe two parades in Boston; the first held May 2, 1914, and the second, Oct. 16, 1915, just before the election. The first one caused asensation. It contained about 12, 000 women, with a small section ofmen, and was conducted under the chairmanship of Mrs. Leonard, withMrs. Page, Mrs. Johnson and nine sub-committee chairmen. It wasextremely well organized and the large mass of totally untrainedmarchers was handled so efficiently as to surprise all who saw it. Delegations from all over New England took part and one fromAustralia; women in national costumes; nurses in uniform; delegationsfrom all the women's colleges in the State and men and women from theuniversities; also a singing chorus trained by Dr. Archibald Davidson, Jr. , of Appleton Chapel, Harvard. In the procession were a son, threegrandsons, a granddaughter and two granddaughters-in-law of WilliamLloyd Garrison; the daughter of Abby Kelley Foster, thedaughter-in-law of Angelina Grimké and Theodore Weld and the daughterof Lucy Stone and Henry B. Blackwell. The Concord banner was carriedby the grandniece of Louisa M. Alcott. Arrangements had been made fora delegation from the Boston Central Labor Union but when the timecame the sole marcher to appear was the president, who courageouslymarched alone carrying the banner of the union. 

The second, called the Victory Parade, was even more successful. Itincluded about 15, 000 marchers with a substantial men's section andwas viewed by 500, 000 people. It was reviewed by Governor David I. Walsh in front of the State House and Mayor James Michael Curley infront of the City Hall and was followed by a tremendous mass meetingin Mechanics' Building, addressed by the Mayor and others. Paradeswere held also in other large cities. 

The State Federation of Women's Clubs at its annual meeting in 1915endorsed woman suffrage, on motion of Mrs. Herbert J. Gurney, by avote of 203 to 99. The extreme to which bitter feeling ran was shownby a widely advertised attempt to organize a Non-partisan League amongthe club women in consequence but only a few hundred joined out of afederation membership of 65, 000. It had been endorsed by the GeneralFederation and by 28 State federations but in no other had thedefeated minority undertaken to organize another society. 

Thirty county fairs out of thirty-seven were covered systematically. Special help in the campaign work was given by Ohio, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The question of womansuffrage was presented before 621 organizations of men through theefforts of a committee formed for that purpose, under Mrs. EvelynPeverly Coe's chairmanship. Women attended nearly all the primariesand town meetings, distributing literature and urging the men to voteyes. 

As the election approached the work along all lines grew moreintensive. Well-organized victory automobile tours ran steadilythroughout the summer and fall, in the eastern part of the State underthe direction of Mrs. Walter G. Morey and in the western under MissLuscomb. Meetings were held at the fashionable hotels on the north andsouth shores and outdoor meetings at the popular beach resorts. Comparatively few were held indoors but 1, 675 were supplied withspeakers. Big meetings were addressed in Boston and other large citiesby U. S. Senator William E. Borah and Dr. Anna Howard Shaw. Anelaborate luncheon was given by the Men's League and the Stateassociation at the Hotel Bellevue to the Governors' conference held inBoston. Valuable help at this time was rendered by Governor Walsh andthe favorable opinions of the Governors of equal suffrage States werepublished at length in the Boston papers by the Men's League. At thelast moment mass meetings were held in Boston at Symphony Hall and inthe largest halls of many other cities. A symbolical and picturesqueflag-raising took place on Boston Common. A last-minute circular wassent to each of the State's 600, 000 registered voters. The day beforethe vote the railroad stations in Boston were visited morning andevening and thousands of pieces of literature were given to thecommuters. 

On election day, Nov. 2, 1915, practically all the polling places inthe State were covered by 8, 000 women, who stood for hours holdingaloft placards reading, "Show your Faith in the Women ofMassachusetts; vote 'Yes' on Woman Suffrage. " And yet after all thisstrenuous effort and self-sacrificing devotion the amendment wasdefeated by a vote of 295, 489 to 163, 406, a majority of 132, 000. Thevote in Boston was: Noes, 53, 654; ayes, 31, 428; opposing majority, 22, 226. 

Louis D. Brandeis said in an address on Columbus Day: "I doubt ifthere has been carried on ever in Massachusetts--certainly not in mylifetime--a campaign which for intelligence, devotion and intensitysurpassed the campaign of the women for suffrage. It should silenceany doubt as to their fitness for enfranchisement. " The suffragists, however, had to contend with serious and insuperable difficulties. Thepopulation of the State had changed radically since the early dayswhen Massachusetts had been the starting point of liberal movements. For more than half a century its most progressive citizens had beengoing west and their places had been filled by wave after wave ofimmigration from Europe, largely ignorant and imbued with the OldWorld ideas as to the subjection of women. The religious question alsoentered in, and, while the Catholic Church took no stand as to womansuffrage, many Catholics believed that it would be a step towardSocialism, against which the church was making a vigorous contest. Onthe other hand, many Protestants believed that the Catholic women'svotes would be unduly influenced by the priests. 

Massachusetts was the home of the oldest and most influentialanti-suffrage organization of women in the United States under theleadership of Mrs. Charles Eliot Guild, Miss Mary Ames, Mrs. JamesCodman, Mrs. Charles P. Strong and others. Few of its members did anyactive work but they were connected through the men of their familieswith the richest, most powerful and best organized groups of men inthe State, who worked openly or behind the scenes against womansuffrage. They had an influence out of all proportion to theirnumbers. Most of the literature, most of the money and a liberalsupply of speakers for anti-suffrage campaigns all over the countryhad emanated from this association. While always posing as a woman'sprotest, the real strength of the movement was in the men. 

In May, 1912, a Man's Anti-Suffrage Association had been organized, its Executive Committee consisting of ten lawyers, one cotton broker, one Technology Professor, the treasurer of Harvard College and thetreasurer of the Copley Society. Other societies were organizedlater. All through the summer and fall of 1915 the women's and themen's organizations and various groups and combinations of men, whofor one reason or another did not want equal suffrage, worked publiclyand privately in every conceivable way against the amendment. Theyheld meetings, mostly indoor, sent out speakers, advertised in streetcars, prepared and mailed to every voter at great expense an elaboratepamphlet, The Case Against Woman Suffrage, full of misrepresentations, and did all an active opposition could do, and they had an efficientand highly paid Publicity Committee. The liquor interests fought theamendment from start to finish. Pink slips were passed out in saloonson election day, saying, "Good for two drinks if woman suffrage isdefeated. "

The vote was curiously uniform. Every part of the State gave anadverse majority; so did every city and town except Tewksbury andCarver; and generally in about the same proportion--places with strongsuffrage organizations and places with none; whether the work done inthem had been much or little; even towns where a majority of thevoters had signed pledge cards promising to vote for the amendmentvoted adversely and in about the same ratio. The vote was the largestever cast on any amendment in the State. By appealing adroitly to allkinds of prejudices, as on the religious question, the opposition gotout an enormous number of men who generally did not vote at all. 

Both sides were required by law to file at the State House a record oftheir campaign expenses. An analysis of the lists showed that the bulkof the anti-suffrage campaign fund was made up of personalcontributions, four-fifths of them from men, and more thanthree-fifths of the total from 135 men, whose average donation was$235. The slogan of their campaign had been that women did not want tovote. The official figures showed that those who claimed to speak for"80 per cent. Of the women" received 80 per cent. Of theircontributions from men, and not from the rank and file of men butchiefly from bankers, brokers and powerful directors of the moniedsection of Boston. The bulk of the suffrage campaign fund came fromfairs, sales and entertainments and of the personal contributions morethan four-fifths were from women, their average donation being $17. 

After the election in 1915 there was started a State branch of theCongressional Union, later called the National Woman's Party, formedsome years before to push the Federal Amendment. It was under theleadership of Mrs. Morey, chairman, and other women most of whom hadbeen active with the State association during the campaign. The defeatof the State amendment caused the work of all organizations to bedirected toward the submission of the Federal Amendment. 

At the annual meeting of the State association in May, 1916, a budgetof $30, 000 was adopted and $20, 000 toward it was pledged on the spot. Through the preceding winter the association had five paid organizers, two of them working in Boston, and a large number of volunteer fieldworkers, at least 230 in Boston alone. Besides the chairmen for thesixteen congressional districts, each of the forty senatorialdistricts had its chairman, all working under the State Chairman ofOrganization, Mrs. Sara S. Gilson. She was followed by Mrs. Mary P. Sleeper and by Mrs. Elizabeth Tilton, who formed an Advisory Councilof 100 influential men in preparation for the campaign to ratify theFederal Amendment. 

After the United States entered the World War in 1917 the suffrageorganizations, State and local, devoted their efforts largely tovarious forms of war work, called for by the Government. They servedon all committees, took part in all "drives, " sold Liberty Bonds andcontinued their service till the last demand had been met. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The Massachusetts Legislature began in 1869 togrant hearings to women asking for the franchise and it continued todo so every year thereafter. These hearings usually crowded thelargest committee room at the State House, the throng often extendingfar out into the hall. Able arguments were presented by eminent menand women but it was impossible to obtain favorable action. There wasat least one hearing every year and often several on differentmeasures. In later years they were generally conducted by Mrs. MaudWood Park, Miss Amy F. Acton, a young woman lawyer, or Miss AliceStone Blackwell for the petitioners; and by Thomas Russell, Aaron H. Latham, Charles R. Saunders or Robert Luce, as attorney for theAnti-Suffrage Association. Miss Blackwell usually replied for thepetitioners. In recent years the suffragists had influentialpoliticians of both parties to speak at the hearings, thus makingwoman suffrage a political question. 

1901. The State association asked for the Municipal and Presidentialfranchise and for the submission to the voters of a constitutionalamendment giving full suffrage. At the hearing on the latter, heldFebruary 18, the crowd broke all records and members of the committeewho came late had to reach their seats by walking on top of the longtable. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt was among the speakers. [84] Themeasure was defeated March 11 by a vote, including pairs, of 156 to53. Individuals petitioned for Municipal suffrage for women taxpayers, which was referred to the next Legislature without a roll call. 

1902. The association's petition for a constitutional amendment wasdebated in the House on March 5 and defeated by a vote (includingpairs) of 153 to 61. Petitions from individuals for Municipal suffragefor taxpaying women and that women qualified to vote for schoolcommittee might vote in the primaries on the nominations for it and apetition of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union that women mightvote on licenses, were all rejected, after lively hearings. TheAnti-Suffrage Association opposed all of them. 

The great legislative triumph of 1902 was the passage of the EqualGuardianship bill. Ever since Lucy Stone in 1847 began to urge theamendment of the old law, which gave the father absolute control, thesuffragists had endeavored to have it changed. Bill after bill, drawnby Samuel E. Sewall and others, had been introduced and rejected andit required a tragedy to obtain a new law. Mrs. Naramore of Coldbrook, Mass. , went insane and killed her six young children when she learnedthat their father intended to give them away and could legally do so. This deeply stirred the Rev. Charles H. Talmage, who had conducted thefuneral service, with the six little coffins ranged before the pulpit. He made a careful inquiry into all the circumstances and gave a fullaccount of them in the Boston _Herald_ of April 15, 1901 (republishedin the _Woman's Journal_ of April 27). He gave his time and the StateSuffrage Association paid his expenses while he went through the Stateenlisting the support of different organizations of women to secure achange in the law. Mr. Blackwell also put in much time for thispurpose. 

When the Equal Guardianship bill was introduced by RepresentativeGeorge H. Fall of Malden it was backed not only by the suffrageassociation but by the State Federation of Women's Clubs, the State W. C. T. U. , the Women's Relief Corps, the Boston Children's FriendSociety and more than a hundred other organizations, aggregating34, 000 women. Among them the Anti-Suffrage Association was notincluded. For six years it had been circulating, under its officialimprint, a leaflet against the proposal to give mothers equal custodyand control of the children and in defense of the law as it stood. 

The Committee on Probate and Chancery reported adversely by 8 to 3. The outlook for its passage seemed so dark that Mr. Fall came to the_Woman's Journal_ office and asked if it might not be better to dropit and await a more propitious time. Miss Blackwell urged him to pushit to a test. On May 27 it was debated in the House. RepresentativeMarshall of Gloucester said that the Probate Judges were all opposedto it; that its advocates were "sentimentalists" and that "it wouldcreate strife, separation and divorce. " He added: "Those who appearedfor it before the committee were practically the same crowd thatappeared for woman suffrage. " Representative Sleeper exclaimed: "Ifyou want to enact legislation which will disrupt the home and sunderthe tenderest and most sacred relations, pass this bill!" The Houserejected the committee's adverse report by a viva voce vote and thenext day passed the bill without further debate. It passed the Senateby a large majority. Thanks and praises were showered uponRepresentative Fall, who modestly said that two-thirds of the creditfor working up the case belonged to his wife, Mrs. Anna Christy Fall. 

1903. The bill for taxpayers' Municipal suffrage was defeated February5 without a roll call; the association's petition for a constitutionalamendment by 99 to 87. 

1904. Governor John L. Bates recommended woman suffrage in hisMessage. The association asked for Municipal suffrage for women havingthe same qualifications required of men. The bill was debated in theHouse on February 16 and defeated without a roll call. The bill to letwomen vote on nominations for school trustees was defeated by 62 to30. 

1905. The association's petition for a constitutional amendment wasrejected without a division and without even discussion. Petitionswere rejected for License suffrage, for a vote on school nominationsand to enable women to vote for the appointing officer if the Bostonschool board should be made appointive instead of elective. Theassociation always joined with other societies in asking for measuresfor the public welfare. 

1906. The association's petition for a constitutional amendment wasdebated March 23 and defeated without a roll call. One headed by JohnGolden, president of the Textile Workers, for Municipal suffrage forwage-earning women was also defeated without a division, as were thepetitions for License suffrage and for a vote on school nominations. 

1907. The constitutional amendment was debated February 20 anddefeated by 125 to 14. The Good Templars asked for License suffragefor women. At the hearing the bill was supported by representatives ofthe Anti-Saloon League, the W. C. T. U. , the Christian Endeavorers, etc. , and opposed by the Anti-Suffrage Association and the attorney ofthe Wine and Spirits Wholesale Dealers' Association. A bill requiringthat the same measures be taken to keep the names of women voters(school) on the register as the names of men failed to pass. 

1908. Municipal suffrage for all women, asked for by the association, was vigorously debated and voted down by 99 to 30. Municipal suffragefor women taxpayers, asked for by individuals, was defeated without aroll call. 

1909. At the hearing on February 23 the Boston _Herald_, which was notin favor of equal suffrage, estimated that 2, 000 women besieged theState House. They crowded the corridors and the large portico untiltwo great overflow meetings were held in the open air at either end ofthe broad stairway leading up to the entrance. Later the overflowmeeting moved on to the Common. The huge crowd of women made a deepimpression and was largely featured in the press, which said thatnothing like it had ever been seen in Boston. [85] The hearing wasconducted for the petitioners by Mrs. Crowley and for the "antis" byMr. Saunders. He was so impressed by the crowd that his usual sneeringand jeering manner was wholly changed. The suffrage speakers were Dr. Shaw, John F. Tobin, president of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union;Rabbi Charles Fleischer, Miss Josephine Casey, secretary of theWomen's Trade Union League; Henry Abrahams of the Central Labor Union;Miss Rose Brennan of Fall River, Miss Blackwell, Miss Eleanor Rendellof England, Winfield Tuck and Mrs. Belle Davis. Mrs. Gorham Dana, Professor Sedgwick and Mrs. George spoke for the "antis. " Mrs. JuliaWard Howe and Ex-Governor Bates, who were to have spoken for suffrage, could not get into the room. [86] The constitutional amendment wasdebated March 23. The galleries were reserved for women, yet many wereturned away. The vote stood 171 noes to 54 ayes, including 11 pairs. 

1910. The hearing February 23 on a constitutional amendment wasunusually impressive. It was held in the evening to enable women busyby day to attend. In the past two or three members of the Legislaturenot on the committee had sometimes dropped in. This year about sixtywere present. Mrs. Crowley and Mrs. Luce conducted the hearing for thetwo sides. The petitioners had arranged delegations representingdifferent groups of women--mothers, home-makers, leisure women, lawyers, mission and church workers, artists, authors and journalists, doctors and nurses, Socialists, W. C. T. U. , the "unrepresented"(widows and single women), business women, trade unions, teachers, social workers, taxpayers, saleswomen, clerks and stenographers andcollege women. These 1, 500 or more marched to the State House fromFord Hall, each group under its own banner, and presented themselvesbefore the committee in turn, the spokeswoman of each group tellingbriefly why she, and women like her, wanted the ballot. Then they wentover to Ford Hall, where a big rally was held and the main address wasmade by Mrs. Fanny Garrison Villard. An overflow meeting was held onthe State House steps addressed by Edwin D. Mead and others. In orderto line up the labor vote in the Legislature, resolutions by differentlabor unions, signed by their secretaries, were sent to eachlegislator, under the direction of Mrs. Page. The measure was defeatedMarch 31 by 148 to 47. 

1911. For the first time in many years, the Legislative Committee ofthe State association, Mrs. Crowley, chairman, appeared, before theResolutions Committee of the political parties to urge the adoption ofa suffrage plank. The Democratic party inserted one favoring thesubmission of the question to the voters; the Republican party ignoredit. The legislators were interviewed both at the State House and byrepresentative suffragists within their districts, and they receivedsuffrage literature. The hearing on February 23 was unusuallysuccessful from a political and publicity standpoint. It was conductedby Mrs. Crowley and was addressed by Mrs. Park and Mrs. KatharineDexter McCormick; John Sherman Weaver, representing the State branchof the American Federation of Labor, and Henry Abrahams for the BostonCentral Labor Union. Sylvia Pankhurst addressed the committee in asimple and effective way. Two of the opposition speakers were Mrs. George and Professor Sedgwick. The debate was spirited and wasconducted for the suffragists by prominent Senators andRepresentatives. Four members spoke in opposition. The vote in theHouse was ayes, 69, noes, 161; in the Senate, ayes, 6, noes, 31. During all these years a quiet but effective opposition had beenworking at the State House under the direction of Charles R. Saunders, legislative counsel for the Anti-Suffrage Association. 

One of the most significant features in the fall of 1911 was thepolitical work of Miss Margaret Foley, as it marked the beginning of anew type of effort. She had made a special trip to England the yearbefore with Miss Florence Luscomb and Miss Alice Carpenter to observethe methods of the English suffragettes, who were then receiving greatpublicity. After her return she began by attending with other womenthe political rallies of the various candidates for the StateLegislature and at the close of each rally asking the candidate how hestood on the question of Votes for Women. By her knowledge of crowdpsychology and gift as a speaker, she was able not only to handle butto win the roughest crowd to the consternation of the candidates. Whenthe candidates for Governor started on their campaign, Miss Foley, with a group of workers, followed the Republican candidate in a fastautomobile, attended all his meetings, spoke to the crowd on suffrageafter the Republican speeches were over and questioned the candidatesfor Governor and other State officers as to their stand on suffrage. This unique and somewhat sensational method was taken up with avidityby the newspapers, which gave it front-page articles withillustrations. Later she turned her attention to the Democraticcandidates. This was kept up until election and suffrage facts andarguments were presented to thousands of voters who would neverotherwise have heard them. 

In 1912 the Legislative Committee, Miss Mary Gay, chairman, conductedthe hearing on February 26. Afterwards a special letter of thanks wassent to Professor Lewis J. Johnson of Harvard and the Hon. JosephWalker for their help at the hearing. The amendment had able supportfrom members and the campaign work began to show results. The vote inthe House was ayes, 96, noes, 116; in the Senate, aye's, 14, noes, 17. 

In the autumn the method was introduced which many believed wasultimately responsible for putting the amendment through theLegislature. It was the defeating of individual legislators who hadbeen prominent opponents by making an active political campaign intheir districts. The first was begun at the primaries against StateSenator Roger Wolcott of Milton, chairman of the ConstitutionalAmendments Committee in the preceding Legislature. The women compileda record of his negative votes on many liberal measures, includingsuffrage, and spread this record before his constituents. This workwas done at the suggestion and under the direction of Mrs. Fitzgerald, who conducted open-air meetings in the district. The effort to defeathis renomination in the primary failed, however, largely through theirinexperience. The Legislative Committee at the time consisted of Mrs. Crowley, chairman, Mrs. Leonard, Mrs. Park, Mrs. Page, Miss Foley andMrs. Mary Agnes Mahan and remained substantially the same during thenext two or three years, with the addition of Mrs. Marie BurressCurrier, Miss Cora Start and Mrs. Evelyn Peverley Coe. Then they madea fight against Mr. Wolcott's election and by a most thorough campaigndefeated him at the polls and a Democrat was returned from thatdistrict for the first time in many years. 

This year marked the high tide of the Progressive party inMassachusetts. It had put a straight suffrage plank in its platformand its members in the Legislature were very helpful. The defeat ofWolcott, the publicity, the increasing vote in the Legislature and thegeneral stirring of the suffrage question, had caused the opponents tofear that the constitutional amendment would be submitted. Consequently a bill was filed calling for another referendum like theone in 1895 which would have no effect after it was taken. TheExecutive Board of the State association protested against it but thesituation looked extremely dark. Levi H. Greenwood, President of theSenate, and Grafton D. Cushing, Speaker of the House, were bitteropponents of woman suffrage and on the Committee on ConstitutionalAmendments there was only one avowed friend, Lewis H. Sullivan ofDorchester. The association's Legislative Committee worked strenuouslyto pledge votes against the bill. A visit to every editor in the cityby Mrs. Page and Mrs. Crowley enlisted them against it and thenumerous editorials that followed were sent day by day to thelegislators: The bill's support dwindled, and on April 18 it wasdefeated in the House by 117 to 73, although the Speaker left thechair for the only time that session to argue in favor of it. 

At the hearing on the submission of the constitutional amendment, Louis D. Brandeis, ex-Congressman Samuel L. Powers, Joseph Walker andProfessor Albert Bushnell Hart of Harvard spoke in favor and letterswere read from Samuel W. McCall, afterwards Republican Governor;Charles Sumner Bird, the Progressive leader, and Thomas W. Riley, aninfluential Democrat. For the first time since 1895 woman suffragecommanded a majority in the House, the vote standing ayes, 144, noes, 88, but this was not the necessary two-thirds and the LegislativeCommittee consented that it might be voted down in the Senate, provided the "straw" vote bill was defeated at the same time. 

It now seemed practically certain that the amendment would pass thenext Legislature. In the fall of 1913 the Boston Equal SuffrageAssociation defeated Walter R. Meins of the 21st Suffolk District; theLegislative Committee of the State Association defeatedRepresentatives Butler of Lowell and Underhill of Somerville at theprimaries, and Bliss of Malden and Greenwood, president of the Senate, at the election. This being the first time for many years that aDemocrat had been returned from Greenwood's district, his defeatcaused a sensation. 

In 1914 the Progressive party, the State Federation of Labor, theSocialists and the State Suffrage Association all introduced suffragemeasures. The Progressive and Democratic parties had planks in theirplatforms recommending the submission of the constitutional amendmentto the voters and Governor Walsh was in favor of it. The suffragistswere unable to get a plank in the Republican platform. For reasons ofpolitical expediency, Mrs. Crowley turned over the conduct of thehearing to John Weaver Sherman, representing the State Federation ofLabor. There were speeches in favor by Guy A. Ham, chairman of theResolutions Committee of the State Republican convention; HenrySterling, representing the American Federation of Labor; Mrs. WilliamLloyd Garrison, Jr. , Mrs. Pinkham and Mrs. Katherine Lent Stevenson, president of the W. C. T. U. Letters were read from ex-Governor Batesand Sherman K. Whipple, Republican and Democratic leaders. The Women'sPolitical Equality Union had speakers from the Textile Workers' Unionof Boston and the unions of the telephone operators, candy-makers andstreet-car men. The debate in the House was successfully led bySanford Bates, chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. The resolution to submit the amendment passed by 168 to 39 in theHouse and 34 to 2 in the Senate, commanding the required two-thirdsfor the first time, but it had to pass a succeeding Legislature. 

In 1915 the legislative work was less onerous and the amendment passedthe House by 193 to 33, the Senate by 33 to 3 and was signed byGovernor Walsh, who presented the pen to Mrs. Crowley. His signaturewas not necessary but he wished to show his approval. 

Under the Corrupt Practices Act a political committee, so-called, ofat least five men, had to be formed to handle the funds of any groupthat spent more than $20 to carry or defeat a constitutionalamendment. A bill was passed which allowed women to form the committeein the case of the equal suffrage amendment and the following werenamed: Miss Blackwell, chairman; Mrs. Blanche Ames, treasurer; Mrs. Crowley, Mrs. Leonard and Miss Foley. The strenuous campaign and thedefeat of the amendment after a struggle of more than half a centuryto have it submitted, have been described. 

In 1916 no suffrage bill of any kind was presented to the Legislatureby the State Association but it turned its attention to congressionalwork. This was skilfully conducted by Mrs. Grace A. Johnson, chairman;members of Congress were interviewed, letters and telegrams sent tothe Congressional Judiciary Committee and delegates to the Nationalparty conventions were urged to support suffrage planks. When theseplanks were secured in the national platforms of all parties duringthe summer the victory was celebrated with a mass meeting in FaneuilHall. 

In 1917 Massachusetts held a Constitutional Convention. The Actcalling it, in describing those to whom its recommendations should besubmitted for ratification, used the word "people. " A bill drawn byMrs. Crowley was filed in the Legislature by the State SuffrageAssociation asking that women be considered people within the meaningof this Act. The Senate asked the opinion of the State Supreme Courtas to its constitutionality and she filed a brief. The Supreme Courtdecided adversely and in view of the rapid advance of the FederalSuffrage Amendment the association decided that no State amendmentshould be submitted by the convention. 

The directions of the National Suffrage Association for congressionalwork were carried out. Federal Amendment meetings were held, thousandsof letters sent to members of Congress from their districts and about500 telegrams sent just before the vote was taken in 1918. Theamendment lacked but one vote of passing the U. S. Senate and itbecame necessary to defeat at least one among the anti-suffrageSenators who were coming up for re-election, so it was decided todefeat Senator John W. Weeks in Massachusetts. His reactionary recordwas spread before the Republican voters by 370, 000 circulars andadvertisements in Republican papers. A special campaign among theworking men was made by members of the Women's Trade Union League, under the leadership of Miss Mabel Gillespie, and among the Jewishvoters, who were normally Republican, under the leadership of Mrs. Joseph Fels and Mrs. Lillian E. DeHaas of New York. The greatpopularity of President Wilson at this time was of assistance and alsothat of the Democratic candidate for the Senate, ex-Governor Walsh. Aspecial letter was sent to every listed member of the Stateassociation asking that at least one vote be secured against Mr. Weeks, with a spirited appeal by Mrs. Ames, who belonged to aprominent Republican family. Mr. Walsh was elected by about 20, 000majority, the first Democratic U. S. Senator from Massachusetts sincethe Civil War. 

The Congressional Committee, Mrs. Ames, chairman, sent more than 5, 000letters and telegrams asking suffragists in the State to write andtelegraph the Massachusetts Senators and members of Congress to votefor the Federal Amendment. Concentrated work was done upon threedoubtful Representatives, one of whom was secured, Carter of Needham. This proved most fortunate as the House gave exactly the two-thirdsvote. 

The work done in 1918 on the great petition for the Federal Amendmentwas very successful despite the influenza epidemic. In Worcester, Springfield, Pittsfield and North Adams women signed numbering morethan 51 per cent. Of the men's last vote for President and in Boston62, 000 names were secured or 60 per cent. Of that vote. Theanti-suffragists in twenty-four years had accumulated only a littleover 40, 000 signatures in the whole State, according to their ownfigures. In less than one year the suffragists obtained 70, 792 in theabove cities and over 100, 000 in the State. 

RATIFICATION. When the Federal Amendment was submitted by Congress onJune 4, 1919, the Legislative Committee of the State Association, Mrs. Anna C. M. Tillinghast, chairman, was expanded into a RatificationCommittee. It had already polled the Legislature, which was insession. A hearing was held before the Federal Relations Committeeconducted by Mrs. Tillinghast for the suffragists and by Mrs. HenryPreston White for the "antis, " who asked for a referendum to thevoters in place of ratification. The suffrage speakers were Frank B. Hall, chairman of the Republican State Committee; Joseph Walker, Progressive Republican; Josiah Quincy, Democrat, Joseph Walsh, Democrat, of the Senate; Mrs. Bird, Mrs. FitzGerald, Mrs. Pinkham, whopresented a petition of 135, 000 names from representative sections ofthe Commonwealth; Mrs. Mary Thompson, representing the working women;Miss Margaret Foley, a prominent Catholic; a representative of theState W. C. T. U. ; Charles J. Hodgson, legislative agent for theAmerican Federation of Labor. The speakers for the Woman's Party wereMrs. Morey, Miss Betty Gram, Michael O'Leary, chairman of theDemocratic State Committee, and Mrs. Louise Sykes. On theanti-suffrage side sixteen women representing the sixteencongressional districts told of their vote against suffrage in 1915. Miss Blackwell spoke in rebuttal for the suffragists, Miss CharlotteRowe of Yonkers, N. Y. , for the "antis. " B. Loring Young, Republicanfloor leader in the House, acted as chairman of the suffrage SteeringCommittee in the House and Joseph Knox in the Senate. The committeereported in favor of ratification with two dissenting. 

The debate in the House on June 25 was notable, about fifteen membersspeaking on each side. An amendment calling for a referendum wasdefeated by 166 to 67 and ratification carried by 185 ayes to 47noes. The Senate ratified by 34 ayes, 5 noes. Massachusetts was theeighth State to ratify. Mrs. Tillinghast expressed especial gratitudefor the assistance given by Governor Calvin Coolidge, LieutenantGovernor Channing M. Cox, Edwin T. McKnight, President of the Senate, Joseph E. Warner, Speaker of the House, B. Loring Young, Republican, and William H. McDonnell, Democratic floor leader, Leland Powers ofthe House, Joseph Knox of the Senate and the chairmen of theRepublican and Democratic State committees. 

After women had been enfranchised the State and the Boston suffrageassociations conducted citizenship schools in every county to instructthem in their new duties. 

LAWS. [The very complete digest of the legislation of the past twentyyears in relation to women and children, especially to those in theindustries, prepared by Mrs. Teresa A. Crowley, attorney at law, andfilling nine typewritten pages, has to be omitted for lack of space. ]

FOOTNOTES:

[79] The History is indebted for the first part of this chapter toMiss Alice Stone Blackwell, an officer of the National American WomanSuffrage Association from 1890 to 1912 inclusive; president of the NewEngland Woman Suffrage Association from 1911, and president of theMassachusetts Woman Suffrage Association almost continuously from 1909to 1920; and for the second part of the chapter to Mrs. Teresa A. Crowley, chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Stateassociation from 1909 for many years. 

[80] Later presidents were Mrs. Page, Mrs. Teresa A. Crowley, Mrs. Robert Gould Shaw and Mrs. J. Malcolm Forbes. When Mrs. Park wascalled to Washington to become national congressional chairman in 1916Mrs. Wenona Osborne Pinkham succeeded her as executive secretary. 

[81] At the annual meeting of the M. A. O. F. E. S. W. On May 1, officers were elected as follows: President, Mrs. G. Howland Shaw;vice-presidents, Mrs. J. H. Coolidge, Miss Anna L. Dawes, Mrs. CharlesD. Homans, Miss Agnes Irwin, Mrs. Henry M. Whitney; correspondingsecretary, Miss L. C. Post; recording secretary. Miss ElizabethJohnson; treasurer, Mrs. James M. Codman; executive committee, theofficers and Miss Sarah H. Crocker, Mrs. Gorham Dana, Mrs. CharlesEliot Guild, Miss Katherine E. Guild, Miss Elizabeth H. Houghton, MissSarah E. Hunt, Mrs. Francis C. Lowell, Mrs. J. H. Millet, Mrs. B. L. Robinson, Mrs. R. H. Saltonstall, Miss E. P. Sohier and Mrs. Henry M. Thompson. 

[82] Additional speakers through the summer were Miss Margaret Foley, Miss Gertrude Y. Cliff, Miss Edith M. Haynes, Mrs. Marion CraigWentworth, Miss Florence Luscomb, Miss Katherine Tyng, Miss AlfrettaMcClure and Miss Rosa Heinzen, the last four college girls. 

[83] Much help was given for years by the steady financial support ofMrs. R. D. Evans, Mrs. Robert Gould Shaw and Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw. Thelast named paid the rent of the suffrage headquarters during manyyears and her heirs continued this assistance for some time after herdeath in 1917. 

[84] Many of the same persons appeared at these hearings year afteryear. Among those not mentioned who spoke for suffrage between 1900and 1910 were Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead, Henry B. Blackwell, the Rev. Charles G. Ames, Mrs. Fanny B. Ames, Miss Sarah Cone Bryant, the Rev. Charles F. Dole, Mrs. Anna Christy Fall, Mrs. Helen Campbell, MissMary Ware Allen, Miss Eva Channing, Mrs. Abby Morton Diaz, MissLillian Freeman Clarke, Mrs. Maud Howe Elliott, Frank B. Sanborn, Mrs. Eliza R. Whiting, Mrs. Mary Kenney O'Sullivan, Mrs. A. Watson Lister, of Australia; ex Governor John D. Long. Letters in favor were readfrom Professor Borden P. Bowne, of Boston University, U. S. SenatorGeorge F. Hoar, ex Governor George S. Boutwell, Dr. J. L. Withrow ofPark Street Church, Congressman Samuel W. McCall, Professor W. O. Crosby of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mrs. Sarah PlattDecker, president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, Mrs. MayAlden Ward, president of the State Federation, Mrs. F. N. Shiek, president of the Wyoming Federation, and Judge Lindsey of the DenverJuvenile Court. 

Among those who spoke in opposition were Professor William T. Sedgwickof the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Mrs. Sedgwick, Mrs A. J. George, Mrs. Barrett Wendell, Mr. And Mrs. Frank Foxcroft and Dr. Lyman Abbott of New York. A number of women spoke every year whoopposed the suffrage because it would take women into public life. 

[85] The suggestion to get out a record-breaking crowd was made byRepresentative Norman H. White of Brookline, the first man for someyears to lead a serious fight in the Legislature for woman suffrage. The work of getting it out was engineered by Mrs. Crowley, Mrs. Pageand Mrs. Mary Ware Dennett, who also arranged the great procession atthe hearing of the following year. 

[86] Among the speakers at the overflow meetings on the steps were theMisses Rendell and Costello, Miss Foley, Mrs. George F. Lowell, Mr. Blackwell, Mrs. Fitzgerald, John Golden and Franklin H. Wentworth. Atthe overflow meeting on the Common Mrs. Fitzgerald presided and Dr. Shaw was the chief speaker. A great meeting in Faneuil Hall had beenaddressed by Dr. Shaw and others the night before. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

MICHIGAN. [87]

The Michigan Equal Suffrage Association is almost as old as any in theUnited State, having been organized in January, 1870, eight monthsafter the National Association was formed, and its work has been longand arduous. It has had triumphs and disappointments; gained partialsuffrage at two periods and ended in a complete victory in 1918. 

In 1900-1901 the principal efforts of the association, which consistedof 14 auxiliaries, were along educational lines. At the annualconvention in 1902 a petition was sent to President Theodore Rooseveltto recommend a woman suffrage amendment to the National Constitutionin his message to Congress, which was heartily endorsed by theNational Grange then in session in Lansing. Little active work wasbeing done with the Legislature but it is the pride of the suffragiststhat no Legislature ever convened which they did not memorialize andonly two years passed without a State convention--1912, and two wereheld in 1913; and 1917, when a congressional conference was heldinstead. [88] The presidents during these years were Mrs. Emily BurtonKetcham, Grand Rapids, 1901 (at intervals from 1892); Mrs. Martha E. Snyder Root, Bay City, 1902-3; Mrs. Guilielma H. Barnum, Charlotte, 1904-6; Mrs. Clara B. Arthur, Detroit, 1906-1914; Mrs. Orton H. Clark, Kalamazoo, 1914-1918; Mrs. Belle Brotherton, Detroit, actingpresident, 1918; Mrs. Percy J. Farrell, Detroit, 1918-1919. 

From 1902 to 1906 the work was largely confined to the preparing ofpublic opinion for the probable revision of the State constitution. Legislatures refused to submit a woman suffrage amendment to thevoters on the plea that a new constitution would soon be in force. Itwas decided to make an intensive educational campaign, especiallyamong the club women. To this end suffragists served on clubcommittees working for legislative or civic ends, and the rebuffs ofthe measures urged by them finally resulted in the endorsement ofwoman suffrage by the State Federation of Women's Clubs with 8, 000members, at Battle Creek in October, 1908. 

In 1906 speakers were sent over the State for lectures and debates. Prizes for suffrage essays were offered in high schools with materialsupplied. At county and State fairs, church bazars, picnics andmeetings of various societies, literature was freely distributed. The_Woman's Journal_ was placed in all public libraries and smallsuffrage tracts kept in interurban waiting rooms and in rest rooms ofchurches, societies and dry-goods stores. Birthdays of pioneersuffragists were celebrated by special meetings, local clubs alwaysresponding to a call with so concrete an object. A committee ofmembers in all parts of the State attended constantly to press work, sending in items of interest concerning the progress of women, educationally and politically, and answering attacks on womansuffrage. 

This year the Supreme Court decided that Mrs. Merrie Hoover Abbott, who had been elected prosecuting attorney of Ogemaw county, could notserve because no woman was entitled to hold office. The associationused this decision as a practical lesson on the position of womenunder the present constitution. Finally the Legislature of 1907arranged for a constitutional convention. The annual convention of theassociation promptly met the situation by appointing a ConstitutionalRevision Committee headed by Mrs. May Stocking Knaggs of Bay City, aformer president, and each auxiliary was invited to appoint one womanto serve on an advisory committee. The purpose of this committee wasto urge upon the convention the omission of the word "male" from thesuffrage clause as a qualification for voting. 

The Committee on Elective Franchise of the constitutional conventionreported unanimously in favor and on Jan 8. 1908, granted thesuffragists a hearing in Representatives Hall. Ten societiescooperating with the State suffrage association were represented--theGrange, two organizations of the Maccabees, Woman's ChristianTemperance Union, State Federation of Labor, Detroit Garment Workers, State Woman's Press Association and several women's and farmers'clubs. A petition representing 225, 000 names, 175, 000 of individualwomen of voting age, was presented. The State president, Mrs. Clara B. Arthur, introduced the speakers, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president ofthe National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Mrs. CatharineWaugh McCulloch, a lawyer of Chicago, who made earnest addresses. TheGovernor came in to hear them. The women "antis" circulated a leafletopposing the change. On January 29 the debate took place in theconvention on the proposed revision, and, although not a voice hadbeen raised in protest, the vote stood 38 ayes, 57 noes. Some memberswho voted "no" did so because they believed that the wholeconstitution would be defeated at the polls if it proposed toenfranchise women. The hard work of the association was not, however, barren of results, for a clause was inserted in the new constitutiongiving taxpaying women the right to vote on any public questionrelating to the public expenditure of money or the issuing of bonds. [In 1915 the Legislature extended it to the granting of publicfranchises. ]

In the spring Mrs. Arthur with Mrs. Maud Wood Park, organizer for theNational College Suffrage League, formed branches in the colleges atAlbion, Hillsdale, Olivet and Ann Arbor and among the collegiatealumnae in Detroit, of which Dr. Mary Thompson Stevens was madepresident. In June the fifty-six State delegates to the NationalDemocratic convention were petitioned for a woman suffrage plank inthe platform. 

The next task was to try to comply with the request of the NationalSuffrage Association to secure 100, 000 names to a nation-wide petitionto be presented to Congress for a Federal Suffrage Amendment. Mrs. Fern Richardson Rowe, Grand Rapids, was chairman of the work, whichtook up the greater part of the year 1909 and went over into 1910. This last year the State association obtained the consent of the Hon. Levi L. Barbour, former U. S. Senator Thomas W. Palmer and the Rev. Lee S. McCollester, pastor of the Church of Our Father (Universalist), all residents of Detroit, to act as an invitational committee inorganizing a Men's State League for Woman Suffrage. The chartermembership consisted of 100 influential men well known throughout theState. In March a committee of the association went to the RepublicanState convention to have a woman suffrage resolution adopted but wereunsuccessful. 

In March, 1912, the association was thrown unexpectedly into a turmoilwhen Governor Chase S. Osborn called a special session of theLegislature to consider, among other things, the submission of a womansuffrage amendment to the State constitution to the voters at thegeneral election on November 5, urged by the Detroit branch of theCollege Suffrage League. The time was not propitious but theLegislative Committee of the association, under the direction of Mrs. Jennie C. Law Hardy, went immediately to work, receiving ableassistance from the Governor, the Rev. Eugene R. Shippen (Unitarian)of the Men's League and Dr. Mary Thompson Stevens of the CollegeLeague. The State Grange immediately appropriated $1, 000 for theirWoman's Committee, directed by Miss Ida L. Chittenden. These unitedefforts were vigorously opposed by representatives of the liquordealers but the measure passed the Senate and House. This big contestMichigan entered almost single-handed. Campaigns in other States whichhad been months in progress and gave greater promise of success wereengaging nearly all of the organizers and speakers from outside theState. There was less than $250 in the treasury. This amount wasaugmented by $1, 340 from the National Association; $211 from variousStates and the State Association raised $6, 322. It was not until earlyJune that plans were completely under way. The five months remainingwere devoted to an intensive educational campaign, made possible onlyby the organizing work since 1906. 

State headquarters were opened in Detroit and subsidiary headquartersin Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. County suffrage societies cooperatedheartily and much help came from the press. The Men's League, theCollege League, the powerful State Grange, the Farmers' Clubs andmany labor organizations helped and all that was possible was done inthis short and unexpected campaign. When the returns began to come inthey were overwhelmingly in favor of the amendment. The newspapersfixed its majority at figures varying from 3, 000 to 12, 000. Immediately following these reports came rumors of large errors in thecount. Ballot boxes were mysteriously lost and every artifice known tothe politicians was employed to delay the official returns. 

Governor Osborn was quoted in the press as follows: "If the liquorinterests defeat the suffrage amendment by fraud, proved or suspected, the people of Michigan will retaliate, in my opinion, by adoptingstate wide prohibition. The question seems to be largely one as towhether these interests own, control and run Michigan. Those mostfeared are certain election 'crooks' in certain Detroit precincts, whowould not hesitate to do anything they thought they could get awaywith. " The Governor demanded that the returns be sent to Lansing atonce. When at the end of three weeks the official count was publishedit showed that the amendment had been defeated by 762 votes, ayes, 247, 373; noes, 248, 135. Clear evidence of fraud was apparent in Wayne, Kent, Saginaw and Bay counties. The State association engaged the bestlegal talent and in Genesee county the courts threw out the vote onthe amendment. It developed, however, that there was no law allowing arecount in a vote on a constitutional amendment and in the face ofglaring fraud the defeat had to be accepted. 

No State convention was held in November, 1912, because of the stressof campaign work but a postponed convention was held Jan. 15, 16, 1913. Indignation ran high over this defeat and an immediateresubmission of the amendment was decided upon as the result offavorable answers to questionnaires which had been sent to all countychairmen and the heads of all cooperating societies. During thecampaign no open or organized opposition among women had been inevidence. A legislative hearing was arranged by the suffragists andthe State and College League presidents on starting to Lansing found aspecial car attached to their train bearing about thirty prominentwomen members of a new Anti-Suffrage Association. Their only speakerwas Miss Minnie Bronson of New York, secretary of the NationalAnti-Suffrage Association. As Mrs. Arthur rose to answer her hour'sspeech she remarked that for the first time the voice of a woman washeard in this State in protest against her own enfranchisement and sherejoiced that it was not the voice of a Michigan woman. 

Despite determined opposition the proposal passed both Houses to bevoted on at the spring election just five weeks ahead. Owing to thesocial position of the "antis, " the State press gave much prominenceto their association, published pages of the members' pictures andquoted their reasons for organizing it. Branches were at once formedin ten adjoining towns; State offices were opened on Woodward Avenue, near the suffrage headquarters, books opened for registration andgreat quantities of literature sent over the State. Several debateswere attempted but few materialized, as they had no home talent. [89]

A placard printed in English and German and posted in saloons invarious parts of the city by the Michigan Staatterbund announced thatif the amendment should be adopted in Michigan, foreign born womenwould have to take out naturalization papers at a large price. Thisand the Royal Ark, an association of 1, 100 liquor dealers in Detroit, were the only organizations in the State to pass resolutions againstthe amendment. A Men's Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage wasorganized on March 15 at a meeting in the University Club; President, Charles A. Kent; vice-president, William A. Livingston, Jr. ;treasurer, Garvin Denby; secretary, Henry C. Bulkley. A well knownlawyer, William E. Heinze, wrote very bitter articles for the pressand undoubtedly influenced the German-American vote. The Rev. Wm. Byron Forbush, pastor of the North Woodward Congregational Church, spoke at anti-suffrage meetings. 

On March 29, with the election less than a week away, John Dohrinanand Senator James R. Murtha, representing Mr. Livingston, and CarlBauer of the Staatterbund appeared before the Circuit Court with apetition to have the suffrage amendment printed on a separate ballot. The Court denied the petition. The case was immediately carried to theState Supreme Court which decided that all amendments must be onseparate ballots. 

Necessarily the campaign was short for the vote was to be taken April7. Unlike the one preceding, three-fourths of the financial supportcame from without the State. Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer of Pennsylvania wasengaged for press and executive work. The National Associationfurnished speakers, among them its president, Dr. Shaw, Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt, Mrs. Park, Mrs. Celia J. White, Mrs. Susan W. FitzGerald, Mrs. Glendower Evans, Mrs. Priscilla D. Hackstaff, Mrs. Ella S. Stewart, Miss Doris Stevens, Mrs. Clara Laddey, Mrs. ClaraBewick Colby and Mrs. Beatrice Forbes Robertson Hale. Miss Laura Claycame from Kentucky at her own expense. The State was organized bycounties and the speaking and circularizing were done under theimmediate direction of the county chairmen. In the report of Mrs. EdnaS. Blair, chairman of organization, she stated that there were buteight counties in the State which had no working committees and onlythree of these were in the Lower Peninsula, their total votingstrength being less than 2, 500. The amendment was defeated by 96, 144, receiving 168, 738 ayes, 264, 882 noes. Her analysis of the vote, prepared from county returns, showed that there was a gain of a littlemore than 16, 000 negative votes over those of 1912, and 13, 000 ofthese were in counties having a "wet" and "dry" issue. 

The preceding year the liquor forces had not realized the need ofactive work. Never in any other State campaign did these forces makeso open a fight as in this one. They paid for columns of space in thenewspapers and circulated vast quantities of the literature preparedby the women's Anti-Suffrage Association. This was in piles on thebars of the saloons and, according to reports, in even morequestionable places. The defeat was not due so much to a change inpublic opinion as it was to an absence of the favorable vote which hadbeen called out in the previous year by reason of the presidentialelection. 

After the election county chairmen and all suffragists were asked tourge their representatives in Congress to support the FederalAmendment. This was followed by a trip through the State by Mrs. Blair, who contributed her services, and at the convention in Jackson, in 1913, she reported that there were now only four counties, all inthe Upper Peninsula, where there was no record of active workers. Mrs. Arthur was reelected. [90]

Although recovering from two successive defeats the association founditself in 1914 able to carry on more systematic work than had everbeen attempted. In February a monthly magazine, the _MichiganSuffragist_, was established with Mrs. Blair editor. At the conventionin Traverse City Nov. 4-6, 1914, Mrs. Orton H. Clark was electedpresident and the State board adopted her scheme for financing theassociation, which was successfully carried forward by the financechairman, Mrs. J. G. Macpherson of Saginaw. It consisted in theapportionment of a fixed revenue on the basis of ten cents from eachtaxpaying woman, of whom there were 100, 302 in the State. More thanone-third of the counties met all or a part of their apportionment, which enabled the president to open headquarters in a businessbuilding in Kalamazoo, employ an executive secretary and an organizerand engage Mrs. Robertson Hale for a series of lectures. 

Much of the effort during the early months of 1915 was directed towardsecuring Municipal suffrage, which necessitated active work by theLegislative Committee, Dr. Blanche M. Haines of Three Rivers, chairman. An attempt was made to organize according to congressionaldistricts; chairmen were found for ten of the thirteen and a number ofdistrict conferences were held. All State and national candidates wereinterviewed on woman suffrage personally or by letter. Many meetingswere addressed by national and international speakers. 

This program was continued through 1915 and 1916. The Stateconventions were held in November in Saginaw and Grand Rapids and Mrs. Clark was re-elected president. Following the plan made by theNational Association, suffrage schools were held in Kalamazoo, GrandRapids and Detroit in March, 1917, with Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, Mrs. T. T. Cotnam and Mrs. Nettie R. Shuler as instructors. Upon America'sentry into the World War in April, communities, counties, the Stateand even the nation made demands on the association. Mrs. Clark calledtogether the heads of nearly forty organizations to coordinate the waractivities of Michigan women. The Rev. Caroline Bartlett Crane wasmade chairman of the State committee, which afterwards became theState Division of the Woman's Committee of the Council of NationalDefense, Dr. Crane chairman. 

Notwithstanding this situation, however, a bill to give a vote forPresidential electors to women was introduced in the Senate and almostsimultaneously one in the House asking for another referendum on aconstitutional amendment by Representative Flowers, who had fought thesuffrage battle for nearly a quarter of a century. The associationprotested but the sponsors of both bills were adamant. As a resultboth bills were passed in March and April and it found itself in themidst of a campaign on the referendum at this most inopportune time. There was nothing to do but to plunge into it. Interest lagged, however, as the women were absorbed in war work and there was a widebelief that in recognition of this work the men would give thesuffrage without a campaign for it. Mrs. Catt, now national president, did not share this view and she requested a conference with the Stateworkers. They decided to hold a State convention in Detroit, March25-27, 1918, and she and Mrs. Shuler, national chairman oforganization, came to it. Mrs. Brotherton was serving as president andit was one of the largest ever held. The names of the honorarycommittee filled two pages of the program. It was welcomed by MayorMarx and many organizations of women were represented. Mrs. Cattaddressed the evening meetings and Mrs. Shuler spoke at the banquet inHotel Statler, where the convention took place. 

The State Board presented a full report and program for war activitiesbut no plan for campaign. Most of the delegates believed the men wouldgive them the vote without any activity on their part. Mrs. Catt madea stirring appeal in which she pointed out that war work would beexpected as their duty and that the vote would not be given as arecognition. Before the end of the convention she had thoroughlyaroused the delegates and the force of her appeal was evident when thecampaign plans providing for the budget, petition and political work, which had been prepared by the National Association as a basis of workfor the three States then in campaign, was cheerfully adopted. Thebudget called for $100, 000 to be raised equally by Detroit and thecongressional districts. At the dinner on the 26th $50, 000 werequickly subscribed, $24, 000 by the districts. Detroit women, who hadalready secured $6, 000, partly to pay back debts, pledged $10, 000more. Mrs. Catt promised the equivalent of $10, 000 in help from theNational Association if the full budget were raised. Mrs. Percy J. Farrell of Detroit was elected president of the association andchairman of the campaign committee and the following women were namedchairmen of congressional districts; Mrs. Brotherton, Mrs. G. W. Patterson, Dr. Haines, Mrs. Huntley Russell, Mrs. Alice B. Locke, Mrs. Macpherson and Mrs. Alberta Droelle. The delegates went away from theconvention filled with enthusiasm and ready for an active campaign. 

Press work was again under the direction of Mrs. Boyer who was theadviser and right hand of Mrs. Farrell, giving unstintedly of herlarge experience. Mrs. Henry G. Sherrard was chairman of literatureand Mrs. Myron B. Vorce of political work. Dr. Haines supervisedeleven counties, which gave 15, 000 majority. Mrs. Boyer said of Mrs. Brotherton: "Her faith, devotion and work extended through threecampaigns and she was one of those who could remain steadfast throughthe sowing until the reaping time. " Mrs. Russell, the Statevice-president, was a recognized force. Mrs. E. L. Caulkins, presidentof the W. C. T. U. , devoted its full organization to the amendment, especially to the petitions and at the polls on election day. The mosttelling feature of the campaign was the petition under the directionof Mrs. Emerson B. Davis of Detroit, signed by more than 202, 000 womenover twenty-one years old and addressed to voters, urging them to vote"yes" on the referendum. The work was finished in October andinteresting uses were made of the names. Those in Grand Rapids werepublished in the daily papers of that city from day to day; in Saginawthey were hung as a frieze on the walls of the woman's section at theState Fair; in other places they were exhibited in store windows. Mrs. Catt had stipulated for this petition because of its educational valueand its influence on the voters and the public. The work was done byvolunteers. 

Few campaigns ever had so much help from organizations outside ofthose for suffrage, among them were the W. C. T. U. , Federation ofWomen's Clubs, State Grange, State Farmers' Clubs, Gleaners, AmericanFederation of Labor, Anti-Saloon League, and Woman's Committee of theCouncil of National Defense. The Men's League was an important factor. The clergy almost as a unit gave generous endorsement and constanthelp. The support of the press was nearly unanimous, many papersrefusing pay for space from the "antis. "

Most valuable assistance came from the two great fraternal insuranceorganizations of women, Ladies of the Maccabees and the Women'sBenefit Association of the Maccabees, Miss Bina M. West supremecommander, which had had the experience of having to defeat tworeferenda aimed at crippling their form of insurance. Partly for thisreason they were especially interested in securing the franchise forwomen. The Ladies of the Maccabees confined their work mainly to thewomen in their own large organization. The Women's Benefit Associationassumed the responsibility of organizing six congressional districts. They financed their own work entirely, using their own skilledorganizers whenever it was necessary, especially in the UpperPeninsula, where no other workers were sent. The story of Mrs. Lockeand Mrs. Droelle reads like that of the pioneers in the far westerncountries. This contribution, if measured in dollars, would haverepresented many thousands. 

Mr. And Mrs. Henry Ford, Mr. And Mrs. Willard Pope, Mr. And Mrs. Gustavus Pope, Mrs. John B. Ford, Mrs. Delphine Dodge Ashbaugh andMrs. Sherrard contributed nearly half of the amount required for theentire campaign. The teachers of Detroit financed a worker for severalmonths, as did the Detroit business women. Many of the larger citiesfinanced their own campaigns for the last six weeks. Among theindividual men who gave great financial assistance at this time wereJames Couzens, Chas. B. Warren, member of the Republican NationalCommittee and William A. Comstock of Alpena, who as treasurer of theMen's Suffrage League, collected the major part of their donations, nearly $9, 000. 

The National Suffrage Association gave in cash $1, 400, paid the billfor literature and posters, $1, 335, and made other contributionsamounting to $6, 000. It paid salaries and part of the expenses fromJan. 1, 1918, of Mrs. Augusta Hughston and the organizers, Miss LolaTrax, Miss Edna Wright, Miss Marie Ames, Miss Alma Sasse and MissStella Crossley, until the State was able to assume them. Mrs. Hughston became the campaign manager of Detroit. Mrs. Shuler camethree times and campaigned all over the State. Mrs. Mary E. Craigie ofNew York gave assistance. The magnitude of the detail work of thecampaign may be understood from the report of Mrs. Hughston, who said:"In Detroit alone there were distributed 500, 000 pieces of literature;50, 000 buttons, 13, 000 posters put in windows, 1, 000 street caradvertisements, 174 large billboard posters and 1, 766 inches of paidadvertisements in newspapers. "

The election took place on Nov. 5, 1918, when the suffrage amendmentreceived 229, 790 ayes and 195, 284 noes--carried by a majority of34, 506. Four strong factors influenced the vote; first, prohibition, which had been adopted in 1916, was in effect and the forces that hadled past opposition were badly disorganized; second, the astutepoliticians saw the trend of events, and few, if any, openly opposedit; third, the war work of women, which, although it lessened thenumber of workers for suffrage, yet made forceful appeal to thevoters; fourth, the activity of all organizations of women. 

This summary of the work of Michigan women for their political freedomis most incomplete without the names of hundreds of workers whotoiled, suffered, sacrificed, gave of their time, their strength, their money, year after year, but the list is too long. Every city, every locality had its special difficulties, which had to be overcomeand their women were equal to the task. All contributed to the greatvictory. The _Woman Citizen_, official organ of the National AmericanSuffrage Association, in its edition of Nov. 30, 1918, gave a detailedsummary of this campaign and the workers. 

After a brief respite, the suffragists took up the work of aregistration "drive" for the spring election in April, when anamendment to weaken the prohibition law was to be voted on. Theregistration by women in some places was larger than that of men. Prohibition had been carried in 1916 by a majority of 68, 624. At thiselection in 1919, with women voting, the majority was over three timesas large--207, 520--and the amendment was defeated. 

The convention of the State Equal Suffrage Association met in GrandRapids, April 3, 4, 1919, Mrs. Farrell presiding. The name was changedto the State League of Women Voters and Mrs. Brotherton was electedchairman. Plans for the approaching ratification campaign were madeand she was authorized to secure chairmen for the new departments ofwork. The willingness of women to accept the various chairmanships wasin marked contrast to the difficulties encountered during suffragecampaigns. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Suffrage Amendment was submitted by CongressJune 4, 1919, and fortunately Governor Albert E. Sleeper had called aspecial session of the Legislature to convene on June 3. He was atonce requested to submit the amendment for ratification and soonannounced his willingness to do so. A recess had been taken overSunday but each member received a letter from the League of WomenVoters asking for a favorable vote and many cordial answers werereceived. The Legislature assembled at 2 o'clock on Tuesday, June 10. The Senate and House at once voted unanimously in favor ofratification. The same day the Wisconsin and Illinois Legislaturesalso ratified. These three States were the first to take action. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1903. A joint resolution to amend the Stateconstitution by striking out the word "male" as a qualification forvoters was introduced by Representative Nathan A. Lovell but was notreported out of the committees. 

1905. A similar resolution was introduced by Representative George E. Dewey but failed to pass by seven votes. 

1911. The same resolution received in the House 55 ayes, 44 noes, lacking the necessary two-thirds, and failed in the Senate by twovotes. 

1912. In the call for a special session Governor Osborn included theconsideration of a woman suffrage amendment. It was introduced in theSenate by Robert Y. Ogg and in the House by Representative CharlesFlowers. The Senate opposition was led by James A. Murtha and CharlesM. Culver, while William M. Martz sought to block it in the House. Thevote in the Senate was 23 ayes, 5 noes; in the House 75 ayes, 19 noes. It was submitted to the voters and defeated. 

1913. A hearing on the amendment resolution was arranged by the Stateboard in February. Without the knowledge of the suffragists the"antis" secured one to precede theirs. The president, Mrs. Arthur, Dr. Mary Thompson Stevens, Dr. Caroline Bartlett Crane and Mrs. Jennie C. Law Hardy spoke for the amendment. The vote in the Senate was 24 ayes, 5 noes; in the House, 73 ayes, 19 noes. Submitted and defeated at thepolls. 

1915. The bill for Municipal suffrage was rejected asunconstitutional. 

1917. Two measures were introduced, one for the amendment byRepresentative Flower and the other for Presidential suffrage bySenator John M. Damon of Mt. Pleasant. At last the officers of theState Association had to withdraw their opposition to the referendumin order to save the Presidential bill. The vote on the referendumMarch 28 was, House 71 ayes, 21 noes; April 19, Senate, 26 ayes, 4noes; a two-thirds vote required. The Presidential suffrage vote onMarch 21 in the Senate was 22 ayes, 7 noes; on April 18 in the House, 64 ayes, 30 noes. There was no strong opposition. The amendment wascarried by a large majority on Nov. 5, 1918. 

FOOTNOTES:

[87] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Clara B. Arthur, vice-president of the State Equal Suffrage Association 1895-1906;president, 1906-1914, and Mrs. Belle Brotherton, acting president, 1918; chairman of the League of Women Voters, 1919. 

[88] Following are the times and places of holding State conventions:Oct. 23-25, 1901, Saginaw; Oct. 29-31, 1902, Charlotte; Nov. 10-12, 1903, Paw Paw; Oct. 25-27, 1904, Jackson; Nov. 1-3, 1905, Port Huron;Oct. 9, 10, 1906, Kalamazoo; Sept. 18-20, 1907, Charlotte; Nov. 5, 6, 1908, Bay City; Dec. 7, 8, 1909, Grand Rapids; Nov. 6-8, 1910, Kalamazoo; Nov. 16, 17, 1911, Kalamazoo; no convention in 1912; Jan. 15, 16, 1913, Lansing; Nov. 5-7, 1913, Jackson; Nov. 4-6, 1914, Traverse City; Nov. 10, 11, 1915, Saginaw; Nov. 15-17, 1916, GrandRapids; no convention in 1917; March 26, 27, 1918, Detroit; April 3, 4, 1919, Grand Rapids. 

[89] The officers of the Association Opposed to Equal Suffrage aspublished in the press were: President, Mrs. Henry F. Lyster;secretary, Miss Helen Keep; publicity committee, Miss Julia Russell, Mrs. A. A. Griffiths, Mrs. J. A. McMillan, Mrs. Fred Reynolds, Mrs. Edward H. Parker, Mrs. Richard Jackson and Miss Caroline Barnard. 

[90] Mrs. Brotherton writes: "Special tribute should be paid to thesplendid administrative ability of Mrs. Arthur. Her conduct of the1912 and 1913 campaigns and the years of effort that preceded themdeserve the unending gratitude of Michigan women. Her greatestmonument was the vote of taxpaying women on bond issues. Mrs. Orton H. Clark, who succeeded Mrs. Arthur in 1914, brought to the work the samepatient and consecrated zeal and to her is largely due the gaining ofPresidential suffrage. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

MINNESOTA. [91]

The great event for the Minnesota Woman Suffrage Association in 1901was the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage AssociationMay 30-June 5 in Minneapolis. Large audiences night after night filledthe First Baptist Church to listen to the eloquent addresses of MissSusan B. Anthony, honorary president; Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president, and Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president of theassociation; Henry B. Blackwell, editor of the _Woman's Journal_, Rachel Foster Avery and other speakers of national fame. The officerswere entertained at West Hotel and the 200 delegates in the homes ofsuffragists. Dr. Cora Smith Eaton, who was the chairman ofarrangements, was elected second auditor of the National Association. 

The State convention of 1901 was held in Mankato in October, with Mrs. Catt as the principal speaker. Mrs. Maud C. Stockwell and Mrs. JennieKnight Brown were re-elected president and vice-president and Mrs. A. H. Boostrom appointed chairman of press. Through the generosity ofMrs. E. A. Russell of Minneapolis Miss Anna Gjertsen was engaged toorganize the Scandinavian women. Among the names enrolled in thesuffrage booth at the State Fair were those of Theodore Roosevelt, Vice-President of the United States; Gen. Nelson Miles, Gov. Samuel R. Van Sant and Archbishop Ireland. The annual convention of 1902 wasentertained in June by the St. Paul Club, which had been organized afew months before. Mrs. Hannah Egelston was elected vice-president. The press chairman stated that fifteen newspapers were using suffragearticles and the enrollment and the petition work for Presidentialsuffrage was being successfully carried on. The association wasincorporated this year. 

In September, 1903, the State convention was held in Austin with Dr. Shaw the chief speaker. The former officers were re-elected. Reportsshowed old clubs revived and new ones formed through the efforts ofMiss Gail Laughlin, one of the national organizers. Mrs. Eugenia B. Farmer was this year appointed chairman of press and held the officetill 1915 when she was made honorary chairman. She did not relinquishthe work but continued to assist her successor, Mrs. W. H. Thorp. Foreight years Mrs. Farmer kept press headquarters in the Old Capitol, St. Paul. She added new papers to the list which accepted suffragematter till it had 500, about all of them, and much of the suffragesentiment in the State can be traced to her years of work. Thequarterly bulletin was edited by Mrs. Julia B. Nelson. 

In October, 1904, the convention met in Anoka and Dr. Shaw addressedlarge audiences. Miss Marion Sloan of Rochester was madevice-president. During the year the association offered prizes for thebest essay on woman suffrage to the students of the four NormalSchools, many competing. The annual meeting for 1905 was held inMinneapolis in November. In answer to the many calls a Lecture Bureauof twenty well-known speakers directed by Dr. Annah Hurd had beenorganized; a generous contribution was sent to Oregon for itscampaign. 

In March, 1906, an impressive memorial service was held in Minneapolisfor the beloved leader, Susan B. Anthony. Another was held inMonticello in November during the State convention. It was reportedthat the Governor had appointed Dr. Margaret Koch, one of the activesuffragists, to the State Medical Board; that many organizations hadpassed resolutions endorsing suffrage and that in June Mrs. Stockwellhad presented the greetings of the National Association to the GeneralFederation of Women's Clubs in convention in St. Paul. In October, 1907, the convention met in Austin. During the year a Scandinavianassociation had been formed by Dr. Ethel E. Hurd, with Mrs. JenovaMartin president, and a College Equal Suffrage League at the StateUniversity by Professors Frances Squire Potter and Mary Gray Peck, with Miss Elsa Ueland president. Miss Laura Gregg, sent by theNational Association, had organized suffrage committees in twelvetowns. It was decided to circularize the teachers of the State. 

In November, 1908, the convention was held in Minneapolis with Dr. Shaw and Professor Potter as speakers. Mrs. Martin was electedvice-president. The energy of all suffrage workers had been turnedtoward the great petition to Congress for the Federal Amendmentplanned by the National Association and directed in the State by Mrs. F. G. Corser of Minneapolis. Mrs. Maud Wood Park made a tour of theState in March speaking in eight colleges in the interest of theNational College Equal Suffrage League. In October, 1909, the Stateconvention went to St. Paul. The _Bulletin_, official organ of theassociation and a valuable feature of its work, had had to beabandoned because of lack of funds. It had been edited for ten yearsby Dr. Ethel E. Hurd, recording secretary, who sometimes mimeographedit herself, sometimes had it typewritten and when possible printed, always herself addressing and mailing copies to the State members. Animportant event of the year was the unanimous endorsement of womansuffrage by the State Editorial Association, secured by Miss MaryMcFadden, a journalist. For the first time a speaker was supplied tothe State convention of the Federation of Women's Clubs. 

In November, 1910, the State convention was entertained by theMinneapolis Political Equality Club, organized in 1868. Mrs. Stockwell, who had served as president for ten years, asked to berelieved from office and Miss Emily Dobbyn of St. Paul was electedpresident with Dr. Margaret Koch, who had been treasurer ten years, first vice-president. The petition was reported as finished with20, 300 names. It was sent to Washington and presented to Congress bySenator Moses E. Clapp with an earnest plea for its consideration. InOctober, 1911, the convention again went to St. Paul and Mrs. A. T. Hall of this city was elected president. 

The convention of 1912 was held in Minneapolis in September. Underdirection of Mrs. A. H. Bright of this city the first automobilesuffrage parade took place, the route extending from the court housewhere the convention was held to the Fair grounds where addresses weremade. Eleven new clubs were reported. The Woman's Welfare League ofSt. Paul joined the State association and did excellent work forsuffrage. Mrs. Hall was re-elected president and removing from theState later Mrs. P. L. De Voist of Duluth was selected to fill out herterm. [92]

In October, 1913, at the annual convention in St. Paul, Mrs. Brightwas elected president. The Minneapolis Equal Suffrage Club, which hadbeen organized independently by Mrs. Andreas Ueland, joined the Stateassociation and later became the Hennepin County suffrageorganization. A Women Workers' Suffrage Club was formed with Mrs. Gertrude Hunter, president. 

In November, 1914, at the convention in Minneapolis, Mrs. Ueland waselected president and served for the next five years. [93] It wasreported that the Everywoman Suffrage Club of colored women had beenorganized in St. Paul with Mrs. W. T. Francis president. The clubs ofSt. Paul and Minneapolis, at the request of the National Association, had joined in the nation-wide demonstration May 2 with mass meetingsin each city, a street meeting and parade in St. Paul at noon and ajoint parade in Minneapolis in the afternoon with 2, 000 men and womenin line. 

In October, 1915, the convention took place in St. Paul. Up to thistime headquarters had been maintained free of charge in Minneapolis, at first in the office of Drs. Cora Smith Eaton and Margaret Koch andfor many years in the office of Drs. Ethel E. And Annah Hurd. Thisyear they were opened in the Essex Building of that city and a paidsecretary installed. Organization by districts was arranged for. Inconformity with plans sent out from the National Association, quarterly conferences were held in different sections of the State. "Organization day" on February 15, Miss Anthony's birthday, wascelebrated in fifteen legislative districts with meetings andpageants. During the national convention in Washington this yeardeputations of suffragists from Minnesota called on the State's twoSenators and ten Representatives asking them to promote the FederalSuffrage Amendment. To assist the campaign the services of the Stateorganizer, Mrs. Maria McMahon, were given to New York for Septemberand October; Mrs. David F. Simpson and Miss Florence Monahancontributed their services as speakers and $400 were sent to the NewJersey campaign. [94]

In October, 1916, at the convention in Minneapolis, a delightfulfeature was a banquet of 500 covers at the Hotel Radisson, wherePresident George E. Vincent of the State University made his maidenspeech for woman suffrage. Mrs. Simpson presided. There were favorablereports from officers, committee chairmen and organizers. At therequest of the National Association deputations had called upon theState delegates to the national Republican and Democratic conventionsurging them to work for suffrage planks in their party platforms. Twenty-five Minnesota women marched in the parade in Chicago at thetime of the Republican National Convention and many went to theNational Democratic Convention in St. Louis on a "suffrage barge, "holding meetings on the boat and at a number of stopping places. InMay the Mississippi Valley Suffrage Conference was entertained inMinneapolis and a mass meeting of 2, 000 was held. Automobile speakingtrips were made. Money, organizers and speakers were contributed tothe Iowa campaign. 

In December, 1917, the convention again met in Minneapolis with Mrs. Nellie McClung of Edmonton, Alberta, as speaker. Pledges were made of$8, 000 for State work and $3, 000 to the National Association as theState's apportionment. In order to push Federal Amendment workchairmen were secured for the ten congressional districts. Resolutionsfor it were passed at many conventions. In May Dr. Effie McCollumJones of Iowa had made a lecture tour of the State, contributed by theNational Association, and addressed 10, 000 people. An attractiveconcrete building had been erected on the State Fair grounds by theScandinavian Association and presented to the State association. [95]This was known as the Woman Citizen Building and a tablet was placedin it in memory of Mrs. Julia B. Nelson, one of Minnesota's staunchestpioneer suffragists. 

Owing to the influenza epidemic all meetings were forbidden in 1918. This year district organization was completed. With three organizersin the field, Mrs. Rene F. Stevens, Mrs. James Forrestal and Mrs. JohnA. Guise, ratification committees in 480 towns outside of the threelarge cities had been appointed and 90, 000 signatures obtained for thenational petition under the leadership of Miss Marguerite M. Wells. InMarch the following plank had appeared in the platform of theDemocratic Statewide Conference held in St. Paul: "We believe in theprinciple of State woman suffrage as supported and commended by ourleader, Woodrow Wilson. " This was the only official Democraticendorsement ever received and there was none from the Republicans. [96]

A State conference was held at Minneapolis in May, 1919, with Mrs. McClung as the principal speaker. On June 9 in the rotunda of theCapitol at St. Paul an impressive program of addresses and ringingresolutions was given, 3, 000 people taking part in this celebration ofthe submission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment by Congress on the4th. A. L. Searle marshalled the 250 gaily decorated automobilescarrying the Minneapolis delegates, accompanied by a band. 

RATIFICATION. Monday, September 8, was a beautiful and spiritedoccasion. Automobile parades assembled in the two cities and startedfor the Capitol with cars gay with sunflowers, goldenrod, yellowbunting and the word "suffrage" on the windshields. By 10 o'clock thegalleries and the corridors were filled to overflowing withenthusiastic suffragists. Out-of-town women flocked in to join thefestivities. The Federal Amendment came up immediately after theorganization of both Houses in special session but the lower House wonthe race for the honor of being first to ratify, for it took up theamendment without even waiting for Governor Burnquist's message, andwhen it was presented by Representative Theodore Christiansen it wasratified by a vote of 120 to 6. The Senate considered it immediatelyafter hearing the Governor's message. It was presented by Senator OleSageng, called the "father of woman suffrage" in Minnesota, and withno debate went through by 60 to 5. 

The moment the Senate vote was polled the corridors, floors andgalleries of both Houses were in an uproar, hundreds of women cheeredand laughed and waved the suffrage colors, while in the rotunda a bandswung into the strains of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic. " ThenRepresentatives and Senators became the guests of the State SuffrageAssociation, whose members having leased the Capitol restaurant forthe day cooked and served an appetizing chicken dinner. There was abanquet at the St. Paul Hotel in the evening with 400 guests. 

On that memorable day the curtain was rung down on the last act of themany years' long drama participated in by a vast host of consecratedwomen with inspired faith in the ultimate attainment of justice. 

A conference was called for Oct. 28, 29, 1919, in Minneapolis and aState League of Women Voters was formed with Mrs. Ueland as chairman. It was voted to delay the dissolution of the State association untilthe 36 States had ratified the Federal Amendment and the date was setat the first annual meeting of the League. [97] Mrs. Ueland soonresigned to take the chairmanship of the Legislative Committee andwas succeeded by Miss Wells, the vice-chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1903. A Presidential suffrage bill was introducedin the House and energetically pushed but was not reported by theJudiciary Committee. 

1905. A large delegation headed by Mrs. Stockwell, State president, called on Governor John A. Johnson and urged him to recommend womansuffrage in his message to the Legislature but he failed to do so. Theresolution to submit a constitutional amendment was introduced in theHouse but not reported by the Judiciary Committee. 

1907. After the resolution for a suffrage amendment was presented ahearing was granted by the Senate Elections Committee and the SenateChamber secured for it through Senator Virgil B. Seward, who hadcharge of it. The college women were represented by Professor FrancesSquire Potter of the University of Minnesota and the committeereported favorably. It was defeated in the Senate and not brought upin the House. 

1909. At the hearing before the Joint Committee on Elections on theresolution for a State amendment, which was the largest ever held bythe association, convincing addresses were made by eminent lawyers, educators and other public men. It was defeated in the Senate by avote of 30 to 26; in the House by 50 to 46. 

1911. The chairman of the Legislative Committee was Miss MaryMcFadden, who carried out a demonstration on Susan B. Anthony'sbirthday--February 15--the presenting by large delegations from theTwin Cities of a Memorial to a joint gathering of the two Houses withpleas for a State amendment. The resolution for it, sponsored by OleSageng, passed the House a few days later by a majority of 81 but theliquor interests and public service corporations defeated it in theSenate by two votes. 

1913. Senator Sageng again had charge of the suffrage resolution, which passed the House by a majority of 43 votes but failed in theSenate by three. 

1915. Mrs. Andreas Ueland was chairman of the Legislative Committeefrom 1915 to 1919 inclusive. Senator Sageng presented the amendmentresolution in the Senate and Representative Larson in the House. Animpressive hearing was held in a crowded Senate chamber, with SenatorsJ. W. Andrews, Richard Jones, Frank E. Putnam, F. H. Peterson and OleSageng making speeches in favor. Those who spoke against it wereSenators George H. Sullivan, F. A. Duxbury and F. H. Pauly. [98] Itfailed by one vote and was not brought up in the House. A Presidentialsuffrage bill was also introduced but did not come to a vote. 

1917. The suffrage work was confined to the Presidential suffrage billwhich was defeated in the Senate by two votes. 

1919. This Legislature adopted a resolution calling upon Congress tosubmit the Federal Suffrage Amendment; House 100 to 28 in favor, Senate 49 to 7. It was decided not to introduce an amendmentresolution but to work for Presidential suffrage. The resolution wasintroduced, however, by a small group of women outside theassociation. It passed the House by 96 ayes, 26 noes, but wasindefinitely postponed in the Senate. The bill giving women the rightto vote for Presidential electors passed the House March 5 by 103ayes, 24 noes; and the Senate March 21 by 49 ayes, 11 noes. It wassigned by Governor J. A. A. Burnquist two days later in the presenceof a group of suffragists. [99]

FOOTNOTES:

[91] The History is indebted for this chapter to Maud C. (Mrs. S. A. )Stockwell, for ten years president of the State Suffrage Associationand for over twenty years a member of its executive board. Mrs. Stockwell wishes to acknowledge assistance from Mrs. David F. Simpsonand Mrs. John A. Guise. 

[92] A State Anti-Suffrage Association was organized in Minneapolis in1912 and later branches were formed in other cities. The president wasMrs. J. B. Gilfillan of Minneapolis and other active workers were Mrs. E. L. Carpenter, Mrs. Edmund Pennington and Mrs. Frank Reed ofMinneapolis, Mrs. J. W. Straight of St. Paul and Mrs. J. L. Washburnof Duluth. Time was given to their speakers at the last three hearingsgranted the State Suffrage Association by the Legislature. Miss MinnieBronson, secretary of the National Anti-Suffrage Association, camefrom New York for one. 

[93] Too much credit for the final success of woman suffrage inMinnesota can not be given to Mrs. Ueland, president of theassociation for the last five years of its existence. She organizedthe entire State, raised large sums of money each year, induced manyprominent women to join in the work, carried out the instructions ofthe National Association to the letter, secured legislation, and notonly took advantage of every opportunity for propaganda but createdopportunities. 

[94] In 1915 the Congressional Union, afterward the National Woman'sParty, formed an organization in St. Paul with Mrs. Alexander Colvinchairman. The members were recruited from the State association andfor a few years were active in both organizations. 

[95] During the twenty years covered by this chapter the Twin Citysuffragists never failed to keep open house during the State Fair, where speakers were heard and literature was distributed. 

[96] Following are the names of State officers besides the presidentswho served over three years: Vice-presidents, Mrs. Jenova Martin, fouryears; Mrs. David F. Simpson, three years; Mrs. H. G. Harrison, fiveyears; Mrs. E. A. Brown, four years; Mrs. C. L. Atwood, six years; Dr. Margaret Koch, vice-president, three years and treasurer, ten years;Dr. Ethel E. Hurd of Minneapolis served on the board in differentcapacities for twenty-two years, as corresponding secretary for fouryears and recording secretary four; Mrs. Eva W. Morse, recordingsecretary five years; Mrs. Victor H. Troendle, treasurer five years. Those who served from four to ten years as directors on the Stateboard were: Mesdames A. T. Anderson, Julia B. Nelson, Margaret K. Rogers, E. A. Russell, C. F. Lutz, Elizabeth McClary, A. H. Bright andA. B. Jackson. 

[97] Following are a few names not mentioned elsewhere in the chapterof the many devoted friends and workers during the score of years: Dr. Cyrus Northrup, Professor Maria Sanford, Judge A. C. Hickman, Professor A. W. Rankin, Dr. Elizabeth Woodworth, Mesdames Margaret K. Rogers, Martha A. Dorsett, May Dudley Greeley, M. A. Luley, Eva S. Jerome, Alice Taylor, Lilla P. Clark, Milton E. Purdy, C. P. Noyes, Adelaide Lawrence, O. J. Evans, George M. Partridge, J. W. Andrews, C. M. Stockton, Stiles Burr, J. M. Guise, J. W. Straight; Misses EllaWhitney, A. A. Connor, Nellie Merrill, Hope McDonald, JosephineSchain, Blanche Segar, Cornelia Lusk, Martha Anderson (Wyman); Messrs. C. W. Dorsett, S. R. Child, A. H. Bright. 

[98] For ten years Senator Sullivan of Stillwater, and for twenty-twoyears Senator W. W. Dunn, attorney for the Hamm Brewing Company of St. Paul, worked actively against all suffrage legislation, in late yearsbeing able to defeat bills by only two or three votes. 

[99] Among legislators not mentioned who were helpful during theseyears were Senator S. A. Stockwell and Representatives W. I. Norton, H. H. Harrison, W. I. Nolan, Sherman Child, John Sanborn and ClaudeSouthwick. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

MISSISSIPPI. [100]

From 1899 to 1906 no State convention of the Mississippi WomanSuffrage Association was held. Mrs. Hala Hammond Butt, who was electedpresident at its second annual convention in Clarksdale in 1899, actedas president during this time but the editing of a weekly newspaper inaddition to other duties left her little time for its trying demandsat this early stage of its existence. Among the few other womenconsecrated in their hearts to woman suffrage some were barred fromleadership by ill health, some by family cares, while others wereabsent from the State most of the time. No definite progress, therefore, was made during the early years of the century. 

In 1901 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association, gave addresses in six cities in the State, arrangements for which were made by local suffragists, and a greatdeal of interest was aroused. In 1903 a business conference was heldin Jackson, at which Mrs. Butt and three other women were present, toconsider whether anything could be done for the cause of womansuffrage. In 1904 enrollment cards were distributed in a limited andunsystematic way, letters were sent to members of the Legislature, State officials and others and literature was distributed. Aninspiring feature was the visit of Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president at large of the National Association, who spoke inthree cities. 

Early in December, 1906, Miss Belle Kearney of Flora, formerlyorganizer for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, at this time apublic lecturer, returned from an absence in Europe and on the 21st, in response to a call sent out by her, a meeting was held in theparlor of the Edwards House in Jackson. Those in attendance were MissKearney, Mrs. Butt, Mrs. Edward Sloan and Dr. Delia Randall. Byinvitation Dr. William La Prade of the First Methodist Church openedthe meeting with prayer, after which he retired leaving these fourwomen to reorganize the State Suffrage Association. Mrs. Nellie NugentSomerville of Greenville was in touch with the conference by telegraphand Mrs. Lily Wilkinson Thompson of Jackson, physically unable toattend, received reports from the meeting at her telephone. In thishistoric hour the breath of a new life was blown into the expiringassociation and from that time it grew and thrived. The officerselected were Miss Kearney, president; Mrs. Somerville, vice-president;Mrs. Thompson, treasurer. 

During the following spring Miss Kearney, lecturing in the State onsociological subjects, spoke unfailingly for suffrage and whereverpossible organized clubs. Press work was taken up earnestly by thenewly elected superintendent of that department, Mrs. Thompson. All ofthe over two hundred editors in the State were interviewed by letterin regard to their attitude towards woman suffrage and space wasrequested for suffrage items. Twenty-one agreed to publish them, onlytwo openly declining. Among the friendly editors were L. Pink Smith ofthe Greenville _Democrat_, J. R. Oliphant of the Poplarville _FreePress_, Frank R. Birdsall of the Yazoo _Sentinel_, C. E. Glassco ofthe Cleveland _Enterprise_, Joseph Norwood of the Magnolia _Gazette_, James Faulk of the Greene County _Herald_. 

Adverse articles were carefully answered and private letters weresent, the enemy quietly reasoned with and in most cases converted. News bulletins furnished by the national press department were usedbut most of the matter sent out was prepared at home in the beliefthat an ounce of Mississippi was worth a pound of Massachusetts. Articles published in leaflet form and distributed broadcast werewritten by Mrs. Somerville, Miss Kearney, Mrs. Thompson, the Rev. Thomas K. Mellen and the Rev. H. Walter Featherstun, Methodistministers. One of the most valuable contributions was The Legal Statusof Mississippi Women, by Robert Campbell, an attorney of Greenville. 

In November, 1907, a conference lasting five days was held at Jacksonin the home of Charles H. Thompson, a devoted suffragist, and hiswife, Lily Wilkinson Thompson. Among those attending were MissKearney, Mrs. Somerville, Mrs. Harriet B. Kells, president of theState W. C. T. U. And a life-long suffragist; Miss Laura Clay ofKentucky and Miss Kate Gordon of Louisiana. The advisability ofattempting to have a woman suffrage measure introduced in the nextsession of the Legislature was considered. Two men besides the hostappeared at this conference, a reporter, who regarded the meeting assomething of a joke, and the Hon. R. H. Thompson of Jackson, aneminent lawyer, who came to offer sympathetic advice. Visits were madeto the Governor, James K. Vardaman, and other State officials; to theHinds county legislators who had recently been elected and to others. Most of these gentlemen were polite but bored and it was decided todefer legislative action. When two months later Governor Vardaman senthis farewell message to the Legislature he mentioned woman suffrage asone of the questions "pressing for solution in a NationalConstitutional Convention. "

In the spring of 1908 the State convention was held in the Governor'sMansion at Jackson, Governor and Mrs. Edmund Favor Noel giving theparlors for the meeting. Six clubs were reported and State members attwelve places. Three or four women from outside of Jackson werepresent, Mrs. Pauline Alston Clark of Clarksdale having come from thegreatest distance, and about fourteen were in attendance. The officerselected were: President, Mrs. Somerville; vice-presidents, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Fannie Clark, Mrs. Kells; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Pauline Clark; recording secretary, Dr. Randall; treasurer, Mrs. SarahSummers Wilkinson. Superintendents were appointed for Press, Legislative, Enrollment, Industrial, Educational and Bible Studydepartments. 

In the spring of 1909, the convention was held in the ladies' parlorof the Capitol at Jackson. It lasted two days, a public eveningsession being held in the Senate Chamber, at which Miss Kate Gordon, corresponding secretary of the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation, told of the work of the Era Club of New Orleans; MissJean Gordon, factory inspector for that city, spoke in behalf of childlabor regulations and Mrs. Thompson gave a report of the press work, which had grown to such proportions that it was considered verysignificant of advance in suffrage sentiment throughout the State. The Rev. George Whitfield, a venerable Baptist minister, came from theneighboring town of Clinton and conducted devotional exercises andgave a talk on woman's position from a Biblical standpoint. R. K. Jayne of Jackson, an early suffragist, also spoke. At this timedues-paying members were reported from seventeen towns. Mrs. Somerville was re-elected president. 

The annual convention was held in Greenville in 1910. Dr. Shaw andMiss Ray Costello of England made addresses; Judge E. N. Thomas ofGreenville presided at one of the evening meetings; John L. Hebron, aDelta planter and afterwards State Senator, made an earnest speech ofendorsement. It was reported that hundreds of letters were written andthe association had gained a hold in fifty places, ranging from ruralneighborhoods and plantation settlements to the largest towns. Frederick Sullens, editor of the Jackson _Daily News_, had given spacefor a weekly suffrage column edited by Mrs. Thompson. Mrs. J. C. Greenley edited a similar column in the Greenville _Democrat_. Mrs. Madge Quin Fugler supplied five papers and Mrs. Montgomery two. MissIda Ward of Greenville wrote articles for the papers of that town andMrs. Mohlenhoff edited a column in the Cleveland _Enterprise_. Amongother papers publishing suffrage material were the McComb City_Journal_ and the _Enterprise_ and the Magnolia _Gazette_. From thepress superintendent there had gone out 1, 700 articles, ranging inlength from a paragraph to a half page, many of them written by her, and they were given prominence in special editions. Ten copies of the_Woman's Journal_ which came from the national press department foryears were forwarded to college, town and State libraries and toeditors. How far and deep the influence of those _Journals_ reached isbeyond computation. 

In the fall of 1910 the State association joined the Tennessee EqualSuffrage Association in a booth at the Tri-State Fair in Memphis. Aninteresting feature was the press exhibit, consisting of a width ofcanvass many yards long on which had been pasted clippings fromMississippi newspapers, suffrage argument and favorable comment. Theannual convention was held in Cleveland in 1911. Miss Gordon and JudgeThomas spoke at the evening session. Editor C. E. Glasco gave anearnest talk at a morning session. The department chairmen broughtencouraging reports of their work. A letter was read from Colonel ClaySharkey of Jackson, which later was published in leaflet form. 

The State meeting was held at Flora in April, 1912. Mrs. Judith HyamsDouglas, president of the Era Club of New Orleans, and Omar Garwood ofColorado, secretary of the National Men's League for Woman Suffrage, were the principal speakers. The president, Mrs. Somerville, recommended that the various State organizations of women be invitedto unite with the suffrage association in forming a central committeeto secure such legislation as should be agreed upon by all. This wasafterwards accepted by the Federation of Women's Clubs and the UnitedDaughters of the Confederacy. Resolutions were passed regretting theretirement from the presidency of Mrs. Somerville, to whose goodgeneralship during the past four years the success of the associationwas in a large part due. Mrs. Lily Wilkinson Thompson was electedpresident. 

In response to the call to take part in the parade in Washington March3, 1913, Mrs. Avery Harrell Thompson, temporarily residing there, wasput in charge and with her husband, Harmon L. Thompson, arranged for ahandsome float, on which Miss Fannie May Witherspoon, daughter of themember of Congress, represented Mississippi. Mr. Gibbs, aMississippian, carried the purple and gold silk banner of the StateSuffrage Association and four other young Mississippians, Judge AllenThompson and his brother, Harmon, Walter and Edward Dent, marchedbeside the float, preforming valiant volunteer police duty when itbecame necessary. During this year the enrolled membership increasedfour-fold. Quarterly reports, nearly a thousand, were printed for thefirst time instead of written. A letter from the Irish Women's Leagueof Dublin and one from the English Women's Equal Rights Union to theState president indicated the world-wide spirit of fraternalism whichembraced even Mississippi's modest organization. Good work was done bythe new superintendent of press work, Mrs. Dent. Not only did editorsby this time willingly accept material but some of them wrotefavorable editorials. The Yazoo City _Herald_, edited by N. A. Mott, was a new recruit. The _Purple and White_, a Millsaps College paper, was supplied with suffrage material by a bright senior, JanieLinfield. 

For the first time suffrage headquarters were maintained at the StateFair by the Equity League of Jackson. Furnishings were loaned by Mr. And Mrs. C. C. Warren from their beautiful home "Fairview. " A restroom for mothers and babies was provided, other tired visitors werealso welcomed and the suffrage booth was the most popular place on thegrounds. For the first time the association was invited to take parton Woman's Day at the State Fair, when representatives from thewomen's State organizations held a joint meeting, and the president, Mrs. Thompson, spoke for the suffragists. 

Letters were sent to the Mississippi members of Congress urging themto vote for the Federal Suffrage Amendment and to President Wilson, pleading for his favorable consideration. Motion pictures wereutilized in three ways--suffrage plays were shown, local clubs sellingtickets received a part of the proceeds and suffrage slogans werethrown on the slides between pictures. 

The State convention was held in the Senate Chamber of the new Capitolat Jackson in April, 1913. At the evening sessions all seats on thefloor were taken, the galleries filled and chairs brought fromcommittee rooms to accommodate the audiences. Music was furnished bythe Chaminade Club of Jackson. Mayor Swepson I. Taylor gave theaddress of welcome. Others who spoke were Mrs. Fannie S. Clark, Mrs. E. T. Edmonds, president of the Equity League, and Mrs. Royden-Douglas, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs. Inher president's address Mrs. Thompson recommended that the associationask the next Legislature to submit to the voters a Stateconstitutional amendment giving women the ballot, and this wasunanimously adopted. The Rev. E. T. Edmonds of the First ChristianChurch of Jackson spoke on Woman Suffrage in New Zealand, where he hadbeen a resident. 

Letters to the president and secretary from U. S. Senators John SharpWilliams and James K. Vardaman were read in reply to appeals that theyvote for the Federal Amendment. Senator Vardaman said that when theamendment came up he would "be glad to vote for it. " Senator Williamssaid that he thought "the federal government ought not attempt tocontrol a State in the exercise of this privilege, " that he favored a"white woman's primary, in which the women of the State might saywhether they wanted the ballot or not" and that he thought women justas competent to use it as men but did not approve of "forcing it uponthem. " He was "inclined to woman suffrage" and believed that "withsafeguards it might be made a bulwark of white supremacy in theState. " The large reception planned by Governor and Mrs. Earl Brewerhad to be omitted because of the sudden illness of Mrs. Brewer. Onaccount of home demands Mrs. Thompson declined re-election and Mrs. Dent was made president. 

Under Mrs. Dent's administration the work prospered and advanced inpopular favor. In the fall "woman suffrage day" was for the first timeon the calendar of the State Fair. Headquarters were again maintained, for which space three times as large as that used the previous yearwas occupied. Mrs. Dent, a successful cotton planter, brought a baleof cotton from her plantation and presented it to the headquarters, where it afforded a unique platform for the speakers. Women fromdifferent parts of the State came to act as hostesses and take part inthe speaking. This year a college contest was conducted by Mrs. Thompson, who offered a gold medal for the best argument for womansuffrage written by a college student of the State. Six of the largestcolleges were represented and the medal was won by Mrs. Pearl Powell, of the Industrial Institute and College. 

In April, 1914, the State convention was again held in Jackson. Amongthe speakers were Rabbi Brill of Meridian and Mrs. Alex Y. Scott ofMemphis. Mrs. Dent was re-elected president. In the fall for the firsttime there was a suffrage section in the parade that marked theopening of the State Fair. Six women, gowned in white and wearingyellow silk Votes for Women badges marched--Mrs. Ella O. Biggs andMiss Sadie Goeber bearing a banner inscribed Women vote in twelveStates, why not in Mississippi? followed by Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. AveryHarrell Thompson, Mrs. Sarah C. Watts and Mrs. R. W. Durfey and theywere generously cheered along the way. 

In the spring of 1915 the State convention was held in Greenville. Dr. Shaw was a guest, stopping on her way to Jackson, where under theauspices of the Equity League she spoke in the House ofRepresentatives to a large audience, many standing throughout heraddress, which made a profound impression. The convention was wellattended. Some of the interesting features were "an hour for men"presided over by Congressman B. G. Humphries, with excellent speeches;a five o'clock tea, given by the Belvidere Chapter of the Daughters ofthe American Revolution, and the presentation of the motion pictureplay, Your Girl and Mine. Miss Pauline V. Orr was elected president. Miss Orr served as president for two years, widely extending theinfluence of the association through the hundreds of young women whocame under her instruction at the Industrial Institute and College, where for many years she held the chair of English. 

The annual convention was held in 1916 in the city hall in Meridian, where nineteen years before the State Woman Suffrage Association wasorganized, and Mrs. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs of Alabama, auditor of theNational Association, made an address on the opening evening. Duringthe following year eight new leagues were formed. The convention metin Starkville in April, 1917, and addresses were made by Dr. Shaw, Miss Margaret Hamilton Erwin, president of the Tennessee EqualSuffrage Association; Mrs. Walter McNab Miller, first vice-presidentof the National Association; Mrs. W. H. Price, president of theMississippi Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, andMrs. Edward F. McGehee, president of the State Federation of Women'sClubs. Miss Orr, the president, declining re-election was succeeded byMrs. McGehee. The United States had now entered the war and thesuffragists began to concentrate on war work. As chairman of theWoman's Committee, Mississippi Division of the National Council ofDefense, she was able to help popularize woman suffrage. [101]

In April, 1918, a one-day conference was held in the Capitol atJackson, when Mrs. Marion B. Trotter of Winona was elected presidentand brought a great deal of energy and enthusiasm into her office. Noconvention was held in 1919 but at the close of the meeting of theState Federation of Women's Clubs in Clarksdale in November aconference of the suffragists present was called. It was there decidedto organize to support the ratification of the Federal Amendment, which had been submitted by Congress and was to come before theLegislature the following January. Mrs. B. F. Saunders of Swan Lake, retiring president of the federation, was made chairman of theRatification Committee; Mrs. Trotter, treasurer; Mrs. Somervillechairman of Petition and Press Work; Mrs. McClurg chairman of Finance. By request the National Association sent into the State itsorganizers, Miss Watkins of Arkansas and Miss Peshakova of New York. Mrs. Cunningham, president of the Texas Equal Suffrage Association anda national worker, also came to assist. Petitions were circulated, leaflets published and distributed, newspapers enlisted andlegislators systematically interviewed. The organization thus speedilyeffected worked during the session of 1920. In April of this year theconvention of the State Federation, held in Gulfport, closed with a"suffrage luncheon, " a brilliant affair attended by 125 prominent menand women. Speeches were made by the Hon. Barney Eaton, a lawyer ofGulfport; Mrs. S. P. Covington, its president, and others. The StateLeague of Women Voters was organized at this time with Miss BlancheRogers chairman. 

It had been the hope for years to have an endorsement of womansuffrage from the Federation of Women's Clubs, a strong and popularorganization numbering over 3, 000 of the State's leading women. Duringits annual meeting in 1916 Miss Orr, president of the State SuffrageAssociation, had introduced a favorable resolution and with Mrs. Somerville, Mrs. J. W. McGrath of Canton, Mrs. William Baldwin ofColumbus and Mrs. W. S. Lott of Meridian led the fight for suffrage. Mrs. William R. Wright of Jackson headed the opposition, which askedfor the postponement of the question until the next year and won. Atthe next convention, held in Meridian in 1917, the resolution wasintroduced by Miss Ann Rothenberg (now Mrs. Rosenbaum) of Meridianand passed almost unanimously. In 1919 at the annual meeting held inClarksdale, during the presidency of Mrs. Saunders, a resolutionendorsing the ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment wascarried with but one dissenting vote, that of Mrs. Lizzie GeorgeHenderson of Greenwood, daughter of the late U. S. Senator J. Z. George. When the League of Women Voters was formed the next year Mrs. Henderson was among the first to join it. 

In 1919, the State Teachers' Association passed unanimously aresolution endorsing woman suffrage introduced by Professor FrederickDavis Mellen of the State Agricultural and Mechanical College, the sonof the late Reverend Thomas L. Mellen, one of Mississippi's earliestsuffragists. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union here as elsewherewas a great school for women, teaching them the need of the ballot, and the majority of its members were suffragists but all through theyears the minority, who did not want the question brought into theUnion, overruled their wishes. Mrs. Harriet B. Kells, the presidentfor many years and a lifelong suffragist, was not able to overcomethis situation and it never endorsed woman suffrage. 

There never has been any organized opposition among Mississippi women. During the session of the Legislature in 1920 there was an openattempt to organize opposition to ratification of the FederalAmendment but it failed. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. After the suffrage association in 1913 decided toask for the submission of an amendment to the State constitution toenfranchise women the preliminary work of interviewing legislators anddistributing appropriate literature was conducted by the chairman ofthe Legislative Committee, Mrs. Nellie Nugent Somerville, thepresident, Mrs. Annie Kinkead Dent, and other members. The presidentat her own expense sent the _Woman's Journal_ and other literature toall legislators for three months. The concurrent resolution asking forthe submission was introduced in the House Jan. 9, 1914, by N. A. Mottof Yazoo county. Senator Hall Sanders of Tallahatchie county offeredit in the Senate three days later. The House Committee onConstitution, to which the bill was referred, granted a hearing, atwhich speeches were made by Mrs. Monroe McClurg, Miss Belle Kearney, Mrs. Somerville, Miss Kate Gordon (La. ), Judge Allen Thompson andColonel Clay Sharkey. The committee reported unfavorably by a majorityof one. A minority report was made by the chairman, Henry A. Minor ofNoxubee county, and others. Representative Mott offered a resolutioninviting the women to present their case in the House the next day, which was carried by a close vote about one o'clock in the afternoonand the hearing was set for ten the next morning. The _Daily News_ hadgone to press and the _Clarion Ledger_, a morning paper, had some timebefore forbidden its columns to any news or notices in any wayfavoring woman suffrage or advertising it. 

The president of the Equity League of Jackson, Mrs. J. W. Tucker, withher assistants, announced the hearing over the telephone, thelegislators spread the story and when the women who were to speakfiled into the House on that memorable morning of January 21 theyfound all available space occupied and the galleries overflowing. Aninvitation was sent to the Senators to come over but so many hadalready deserted their posts for the House that there was not a quorumto vote on the invitation. Hilary Quin of Hinds county, Speaker of theHouse, presided, introducing the speakers and extending every possiblecourtesy. They were Mrs. McClurg, Miss Kearney, Miss Orr, Miss Gordon, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Dent and Mrs. Somerville. The speeches made soprofound an impression that hardly had the last word been spoken whenthere came a loud and insistent call from the enemies for adjournment. The bill was presented next day. Emmett Cavette of Noxubee countystrongly championed it and Speaker Quin left the chair to make aspeech in its favor. Representative S. Joe Owen of Union countyvigorously led the fight against it and it was lost by 80 noes, 42ayes. 

In 1916 the women's organizations united in a bill making womeneligible to serve as county school superintendents and on the boardsof educational and benevolent institutions. During the session of 1918the suffrage association being in the midst of war work took noinitiative in behalf of legislation but Senator Earl Richardson ofNeshoba county on his own account introduced in the Senate aconcurrent resolution to amend the State constitution. The members ofthe Equity League gave assistance; Mrs. Isaac Reese of Memphis wasinvited to come to the Capitol and on the day the vote was taken sheand Miss Kearney made brief speeches before the Senate. On motion ofSenator P. E. Carothers the question was submitted without debate, which was a disappointment to its friends, H. H. Casteel of Holmescounty declaring that he had remained up nearly all of the nightbefore preparing his speech. The vote was a tie, 21 to 21. The Housetook no action. 

Through the years the officers and members of the State and localsuffrage associations united with those of other women's organizationsto obtain laws. The age of consent was raised first to 12, then to 16and in 1914 to 18; better child labor laws were secured; the lawpermitting a father to dispose of the children by will at his deathwas repealed. It is a fact not generally known that Mississippi wasthe pioneer State in securing to married women the right to own anddispose of property. This was done by an Act of the Legislature onFeb. 15, 1839. 

RATIFICATION. Congress submitted the Federal Amendment in June, andthe Ratification Committee was organized in November. It opened itsheadquarters in Jackson at the beginning of the legislative session inJanuary, 1920, after having made a whirlwind campaign. At the initialmeeting of the committee in Clarksburg there had been great enthusiasmand women gave money as they never had done before. Mrs. B. F. Saunders was made chairman and among those who worked with her inJackson were Mrs. Somerville, Mrs. Trotter, Mrs. Sam Covington, MissBlanche Rogers, Mrs. Thompson, Miss Kearney, Mrs. Annie Neely and Mrs. Cunningham of Texas. The legislators were systematically interviewed, literature distributed, petitions circulated and the press keptsupplied with arguments and news. 

Mrs. Thompson, in charge of the Jackson press, wrote innumerablearticles, and Mrs. Somerville and others contributed to the presswork. Letters, telegrams and petitions from all over the State urgingratification poured in daily upon both Houses. Delegations of womencame to urge their representatives to vote for ratification. Nineinfluential women came from Lauderdale county bringing a petition of2, 100 names of prominent people obtained in a day and a half andbegged their representatives to vote for the amendment but not one ofthem did so. 

Many of the State's leading newspapers were in favor of ratification. The _Daily News_ of Jackson, in keeping with its policy for years, gave editorial support and generously of its space. The _ClarionLedger_, also a Jackson daily, boasted of being the only paper in theState which openly fought ratification. The editor, Colonel HiramHenry, a veteran journalist of the State, always bitterly opposed toany form of woman suffrage, began his attack weeks before theLegislature met and daily during the session the pages of his paperreeked with hatred for the cause. The literature of the "antis" waslargely copied and extracts from negro journals published in the Northwere reproduced in glaring headlines, extracts so offensive that hadthey been used against any cause save that of disfranchised womenwould have been suppressed. It was through his influence that Mrs. Cola Barr Craig, once a resident of Jackson, and Mrs. James S. Pinckard of Alabama came early in January to organize a branch of whatthey called the Southern Women's Rejection League. They held a publicmeeting in the Carnegie library, at which besides the two speakers, there were nineteen women present, many of them the old friends ofMrs. Craig. No one would take even the temporary chairmanship and theattempt to organize failed ignominiously. Not daunted Mr. Henry sentfor Miss Kate Gordon of New Orleans, a veteran suffragist who hadjoined hands with the "antis" in fighting ratification. She wasadvertised for a speech at the Carnegie library and all legislatorswere urged to attend. Two legislators and fifteen women were present, six of the latter State workers for ratification. 

The retiring and incoming State officials were almost to a manoutspoken in their advocacy of ratification. Governor Theodore G. Bilbo, the retiring Governor, instead of having the clerk of the Houseread his farewell message, according to time honored custom, deliveredit in person. Woman suffrage was its conspicuous feature and after aprofound argument for ratification of the Federal Amendment, he closedhis remarks with the solemn statement: "Woe to that man who raiseshis hand against the onward march of this progressive movement!" Thenewly elected Governor, Lee M. Russell, in his inaugural address, delivered in front of the Capitol to an audience of thousands, devotedmore time to woman suffrage than to any other topic, making a clearcut, logical argument for ratification and a powerful plea for theenfranchisement of women. 

On January 21, W. A. Winter, Representative from Grenada county, offered the following resolution: "Resolved that the proposedamendment to the Constitution of the United States be and hereby isrejected as an unwarranted, unnecessary and dangerous interferencewith the rights reserved to the States, or to the people, in bothState and Federal Constitutions. .. . " This came without warning to thefriends of ratification and was not referred to a committee but rushedto a vote after Representative Guy W. Mitchell of Lee county hadspoken strongly against it. It was carried by a vote of 94 ayes to 25noes and the announcement received with cheers and laughter. SennettConner of Covington county was the Speaker of the House whose rulingpermitted this unparliamentary action. 

Sent to the Senate the Winter Resolution of Rejection was referred tothe Committee on Constitution, of which Senator Minor was chairman. Atthe meeting of the committee W. B. Mixon of Pike county was authorizedto draft a resolution ratifying the amendment, to be offered in theSenate as a substitute. This was done and Senators Minor, Mixon andFred B. Smith made a majority report. This resolution was earnestlyadvocated by Senators Percy Bell and Walton Shields of Washingtoncounty, W. B. Roberts of Bolivar, Fred B. Smith of Union, A. A. Cohnof Lincoln and E. F. Noel of Holmes. It failed of adoption and theWinter resolution was recommitted to the Committee on Constitution, where it remained. 

In the meantime Senator Mixon had introduced a bill in the Senategiving the right to women to vote in Primary elections andRepresentative A. J. Whitworth of Pike county a similar one in theHouse. In Mississippi a nomination is equivalent to an election. Bothbills were defeated. A resolution for a woman suffrage amendment tothe State constitution to be submitted to the voters at the electionof November, 1920, passed both Houses with very little opposition. During the last three weeks of the session Senator Mixon introduced abill giving the right of suffrage to women in the event of theratification of the Federal Amendment by thirty-six Legislatures, thusenabling them to vote in the August primaries, and RepresentativeWhitworth introduced two bills, one giving suffrage to women inprimary elections and the other in general elections, both contingentupon ratification. These bills passed without opposition. 

During the last week of the Legislature Senator Roberts called out ofthe committee the original Winter Resolution of Rejection and inCommittee of the Whole it was amended by striking out the word"reject" and substituting the word "ratify. " Thus amended the vote inthe Senate stood 21 ayes, 21 noes and Lieutenant Governor H. H. Casteel broke the tie in favor of its adoption. News of the Senate'sfavorable action spread all over the country in a few hours. Telegramscame pouring in to the Governor and Legislature offeringcongratulations and appealing to the House to make Mississippi the36th State to ratify. 

The Senate substitute was presented to the House the next afternoon, March 31. Representative Winter moved that the House "do not concurwith the Senate Resolution of Ratification. " Immediately there camecalls for the vote. Telegrams were on the Speaker's stand from WilliamJennings Bryan, Homer Cummings, chairman of the Democratic NationalCommittee, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer and many other prominent Democrats. A vote was takenas to whether these should be read to the House. Representative E. M. Lane of Smith county, although an opponent of ratification, made anearnest appeal that the courtesy of a hearing should be accorded thesenational party leaders. A vote of 65 to 32 decided that the telegramsshould not be read. Governor Russell had stated that he desired theprivilege of the floor to make an appeal in behalf of ratification butthis courtesy was denied him. Representatives T. D. Rees of Prentisscounty and Walter Sillers of Bolivar spoke in favor of ratificationbut were poorly heard so great was the confusion and so loud andinsistent the calls for the vote. Representative Mitchell was absent. Dr. Whitworth (author of three suffrage bills at this session) spokeagainst ratification and while he was speaking Representative R. H. Watts of Rankin county interpolated, "I would die and go to hellbefore I would vote for it. " The substitute was defeated by 94 noes, 23 ayes. 

Thus was banished forever the dream of Mississippi suffragists thatthe women would receive the ballot from the men of this great State. Speaker Sennett Conner was responsible above every one else for thedefeat of ratification. Its chance was weakened by the fact thatMississippi's entire delegation in Congress, including Senators JohnSharp Williams and "Pat" Harrison had voted against submitting theFederal Amendment. 

Did space permit there would be added to the names mentioned in thischapter many others who gave "aid and comfort" to the cause. Amongthose who never failed when asked to help with financial burdens wasthe late Major R. W. Millsaps, founder of Millsaps College for men andwomen. The army of active suffragists was never large. Many womenwanted the ballot but comparatively few were under conviction to workfor it. To those who did, especially in early, trying days, belongsthat indescribable exultation which is the portion of those who helponward a great revolutionary movement for the uplift of the race. 

The amendment to the State constitution was voted on at the generalelection in November, 1920, and received 39, 186 ayes, 24, 296 noes butit was not carried, as the law requires a majority of all the votescast at the election. As the women were already enfranchised by theFederal Amendment they did not make a campaign for it but asregistration is necessary four months before election and theratification did not take place until two months before this one, theywere not able to vote, Mississippi and Georgia being the only twoStates that denied this privilege. 

FOOTNOTES:

[100] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Lily WilkinsonThompson, an officer in the State Suffrage Association from itsorganization until its work was finished. 

[101] Besides those mentioned the following served on the officialboard: Mrs. Jimmie Andrews Lipscomb, Mrs. Nella Lawrence Lee, MissMattie Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Annie Kinkead Dent, Mrs. Ella O. Biggs, Mrs. Alma Dorsey Birdsall, Mrs. Durrant, Mrs. Edith Marshall Tucker, Mrs. Mary Powell Crane, Miss Ethel Clagett, Mrs. C. C. Miller, Mrs. T. F. Buntin, Miss Estelle Crane, Miss Nannie Herndon Rice. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

MISSOURI. [102]

When the last volume of the history of woman suffrage was written in1900 Missouri was one of the blackest spots on the suffrage map andthere was little to indicate that it would ever be lighter. The ableand courageous women who inaugurated the movement in 1867, Mrs. Virginia L. Minor, Mrs. Beverly Allen, Mrs. Rebecca Hazzard, MissPhoebe Couzins and Mrs. Sarah Chandler Coates, were no longer livingor past the age for strenuous work. A few women kept up a semblance ofa State organization, met annually and in 1901 Mrs. Addie Johnson waselected president; in 1902 Mrs. Louis Werth and in 1903 Mrs. AliceMulkley, but there was great apathy among women in general. From 1903to 1910 no State convention was held. In St. Louis, which comprisedone-fourth of the inhabitants of the State, there was no visibleorganization working for woman suffrage. The largest and mostinfluential woman's club refused to allow the subject on its programs. During the decade to 1910 only one speaker of national prominence cameinto the State--Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the president of theNational American Woman Suffrage Association--and evidently at thenational headquarters Missouri was considered too hopeless toconsider. 

The movement was only smoldering, however, and needed but a spark toburst into flame and that spark came from afar--from the torch heldhigh by the "militant" suffragists of England. In no State perhaps wasthere more bitter invective hurled at them than by the press andpeople of Missouri but the conscience of the convinced suffragists wasaroused. Stirring addresses in St. Louis by Stanton Coit of London andJohn Lovejoy Elliott of New York in defense of the English"militants" brought matters to a crisis and a few bold spiritsdecided to reorganize the scattered suffrage forces. 

In March, 1910, Mrs. Florence Wyman Richardson, Miss Marie R. Garescheand Miss Florence Richardson (later Mrs. Roland R. Usher) barely outof her teens, renounced society and invited twenty or twenty-fivewomen, whom they thought might be interested, to meet in MissGaresche's home. Only five responded, Miss Bertha Rombauer, MissJennie M. A. Jones, Mrs. Robert Atkinson, Miss Lillian Heltzell andMrs. Dan Knefler. Not at all daunted it was decided as a first step toengage a prominent lecturer. Miss Ethel Arnold, the well-knownEnglishwoman, a suffragist but not a "militant, " was then touring thiscountry and before the meeting adjourned a telegram was sent to herand the eight women present guaranteed the sum to cover her charge andthe rent of a hall. As her itinerary would bring her to St. Louisabout the middle of April it was thought best to organize immediately, so that the publicity which would undoubtedly be given to Miss Arnoldwould be shared by the infant society. A circular letter outlining theproject was sent broadcast and April 8 about fifty women gathered atthe residence of Mrs. Richardson and effected an organization. Thuscame into being the St. Louis Equal Suffrage League, which wasdestined to play the principal part in winning the vote for the womenof the State. The following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Richardson; first vice-president, Miss Garesche; second, Mrs. Atkinson; corresponding secretary, Miss Rombauer; recording secretary, Miss Heltzell; treasurer, Mrs. Knefler; auditor, Mrs. Leslie Thompson. 

Miss Arnold's lecture took place April 11 and her charm, culture andcogent reasoning won many friends to the cause and disarmed many ofits opponents. Branch organizations were soon formed in the northernand southern parts of the city with Mrs. Atlanta Hecker and MissCecilia Razovsky as presidents. Meetings were held in the CabanneBranch Library and before the end of the year the members hadincreased to 275. [103] During the first year the league brought anumber of lecturers to the city, realizing that this was the mostvaluable form of propaganda in a community so entrenched inconservatism. Among them were Mr. And Mrs. Philip Snowden of England;Professor Frances Squire Potter of the University of Minnesota; Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead of Boston; Professor Nathaniel Schmidt of Cornell andProfessor Earl Barnes of Philadelphia. 

On Nov. 3, 1911, Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst of England, at the invitationof the league, lectured in the Odeon, the largest hall in the city, toan audience that taxed its capacity. Her charming personality set atrest all fears as to the ill effect of suffrage, even of the"militant" variety, on feminine grace and refinement. Soon afterwardsthe Mary Institute Alumnae Association invited Miss Sylvia Pankhurstto lecture and the result was most gratifying to the friends ofsuffrage. 

The old State organization having ceased to exist the St. Louis leaguewith its branches and the recently formed Webster Groves SuffrageLeague, Mrs. Lee Roseborough, president, met in St. Louis Feb. 14, 1911, and organized a State Woman Suffrage Association, whichaffiliated with the National American Association. The officers were:President, Mrs. Atkinson; vice-president, Mrs. Morrison-Fuller;corresponding secretary, Mrs. Boyd; recording secretary, MissRombauer; treasurer, Miss Jane Thompson; auditor, Mrs. R. D. McArthur. Owing to various causes this board was in a few months reduced tothree working members, Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Boyd and Miss Rombauer. Realizing that it must enlist the support of the press they sent outletters to a long list of the State editors and favorable replies werereceived from twenty-six, who promised to give a weekly column intheir papers for suffrage news and propaganda. All the libraries werewritten to and a number of them induced to procure the four largevolumes of the History of Woman Suffrage, generously offered by theNational Association. The librarians, who were often women, were askedto keep on hand a supply of suffrage literature. The St. Louis publiclibrary, at the suggestion of the board, made a special exhibit ofthis literature, much of which was new. In the center of the exhibitwas a large picture of William T. Harris, former superintendent ofschools in St. Louis and later U. S. Commissioner of Education, withhis strong testimony in favor of woman suffrage. 

Mrs. Atkinson was permitted to make an address on suffrage before theState Federation of Women's Clubs at Sedalia but no action was taken. She also addressed a large audience at the dedication of the Woman'sBuilding which had been erected by the Legislature on the State Fairgrounds near that city and Mrs. Walter McNab Miller of Columbia alsomade an address. The board paid a lawyer to compile the State laws forwomen under the direction of E. M. Grossman. Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Boydand Mrs. John L. Lowes of St. Louis and Mrs. Virginia Hedges ofWarrensburg went as delegates to the convention of the NationalAssociation in 1911 at Louisville, where much satisfaction wasexpressed that Missouri had at last come into the fold. The KansasCity League was organized this year with Mrs. Henry N. Ess, president;Miss Helen Osborn, secretary; and Mrs. Helena Cramer Leavens, treasurer. The women of Warrensburg, under the leadership of MissLaura Runyon, organized a club of fifty members. There was the StateNormal School, to whose faculty Miss Runyon belonged, and through herthe support of the students was obtained and suffrage propagandaextended gradually to every section of the State. Mrs. Knefler, president of the St. Louis Women's Trades Union, organized a leagueamong its members, which, under the leadership of Mrs. Sarah Spraggonand Miss Sallie Quick, did excellent work in the campaigns thatfollowed. 

In 1912 a Business Woman's Suffrage League was formed in St. Louisunder the leadership of Miss Mary McGuire, a graduate of the St. LouisUniversity Law School, and Miss Jessie Lansing Moller, which startingwith 50 members, eventually numbered 250. The same year the JuniorBranch of the St. Louis League was organized, which included many ofthe younger society girls and matrons. Miss Ann Drew (later Mrs. JamesPlatt) was president. In Kansas City in the autumn the Southside EqualSuffrage League was formed with Mrs. Cora Kramer Leavens, president, and Miss Cora Best Jewell, secretary. A Men's Equal Suffrage Leaguewas also organized with D. H. Hoff president; J. H. Austin, vice-president; David Proctor, secretary, which did a large work insecuring the big vote given to the suffrage amendment in Kansas Cityand Jackson county in 1914. 

In 1912 the first State convention was held in September at Sedalia, where Mrs. George Gellhorn was elected president and Mrs. John W. Barringer vice-president, both of St. Louis. They went to JeffersonCity in September and tried to get a suffrage plank into the platformof the Democratic State convention. Though unsuccessful it was theinitial step in bringing the subject out of the parlor andlecture-room into the sphere of politics, the arena where the battleultimately had to be fought. Twenty-eight leagues were formed thisyear. Miss Amelia C. Fruchte, member of the St. Louis Central HighSchool faculty, went before the State Teachers' Association andsecured its endorsement of woman suffrage. 

In 1913 at the State convention held at St. Louis in September, Mrs. Walter McNab Miller, formerly of Ohio, was elected State president. She had been the leading spirit in work for suffrage in Columbia, theseat of the State University, where her husband was a professor, andin November, 1912, an organization was formed with Dr. R. H. Jesse, former president of the university, at its head. Though the State ingeneral was still apathetic the women in the large places, especiallyin St. Louis and Kansas City, were alert and active. Mrs. Richardson, after two strenuous years, had been succeeded by Mrs. David O'Neil aspresident of the St. Louis League. She was followed in October by Mrs. John L. Lowes, who had to resign from exhaustion and Mrs. O'Neil wasagain elected. 

The hard work that had been done was beginning to bear fruit and theFarmers' Alliance, the Prohibitionists, the Single Taxers and otherorganizations were seeking the cooperation of the suffrage societies. The press was giving more and more space to suffrage news. Mrs. EmilyNewell Blair of Carthage was a powerful influence with countryeditors. The St. Louis _Post Dispatch_ offered prizes amounting to$100 for the best arguments in favor and often contained strongeditorials. Thanks largely to Miss Jane Winn, on the editorial staffof the _Globe Democrat_, suffrage news was seldom refused by thatpaper. The Kansas City _Star_ and the _Post_ gave strong support. Best of all, the women were gaining in courage and confidence. InSeptember the managers of a Merchants' and Manufacturers' StreetExposition in St. Louis invited the suffragists to conduct a paradeunder their auspices and a large number of automobiles and auto-trucksgaily decorated with white and yellow bunting and accompanied byseveral bands of music went through the principal downtown streets. The crowds were respectful and occasionally enthusiastic. Theenthusiasm of the paraders reached such a pitch that they left theirprotecting cars and marched boldly down the middle of the street, preceded by a band playing "Everybody's doing it. " The details werearranged by Mrs. W. W. Boyd, Jr. 

The time was judged to be ripe for an organized effort to secureaction at the general election of 1914 and two plans presentedthemselves: First, to ask the Legislature to submit to the voters anamendment to the State constitution giving full suffrage to women;second, to secure the necessary number of signatures under the newlyenacted initiative petition law to place the amendment on the ballotregardless of action by the Legislature. The former method was triedfirst but the latter was found to be necessary. A finance committeewas appointed by the league to raise funds for the campaign and at aluncheon in St. Louis amid great enthusiasm $11, 000 were pledged, which were turned over to Mrs. B. B. Graham, campaign treasurer. Headquarters were opened down town with Mrs. Knefler, campaignmanager, in charge. The interest aroused throughout the State by thecirculating of the petition was manifested at the State convention inColumbia, in May, 1914, which was attended by a number of delegatesfrom the country districts. Mrs. Miller was re-elected president. On"suffrage day, " May 1, men and women addressed crowds between acts atdifferent theaters and on the steps of public buildings. Miss FolaLaFollette was the speaker at a large evening meeting and addressedthe Men's City Club at luncheon the next day. The slogan was sent outfar and wide, "Suffrage for Missouri in 1914. " After the heavy task ofobtaining 14, 000 names to the petition and a strenuous campaign theamendment was defeated at the polls. 

In 1915 an offer was made by a newspaper man in Monet to publish asuffrage magazine and eagerly accepted, the suffragists agreeing tofurnish the material and to work up the subscriptions. Mrs. Blair wasthe first editor of the _Missouri Woman_ and all went well for a fewmonths, then the publisher failed. This was a keen disappointment butthrough the efforts of Miss Mary Bulkley and Percy Werner of St. Louis, Flint Garrison, president of the Garrison-Wagner PrintingCompany, a prominent Democrat and an ardent suffragist, becameinterested and agreed to publish the magazine. It was adopted as theorgan of the State Federation of Women's Clubs and was endorsed by theState branch of the National Congress of Mothers and the State ParentTeachers' Association. In March, 1916, Mrs. Blair, owing to thedifficulty of editing the magazine from her home in Carthage while itwas published in St. Louis, resigned as editor and was succeeded byMiss Mary Semple Scott of St. Louis, who continued in that officeduring the remaining three years of its useful existence, until thewomen of the State had been partially enfranchised and the FederalSuffrage Amendment had been ratified by the Legislature. 

During 1916 the St. Louis Equal Suffrage League reorganized onpolitical lines with a Central Committee composed of a member fromeach of the twenty-five wards. Mrs. William C. Fordyce, who for a longtime had urged this action, was unanimously elected chairman. At theconvention held in Springfield in May Mrs. John R. Leighty of KansasCity succeeded Mrs. Miller, who had been elected first vice-presidentof the National Association and would reside in Washington. At themeeting of the board held in St. Louis in June the State associationalso was reorganized on political lines and a Congressional Committeeof sixteen members representing the sixteen congressional districtswas appointed. The St. Louis League subscribed $500 to carry on thework and Mrs. Charles Passmore was made chairman. The committeesappealed to the Republican State convention to put a plank for womansuffrage in its platform but with no success. Later, after the twonational parties had adopted suffrage planks, an effort was made tohave the State committees adopt the same plank but they refused. 

The National Democratic Convention held in St. Louis in June, 1916, offered a splendid opportunity which both State and city suffragistseagerly seized. Some unique schemes were evolved, among them the"golden lane, " the idea of Mrs. Blair. It has been described as "awalkless, talkless parade" and consisted of about 7, 000 women arrangedin a double line on both sides of the street, the front row sitting, the back row standing, all dressed in white with yellow sashes andeach one carrying a yellow parasol. They held their places on theopening day of the convention, June 14, from 10 a. M. Till noon, onboth sides of Locust Street for a distance of ten blocks, the routethe delegates had to take in going from their headquarters in theJefferson Hotel to the Coliseum, where the convention was held. 

Another striking appeal was in the form of a beautiful and imposingtableau staged on the steps of the old Art Museum, also on the routeof the delegates, which was given with an occasional interval of restfor two long hours. The details were managed by Miss VirginiaStevenson. Under a canopy of gold cloth, which cast a glow over thegroup below, there stood at the top of the steps "Liberty, " posed byhandsome Mrs. O'Neil. Grouped about her were thirteen women dressed inwhite representing the twelve equal suffrage States and Alaska. Farther down on the steps were the States in which only partialsuffrage had been granted, impersonated by women dressed in gray. Atthe bottom were figures in black, representing the States where womenwere wholly disfranchised, extending their manacled arms to Liberty. Amass meeting was held later in the day in the auditorium of theMuseum, when Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, William Jennings Bryan, U. S. Senator John F. Shafroth and Mrs. Miller addressed large andenthusiastic audiences. The Town Club, an organization of women, gavea dinner with covers laid for 300, which was followed by music andspeaking in front of the Jefferson Hotel. On the same night there wasstreet speaking on the principal down town corners for two hours, onespeaker relieving another as the crowds called for more. Miss Scottbrought out an impressive number of the _Missouri Woman_ during theconvention. William Burns, a well-known artist on the _Post Dispatch_, designed an attractive and significant cover and Miss MargueriteMartin illustrated a story by Mrs. Blair; editors of the St. Louisdailies, Louis Ely, Casper Yost and Paul W. Brown, contributededitorials and William Marion Reedy, editor of the St. Louis _Mirror_, wrote a charming article. The edition of 10, 000 was sold at thebookstands and by volunteers who acted as "newsies. " The business menadvertised generously. 

The result partially of all the hard work and enthusiasm was a womansuffrage plank in the platform according to the Democratic principleof State's rights, which, though not entirely satisfactory to thesuffragists, was regarded as a decided victory. 

The entrance of the United States in the World War in 1917 acted as adeterrent of suffrage activities, as the various organizations threwthemselves whole-heartedly into war work. Mrs. Leighty, Statechairman, Mrs. Stix, chairman of the St. Louis League, and other headsof suffrage societies throughout the State, had the difficult task ofdirecting their activities in war work and at the same time keeping atthe front the idea that, while working to make the world safe fordemocracy abroad, the cause of democracy at home demanded the speedyenfranchisement of the women of America. Missouri's quota for theOversea Hospitals organized by the National Suffrage Association was$1, 000. At a luncheon given by the St. Louis League May 8, where Mrs. Charles L. Tiffany of New York was the speaker, $4, 331 were subscribedin fifteen minutes. Mrs. Miller was chairman of the Food ConservationCommittee of the National Association and Mrs. George Gellhornorganized its work for Missouri. All demands of the Government werefully met. 

In May, 1917, the State convention was held at Kansas City and Mrs. Miller having returned from Washington was again elected president. This year a Men's Advisory Committee in St. Louis was formed composedof 147 well-known residents organized under the following leaders:Jackson Johnson, N. A. McMillan, Ernest W. Stix, Joseph Woracek, Edward F. Goltra, E. N. Grossman, Benjamin Gratz, J. L. Babler. Ateachers' division including many thousand was formed, with MissTillie Gecks as president. Largely through the efforts of theexecutive secretary of the St. Louis league, Mrs. Lucille B. Lowenstein, its membership in 1918 was increased to 8, 000. Mrs. Stix, resigning because of illness, Mrs. Gellhorn was elected. 

At the State convention held at Macon in May, 1918, Mrs. Miller wasre-elected. Owing to the splendid organization of the St. Louis Leagueit was able to invite the National Suffrage Association to hold itsGolden Jubilee in this city in 1919. It was held March 23-29 inclusiveat the Statler Hotel with two evening mass meetings at the Odeon, andwas declared by Mrs. Catt to have been "the best convention ever heldanywhere. " A large group of women worked indefatigably for weeks inadvance to make it a success but to Mrs. Gellhorn, chairman of theLocal Arrangements Committee, must go the chief honor. Second must beplaced the name of Mrs. Stix, who had raised the funds to defray thelocal expenses. 

On the evening of March 28 was held one of the mass meetings. Thelarge auditorium of the Odeon, beautifully decorated for the occasionunder the supervision of Mrs. Fred Taussig and Mrs. Everett W. Pattison, was filled to overflowing. On the stage were Mrs. Catt, Dr. Shaw and the other national officers, also the speakers of theevening, among whom were Governor Henry J. Allen of Kansas and MissHelen Frazier of England. Suddenly music was heard from the back. Itheralded the Missouri delegation, composed of Mrs. Miller, Mrs. DavidO'Neil, Mrs. W. R. Haight and Miss Marie B. Ames, who had been inJefferson City for ninety-six days working in the interest of thePresidential suffrage bill and had just returned with the joyfultidings that it had passed both Houses! The delegation was met at thedoor and escorted down the center aisle by Mrs. Gellhorn, holdingaloft a banner bearing the words, "Now we are voters. " The largeaudience rose spontaneously and amidst deafening cheers and wildwaving of handkerchiefs and hats the women ascended to the stage, where they were individually presented to the audience by thepresiding officer, Dr. Shaw, who congratulated them and the rest ofthe women of Missouri on the great victory. [Full account ofconvention in Chapter XVIII, Volume V. ]

To celebrate the success of this great convention and especially thewinning of Presidential suffrage, the St. Louis League at its annualmeeting in April gave a "victory tea" in the Statler Hotel. The guestsof honor were Senator James W. McKnight and Representative Walter E. Bailey, who had so successfully led the suffrage forces in the Senateand House. With music and the presentation to Mrs. O'Neil, inacknowledgment of her long and faithful services, of an illuminatedtestimonial, it was a delightful afternoon. Mrs. Fred English waselected president of the league. At the State convention held at St. Louis Mrs. Gellhorn was elected president, Mrs. Miller honorarypresident, Mrs. David O'Neil honorary vice-president of theassociation. 

With Presidential suffrage won, the work before both State and cityassociation was obviously the organization and education of the newvoters. At a State meeting held in Kansas City May 3, a "budget"system was adopted and a definite quota assigned to each county. Kansas City raised $3, 000 at a banquet in the Muehlbach Hotel, Mrs. J. B. White presiding. St. Louis then raised its quota of $6, 000 andanother $6, 000 was pro-rated throughout the remainder of the State, giving $15, 000. 

The next step in order was the establishment of Citizenship Schoolsand the slogan "Every Missouri Woman an Intelligent Voter in 1920" wasadopted. Under the direction of Mrs. Olive B. Swan, executivesecretary of the State association, citizenship schools were arrangedfor in every one of the sixteen congressional districts. Miss Ames andMiss Lutie Stearns, two expert organizers, traveled through the Stateholding meetings and conducting schools. Mrs. Leighty and Mrs. AlfredBuschman assisted in this work. Mrs. English and Mrs. Clarke conductedall those in St. Louis. The Young Women's Christian Associationallowed them the use of its auditorium for the first suffrage normalschool. Some mothers of families got up at five o'clock and did partof their day's work in order to be able to attend; some women traveledmiles in order to do so; others came to night classes after a hardday's work in office or school room. The St. Louis Board of Educationrecognized the importance of this work and offered to incorporate thecitizenship schools in the night school system. It furnished thebuilding and paid the instructors, the St. Louis League managed theschools. The response of the colored women to these opportunities wasespecially noteworthy; in one school over 300 were in constantattendance. Mrs. McBride, secretary of the Jackson county suffrageleague, conducted classes throughout the county. Kansas City securedProfessor Isador Loeb of the University of Missouri for a course oflectures on government. All the women's clubs united into one school. The course included principles of government, organization, publicity, public speaking, suffrage history and argument, parliamentary law anduse of literature. 

 * * * * *

The submission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment by Congress in June, 1919, was celebrated with the greatest joy throughout the State. Prominent suffragists in St. Louis waited upon Mayor Keil, the boardof aldermen and other city officials and escorted them in gailydecorated automobiles to the steps of the Post Office, where theMayor, an old friend of woman suffrage, made a rousing speech. Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Gellhorn also spoke and Charles M. Hay closed themeeting with an eloquent address. In Kansas City a similar meeting washeld in one of the large theaters. 

RATIFICATION. Steps were at once taken to secure the ratification ofthe amendment by the Legislature. Edward F. Goltra, NationalDemocratic Committeeman, a proved friend, and Ben Neals, StateDemocratic chairman, were often asked for advice and other help. JacobBabler, Republican National Committeeman, and W. L. Cole, RepublicanState chairman, Mayor Keil and many others of both political partiesassisted the suffrage associations in placing before Governor Gardnerthe urgency of calling a special session. He was not slow inresponding and one was called for July 2, 1919. All the suffrageorganizations in the State, with the Federated Clubs and the Woman'sChristian Temperance Union, started to work immediately to make sureof a large majority. Legislators were visited by their constituentsand letters and telegrams were showered on them by prominent men andwomen from other sections of the State. 

On July 1 the suffragists gathered in Jefferson City and opened aState board meeting with a luncheon and speeches at the New CentralHotel to which every one was welcome. At 7 o'clock the ratificationdinner took place, with members of the Legislature as the invitedguests of the State association. Every foot of space in thedining-room, ante-room and lobby of the hotel was filled with tables. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor were escorted to the hall byprominent suffragists and both made stirring appeals. 

At 10 o'clock the morning of July 3, a procession of women wended itsway from the hotel to the beautiful new Capitol. The yellow parasols, which had figured in every suffrage celebration since the time of thehistoric Golden Lane in 1916, were everywhere in evidence and yellowbanners, ribbons and flowers gave the dominant note of color to thescene. The galleries in both Senate and House were filled. Theresolution passed the House by a vote of 125 to 4; the Senate by avote of 29 to 3. 

A great sorrow came in the midst of the rejoicing, as the news wasreceived that Dr. Anna Howard Shaw died the evening before theratification. She had addressed the Legislature in other years andboth Houses passed resolutions of regret. 

Missouri women will forever remember gratefully the 50th GeneralAssembly, as it did all possible for it to do toward theirenfranchisement. It memorialized Congress urging the passage of theFederal Suffrage Amendment; it passed the Presidential suffrage billand it promptly ratified the Amendment. 

A called convention of the State association was held October 16-18, at the Hotel Statler in St. Louis and the name was changed to theMissouri League of Women Voters. Mrs. Gellhorn was elected chairman. Every district was represented by the 122 delegates present. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1913. A petition signed by 14, 000 voters of theState, of whom 8, 000 were from St. Louis, was presented to theLegislature asking it to submit an amendment for woman suffrage at theelection of 1914. The women who had had charge of the petition wereMrs. David O'Neil, president, Miss Mary Bulkley, Miss CharlotteRumbold and Mrs. William C. Fordyce of the St. Louis Equal SuffrageLeague and Mrs. St. Clair Moss and Mrs. Rose Ingels of Columbia. Aletter had been sent to every legislator saying that all he was askedto do was to help get the amendment before the voters. The resolutionwas introduced by Representative Thomas J. Roney and Senator AndersonCraig. It was referred to the House and Senate Committees onConstitutional Amendment and a joint hearing was set for February 6. A number of women from different parts of the State appeared beforethese committees and Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the NationalSuffrage Association, disarmed all prejudice. There was a unanimousfavorable report from the Senate Committee and only one adverse votein the House Committee. A week later the resolution was sent toengrossment by both Houses with but five dissenting votes in theSenate while in the House the "ayes" were so overwhelming that the"noes" were not counted. The women went home feeling that the fightwas won but the last week of the session the resolution was taken offthe calendar, referred back to the committees and pigeon-holed. 

The women then decided to resort to the newly created device of the"initiative petition, " by which the amendment could be submittedwithout legislative action. Mrs. Walter McNab Miller was urged to takecharge of the work, the St. Louis Suffrage League agreeing to lookafter the three most difficult congressional districts. She began thelatter part of August to canvass a State that has 114 counties, inmany of which there are no railroads and the other roads are almostimpassable. After six weeks of constant travel and hard work sheobtained only 1, 000 names. The cooperation of Mrs. Nellie Burger, president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, the only woman'sorganization in the State outside of the regular suffrage societieswhich had endorsed suffrage, was then secured. The St. Louis andKansas City leagues took the most thickly populated districts and theothers were apportioned among little bands of suffragists, who, underthe leadership of Mrs. Miller, worked steadily for the next sixmonths. At last the required 14, 000 signatures were obtained andrepresentatives from each district went to Jefferson City to presentthe petitions to Secretary of State Cornelius Roach. He received themin a most friendly manner, saying that he hoped this work, which hadbeen done at such great cost, would bring the desired reward. 

It had only begun and the task during the next six months was toinduce the men to vote for the amendment, which now had an assuredplace on the ballot. Help came from the outside, as well as within theState. Ruth Hanna (Mrs. Medill) McCormick of Chicago, chairman of theCongressional Committee of the National Association, sent an organizerand paid her expenses for four months. From friends outside $3, 264were sent and about $1, 800 were raised in various ways in the State. Dr. Shaw and Miss Jane Addams spoke in several cities and otherprominent speakers were Mrs. Desha Breckinridge of Kentucky, MissHelen Todd of California, Mrs. McCormick and "General" Rosalie Jonesof New York. The State and county fairs were utilized. Headquarterswere rented in a big downtown building in St. Louis with Miss Rumboldas director of publicity, Miss Genevieve Tierney and Mrs. R. L. Sanford in charge of the business part, Mrs. Alice Curtis Moyer-Winghead of the speakers' bureau and Miss Bulkley treasurer. Mrs. Blairhad charge of the press work for the State, Miss Clara Sommerville forSt. Louis. [104] The St. Louis _Times_, the Kansas City _Post_ and theWarrensburg _Daily Star_ allowed the women to get out a specialsuffrage edition. 

All the hard work of a year and a half was in vain. On Nov. 3, 1914, the woman suffrage amendment went down to defeat with fourteen otheramendments on the ballot. More votes were cast on this one than on anyother--182, 257 ayes; 322, 463 noes; lost by 140, 206. In Kansas City theadverse majority was only 1, 000. Thirteen counties were carried. 

1915. It had been decided at the first State board meeting after thedefeat to attempt again to have an amendment submitted by theLegislature. Mrs. Miller took charge of the work and remained sixweeks in Jefferson City. The resolution was written by Judge RobertFranklin Walker, now Chief Justice of Missouri, and was introduced bySenator Craig and Representative Roney, as before. A joint hearing wasarranged at which twelve Missouri women, representing variousprofessions and occupations, spoke five minutes each. It passed theHouse by 88 ayes to 42 noes. Through the efforts of Senator WilliamPhelps, who was showered with letters and telegrams from hisconstituents, the committee, a majority of whom were violentlyopposed to woman suffrage, was persuaded to report it favorably but itdid not come to a vote in the Senate. 

1916. As the Federal Amendment was now well advanced and the badeffect on it of the loss of a State campaign was clearly recognized, the National Board asked the officers of each State association torefrain from entering into one. Therefore it was agreed at the Stateconvention in May, 1916, to give up the projected campaign. 

1917. A bill for Presidential suffrage, which was approved by thenational officers, was introduced. Headquarters were opened in theCapitol with Miss Geraldine Buchanan of California, Mo. , in charge anda strong lobby of State women remained there during the session--Mrs. Leighty, Mrs. Fordyce, Mrs. O'Neil, Mrs. Passmore and Mrs. Grossman ofSt. Louis. Mrs. Katherine Smith, daughter of Judge Walker, and MissMatilda Dahlmeyer of Jefferson City gave effective aid. Percy Werner, a lawyer of St. Louis, agreed to defend its legal status before theLegislature if necessary and in January it was introduced by SenatorRobert J. Mitchell of Aurora and Representative Nick Cave of Fulton. It was reported favorably by the House Committee but when it came to ahearing before the Senate committee there appeared Miss Minnie Bronsonfrom New York, secretary of the National Anti-Suffrage Association. The speaker in favor was Mrs. Fordyce, a granddaughter of the pioneersuffragist, Mrs. Beverly Allen. The House passed it by 87 to 37 butthe Senate defeated it. 

Missouri women now turned their attention to furthering the FederalSuffrage Amendment. The Congressional Committee appointed for thispurpose worked indefatigably and early in January, armed with twolarge bundles of petitions for it, one from the State and one from St. Louis, aggregating 75, 000 names, a delegation went to Washington. Mrs. Miller, vice-president of the National Association, arranged, with theassistance of Miss Mabel Stone, daughter of the Missouri Senator, William R. Stone, for a meeting in his office between them and theState's members of Congress. They presented their petitions and madeearnest appeals for the amendment. 

Suffragists throughout the State kept up a constant stream oftelegrams and letters to the Missouri members and Governor Gardnerused his influence. Senator Stone, and after his death SenatorXenophon P. Wilfley, were pledged to the amendment, and Senator SeldenP. Spencer, who later was elected, could positively be depended upon. All possible efforts were concentrated upon Senator James A. Reed butto no avail. To disprove his statements that his constituents were notin favor of woman suffrage, the Jackson county campaign committee, with Mrs. J. B. White of Kansas City chairman, sent him the signaturesof 47, 382 women and 12, 583 men from his district, asking for it. Whenthe amendment came to a vote in 1918, Senator Wilfley and all theRepresentatives voted in the affirmative except Meeker of St. Louis, who died soon afterwards. In 1919 Senator Spencer and the entiredelegation in the House voted in favor. Senator Reed fought it everytime it came before the Senate. 

Delegations of women appeared before the State conventions of bothparties on the same day in August, 1918, and asked for a suffrageplank. Mrs. Miller, Mrs. O'Neil and Mrs. Stix attended the Democraticconvention in Jefferson City; Mrs. Gellhorn and Mrs. Grossman, assisted by others, looked after the Republican convention in St. Louis. They were invited to speak and each party put a very goodsuffrage plank in its platform. 

1919. Work for Presidential suffrage was continued. Extra pressure wasbrought to bear on the Senate. Two national organizers, Miss Ames andMiss Alma Sasse, were sent into various senatorial districts to enlistthe help of influential people and when the time came for a vote itundoubtedly was favorable pressure from home that kept some of theSenators in line. When the General Assembly convened Jan. 8, 1919, Governor Gardner recommended such suffrage legislation as the womenmight desire. Through the courtesy of Lieutenant Governor Crossley, President of the Senate, and S. F. O'Fallon, Speaker of the House, itwas the first bill introduced. 

On February 6 the Presidential bill was put on the calendar over theadverse report of the Election Committee, an action almost withoutprecedent. On the 11th the Speaker left the chair and delivered apowerful address urging its passage. Representative Frank Farris alsomade a strong speech in its favor and the final vote was 122 ayes, 8noes. The opposition used every device to prevent it from beingbrought up for the final reading in the Senate but finally the timewas set for March 28. On that date two of the Senators favoring itwere absent and their votes were absolutely necessary. Senator DavidW. Stark was at his home in Westline and Senator Howard Gray had beencalled on important business to Caruthersville. On the 27th Mrs. Miller, Mrs. O'Neil, Mrs. Haight and Miss Ames, who had been inJefferson City for over three months, met for final consultation. Senator Stark responded to a telephone call and promised to be in hisseat the next morning. It was found it would be impossible for SenatorGray to arrive on time. They were in despair but a savior was at hand. Democratic National Committeeman Edward F. Goltra offered to charter aspecial train to bring Senator Gray, a Republican, to Jefferson Cityin time to cast his vote. This offer was gladly and gratefullyaccepted and the Senator left Caruthersville that night. The nextmorning all the other Senators were in their seats, the oppositioncomplacent and confident that the bill could not pass. While SenatorMcKnight was reading a telegram from the National Suffrage Conventionin session at St. Louis urging the immediate passage of thePresidential suffrage bill Senator Gray quietly walked in and took hisseat! The opposition, out-witted and out-generaled, threw up theirhands and the bill was passed by a vote of 21 to 12, some of itsformer opponents voting for it. On April 5 in the presence of theboard of the State association it was signed by Governor Gardner. 

FOOTNOTES:

[102] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Marie R. Garesche, a founder and first vice-president of the St. Louis EqualSuffrage League. 

[103] Thirteen men were enrolled this year, Eugene Angert, GeorgeBlackman, R. W. Boysselier, Dr. W. W. Boyd, Mr. Chauvenet, E. M. Grossman, Charles Haanel, Stephen Hart, Charles Van Dyke Hill, Dr. John C. Morfit, H. J. Peifer, Judge R. E. Rombauer and Percy Werner. 

[104] Because of lack of space it has been impossible to include thelong lists of names prepared of women who worked all over the State. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

MONTANA. [105]

Before 1900 the National American Woman Suffrage Association, underthe presidency of Miss Susan B. Anthony, helped to organize suffragesocieties in Montana and several conventions were held. In 1899 Dr. Maria M. Dean was elected president. She was succeeded by Mrs. ClaraB. Tower, whose report to the national suffrage convention of 1903said:

 On May 1, 1902, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, National president, Miss Gail Laughlin and Miss Laura A. Gregg, organizers, arrived in Helena and in conjunction with the State officers planned a campaign to include a meeting in every town of any importance. Mrs. Catt re-organized the Helena Suffrage Club and remained two weeks, conducting a large correspondence, addressing all the women's organizations in the city and a mass meeting. Miss Laughlin spent these two weeks in Butte, where she spoke to a number of labor unions and obtained resolutions strongly endorsing woman suffrage from the Silver Bow Trades and Labor Assembly, a delegate body representing 10, 000 men. Mrs. Catt then went to Butte and for ten days she and Miss Laughlin delivered addresses before the principal organizations of the city, among which were the Woman's Club and the Trades Council. Their visit closed with a mass meeting at which a large number of names were secured for membership in the Equal Suffrage Club, which was organized immediately afterward. The campaign was then placed in charge of Miss Laughlin, who did the field work, and Miss Gregg, who arranged the dates from the headquarters in Helena. The speaking before labor unions was continued through the State and not a union or delegate body of laboring men failed to endorse woman suffrage. Miss Laughlin, by invitation, addressed the State labor convention, representing all the labor unions, and resolutions strongly endorsing woman suffrage and the submission of an amendment were passed with only one dissenting voice on a roll-call vote. 

 Miss Laughlin spent the summer and fall visiting every town of importance, organizing more than thirty clubs, and securing committees to circulate petitions where organization was impracticable. The State convention was held in Butte in September in preparation for work in the Legislature during January and February, 1903, for submission to the voters of a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution, which had been strongly recommended by Governor Toole in his Message. A considerable sum was raised for press work and Miss Mary E. O'Neill was appointed superintendent. A resolution asking the National Association for the services of Miss Laughlin for legislative work was adopted and she remained. [106]

The bill for full suffrage was introduced in both Houses; publichearings were granted by the Judiciary Committee of each and the Housetook a recess that its members might attend in a body. Miss Laughlinand others spoke and the measure had strong advocates in Dr. O. M. Lanstrum, J. M. Kennedy, John Maginness, Colonel James U. Sanders, F. Augustus Heinze (the copper magnate), Colonel C. B. Nolan, StateSenators Whipple, Myers and Johnson. State officers and members of theHelena Club assisted in the legislative work, which continued twomonths. The vote in the House was 41 ayes, 23 noes, but two-thirdswere necessary. The resolution introduced in the Senate by H. L. Sherlock was also defeated. 

At the session of 1905 the amendment resolution was again introducedand Mrs. Tower travelled from Boston to be present at the hearing. Mrs. J. M. Lewis, Mrs. Walter Matheson and Miss O'Neill addressed thecommittees but the vote was adverse. 

For a number of years little was done except in a desultory way. Thesuffrage resolution was presented at almost every session of theLegislature but there was no intensive work for it. Some of thepolitical equality clubs lived on, the strongest one in Missoula withJ. Washington McCormick president and Miss Jeannette Rankinvice-president. In 1911 Dr. J. M. Donahue had introduced the suffrageresolution in the Legislature but no work had been done for it andthis club sent Miss Rankin to Helena to press for its passage. Itfound champions in Colonel J. B. Nolan, W. W. Berry and D. G. O'Sheaand opponents in James E. McNally and Joseph Binnard. Miss Rankinobtained permission to address the House. The Senate refused toattend officially but adjourned and was present almost in a body. House members brought flowers and the room resembled anything but alegislative hall, as masses of hats hid the legislators and peoplewere banked in the doorways. Miss Rankin was escorted to the readingdesk by a number of old-time suffragists, Dr. Dean, Dr. Atwater, Mrs. Sanders, Mrs. Mary Long Alderson and Miss May Murphy. AsRepresentative Binnard was the strongest opponent he was delegated bythe members to present Miss Rankin with a corsage bouquet of violets. He made a flowery speech and attempted to turn the meeting into afacetious affair but when Miss Rankin spoke his purpose was defeatedand she received much applause. The bill was, however, reported out ofthe committee without recommendation and neither House took anyaction. 

At the State Fairs of 1911 and 1912 the suffragists erected attractivebooths, giving out suffrage literature and buttons to all passers-by. They were in charge of Ida Auerbach, Frieda Fligelman and Grace RankinKinney. In 1912 a State Central Committee was formed with Miss Rankinas temporary chairman and Miss Auerbach as temporary secretary. LaterMrs. Grace Smith was made treasurer. The first meeting was called inthe studio of Miss Mary C. Wheeler of Helena. These women attended theState conventions of the Republican, Democratic and Progressiveparties and succeeded in getting planks in their platforms for asuffrage amendment to the State constitution. Then all nominees werecircularized and asked to stand by their party platforms. Miss Rankinwent over the State quietly, stopping in every county seat andsearching out women willing to work. She secured the consent of ThomasStout to introduce the bill at the next session. 

In January, 1913, the women met in Helena and formed a permanent Stateorganization, electing the following officers: Chairman, Miss Rankin, Missoula; assistant chairmen, Mrs. Louis P. Sanders, Butte; Mrs. G. M. Gillmore, Glendive; secretary, Mrs. Harvey Coit, Big Timber;treasurer, Mrs. Wilbur L. Smith, Helena; finance chairman, Mrs. Wallace Perham, Glendive; press chairman, Miss Auerbach. Theorganization never had any constitution or by-laws. Letters from allover the State were written to Governor S. V. Stewart and on January7 the women went in a body to hear his Message, in which herecommended that Montana women should be enfranchised. With nodiscussion the resolution to submit an amendment to the voters passedthe Senate by 26 ayes, two noes--J. E. Edwards and I. A. Leighton--andwas signed by the president, Lieutenant Governor W. W. McDowell, inopen session. In the House the vote was 74 ayes, two noes--RonaldHiggins and John W. Blair. On January 25 it was signed by theGovernor. 

On June 27 the second meeting of the State Central Committee was heldin Livingston, immediately following that of the State Federation ofWomen's Clubs. Great progress in interest and organization wasreported from all parts of the State. The only new officers electedwere: Recording secretary, Mrs. John Willis of Glasgow; chairman ofliterature, Miss Mary Agnes Cantwell of Hunters' Hot Springs. Chairmenwere appointed in each county and workers were sent into everyprecinct. The third meeting of the Central Committee was held in ButteSeptember 22, 23, just before the State Fair, where it had a booth. Itwas decided to open headquarters in Butte Feb. 1, 1914. 

The fourth meeting was held in Big Timber February 14 and the fifth inLewiston June 6. Miss O'Neill was made assistant chairman and presschairman; Mrs. Edith Clinch, treasurer; Miss Eloise Knowles chairmanof literature. 

Headquarters were opened in Butte in January, 1914. Letters were sentto granges, labor unions, women's clubs and other organizations askingthem to pass resolutions in favor of the amendment and aid thecampaign as far as they could. Every newspaper in the State receivedeach week a letter of suffrage news and items from Miss O'Neill andoccasionally some propaganda material. Letters were sent regularly tothe county chairmen and other workers giving instructions and keepingthem in touch with the campaign. Large quantities of literature weredistributed with many leaflets for special occasions. A short timebefore election personal letters and a leaflet especially for farmerswere sent to 20, 000 voters in the country districts. Thehouse-to-house canvass of the women in the towns and cities was themost effective work done. Montana women spoke in every county andwomen from outside the State in all but a few of the smaller ones. 

In the spring Mr. And Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw of New York City stoppedoff en route to California and spoke in a number of places. The womenwere charmed with her beauty and style and some men who had consideredthe movement as only carried on by women were surprised that a man ofMr. Laidlaw's standing should be at the head of a National Men'sSuffrage League. He organized a Montana branch of it with WellingtonD. Rankin (now Attorney General) as president. 

Miss Rankin in her report to the national suffrage convention ofNovember 12-17, expressed the highest appreciation of the women whocame into Montana, either sent by the National Association or at theirown expense, and campaigned for weeks under the instructions of theState board. They were headed by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, the nationalpresident, and included Miss Katharine Devereux Blake, Miss Ida Craftand Miss Rosalie Jones of New York; Mrs. Antoinette Funk, Miss JaneThompson, Miss Gratia Erickson and Miss Florence Lord of Chicago; Mrs. Root of Los Angeles. During May and June Mrs. Cotterill of Seattle, and during July and August Miss Margaret Hinchey of Boston, gave theirtime to labor unions. A number of large demonstrations were held invarious cities. Campaigning in a State of such distances andgeographical formation presented great difficulties. 

A precinct organization was perfected wherever possible but to thefar-off places word was simply sent to the women to work to get votesfor the amendment and they did so with splendid results. The usualprogram of party campaigning in rural districts was adopted of holdinga rally followed by a dance. Miss Rankin, Miss Fligelman, Miss GraceHellmick, Mrs. Maggie Smith Hathaway, Miss O'Neill, Dr. Dean, Mrs. Topping and many other volunteer speakers went into every littlemining camp and settlement that could be reached. They spoke from thesteps of the store and the audience, composed entirely of men, wouldlisten in respectful silence, applaud a little at the close, too shyto ask questions, but on election day every vote was for suffrage. Oldprospectors back in the mountains when approached and asked for theirvotes would say: "Do you ladies really want to vote? Well, if you do, we'll sure help all we can. " Many old-timers said: "What would ourState have been without the women? You bet you can count on us. " Thecampaigners spoke in moving picture theaters, from wagons andautomobiles and wherever they could obtain an audience however small. There were no rebuffs but some of the Southerners would say that itwould be a bad thing for the South. All these outlying districts thatcould be reached gave a favorable majority. The money for the campaignwas raised in many ways, by donations, food sales, dances, collections, the sale of suffrage papers on the street, etc. The lossof the funds collected for the campaign through the closing of theState bank was a heavy blow and it could not have succeeded withoutthe help of the National Association and friends in outside States. The campaign cost about $9, 000, of which over half was contributed bythe association and other States. 

To the women specifically mentioned the names of the followingespecially active in the campaign should be added: Miss Mary Stewart, Mrs. W. I. Higgins, Mrs. J. F. Kilduff, Mrs. Tyler Thompson, JeanBishop, Mrs. Wm. Roza, Mrs. J. W. Scott, Mrs. John Duff, Mrs. BerthaRosenberg, Mrs. Mary Tocher, Mrs. J. M. Darroch, Mrs. W. E. Cummings, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. A. E. Richardson, Mrs. Frank D. O'Neill, Mrs. J. B. Ellis, Mrs. M. E. Hughes, Mrs. Delia Peets, Mrs. C. P. Irish, Mrs. J. R. E. Sievers, Mrs. A. P. Rooney, Mrs. Sarah M. Souders, Mrs. Sherrill, Mrs. Nathan Lloyd, Mrs. Burt Addams Tower, Mrs. Mary MeigsAtwater, Mrs. Helen Fitzgerald Sanders, Mrs. Charles N. Skillman, Mrs. Charles S. Haire, Mrs. J. M. Lewis, Mrs. H. W. Child, Miss SusanHiggins. Among the men the best friends besides those alreadymentioned were Miles Romney, Joseph H. Griffin, Lewis J. Duncan, W. W. McDowell, Lieutenant Governor, and the two U. S. Senators, Thomas J. Walsh and Henry L. Myers. 

At the beginning of the campaign a travelling organizer of theNational Anti-Suffrage Association came to Butte, and, saying that sheacted officially, had an interview with the editors of the _NationalForum_, the organ of the liquor interests. She told them their openopposition was helping the amendment, urged them to carry it on insecret and said she would return later and lay before them a plan ofcampaign. Afterwards when the Butte papers exposed this scheme the_National Forum_ described the interview. Before the election theNational Anti-Suffrage Association sent its executive secretary, MissMinnie Bronson, and Mrs. J. D. Oliphant of New Jersey to campaignagainst the amendment. They succeeded in forming only one society inthe State and that was at Butte, with a branch in the little town ofChinook. The officers were Mrs. John Noyes, president; Mrs. TheodoreSymons, secretary; Mrs. W. J. Chrystie, press chairman; Mrs. DavidNixon, active worker; Mrs. Oliphant challenged Miss Rankin to adebate, which was held in the old auditorium in Helena. At themeeting, which had been packed by the liquor interests, Mrs. Oliphantwas noisily applauded and the confusion was appalling. 

Although the speakers travelled to remote districts up to the nightbefore election in November, the instructions from headquarters wereto have loose ends gathered up by the opening of the State FairSeptember 25, at Helena. Headquarters were maintained a week at thefair and in the city and each day _The Suffrage Daily_ was issued. Theeditors were Mrs. L. O. Edmunds, Miss O'Neill, Mrs. M. E. McKay andMiss Belle Fligelman, all newspaper women. The most picturesque andeducative feature of the whole campaign and the greatest awakener wasthe enormous suffrage parade which took place one evening during theweek. Thousands of men and women from all parts of the State marched, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw was at the head, and next, carrying banners, cameDr. Dean, the past president, and Miss Rankin, the present Statechairman. A huge American flag was carried by women representingStates having full suffrage; a yellow one for the States now havingcampaigns; a large gray banner for the partial suffrage States and ablack banner for the non-suffrage States. Each county and city in theState had its banner. The Men's League marched and there were as manymen as women in the parade. 

During the entire campaign the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, oneof the strongest organizations in the State, conducted a vigorousfight for the amendment, sending its speakers to every locality. Formany years it had worked for woman suffrage. 

At the election Nov. 3, 1914, the amendment received 41, 302 ayes;37, 588 noes, a majority of 3, 714, and women were enfranchised on equalterms with men. 

The various suffrage societies merged into Good Government Clubs withthe avowed purpose of obtaining political action on many neededmeasures. The next year they secured mother's pension and equalguardianship laws, and others equally important in following years. The Executive Committee continued in existence and directed the work. At its meeting in 1916 it was decided to conduct an intensive campaignfor prohibition in 1917; to elect a woman to Congress and a womanState Superintendent of Schools. Prohibition was carried; MissJeannette Rankin was elected the first Congresswoman in the UnitedStates and Miss May Trumper was elected Superintendent of Schools. That year an eight-hour-day for women was secured. This record wascontinued. Mrs. Maggie Smith Hathaway and Mrs. Emma A. Ingalls haveserved two terms each as State Representatives. All the countysuperintendents of schools are women. 

After the Federal Amendment was submitted by Congress the societiesmet on June 22, 1919, and formed a State branch of the National Leagueof Women Voters with Mrs. Edwin L. Norris chairman. 

RATIFICATION. Governor Samuel V. Stewart called a special session ofthe Legislature to meet in August, 1920, and the Federal SuffrageAmendment was ratified on the 2nd by unanimous vote in the House andby 38 to one in the Senate--Claude F. Morris of Havre, Hill county. The resolution was introduced in the House by Mrs. Ingalls. 

FOOTNOTES:

[105] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Lucile DyasTopping, formerly Lewis and Clark county superintendent of schools andprominent in the work of the campaign of 1914, when Montana womenobtained the suffrage. 

[106] In the intensive work that followed, Mrs. Tower was assisted byDr. Dean, Mrs. Ellen Maria Dean, Mrs. James U. Sanders, Mrs. T. J. Walsh, Mrs. Bessie Hughes Smith, Mrs. Martha Dunkel, Mrs. Ella KnowlesHaskell, Mrs. Adelaide Staves Reeder, Dr. Bertha Mackal McCleman, Mrs. C. B. Nolan, Mrs. Donald Bradford, Madame F. Rowena Medini, MissSarepta Sanders, Dr. Mary B. Atwater, Mrs. H. L. Sherlock, Mrs. Hughesand Miss Mary C. Wheeler. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

NEBRASKA. [107]

The History of the movement for woman suffrage in Nebraska from 1900to 1920 naturally divides itself into three periods. The first periodextends from 1900 to 1912. During those years the organization wassupported by a small but faithful group whose continuous effort ateducating public sentiment prepared the way for the work thatfollowed. The second period included the years from 1912 to 1915, during which time a campaign for full suffrage by an amendment to theState constitution was carried on. The third period from 1915 to 1920was marked by the passage of a partial suffrage law in 1917, which wasan issue during the preceding two years; an attack on that law throughthe initiative and referendum; the successful defense of it by theState Suffrage Association and the ratification of the FederalAmendment at a special session in 1919, which marked the end of a longcontest. 

Miss Laura Gregg, a Nebraska woman, was put in charge of the Statesuffrage headquarters at Omaha in October, 1899, by Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt, chairman of the Organization Committee of the NationalAmerican Suffrage Association, and remained four years. During thattime conventions and conferences were held, much field work was doneand the membership was increased to nearly 1, 200. At the annualconvention at Blair in October, 1900, Mrs. Catt, now nationalpresident, was present. Mrs. Clara A. Young of Broken Bow was electedState president, relieving Mrs. Mary Smith Hayward of Chadron, who hadpressing business obligations. Her section of the State, however, remained one of the suffrage strongholds and she was always one of thelargest contributors. Other officers elected were, vice-president, Mrs. Amanda J. Marble of Broken Bow; corresponding secretary, MissNelly Taylor of Merna; recording secretary, Mrs. Ida L. Denny ofLincoln. 

In 1901 the State convention was held in Lincoln November 12-14, welcomed by Mayor T. C. Winnett. A reception was given at the LindellHotel to the fifty-six delegates and Mrs. Catt, who had spent sixteendays in the State, attending conferences in Omaha and eleven otherplaces. An address by Governor E. P. Savage, one by Mrs. Catt, and adebate between Miss Gregg and A. L. Bixby, editor of the _StateJournal_, who took the negative, were the evening attractions. Therewas a work conference led by Mrs. Catt and reports were given by theofficers and by State workers, including Mrs. Maria C. Arter ofLincoln; Mrs. K. W. Sutherland of Blair, Miss Taylor, Mrs. Mary G. Ward of Tecumseh, Mrs. Jennie Ross of Dakota City, Mrs. Hetty W. Druryof Pender, with a "question box" conducted by Mrs. Catt. The nextafternoon the speakers in a symposium were Mrs. Anna A. Wells ofSchuyler, J. H. Dundas of the _Auburn Granger_, Mrs. Emma Shuman ofNebraska City, Mrs. Rosa Modlin of Beaver City, Mrs. C. W. Damon ofOmaha, Mrs. Mary E. Jeffords of Broken Bow, Mrs. Alice Isabel Braytonof Geneva and Mrs. Belle Sears of Tekamah. 

The sum of $1, 312 had been expended during the year, including thecost of headquarters and field work. Pledges to the amount of $1, 000were made for the next year. The large dailies of Omaha and Lincolnhad given much attention to the subject of woman suffrage and over 150weeklies had published matter furnished by the press departments. Mrs. Young, Mrs. Marble, Miss Taylor and Mrs. Denny were re-elected; otherofficers were: Treasurer, Mrs. Mary E. Dempster, Omaha; first auditor, Mrs. Hayward, second, Mrs. Sears; press chairman, Mrs. Lucie B. Meriomof Beaver City. 

This convention was a type of those held during the next three or fouryears. County conventions were frequent and local clubs were active. Asmall printed sheet called the _Headquarters Message_, edited by MissGregg, filled with State suffrage news, club reports, Nationalrecommendations, etc. , was sent monthly to the workers. During thespring of 1902 Miss Gail Laughlin, a national organizer, spent twoweeks organizing new clubs and arousing old ones and Miss Gregg andMr. Bixby debated in towns in eastern Nebraska. A series of parlormeetings in Omaha increased the interest there. Mrs. Marble waschairman of the Committee on Assemblies and during the summer thesuffrage question was presented at the State Fair, the EpworthAssembly, Chautauquas, pioneer picnics and other gatherings. Thecommittee included later Mrs. O. B. Bowers, Tekamah; Mrs. Ellen A. Miller, Beatrice; Mrs. Ollie King Carriker, Nebraska City; Mrs. AnnaPickett, Broken Bow. Miss Gregg spent the autumn in field workthroughout the State. The annual convention was held at TecumsehDecember 1-3, with a large attendance. The program included the Mayor, Governor-elect J. H. Mickey, the Hon. C. W. Beal, Senator O'Neill, andother prominent citizens. A memorial hour was given to Elizabeth CadyStanton and to Nebraska suffragists who had died during the year. Itwas resolved to push press work, county organization, new membershipsand work before assemblies. 

In 1903 branch headquarters were established at the Lindell Hotel, Lincoln, for work with the Legislature. The delegates to the nationalconvention in New Orleans in March were accompanied home by MissLaughlin for organizing work. Assisted most of the time by Miss Greggshe visited thirty-five cities and towns, speaking from one to threetimes in each place, gained 403 new members and collected about $200. She spoke at five Normal Schools during the summer and hadheadquarters at the Northwest G. A. R. Encampment and severalChautauquas. The State convention was held at Nebraska City, October6-8. The program was enriched by the address of Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, national vice-president, on The Fate of Republics. Miss Laughlin madea strong speech and there were many new names on the program. To theprevious plan of work had been added suffrage contests, literature inlibraries and church work; the peace and industrial work of theNational Association had been endorsed and committees formed. 

In January, 1904, Miss Gregg was sent by Mrs. Catt to Oklahoma, whereher services as organizer were very much needed. The Stateheadquarters were transferred to Tecumseh with the secretary, Mrs. Mary G. Ward, in charge. Mrs. Young edited the _Headquarters Message_and Mrs. Myrtle W. Marble of Humboldt attended to the publishing andmailing. A Suffrage Cook Book was prepared and published and became asource of considerable revenue. Mrs. Lulu S. Halvorsen of NebraskaCity was press chairman. Miss Laughlin spent a month speaking andorganizing. The State convention was held at Geneva November21-December 1, Mrs. Ellis Meredith of Denver a principal eveningspeaker. With the withdrawal of Miss Gregg and the conviction that noamendment of any kind could be carried under the existing law, theinterest of the local organizations began to decline and the two braveand faithful women who had carried the heaviest part of the burdenwere now finding it too heavy for their strength. Mrs. Young took theheadquarters to her own home in Broken Bow and Mrs. Marble did allkinds of work at all times if it helped the cause. 

Mrs. Young kept the clubs at work during 1905 and a full delegation offourteen was sent to the national convention at Portland, Oregon, buther health began to fail and at the State convention held at BrokenBow October 10-12 she was compelled to give up the presidency. Theexecutive board needed her counsel and experience and she accepted theposition of honorary president. Mrs. Marble was made president and theother officers were re-elected with Miss Mary H. Williams ashistorian. Mrs. Mary C. C. Bradford of Colorado was the principalspeaker. There were seventeen addresses of welcome from representativecitizens. 

Mrs. Marble kept up the work in 1906 as far as it was possible. Shebegan publishing an annual report of the year's work, a pamphlet ofabout 70 pages, containing a roster of the clubs and much usefulinformation, and continued it during the four years of her presidency. With Miss Williams she attended the national convention at Baltimore. The State convention met at Lincoln, October 2, 3, in All Souls'Church with Dr. Shaw as evening speaker. A memorial meeting was heldfor Susan B. Anthony, with the Rev. Newton Mann of Omaha, her formerpastor in Rochester, N. Y. , as speaker. 

The State convention of 1907 met in Kenesaw October 1, 2. Thelegislative work had been to obtain a memorial to Congress asking fora Federal Suffrage Amendment. More conventions passed woman suffrageresolutions during the summer than ever before. On October 7 thebeloved leader, Mrs. Young, passed away. In November Miss Gregg wassent by the National Association to assist Mrs. Marble and remaineduntil the middle of January, doing office and field work. 

In February, 1908, Mrs. Maud Wood Park of Boston made a visit to theState and formed College Woman Suffrage Leagues in the State andWesleyan Universities and among graduates in Lincoln. Miss Williamswas made chairman of a committee to raise Nebraska's pledge of $300 tothe Anthony Memorial Fund. At the State convention in Lincoln Nov. 5, 6, Mrs. Marble was obliged to decline the presidency and was madevice-president. The Rev. Mary G. Andrews of Omaha was elected in herplace; but from this time until her death, April 6, 1910, Mrs. Marblenever ceased to do everything in her power to forward the success ofthe suffrage movement. 

Early in 1909 the petition of the National Association to Congress foran amendment of the Federal Constitution was begun with Miss Williamschairman of the committee and 10, 386 signatures were secured. Mrs. Philip Snowden of England lectured in Lincoln during the session ofthe Legislature and many of the members heard her. The annualconvention was held in Lincoln November 18, 19. Mrs. Andrews had goneto Minneapolis and Dr. Inez Philbrick of Lincoln was electedpresident. A lecture tour was arranged for Dr. B. O. Aylesworth ofDenver for the autumn of 1909 and again in 1910; Men's SuffrageLeagues were organized in Omaha and Lincoln and many new clubs formedof people of influence. The convention was postponed to March, 1911. The regular convention of 1911 was held in Lincoln November 20-22. Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst was the speaker and the audience filled thelargest assembly room. 

The convention of 1912 met in Omaha December 4-6, and it was decidedto go into an active campaign to secure the submission of aconstitutional amendment by petition in 1914. The Initiative andReferendum Law had been adopted the preceding month, which requiredthe signature of 15 per cent. Of the total vote cast at the lastelection, the signers coming from two-fifths of the counties. Thismeant 37, 752 names from thirty-eight counties. Nebraska hasninety-three counties and an area of 77, 520 square miles. Officerselected to serve throughout the campaign were: Henrietta I. (Mrs. Draper) Smith, president; Mrs. Kovanda, vice-president; Miss Williams, corresponding secretary; Miss Daisy Doane, recording secretary;Gertrude Law (Mrs. W. E. ) Hardy, treasurer; Mrs. Grace M. Wheeler, first and Elizabeth J. (Mrs. Z. T. ) Lindsey, second auditor; committeechairmen; Mrs. Wheeler, Education; Mrs. A. E. Sheldon, Finance; Mrs. Hardy, Publicity; Mrs. Edna M. Barkley, Speakers; Mrs. A. H. Dorris, Press. 

Headquarters were opened Jan. 3, 1913, in the Brandeis TheaterBuilding, Omaha, and maintained through the winter of 1912-13. Mrs. Draper Smith had at once assumed her duties as president and appointedMrs. W. C. Sunderland chairman for the second congressional district, including Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. She had asked Mrs. Lindsey to be chairman of Douglas county in which Omaha is situated, who soon had ten precincts organized under capable chairmen, and alittle later every ward in Omaha and South Omaha. On February 8 Dr. Shaw, the national president, arrived in Omaha for a conference withthe workers. On Sunday afternoon she addressed a mass meeting in theBrandeis Theater at which there was not even standing room. John L. Kennedy presided. The committee of arrangements included the Rev. Frederick T. Rouse of the First Congregational Church; Judge HowardKennedy, Superintendent of City Schools; E. U. Graff, City Attorney;John E. Rine, C. C. Belden and the officers of the suffrageassociation. A resolution was before the Legislature to submit anamendment to the voters but it was so evident that it would not bepassed that the work for the initiative petition went on rapidly. Thelast of February thirty-six Omaha women and others from over the Statewent to Lincoln to see the vote taken in the House. The proposal wasdefeated, only one man from Douglas county voting for it. 

In the early spring the headquarters were moved to Lincoln and thepetition work for the State was managed from there, with theexception of that of Omaha. Throughout the year the task was continuedof obtaining the signatures in the various counties, all done byvolunteers. It was necessary at the same time to create publicsentiment and organize clubs in preparation for the campaign for thesubmission of the amendment which would follow. In Omaha Mrs. Sunderland soon turned the district organization over to Mrs. JamesRichardson and took the position of city chairman. Meetings were heldwith prominent local speakers. On November 5 Chancellor Avery of theState University spoke for woman suffrage before the State Teachers'Association in the First Methodist Church. Two days later Dr. Shawaddressed it in the auditorium. She spoke at noon before theCommercial Club, a distinction given by it to a woman for the firsttime. On Nov. 6, 7, the State convention was held in Lincoln and Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby, formerly of Beatrice, was made honorary president. 

In January, 1914, a Men's Suffrage League was formed in Omaha with E. H. Geneau, T. E. Brady, Henry Olerichs and James Richardson promotingit. On February 2 a thorough canvass of the business part of the citywas begun by the women. Mrs. Lindsey thus described it:

 With a blizzard raging and the thermometer at 5 degrees below zero women stood in drug stores and groceries, and visited office buildings, factories and shops, wherever permission could be obtained, soliciting signatures for six consecutive days. Mrs. C. S. Stebbins, nearly seventy years of age, stood at the street car barns and filled several petitions and Mrs. Isaac Conner, a suffrage worker since 1868, made a similar record. Mrs. W. P. Harford and Mrs. George Tilden arranged to have people standing at the church doors for names at the close of service on Sunday. Many ministers offered their churches to the committee and spoke of the matter from their pulpits. Of all the Protestant churches, only the Episcopal refused the committee's request, Dean James A. Tancock of Trinity Cathedral and the Rev. T. J. Mackay of All Saints declining. Petitions were kept open at the _Daily News_ office and other offices and places of business. Fifteen of the leading drug stores offered space to the women under the direction of Mrs. E. S. Rood, and it was decided to continue the intensive campaign until the 12th, when the county chairman had called a meeting at the city hall to celebrate Lincoln's birthday, to hear Medill McCormick of Chicago and to announce results. A large crowd of petition workers, sympathizers and members of the Men's League was present. While the goal for Douglas county was 5, 000 signatures over 9, 000 had passed through the hands of the county chairmen on their way to the Secretary of State. 

 Three days later Mrs. J. W. Crumpacker of Kansas appeared in Omaha to organize the opposition forces. The anti-suffragists, led by Mrs. Arthur Crittenden Smith, announced a meeting at Turpin's Hall on the afternoon of February 23. Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, president of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, and Miss Minnie Bronson, secretary, both of New York, addressed the meeting. Forty people were present, including five reporters and a number of suffragists. Those who joined at that meeting were Mesdames Edward P. Peck, William Archibald Smith, T. J. Mackay, E. A. Benson and Misses Ada Alexander, Genevra March and Minnie Martison. A temporary committee on organization was appointed consisting of Mesdames Arthur C. Smith, J. C. Cowin, Herman Kountze, J. W. Crumpacker, E. A. Benson; Misses Wallace, Riley, Alexander and McGaffney. .. . The next evening a public meeting was held at the American Theater, addressed by Mrs. Dodge and Miss Bronson, who were introduced by John L. Webster. [108]

On March 11 the district chairman, Mrs. Richardson, and countychairman, Mrs. Lindsey, with a group of workers, sorted, checked andmade into neat parcels the precious sheets of paper, which Mrs. DraperSmith carried to Lincoln that afternoon. Possibly half a dozen men hadcirculated petitions but the bulk of the 11, 507 names were obtained inOmaha by women. On March 14 the completed petition for submitting theamendment was filed with the Secretary of State in the presence of theGovernor. Although only 37, 752 signatures were required it had 50, 705and these represented sixty-three counties instead of the requiredthirty-eight. They were accepted without question and the amendmentwas submitted to the voters at the general election, Nov. 4, 1914. 

From that time until the election strenuous and unceasing efforts weremade to secure votes for the amendment. Many prominent Nebraska menand women spoke and worked for it and a number were brought into theState. On July 6 was issued in Omaha the famous Manifesto by theNebraska Men's Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, a pamphlet ofnine pages, signed by thirty prominent men, all of Omaha. [109] Earlyin July Park Commissioner J. B. Hummel of Omaha refused to grant anymore permits for meetings in the parks and the suffragists arranged avoiceless automobile parade through all of them when they were filledwith people, the cars decorated with banners and pennants carryingsuffrage sentiments. Later the commissioner spoke for the amendment. On August 4 the first street meeting was held by "General" RosalieJones of New York, who spoke from the steps of the county court houseat noon and on a corner in the evening. This was followed by streetmeetings in an endless number of towns. County fairs and all possibleforms of publicity were utilized. An outstanding feature of thecampaign was the automobile tours, the plan of Mrs. F. M. Hall, chairman of Lancaster county. They covered 20, 000 miles and included500 places containing one-half of the population. Several of thelongest were made and financed by J. L. Kennedy and James Richardsonof Omaha and W. E. Hardy of Lincoln. 

Miss Jane Addams came from Chicago and spoke several times in October. William Jennings Bryan, who was making a political canvass of theState, never failed to make an appeal for the amendment and on October31 gave a rousing suffrage speech in Brandeis Theater, Omaha. Dr. Shawended her tour of the State on the 30th, with an address in theauditorium. 

The anti-suffragists were well financed and active. Their NationalAssociation sent Miss Marjorie Dorman to Omaha the last of September, who opened headquarters on the first floor of the City National Bank. Mrs. A. J. George was sent in October. On November 2 there appeared inthe morning papers a double-column appeal to the Catholics to voteagainst the amendment because back of it were the Socialists, feminists, etc. It was signed by Mrs. L. F. Crofoot, wife of the Omahaattorney for the Northern Pacific R. R. 

During the campaign a committee of business men was formed by thebrewing interests, which visited the husbands of various women engagedin the effort for the amendment. They said "suffrage meansprohibition" and threatened the husbands in a business way unlesstheir wives retired from the work. This committee watched the papersand when names of women were given as interested in suffrage, even tothe extent of attending a luncheon for some celebrity, the husbandspromptly were visited. Through this intimidation many women wereforced to withdraw and many men who would have subscribed generouslydid not dare give more than $25, as the State law required thepublication of names of all contributing over this sum. 

Three days before election an "appeal" to its members was sent by theGerman-American Alliance, a large and powerful organization. It waswritten in German and began as follows:

 We consider the proposed amendment to the constitution granting the right of suffrage to women as the most important question which will be decided at the coming election. Our State Alliance took a most decided stand against woman suffrage at its annual convention held in Columbus August 25. Our German women do not want the right to vote, and since our opponents desire the right of suffrage mainly for the purpose of saddling the yoke of prohibition on our necks, we should oppose it with all our might. .. . We most earnestly urge our friends of German speech and German descent not to permit business or other considerations to prevent them from going to the polls and casting their ballots as above directed. 

On November 4 the Omaha suffragists stood all day at the polls handingslips to the voters calling attention to the amendment on the ballot. The total State vote on it was 100, 842 noes, 90, 738 ayes; adversemajority of 10, 104. The result of the splendid campaign in Douglascounty, the stronghold of the opponents of all kinds, was seen in thesmall adverse majority of 1, 188. Throughout the campaign the Omaha_Daily News_ valiantly championed the amendment and the _Bee_ and the_World Herald_ as strongly opposed it. The National American SuffrageAssociation contributed $4, 000 in cash, the services of twoorganizers--Miss Jane Thompson and Miss Elsie Benedict--and paid thetravelling expenses of a number of national speakers. 

 * * * * *

The State convention of 1914 was held in Omaha in December and it wasdecided to organize more thoroughly and to seek the advice of theNational Association as to how and when to try again. The board whichhad served throughout the campaign was re-elected. When it had begunthere were not fifty clubs in the State; when it ended there werenearly 500 and it was desired to hold them together as far aspossible. The opponents had insisted that women did not want theballot and it was arranged to have an enrollment under the directionof Mrs. Wheeler. This was continued until the names of 30, 000 womenhad been enrolled as desiring the suffrage. The press work wascontinued and the never-ending effort to educate the people. 

The convention of 1915 was held at Columbus in October, was wellattended, with a good program. Mrs. Edna M. Barkley was electedpresident. In October, 1916, the convention was held at Hastings. Mrs. William Jennings Bryan was guest of honor and gave the opening addresson Sunday evening in the Congregational church. Mrs. Catt, nownational president, was present and remained two days. The associationexpected to appeal to the voters again in 1918 for full suffrage andshe thought it was in good condition to do so. Her inspiring presenceand her very able address given to a large evening audience made thisone of most notable conventions. Mrs. Barkley was re-electedpresident. [110]

In January, 1917, the National Association was beginning the "drive"to obtain partial suffrage from the Legislatures and Nebraska wasurged to undertake it. The board agreed to concentrate on a bill whichwould be constitutional and would permit women to vote for allofficers not specified in the State constitution and upon allquestions not referred to in it. 

The bill was introduced by Senator C. E. Sandell of York county andRepresentative J. N. Norton of Polk county. Mrs. Barkley was chairmanof the Legislative Committee and no measure ever had more careful andpersistent "mothering" than she gave this one, watching over it formonths. The bill passed the House the middle of February by themagnificent vote of 73 to 24 in the presence of an audience ofapplauding women that filled the galleries. In the Senate the billwent to the Committee on Privileges and Elections, which granted ahearing on February 15. After a luncheon with enthusiastic speechesthe entire body of 250 women, including 65 from Omaha, marched to theState House, where even the aisles were already crowded with women. Among the speakers were George W. Howard, the eminent professor ofhistory in the State University, and a number of prominent Nebraskamen and women. Six "antis" were present and their spokesman was MissBronson of New York. The hearing lasted three hours. The bill was heldtwo months in the committee and finally was reported out and passed bya vote of 20 to 13 on April 19. It was signed by Governor KeithNeville on the 21st and gave women the suffrage for presidentialelectors, all municipal and most county officers. [111]

The opponents immediately started an initiative petition to have thelaw submitted to the voters and on July 22 it was suspended inoperation by the filing of a petition for a referendum on it by theAnti-Suffrage Association. Mrs. Barkley with others after inspectionconcluded it was not a bona fide petition. Accordingly she summonedher board to discuss taking the proper legal steps to prove that itwas fraudulent and invalid. There was no money in the treasury withwhich to undertake expensive litigation and there were those whothought it wiser not to attempt it. The courage and determination ofMrs. Barkley were the deciding factor and it was the same brave andpersistent effort that finally won the long-drawn-out legal battle. Afull account was given by Mrs. Draper Smith in the _Woman Citizen_ ofwhich the following is a part:

 For the larger part of the session in 1917 the Senate had been under great pressure from the public and the press to pass the bone dry law that the House had almost unanimously adopted. Nineteen members of the Senate belonged to the clique led by representatives of the brewing interests. They fought for weeks to secure the consent of the House to a bill that would have made prohibition impossible of enforcement. Into this maelstrom the limited suffrage law was plunged. Only the most careful leadership secured its final passage. .. . 

 On the 21st of July the opponents caused to be filed with the Secretary of State a petition asking that the law be referred to the voters at the general election in 1918 for approval or rejection. This petition contained the signatures of 32, 896 persons who claimed to be legal voters of the State and to live at the places designated as their legal residence. .. . Tact and patience were employed to get Secretary of State Pool to the point where he permitted the suffragists to make a copy. Eighteen thousand names bore the marks of an Omaha residence. The others were apparently gathered from two-fifths of the counties and presumptively represented 5 per cent. Of the legal voters, as required by law. Suspicion that fraud and deception had been used, both in getting genuine signatures and in padding the lists, early gave way to positive conviction. When the investigation was complete it was found that 16, 460 of the 32, 896 signatures were subject to court challenge and that at least 10, 000 of them were the product of fraud, forgery and misrepresentation. Prominent members of the bar volunteered their services--T. J. Doyle, C. A. Sorenson, John M. Stewart and H. H. Wilson of Lincoln, and Elmer E. Thomas and Francis A. Brogan of Omaha. A petition to enjoin the Secretary of State from placing the referendum on the election ballot was filed in February, 1918. 

 The Omaha workers were under the leadership of Mrs. H. C. Sumney, vice-president of the State association, and Mrs. James Richardson. They discovered that many of the residence addresses given were in railroad yards, cornfields or vacant lots. Many others were of men who had never lived at the addresses given; many affirmed that they had never signed any such petition; others that they had been induced to sign by the representation of the solicitor that it was to submit the question of full suffrage. The work of running down each of the 18, 000 names consumed days of arduous labor. It was also found that page after page of the names were written by the same hand. Experts in handwriting from the various banks in Lincoln spent night after night poring over the original petitions in the office of the Secretary of State, picking out and listing the forgeries, which were found to have been scattered all over the State. 

 The request of the suffragists to the Secretary of State said that the circulators had committed perjury in certifying that these fictitious persons had affixed their names in their presence; that many of the names written thereon were not placed there, as the law required, in the presence of the circulator, but that the petitions had been left in pool halls, soft drink parlors, cigar stores and barber shops where everybody, including minors, was invited to sign, the circulator later coming around and gathering them up. It also said that many of the signatures were obtained by infants incapable at law of properly circulating or certifying to the petition sheets and that a number of circulators named had engaged in a systematic course of fraud and forgery, thereby making invalid all of the names. Attached were twenty pages of exhibits in proof of these charges. 

 The evidence in Omaha was matched by that in fifty-nine other counties taken by the referee and attorney. 

The attorneys enjoined the Secretary of State from putting thereferendum on the ballot. Nineteen suffragists appeared as plaintiffsin the case as follows: Edna M. Barkley, Gertrude L. Hardy, KatharineSumney, Ida Robbins, Grace Richardson, Margaretta Dietrich, Grace M. Wheeler, Ella Brower, Ellen Ackerman, Henrietta Smith, Inez Philbrick, Harriet M. Stewart, Mary Smith Hayward, Mamie Claflin, Margaret T. Sheldon, Alice Howell, Ellen Gere, Eliza Ann Doyle, Katharine McGerr. As the suit had been brought against the Secretary of State theAttorney General appeared for him and was joined by the attorneys ofthe women's Anti-Suffrage Association. They argued that the plaintiffswere not legally entitled to sue because they were not electors. Thecourt upheld their right. The Secretary of State became convinced thatthe petition was fraudulent and did not appear in the furtherlitigation. The suffrage forces were prepared with their evidence andwished to proceed at once with the case but all the dilatory tacticspossible were used and it was not until the full legal time was aboutto expire that the opponents were brought to the point on May 17, 1918. Mrs. Draper Smith's account continued:

 Inspection of the original petition showed that of 116 petitions secured by A. O. Barclay 68 were in the same handwriting. .. . The name of one Omaha business man who had died three months previous to the circulation of the petition was found; another who was killed two months before, and another who had been dead for three years. Witness after witness testified that his name on it was forged. 

 Several other circulators forged so many names we asked that all their work be thrown out. The hearing developed that forty ex-saloon keepers and bartenders had these petitions on the bars in their soft drink places; 831 names were secured by Dick Kennedy, a negro who could neither read nor write. He appeared in court in jail clothes, being under indictment for peddling "dope, " and was unable to identify the petitions certified by him. Ten boys, ranging in age from 8 to 15, were circulators. Several men who could not read or write testified that they supposed their names were being taken for a census. Many thought the petition was to "bring back beer. " One man was told it was to pave an alley. At one hearing interpreters had to be used for all but two men. The treasurer of the Anti-Suffrage Association, Mrs. C. C. George, whose name appears as witness to the signatures of 81 certificates on the back of Barclay's petitions, testified that she did not remember him. On the back of each petition is a certificate in which the circulator certifies that each man signed in his presence and the signature must have two witnesses. The soft drink men and others testified that although the name of Mrs. George appeared as witness to their signatures they had never seen her. She testified that the petitions went through the hands of her association. 

 The following question was asked of another "anti, " wife of a rector: "Had you known that co-workers with you were Dick Kennedy, an illiterate negro; Abie Sirian; Gus Tylee, employee of Tom Dennison and a detective of doubtful reputation; 40 soft drink men; Jess Ross, colored porter for Dennison; Jack Broomfield, a colored sporting man and for twenty years keeper of the most notorious dive in Omaha, and many others of this character, would you have worked with them and accepted the kind of petition they would secure?" She replied: "It would have made no difference to me. I was working for a cause and would not have cared who else was working for the same. "

 The testimony showed that the anti-suffrage association of Omaha, under the leadership of Mrs. Crofoot, president, had at first endeavored to employ to take charge of the work of circulating the petitions the man who had conducted the publicity department for the brewers in 1916. 

The allegations of fraud were proved to the satisfaction of theDistrict Court. The opponents appealed from its decision, which wasconfirmed by the Supreme Court in June, and the women entered intopossession of this large amount of suffrage. By order of the court theanti-suffragists, together with the State, had to pay the costs of thelong legal battle which ended on January 25, 1919, in a gloriousvictory for the suffragists. The costs were approximately $5, 000. 

RATIFICATION. The State convention of 1917 was held in Omaha inDecember and it was omitted in the fall of 1918 on account of theinfluenza, and none was held until 1919. The Federal Amendment hadbeen submitted by Congress on June 4 and a Ratification Committee hadbeen appointed consisting of Mrs. Barkley, Mrs. Hardy and Mrs. Wheelerto secure an early calling of a special session of the Legislature. It was arranged for the State convention to meet in Lincoln at thetime Governor Samuel R. McKelvie had called this special session toratify the amendment. The convention _en masse_ saw the ratificationof both Houses on August 2 by unanimous vote and had the joy of beingpresent when it was signed by the Governor, who had been a consistentfriend of the cause. The regular session had memorialized Congress byjoint resolution to submit the Federal Suffrage Amendment andrequested Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock of Nebraska to vote for it. Hevoted against it every time it became before the Senate. The otherSenator, George W. Norris, voted in favor each time and was always ahelpful friend of woman suffrage. 

The last State convention met in Omaha June 13-15, 1920, with 104delegates in attendance. With Mrs. Charles H. Dietrich, who had beenelected president the preceding year, in the chair, the associationwas merged into the Nebraska League of Women Voters and Mrs. Dietrichwas made chairman. 

On Saturday, Aug. 28, 1920, at noon, whistles were sounded and bellswere rung for five minutes in Omaha and South Omaha to celebrate theproclamation by the Secretary of State at Washington that the womansuffrage amendment was now a part of the constitution of the UnitedStates and the struggle was over. 

In December, 1919, there assembled in Lincoln a convention to rewriteNebraska's constitution, to be submitted to the electors Sept. 21, 1920. This convention put a clause in the new constitution giving fullsuffrage to women. Using the power delegated to it by the Legislatureit provided that women should vote on the constitution and that thesuffrage amendment should go into effect as soon as the adoption ofthe constitution was announced by the Governor. The rest of it was towait until Jan. 1, 1921. This was done in order that women might voteat the general election in November, 1920. Before the constitutionwent to the voters the Federal Amendment was proclaimed and women werefully enfranchised. With women voting the constitution received 65, 483ayes, 15, 416 noes. 

FOOTNOTES:

[107] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Grace M. Wheeler, historian of the State Woman Suffrage Association, and MissMary H. Williams, member of the State Board from 1905. 

[108] A State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage was formed, whoseExecutive Committee consisted of Mesdames Edward Porter Peck, chairman; Henry W. Yates, John C. Cowin, J. W. Griffith, W. H. Koenig, L. F. Crofoot, Gerrit Fort, John L. Webster, Helen Arion Lewis, ArthurCrittenden Smith, T. J. Mackay, F. N. Conner; Miss Janet M. Wallace, with Mrs. William Archibald Smith, secretary, and Mrs. Frank J. Noeltreasurer; Mrs. S. H. Burnham of Lincoln, Mrs. J. D. Whitmore and Mrs. Fred W. Ashton of Grand Island, Mrs. A. D. Sears, Mrs. Charles Dodgeand Miss Maud May of Fremont, with Mrs. Crumpacker as specialrepresentative of the National Association in the headquarters at 536Bee Building. 

[109] This Manifesto will be found in the Appendix. 

[110] Besides those mentioned the following served on the officialboard: Miss Lincola S. Groat, Mrs. Alice I. Brayton, Mrs. Stearns, Mrs. Myrtle W. Marble, Dr. Emma Warner Demaree, Mrs. Ida Ensign, Mrs. Rosa Modlin, Mrs. F. B. Donisthorpe, Mrs. Mary P. Jay, Mrs. Theresa J. Dunn, Mrs. Margaret J. Carns, Mrs. Julia N. Cox, Mrs. Ada Shafer, Mrs. Frank Harrison, Mrs. E. L. Burke, Miss Ida Bobbins, Mrs. M. Bruegger, Mrs. E. S. Rood, Mrs. Lydia Pope, Mrs. Jessie Dietz, Mrs. J. H. Corrick, Mrs. Halleck F. Rose, Mrs. H. C. Sumney, Mrs. Dietrich, Mrs. Ellen Ackerman, Mrs. Ella I. Brower, Miss May Gund, Mrs. E. F. Bell, Miss Edith Tobitt, Mrs. Kate Chapin House. 

[111] In March under the auspices of the National Association suffrageschools were held in Omaha and Lincoln. The instructors were Mrs. Nettie R. Shuler, chairman of organization, Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, itsrecording secretary, and Mrs. T. T. Cotnam and the subjects taughtwere Suffrage History and Argument, Organization, Publicity and Press, Money Raising and Parliamentary Law. Of the nineteen schools held bythe National Association in various States none was larger. By requestnight schools were opened with a crowded attendance at all sessions. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

NEVADA. [112]

Towards the close of the last century, through the efforts of MissSusan B. Anthony and Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president andvice-president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, aNevada association had been formed with Mrs. Frances A. Williamsonpresident and later Mrs. Elda A. Orr was elected. Mrs. Mary A. Boydwas an officer. It held three or four successful conventions and hadbills before the Legislature but no record exists of any activitiesafter 1899. 

In November, 1909, Mrs. Clarence Mackay, who had organized an EqualFranchise Society in New York City, of which she was president, wroteto Miss Jeanne Elizabeth Wier, professor of history in the Universityof Nevada, asking if a branch society could not be organized in thatState. Later Professor Wier conferred with Mrs. Mackay in New York. Inthe autumn of 1910 an agreement to assist in such an organization wassigned by a large number of prominent men and women in Reno andfinally in January, 1911, Professor Wier issued a call for a meetingto be held in her home to form a society. Mrs. O. H. Mack, presidentof the Federation of Women's Clubs, sent an invitation to each club tobe represented at this meeting. It was soon evident that it would betoo large for a private house and on January 24 a conference was heldin the law office of Counsellor C. R. Reeves to arrange for a Saturdayevening mass meeting. There were present Mr. Reeves, who was madetemporary chairman; Professor Wier, Mrs. Mack, Mrs. HenryStanislawsky, Professor Romanzo Adams, Judge William P. Seeds, Assemblyman Alceus F. Price, J. A. Buchanan, Mrs. Frank Page, Mrs. Frank R. Nicholas, who was made secretary, and J. Holman Buck, who waselected permanent chairman. A telegram of greeting was read from Mrs. Mackay. 

A general meeting for organization was held the evening of February 4in Odd Fellows' Hall, which was far too small for the audience. Thename State Equal Franchise Society was adopted. Mrs. Stanislawsky waselected president; Colonel Reeves, Mr. Price, Mrs. Mack and MissFelice Cohn, vice-presidents; Mrs. Nicholas, Mrs. Grace E. Bridges andMrs. Alice Chism, recording and corresponding secretary and treasurer. A membership of 177 was reported. The board of twenty-one directorsincluded most of those who have been named and in addition Dr. J. E. Stubbs, president of the university; Mrs. A. B. McKinley, Dr. MorrisPritchard, W. D. Trout, Mrs. Nettie P. Hershiser, Mrs. GeorgeArmstrong, Mrs. Florence H. Church, Mrs. G. Taylor, Mrs. FrankStickney. [113] Plans were made for a legislative lobby. A report ofthe organization was sent to Mrs. Mackay, who consented that her nameshould be used as honorary president but took no further interest init or in the amendment campaign which soon followed and made nocontribution. 

Between the above meetings Assemblymen Arnold and Byrne of Esmeraldacounty had introduced a joint resolution on January 30 to submit tothe voters an amendment to the State constitution to give fullsuffrage to women. It was referred to the Committee on Elections, which on February 7 reported it unfavorably. Assemblyman J. A. Dentonof Lincoln county secured a hearing before the Committee of the Wholeon February 20 and a large lobby from the society was present. Mrs. Stanislawsky and Miss Cohn addressed the committee, emphasizing thefact that each of the political parties had declared in its Stateplatform for this referendum and all the women asked was to have thequestion sent to the voters. The resolution was put on file but at thebottom and every attempt to advance it failed but on March 6 itappeared in regular order. Speaker pro tem. Booth wanted itindefinitely postponed but was overruled. After numerous parliamentarytactics it was at length passed by 31 ayes, 13 noes, four absent andthe Speaker not voting. The resolution was first read in the Senate onMarch 7 and referred to the Committee on Education. Three days laterit was reported without recommendation. It came before the SenateMarch 13 and after considerable "fencing" it passed by 16 ayes, 2noes, one absent. Mrs. Stanislawsky, Mrs. Mack, Professor Wier, Mrs. Chism, Miss Cohn and Mrs. Nicholas had worked strenuously in the twoHouses. 

The constitution requires that a resolution for an amendment must passtwo successive Legislatures and the new association saw the taskbefore it of getting the approval of another session in 1913. Itreceived national and international attention about this time througha banner six feet high and four wide, presented by Mrs. Arthur Hodgesof New York, with the words, Nevada, Votes for Women, brought out insage brush green letters on a field of vivid orange. This was shippedto New York and carried by Miss Anne Martin of Reno in a big parade inthat city and then taken to London and carried by her and Miss VidaMilholland of New York at the head of the American group in the greatprocession of the Social and Political Union. 

Headquarters were opened in the Cheney Building in Reno, Mrs. Hodgesassuming the rent, where visitors were made welcome and literaturegiven out. A series of lectures until November were arranged, thefirst one in the Congregational church, where Mrs. Stanislawsky gavean address to a crowded meeting. Later she moved to California and inFebruary, 1912, Mrs. Mack called a meeting and Miss Anne Martin wasunanimously elected president. Mrs. Bridges, Mrs. Chism and Mrs. Mackwere re-elected. The other members of the board chosen were:Vice-presidents, Mrs. F. O. Norton, Mrs. J. E. Church, Mrs. JennieLogan, Mrs. Charles Gulling, Mrs. J. E. Bray, Miss B. M. Wilson;recording secretary, Mrs. Burroughs Edsall. An active executivecommittee was appointed and plans were made for a vigorous campaign. Mrs. Hodges continued to pay the rent of headquarters and asubstantial bank account was built up by dues, subscriptions andcollections at meetings. 

Miss Martin attended the national suffrage convention at Philadelphiain November, where she told of the need of funds to further thecampaign and secured many pledges and donations. Dr. Shaw, thepresident, promised $1, 000 from the association after the amendmentwas submitted. Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont and Mrs. Joseph Fels hadbecome honorary presidents and the former gave $100; the latter madeher contribution of $500 later. The Massachusetts association, throughMrs. Maud Wood Park, $100; the National Association, $100 in cash and$100 in literature; the _Woman's Journal_ $45. California and Arizonagave funds and literature. A pamphlet entitled Woman Under NevadaLaws, by Miss B. M. Wilson, an attorney, had been published in aspecial edition of 20, 000 and proved effective in rousing the women toa sense of their rights and wrongs. 

The rapid organization had its effect on legislators and politicians. The resolution for submitting an amendment was presented in bothHouses in 1913 and reported favorably by the Judiciary Committees. Itpassed in the House on January 24 by 49 ayes, 3 noes, one absent; inthe Senate on January 30 by 19 ayes, 3 noes. On March 3 it was signedby the Governor. 

The educational work was done through the press, the platform andentertainments. Speakers of national note were secured, among them Dr. Shaw, Mr. And Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw, and Mrs. Charlotte PerkinsGilman, of New York; Dr. Charles F. Aked, of San Francisco; Miss JaneAddams of Chicago, and Miss Mabel Vernon of Washington. The meetingswere attended by about three men to one woman. Mr. Laidlaw assisted inorganizing a Men's Suffrage League, among whose members were SupremeCourt Justice Frank Norcross, Dr. Stubbs, Superintendent of PublicInstruction John Edwards Bray, S. W. Belford, Charles Gulling, A. A. Hibbard, Professor J. E. Church, Captain Applewhite, the Rev. Mr. Adams, the Rev. Mr. Sheldon, George Taylor and John Wright. 

At the annual meeting Feb. 25, 1913, it was announced that there werenearly 1, 000 paid up members, with most of the counties organized andmany town societies. "Nevada, the black spot on the map! To make itwhite, give women the suffrage, " was the constant slogan. Miss Martin, Mrs. Church, Mrs. Bray, Miss Wilson and Mrs. Bridges were re-elected. Other members chosen were: Vice-presidents, Mrs. Hugh Brown, Mrs. Alexander Orr, Mrs. George West, Mrs. Lyman D. Clark, Jr. , Mrs. E. E. Caine, Mrs. Harry Warren; recording secretary, Mrs. J. B. Menardi;treasurer, Mrs. Mabel Redman; auditors, Mrs. P. B. Kennedy, Mrs. W. T. Jenkins. 

In the little span of days that lay between the election of the StateExecutive Committee in 1912 and the legislative session of 1913 thesixteen counties were organized, each under a chairman. Mrs. M. S. Bonnifield as chairman of Humboldt county, with her helpers, Mrs. A. W. Card, Mrs. Mark Walser of Lovelock and Dr. Nellie Hascall ofFallon, led their branches into the mining fields. It is not easy torealize the difficulties under which these women labored. Mrs. H. C. Taylor, chairman of Churchill county, had to drive many miles from herranch to attend every meeting. Some of the chairmen were Mrs. A. J. McCarty, Mineral county; Mrs. Rudolph Zadow, Eureka; Mrs. Sadie D. Hurst, Washoe; Mrs. Bray, Ormsby; Mrs. F. P. Langdon, Storey; Mrs. Caine, Elko; Mrs. Minnie Comins MacDonald, White Pine. 

Mrs. Church, Miss Mary Henry, Mrs. Hurst, Mrs. Belford, and Mrs. MaudGassoway were an active force in organizing societies at Sparks, Verdiand Wadsworth in Washoe county, the largest in the State. Mrs. W. H. Bray organized study classes in Sparks and gave prizes for the bestsuffrage essays. Mrs. Hurst addressed large street crowds in Renoevery Saturday night. An important feature of the campaign was thecomplete circularization of the voters with suffrage literature by thecounty organizations and from State headquarters by Mrs. BessieEichelberger, State treasurer for two years, assisted by MissAlexandrine La Tourette of the State University; Mrs. Belford, Mrs. P. L. Flannigan, Mrs. Alf. Doten, Miss Minnie Flannigan, Mrs. Charles E. Bosnell and Mrs. John Franzman. Mrs. Hood, the second vice-president, and chairman of civics in the State Federation of Women's Clubs, wasthe leading factor in getting its endorsement at its meeting in Reno, Oct. 30, 1913. 

Nevada's population of only 80, 000 is scattered over an area of110, 000 square miles, a territory larger than the whole of NewEngland. Of these, 40, 000 are men over twenty-one years of age, ofwhom only 20, 000 remained in the State long enough to vote at the lastgeneral election--an average of one voter to every five square miles. Nevada has the smallest urban and the most scattered rural populationin the United States. Reaching and winning this vote was done mostlyby press work and literature. The new voters on the registration listswere circularized. The personal contact with the voter wasaccomplished by street meetings in the cities and towns; in the ruralcommunities by train, automobile, stage and even on horseback. 

All the political parties but the Republican endorsed the amendment intheir platforms and it was supported by labor unions representing6, 000 members. Prestige and assistance were given by an Advisory Boardconsisting of U. S. Senators Francis G. Newlands and Key Pittman, Congressman E. E. Roberts, Governor Tasker H. Oddie, LieutenantGovernor Gilbert C. Ross, President Stubbs, Bishop Robinson and manyprofessional and business men. There was fierce opposition from somenewspapers, including the Reno _Evening Gazette_, the leadingRepublican paper of the State, but active support from the _StateJournal_, owned and edited by George Darius Kilborn, formerly of NewYork, who was always in favor of woman suffrage. The _Western NevadaMiner_, owned and edited by J. Holman Buck, gave much assistance inthat part of the State. 

In canvassing and speaking tours over the State Miss Martin travelledover 3, 000 miles and talked personally to nearly every one of the20, 000 voters. There are 240 election precincts and over 180 wereorganized with a woman leader. On Nov. 3, 1914, every county wascarried for the amendment but four, each of these a county with one ofthe largest and oldest towns in the State. The vote in Washoe countywas 1, 449 for, 2, 047 against; in Reno, the county seat, 938 for, 1, 587against. Ormsby county with Carson City gave an adverse majority ofonly 141; Storey county with Virginia City of only 31. The total votewas 10, 936 ayes, 7, 257 noes--the amendment carried by 3, 679. The costof the whole three years' campaign was only a little more than $7, 000. 

At the annual meeting of the Washoe county Equal Franchise Societyafter the election it was evident that, having won suffrage, womenrecognized their new and enlarged responsibilities and were anxious todo something for the public welfare and their own development. A massmeeting was held in the Y. W. C. A. Building and the Woman Citizens'Club was organized with a charter membership of 80. Mrs. Hurst waselected president. Other officers were: Vice-presidents, Mrs. Belford, Mrs. C. H. Burke, Mrs. Hood; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Mack;recording secretary, Mrs. Bessie Mouffe; financial secretary, Mrs. Harold Duncan; treasurer, Mrs. Eichelberger; auditor, Mrs. KatherineFlett; librarian, Mrs. F. C. MacDiarmid. This club succeeded ingetting a year as a required residence for those from other Statesseeking divorce and later another Legislature proposed to repeal itand restore the six months. Mrs. George F. Nixon, wife of the formerU. S. Senator, was made legislative chairman and headed the women ofReno who went almost _en masse_ to Carson City to protest but thepressure on the other side was too strong and the old law wasrestored. 

In August, 1918, The Woman Citizens' Club endorsed Mrs. Sadie D. Hurstof Reno for the Assembly, in recognition of what she had done forsuffrage and for the club. She won at the primaries and also at thepolls in November and was the first woman member. The submission ofthe Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment to the Legislatures by Congressseemed near and at the request of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, thenational president, a Ratification Committee was formed in December. Helen T. (Mrs. S. W. ) Belford was acting chairman with MesdamesWalser, Hood, McKenzie, Mack, Church, Boyd, Bray, Franzman, Fannie B. Patrick and Emma Vanderlith members. At the request of this committeea resolution was presented to the Legislature by Mrs. Hurst on Jan. 22, 1919, asking this body to memorialize Congress in favor of theamendment. It passed the Assembly January 23 with but one dissentingvote; the Senate January 29 unanimously and the Nevada U. S. Senatorswere requested to present and actively support it. 

In March the committee elected Mrs. Patrick delegate to the nationalsuffrage convention in St. Louis and in April it met to hear herreport and details of the proposed League of Women Voters. Thefollowing July a meeting was held to listen to Mrs. Minnie S. Cunningham of Texas and Mrs. Ben Hooper of Wisconsin, who were touringcertain States under the auspices of the National Association, toconsult the Governors on the question of special sessions for theratification of the Federal Amendment, which had been submitted inJune. Mrs. Patrick and Mrs. Belford accompanied them to Carson Cityand had an interview with Governor Emmet D. Boyle. In September thecommittee considered the offer of a conference of officers andchairmen of the National League of Women Voters to be held in Reno. Itwas arranged for November 20-21, with Mrs. McKenzie chairman ofprogram, Mrs. Walser of finance, Mrs. Hurst of halls and Mrs. Belfordof publicity. 

The conference met in the Century Club House. Mrs Catt, Miss Jessie R. Haver, Dr. Valeria H. Parker, Mrs. Jean Nelson Penfield and MissMarjorie Shuler, national chairman of publicity, were the guests ofhonor. A luncheon at the Riverside Hotel was attended by about 70 menand women. An evening meeting was held in the Rialto Theater with Mrs. Patrick presiding. Governor Boyle introduced Mrs. Catt, who gave arousing speech, Wake up America, and the others were heard at this andother times on the various departments of the league's work. At thelast session a State League of Women Voters was organized and laterMrs. Belford was elected chairman. 

RATIFICATION. Governor Boyle issued a call for the Legislature to meetin special session Feb. 7, 1920, for the express purpose of acting onthe Federal Amendment, and in his Message when it convened he said:"While no certainty exists that the favorable action of Nevada will in1920 assure to the women of the United States the same votingprivileges which our own women enjoy by virtue of our State law, itdoes appear certain that without our favorable action nationalsuffrage may be delayed for such a time as to withhold the right tovote in a presidential election from millions of the women ofAmerica. "

To Mrs. Hurst, the one woman member, was given the honor ofintroducing the resolution to ratify in the House. On her motion therules were suspended, the resolution was read the second time by titleand referred to the Committee on Federal Relations. A recess of tenminutes was taken and when the Assembly reconvened a message from theSenate was received stating that the resolution had passedunanimously. The House committee recommended it and Mrs. Hurst movedthat it be placed on third reading and final passage. After this hadbeen done she thanked the Assembly for the honor accorded her andclosed a brief but eloquent speech by saying: "There is no necessityof asking you to ratify, for I am proud of the men of the West and ofNevada. " As the vote was about to be taken W. O. Ferguson of Eurekacounty announced that he would vote against the ratification; that hewas opposed to having the people of this State telling the women ofthe Union whether or not they should vote and that he came to CarsonCity especially to vote against the resolution. At this stage SpeakerFitzgerald stated that twenty-seven Legislatures had already ratifiedthe amendment but so far as he was aware no woman had presided overone taking such action and he had great pleasure in being able torequest Mrs. Hurst to take charge of proceedings during roll call. Twenty-five members answered in favor of ratification, and one, Mr. Ferguson, against it. 

Mrs. Hurst declared the resolution carried. At the suggestion ofAssemblyman Sanai an opportunity was given to the women to address thelegislators. Those speaking were Mrs. Patrick, chairman, and Mrs. Belford, secretary of the Ratification Committee; Mrs. Church, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs, and Mrs. Eichelberger, chairman of its suffrage committee; Mrs. Hood, regent ofthe State University; Mrs. Maud Edwards, president of the W. C. T. U. , and Mrs. L. D. Gassoway. All expressed their appreciation of thespecial session, to which most of the members had paid their ownexpenses. Governor and Mrs. Boyle invited the legislators and theRatification Committee to the Mansion for luncheon. And thus wasclosed the Nevada chapter on woman suffrage. 

A STORY OF THE NEVADA SUFFRAGE CAMPAIGN. [114]

In February, 1912, Miss Anne Martin of Reno, who had spent the years1909-11 in England, during which she worked for suffrage under Mrs. Pankhurst, was elected president of the State Equal Franchise Society. Miss Martin, a native of Nevada, was a graduate of the StateUniversity; had the degrees of A. B. And A. M. From Leland StanfordUniversity and had been professor of history in the former. She hadstudied abroad and travelled widely but her whole interest had nowcentered in woman suffrage. Miss B. M. Wilson of Goldfield was electedvice-president and Mrs. Grace Bridges of Reno, secretary. Mrs. Stanislawsky had removed to California and the organization, with thelong wait between Legislatures and no definite work, had but a smallmembership, no county organizations and no funds. It was obvious toMiss Martin and her associates that, judging by the experience ofother States, the legislative vote of 1911 must be regarded as merelycomplimentary and the real battle must be fought in 1913. Miss Martintherefore began the campaign by organizing the State in 1912. She paidher own expenses on speaking trips to every county for this purpose, also on journeys to California, to the Mississippi Valley SuffrageConference at St. Louis in April and to the National SuffrageConvention in Philadelphia in November. Here she enlisted the interestand financial support of national and State leaders and an advisoryboard of influential women outside of Nevada was formed. 

In February, 1913, her report made to the State suffrage convention inReno showed that the Equal Franchise Society had been developed in oneyear into a State-wide body, with practically every county organizedand a large number of auxiliary town societies, and with nearly onethousand paid-up members. There was a bank balance of several hundreddollars, from collections at meetings, monthly pledges of members andgifts from Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Mrs. Joseph Fels, Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont, Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, Mrs. George Day (Conn. ), andConnecticut and Massachusetts suffrage associations and other easternsupporters, and from suffrage leagues of California, Oregon, Arizonaand Colorado. Reports also showed that a press bureau had beenorganized at State headquarters (principally Miss Martin and Mrs. Bridges) by which Nevada's forty-five newspapers, chiefly ruralweeklies, were supplied regularly with a special suffrage newsservice; that every editor, all public libraries and railroad men'sreading rooms, more than one hundred school districts and threehundred leading men and women throughout the State received the_Woman's Journal_ (Boston) every week, which always contained Nevadasuffrage news; that every voter on the county registration lists hadbeen circularized with suffrage literature. 

An advisory council of the State's most prominent men had been formed. Every legislative candidate had been asked to vote for the suffrageamendment, if elected, and, as a result of the favorable publicopinion created by the new State organization, more than the necessarynumber had pledged themselves in writing, so the day after theelection in November it was known that there was a safe majority inthe coming Legislature if all pledges were kept. The LegislativeCommittee of the Equal Franchise Society was on duty and within thefirst two weeks of the session, in January, 1913, the amendment waspassed by both Houses and approved by Governor Oddie. 

The problem before the State convention at Reno in February was how toeducate the voters and overcome the active opposition of the liquorand other vested interests, which were determined to continue Nevada"wide-open" by "keeping out the women. " The convention re-elected MissMartin and left in her hands the supervision of building up a majorityfor the amendment at the election in November, 1914. During 1913 shehad kept the State organization actively at work by trips through thenorthern and southern counties and by securing the help of suffragespeakers from other States. Miss Wilson, the vice-president and alsopresident of the Esmeralda County League, with headquarters atGoldfield, was in general charge of the southern counties, which had avery large miners' vote. In November Miss Martin had gone as delegateto the National Woman Suffrage Convention in Washington, and there, inaddition to promises of an organizer and money from Dr. Shaw, thenational president, she secured from Miss Alice Paul, chairman of theCongressional Union, the services of Miss Mabel Vernon, perhaps itsmost capable organizer. She also obtained pledges of $1, 000 fromSenator Newlands; $1, 000 from Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw of Boston throughMrs. Maud Wood Park; $1, 000 from the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation; $500 from Mrs. Fels, $300 from Miss Eileen Canfield;also $250 from Mrs. W. O'H. Martin of Reno and many smaller sums fromindividuals and organizations. 

With the assurance of an adequate fund, amounting to over $7, 000 inall, the final "drive" for suffrage for Nevada women was begun afterthe State convention. Miss Vernon arrived, as promised, in April andat once made a trip around the State to strengthen the county andlocal organizations. At State headquarters in Reno Miss Martin kept intouch with the work in every section of the State, wrote suffrageleaflets and planned the final campaign. Its concrete object was tosecure the endorsement of labor unions, women's clubs and politicalparties; to rouse as many women as possible to active work and to haveat least one in charge of every voting precinct; to reach every voterin the State with literature and by a personal message through ahouse-to-house canvass, and to appeal to both men and women everywherethrough press work and public meetings addressed by the best speakersin the country. 

The 20, 000 voters were scattered over the enormous area of 110, 000square miles. There was only one large town, Reno, with about 15, 000inhabitants, and three or four others with a population of a fewthousands each; the rest of the people lived far apart in families orsmall groups, in mining camps on distant mountains and on remoteranches in the valleys. Nothing could prevent a heavy adverse vote inReno and other towns where the saloons, with their annexes of gamblingrooms, dance halls and "big business" generally, were powerful, soeverything depended on reducing their unfavorable majority by buildingup the largest possible majorities in the mining camps and ruraldistricts. "Every vote counts" was the slogan. 

In July, 1914, Miss Martin and Miss Vernon started out on their finalcanvass of the State, "prospecting for votes" in the mines, goingunderground in the vast mountains by tunnel, ladder or in bucketslowered by windlass to talk to the miners who were "on shift" andcould not attend the street or hall meetings. To reach less than 100voters at Austin, the county seat of Lauder county, required a twodays' journey over the desert, and many places were a several days'trip away from a railroad. By automobile, wagon, on horseback, climbing up to mining camps on foot, the canvassers went; making ahouse-to-house canvass of ranches many miles apart; travelling 150miles over the desert all day to speak to the "camp, " which was alwaysassembled on the street in front of the largest and best lightedsaloon, on their arrival at dusk. Many were the courtesies theyreceived from shirt-sleeved miners and cowboys. They were also greatlyassisted by the suffrage association's local chairmen, who wouldhastily secure substitutes to cook for their "hay crews" and drivemiles to arrange meetings. They always tried to reach a settlement orhospitable ranch house for the night. Where this was not possible theyslept on blankets in hayfields or on the ground in the heart of thedesert itself. The trip covered 3, 000 miles. 

Meanwhile at State headquarters in Reno leaflets that had beencarefully written as appeals to "give Nevada women a square deal" wereaddressed to voters' lists as they registered for the approachingelection, under the direction of the society's treasurer, Mrs. BessieEichelberger. 

A State labor conference representing 6, 000 members endorsed theamendment and every labor union that took a vote on it. The officialendorsements of the Democratic, Progressive and Socialist parties wereobtained. Individual Republicans supported it but the party refusedits approval and the leading Republican newspaper, the Reno _EveningGazette_, under the orders of George Wingfield, multi-millionaire, with other newspapers he controlled, bitterly fought the amendment tothe last. Only one or two newspapers, notably the _Nevada StateJournal_, actively supported it but many published campaign news. Renopapers contained over 200 columns of suffrage matter. Fremont Older, editor of the San Francisco _Bulletin_, gave to State headquarters thevaluable services and paid the expenses of Miss Bessie Beatty, amember of its staff, to direct the State-wide press campaign of newsand advertisements planned for September and October. With theassistance of President Stubbs and in spite of the opposition ofRegent Charles B. Henderson, a College Equal Suffrage League wasformed at the State University, under the leadership of Miss ClaraSmith, and a suffrage essay contest was promoted in the schools ofthe State. Through Judge William P. Seeds' and Miss Martin's efforts aMen's Suffrage League was formed, to counteract the so-called BusinessMen's League, organized to fight the amendment. 

A state-wide Anti-Suffrage Society was organized during the lastmonths, led by Mrs. Jewett Adams and Mrs. Paris Ellis of Carson, Mrs. Frank M. Lee of Reno and Mrs. John Henderson of Elko. Miss MinnieBronson of New York and Mrs. J. D. Oliphant of New Jersey, sent by theNational Anti-Suffrage Association, toured the State under theirauspices. In contrast with the hardships of travel to remote placesendured by the loyal workers for suffrage and the economic problemsalways to be solved, the speakers for the "antis" only visited thelarge towns, were provided with every obtainable luxury and themeetings well advertised and arranged. 

The organizer promised by the National Suffrage Association, Mrs. Laura Gregg Cannon, arrived in September and was sent at once toorganize more thoroughly the southern counties, as success depended onan overwhelming vote from the miners and ranchers there. Miss MargaretA. Foley of Boston also came, as arranged by Miss Martin, for constantspeaking through the northern and southern counties during the lasttwo months. Miss Jane Addams gave a priceless four days to a whirlwindtour. The Overland Limited was stopped for her to speak at Elko andWinnemucca. She ended her trip at Reno, where she addressed anoverflow mass meeting at the Majestic Theater just two weeks beforeelection day. A large public dinner was given in her honor at theRiverside Hotel by the State Franchise Society. Dr. Shaw, tirelesscrusader and incomparable speaker, travelled swiftly through the Stateby train and automobile during the eight days she gave in October, which were filled with receptions and crowded meetings. Mrs. Martingave a reception in her home in Reno, whose hospitality was extendedthroughout the campaign to those who came from outside the State tohelp it. Dr. Shaw's strenuous itinerary included meetings at BattleMountain, Winnemucca, Lovelocks, Reno, Washoe, Carson City, VirginiaCity, Tonopah, Goldfield, Las Vegas and Caliente. She made manyhundreds of votes for the amendment. 

Other notable outside speakers and workers, whose interest was arousedby Miss Martin and who gave their services during the nearly threeyears' sustained effort, were Miss Annie Kenney of London, Mr. AndMrs. James Lees Laidlaw, Miss Ida Craft and "General" Rosalie Jones ofNew York; Mrs. Antoinette Funk of Chicago; Mr. And Mrs. William Kent, Dr. Charles F. Aked, J. Stitt Wilson, Miss Gail Laughlin, Dr. MarySperry, Mrs. Sara Bard Field, Miss Maud Younger, Miss Charlotte AnitaWhitney, Mrs. Alice Park, Mrs. Eleanor Stewart, Mrs. Mary Ringrose ofCalifornia. The last named did valuable work among the Catholics. MissMary Bulkley and Mrs. Alice Day Jackson, a granddaughter of IsabellaBeecher Hooker, whom Miss Martin had interested on her visit toConnecticut, came at their own expense and for three weeks canvassedReno, Carson City, Virginia City and other places. Miss Vernon's workin organization and her many strong speeches on the streets of Renoand in meetings throughout the State were an important factor inwinning votes. While many splendid Nevada women worked with enthusiasmand great efficiency in every county, yet without Miss Martin'sleadership in organizing them and direction of the campaign during theyears 1912-13-14, and without the money she gave and raised, womansuffrage in Nevada would probably have been delayed for several years. She personally contributed in her travelling expenses and other waysover $2, 000. Aside from this sum the entire three years' campaign wasmade at a cost of $7, 000. 

Out of the 240 precincts in the State every one that had ten votes init was canvassed and open air or hall meetings held before election. More than 180 were organized, each with a woman leader, who, with hercommittee, "picketed the polls" every hour during election day, handing out the final appeal to give women a square deal by voting forthe amendment. The suffrage map showing Nevada as the last "blackspot" in the West was printed in every newspaper and on every leaflet, put up in public places and on large banners hung in the streets. 

The amendment received the largest proportionate vote for womansuffrage on record. Reno and Washoe county, as had been anticipated, went against it by a majority that was brought down to 600. Of theremaining fifteen counties, three others, the oldest in theState--Ormsby, Storey and Eureka--also defeated the amendment, but thefavorable majorities of the other northern counties and the staunchsupport of the miners in the south won the victory. Esmeralda, amining county and one of the largest in population, gave a majorityfor the amendment in every precinct. Out of 18, 193 votes cast on it, it had a majority in favor of 3, 679, and Nevada gave its leverage onCongress for the Federal Amendment. 

 * * * * *

At the annual convention of the State Equal Franchise Society in Renoin February, 1915, the Nevada Woman's Civic League was formed as itssuccessor. It continued an affiliated member of the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association, pledged to support the Federal Amendment. Its object was to meet a general demand of the newly enfranchisedwomen for information about the wise use of the ballot. 

FOOTNOTES:

[112] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. O. H. Mack, vice-president of the State Equal Franchise Society. 

[113] Charter members besides those already mentioned were Mrs. J. E. Stubbs, J. D. Layman, C. A. Jacobson, Mrs. Jennie Blanche Taylor, Mrs. Julia F. Bender, J. E. Church, Miss Laura de Laguna, Grant Miller, Miss Kate Bardenwerper, Mrs. W. H. Hood, Mrs. Orr, Mrs. Boyd, Mrs. George McKenzie, Mrs. May Gill. 

[114] The History is indebted for this sketch to Miss B. M. Wilson, vice-president of the State Equal Franchise Society during thecampaign, 1912-1914. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. [115]

There has been a woman suffrage association in New Hampshire since1868 with some of the State's most eminent men and women among itsmembers. In 1900 it took on new life when the New England Association, with headquarters in Boston, sent Mrs. Susan S. Fessenden to speak andorganize. In 1901 Miss Mary N. Chase of Andover spent a month formingsocieties and a conference was held at Manchester in December, addressed by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association, and Henry B. And Miss Alice StoneBlackwell, editors of the _Woman's Journal_. 

In 1902 the National Board engaged Miss Chase as organizer for amonth. A State Suffrage Association was formed with seven auxiliaryclubs and the following officers were elected: President, Miss Chase, honorary president, Mrs. Armenia S. White, Concord; honoraryvice-presidents, ex-U. S. Senator Henry W. Blair, U. S. Senator JacobH. Gallinger; vice-president, Miss Elizabeth S. Hunt, Manchester;secretary, Miss Mary E. Quimby, Concord; treasurer, the Rev. AngeloHall, Andover; auditors, Miss Caroline R. Wendell, Dover; Sherman E. Burroughs (afterwards member of Congress), Manchester. 

A convention met in Concord December 2 to revise the Stateconstitution and on the 4th Captain Arthur Thompson of Warner offeredan amendment which struck out the word "male" from the suffrageclause. A hearing on it was granted on the 9th and Mrs. Catt and Mr. And Miss Blackwell addressed the convention. After long discussion bythe delegates it was voted on the 11th, by 145 to 92 that thisamendment should be submitted to the voters with the revisedconstitution in March, 1903. The State suffrage convention was held inDecember at the time the hearing took place. The officers of theState association did a great deal of work before the constitutionalconvention met to influence its action. Miss Chase spoke 103 timesbefore the local Granges, an important factor in State politics. MissQuimby circularized the delegates, prepared a leaflet of opinions fromprominent citizens and aided in securing a petition of 2, 582. 

In January, 1903, Mrs. Catt came and took charge of the campaign, remaining until the vote was taken in March. Others from outside whogave their services without pay, speaking throughout the State, wereDr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president of the National Association; Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch, Mrs. Mary D. Fiske, Mrs. Priscilla D. Hackstaff, Mrs. Maud Wood Park and Mrs. Mary E. Craigie. The National Association contributed $3, 255 to the campaign andvarious States sent generous donations. Among the New Hampshirespeakers were Captain Arthur Thompson, the Rev. Charles W. Casson(Unitarian) of Milford; the Hon. Oliver E. Branch of Manchester; theHon. Clarence E. Carr of Andover. Miss Chase continued her work amongthe Granges, addressing thirty-seven. Miss Quimby circularized 87, 000voters. Mrs. White gave the headquarters in Concord. Seventy-fiveministers preached sermons in favor of the amendment. 

So much interest was aroused that the opponents wrote for Dr. LymanAbbott of New York to come to Concord. Among the signers of the letterwere former Governor Nahum Batchelder of Andover; Judge Edgar Aldrichof the district court of Littleton; Winston Churchill of Cornish;Irving W. Drew of Lancaster and George H. Moses of Concord. [116] OnMarch 4 Representatives' Hall was packed to hear addresses against theamendment by Miss Emily P. Bissell of Delaware; Mrs. A. J. George ofBrookline, Mass. ; Judge David Cross of Manchester and Dr. Abbott. TheConcord _Monitor_ of that date in a leading editorial said: "Through amaudlin sense of false sentiment the constitutional convention sentthis question to the people . .. And the people will deal with it as itdeserves. " On March 5 came the speeches of the suffragists. Representatives' Hall was even more crowded than before and scoreswere turned away. The Hon. James O. Lyford of Concord presided and thespeakers were Mrs. Catt, Mr. Branch, one of the ablest lawyers in theState, and Henry H. Metcalf of Concord, founder and editor of the_Granite Monthly_. The amendment was submitted to the voters March 10with the constitution. The votes in favor were 14, 162; against, 21, 788, lost by 7, 626. 

During the year the membership of the association more than doubled. The annual meeting was held in the Unitarian Church, Milford, November18, 19. In 1904 the National Association engaged Miss Chase to dothree months' organization work and the membership increased 137 percent. The annual meeting was held in the Christian Church at FranklinNovember 14, 15, with addresses by the Rev. Nancy W. Paine Smith(Universalist) of Newfields and other State speakers. On Oct. 30, 31, 1905, the State convention was held at Claremont with Dr. Shaw as theprincipal speaker. The most important work of the year had been theeffort to secure a Municipal suffrage bill. Mrs. Mary I. Wood ofPortsmouth, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs, hadbeen the chief speaker at the hearing. 

In 1906 the convention was held at Concord, October 30, 31, withaddresses by Dr. Shaw, Mrs. Wood, vice-president, and Mrs. Fannie J. Fernald of Old Orchard, president of the Maine Suffrage Association. Mrs. White, now 89 years old, gave reminiscences of the early days ofthe suffrage movement. Among the clergymen taking part were theReverends Edwin W. Bishop (Congregationalist); John Vannevar, D. D. (Universalist); Daniel C. Roberts, D. D. (Episcopalian); L. H. Buckshorn (Unitarian); E. C. Strout (Methodist); John B. Wilson(Baptist), all of Concord; and the Rev. Olive M. Kimball(Universalist) of Marlboro. 

In 1907 the convention was held in Manchester October 25 with Dr. Shaw, national president, as the inspiring speaker. The StateFederation of Labor had unanimously endorsed woman suffrage. OnJanuary 2 at Washington, D. C. , had occurred the death of Mrs. HenryW. Blair of Plymouth and Manchester, whose husband, U. S. SenatorHenry W. Blair, had secured the first vote in the Senate on theFederal Suffrage Amendment. Both were lifelong friends of the cause. 

In 1908 prizes were offered in the State Granges for the best essaysin favor of Woman Suffrage and excellent ones were sent in. A lecturebureau had been organized and eighteen men and women were speaking atpublic meetings. On October 23 Mrs. Mary Hutchinson Page of Bostonaddressed a meeting at the home of Agnes M. (Mrs. Barton P. ) Jenks, president of the Concord society. The State convention was held inPortsmouth November 11, 12, where Dr. Shaw as usual made the principaladdress and Miss Aina Johanssen, a visitor from Finland, gave aninteresting account of woman suffrage there. 

By 1909 there was considerable advance in favorable sentiment andpeople of influence were seeing the justice of the cause. GovernorHenry B. Quinby and his wife gave their support. The Rev. Henry G. Ives (Unitarian) of Andover and his wife were strong advocates. Intensive work had been done in the 275 Granges, their State lecturersending out instructions to discuss woman suffrage at April meetings. Fifty-four Grange essays were submitted for the prizes by the Stateassociation. Resolutions in favor of woman suffrage were passed by theState Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the Universalist StateConvention. The annual convention was held in Manchester November 11, addressed by Mrs. Fernald and the Rev. Ida C. Hultin (Unitarian), Sudbury, Mass. 

In February, 1910, Miss Ethel M. Arnold of England lectured for theConcord society in the Parish House (Episcopalian). The annual meetingwas held in the Free Baptist Church at Franklin November 15, 16. Amongthe speakers was the Rev. Florence Kollock Crooker (Universalist) ofRoslindale, Mass. Miss Chase had given addresses in thirty-one townsand cities and organized nine new committees. 

In 1911 an attractive booth at the Rochester Agricultural fair, madepossible by Miss Martha S. Kimball of Portsmouth, drew crowds and10, 000 leaflets were distributed and hundreds of buttons and pennantssold. The Free Baptist convention passed a resolution favoringsuffrage. Mrs. Jenks attended the congress of the International WomanSuffrage Alliance at Stockholm, Sweden, as delegate. At a meeting ofthe Concord society where the special guest was the Woman's Club, addresses were made by Judge Charles R. Corning, Mrs. WinstonChurchill and Mrs. Jenks. The noted English suffragist, Miss SylviaPankhurst, spoke there on March 30. In 1912 the convention was held inPortsmouth December 4, 5 in the chapel of the old North CongregationalChurch. The Rev. Lucius Thayer, pastor since 1890, and his wife werestrong suffragists. Mrs. Maud Wood Park of Boston made the principaladdress. Miss Chase after having held the presidency ten yearsdeclined re-election and was succeeded by Miss Kimball, who wasre-elected for the next seven years. [117]

In 1913 a brilliant suffrage banquet, the first of its kind, was givenat the Eagle Hotel, Concord, on February 28, attended by notables fromall parts of the State. Mrs. Wood was toast mistress. Among thespeakers were Governor Samuel D. Felker, Mrs. Josiah N. Woodward, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs, and William J. Britton, Speaker of the House. On May 9 a debate was held in theWoman's Club of Newport, between Miss Frances M. Abbott of Concord, press agent of the State association, and Mrs. Albertus T. Dudley ofExeter, president of the State Society Opposed to Woman Suffrage. Thelarge audience voted in favor of woman suffrage. The convention washeld at Concord, December 10, 11, with addresses by Mrs. KatherineHoughton Hepburn, president of the Connecticut association; WitterBynner of Cornish, the poet and playwright, and Senator Helen RingRobinson of Colorado. Miss Kimball subscribed $600, the largestindividual contribution yet received. Mrs. Jenks gave a report of themeeting of the International Suffrage Alliance at Budapest, which sheattended. This year the charters of Manchester and Nashua were changedby the Legislature to give School suffrage to women. 

In 1914 the convention was held in the Y. M. C. A. Hall, Manchester, November 11, 12, with able State speakers. Major Frank Knox, head ofthe Manchester _Union_, always strong for suffrage, presided in theevening. Ten county chairmen were appointed. The associationcooperated with that of Vermont in a booth at the State fair at WhiteRiver Junction. 

In 1915 State headquarters in charge of Miss Abbott were opened inConcord and continued five months during the legislative session. Public meetings were addressed by Mrs. Marion Booth Kelley and Mrs. Park of Boston; Mrs. Antoinette Funk of Chicago, member of theNational Congressional Committee; Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingston ofBangor and U. S. Senator Hollis of New Hampshire. Miss JeannetteRankin of Montana made a few addresses. A large illuminated "suffragemap" was framed and put in the State House and other public places. Quantities of suffrage literature were sent out, including 400suffrage valentines and tickets for the suffrage film Your Girl andMine to the legislators. At the 150th anniversary celebration of thenaming of Concord on June 8 an elaborate suffrage float and severaldecorated motor cars filled with suffragists, two of college women incaps and gowns, were in the procession. Many members marched in theparade in Boston October 6. Through Miss Kimball's generosity Mrs. Mary I. Post of California was sent for six months' work in the NewJersey campaign. Later she took charge of headquarters in Manchesterand in Concord. The State convention was held at Nashua December 2, 3. Among the speakers were Miss Zona Gale, the novelist; U. S. SenatorMoses E. Clapp of Minnesota, and John R. McLane, son of formerGovernor McLane of New Hampshire. 

On May 7, 1916, Mrs. Armenia S. White passed away at the age of 98. Toher more than to any one person was the suffrage cause in NewHampshire indebted. With her husband, Nathaniel White, she had beenfrom the first identified with the unpopular reforms, anti-slavery, temperance and equal suffrage. More men and women of nationalprominence had been entertained under their roof than in any otherhome in the State. A successful conference was held in ManchesterFebruary 28, addressed by Mrs. Catt, president again of the NationalAssociation, and Mrs. Susan Walker Fitzgerald of Massachusetts. TheState convention was held at Concord November 9, 10, with Dr. EffieMcCollum Jones of Iowa as the chief speaker. 

In February, 1917, ten newspapers issued special suffrage editionswith plate matter furnished by the National Association and 3, 000extra copies were mailed, besides thousands of suffrage speeches andcirculars. In March and April 371 Protestant, 81 Catholic and fourJewish clergymen were circularized. The services of Mrs. Post weregiven to Maine for two weeks' and to New York for six weeks' campaignwork. Money also was sent to the Maine campaign. The State conventionwas held at Portsmouth, November 8, 9, with addresses by Mrs. Park, Mrs. Post, Mrs. Wood, Congressman Burroughs and Huntley L. Spauldingof Rochester, Government Food Administrator. 

In 1918 as chairmen of committees, the State officers were almostsubmerged in war work, as were the other members of the association, but although no State convention was held they did not cease theirsuffrage duties. Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, national recording secretary, addressed a number of the leagues, urging them to keep alive theirinterest and be ready for the next step, which would be theratification of the Federal Amendment. On August 17 occurred the deathof U. S. Senator Jacob H. Gallinger. A staunch friend of womansuffrage for fifty years, much of the time vice-president of the Stateassociation, it seemed the irony of fate that death intervened whenhis vote and influence as Republican leader would have carried theFederal Suffrage Amendment without delay. Senator Hollis andRepresentatives Mason and Burroughs were in favor of it. 

Irving W. Drew of Lancaster, an avowed "anti, " was appointed byGovernor Henry W. Keyes as Senator until the fall election. It wassaid that he was urged to appoint an opponent by Senator Henry CabotLodge when he came to Concord to deliver Senator Gallinger's funeraladdress. The situation was tense at the November election. SenatorHollis (Democrat) declined to stand for another term and GovernorKeyes (Republican) was elected in his place. The two candidates forSenator Gallinger's unexpired term were George H. Moses (Republican)and John B. Jameson (Democrat). Mr. Moses was known as anuncompromising opponent while Mr. Jameson was a sincere suffragist. The prospects were good for Mr. Jameson's election when PresidentWilson issued an appeal for the election of a Democratic Congress, which had the effect of stiffening the Republican ranks and Mr. Moseswas elected by a small majority. After his election the NationalAssociation sent a representative to interview him. He told her thathe was not interested in the question but that if the Legislatureshould instruct him by resolution to vote for the Federal Amendment hewould do so. It would not sit for some time and therefore Mrs. AnnaTillinghast of Boston, Miss Eva S. Potter and Mrs. Arthur L. Livermoreof New York were sent by the National Association, and in cooperationwith the State association, secured a petition from more thantwo-thirds of the Legislature, which numbered 426 members, askingSenator Moses to vote for the amendment. When it was presented he saidthat he must insist on a resolution. 

When the Legislature convened in 1919 Senator Moses made a trip toConcord, took a room in a hotel and made it his office, where he wasvisited by members of the Legislature. It was current opinion that hewas using his influence against a resolution and the results bore outthe conclusion. The resolution was introduced in the House January 8by Robert M. Wright of Sanbornton and on the 9th in Committee of theWhole it granted a hearing. The galleries were crowded with peoplefrom all parts of the State and many women were invited to sit withthe legislators. The speakers urging the resolution were: Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Winfield L. Shaw of Manchester, also Miss DorisStevens representing the National Woman's Party. Those opposing itwere Mrs. Albertus T. Dudley of Exeter, president of the StateAnti-Suffrage Association; James R. Jackson of Littleton; Mrs. JohnBalch of Milton, Mass. , and Miss Charlotte Rowe of Yonkers, N. Y. , representing the National Anti-Suffrage Association. The resolutionwas carried by 210 to 135 votes. 

It was now most important to win the Senate. The twenty-four memberswere again interviewed by the suffragists and seventeen declared theirintention to vote for the resolution. On January 14 it was introducedby Senator John J. Donahue of Manchester and six Senators voted forit, fifteen against it!

It was generally believed and freely charged that Senator Moses, astounded at the vote in the House, had used all the influence hepossessed to prevent the Senate from concurring. It was publiclystated that Senator Lodge and other Republican U. S. Senators urgedthe members not to vote for the resolution. When the vote was to betaken three men, Merrill Shurtleff of Lancaster, alleged to be thepersonal representative of U. S. Senator John W. Weeks ofMassachusetts, and the best lobbyist in the State, assisted by BurnsP. Hodgman, clerk of the District Court, and John Brown of GovernorBartlett's Council, appeared to confer with the legislators. At thistime U. S. Senators Dillingham of Vermont and Wadsworth of New Yorkpublished a letter in the papers of the State protesting against theaction of the Republican National Committee in favor of the FederalSuffrage Amendment. Nothing was left undone to secure an adverse votein the New Hampshire Senate. Mrs. Catt issued to the press a detailedrecord of each State Senator, showing that 11 of the 15 who votedagainst the resolution had signed the petition to Senator Moses askinghim to vote for the Federal Amendment. The adverse vote stood 12Republicans, 3 Democrats; the Republican president of the Senate notvoting. 

Senator Moses returned to Washington and voted against the FederalSuffrage Amendment every time it came before the Senate; in February, 1919, when it lacked only one vote, he disregarded an urgent appealfrom Theodore Roosevelt made a few days before his death. 

 * * * * *

In March, 1919, the National Association sent one of its bestorganizers, Miss Edna Wright, to interest the leagues in ratificationand the State Association retained her for the remainder of the year. Invitations for a Citizenship School at Durham, July 8-12, were sentout by the association and President Hetzel of the State College, thefirst time in history that a State College had cooperated with womenin such an undertaking. The school was organized by Miss Wright andpresided over by Mrs. Wood, with the publicity and press conference incharge of Miss Marjorie Shuler, sent by the National Association. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Suffrage Amendment had been submitted byCongress to the Legislatures in June and the vital question now wasratification. A mass meeting was held in Manchester at which GovernorBartlett announced that he was willing to call a special session toratify. Realizing from past experience that the association could havelittle influence with it, the board appointed Huntley N. Spaulding, aprominent citizen, chairman of a Men's Committee for Ratification, andhe called to his aid Dwight Hall, chairman of the State RepublicanCommittee, and Alexander Murchie, chairman of the State DemocraticCommittee. The Governor can not call a session without the consent ofhis Council, which consists of five men. It met on August 13 and theGovernor arranged to have a hearing for the women. Mrs. Olive RandClarke, Mrs. Winfield Shaw of Manchester, Mrs. Charles Bancroft ofConcord and Mrs. Vida Chase Webb of Lisbon made short speeches. Afterthe hearing the Council voted to call a special session for September9. 

Mr. Hall and Mr. Murchie immediately got in touch with the members ofthe Legislature belonging to their respective parties. Under thedirection of Mr. Spaulding a remarkable publicity campaign wasinaugurated and the leading men of the State, many of whom had beenextremely opposed to woman suffrage, gave interviews in favor ofratification. The Manchester _Union_ devoted its front pages to theseinterviews for three weeks. Marked copies were sent not only tomembers of the Legislature but to the 750 committeemen of each of theparties. James O. Lyford, dean of the Republicans, put his politicalknowledge at the disposal of the committee. Miss Betsy Jewett Edwardscame from the National Woman's Republican Committee and did splendidwork among the Republicans, who made up a large majority of bothHouses. Miss Kimball, State president, gave devoted service and muchfinancial assistance. Miss Wright had entire charge of the officework, publicity, organization, etc. 

The special session met on September 9 and the Governor sent a strongmessage calling for ratification. The House voted on the opening day, 212 ayes to 143 noes. The real test was in the Senate, which onSeptember 10 gave forty minutes to outside speakers. Mrs. Mary I. Woodspoke for the suffragists and Mrs. F. S. Streeter of Concord, MissCharlotte Rowe and two Senators for the opponents. The Senateratified by 14 to 10 and Governor Bartlett signed the bill withoutdelay. 

The last meeting of the State Association, its work accomplished, tookplace in Manchester, November 21, 22, 1919. Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, national corresponding secretary, described the aims of the League ofWomen Voters, and, after discussion, it was decided to merge theassociation into a State League. Miss Kimball was elected chairman. The National Association had contributed to New Hampshire during thelast year about $3, 000. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: 1905. A bill for Municipal suffrage was introducedin the House by William F. Whitcher of Haverhill, a hearing grantedand it was reported out of the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 7 to 2but got no farther. 

1907. The bill was introduced by Mr. Whitcher but the House JudiciaryCommittee reported against it 8 to 7. An attempt to have the minorityreport substituted was defeated February 20 by a vote for indefinitepostponement of 224 to 77. 

1909. The chairman of the Legislative Committee, Mrs. Barton P. Jenks, conducted an energetic campaign for the bill and a hearing was heldbefore the Judiciary Committee, which reported 8 to 7 against it, andin the House on the question of substituting the minority report thevote was 86 ayes; 115 noes. 

1911. Bills for Municipal suffrage were introduced by Mr. Whitcher andGeorge S. Sibley of Manchester. The large committee room was crowdedfor the hearing. The speakers were Mrs. Jenks, the Rev. John Vannevar, Mrs. Wood and Miss Chase, the latter presenting a petition of 1, 100names headed by Governor and Mrs. Quinby and Clarence E. Carr, recentcandidate for Governor. The committee reported the bill favorably buton January 26 the House voted to postpone indefinitely by 160 to 121. 

1913. The association had two bills, one for Municipal and one forPresidential and County suffrage. The latter, introduced by Raymond B. Stevens of Landaff, Congressman-elect, had a hearing February 19, atwhich one of the chief affirmative speakers was Dean Walter T. Sumnerof Chicago, later Bishop of Oregon, who was in town for the Conferenceof Charities and Corrections. The Judiciary Committee reported thebill favorably but six out of fifteen members signed an adversereport. The debate in the House on March 18 was particularly acrid. Among the speakers in favor were Levin J. Chase of Concord and EdwardC. Bean of Belmont, later Secretary of State. The saloon element asusual was prominent in the opposition. The roll call showed 98 ayes;239 noes. 

1915. The bill for Municipal suffrage was unfavorably reported by theCommittee on Revision of Statutes. On March 17 when the vote tosubstitute the minority report was taken the State House was crowdedwith eager throngs from all parts of the State. Mr. Chase, Benjamin W. Couch and James O. Lyford spoke in favor. Dr. Thomas Manley Dillinghamof Roxbury represented the "antis. " The vote was 121 ayes; 230 noes. Abill for Presidential suffrage had previously been killed incommittee. 

1917. Bills for Presidential and for County and Municipal suffragewere introduced into both Houses. The former was favorably reported byJoseph P. Perley, Daniel J. Daley and Clarence M. Collins of theSenate Committee with a minority report by Obe G. Morrison and MichaelH. Shea, which was substituted February 7 by a vote of 16 to 7. Thefavorable report of eight of the fifteen members of the HouseCommittee was submitted by John G. Winant, afterward vice-rector ofSt. Paul's School, Concord. The struggle came on March 7 when it wasdebated for several hours with galleries crowded and finally defeatedby 205 to 152. On March 16 the bill for Municipal suffrage wasdefeated without debate or roll call. 

FOOTNOTES:

[115] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Frances M. Abbott, treasurer of the State College Equal Suffrage League, writerand genealogist. 

[116] Mr. Drew and Mr. Moses as U. S. Senators in 1918 were able todefeat the passage of the Federal Suffrage Amendment, which lackedjust two votes. Mr. Churchill afterwards became an earnest advocate ofwoman suffrage. 

[117] It has been impossible to obtain a complete list of those whohave served as officers but the following is a partial list of thosenot mentioned elsewhere. Vice-presidents: Mrs. Ella H. J. Hill, Concord; Mrs. Frank Knox, Manchester; secretaries: the Rev. Olive M. Kimball, Marlboro; Mrs. Henry F. Hollis, Concord; Dr. Alice Harvie, Concord; Mrs. Edna L. Johnston, Manchester; Mrs. Arthur F. Wheat, Manchester; treasurers: Henry H. Metcalf, Harry E. Barnard, FrankCressy, Miss Harriet L. Huntress, all of Concord; auditors: Mrs. Charles P. Bancroft, Concord; the Rev. H. G. Ives, Andover; membersNational Executive Committee: Mrs. Ida E. Everett and Dr. Sarah J. Barney, Franklin; Witter Bynner, Cornish; Mrs. Churchill. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

NEW JERSEY. PART I. [118]

The first women in the United States to vote were those of New Jersey, whose State constitution of 1776 conferred the franchise on "allinhabitants worth $250. " In 1790 the election law confirmed women'sright to the suffrage and in 1807 the Legislature illegally deprivedthem of it. In 1867 Lucy Stone, then a resident of New Jersey, organized a State society, one of the first in the country, whichlapsed after her removal to Massachusetts a few years later. In 1890 anew State association was organized, which held annual meetings andwas active thereafter, although interest diminished after women losttheir School suffrage in 1897. [See New Jersey chapter Volume IV. ]

Mrs. Florence Howe Hall, a daughter of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, waspresident from 1893 until 1900, when she declined re-election. Mrs. Minola Graham Sexton of Orange was elected president at the annualmeeting in Moorestown in November. At that time there were but fivelocal societies, which she soon increased to fifteen. With her duringthe five years of her presidency were the following officers:Vice-presidents, Mrs. Susan W. Lippincott of Cinnaminson; Catherine B. Lippincott, Hartford; corresponding secretaries, Dr. Mary D. Husseyand Mrs. Bertha L. Fearey, East Orange, Mrs. Fanny B. Downs, Orange;recording secretaries, Miss Jennie H. Morris, Moorestown, Miss HelenLippincott, Riverton; treasurer, Mrs. Anna B. Jeffery, South Orange;auditors, Mrs. Mary C. Bassett and Mrs. Emma L. Blackwell, EastOrange; Mrs. Anna R. Powell and Mrs. Louise M. Riley, Plainfield. Mrs. Riley had started the first woman's club in the State in Orange in1872. 

The Orange Political Study Club was the first suffrage club to jointhe State Federation in 1901, which invited other clubs to hear Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American SuffrageAssociation, give one of her convincing lectures. Mrs. Cornelia C. Hussey of East Orange held a meeting in her park to hear the reportsof the four delegates who attended the national convention atMinneapolis. Dr. Hussey gave out suffrage leaflets to the farmers ontheir "salt water day" at Sea Girt and to the Congress of Mothers atTrenton. Mrs. Eliza Dutton Hutchinson, press superintendent, got someof the plate matter from the National Association for the first timeinto four newspapers. Letters were sent to 400 progressive womentelling them how the ballot would aid them in all good work andinviting them to join the association and many did so. The annualmeeting was held in Newark and Mrs. Howe Hall was elected honorarypresident. 

In July, 1902, Mrs. Sexton in cooperation with the NationalAssociation, held the first of the seashore meetings that werecontinued every summer as long as she was president. They were heldfor two days in the Tabernacle at Ocean Grove and welcomed by BishopFitzgerald and Dr. A. E. Ballard, heads of the Camp MeetingAssociation. The speakers were Mrs. Catt, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president of the National Association, Miss Kate Gordon, itscorresponding secretary, and Miss Mary Garrett Hay, a nationalorganizer. The Mayor and two editors became advocates of the cause. Atthe Friends' conference at Asbury Park in September a day was devotedto political equality and Mrs. Catt and Mrs. Mariana W. Chapman, president of the New York State Association, spoke. The annual meetingwas held at Orange and a board of directors was elected: the Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell, Elizabeth; Mrs. Katherine H. Browning, West Orange; Mrs. Phebe C. Wright, Sea Girt; Mrs. Joanna Hartshorn, Short Hills; Miss Susan W. Lippincott and Mrs. Elizabeth Vail, EastOrange. Memorials were read for Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Mrs. Cornelia C. Hussey and Mrs. Sexton told of the $10, 000 Mrs. Hussey hadleft the National Association and of her constant generosity to thesuffrage work in New Jersey for many years. Mrs. Howe Hall and HenryB. Blackwell gave addresses. Women's clubs were urged to devote ameeting to the discussion of woman suffrage and the Woman's Club ofOrange, the largest in the State, heard Mrs. Catt and the Outlook Clubof Montclair heard Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Mrs. FlorenceFenwick Miller of England addressed a number of leagues. Miss Susan B. Anthony was heard early in May at the Political Study Club of Orange. 

In 1903 large audiences again attended the two-day suffrage rallyunder the auspices of the Camp Meeting at Ocean Grove. Dr. Shaw, Mrs. Hall, Miss Harriet May Mills of New York and Mrs. Lucretia L. Blankenburg of Philadelphia were the speakers and the interestresulted in the starting of several leagues along the coast. With thehelp of the National Association Miss Mills was engaged for a month, during which she formed ten new leagues, speaking twenty-four times innineteen places. The leagues studied local government and found thatwomen paid about one-third of the taxes. Mrs. Catt, Mrs. EllisMeredith of Denver, Mrs. Stanton Blatch of New York and Miss AliceStone Blackwell of Boston were heard by different leagues. Theconvention this year was held for the first time in Trenton. 

In 1904 a special effort was made to bring the question of womansuffrage before other organizations and Mrs. Sexton spoke to theFederation of Women's Clubs, the Conference of Charities andCorrections and the State W. C. T. U. ; Dr. Hussey spoke before theconvention of the Epworth League and the subject was presented to theState Grange. At the Ocean Grove meeting Mrs. Emma Bourne broughtgreetings from the State's 8, 000 white ribboners. Mrs. Sexton and MissMills spoke at seaside meetings and five new leagues were formed. TheState convention was held in the public library in Jersey City andwelcomed by Dr. Medina F. DeHart, president of the Political StudyClub; Miss Cornelia F. Bradford, head worker of Whittier House; Mrs. Spencer Wiart, president of the Woman's Club and Mrs. Andrew J. Newberry, president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs. 

At the Ocean Grove meeting in 1905 resolutions were adopted in memoryof Mrs. Mary A. Livermore. The State convention was held in Orange. Mrs. Emma L. Blackwell, a niece of Lucy Stone, was elected presidentand the other officers were re-elected. In 1906 Miss Anthony passedaway and many leagues held memorial meetings. The Woman's Club ofOrange joined the suffrage association in holding one addressed by Dr. Shaw, preceding the State convention held there in Union Hall inNovember. Henry B. Blackwell traced the history of woman suffrage inNew Jersey from 1776 and made a plea for the Presidential franchisefor women, for which a committee was appointed. Resolutions thankingthe American Federation of Labor for its stand on woman suffrage andexpressing sympathy with the imprisoned "suffragettes" in England werepassed. 

In 1907 little suffrage work was done by the association owing to theabsence of the president from the State. The leagues worked along manylines, for police matrons; for "school cities"; studied the lives ofthe pioneers and the constitution and laws of the State and heldpublic meetings with good speakers. The annual convention met in thepublic library in Newark and it was voted to petition Congress for aFederal Suffrage Amendment. Dr. DeHart was elected president and theother new officers were Mrs. Ella A. Kilborn and Miss Mary D. Campbell, secretaries. Miss Mary Willits and Mrs. Mary B. Kinsley werethe only other officers who had been added in the past seven years. 

In 1908 at the State convention in Bayonne Mrs. Clara S. Laddey ofArlington was elected president and Miss Emma L. Richards of Newarkrecording secretary. Dr. Hussey was made chairman of the Committee onLiterature and Petitions and the Rev. Mrs. Blackwell was appointed towrite to President Roosevelt in behalf of the Federal SuffrageAmendment, as requested by the National Association. Public lecturesby Dr. Shaw, Miss Janet Richards of Washington and others werearranged for Newark. Dr. Emily Blackwell, of the New York Infirmaryfor Women, was made honorary president. 

Mrs. Laddey visited all the leagues and spoke before many societies, including the large German Club at Hoboken. With Dr. Hussey sheattended the State convention of the Federation of Labor and obtainedits endorsement of the Federal Suffrage Amendment. She put new lifeinto the association and was re-elected at the State convention in1909 at Newark. Over fifty delegates were present and it was reportedthat 5, 000 names were on the petition to Congress which theSocialists, Granges, W. C. T. U. 's and Trade Unions had helped secure, and they had given an opportunity for much educational work. Committees on legislation and organization were formed. Mrs. Sextonwas elected honorary president; Mrs. Elizabeth T. Bartlett ofArlington was made historian and Mrs. Mary L. Colvin of East Orange, corresponding secretary. Resolutions were adopted in memory of HenryB. Blackwell and William Lloyd Garrison. Professor Francis SquirePotter, corresponding secretary of the National Association, delivereda very able address. 

In the fall of 1909 two young women in East Orange, Dr. Emma O. Gantzand Miss Martha Klatschken, started the Progressive Woman SuffrageSociety and held the first open air meetings in the State. The firstone took place on a Saturday night at the corner of Main and Daystreets in Orange, the speakers Mrs. J. Borrman Wells of England, MissKlatschken and Miss Helen Murphy of New York. The next was in Newark. The crowds were always respectful, listened and asked questions. Muchliterature was given out. A Political Equality League of SelfSupporting Women, a branch of the one in New York organized by Mrs. Stanton Blatch, was formed by Mrs. Mina Van Winkle, later calledWomen's Political Union. 

At the January board meeting in 1910 Mrs. Ulilla L. Decker was madechairman of organization and Mrs. Minnie J. Reynolds of the presscommittee. Mrs. Laddey reported having received an invitation to bringgreetings to a meeting at the home of Mr. And Mrs. Richard Stevens atCastle Point, Hoboken, to form a New Jersey branch of the EqualFranchise League which Mrs. Clarence Mackay had organized in New York. At an adjourned meeting on February 3 Mrs. Decker reported havingconsulted Mrs. Catt, Dr. Shaw, Miss Mary Garrett Hay and others in NewYork and also in New Jersey about the proposed new league. Mrs. Laddeyurged harmony among all workers and she, Dr. Hussey, Miss Emma L. Richards and others attended the meeting at Castle Point. The EqualFranchise Society of New Jersey was formed there with Mrs. Thomas S. Henry of Jersey City president; Mrs. Caroline B. Alexander, Hoboken, Mrs. Everett Colby, West Orange, Mrs. George Harvey, Deal, and MissAlice Lakey, Cranford, vice-presidents; Mrs. Harry Campton, Newark, corresponding secretary; Miss Richards, Newark, recording secretary;Mrs. Charles Campbell, Hoboken, treasurer. 

The delegation of the State association to the national convention inWashington in April rode in the procession to the Capitol andpresented a petition to Congress for a Federal Amendment containingover 9, 000 signatures from New Jersey. At the great parade held in NewYork on the last Saturday in May it was represented by its presidentand seven members. Its first experience with street speaking was inMilitary Park in June with Mrs. Priscilla D. Hackstaff of Brooklyn asthe speaker and a respectful audience. Open air meetings were alsoheld in Asbury Park at which Mrs. Laddey and Mrs. Emma Fisk spoke. Miss Richards took charge of a booth at the Olympic Park Fair, assisted by Mrs. Campton. Charles C. Mason was thanked for reviewingthe laws of the State relating to women compiled by Miss Laddey. LucyStone's birthday was celebrated August 13 in six places in memory ofher pioneer work in the State. Mrs. Laddey organized leagues inMontclair and Asbury Park and spoke at seven public meetings. Moneywas contributed to the South Dakota, Washington and Oklahoma campaignsand to the national treasury. Congressmen were questioned as to theirstand on woman suffrage. Dr. Shaw was heard at the Conference ofGovernors at Spring Lake. 

The convention of 1910 was held in Plainfield welcomed by Mrs. C. R. Riley, the local president. The Rev. Mrs. Blackwell paid a tribute toMrs. Julia Ward Howe, who had passed away, and after resolutions byMrs. Colvin the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" was sung. Mrs. Deckerpresented a flag to the association in honor of Mrs. Sexton, theformer president. Mrs. Kinsley gave a greeting from the EqualFranchise Society. How it Works in Wyoming was told by Mrs. MayPreston Slosson, Ph. D. , and Dr. Edwin A. Slosson. In the evening MayorCharles J. Fisk welcomed the convention. Professor Earl Barnes, whohad resided two years in England, gave an address on The Englishwoman. Champlain Lord Riley of Plainfield announced the organization inNewark on March 23 of the Men's League for Woman Suffrage with Dr. William L. Saunders of Plainfield, president; Merton C. Leonard, Arlington, vice-president; Dr. Edward S. Krans, Plainfield, secretary;Edward F. Feickert, Dunellen, treasurer and 17 members. [119]

Mrs. Laddey was re-elected. Four new committees were appointed onChurch Work, Mrs. Bartlett, chairman; Industrial Problems relating toWomen and Children, Miss Bessie Pope; Endorsement by Organizations, Mrs. Laddey; Education, Mrs. Riley. Public meetings were held in thevarious cities; prizes for school essays were awarded and a year bookpublished. With the Equal Franchise Society the association had ahearing before the State Senate Committee on Education, Joseph S. Frelinghuysen, chairman in behalf of a School suffrage bill. Mrs. Laddey, Mrs. George T. Vickers, Mrs. Philip McKim Garrison, Mrs. Frederick Merck, and Mrs. Kinsley appeared for the suffragists. Thecommittee approved it but the Legislature rejected it. 

In January, 1911, a luncheon was given by the association in Newark toMrs. Minnie J. Reynolds, who had returned from work in the victoriouscampaign in the State of Washington. At a board meeting it was decidedthat some plan must be adopted for enrolling non-dues-paying memberssimilar to that of the Woman Suffrage Party of New York. This name wastaken for New Jersey and an Enrollment Committee was formed with Mrs. Lillian F. Feickert of Dunellen chairman, to organize by politicaldistricts. Over a hundred New Jersey women marched in the second NewYork parade on May 4. The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony was placedin libraries. The three associations agreed to unite in work for asuffrage measure in the Legislature and Dr. Luella Morrow, MissLaddey, Miss Grace Selden and Mrs. Howe Hall were appointed to havecharge of it. Mrs. Bartlett secured the favorable opinions of twelveNew Jersey clergymen and had them printed for circulation. The EqualJustice League of young women was started in Bayonne with eightymembers, Miss Dorothy Frooks, president. At this time the Stateassociation had fourteen branches and about 500 members. 

The convention of 1911 was held in Willard Hall, Passaic, in November. All rose to greet the Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell when sheentered. Mayor George N. Seger in his welcome said that all women whopaid taxes should vote and with the ballot women could help manyneeded reforms. A hundred copies of the New York _American_ with aneditorial on woman suffrage in New Jersey sent by Arthur Brisbane weredistributed. 

It was voted to ask Governor Woodrow Wilson, as a Presidentialcandidate, if he favored woman suffrage. Mrs. Rheta Childe Dorr of theeditorial staff of _Hampton's Magazine_ appealed for legislation inbehalf of working girls. Miss Emma McCoy, president of the NewBrunswick Teachers' Association, made a plea for equal pay for womenteachers. Addresses were given by Robert Elder, assistant districtattorney of Kings county, N. Y. ; Mrs. Raymond Brown of New York, MissMelinda Scott of Newark, treasurer of the National Women's Trade UnionLeague, and Judge William H. Wood of New York. Dr. Hussey told of10, 000 leaflets distributed. 

Mrs. Feickert described the successful house-to-house canvass inJersey City by Miss Pope and herself, by which the membership hadincreased to 1, 400. Mrs. Decker announced the opening of the firstState headquarters the next week in Newark with a volunteer committeein charge, Mrs. George G. Scott, chairman. Mrs. Vernona H. Henry ofNewark was elected recording secretary and no other change was made inthe board, most of whom had served over ten years. With thecooperation of all the societies the meeting at the auditorium inNewark addressed by Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst of England was a greatsuccess. 

This record of details, much condensed, represents the seed-sowing inthe first decade of the century in preparation for the harvest whichcame at the end of the second decade. 

NEW JERSEY. PART II. [120]

In December, 1911, a Joint Legislative Committee, representing thefour woman suffrage organizations in New Jersey was formed with Mrs. George T. Vickers as chairman, and in January, 1912, a resolution fora submission to the voters of a woman suffrage amendment to the Stateconstitution was first introduced in the Legislature at the request ofthis committee. 

On Oct. 25, 1912, a parade was given in Newark under the auspices ofthe State Suffrage Association with all four organizations representedamong the marchers, who numbered about 1, 000 men and women. This wasfollowed by a well-attended mass meeting at Proctor's Theater, arranged by the Women's Political Union, at which Dr. Anna HowardShaw, president of the National Suffrage Association, was theprincipal speaker. 

The twenty-second annual convention of the association was held inTrenton in November, when the following officers were elected:President, Mrs. E. F. Feickert; first vice-president, Mrs. F. H. Colvin; second, Miss Elinor Gebhardt; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Charles P. Titus; recording secretary, Mrs. Charles P. Eaton;treasurer, Mrs. Anna B. Jeffery; auditor, Miss Bessie Pope. Twenty-five local branches were reported with a total membership of2, 200. 

In December the Legislative Committee was re-organized on the basis ofequal representation for each of the four organizations. Mrs. EverettColby was elected chairman and Mrs. Minnie J. Reynolds was engaged aslegislative secretary, who resigned in six months to become fieldorganizer for the Women's Political Union. This committee continued tofunction until 1917, when the Women's Political Union, the EqualFranchise Society and the Men's League having disbanded and theirbranches having joined the State association the political work wastaken over by its Legislative Committee. In 1914 Mrs. Philip McKimGarrison succeeded Mrs. Colby and she was succeeded by Mrs. Robert S. Huse in 1916. Among those who served actively were Miss Bessie Pope, who gave valuable and continuous service to the completion ofsuffrage work in 1920; Champlain Lord Riley, William L. Saunders, Everett Colby, Mrs. Mina C. Van Winkle, Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs R. T. Newton, Miss Belle Tiffany, Mrs. Colvin, Mrs. James Billington andMrs. Feickert. 

In June, 1913, the Women's Political Union held its first Stateconference, at which the following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Van Winkle; vice-presidents, Miss Julia S. Hurlbut, Mrs. E. T. Lukens, Mrs. H. R. Reed, Mrs. W. H. Gardner, Miss Edna C. Wyckoff, Mrs. R. T. Newton, Miss Louise Antrim, Mrs. Carl Vail, Miss LouiseConnolly; recording secretary, Miss Sara Crowell; executive secretary, Mrs. Reynolds; financial secretary, Mrs. Amelia Moorfield; treasurer, Mrs. Stewart Hartshorne. This was the only state-wide conference helduntil after the referendum election in 1915 and these officerscontinued to serve. The Equal Franchise Society's president, Mrs. Vickers, served from 1911 until it disbanded in 1915. Other activemembers were Mrs. H. Otto Wittpen and Mrs. Mary B. Kinsley. 

On March 25, 1913, the State association held a jubilee mass meetingin Newark to celebrate submission of a State suffrage amendment by theLegislature. This spring it held a large and successful school forsuffrage workers in Newark and the expenses of two volunteerorganizers were paid for several months, Mrs. U. L. Decker and MissDille Hastings. In August its representatives took part in thedemonstration at Washington, arranged by the National CongressionalCommittee, when petitions were presented to the Senate asking for theimmediate submission of the Federal Amendment, Mrs. Champlain LordRiley, Mrs. Colvin, Miss Helen Lippincott, Miss Edith Abbott and Mrs. Feickert. The New Jersey petitions of several thousand names wereunwillingly presented by Senator James E. Martine, who made a speechagainst woman suffrage at the same time. 

At the annual convention held in Newark in November reports showedthat the membership had more than doubled during the year, there beingnow 44 local branches with over 6, 000 members. Three changes tookplace in the board, Miss Lippincott, elected second vice-president;Mrs. Edward Olmsted, treasurer and Mrs. Arthur Hunter, auditor. Justafter this convention a delegation of 58 from the association and 17from the Political Union went to Washington at the request of theNational Congressional Committee to interview President Wilson inbehalf of favorable action on the Federal Amendment by the House ofRepresentatives. The committee could not arrange for a specialinterview but finally saw him by going to the White House at the hourset aside for the reception of the general public and made theirrequest. The President was cordial and said that he was giving thematter careful consideration and hoped soon to take a decided standwhich he thought the suffragists would find satisfactory. The speakerswere its chairman, Mrs. Feickert, Mrs. Van Winkle and Miss MelindaScott, who represented the organized working women of New Jersey. 

In April, 1914, the State headquarters were transferred to Plainfield, the home of the president, who took charge of them. Board meetingswere held in different sections of the State each month, followed byopen conferences for suffragists from the nearby towns. Each of thesewas attended by from 50 to 250 and resulted in greatly increasedactivity in the branches. During the summer a number of countyautomobile tours were made, a "flying squadron" of decorated carsgoing from town to town, holding meetings and distributing literature. These tours were well worked up and advertised and very successful. Agreat deal of the work connected with them was done by Miss FlorenceHalsey, a volunteer field organizer. 

During July a week of suffrage meetings was held in Asbury Park, theauditorium there given free on condition that there should be debatesand not merely presentations of suffrage. Over a hundred columns ofpublicity were secured for them in the New Jersey papers and duringthe week the hotels of Asbury Park and nearby resorts were canvassedand thousands of leaflets and circulars given out. This year over300, 000 pieces of literature were distributed by the State associationand the Political Union. A weekly press service was established by theassociation and news bulletins and special stories were sent regularlyto over one hundred papers. The local branches of the associationincreased to 96 and of the Political Union to 15, with a membership of22, 000 and 4, 000 respectively. At the annual convention of theassociation held in Camden in November the new officers elected were, second vice-president, Mrs. Robert P. Finley; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Bayard Naylor; recording secretary, Mrs. L. H. Cummings. Allattention and action were centered on the approaching campaign. 

The resolution to submit the amendment had passed two Legislatures andwas to go to the voters at a special election Oct. 19, 1915. ACooperative Committee was formed of three from the State associationand the Women's Political Union each and one each from the EqualFranchise Society and the Men's League. A Committee of One Hundred wasalso organized to raise money for the campaign, Mrs. Colby chairman. It obtained $9, 000 which were used for the expenses of the PressCommittee, that had its office at the National Suffrage headquartersin New York, for news bulletins every day, plate matter, interviews, stories, advertising cards and posters in the trolley cars and thestations of the Hudson Tunnels system; illuminated signs and streetbanners in New Jersey cities and a half-page advertisement in all thepapers of the State at the end of the campaign. The executivesecretary was Mrs. Flora Gapen Charters. The total amount of moneyraised and spent by the State and local organizations wasapproximately $80, 000, obtained by dues and pledges, by collections atmass meetings, special luncheons and very largely by personalcontributions from men and women. 

The State association increased to 200 branches in twenty-four cities. The Political Union maintained a large headquarters in Newark. Over3, 000, 000 pieces of literature and 400, 000 buttons were distributed. The association circularized all the women's organizations of theState, the fraternal organizations, clergymen, grange officers, lawyers, office-holders and other special groups. Speakers were sentto grange picnics and county fairs. Street meetings took placeregularly in all the principal cities and towns and automobile toursover the State. Over 4, 000 outdoor and 500 indoor meetings were held. Four paid and thirty volunteer organizers were kept in the field foreight months. 

The association arranged a conference of the leaders of the fourcampaign States, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey, which was held in East Orange in connection with the celebration onAugust 13 of the birthday of its founder, Lucy Stone. There was apilgrimage of suffragists from almost every county, and, afterexercises at her old home and the unveiling by her daughter, AliceStone Blackwell, of a tablet placed in front of the house, there wasan automobile parade through the nearby towns, winding up with a massmeeting in the park in East Orange, where Dr. Shaw and ex-GovernorJohn Franklin Fort were the principal speakers. 

The Women's Political Union conducted a "handing on the torch"demonstration which was quite effective. The New York Union supplied alarge torch of bronze, which Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, representing NewYork, took with her on a tugboat half way across the Hudson River, where she was met by a New Jersey tug bearing Mrs. Van Winkle, to whomthe torch was delivered. It was sent about the State to twenty or moretowns where the Union had branches and its arrival was made theoccasion for an outdoor reception and mass meeting. 

The Women's Anti-Suffrage Association was also busy. It paid thesalaries and expenses of two New Jersey speakers, Mrs. O. D. Oliphantof Trenton and John A. Matthews of Newark, an ex-Assemblyman, andbrought in a number of outside speakers. It never claimed to have morethan fifteen local branches and 18, 000 members. Among the moreprominent were the president, Mrs. E. Yarde Breese of Plainfield; Mrs. Thomas J. Preston, Mrs. Garrett A. Hobart, Mrs. Carroll P. Bassett, Miss Anna Dayton, Robert C. Maxwell, Miss Clara A. Vezin, Mrs. Hamilton F. Kean, Mrs. Alexander F. Jamieson, Mrs. Charles W. MacQuoid, Mrs. Thomas B. Adams, Miss Anne McIlvaine and Mrs. ShermanB. Joost. 

James R. Nugent of Newark, prominent as the champion of the "wets" andthe "antis, " paid the salary of Edward J. Handley, an ex-newspapermanof Newark, and gave him a suite of offices in the Wise building withseveral clerks. His "publicity" kept the amendment on the front pagesof the papers and the suffragists were always able to refute anddisprove his statements. The intensive campaign carried on among theeditors for the past two or three years bore fruit and 80 per cent. Ofthe newspapers by actual canvass favored the amendment, and frequentlywhen the front page carried a story against suffrage it wascontradicted on the editorial page. Among editors who wereparticularly strong friends were James Kerney and John E. Sines of theTrenton _Evening Times_; Joseph A. Dear and Julius Grunow of theJersey City _Journal_; John L. Matthews of the Paterson _PressGuardian_; George M. Hart of the Passaic _Daily News_; the Boyds ofthe New Brunswick _Home News_; J. L. Clevenger of the Perth Amboy_Evening News_; William H. Fischer of the New Jersey _Courier_; GeorgeW. Swift of the Elizabeth _Daily Journal_ and E. A. Bristor of thePassaic _Herald_. 

Three weeks before the election President Wilson announced himself infavor of the amendment, and he and his private secretary, Joseph P. Tumulty, made a special trip to New Jersey to vote for it. This had amarked effect over the country. 

The Legislative Committee having secured a bill allowing women towatch at the polls, watchers' schools were held in every importantcity under the direction of Mrs. Colvin, with the result that at theelection 1, 657 of the 1, 891 polling places in the State were suppliedwith trained women watchers. 

On election day Nugent and his lieutenants worked all day at theNewark polling places and the suffragists were positive that hundredsof voters were imported from New York and other places, which waspossible because men could vote on the amendment without havingpreviously registered. Nugent is reported to have said: "We knew wehad the amendment beaten when the election was put on registrationday. " This was done against the protests of the suffragists. Men votedon it at the same time they registered and in the police canvass madebefore the general election, the names of several thousand illegallyregistered were taken off the books in Essex and Hudson counties, allof whom had a chance to vote on the amendment. All day in all thecities the women watchers saw little groups of men taken into saloonsopposite the polling places by persons avowedly working to defeat it, instructed how to vote on it, marshalled to the polling place andafter voting taken back to the saloon to be paid. 

Finding at the last moment that no provision was made by the State topay for sending in returns from special elections, the Stateassociation arranged with the Associated Press to obtain its ownreturns and a wire was run into the suffrage headquarters in JerseyCity. By midnight complete returns were in from 70 per cent. Of theState, due to the splendid cooperation of the county and localsuffrage chairmen, who knew only one day in advance that this workwould be required of them. A manager of the Associated Press said thatthey had never handled an election where the returns came in faster ormore accurately and few where they came in as well. 

The election resulted in a vote of 317, 672, a very large oneconsidering that the Presidential vote in 1912 had been only 459, 000. The vote in favor of the suffrage amendment was 133, 281, or 42 percent. Of the whole; against, 184, 391, defeated by 51, 110. Ocean countywas the only one carried but 126 cities and towns were carried and anumber of counties gave from 46 to 49 per cent. In favor. 

Two weeks after their defeat several hundred New Jersey suffragistswent to New York and Philadelphia to march in the suffrage parades, taking the biggest and best band in the State and carrying at the headof their division a runner twenty feet long reading: NewJersey--Delayed but not Defeated. 

The State convention of 1915 was postponed until January, 1916, whenit was held in Elizabeth. There were then 215 local branches with amembership of over 50, 000. No discouragement was visible but a programof educational work and intensive organization was adopted, money waspledged for the salaries of three field organizers and it was decidedto have a bill for Presidential suffrage introduced in theLegislature. Mrs. Ward D. Kerlin, second vice-president, was the onlynew officer elected. A new constitution was adopted putting theassociation on a non-dues-paying basis, providing for an annual budgetand re-organization of the State by congressional districts. 

In June New Jersey was represented at the National Republicanconvention in Chicago by Mrs. Feickert, Miss Esther G. Ogden, Mrs. E. G. Blaisdell, Miss A. E. Cameron and Mrs. Joseph Marvel. All of theNew Jersey delegates were interviewed and twelve of the twenty-eightpromised to support a suffrage plank in the platform. 

In July the Women's Political Union disbanded and its local branchesjoined the State association. The national suffrage convention heldat Atlantic City in September gave a great impetus to the State work. The annual convention met in Jersey City in November, where it wasdecided to conduct a strenuous campaign during 1917 for Presidentialsuffrage and for the Federal Amendment and to employ four fieldorganizers. The new officers elected were Mrs. John J. White, MissLulu H. Marvel, Mrs. J. Thompson Baker, vice-presidents; Miss AnitaStill, auditor. The Rev. Antoinette Brown Blackwell and Dr. Mary D. Hussey were added to the list of honorary presidents. 

A bill for Presidential suffrage was introduced in the Legislature inFebruary, 1917, and everything was going finely when war was declared. The suffrage association was the first women's organization in theState to offer its services to the Governor and was publicly thankedby him for its patriotic stand. At his request it conducted a canvassof women nurses, doctors and clerical workers and received letters ofthanks from him and the Adjutant General for this very successfulpiece of work. It cooperated in the organization of a Woman's Divisionof the State Council of National Defense and its president, Mrs. Feickert, was vice-chairman of the Council. The association purchasedand operated a Soldiers' Club House and canteen in the town ofWrightstown, near which Camp Dix was located. It was opened inNovember, 1917, and was kept open until June, 1919, by volunteerworkers. Over $30, 000 were raised for it, one-fifth of this amountbeing contributed by Mrs. White. More than 250, 000 men wereentertained there. Officers and members of the association respondedto all demands of the war. 

The annual convention was held in the Capitol at Trenton in November. Reports showed that only thirty of the hundreds of local branches haddropped suffrage work because of their war activities, and the spiritwas one of determination that the battle for real democracy in theUnited States should be kept up just as actively as the war againstautocracy abroad. Mrs. Wells P. Eagleton was elected a vice-president, Mrs. E. G. Blaisdell a secretary and Mrs. F. W. Veghte an auditor. TheState Federation of Colored Women's Clubs was accepted as anaffiliated organization and its president, the Rev. Florence Randolph, was made a member of the State Board. The convention voted to makeits special work for the year the collecting of a monster petition ofwomen, to be so worded that it could be used in Congressional work forthe Federal Amendment and with the Legislature for ratification. 

In the summer of 1918 U. S. Senator William Hughes, who was pledged tovote for the Federal Amendment, died and the candidate for the officewas David Baird, a strong anti-suffragist. As only one more vote inthe Senate was needed to pass the amendment the National Associationasked the New Jersey association to do its best to defeat him. Anactive campaign was carried on for two months but he was too powerfula party leader, though he ran 9, 000 votes behind the rest of theticket. He voted against the amendment every time it came before theSenate. 

Because of the Baird campaign and the general unsettled feeling aroundthe time of the signing of the armistice the annual convention waspostponed to May, 1919, when it was held in Atlantic City. Theratification petitions collected the preceding year had over 80, 000names of women not previously enrolled as suffragists. Mrs. H. N. Simmons, vice-president, and Mrs. F. T. Kellers, auditor, were theonly new officers elected. It was voted that the other Stateorganizations of women should be asked to join in the campaign forratification of the Federal Amendment by the Legislature. Thecommittee was organized in July, 1918, with the followingorganizations represented: Woman Suffrage Association, Federation ofWomen's Clubs, Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, Woman's ChristianTemperance Union, Public Health Nursing, Teachers' Association;chairman, Mrs. Feickert; secretary, Mrs. James Simister; treasurer, Mrs. Olmsted. A Finance Committee was appointed--Mrs. Seymour L. Cromwell, Mrs. Colby and Mrs. Hunter--which raised over $10, 000. Theprincipal contributors were Mrs. Cromwell, Mrs. Colby, Judge and Mrs. John J. White, Mrs. Wittpenn, Mrs. Hartshorne, Mrs. Lewis S. Thompsonand Mrs. Robert Stevens. 

A very active primary and general election campaign was made in 1919for the election of men pledged to vote for ratification, in which110, 000 personal letters were sent out, all kinds of organizationswere circularized and about 1, 000, 000 pieces of literature weredistributed. A State ratification mass meeting at Asbury Park inAugust opened the campaign and local meetings were held in everycounty. A Governor and a majority in both Houses were elected who werepledged to ratification. 

A Men's Council for Ratification was organized in December withEverett Colby as chairman, Governor Edward I. Edwards and U. S. Senators Joseph S. Frelinghuysen and Walter E. Edge as honorarychairmen and 54 of the most prominent Democrats and Republicans in theState as vice-chairmen. This was not an active organization but thefact that the leaders of their parties allowed their names to be usedhad considerable influence upon many legislators. In January, 1920, campaign headquarters were opened in Trenton near the State House incharge of Miss Julia Wernig, field organizer of the association, wherea great deal of literature was given out and other work done. 

On January 27 in Crescent Temple, Trenton, the Ratification Committeestaged the most spectacular suffrage mass meeting ever held in NewJersey. Its special purpose was to present to the Governor, thePresident of the Senate and the Speaker of the House the huge suffragepetition containing almost 140, 000 names of women, arranged bycounties and towns. The hall was beautifully decorated with Americanflags and suffrage banners and a fine band played at intervals. Thespeakers were Governor Edwards, President of the Senate Clarence E. Case, Speaker of the Assembly W. Irving Glover and Mrs. Carrie ChapmanCatt, president of the National Suffrage Association. The twenty-onecounty chairmen and representatives of the women's organizationscomposing the committee were seated on the platform and at the propertime each came forward with her petitions and was presented to theGovernor and the legislative officials by Mrs. Feickert, who presided. About 1, 200 women and most of the Legislature were present and therewas much enthusiasm. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Suffrage Amendment was submitted by CongressJune 4, 1919. The resolution for ratification was the first measureintroduced when the Legislature convened in 1920, by Senator WilliamB. MacKay, Jr. , of Bergen county and Assemblyman Henry G. Hershfieldof Passaic county. A public hearing was held February 2 with Mrs. Feickert chairman. The principal suffrage speakers were U. S. SenatorSelden Spencer of Missouri, Mrs. Robert S. Huse, Mrs. Harriman N. Simons and the Rev. Florence Randolph. Each of five othersrepresenting various women's organizations spoke for two minutes. Thatday the Senate ratified by 18 ayes, 2 noes, two men voting in favorwho had been pledged against it. 

The opposition then concentrated its efforts upon the Assembly, wherevarious tricks were played which in the end were unsuccessful. U. S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer had written to each of theDemocratic members urging his support. The evening that ratificationwas to be voted on, February 9, the chamber was jammed and it wasevident that the opposition intended to "filibuster" all night ratherthan allow the resolution to pass. One motion after another was madeby the leader of the opposition, Assemblyman Hugh Barrett of Essex, Nugent's special representative, and after a hot fight and muchtalking they were defeated. Mr. Nugent was outside in the corridorconstantly sending in messages to his delegation and it was understoodthat he was offering anything the Assemblymen might ask for theirvotes against ratification. The women suffragists were present inforce helping their friends to maintain their determination to vote onthe resolution that night. It was a stormy session, the "filibuster"going on steadily from 8 p. M. Finally the opposition gave up thefight and at ten minutes to 1 o'clock in the morning the Assemblypassed the resolution by 34 ayes, 24 noes. The gallery was stillfilled with women, who were most enthusiastic. 

The resolution was signed promptly by the President of the Senate andthe Speaker of the House and the Governor sent it to Washington by aspecial messenger. The suffragists felt especially indebted toSenators William N. Runyon, C. D. White and Arthur Whitney and toAssemblymen William A. Blair, Emmor Roberts, Henry G. Hershfield andWilliam George for their work in party caucuses as well as on thefloor. Governor Edwards and Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey City (theDemocratic leader of the State) were responsible for the solid vote ofall the Democrats except those under the control of Nugent. U. S. Senators Frelinghuysen and Edge and Attorney General McCran alsorendered most valuable assistance. 

The State Suffrage Association celebrated the successful terminationof its over fifty years of continuous effort by a Victory Conventionheld in Newark on April 23, 24. Leading features were a Victorybanquet with prominent men of both political parties as speakers, anda Pioneers' luncheon, at which Dr. Mary D. Hussey, Mrs. Florence HoweHall, Mrs. Minola Graham Sexton, Mrs. Clara S. Laddey and other earlyworkers spoke. Before the close of the convention the State League ofWomen Voters was organized to carry on the work for good governmentand better conditions through the use of the power which had beensecured for them by the older association. Mrs. John R. Schermerhornwas elected chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: 1912. The first resolution for the submission of awoman suffrage amendment to the voters was introduced in February bySenator William C. Gebhardt in the Senate and Assemblyman A. R. McAllister in the House. A public hearing was held on March 12 atwhich Mrs. Vickers presided and the speakers for the suffrage sidewere Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Henry Villard, Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Mrs. Clara S. Laddey, George T. Vickers and Linton Satterthwaite. MissAnna Dayton presided for the "antis" and Mrs. E. N. Loomis was theirprincipal speaker. The vote in the Senate was 18 noes, 3ayes--Senators Gebhardt of Hunterdon county, J. Warren Davis of Salemand G. W. F. Gaunt of Gloucester. In the Assembly the resolution wasfinally forced out of an unfavorable committee but was tabled by avote of 31 ayes, 19 noes. 

1913. In January the resolution was introduced by Senator J. WarrenDavis and Assemblyman Charles M. Egan. A hearing was held February 18at which Mrs. Everett Colby presided and the speakers were Dr. AnnaHoward Shaw, president of the National American Suffrage Association;U. S. Senator Shafroth of Colorado, Everett Colby, George La Monte andCornelius Ford, president of the State Federation of Labor. Theresolution passed the Senate by 14 ayes, 5 noes, and the Assembly by45 ayes, 5 noes. A few weeks later it was discovered that the word"or" appeared in the printed resolution instead of "and, " making itnecessary to have a new one introduced, which went through by the samevote. 

The New Jersey law in regard to constitutional amendments providesthat after being submitted by one Legislature they must be advertisedin every county for three months prior to the next election, actedupon favorably by the succeeding Legislature and then voted on at aspecial election, the date of which it decides. After the passage ofthe referendum resolution in 1913 the Legislative Committee took upwith the Secretary of State the matter of advertising and were assuredthat it would be attended to and they could go home and "forget it, "which they trustingly did. When no advertisements appeared members ofthe committee hurried to Trenton and learned that Governor James F. Fielder was responsible. His excuse was that his secretary had mislaidthe resolution and forgotten to remind him of it. 

1914. The resolution was introduced in January by Senator Charles M. Egan and Assemblyman Joseph M. Branegan, both of Hudson county. Itpassed the Senate by 15 ayes, 3 noes, and the Assembly by 49 ayes, 4noes. 

1915. The advertising was properly done for this year and theresolution came up for second passage in January, introduced bySenator Blanchard H. White and Assemblyman Robert Peacock, both ofBurlington county. A hearing was held January 25, Mrs. Philip McKimGarrison chairman and speakers Dr. Shaw, E. G. C. Bleakley, citycounsel of Camden; Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Feickert. The Senate passedthe resolution by 17 ayes, 4 noes, and the Assembly by unanimous vote. 

1916. A bill for Presidential suffrage for women was introduced bySenator Charles O'Connor Hennessy of Bergen county and was lost by avote of 10 noes, 3 ayes--Senators Hennessy, Austen Colgate of Essexcounty and Carlton B. Pierce of Union county. No effort was made topress the bill in the Assembly. 

1917. Another bill for Presidential suffrage was introduced by SenatorEdmund B. Osborne of Essex county and Assemblyman Roy M. Robinson ofBergen. In both Houses the presiding officers were strongly opposed towoman suffrage and put the bill into unfavorable committees, whorefused to report it for action. A hearing was held with Mrs. RobertS. Huse chairman and Mrs. Antoinette Funk the chief speaker. Finallyby using what is known as the "rule of fifteen, " in the Assembly itsfriends got the bill out of committee on March 15 but with anunfavorable report. Majority leader Oliphant moved that the Houseconcur and Speaker Edward Schoen of Essex county ruled that the motionwas carried. Many members demanded a roll call but the Speaker paid noattention to them. Pandemonium reigned, members shouting and bangingtheir desks until finally he declared a recess and fled to his privateroom. 

1918. It was hoped that the Federal Amendment would be submitted inthe spring and it was decided not to complicate ratification byintroducing a Presidential suffrage bill. In February a bill providingthat the Legislature should not act on the ratification of FederalAmendments until after they had been referred to the voters wasintroduced by Assemblyman Arthur N. Pierson of Union county. It wasdesigned especially to prevent action on the Prohibition Amendment butwould also apply to the one for woman suffrage. The LegislativeCommittee went at once to Trenton, where the Anti-Saloon workers werealready busy. Sufficient force was brought to keep the bill incommittee for three weeks, at the end of which time 46 votes werepledged against it and it was killed in committee at the request ofits introducer. In 1919 a similar bill was introduced by AssemblymanDavid Young of Morris county but the suffragists made so strong ademonstration against it that it was killed in committee. 

FOOTNOTES:

[118] The History is indebted for this chapter to Dr. Mary D. Hussey, a founder of the State Woman Suffrage Association in 1890 andcontinuously an officer for the next twenty years. 

[119] Afterwards Mr. Riley became president and Arthur B. Jones, secretary. Among the League's prominent members were the Hon. EverettColby, Governor John Franklin Fort, J. A. H. Hopkins, Jesse LynchWilliams, Charles O'Connor Hennessy, the Hon. John W. Westcott, theRev. Dr. Arthur E. Ballard, the Rev. Edgar S. Weirs, Colonel GeorgeHarvey, the Hon. Edmond B. Osbourne, the Hon. Ernest R. Ackerman, Emerson P. Harris, Richard Stevens, the Hon. James C. Connally andMayor Victor Mavalag of Elizabeth. They passed resolutions"reaffirming their sympathy with the great world movement for womansuffrage"; "heartily approved" of the Federal Amendment; pledged their"untiring support" of the State referendum; spoke at legislativehearings; raised money; addressed meetings; appointed a Statecommittee of 63 members which met monthly; appointed a committee withGeorge M. Strobell, chairman, that marched in the parade in Newark, Oct. 25, 1913; held a mass meeting in Elizabeth at which Mayor GeorgeL. LaMonte and Mrs. Forbes-Robertson Hale spoke, and helped in manyways. 

[120] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Lillian F. Feickert, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association 1912-1920. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

NEW MEXICO. [121]

As the railroads were few and automobiles almost unknown in New Mexicoin the first decade of the present century, and as the distances weregreat and cities and towns widely separated, there was no attempt toorganize for woman suffrage. In 1910 the Women's Clubs were called inconvention at Las Cruces through the efforts of Mrs. George W. Frenger, secretary of the General Federation, and Mrs. Philip NorthMoore, then its president, was in attendance. A State Federation wasformed with Mrs. S. P. Johnson of Palomas Springs, president; Mrs. SamJ. Nixon of Portales secretary, and several department chairmen werenamed, Mrs. W. E. Lindsey being chosen for the Legislative Department. 

This department through its bold stand for woman suffrage and betterlaws for women and children easily became the foremost factor in thefederation. At each yearly convention one evening was given to thediscussion of the benefits which women would receive from thesuffrage. Almost before it was realized suffrage had become popularwith both men and women. The delegates carried the messages from theState conventions to their own clubs; suffrage discussions became theregular program for one meeting each year in almost every club andgenerally made converts of those taking the opposition. Women begansearching the statutes and questioning their attorneys and husbands inregard to laws. Their interest became such that no Legislature duringthe federation's existence has proposed any law derogatory to therights of women and children, but when attention has been called tounfair laws, some of them have been replaced by better ones. 

Under direction of the executive board of the federation thisdepartment sent out questionnaires to all of the State candidates foroffice in 1916 as to whether they would work for placing women on theState boards and use their influence to bring the Federal Amendment toa successful vote in the United States Senate and House. Their memberswere also interrogated as to whether they would work and vote for it. Therefore the Legislative Department of the Federated Clubs really didthe work that any suffrage organization would do and had the backingof the women of the State in general. Suffrage was unanimouslyendorsed in the convention of the federation at Silver City in 1914. It is to the credit of the work of the Federated Clubs in the Statethat its members of Congress, with one exception, have needed nolobbying from suffrage forces in Washington. Senator Andrieus A. Jones, as chairman of the Suffrage Committee, made the submission ofthe amendment possible in the present Congress by his systematic andforceful course in the last one. 

Mrs. Lindsey remained chairman of this department six years. In 1913she was appointed State chairman for the National American WomanSuffrage Association by its president, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw. In 1914the suffragists had a "float" in the parade at the State fair inAlbuquerque. In May, 1916, the National Association under thepresidency of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, sent one of its organizers, Miss Lola Walker of Pittsburgh, for ten days to look over thesituation and she visited Albuquerque, Santa Fé, Portales and LasVegas. In the last place she spoke before the Woman's Club with abouteighty present and at the close of her talk a vote was taken whichstood unanimous for suffrage. At Portales a society was formed and alarge evening reception was held to which both men and women wereinvited. Miss Walker gave a very interesting résumé of woman suffragewhich aroused much interest. An appeal was sent to the NationalAssociation to return her for a fall campaign to organize the State asan auxiliary. She went to Maine, however, and Miss Gertrude Watkins ofLittle Rock was sent to New Mexico in January, 1917. She visited theeastern and central parts of the State organizing leagues in most ofthe towns. In Santa Fé one was formed of about thirty members withMrs. Paul A. F. Walter president; Mrs. R. W. Twitchell secretary, andMrs. Ellen J. Palen treasurer. 

The Congressional Union also sent an organizer into the State in 1916, Mrs. Thompson, who spent some time in Santa Fé, Albuquerque and LasVegas. The Santa Fé women were sufficiently aroused to hold a streetparade and march to the home of U. S. Senator Catron, an opponent, where they gathered on the lawn and made speeches to convince the agedSenator of the wishes of the women as to his conduct in the Senate. Mrs. Joshua Reynolds was made State chairman of the CongressionalUnion and afterwards Mrs. Nina Otero Warren, and Mrs. A. A. Kellan waslegislative chairman, all of Albuquerque. Miss Mabel Vernon came fromWashington to hold meetings that year and Miss Anne Martin in 1917, and active work was done. 

Washington E. Lindsey was Governor in 1917-18, and in November, 1918, all the suffrage forces in Albuquerque and Santa Fé were invited byMrs. Lindsey to meet at the Executive Mansion and form a committee towork for suffrage at the coming session of the Legislature. Thismeeting elected the following officers: Mrs. R. P. Barnes chairman;Mrs. A. B. Stroup secretary; Mrs. Warren legislative chairman; Mrs. John W. Wilson party platform chairman; Mrs. Walter congressionalchairman. This committee did good work for suffrage in both theregular and special sessions. 

In December, 1919, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt and her party of speakersfor the ratification of the Federal Amendment came to Albuquerque forthe last of several western State conferences. It was arranged by Mrs. Barnes and was carried out with great success. Mrs. Catt spoke at alarge luncheon held in the Y. M. C. A. Building, which many of theJudges, newspaper representatives and other prominent men and womenattended. On account of the great distances few except fromAlbuquerque and Santa Fé were present but Mrs. Catt's appeal wascarried from one end of the State to the other through the publicpress and created an atmosphere of hope. This was changed to rejoicingas word came that Governor Octaviano A. Larrazolo would call a specialsession of the Legislature for the ratification. 

RATIFICATION. When the time came the Legislature had adjourned andwould not meet again until 1921, so a special session would benecessary if it ratified before the presidential election. Theopponents concentrated their forces to prevent it and were successfuluntil 1920 but finally were obliged to yield and Governor Larrazolocalled the special session for February 16. When it met there was adetermined effort by one member, Dan Padillo of Albuquerque, to have areferendum to the voters of the State. All the city was up inarms--men's organizations, the Y. W. C. A. , the W. C. T. U. , theWoman's Committee, the Woman's Party, individual men and women--untilat last he declared that he would vote for the immediate ratification. The vote in the Senate February 18 was 17 ayes, 8 Republicans, 9Democrats; 5 noes, all Republicans--Gallegos, Mirabel, Lucero(Emiliano), Salazar and Sanchez. The vote in the House February 19 was36 ayes, 23 Republicans, 13 Democrats; 10 noes, 8 Republicans, 2Democrats. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. Beginning with 1915 the Federation of Women'sClubs was able to secure some legislation favorable to women andchildren. In 1916 the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, through itspresident, Mrs. Harriet L. Henderson, had a Prohibition Amendmentendorsed by the State Republican platform which the Legislaturesubmitted to the electors in November, 1917. Both parties, all women'sorganizations and everybody of influence from the Governor down workedwith zeal for its passage. Miss Anna A. Gordon, national president ofthe W. C. T. U. , came to the State in October and was a guest at theconvention of the Federated Clubs in Gallup, which voted unanimouslyto give all the time until the election to work for its success, andparades and much individual effort followed. Women went to the pollswith their lists of voters, checking them off as they came and thengoing for those who had not voted. It was carried by 20, 000 majority, the largest percentage vote ever given by any State for prohibition. 

As the State constitution rendered it impossible to carry an amendmentfor woman suffrage the women made no attempt to have the Legislaturesubmit one, but in 1917 some of the Representatives brought anamendment resolution before the House, which promptly killed it. Asthe State conventions of both political parties this year had declaredin favor of woman suffrage, the committee appointed at the meeting inthe Governor's mansion asked for the Presidential and Municipalfranchise, which the Legislature had power to grant without areferendum to the voters. They made a spirited campaign with all theassistance that Governor Lindsey could give and the suffrage societiesthroughout the State poured in letters upon the legislators. The votein the Senate was 9 ayes, 14 noes. Before it was taken in the House aconference was held in the office of the Governor at the Capitolattended by the following workers for the bill: Senator Isaac Barth, National Committeeman; Charles A. Spiess, Holm O. Bursum, SupremeJustice Clarence J. Roberts, Charles Springer, Mrs. Kellam, Mrs. Walter, Mrs. Hughey, chairman of the State suffrage legislativecommittee; Mrs. Kate Hall, president of the Santa Fé branch of theCongressional Union; Mrs. N. B. Laughlin and Mrs. Lindsey. 

The leaders of the two political parties admitted that they could notcontrol their legislators and tried to hold the Spanish-Americansresponsible. The House voted on the bill March 7, after a loud, disorderly and acrimonious debate, 26 noes, 21 ayes. The Speakerafterwards explained his affirmative vote by saying that he thought itwas to submit the question to the electors! Of the 29 Republicanmembers 10 voted for the bill; of the 18 Democratic members, 11 votedfor it. 

SUFFRAGE. The convention to prepare a constitution for statehood, which met in 1910, was the battle ground for School suffrage forwomen. The question was very seriously debated in the ElectiveFranchise Committee, which many times voted it down only to renew itupon appeal to do so. Mrs. S. F. Culberson, then county schoolsuperintendent in Roosevelt county, argued the matter before thecommittee, and its chairman, Nestor Montoya, cast the deciding votefor it to come before the convention. Both Democrats and Republicansrallied to its support but José D. Sena, Clerk of the Supreme Court, amember of the convention, strenuously opposed it and finally carriedit back to be caucused upon by the Republican majority. After a stormycaucus it was returned to the convention and passed. The president ofthe convention, Charles A. Spiess, spoke urgently in Committee of theWhole to save women's eligibility to the county superintendency frombeing eliminated. The clause gave women the right to vote for schooltrustees, on the issuing of bonds and in the local administration ofpublic schools but not for county or State superintendents. Itprovided that "if a majority of the qualified voters of any schooldistrict shall, not less than thirty days before any school election, present a petition to the county commissioners against woman suffragein that district it shall be suspended and only renewed by a petitionof the majority!"

No effort could obtain any larger extension of the franchise to womenbut the new State constitution gave universal suffrage to men andcarefully protected the right to vote of those who could not speak, read or write either the English or Spanish language. It then providedthat the suffrage clause could only be amended by having the amendmentsubmitted by a vote of three-fourths of each House of the Legislature. In order to be carried, it must have a three-fourths majority of thehighest number voting at a State election and a two-thirds majority ofthe highest number voting in every county. This was expressly designedto prevent woman suffrage and it destroyed all possibility of it untilconferred by a Federal Amendment. 

Among the women who worked for woman suffrage in addition to thosementioned in the chapter were Mesdames Margaret Cartright, S. F. Culberson, George W. Carr, Josie Lockard, J. R. Kinyon, H. F. LaBelle, N. J. Strumquist, Margaret Medler, William J. Barker, Lansing Bloom, C. E. Mason, R. P. Donahoe, Ruth Skeen, John W. Wilson, S. C. Nutter, Catherine Patterson, Minnie Byrd, Howard Huey, Alfred Grunsfeld, EdgarL. Hewett, I. H. Elliot and I. H. Rapp. 

As all women were fully enfranchised by the Federal Amendment a Statebranch of the National League of Women Voters was formed with Mrs. Gerald Cassidy as chairman. 

FOOTNOTES:

[121] The History is indebted for this chapter to Deane H. (Mrs. Washington E. ) Lindsey, State chairman of the National Woman SuffrageAssociation. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

NEW YORK. [122]

New York was the cradle of the movement for woman suffrage not only inthis State but in the world, for here in 1848 was held the firstWomen's Rights Convention in all history. Except during the Civil Warthere was no year after 1850 when one or more such conventions did nottake place until 1920, when all the women of the United States wereenfranchised by an amendment to the National Constitution. This Statewas the home of the two great leaders for half a century--ElizabethCady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. The first appeal ever made to aLegislature for woman suffrage was made by these two women in 1854 andthere was never a year afterwards when this appeal was not made by thewomen of New York except during the Civil War. The State WomanSuffrage Association was organized in 1869 and its work never ceased. Notwithstanding this record no suffrage for women had ever beenobtained in this State, except a fragment of a School franchise forthose in villages and country districts, up to 1901, when this chapterbegins. 

The cause had gradually gained in strength, however, and a factorwhich had strong influence was the splendid cooperation of many otherorganizations. The president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Unionoften spoke at the suffrage conventions and legislative hearings andthe superintendent of franchise, Dr. Lavinia R. Davis, sent outthousands of suffrage leaflets and appeals to the women of the localunions every year. The State Grange, with its membership approaching100, 000, passed favorable resolutions many times and gave thepresident and vice-president of the suffrage association, who weremembers, opportunities to speak at its meetings. The State Federationof Labor granted the vice-president time for an address at itsconvention in Troy as early as 1908 and thereafter endorsed thesuffrage bills and sent speakers to the hearings on them. Women fromlabor unions spoke at conventions of the State Suffrage Association, which had a Committee on Industrial Work. The Western New YorkFederation of Women's Clubs, under the leadership of Mrs. NettieRogers Shuler of Buffalo, its president, was the first federation toadmit suffrage clubs and a suffrage resolution was passed at itsconvention in 1909, at which time it had 35, 000 members. 

The annual conventions of the State association always were held inOctober. The thirty-third in the long series met at Oswego in thePresbyterian Church in 1901 and was welcomed by Mayor A. M. Hall. Addresses were made by Miss Susan B. Anthony, honorary president ofthe National American Woman Suffrage Association; Dr. Anna HowardShaw, its vice-president-at-large; Alice Stone Blackwell, itsrecording secretary; Harriet May Mills and Julie R. Jenney ofSyracuse. A memorial service was held for one of the pioneers, Charlotte A. Cleveland of Wyoming county, Mrs. Jean Brooks Greenleaf, former State president, and Mrs. Ella Hawley Crossett, vice-president, offering testimonials of her ability and helpfulness. She left theassociation a legacy of $2, 000, the first it ever had received. Mrs. Mariana W. Chapman, president since 1896, was re-elected. 

The convention of 1902 was held in Buffalo at the Church of theMessiah. The wife of the Mayor, Erastus Knight, represented him ingiving a welcome from the city. Owing to the illness of Mrs. Chapman, Mrs. Crossett presided. She was elected president, after having servedfour years as vice-president. Miss Mills was chosen for that officeand they served for the next eight years. 

[Illustration: THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY MEMORIAL BUILDING

At Rochester (N. Y. ) University. ]

In 1903 the convention was held in the Presbyterial Church atHornellsville welcomed by Mayor C. F. Nelson and the Rev. CharlesPetty, pastor of the church. Mrs. Crossett responded and gave herannual address, which showed much activity during the year. MissMills, chairman of the State organization committee, said that she hadarranged for fifty-five meetings. Dr. Shaw had spoken in thirtydifferent counties, the president or vice-president accompanying herand organizing clubs at many places. The chairmen of the standingcommittees--Organization, Press, Legislative, Industries, Work AmongChildren, Enrollment, School Suffrage--and also the county presidentsreported effective work. The addresses of Miss Anthony, Dr. Shaw andMrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, national president, were highly appreciatedby large audiences. During the summer of 1903, as in many others, MissAnthony and Dr. Shaw attracted large gatherings at the Chautauqua andLily Dale Assemblies. 

The convention of 1904 met at Auburn. Mrs. Eliza Wright Osborne, daughter of Martha Wright and niece of Lucretia Mott, two of those whohad called the first Woman's Rights Convention, entertained theofficers and many chairmen in the annex of the hotel, a stenographer, typewriter and every convenience being placed at their disposal. Inher own home she had as guests Miss Anthony, Dr. Shaw, Mrs. WilliamLloyd Garrison (her sister), Emily Howland, Mrs. William C. Gannett, Lucy E. Anthony and others. One evening her spacious house was thrownopen for the people of the city to meet the noted suffragists. Theconvention was held in Music Hall, a gift of Mrs. Osborne to the city, and her son, Thomas Mott Osborne, welcomed it as Mayor. 

The old Political Equality Club of Rochester, of which Miss Mary S. Anthony was president for many years, invited the convention for 1905. To go to the home city of the Anthony sisters was indeed a pleasure. They opened their house one afternoon for all who desired to take acup of tea with them. It was crowded and many expressed themselves asfeeling that they were on a sacred spot. A large number went to thethird story to see the rooms where Mrs. Ida Husted Harper spentseveral years with Miss Anthony writing her biography and Volume IV ofthe History of Woman Suffrage. A reception was given at Powers Hotelattended by over 600 people. During the meetings Miss Anthonyintroduced a number of women who had attended the first Woman's RightsConvention, which adjourned from Seneca Falls to Rochester, MaryHallowell, Sarah Willis, Mary S. Anthony and Maria Wilder Depuy. 

The convention was held in the Universalist Church. Mayor James G. Cutler, who welcomed the delegates, spoke very highly of his "esteemedfellow citizen, Susan B. Anthony" and presented her with a largebouquet of American Beauty roses. Mrs. Crossett in her annual addresscompared the convention held at Rochester in 1890, when there were butseven local clubs in the State, with this one representing 100 localand 31 county clubs. Elnora M. Babcock, press chairman, reported 500papers in the State using articles favorable to woman suffrage. 

The convention for 1906 met at Syracuse in the (Samuel J. ) MayMemorial Church. Miss Anthony had passed away the preceding March. Over the entrance door of the church was a large banner with the lastwords of the beloved leader, "Failure is Impossible. " The afternoonmeeting closed with tributes of reverence and appreciation by Mrs. Osborne, Anne Fitzhugh Miller, Marie Jenney Howe, Mrs. Crossett, MissMills and Dr. Shaw. Large audiences gathered for the evening meetings, among the speakers being Mrs. Florence Kelley, Mrs. Henry Villard andMrs. Rachel Foster Avery. Dr. Shaw and Mrs. Avery spoke in theUniversity Chapel to the students. 

The convention of 1907, which met in Geneva, received a warm welcome;stores displayed the suffrage colors in their windows and manycitizens hung flags over their doorways. The gracious presence of Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Miller and her daughter Anne, president of the GenevaPolitical Equality Club, the largest in the State, made the conventionespecially memorable. The delegates were invited to Lochland, theMiller home on the lake, one afternoon where a memorial service washeld on the big porch, the place of many suffrage meetings, in memoryof Mary S. Anthony, who had died the preceding February. Affectionatetributes were paid. [123] The convention was welcomed by Mayor ArthurP. Rose, City Attorney W. Smith O'Brien, Miss Miller and Mrs. Charlotte A. Baldridge, county president. Speakers were PresidentLangdon C. Stewardson of Hobart College and Professors F. P. Nash andNathaniel Schmidt of Cornell University. 

The 40th State convention was held in 1908 in Buffalo, whose suffrageclub invited the National American Association to hold its conventionthere the same week, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the firstWoman's Rights Convention. For eight years Mrs. Richard Williams, president of the club, had carried on the work in this city and hadbuilt up an excellent organization. Mrs. George Howard Lewis and Mrs. Dexter P. Rumsey were valuable members. Mrs. Lewis gave $10, 000 to Dr. Shaw for suffrage work. The State convention, which met two daysbefore the National, voted to have headquarters at Albany during thelegislative session. It also voted to continue the State headquartersin Syracuse. Dr. Shaw had presented the suffrage question at the StateFederation of Women's Clubs; Miss Mills had addressed the World'sTemperance Congress; members had spoken before the resolutioncommittees of the political State conventions and before manydifferent organizations, institutions, etc. On May 26, 27, Mrs. Stanton Blatch had arranged a meeting in Seneca Falls to commemoratethe 60th Anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention, called byElizabeth Cady Stanton and that noble band of women in 1848. Addresseswere made by their descendants and a number of the pioneer suffragistsand a bronze tablet was placed on the Wesleyan Methodist Church, wherethe convention was held. 

This year Mrs. Clarence Mackay became interested in the work for womansuffrage and organized in New York an Equal Franchise League of whichshe was president, with headquarters in the Metropolitan Tower. Sheopened her house for lectures, interested a great many prominent andinfluential people and also arranged a course of public lectures inone of the theaters, which attracted large audiences. The papers gavecolumns of space to her efforts and the movement received a greatimpetus. 

It had always been Miss Anthony's strong desire to have headquartersin this large center from which news of all kinds was sent to the fourquarters of the globe. She realized the vast numbers of people whocould be reached and the great prestige which would be given to themovement but even with her wonderful ability for getting money shenever could secure anywhere near enough to carry out this plan in thecity where everything must be done on a large scale to be successful. The longed-for opportunity did not come in her lifetime but in 1909Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont decided to take an active part in the workfor woman suffrage and inquired of the leaders what was the mostimportant thing to be done. They answered quickly: "Establish Stateheadquarters in New York City and also bring the National headquartershere. " With the executive ability for which she was noted Mrs. Belmontat once rented the entire floor of a big new office building at 505Fifth Avenue, corner of 42nd Street, and invited both associations totake headquarters there for two years. They did so and the movementreceived a strong impulse not only in New York but in the country atlarge. The State association paid no rent and the national pressbureau was maintained by Mrs. Belmont. 

While in New York City women of the highest character and ability hadsponsored the suffrage work it had not attracted the women who couldgive it financial support. When Mrs. Mackay and Mrs. Belmontidentified themselves with it, opened their homes for lectures andinterested their friends public attention was aroused. The meetingsgiven in August by Mrs. Belmont at Marble House, Newport, which neverbefore had been opened to the public, received an immense amount ofspace in the New York papers and those outside. The big headquarterssoon were thronged with women; magazines, syndicates and the dailypress had articles and pictures; mass meetings and parades followedand thousands of women entered the suffrage ranks. At the end of twoyears the State association was sufficiently well financed to maintainits headquarters, which remained in New York until its work wasfinished. Mrs. Belmont never lost her interest in the cause andcontinued to make large contributions. In a few years Mrs. Mackayturned her attention to other matters but her society was continuedunder the presidency of Mrs. Howard Mansfield. In 1909, under thedirection of Mrs. Catt, its chairman, the Inter-Urban Council oftwenty societies became the Woman Suffrage Party and organizationalong the lines of the political parties was begun. 

The delegates came to the State convention at Troy in 1909 with highhopes that with headquarters established in New York City the suffragework could be promoted as never before. It was held in the Y. M. C. A. Building and greeted by representatives of the Emma WillardAssociation, City Federation of Women's Clubs, Daughters of theAmerican Revolution and Teachers' Association. Mayor E. P. Mannextended an official welcome. Among the speakers was Professor FrancesSquire Potter, national corresponding secretary. Mrs. William M. Ivinsgave her impression of the suffrage movement in England and MissCarolyn Crossett spoke on the meeting of the International WomanSuffrage Alliance in London, which she attended with Dr. Shaw. Notsince the constitutional convention in 1894 had so much work beenreported. The State president or vice-president had attended meetingsin 41 counties. All-day meetings were held in all the cities on theHudson River with excellent speakers, including Dr. Shaw. Thepresident, vice-president and corresponding secretary, Miss AliceWilliams, remained at Albany for three months, speaking and working inthe towns in the eastern part of the State. Three largeSelf-Supporting Women's Suffrage Leagues joined the association. 

In 1910 both the State association and the Woman Suffrage Party wroteChairman Timothy Woodruff of the Republican and Chairman John A. Dixof the Democratic State Committees requesting a hearing at theconventions. They were politely referred to the ResolutionsCommittees. They went to the Republican convention at SaratogaSprings, carrying their literature and the printed resolution whichthey wished the committee to put in the platform: "We believe that thequestion of woman suffrage has reached such a degree of importancethat the Legislature should submit an amendment for it to the votersof the State. " The committee allowed ten minutes; Mrs. Crossettpresided and presented Mrs. Mary Wood, national organizer of theRepublican women; Miss Mary Garrett Hay, a leader of the New YorkWoman Suffrage Party and other able speakers but no attention was paidto their request. This program was repeated at the Democraticconvention in Rochester with the same result, and this had been theexperience for years. At this time candidates all over the State werebeing interviewed and women went to many county and city politicalconventions asking for endorsement of equal suffrage, seldom withsuccess, although the politicians admitted that the time for actingwas not far off. 

The convention met at Niagara Falls in October, 1910, in theauditorium of the Shredded Wheat Biscuit Company, and was welcomed byMayor Peter Porter. Mrs. Crossett responded and gave her annualaddress, which, she said, would be her last as president. Her home wasin Warsaw in the western part of the State and when headquarters inNew York City were given to the association she promised to make thather home for one year but could not do so longer. Over 1, 000 personshad registered at the headquarters, she said, but these probably werenot over one-third of those who called. Most of them came for speakersor help in some way; others came to volunteer assistance. Meetings hadbeen held in nearly every unorganized county and there were 37 countysocieties. There were 155 clubs in the association, which had begun tomake the assembly district the unit in the State, as Mrs. Catt haddone in New York City. These clubs had held 695 public and 1, 614 localmeetings. The State board had arranged for 241 public meetings making2, 550. The association had now a membership of 58, 000. 

Mrs. Belmont, who had rooms on the same floor with the State andnational associations, had formed eight clubs and given some of themheadquarters. The city had headquarters and altogether there were ten. A Men's League had been organized. A Cooperative Service Club of over100 business women was formed and met evenings at the Stateheadquarters. The association sponsored the work of securing names tothe National petition to Congress and they were tabulated atheadquarters. Greater New York women secured 24, 114 names and therewere 72, 086 signers in the State. A lecture bureau was established;Miss Carolyn Crossett went over the State arranging meetings; MissMills spoke in 28 counties. Dr. B. O. Aylesworth of ColoradoUniversity was spending the summer in New York and gave over twentylectures for the association before clubs and public meetings. Itseemed as if every woman's club in New York City asked for speakersand many of note were supplied. The association had publishedthousands of pieces of literature and used thousands prepared by theNational. 

It was in this flourishing condition that the State association passedfrom the hands of Mrs. Crossett into those of her successor, MissHarriet May Mills, who had served with her as vice-presidentthroughout the preceding eight years. The other officers during thisperiod were Mrs. Shuler, Mary T. Sanford, Ada M. Hall, Ida A. Craft, Isabel Howland, Alice Williams, Anna E. Merritt, Georgiana Potter, Nicolas Shaw Fraser, Mrs. Ivins, Eliza Wright Osborne, Mariana W. Chapman and Mrs. Villard. The lack of space prevents naming thehundreds of women who gave unceasing service through these years whenfaith and courage were required and there were no victories as areward. In all the cities of the State the local women arrangedcourses of lectures with prominent speakers and kept suffragecontinually before the people through the press and in other ways. Bythis quiet, persistent work of comparatively few women the foundationwas laid for the majorities in the many "up-State" counties when theamendment came to a vote. 

1910-1913. [124]

At the annual convention of the State Association held in NiagaraFalls, Oct. 18-21, 1910, the following officers were chosen:President, Miss Mills; vice-president, Mrs. Arthur L. Livermore, Yonkers; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Roxana B. Burrows, Andover;recording secretary, Mrs. Nicolas Shaw Fraser, Geneseo; treasurer, Mrs. Ivins, New York; auditors, Mrs. Osborne, Auburn, Mrs. Villard, New York. During the three following years there were but fewchanges. [125]

The convention of 1911 met in Ithaca; that of 1912 in Utica and thatof 1913 in Binghamton. This period was one of great activity, leadingto the submission of an amendment to the State constitution by theLegislature in January, 1913, the object of the association for overforty years. Its paying membership had steadily increased from 5, 252in October, 1910 to 8, 139 in October, 1913, with over 50, 000 enrolledmembers in addition. New York was thus enabled to continue its recordof having the largest delegation each year in the national convention. The receipts from membership were respectively $8, 182, $11, 836 and$14, 230, the gains in membership and money amounting to about 60 percent. The enrolled membership was finally adopted in place of the paidindividual membership through suffrage clubs. For fourteen years theassociation maintained the _News Letter_, edited for ten years by MissMills and afterwards by Mrs. Minnie Reynolds and Miss Cora E. Morlansuccessively. 

One part of the work which helped build up the association was thegreat campaigns through the summers of 1911-12, covering the eastern, northern and western counties and Long Island. Over 200 of theseopen-air rallies were held and thousands of enrolled members as wellas new clubs and workers were secured. At the large Delhi meeting, held as an exception in the opera house, Mrs. Henry White Cannon cameinto the ranks, formed a strong organization and continued to be oneof the valued leaders. Mrs. Gertrude Nelson Andrews for two yearsconducted classes in public speaking and knowledge of suffrageprinciples at the New York headquarters. She also went out into theState, rousing the women to the need of training themselves and othersto speak for the cause and prepared a valuable book for her students. 

In 1911 the State headquarters were moved into a beautiful old mansionat 180 Madison Avenue, just south of 34th Street in the heart of theshopping district, where they remained during 1912-13. Through thegenerosity of Mrs. Frances Lang, of whom they were leased, acomparatively low rent was paid. The new quarters were opened with abrilliant house-warming and in February a big State bazar and fairwere held to raise funds. The preceding year the associationcelebrated Miss Anthony's birthday with a bazar in the roof garden ofthe Hotel Astor, with articles contributed from all parts of the Stateand several thousand dollars were realized. Never was this anniversaryon February 15 allowed to pass without a special observance. In 1913it was celebrated by a reception at the Hotel Astor with speeches byMrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Mrs. Ida HustedHarper, Miss Anthony's biographer, and others. A bust of the greatleader was unveiled by the sculptor, Mrs. Adelaide Johnson. Contributions of $2, 500 were made. 

In May the State association united with all the suffrage societies ofNew York (except the Women's Political Union, Mrs. Harriot StantonBlatch, president, which did not wish to take part), in a meeting andpageant at the Metropolitan Opera House arranged by Mrs. Mansfield. Former President Theodore Roosevelt and Dr. Shaw made notableaddresses to an enthusiastic audience which crowded the vastamphitheater and the great prima donna, Madame Nordica, a strongadvocate of woman suffrage, sang magnificently. The pageant wasbeautiful and was accompanied by an orchestra composed entirely ofwomen led by David Mannes. The association cooperated in a number ofbig parades during these years, representatives coming from societiesthroughout the State and from neighboring States. On the last Saturdayin May, 1910, there was a night procession down Fifth Avenue with Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw as the efficient chairman of arrangements. One onthe first Saturday in May, 1911, will ever be remembered, all thethousands of women dressed in white, headed by Mrs. C. O. Mailloux andMiss Carolyn Fleming carrying the flag of the State association, whitesatin with a heavy gold fringe and a golden wreath of laurel in thecenter with the name and date of organization. The fund for it wascollected by Mrs. Ivins, the State treasurer, who gave so generouslyof her money, time, thought and effort to strengthen the associationthrough the years of her service. At the head of the great parade thefirst Saturday in May, 1912, marched the handsome and stately Mrs. Herbert Carpenter, carrying the Stars and Stripes. Miss Portia Willisas grand marshal, robed in white and mounted on a white horse, made apicture never to be forgotten. These two led several processions. Thepioneers rode in handsomely decorated carriages. In these processionstens of thousands of women were in line and they marched with manybands from Washington Square to Central Park, a distance of severalmiles. Delegates from Men's Suffrage Leagues walked with them. Half amillion people lined the streets, orderly and respectful. 

In 1912 representatives of the association attended the Stateconventions of all the parties and extended hearings were granted bythe Resolutions Committees. Their treatment was in great contrast tothat of earlier days when they could scarcely obtain five or tenminutes before a committee. This year every party declared for womansuffrage in its platform. It was a gratification to sit in the greatconvention hall at Saratoga and hear the Hon. Horace White ofSyracuse, who throughout his long years in the State Senate hadconstantly opposed the amendment, report in his capacity as chairmanof the Resolutions Committee that the Republican party favored aspeedy referendum on woman suffrage. Many dramatic features ofpropaganda characterized these years, which marked the awakening ofthe women of the entire State and brought into the ranks manywide-awake, independent young women, who wanted to use aggressive andspectacular methods, and these the older workers did not discourage. Those that attracted the most attention were the suffrage "hikes, " inwhich Miss Rosalie Jones, a girl of wealth and position, was theleading spirit. She sent a picturesque account of these "hikes, " whichhas had to be condensed for lack of space. 

 The idea originated with Rosalie Gardiner Jones, who began by making a tour of Long Island, her summer home, in a little cart drawn by one horse and decorated with suffrage flags and banners, stopping at every village and town, giving out literature and talking to the crowds that gathered. "If you once win the hearts of the rural people you have them forever. That is why I decided to organize a pilgrimage from New York City to Albany before the opening of the legislative session, when it was hoped a woman suffrage amendment would be submitted to the voters, " she said. 

 Miss Jones recruited a small army of brave and devoted members, of which she was the "General" and Miss Ida Craft of Brooklyn the "Colonel" and the three others who walked every step to the end of the journey were Miss Lavinia Dock--"little Doc Dock"--a trained nurse, department editor of the _American Journal of Nursing_ and author of The History of Nursing; Miss Sybil Wilbur of Boston, biographer of Mary Baker Eddy, and Miss Katharine Stiles of Brooklyn. They carried a message to Governor William Sulzer expressing the earnest hope that his administration might be distinguished by the speedy passage of the woman suffrage amendment, signed by the presidents of the various New York suffrage organizations, engraved on parchment and hand illumined by Miss Jones. The "hike" began Monday morning, Dec. 16, 1912, from the 242nd street subway station, where about 500 had gathered, and about 200, including the newspaper correspondents, started to walk. 

 From New York City to Albany there was left a trail of propaganda among the many thousands of people who stopped at the cross roads and villages to listen to the first word which had ever reached them concerning woman suffrage, and many joined in and marched for a few miles. The newspapers far and wide were filled with pictures and stories. The march continued for thirteen days, through sun and rain and snow over a distance of 170 miles, including detours for special propaganda, and five pilgrims walked into Albany at 4 p. M. , December 28. Whistles blew, bells rang, motor cars clanged their gongs, traffic paused, windows were thrown up, stores and shops were deserted while Albany gazed upon them, and large numbers escorted them to the steps of the Capitol where they lifted their cry "Votes for Women. " They were received at the Executive Mansion on the 31st and "General Rosalie" gave the message in behalf of the suffragists of New York State. The newly-elected Governor answered: "All my life I have believed in the right of women to exercise the franchise with men as a matter of justice. I will do what I can to advance their political rights and have already incorporated in my Message advice to the legislators to pass the suffrage measure. "

 The "hike" had resulted in such tremendous advertising of woman suffrage that another on a larger scale to Washington was planned. "General" Jones and "Colonel" Craft were reinforced by "little Corporal" Martha Klatschken of New York and a large group, who were joined by others along the route. The "army" was mustered in at the Hudson Terminal, New York, at 9 a. M. On Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 12, 1913, and the start was made a little later at Newark, N. J. Each marcher wore a picturesque long brown woolen cape. The little yellow wagon with the good horse "Meg, " driven by Miss Elizabeth Freeman, was joined at Philadelphia by Miss Marguerite Geist, with a little cart and donkey, and she helped distribute the suffrage buttons, flags and leaflets. 

 Thousands of people were gathered at Newark to see the start of this "army of the Hudson, " which now was known as the "army of the Potomac, " and hundreds marched with them the first day. After this about a hundred fell in at each town and marched to the next one. Alphonse Major and Edward Van Wyck were the advance agents who arranged for the meetings and the stopping places for the night. They were constantly attended by the press correspondents, at one time forty-five of them with their cameras, besides the magazine writers. The Mayors of the places along the route would send delegations to meet them and escort them to the town hall, where the speech-making would begin. At Wilmington, Del. , the city council declared a half-holiday; the Mayor and officials met them at the edge of town and escorted them to the town hall, which was crowded, and they were obliged also to hold street meetings for hours. They reached Philadelphia at 7 o'clock Sunday evening, where the streets had been packed for hours awaiting them, and it was only by holding street corner meetings on the way that they could get to the hotel. 

 The Princeton University students had been roaming around all the afternoon waiting for them, as there were a number of young college boys and girls with them, and the speakers held the crowd of boys for several hours. The next day a delegation of students walked with them for miles. At all of the other university towns they were received with the same enthusiasm. At the University of Pennsylvania they were detained hours for speeches in the grounds. At Baltimore they were received by Cardinal Gibbons in his mansion, an extraordinary courtesy, as they were not Catholics. 

 The "hikers" reached Hyattsville, four miles from Washington, the evening of February 27 and spent the night there. The next morning, escorted by a delegation of suffragists from the city, they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue. The streets had been thronged for several hours with a cosmopolitan crowd, from the highest to the lowest. At the headquarters of the Congressional Committee of the National American Suffrage Association, across from the Treasury building, "General" Jones was presented with flowers and disbanded her army. Fourteen had walked the entire distance from New York--295 miles with some detours--and two had walked from Philadelphia. [126]

 A message to President Taft, similar to the one which had been sent by the New York officers to Governor Sulzer, had been entrusted by the board of the National Suffrage Association to the pilgrims, who expected to march in a body to the White House to deliver it. Before they reached Washington they were notified that the board itself would present it to the incoming President Wilson at a later date. Miss Florence Allen, the well known Ohio lawyer, who had been marching for several days, returned to New York, to try to obtain the recall of this decision but was unsuccessful. Afterwards the board informed "General" Jones that they would go together to the White House but all had separated, the psychological moment had passed and the message was never presented. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The legislature of New York meets annually andfrom 1854 to 1917 a woman suffrage measure was presented only to berejected, with two exceptions. The first was in 1880, when theLegislature undertook to give women the right to vote at schoolmeetings, but the law was ineffective and this great privilege wasconfined to women in villages and country districts. The charters ofa number of third class cities granted School suffrage to women andsome of them included the right to vote on special appropriations forthose who paid taxes. This was the situation at the beginning of thecentury. [127]

1901. When Theodore Roosevelt was Governor he advised the suffragiststo drop the effort for a constitutional amendment awhile and work forsomething the Legislature could grant without a referendum to thevoters. For five years, therefore, they tried to get some form ofpartial suffrage that could be obtained without amending theconstitution. The total result was a law in 1901 giving to taxpayingwomen in the towns and villages a vote on propositions to raise moneyby special tax assessment, which was signed by Governor Benjamin F. Odell. Miss Susan B. Anthony considered this of little value but itcovered about 1, 800 places and when she saw the interest aroused inthe women by even this small concession she came to think that it wasworth while. In 1910 a legislative enactment increased this privilegeto a vote on the issuing of bonds. 

During the legislative sessions of 1902-3-4-5 the effort wasconcentrated on a bill to give a vote on special taxation to taxpayingwomen in all third class cities--those having less than 50, 000inhabitants. Mrs. Mary H. Loines of Brooklyn was chairman of thecommittee, as she had been since 1898. The special champions of thebill were Senators Leslie B. Humphrey, H. S. Ambler, John Raines;Representatives Otto Kelsey, George H. Smith, Louis C. Bedell, E. W. Ham. Among the strongest opponents were Senators Edgar TrumanBrackett, George A. Davis, Thomas F. Grady and Nevada M. Stranahan. Governors Odell and Frank M. Higgins recommended it and SpeakerFrederick S. Nixon urged it. Committee hearings were granted at everysession and among its advocates were Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, national president, Mrs. Crossett and Miss Harriet May Mills, Statepresident and vice-president; Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch, Mrs. Margaret Chanler Aldrich, Mrs. Mary E. Craigie and Miss Anne FitzhughMiller. Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, president of the Anti-SuffrageAssociation, and Mrs. George Phillips, secretary, spoke in opposition. During these four years neither House voted on the bill and it wasseldom reported by the committees. 

In 1906 after consulting with Miss Anthony, the State leaders decidedto return to the original effort for the submission to the voters ofan amendment to the State constitution, which was presented by SenatorHenry W. Hill of Buffalo and Representative E. C. Dowling of Brooklyn. Mrs. Henry Villard, Mrs. John K. Howe and Mrs. Helen Z. M. Rodgerswere among the suffrage speakers and Mrs. Winslow W. Crannell wasadded to the "antis. " No committee reports were made. The taxpayers'bill was also presented in 1906 and 1907 with no results of six years'work. 

Thenceforth the resolution for the constitutional amendment wasintroduced every year, in 1908 by Senator Percy Hooker of LeRoy. Theclub women had now become interested and the legislators were delugedwith letters and literature. Miss Mary Garrett Hay, Miss Helen VarickBoswell and Mrs. Harry Hastings headed the large delegation from NewYork City for the hearing. Mrs. Crossett informed the JudiciaryCommittee that during the past year woman suffrage had been officiallyendorsed by the New York City Federation of Labor with 250, 000members; State Grange with 75, 000; New York City Federation of Women'sClubs with 35, 000; Woman's Christian Temperance Union with 30, 000 andmany other organizations. F. A. Byrne spoke for the City Central LaborUnion. Mrs. Francis M. Scott represented the Anti-SuffrageAssociation. Morris Hilquit and Mrs. Meta Stern spoke independentlyfor the Socialists, making a strong appeal for the amendment. TheSenate took no action and Speaker James W. Wadsworth, Jr. , was able todefeat any consideration by the Lower House. During the followingsummer mass meetings were held in every city on the Hudson Riveraddressed by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, now president of the NationalSuffrage Association, and other noted speakers and a vast amount ofwork was done in the State. 

In the Legislature of 1909 Senator Hill and Representative FrederickR. Toombs introduced the resolution. At the hearing the AssemblyChamber was filled to overflowing. Mrs. Villard, chairman of theLegislative Committee, presided. [128] People stood four hourslistening to the speeches and returned to a suffrage mass meeting atnight. Mrs. William Force Scott and Miss Margaret Doane Gardner spokefor the "antis. " Mrs. Crossett asked of the committee: "Does it meannothing to you that 40, 000 women in this State are organized to securethe franchise; that a few years ago 600, 000 people signed the petitionfor woman suffrage to the constitutional convention; that associationsformed for other purposes representing hundreds of thousands ofmembers have endorsed it?" Mrs. Graham, president of the State W. C. T. U. ; Mrs. John Winters Brannan and Mrs. Pearce Bailey, representingthe Equal Franchise Society; Miss Mills, speaking for the StateLeague; Leonora O'Reilly, presenting the resolution of the Women'sTrade Union League of New York for the amendment; Mrs. Dexter F. Rumsey, speaking for Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, president of theWestern New York Federation of Women's Clubs; Mrs. Lillie DevereuxBlake, a pioneer suffragist, president of the Legislative League; Mrs. Florence Kelley, executive secretary of the Consumers' League; Mrs. George Howard Lewis of Buffalo, a well known philanthropist; Mrs. MaudNathan, president of the New York Consumers' League; Mrs. Rodgers andMrs. Gabrielle Mulliner, lawyers--all urged the legislators to submitthe question to the voters. Dr. Shaw held the audience spellbounduntil 6 o'clock. John Spargo, the well known socialist, spokeindependently with much power, demanding the vote especially forworking women. The use of the Assembly Chamber was granted for anevening suffrage meeting which attracted a large audience. TheLegislature took no action. [129]

Members of the large legislative committee met weekly during thesession of 1910 at the State headquarters in New York to assist inpromoting the work. All the workers as usual contributed theirservices. Mrs. Crossett and Miss Mills remained in Albany. A notablemeeting was held there at Harmanus-Bleecker Hall, with excellentspeakers. The boxes were filled with prominent women, who had invitedmany of the State officials as guests; seats were sent to all themembers of the Legislature, most of whom were present, and the housewith a capacity of 2, 000 was crowded. Mrs. Clarence Mackay defrayedmost of the expenses. On January 22 Governor Charles E. Hughes granteda hearing to George Foster Peabody, Oswald Garrison Villard, Mrs. EllaH. Boole, Mrs. Villard, Mrs. Crossett, Mrs. Frederick R. Hazard andMiss Anne F. Miller, who urged him to recommend the submission of anamendment. He seemed much impressed by the statements made but theyhad no effect. The hearing on March 9 broke all records. The AssemblyChamber was filled to the utmost and surging crowds outside tried toget in. Members of both Houses stood for hours listening to thespeeches. Jesse R. Phillips, chairman of the Assembly JudiciaryCommittee, presided. The suffrage speakers were headed by the eminentlawyer, Samuel Untermeyer. The anti-suffragists had a long list, including Mrs. Henry M. Stimson, wife of a New York Baptist minister, and Mrs. William P. Northrup of Buffalo. Both Judiciary Committeesrefused to let the resolution come before the two Houses, admittingthat it would be carried if they did. 

The most thorough preparation was made for the session of 1911 by allthe suffrage societies. The Assembly committee refused to report andon May 10 Representative Spielberg, who had charge, moved to requestit to do so. The vote was 38 in favor to 90 against his motion. OnMay 15 the Senate Judiciary Committee by 6 to 2 reported in favor butnot until July 12 was the vote taken in the Senate and the measure waslost by a vote of 14 ayes, 17 noes. 

In 1912 a remarkable hearing was held in a crowded Assembly Chamber. Senator Stillwell, a member of the Judiciary Committee, againintroduced the amendment resolution and its chairman, Senator Bayne, was a staunch friend but after the committee had reported it favorablythe Senate could not be moved. In the Assembly, on the final day ofthe session, for the first time since 1895 and the second time onrecord, the resolution was adopted. Just as it was about to be takento the Senate for action, Representative Cuvellier of New York blockedfurther progress by moving to reconsider the vote and lay theresolution on the table. This was carried by a vote of 69 to 6 anddoubtless had been prearranged. 

By 1913 the sentiment in favor of letting the voters pass on thequestion had become too strong to be resisted. Mrs. Katharine Gavit ofAlbany, representing the Cooperative Legislative Committee, had chargeof the resolution. On January 6, the opening day, a delegation fromall the suffrage societies sat in the Senate Chamber and heard itintroduced by Senator Wagner, the Democratic floor leader, who saidthat, while not personally in favor of it he was willing to sponsor itbecause his party had endorsed it in their platform, and it wasfavorably reported. In the Assembly it was promptly introduced by A. J. Levy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The form of the proposedamendment had been changed from that of all preceding years, which hadintended simply to take the word "male" from the suffrage clause ofthe constitution. As alien women could secure citizenship throughmarriage and would thus immediately become voters it provided thatthey must first live in the country five years. The Senate struck outthis naturalization clause; in the Assembly the Democratic memberswanted it, the Republicans objected to it. On January 20 the Assemblypassed the measure without it. The Senate put back the clause andpassed it January 23 by 40 ayes, two noes--McCue and Frawley of NewYork--and returned it to the Assembly, which passed it four days laterby 128 ayes, 5 noes. The resolution had still to pass anotherLegislature two years later but this was the beginning of the end forwhich two generations of women had worked and waited. 

[LAWS. A complete digest of the laws relating to women and childrenduring the first twenty years of the century was prepared for thischapter by Miss Kathryn H. Starbuck, attorney and counsellor at law inSaratoga Springs. It comprises about 3, 600 words and includes lawsrelating to property, marriage, guardianship, domestic relations, etc. Much regret is felt that the exigencies of space compel the omissionof the laws in all the State chapters. Miss Starbuck gave alsovaluable information on office holding and occupations, which had tobe omitted for the same reason. ]

NEW YORK CITY CAMPAIGNS. [130]

The story of the growth of the woman suffrage movement in Greater NewYork is one of the most interesting chapters in the history of thiscause, for while it advanced slowly for many years, it rose in 1915and 1917 to a height never attained elsewhere and culminated in twocampaigns that in number of adherents and comprehensive work werenever equaled. 

The Brooklyn Woman Suffrage Association was formed May 13, 1869, andthe New York City Society in 1870. From this time variousorganizations came into permanent existence until in 1903 there werefifteen devoted to suffrage propaganda. In Manhattan (New York City)and Brooklyn these were bound together by county organizations but inorder to unite all the suffragists in cooperative work the InterurbanWoman Suffrage Council was formed in 1903 at the Brooklyn home of apioneer, Mrs. Priscilla D. Hackstaff, with the President of the KingsCounty Political Equality League, Mrs. Martha Williams, presiding. TheInterurban began with a roster of five which gradually increased totwenty affiliated societies, with an associate membership besides of150 women. Under the able leadership of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, chairman, it established headquarters in the Martha Washington Hotel, New York City, Feb. 15, 1907, with a secretary, Miss Fannie Chafin, in charge, and maintained committees on organization, literature, legislative work, press and lectures; formed clubs, held mass meetingsand systematically distributed literature. The Council was the firstsuffrage organization in New York City to interview Assemblymen andSenators on woman suffrage and it called the first representativeconvention held in the big metropolis. 

The Woman Suffrage Party of Greater New York was launched by thisCouncil at Carnegie Hall, October 29, 1909, modelled after that of thetwo dominant political parties. Its first convention with 804delegates and 200 alternates constituted the largest delegate suffragebody ever assembled in New York State. The new party announced that itwould have a leader for each of the 63 assembly districts of the cityand a captain for each of the 2, 127 election districts, these andtheir assistant officers to be supervised by a borough chairman andother officers in each borough, the entire force to be directed by acity chairman assisted by city officers and a board of directors. Mrs. Catt, with whom the idea of the Party originated, and her co-workersbelieved that by reaching into every election district to influenceits voters, they would bring suffrage close to the people andeventually influence parties and legislators through public opinion. 

The population of Greater New York was 4, 700, 000 and the new party hada task of colossal proportions. It had to appeal to native Americansof all classes and conditions and to thousands of foreign born. Itsent its forces to local political conventions; held mass meetings;issued thousands of leaflets in many languages; conducted streetmeetings, parades, plays, lectures, suffrage schools; gaveentertainments and teas; sent appeals to churches and all kinds oforganizations and to individual leaders; brought pressure onlegislators through their constituents and obtained wide publicity innewspapers and magazines. It succeeded in all its efforts andincreased its membership from 20, 000 in 1910 to over 500, 000 in 1917. 

In 1915, at the beginning of the great campaign for a suffrageamendment to the State constitution, which had been submitted by theLegislature, the State was divided into twelve campaign districts. Greater New York was made the first and under the leadership of MissMary Garrett Hay, who since 1912 had served as chairman, the CityWoman Suffrage Party plunged into strenuous work, holding conventions, sending out organizers, raising $50, 000 as a campaign fund, setting aspecific task for each month of 1915 up to Election Day, and formingits own committees with chairmen as follows: Industrial, Miss LeonoraO'Reilly; The Woman Voter, Mrs. Thomas B. Wells; Speakers' Bureau, Mrs. Mabel Russell; Congressional, Mrs. Lillian Griffin; the French, Mrs. Anna Ross Weeks; the German, Miss Catherine Dreier; the Press, Mrs. Oreola Williams Haskell; Ways and Means, Mrs. John B. McCutcheon. 

The City Party began the intensive work of the campaign in January, 1915, when a swift pace was set for the succeeding months by having 60district conventions, 170 canvassing suppers, four mass meetings, 27canvassing conferences and a convention in Carnegie Hall. It wasdecided to canvass all of the 661, 164 registered voters and hundredsof women spent long hours toiling up and down tenement stairs, goingfrom shop to shop, visiting innumerable factories, calling at hundredsof city and suburban homes, covering the rural districts, the bigdepartment stores and the immense office buildings with theirthousands of occupants. It was estimated that 60 per cent of theenrolled voters received these personal appeals. The membership of theparty was increased by 60, 535 women secured as members by canvassers. 

The following is a brief summing up of the activities of the tenmonths' campaign. [131]

 Voters canvassed (60 per cent of those enrolled) 396, 698 Women canvassed 60, 535 Voters circularized 826, 796 Party membership increased from 151, 688 to 212, 223 Watchers and pickets furnished for the polls 3, 151 Numbers of leaflets printed and distributed 2, 883, 264 Money expended from the City treasury $25, 579 Number of outdoor meetings 5, 225 Number of indoor meetings (district) 660 Number of mass meetings 93 Political meetings addressed by Congressmen, Assemblymen and Constitutional Convention delegates 25

 Total number of meetings 6, 003

 Night speaking in theaters 60 Theater Week (Miner's and Keith's) 2 Speeches and suffrage slides in movie theaters 150 Concerts (indoor, 10, outdoor, 3) 13 Suffrage booths in bazaars 6 Number of Headquarters (Borough 4, Districts, 20) 24 Campaign vans (drawn by horses 6, decorated autos 6, district autos 4), vehicles in constant use 16 Papers served regularly with news (English and foreign) 80 Suffrage editions of papers prepared 2 Special articles on suffrage 150 Sermons preached by request just before election 64

 A _Weekly News Bulletin_ (for papers and workers) and the _Woman Voter_ (a weekly magazine) issued; many unique features like stories, verses, etc. ; hundreds of ministers circularized and speakers sent to address congregations; the endorsements of all city officials and of many prominent people and big organizations secured. 

In order to accomplish the work indicated by this table a large numberof expert canvassers, speakers, executives and clerical workers wererequired. Mrs. Catt as State Campaign chairman was a great drivingforce and an inspiration that never failed, and Miss Hay in directingthe party forces and raising the money showed remarkable ability. Associated with her were capable officials--Mrs. Margaret ChandlerAldrich, Mrs. Wells, Mrs. Martha Wentworth Suffren, Mrs. RobertMcGregor, Mrs. Cornelia K. Hood, Mrs. Marie Jenney Howe, Mrs. JosephFitch, Mrs. A. J. Newbury, and the tireless borough chairmen, Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw, Manhattan; Mrs. H. Edward Dreier, Brooklyn; Mrs. Henrietta Speke Seeley, Bronx; Mrs. Alfred J. Eno, Queens, and Mrs. William G. Willcox, Richmond. 

The spectacular activities of the campaign caught and held publicattention. Various classes of men were complimented by giving them"suffrage days. " The appeal to the firemen took the form of anautomobile demonstration, open air speaking along the line of march oftheir annual parade and a ten dollar gold piece given to one of theirnumber who made a daring rescue of a yellow-sashed dummy--a suffragelady. A circular letter was sent to 800 firemen requesting their helpfor all suffragists. "Barbers' Day" produced ten columns of copy inleading New York dailies. Letters were sent in advance to 400 barbersinforming them that on a certain day the suffragists would call uponthem. The visits were made in autos decorated with barbers' poles andladen with maps and posters to hang up in the shops and then open airmeetings were held out in front. Street cleaners on the day of the"White Wings" parade were given souvenirs of tiny brooms and suffrageleaflets and addressed from automobiles. A whole week was given to thestreet car men who numbered 240, 000. Suffrage speeches were given atthe car barns and leaflets and a "car barn" poster distributed. 

Forty-five banks and trust companies were treated to a "raid" made bysuffrage depositors, who gave out literature and held open meetingsafterward. Brokers were reached through two days in Wall Street wherethe suffragists entered in triumphal style, flags flying, buglesplaying. Speeches were made, souvenirs distributed and a luncheon heldin a "suffrage" restaurant. The second day hundreds of coloredballoons were sent up to typify "the suffragists' hopes ascending. "Workers in the subway excavations were visited with Irish banners andshamrock fliers; Turkish, Armenian, French, German and Italianrestaurants were canvassed as were the laborers on the docks, invessels and in public markets. 

A conspicuous occasion was the Night of the Interurban Council Fires, when on high bluffs in the different boroughs huge bonfires werelighted, fireworks and balloons sent up, while music, speeches andtransparencies emphasized the fact that woman's evolution from thecampfire of the savage into a new era was commemorated. Twenty-eightparades were a feature of the open air demonstrations. There werebesides numbers of torchlight rallies; street dances on the lower EastSide; Irish, Syrian, Italian and Polish block parties; outdoorconcerts, among them a big one in Madison Square, where a fullorchestra played, opera singers sang and eminent orators spoke; openair religious services with the moral and religious aspects ofsuffrage discussed; a fęte held in beautiful Dyckman Glen; flyingsquadrons of speakers whirling in autos from the Battery to the Bronx;an "interstate meet" on the streets where suffragists ofMassachusetts, New Jersey and New York participated. Ninety originalfeatures arranged on a big scale with many minor ones brought greatpublicity to the cause and the suffragists ended their campaignvaliantly with sixty speakers talking continuously in Columbus Circlefor twenty-six hours. 

On the night of November 2, election day, officers, leaders, workers, members of the Party and many prominent men and women gathered at Cityheadquarters in East 34th Street to receive the returns, Mrs. Catt andMiss Hay at either end of a long table. At first optimism prevailed asthe early returns seemed to indicate victory but as adverse reportscame in by the hundreds all hopes were destroyed. The fighting spiritsof the leaders then rose high. Speeches were made by Dr. Anna HowardShaw, Mrs. Catt, Miss Hay, Dr. Katherine Bement Davis, Mrs. Laidlawand others, and, though many workers wept openly, the gathering tookon the character of an embattled host ready for the next conflict. After midnight many of the women joined a group from the Stateheadquarters and in a public square held an outdoor rally which theycalled the beginning of the new campaign. 

The vote was as follows:

 For Against Lost by Manhattan Borough 88, 886 117, 610 28, 724 Brooklyn Borough 87, 402 121, 679 34, 277 Bronx Borough 34, 307 40, 991 6, 684 Richmond Borough 6, 108 7, 469 1, 361 Queens Borough 21, 395 33, 104 11, 709

 Total opposed, 320, 853; in favor, 238, 098; adverse majority, 82, 755. 

Two days after the election the City Party united with the NationalAssociation in a mass meeting at Cooper Union, where speeches weremade and $100, 000 pledged for a new campaign fund. The spirit of themembers was shown in the words of a leader who wrote: "We know that wehave gained over half a million voters in the State, that we have manynew workers, have learned valuable lessons and with the knowledgeobtained and undiminished courage we are again in the field ofaction. " In December and January the usual district and boroughconventions for the election of officers and then the city conventionwere held. At the latter the resolution adopted showed a change fromthe oldtime pleading: "We demand the re-submission of the womansuffrage amendment in 1917. We insist that the Judiciary Committeeshall present a favorable report without delay and that the bill shallcome to an early vote. " Much legislative work was necessary to obtainre-submission, for which the City Party worked incessantly until theamendment was re-submitted by the Legislatures of 1916 and 1917 andpreparations were again made for a great campaign. 

 * * * * *

The campaign of 1915 had been one of the highways, and of spectaculardisplay. That of 1917 was of the byways, of quiet, intensive workreaching every group of citizens. The campaign was launched at ameeting in Aeolian Hall, March 29, where the addresses of Mrs. Cattand Miss Hay aroused true campaign fervor, the former saying: "Someforeign countries have given the franchise to women for their warwork; we ask it that our women may feel they have been recognized asassets of the nation before it calls on them for war work. "

The suffragists offered their services to the Government, even beforeit declared war; the State Party to the Governor, the City Party tothe Mayor. The later said in a resolution adopted February 5: "Weplace at the disposal of the Mayor of this city for any service he mayrequire our full organization of over 200, 000 women, thoroughlyorganized and trained and with headquarters in every borough. " Themass of the members stood solidly behind this offer. A War ServiceCommittee was appointed with Mrs. F. Louis Slade as its chairman andit accomplished work that was not exceeded, if indeed equalled, in anycity of the United States. Nine other committees were also appointed. 

The leading features of the campaign of 1917 were the war work and theenrolling of women. In 1916 when Mrs. Catt started a canvass to obtaina million signatures of women to a petition to answer the argument, "Women do not want to vote, " the City Party took as its share thesecuring of 514, 555 in Greater New York. This accomplished, thesignatures mounted on big placards were placed on exhibition at Partyheadquarters, now in East 38th Street, and a little ceremony wasarranged during which Mayor John Purroy Mitchel and other prominentmen made commendatory speeches. Debarred from outdoor meetings duringthe summer of 1916 on account of an epidemic and during the summer of1917 because of war conditions, the following was neverthelessaccomplished:

 Meetings 2, 085 Leaflets distributed 5, 196, 884 Money expended $151, 438 Canvassed and enrolled women 514, 555 Women secured to watch at polls 5, 000 Campaign headquarters maintained 40 Newspapers (English and foreign) served daily 153 Suffrage editions and pages edited 10 Special suffrage articles 200 Other suffrage articles and interviews 400 Posters placed in shop windows 2, 000

 Maintained Letter Writing Committee to send letters to the press; issued Weekly News Bulletin; printed suffrage news in papers in ten languages; circularized all churches and business men in 75 per cent of the 2, 060 election districts; conducted hundreds of watchers' schools; exhibited suffrage movies in hundreds of clubs, churches and settlements; had series of suppers and conferences for working-women; held captains' rally at the Waldorf-Astoria and a patriotic rally at Carnegie Hall; gave a series of suffrage study courses; raised funds at sacrifice sales, entertainments, lectures, etc. ; sent speakers to hundreds of Labor Union meetings; held four pre-election mass meetings and as a wind-up to the campaign staged eight hours of continuous speaking by 40 men and women at Columbus Circle. 

The Party leaders had to meet attacks and misrepresentations from theAnti-Suffrage Association, whose national and State headquarters werein New York City. The Party had also to combat the actions of the"militant" suffragists, whose headquarters were in Washington andwhose picketing of the White House and attacks on President Wilson andother public men displeased many people who did not discriminatebetween the large constructive branch of the suffrage movement and thesmall radical branch. The Party leaders had often publicly torepudiate the "militant" tactics. In the parade of Oct. 28, 1917, theParty exhibited placards which read: "We are opposed to Picketing theWhite House. We stand by the Country and the President. "

During the campaign, Miss Hay had associated with her on the executiveboard, Mrs. Slade, Mrs. Aldrich, Mrs. George Notman, Miss AnnieDoughty, Mrs. F. Robertson-Jones, Mrs. Wells, Miss Adaline W. Sterling, Mrs. Herbert Lee Pratt, Mrs. Charles E. Simonson, Dr. Katherine B. Davis, Miss Eliza McDonald, Mrs. Alice P. Hutchins, Mrs. Louis Welzmiller. Borough chairmen who assisted were Mrs. JohnHumphrey Watkins, Manhattan; Mrs. Dreier, Brooklyn; Mrs. DanielAppleton Palmer, Bronx; Mrs. David B. Rodger, Queens; Mrs. Wilcox, Richmond. 

On the evening of November 6, election day, the City Partyheadquarters were crowded with people waiting for the returns. Mrs. Catt, Miss Hay, Mrs. Laidlaw and other leaders were present. Mr. Laidlaw and Judge Wadhams were "keeping the count. " Walter Damroschand other prominent men came in. From the beginning the returns wereencouraging and as the evening wore on and victory was assured, theroom rang with cheers and applause and there were many jubilantspeeches. 

The election brought a great surprise, for the big city, whose adversevote suffragists had always predicted would have to be outbalanced byupstate districts, won the victory, the latter not helping butactually pulling down its splendid majority. The final vote in GreaterNew York read:

 _Majority_ _Yes_ _No_ _in Favor_ New York County 129, 412 89, 124 40, 288 Kings (Brooklyn) 129, 601 92, 315 37, 286 Bronx 52, 660 36, 346 16, 314 Richmond 7, 868 5, 224 2, 644 Queens 34, 125 26, 794 7, 331 ------- ------- ------- Total 353, 666 249, 803 103, 863

 Upstate districts, 349, 463 ayes; 350, 973 noes, lost by 1, 510. Majority in the State as a whole, 102, 353. 

Immediately opponents made the charge that suffrage won in the Citybecause of the pro-German, pacifist and Socialist vote. An analysisshowed that in many districts where the Germans and Socialistspredominated there was not as great a suffrage majority as inRepublican or Democratic districts; that some of the conservativeresidential sections were more favorable than radical districts andthat the soldiers in the field had voted for suffrage in the ratio oftwo to one. 

Those who were best informed attributed the victory to many causes--tothe support of voters in all the parties; to the help of the laborunions; to recognition of women's war work; to the example set byEuropean countries in enfranchising their women; to the endorsement ofprominent men and strong organizations. Most of all, however, it wasdue to the originality, the dauntless energy, the thoroughorganization methods and the ceaseless campaigning of the suffrageworkers, who in winning the great Empire State not only secured thevote for New York women but made the big commonwealth an importantasset in the final struggle for the Federal Suffrage Amendment. 

THE TWO STATE CAMPAIGNS. [132]

At the 45th convention of the State Woman Suffrage Association held inBinghamton Oct. 14-17, 1913, Miss Harriet May Mills declined to standfor re-election to the presidency. The following officers wereelected: President, Mrs. Raymond Brown, New York City; correspondingsecretary, Mrs. Henry W. Cannon, Delhi; recording secretary, Mrs. Nicolas Shaw Fraser, Geneseo; treasurer, Mrs. Edward M. Childs, NewYork City; directors; Miss Mills, Syracuse; Mrs. Arthur L. Livermore, Yonkers; Mrs. Helen Probst Abbott, Rochester; Mrs. Dexter P. Rumsey, Buffalo; Mrs. George W. Topliff, Binghamton; Mrs. Luther Mott, Oswego;Mrs. Chanler Aldrich, Tarrytown. 

This convention had before it work of the gravest importance. Thesubmission of a woman suffrage amendment had passed one Legislatureand it was almost certain that it would pass a second and be voted onat the fall election of 1915. New York was recognized as an immenselydifficult State to win. It contained great areas of sparsely settledcountry and also many large cities. It had a foreign born populationof 2, 500, 000 in a total of 9, 000, 000. The political "machines" of bothRepublican and Democratic parties were well intrenched and there wasno doubt that the powerful influence of both would be used to theutmost against a woman suffrage amendment. Party leaders might allowit to go through the Legislature because confident of their ability todefeat it at the polls. The vital problem for the suffragists was howto organize and unite all the friendly forces. 

While the State Suffrage Association was the one which was organizedmost extensively there were other important societies. For some yearsthe Women's Political Union, Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch president, had carried on an effective campaign. The Woman Suffrage Party, alarge group, existed principally in New York City, organized byassembly districts. The Men's League for Woman Suffrage comprised aconsiderable number of influential men, now under the presidency ofJames Lees Laidlaw. The College Equal Suffrage League, Mrs. Charles L. Tiffany, president, was an active body of young women. The EqualFranchise Society, organized originally among the society women of NewYork City by Mrs. Clarence Mackay had Mrs. Howard Mansfield aspresident and had helped make the movement "fashionable. " This was thecase with Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont's Political Equality League. 

On April 15, 1913, Miss Mills had invited representatives of theseorganizations to a conference at the State headquarters in New York toconsider concerted action at which Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt was urgedto become chairman of a State Campaign Committee composed of theirpresidents. Before accepting, Mrs. Catt, in order to learn conditionsin the State, sent out a questionnaire to county presidents andassembly district leaders asking their opinion as to the prospect ofsuccess. Of the forty-two who answered twelve believed that theircounties might be carried for the amendment if enough work was done;sixteen thought it doubtful, no matter how much work was done, andfourteen were certain they could not be carried under any conditions. Not a single county believed it could organize or finance its ownwork. In spite of the discouraging situation, Mrs. Catt on her returnin the autumn from the meeting in Budapest of the International WomanSuffrage Alliance, of which she was president, accepted thechairmanship on the condition that $20, 000 should be raised for thework. The Empire State Committee organized November 11 was composed ofMrs. Raymond Brown, representing the State Association; Miss MaryGarrett Hay, the Woman Suffrage Party of New York City; Mrs. Mansfield, the Equal Franchise Society; Mrs. Tiffany, the CollegeLeague and Mr. Laidlaw, the Men's League, with the following chairmen:Miss Rose Young, Press; Mrs. Warner M. Leeds, Finance; Mrs. NormandeR. Whitehouse, Publicity; Mrs. John W. Alexander, Art; Mrs. Mansfield, Literature. [133]

For convenience of work the State was divided into twelve campaigndistricts, whose chairmen were, 1st, Miss Hay, New York City; 2nd, Mrs. Brown, Bellport, Long Island; 3rd, Miss Leila Stott, Albany; 4th, Mrs. Frank Paddock, Malone; 5th, Mrs. L. O. McDaniel, succeeded byMiss Mills, Syracuse; 6th, Mrs. Helen B. Owens, Ithaca; 7th, Mrs. Alice C. Clement, Rochester; 8th, Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, Buffalo;9th, Mrs. Carl Osterheld, Yonkers; 10th, Mrs. Gordon Norrie, Staatsburg; 11th, Miss Evanetta Hare, succeeded by Mrs. George Notman, Keene Valley; 12th, Miss Lucy C. Watson, Utica. Under all of thesechairmen came the 150 assembly district leaders and under these the5, 524 election district captains. From the first it was realized thatorganization was the keynote to success and that to be effective itmust extend into every polling precinct of the State. Mrs. Catt had nosuperior in organizing ability. The plan followed the lines of thepolitical parties and was already in use by the Woman Suffrage Partyof New York City, which she had founded. 

In January, 1914, Campaign District Conferences and Schools of Methodwere held, followed by a convention and mass meetings in every county. During the year twenty-eight paid organizers were constantly at work. Mrs. Catt herself visited fifty of the up-state counties. The annualState convention October 12-16, was preceded by a state-wide motor carpilgrimage. On every highway was a procession of cars stopping alongthe route for street meetings and converging in Rochester for theconvention. There was little change in officers. Three vice-presidentswere added, Mrs. Alfred E. Lewis of Geneva, Mrs. Livermore, Mrs. Notman. Mrs. Cannon was succeeded as corresponding secretary by MissMarion May of New York. Mrs. Abbott and Mrs. Shuler were added to theboard of directors. A comprehensive program of work for 1914-15, laidout by Mrs. Catt, gave a definite task for each month and includedraising a $150, 000 campaign fund, each district being assigned aproportion; school for suffrage workers, special suffrage edition of anewspaper in every county, automobile campaign, work at county fairsand a house to house canvass to enroll the names of women who wantedthe suffrage. Mrs. Catt's plan also included parades in all the largecities and schools in every county to train watchers for the polls. 

As was expected the resolution for the suffrage amendment was passedby the Legislature of 1915, the vote to be taken on the day of theregular election, November 2. Forty paid organizers were kept in thefield and a convention was held again in each county. By autumn eachof the 150 assembly districts was organized and in addition there were565 clubs and 183 campaign committees. About 2, 500 women held officialpositions, serving without pay. It was estimated that about 200, 000women worked in some capacity in this campaign. Twelve thousand NewYork City public school teachers formed a branch under KatharineDevereux Blake as chairman. Each paid fifty cents dues and many gavetheir summer vacation to work for the amendment. 

The Equal Franchise Society, in charge of the literature, printed7, 230, 000 leaflets, requiring twenty tons of paper; 657, 200 booklets, one full set sent to every political leader in the State; 592, 000Congressional hearings and individual speeches were mailed to voters;149, 533 posters were put up and 1, 000, 000 suffrage buttons were used;200, 000 cards of matches with "Vote Yes on the Suffrage Amendment" onthe back were distributed and 35, 000 fans carrying the suffrage map. 

The value of street speaking had long since been learned. A womanspeaking from an automobile or a soap box or steps, while she mightbegin by addressing a few children would usually draw a crowd of menof the kind who could never be gotten inside a hall, and these menwere voters. The effect of these outdoor meetings was soon seen allover the State in the rapidly changing sentiment of the man in thestreet. During the six months preceding the election 10, 325 meetingswere recorded besides the countless ones not reported. Mass meetingswere held in 124 different cities, sixteen in New York, with U. S. Senators and Representatives and other prominent speakers. The weekbefore election in New York, Buffalo, Rochester and other large citiesMarathon speeches were made continuously throughout the twenty-fourhours, with listening crowds even during the small hours of the night. Suffrage speeches were given in moving picture shows and vaudevilletheaters and a suffrage motion picture play was produced. Flyingsquadrons of trained workers would go into a city, make a canvass, hold street meetings, attract public attention and stimulate newspaperactivity. 

A remarkable piece of work was done by a Press and Publicity Councilof one hundred women in New York City organized by Mrs. Whitehouse. They established personal acquaintance with the editors and owners ofthe fifteen daily papers; answered the anti-suffrage letterspublished; communicated with the editors of 683 trade journals, 21religious papers, 126 foreign language papers and many others--893 inall--and offered them exclusive articles; they suggested specialfeatures for magazines and planned suffrage covers; they secured spacefor a suffrage calendar in every daily paper. This council placedsuffrage slides in moving picture houses and suffrage posters in thelobbies of theaters; and had a page advertisement of suffrage in everytheater program. Comedians were asked to make references to suffragein their plays and jokes were collected for them and appropriate linessuggested. 

A sub-committee of writers was organized which assembled material forspecial suffrage editions of papers, wrote suffrage articles and madesuggestions for stories. The Art Committee illustrated the specialeditions and made cartoons. They held an exhibit of suffrage posterswith prizes and raised money through an exhibition and sale of thework of women painters and sculptors. A new suffrage game was inventedand installed at Coney Island. They supplied the posters for $70, 000worth of advertising space on billboards and street cars which wascontributed by the owners during the final weeks of the campaign. Theyorganized and managed the suffrage banner parade, the largest whichhad yet taken place. 

Among the other publicity "stunts" of the council were suffragebaseball games, a Fourth of July celebration at the Statue of Libertyand Telephone and Telegraph Day, when the wires carried suffragemessages to politicians, judges, editors, clergymen, governors, mayors, etc. , all of these "stunts" receiving a large amount ofnewspaper publicity. The most effective was the One Day Strike, toanswer the argument used by the "antis" that "woman's place was in thehome" by asking all women to stay at home for only one day. Thesuggestion was never intended to be carried out and did not go furtherthan a letter sent by Mrs. Whitehouse to the presidents of women'sclubs and some other organizations, asking them to come to a meetingto consider the plan, copies of which were sent to the newspapers. Theeffect was extraordinary. Department stores, telephone companymanagers, employers of all kinds of women's labor, hospitals andschools, protested loudly against the crippling of public service, theloss of profits and the disruption of business which would result fromeven one day's absence of women from their public places. Editorialwriters devoted columns to denouncing the proposal. Suffrage leaderswere bitterly criticized for even suggesting such a public calamity. The favorite argument of the "antis" was answered for all time. 

At the very end of the campaign the anti-suffragists began toadvertise extensively in the subway and on the elevated roads in NewYork City but the firm that controlled this space refused to acceptany advertising from the suffragists. Woman's wit, however, was equalto the emergency. For the three days preceding the election onehundred women gave their time to riding on elevated and subway trainsholding up large placards on which were printed answers to the "anti"advertisements. The public understood and treated the women with muchcourtesy. 

It is difficult to give even the barest outline of the work of thePress Bureau, at first under the management of Mrs. Haryot Holt Deyand later of Miss Rose Young, with a volunteer force of 214 presschairmen over the State. There were 2, 136 publications in the State, 211 dailies, 1, 117 weeklies, 628 monthlies, and 180 foreignpublications printed in twenty-five languages. To the weeklies abulletin from the central bureau went regularly; 3, 036 shipments weremade of pages of plate matter. The American Press Association and theWestern Newspaper Union for many weeks sent out columns of suffragenews with their regular service for the patent inside page used bycountry papers. The bureau furnished material for debates and answeredattacks against suffrage. The support given by the newspapers was ofgreat value. Of the fifteen dailies of New York City ten werepro-suffrage, while the rural press was overwhelmingly in favor. Mostof the papers of the larger cities up-state were opposed, althoughthere were notable exceptions. 

There were several high water marks. On Nov. 6, 1914, just a yearbefore the election, at a mass meeting which packed Carnegie Hall, $115, 000 were pledged, the largest sum ever raised at a suffragemeeting, a visible proof of the great increase in favorable sentimentsince the campaign had begun a year ago, when the $20, 000 which Mrs. Catt wanted as the original guarantee seemed almost impossible ofattainment. In May, 1915, a luncheon attended by 1, 400 people pledged$50, 000. On October 23, ten days before election, there occurred inNew York City the largest parade ever organized in the United Statesfor suffrage, called the "banner parade" because of the multitude offlags and banners which characterized it, only those for suffragebeing permitted. There were 33, 783 women who marched up Fifth Avenue, past a crowd of spectators which was record-breaking, taking from 2o'clock in the afternoon until long after dark. The rear was broughtup by scores of motor cars gaily decorated with Chinese lanterns andafter darkness fell the avenue was a solid mass of moving coloredlights. There seemed no end to the women who were determined to winthe vote and a multitude of men seemed to be ready to grant it. 

On Nov. 2, 1915, the vote took place. Every preparation had been madeand every precaution taken, as far as the strength of the organizationwould permit, to secure a fair election and an honest count. A law hadbeen obtained which permitted women to act as watchers at any electionon woman suffrage, which proved an important safeguard. Whereverpossible, watchers were provided for the polling places all over theState. The result of the election was: For the suffrage amendment, 553, 348; against, 748, 332; adverse majority 194, 984. 

The disappointment was almost crushing. Although the task ofpersuading the huge cosmopolitan population of New York State to grantequality to women had been recognized as being almost superhuman, thework done had been so colossal that it would have been impossible notto hope for success. Mrs. Catt had planned and seen carried out amasterly campaign never before approached anywhere in the history ofsuffrage. The devotion and self-sacrifice of thousands of women werebeyond praise but there were not enough of them. If every county andevery town had raised its proportion of the funds and done its shareof the work, the amendment might have been carried, but this firstcampaign laid the foundation for the victory that the next one wouldbring. 

This was the largest vote ever polled for suffrage at anyelection--553, 348 out of a vote of 1, 300, 880, being 42-1/2 per cent. The vote in the State outside of New York City was 427, 479 noes, 315, 250 ayes, opposing majority, 112, 229; in this city 320, 853 noes, 238, 098 ayes, opposing majority 82, 755; total opposed, 194, 984. Theamendment received a larger favorable vote than the Republican partypolled at the Presidential election of 1912, which was 455, 428. In1914 this party swept the State and it could have carried the suffrageamendment in 1915. 

SECOND NEW YORK CAMPAIGN. 

With 42-1/2 per cent. Of the vote cast in November, 1915, in favor ofthe woman suffrage amendment the leaders were eager to start a newcampaign at once and take advantage of the momentum already gained. Two nights after election the campaign was started at a mass meetingin Cooper Union, New York City, where $100, 000 were pledged amidboundless enthusiasm. The reorganization of the State took placeimmediately, at the annual convention held in this city, November30-December 2, and all the societies that had cooperated in the EmpireState Campaign Committee became consolidated under the name of theState Woman Suffrage Party, into which the old State association wasmerged. The demand was so overwhelming that Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, who had led the two years' fight so magnificently, should continue tobe leader, that she was obliged to accept the chairmanship. 

The other officers elected were Mrs. Norman deR. Whitehouse, Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw, Mrs. Henry W. Cannon, first, second and thirdvice-chairmen; Mrs. Michael M. Van Beuren and Miss Alice MorganWright, secretaries; Mrs. Ogden Mills Reid, treasurer; Mrs. RaymondBrown, Mrs. Dexter P. Rumsey, Miss Harriet May Mills and Mrs. ArthurL. Livermore, directors. A few weeks later the convention of theNational Association called Mrs. Catt even more insistently to acceptits presidency and Mrs. Whitehouse became chairman and therefore theleader of the new campaign. Mrs. Catt headed the list of directors;Mrs. Laidlaw was made chairman of legislative work and Mrs. Brown oforganization. 

The next State convention was held in Albany, Nov. 16-23, 1916, andthe same officers were elected except that Mrs. Charles Noel Edgesucceeded Mrs. Van Beuren as secretary. The chairmen of the twelvecampaign districts were continued with the following changes: Second, Mrs. Frederick Edey, Bellport; fourth, Mrs. Robert D. Ford, Canton;fifth, Mrs. William F. Canough, Syracuse; sixth, Miss Lillian Huffcut, Binghamton; eighth, Mrs. Frank J. Tone, Niagara Falls; ninth, Mrs. Frank A. Vanderlip, Scarborough. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. The determination to enter immediately intoanother campaign met with much opposition, even from many suffragists. The Legislature had submitted the amendment in 1915 confident that itwould be overwhelmingly defeated but the ability and persistence ofthe women and the big vote secured made the opponents afraid to takeanother chance. That it was finally forced through both Houses wasdue, first, to the brilliant legislative work of Mrs. Whitehouse andMrs. Laidlaw, assisted by Mrs. Helen Leavitt, chairman of legislativework for the Albany district; second, to the extraordinary supportgiven by the organizations throughout the State, through delegations, mass meetings, letters and telegrams, 6, 000 from the 9th districtalone. The Men's League gave invaluable help. 

The resolution was introduced in both branches on Jan. 10, 1916. Thefight centered in the Senate and had as determined opponents SenatorElon F. Brown, floor leader of the Republicans, and Senator Walters, Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The Democraticminority gave it a lukewarm support. Every subterfuge was directedagainst it. Finally it was reported out of the Assembly JudiciaryCommittee February 15 by a vote of 11 to one and then there was astandstill. The Senate Judiciary Committee constantly postponedaction. At last 500 women came to the Capitol on March 14 to urgeimmediate action and the resolution was adopted in the Assembly thatday by 109 ayes to 30 noes. 

The Senate Committee had promised that it would report that same day, and at 2 p. M. It went into executive session and the suffrage leaderscamped outside the door. That evening a suffrage ball was to takeplace in Madison Square Garden, New York City, which they were toopen, and the last train that would reach there in time left Albany at6 o'clock. The Committee knew this but hour after hour went by withoutword from it. After time for the train a friendly Senator appeared andannounced that it had adjourned sometime before without taking actionand had gone out the back way in order to escape from the waitingwatchers! Taking the next train and arriving in New York at 10 o'clockat night the suffragists drove direct to Madison Square Garden. Asthey approached it they saw great throngs outside storming the doors, which had been closed by the police as it was dangerously crowded. They succeeded in getting in and were greeted by cheers as they ledthe grand march, which had been awaiting their arrival. At midnightMrs. Whitehouse and Mrs. Laidlaw took the sleeper back to Albany andwere on hand at the opening of the session the next morning. Suchundaunted spirit caught the public imagination and the newspapers didit full justice, with big headlines and columns of copy, but still thebill did not pass. 

The final pressure which put the amendment through was a clever bit ofstrategy due to Mrs. Whitehouse. In answer to her appeal editorialsappeared in newspapers throughout the State saying that no group ofmen in Albany had the right to strangle the amendment or refuse thevoters the privilege of passing on it. On March 22 the SenateCommittee reported the resolution by 11 ayes, one no. On April 10 itpassed the Senate by 33 ayes, 10 noes. 

In 1917 the amendment was passed again to go to the voters at theregular election November 6. The State Woman Suffrage Partystrengthened its organization with the goal of a captain for everypolling precinct, each with a committee of ten women to look afterthe individual voters. Larger cities had a chairman and board ofofficers combined with the assembly and election districtorganization. In Buffalo, Mrs. Thew Wright headed a capable board; inRochester one was led by Mrs. Alice Clement, later by Mrs. Henry G. Danforth; in Syracuse by Mrs. Mary Hyde Andrews; in Utica by Miss LucyC. Watson. By the end of the campaign, in addition to volunteers, 88trained organizers were at work in the 57 counties outside of GreaterNew York. The National Suffrage Association contributed four of itsbest workers and paid their salaries. Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and some of the southernand western States sent valuable workers. 

Early in 1917 the entire organization was well developed and suffragework was at its height when it was suddenly stopped short by theentrance of the United States into the World War. At once everythingelse became of secondary importance. The Suffrage Party, like allorganizations of women, was eager to serve the country and seized thefirst opportunity, which came with the order from Governor Charles S. Whitman for a military census of all the men and women of the Stateover 21 years of age. Entire responsibility for organizing andcarrying on this work in several counties was given to the party. FromApril to August the suffrage campaign was almost entirely suspendedwhile its leaders took a prominent part in war activities. It was onlyabout three months before election that the suffrage issue againbecame dominant. The amendment must come before the voters at theNovember election. With the United States engaged in a World War fordemocracy it seemed impossible to allow democracy to be defeated athome, and therefore it was decided that the suffrage campaign must becarried on. 

In spite of some opposition Mrs. Whitehouse called a State conferenceat Saratoga the end of August. Besides the distraction caused by thewar other difficulties had arisen. The White House at Washington hadbeen "picketed" by the National Woman's Party and the President burnedin effigy as a protest because the Federal Suffrage Amendment had notbeen submitted by Congress. The press was filled with the story andthe public was indignant. Because the country was at war and thePresident burdened with heavy responsibilities, reproaches ofdisloyalty and pro-Germanism were hurled at suffragists in general. The officers of the National Association had repeatedly condemned the"militancy" and repudiated all responsibility for it but to the publicgenerally all suffragists looked alike and people did not at firstrecognize the difference between the small group of "pickets" and thegreat suffrage organization of almost countless numbers. New Yorkworkers were very resentful because a direct appeal to suspend the"picketing" until after the election was refused by the leaders of theWoman's Party. The Saratoga conference adopted a resolution ofdisapproval. 

At a mass meeting in New York soon afterwards Governor Whitman, MayorMitchel and other prominent men spoke most encouragingly, but onSeptember 10 a suffrage amendment was defeated in Maine by a vote oftwo to one and this had a disastrous effect on the New York situation. It discouraged the workers and many newspapers which had beenfriendly, anticipating a similar defeat in New York, became hostile intone; also because of the pressure of war news, the papers were almostclosed to suffrage matter. Mass meetings which formerly were crowdedwere now so poorly attended that many had to be abandoned. 

In order to help the chances of the amendment President Wilson onOctober 25 received a delegation of one hundred of the most prominentwomen of the Party, headed by Mrs. Whitehouse. He expressed hisappreciation of the war work of women and his thorough belief thatthey should have the suffrage, praising the New York campaign andsaying: "I am very glad to add my voice to those which are urging thepeople of your State to set a great example by voting for womansuffrage. It would be a pleasure if I might utter that advice in theirpresence, but, as I am bound too close to my duties here to make thatpossible, I am glad to ask you to convey that message to them. .. . "

This address was published far and wide and had a marked effect on thevoters. Later the President wrote Mrs. Catt that he hoped no voter inNew York would be influenced by anything the so-called "pickets" haddone in Washington. The suffrage meetings were soon again crowded. OnOctober 27 the final parade took place in New York City. Thesignatures of 1, 014, 000 women citizens of the State, of voting age, asking for suffrage had been obtained. Those from up-State were pastedon huge cardboards and carried in the parade by delegations from thevarious counties. Those from the city were placed in 62 huge ballotboxes, one for each assembly district, with the number of them on theoutside, and carried by the "captains" of the districts and theirhelpers. 

The largest registration of men voters in the State was 1, 942, 000;there were nearly 100, 000 more men than women of voting age and manymore men than women were naturalized, therefore it was evident that1, 014, 000 signatures represented a good majority of women eligible tovote. This enormous piece of work was done almost entirely byvolunteers. For many months women in every county went from door todoor, preaching suffrage, asking wives to talk to their husbands aboutit and leaving literature. The effect of this personal education wasundoubtedly great and the petition influenced public opinion. 

The propaganda carried on by the Educational section under Mrs. HowardMansfield was enormous, including training schools, travellinglibraries and 8, 000 sets of correspondence courses sent out. Womenwere trained in watchers' schools for work at the polls and 15, 000leaflets of instructions were furnished. Over 11, 000, 000 pieces ofliterature, 7 million posters and nearly 200, 000 suffrage noveltieswere used, in addition to the 5, 000, 000 pieces used in New York City. The Industrial Section, under Miss Mary E. Dreier, president of theWomen's Trade Union League, made effective appeals to organized labor. A series of letters setting forth the conditions under which womenwork and their relation to the vote were distributed at factory doorsas men left for home during the last fifteen weeks of the campaign. Organizers and speakers from their own ranks, men and women, spoke attrade union meetings, in factories and on the street. The StateFederation of Labor endorsed the work and the Women's Trade UnionLeague gave constant help. The Church Section, under Miss AdellaPotter, was very successful in its appeal with specially preparedliterature and the churches were an active force. 

Every registered voter was circularized at least once and many twice. Special letters and literature were prepared for picked groups of men, 198, 538 letters in all, and speakers were sent to the military campswhere this was permitted. The Speakers' Bureau, conducted by Mrs. Victor Morawetz, had 150 speakers on its lists and a record of 2, 015speakers placed in the State. Besides these more than 7, 000 meetingswere arranged independently. In New York City 58 speakers held 2, 085meetings, a total of 11, 100. Senators and Representatives from theequal suffrage States were to speak in the closing days of thecampaign but the war held Congress constantly in session and most ofthe other prominent men who had promised to speak were prevented byservice for the Government. 

The Publicity Section, under Mrs. John Blair, advertised the amendmentin every way that human ingenuity could devise. Huge street bannersexhorting men to vote for suffrage hung across the most crowdedstreets in New York and in all the large cities. Every kind ofadvertising medium was used, billboards, street cars, subway andelevated cars and stations, railroad cars and stations; large electricsigns and painted illuminated signs flashed weeks before election, theslogan most often used being, "1, 014, 000 Women ask you to Vote forWoman Suffrage November 6. "

For the last two weeks a great campaign of newspaper advertising wascarried on. There appeared almost daily in 728 morning and eveningpapers, including many in foreign languages, pages of suffrageargument, and as a result the news columns began to be filled againwith suffrage. The Press Bureau, Miss Rose Young, director, assistedby local press chairmen, continued as in the first campaign but withan increased output, news bulletins, editorial matter, specialarticles, material for special editions, photographs, newspaper cuts, statements from one hundred leading New York City and State menheaded, Why I am for Woman Suffrage, etc. About 20, 000 columns of freeplate material were provided for the newspapers. 

It would be impossible to give the total cost of the campaign withaccuracy. As far as possible each district supported its own work. Thecentral State treasury spent $413, 353; New York City, $151, 504; thecounties outside of the city $127, 296; a total of $692, 153, besidesthe large amount spent locally. The raising of the central State fundswas the work of the treasurer, Mrs. Ogden Mills Reid, assisted by Mrs. Whitehouse. A budget was prepared to which a group of prominent men, including several bankers, gave their endorsement, and, armed withtheir letter and helped by them in making appointments, Mrs. Reid andMrs. Whitehouse called on one man and woman after another of acarefully selected list, solicited contributions, and many largeamounts were given by persons who had not before been brought in touchwith suffrage work. New York City led with $183, 387; Yonkers came nextwith $41, 748 and Buffalo with $30, 163. 

The supreme test of the organization came on election day. It washoped to cover every polling space with women watchers and probablyabout 80 per cent. Of the total number of election districts of theState were so covered. A total of 6, 330 women served, many being onduty from 5 a. M. Till midnight. 

On election night all over the State suffrage headquarters were openand victory seemed in the air. Bulletin boards in New York City showedthe amendment winning in every borough and wires from up-State gaveencouraging reports. The State headquarters, an entire floor of thelarge office building at 303 Fifth Avenue, New York, and the cityheadquarters were thronged with happy crowds. Before midnight itseemed certain that the four years of continuous campaign had resultedin final victory for New York State, the stronghold of opposition, thekey to a Federal Suffrage Amendment because of its largerepresentation and power in Congress. When the complete returns camein it was found that suffrage had lost up-State by 1, 510 votes andthat it was New York City which carried the amendment by its majorityof 103, 863, which reduced by 1, 510 left a total majority of 102, 353. 

There were some evidences of fraud but the change of sentiment infavor of suffrage was State-wide, and every county showed a gain. Thecities gave a better vote than the rural communities. The greatestoverturn was in Buffalo which changed an adverse majority of 10, 822 in1915 to a favorable one of 4, 560 in 1917! The saloons of this citydisplayed placards, "Vote No on Woman Suffrage, " some putting them onthe outside of the building. Albany, in spite of the fight against theamendment made by the Barnes "machine, " although lost, registered again of nearly fifty per cent. Rochester, which was lost, wasdominated by George W. Aldrich, the Republican leader, and Monroe andadjoining counties were also influenced by their newspapers, whichnearly all were anti-suffrage. In Livingston county, the home ofSenator James W. Wadsworth, Jr. , and his wife, who was president ofthe National Anti-Suffrage Association, his influence was so strongand his financial hold on the county so powerful that even men whowere in sympathy with woman suffrage were afraid to vote for it. Thisinfluence materially reduced the favorable vote in adjoining counties. There were several bitter local "wet" and "dry" fights that were verybad for the suffrage vote. 

The Republican Governor, Charles S. Whitman, spoke for the amendment. Herbert Parsons, the Republican National Committeeman for New York, and many individual Republicans gave valuable help but the "machine"all over the State did everything possible to defeat the amendment. Aweek before election, when their object was clearly apparent, thechairman of the Republican State Committee was requested by the womento write an official letter to its members reminding them of theendorsement given by the Republican party at its State convention. Herefused to write it except as an individual and not as State chairman. In Rochester an anti-suffrage poster was kept on display in Republicanheadquarters. Among prominent members of the party who used theirinfluence in opposition were Elihu Root, Henry L. Stimson and GeorgeWickersham. 

The two great figures of the suffrage movement, Mrs. Catt and Dr. Shaw, gave royally to the campaign. Even after Mrs. Catt becamepresident of the National Association, she remained on the State Boardof Directors and was a constant help and inspiration. Dr. Shawcontributed many weeks of speech making to the first campaign andalmost as many to the second, although her time in 1917 was muchoccupied as chairman of the Woman's Division of the National Councilof Defense. It would be impossible to give the names of the thousandsof women who rendered devoted service during these campaigns and itwould be equally impossible to mention the names of the men whohelped. Behind many a woman who worked there was a man aiding andsustaining her with money and personal sacrifice. "Suffrage husbands"became a title of distinction. 

Mrs. Whitehouse said in reviewing the causes of the failure of thefirst campaign, "We worked like amateurs. " Such a charge could not bebrought in the second, for the suffragists became an army of seasonedveterans, quick to understand and to obey orders, giving suffrageprecedence over everything else except patriotic work. The amendmentas adopted gave complete suffrage to women on the same terms asexercised by men and provided that "a citizen by marriage shall havebeen an inhabitant of the United States for five years. " This simplyrequired the same term of residence for wives as for unmarried womenand all men. 

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From 1910 to 1917 the Men's League for Woman Suffrage was aninfluential factor in the movement in New York. It was believed to bethe first of the kind and the idea was said to have originated withMax Eastman, a young professor in Columbia University, but in a sketchof the league by him in _The Trend_ in 1913 he said that in 1909, whenhe went to consult Oswald Garrison Villard, editor of the New York_Evening Post_, he found that Mr. Villard had received a letter fromDr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National American WomanSuffrage Association, asking him to organize such a league; that hehad conferred with Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and they had "agreed to sharethe ignominy" if some one would undertake the organizing. This wasdone by Mr. Eastman, who, armed with letters of introduction by Mr. Villard, succeeded in getting the names of twelve men of civicinfluence. Using these names he sent out several thousand letters tosuch men over the State and finally obtained twenty-five members. InNovember, 1910, the first meeting was held at the New York City Cluband officers were elected. By good fortune George Foster Peabody wasone of the earliest members, a Georgian by birth and one of NewYork's prominent bankers and financiers. He consented to serve aspresident and with this prestige many members were secured. "Theleague owed its pecuniary life to him, " said Mr. Eastman, "and a greatpart of its early standing before the public. "

After the first year the league was equally fortunate in having JamesLees Laidlaw, another New York banker and man of affairs, take thepresidency. He retained it for the next six years, and when theNational Men's League was formed he consented to serve also as itspresident until the contest for woman suffrage was finished, givingactive and constant assistance. Mr. Eastman was secretary of the NewYork League for a year or more, assisted by Ward Melville, and wassucceeded by Robert Cameron Beadle, general manager of the U. S. Stoker Corporation. He gave valuable and continuous service to theleague until just before the campaign of 1917, when the pressure ofbusiness required his time and he became vice-president and GeorgeCreel ably filled the office of secretary during that strenuousperiod. 

In 1910 the league took part in the first big suffrage parade and noact of men during the whole history of woman suffrage required morecourage than that of the 87 who marched up Fifth Avenue on thatoccasion, jeered by the crowds that lined the sidewalks. It was a bodyof representative citizens, led by Mr. Peabody, Mr. Laidlaw and Mr. Villard. The league became a large organization, enrolling among itsmembers such men as Governor Charles S. Whitman, Mayor John PurroyMitchel, Frank A. Vanderlip, Colonel George Harvey, William M. Ivins, Dr. Simon Flexner, Professor John Dewey, Hamilton Holt, William DeanHowells, John Mitchell, Charles Sprague Smith, Samuel Untermeyer, Herbert Parsons, President Schurman of Cornell University, PresidentMcCracken of Vassar College and many Judges, public officials andothers of note. In the suffrage parade of 1912 the league four abreastextended five blocks along Fifth Avenue. Under its auspices massmeetings were held, district rallies, public dinners with 600 guests, balls and theatrical performances, and campaign activities of variouskinds were carried on. Men's leagues were formed in many States. The_Woman Voter_ of October, 1912, published in New York City, issued aspecial league number, with sketches, pictures, etc. 

The Women's Political Union, which under the name of the EqualityLeague of Self-Supporting Women was formed in New York City in theautumn of 1906 by Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch, was an active force formany years. Its object was to bring to suffrage the strength of womenengaged in wage-earning occupations and under its aegis trade-unionwomen first pleaded their cause before a legislative committee on Feb. 6, 1907. That spring the league held two suffrage mass meetings, thefirst for many years in Cooper Union, and the following year CarnegieHall was for the first time invaded by woman suffrage with a meetingin honor of Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader of the English"militant" suffragists. 

The league sent over 300 women to Albany by special train on Feb. 19, 1908, to a hearing on a woman suffrage amendment. The same year itstarted open air meetings throughout the State. On election day in1909 the Union distributed literature at the polls and five memberstested the right of women to act as watchers. It made the innovationof interviewing candidates and pledging them to vote, if elected, forthe submission of a suffrage amendment to the electors. 

In 1910 the Union organized in New York the first suffrage foot paradeof 400 women, and other larger ones afterwards. In September it begana vigorous campaign against Artemus Ward, Republican candidate forre-election to the Assembly in a banner Republican district in NewYork City, because of his hostility to the suffrage amendment. Pedestrians could not go a block in the district without hearing asoap box orator trying to defeat him. The night before electioneighty-six out-door meetings were held. Although it could not defeathim his former majority of 2, 276 was reduced to 190. In 1911 itengineered campaigns against Cuvillier in Manhattan and Carrew inBrooklyn for the same reason, distributing over 100, 000 pieces ofliterature in opposing the latter, who had an adverse majority of over2, 000. 

In 1911 the Union took 400 women to Albany and in 1912 the largestsuffrage delegation which had ever gone there. They practicallycompelled consideration of the suffrage resolution and after itsdefeat campaigned against the enemies, ending the political careersof some of them. Before election day the files of the Union containedsigned pledges from every candidate for the Legislature in 45 of the51 Senate districts and in 85 of the 150 Assembly districts. On Jan. 23, 1913, the Senate voted 40 to 2 for the amendment and on the 27ththe Assembly concurred with but five adverse votes. On May 3, theUnion organized a parade of victory in New York City. 

During the great campaign of 1915 the Union was constantly evolvingnew features to draw attention to the amendment. It closed itsactivities with a luncheon of a thousand covers at the Hotel Astorjust before election day in honor of the 100th anniversary of thebirth of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. After the defeat it amalgamated withthe Congressional Union, abandoned State work and centered its effortson an amendment to the Federal Constitution. Throughout its existenceMrs. Blatch was president, Elizabeth Ellsworth Cook, vice-president, Marcia Townsend, treasurer, Eunice Dana Brannan, chairman of finance, Nora Stanton Blatch, editor of the _Women's Political World_, theorgan of the society; Caroline Lexow, field secretary and Alberta Hilland Florence Maule Cooley, executive secretaries. [Informationfurnished by Mrs. Blatch. ]

 * * * * *

An important feature of the campaign in New York City and in otherparts of the State was the work of the St. Catherine WelfareAssociation of Catholic women, organized by Miss Sara McPike, executive secretary of the advertising department of a largecorporation, and Miss Winifred Sullivan, a lawyer. Its object wasbetter social and economic conditions for women and children and theextension of the suffrage to women as a means to this end. Its leadersand prominent members worked with the State and city suffrageassociations also but through their own they could carry the messageinto the different sodalities and fraternal organizations of thechurch and to its summer schools and conventions. Bishops and priestswere interviewed and a number of the latter were persuaded to speak atthe meetings held in twenty-six prominent parish school halls in NewYork City. Ten meetings were held in Brooklyn and others insurrounding towns. 

Leaflets of opinions favorable to woman suffrage by the Catholicclergy were prepared and widely circulated among priests, educatorsand laymen. Space was secured in the Catholic press. Letters withoutnumber were written. A delegation was received by Cardinal Gibbons inBaltimore to explain the desire of its members for the vote. Many ofthe clergy looked with favor on their work, which encouraged Catholicwomen to take part in it, and 500 marched under the banner of theassociation in the last suffrage parade in New York in October, 1917. Miss McPike devoted every hour of her time outside of business hoursand gave $800 to the work of the association. Mrs. Mary C. Brown was agenerous contributor. Among the countless members who helpedunceasingly by writing, speaking and in many other ways were ElizabethJordan, Janet Richards, Mrs. William A. Prendergast, Countess Mackin, Mrs. Schuyler Warren, Sara H. Fahey, Mrs. William H. Yorke, Anne SandsO'Shea, Catharine G. Hogan, Helen Haines, Aimee Hutchinson, Mary C. Larkin, May H. Morey, Frances Gallogly, Annie Nolan, Rose and FannyFlannelly. The activities of the association were extended intoPennsylvania, New Jersey and other States. 

 * * * * *

The success of the suffrage amendment did not mean the disbanding ofthe organization. At the 49th State convention, held in New York City, Nov. 20-22, 1917, Mrs. Whitehouse was re-elected chairman, Mrs. Laidlaw vice-chairman, and most of the old officers were retained. Itwas decided to make the Federal Suffrage Amendment the chief objectand in order to work more effectively the State was organized byCongressional districts, with the Assembly district organizationretained. Early in 1918 Mrs. Whitehouse, because of her remarkablework in the suffrage campaign, was selected by the Government'sCommittee on Public Information to go to Switzerland. Mrs. Laidlaw waselected chairman at the convention and the name of the State WomanSuffrage Party was changed to the State League of Women Voters. Evenbefore the war was ended an enormous work was begun throughout theState, under Mrs. Laidlaw, toward the political training of the morethan a million women who had been enfranchised. This was continuedunder Mrs. Frank A. Vanderlip, who was elected chairman of the StateLeague of Women Voters, officially formed April 8, 1919. 

The Federal Suffrage Amendment was submitted by Congress June 4, 1919. Senator William M. Calder voted in favor, Senator Wadsworth continuinghis opposition to the end. Of the Representatives, 35 voted in favor;five were absent; three, Riordan of New York, Dunn of Rochester andSanders of Stafford, voted no. 

RATIFICATION. The ratification of this amendment by the StateLegislatures became the pressing question and as most of them hadadjourned for two years it would be necessary to have this done byspecial sessions if women were to vote in the November election of1920. That of New York would meet in January, 1920, so there was noneed of haste, but Mrs. Catt at once took up the matter with GovernorAlfred E. Smith, pointing out the excellent effect on other States ifNew York should have a special session for this purpose. Withouthesitation he issued the call on June 10, with a strong appeal forratification. The Legislature met on June 16 and immediately theAssembly ratified by unanimous vote of 137. The resolution went atonce to the Senate, where Henry M. Sage made a speech against it andasked to be excused from voting. It was then passed by unanimous vote, the Legislature being in session less than a day. 

FOOTNOTES:

[122] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. Ella Hawley Crossett, president of the State Woman SuffrageAssociation, 1902-1910. 

[123] Mary Anthony left to Mrs. Crossett, Miss Mills and IsabelHowland $1, 000 to be used for State work as they thought best. Theinterest for three years was given as prize money for the best essaysin the colleges of the State. When the headquarters were opened in NewYork City some of the money helped to furnish them and the rest wasput in the State work the following year. 

[124] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to MissHarriet May Mills, vice-president of the State Woman SuffrageAssociation, 1902-1910; president, 1910-1913. 

[125] In 1911 Mrs. Livermore was succeeded by Mrs. William L. Colt, who later resigned on account of illness and Mrs. Marie Jenney Howewas unanimously elected. After the death of Mrs. Osborne, Mrs. Rumseyof Buffalo was appointed second auditor. Mrs. Katharine Gavit ofAlbany succeeded Mrs. Burrows and served to 1913. Mrs. Ivins resignedin the winter of 1913 and Mrs. Maud Ingersoll Probasco of New York waschosen for the remainder of the year. 

[126] From New York: Misses Jones, Craft, Klatschken, Constance Leupp, Phoebe Hawn, Minerva Crowell, Amalie Doetsch, Elizabeth Aldrich, Mrs. George Wend and her son, Milton Wend, Mrs. George Boldt, Master NormanSpreer, Ernest Stevens and A. C. Lemmon. From Philadelphia: MissVirginia Patache and Mrs. George Williams. 

[127] Mrs. Ella Hawley Crossett, president of the State SuffrageAssociation, sent a complete résumé of the legislative action from1900 to 1913, comprising many thousand words, but the exigencies ofspace compelled condensation to the bare details. 

[128] The Legislative Committee was composed of Mrs. George HowardLewis, Miss Miller, Mrs. L. Cuyler, Mrs. Villard, Mrs. Harry S. Hastings, Mrs. Craigie, Mrs. Rodgers, Miss Jenney. A CooperatingCommittee representing the entire State was of great assistance. Amongits members were Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Blatch, Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Shuler, each president of a large organization of women; the Rev. JosiahStrong, president American Institute of Social Science; OswaldGarrison Villard, proprietor of the New York Evening Post; Dr. Stewardson, president Hobart College; Professor Schmidt, of CornellUniversity; Colonel A. S. Bacon, treasurer of the American SabbathUnion; Edwin Markham, William G. Van Plank, Dr. John D. Peters, D. D. ;Florence Kelley, Elizabeth Burrill Curtis, Caroline Lexow, presidentCollege Women's League; Mrs. Osborne and others. 

[129] Among those added to the Cooperating Suffrage Committee duringthis and the preceding year were Mrs. Belmont, president of thePolitical Equality Suffrage Association; Mrs. Mackay, president of theEqual Franchise Society; Jessie Ashley, president of the College EqualSuffrage League; Mary E. Dreier, president of the Women's Trade UnionLeague; Anna Mercy, president of the East Side Equal Rights League;Ella A. Boole, president State W. C. T. U. ; George Foster Peabody, president, and Max Eastman, secretary of the Men's League for WomanSuffrage; Ida Husted Harper, chairman National Press Bureau; Mrs. William C. Story, president State Federation of Women's Clubs; Lucy P. Allen, president of the Washington county and Lucy P. Watson, president of the Utica Political Equality Clubs; Mrs. William C. Gannett, president of the Susan B. Anthony Memorial Association; AliceLewisohn, noted for her social work in New York, Dr. Charles F. Aked, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and William M. Ivins. 

[130] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. Oreola Williams Haskell, former president of the Kings CountyPolitical Equality League; head of the Press Bureau of the New YorkCity Woman Suffrage Party through the two campaigns, 1915-1917, and ofthe League of Women Voters from its beginning until the present time. 

[131] Extended space is given to the two New York campaigns becausethey were the largest ever made and were used as a model by a numberof States in later years. --ED. 

[132] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. Raymond Brown, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association. 

[133] Before the committee was fully organized Mrs. Blatch and theWomen's Political Union withdrew to carry on its work independentlyand Mrs. Belmont with her Political Equality League also ceasedcooperation. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

NORTH CAROLINA. [134]

Previous to 1913 interest in woman suffrage in North Carolina wasstill dormant and no attempt had been made at organization. This year, without any outside pressure, a handful of awakening women met on July10 at the home of Dr. Isaac M. Taylor of Morgantown to arrange forgathering into a club those in sympathy with the woman suffragemovement. Those present were Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Hosfeldt, Mrs. Hughson, Miss Allen, Miss Riddell, Miss Julia Erwin and Miss Kate Pearsall, whowas elected secretary. Mrs. Hosfeldt was chosen for president and MissMamie Collett for vice-president. Mrs. Hughson, Mrs. Taylor and MissErwin were appointed to formulate the purposes of the society which itwas agreed to call the Morgantown Equal Suffrage Association. 

At the next meeting in Miss Erwin's home July 14 Miss Coffey acted asrecording secretary and the organization was completed. Societies wereformed in Greenville and Charlotte and through the efforts of MissSusanne Bynum and Miss Anna Forbes Liddell of Charlotte a meeting wascalled in that city in November to form a State Association. Thefollowing officers were chosen: President, Mrs. Archibald Henderson, Chapel Hill; vice presidents, Mrs. Eugene Reilley, Charlotte; MissGertrude Weil, Goldsboro; Mrs. Malcolm Platt, Asheville; correspondingsecretary, Miss Bynum; recording secretary, Miss Liddell; treasurer, Mrs. David Stern, Greensboro. Mrs. Lila Meade Valentine, president ofthe Virginia Equal Suffrage League, was the principal speaker. Acharter was subsequently obtained for the Equal Suffrage League ofNorth Carolina, Inc. , the charter members numbering about 200 men andwomen, representing every class and section in the State. The Leaguebecame auxiliary to the National Association. At this time, when itwas far from popular to stand for this cause, Judge Walter Clark, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Gen. Julian S. Carr, ArchibaldHenderson, Wade Harris and E. K. Graham acted as Advisory Committeeand gave freely of their time and money to help the new league. 

The first annual State convention was held in Charlotte, Nov. 9-10, 1914, Mrs. Henderson presiding. During this first year Mrs. MedillMcCormick, chairman of the Congressional Committee of the NationalAssociation, was of the greatest assistance in many ways. She sent anorganizer, Miss Lavinia Engle, who, with Mrs. Henderson, distributedliterature throughout the State and organized a number of branches. The State League recorded itself as opposed to "militancy" in any formand as desiring "to gain the vote by appeal to reason and fair play. "The Charlotte _Observer_ carried a four-page suffrage sectionadvertising the convention. Keener interest throughout the State, together with the existence of fourteen leagues, represented the netresult of this first year's work. The officers were re-elected exceptthat Mrs. Palmer Jerman of Raleigh was made recording secretary andMiss Mary Shuford of Hickory corresponding secretary. Delegatesappointed to the national convention at Nashville, Tenn. , were: MissesBynum, Liddell and Mary Henderson. 

The second annual convention met at the Battery Park Hotel, Asheville, Oct. 29, 1915. Mrs. Nellie Nugent Somerville of Mississippi, avice-president of the National Association, gave an address. Duringthe year Mrs. Desha Breckinridge of Kentucky, also a nationalvice-president, spoke several times in the State. Mrs. Henderson hadsent a vigorous protest in the name of the league to Miss Alice Paul, chairman of the Congressional Union, against her coming into NorthCarolina to organize branches, saying that its policy wasdiametrically opposed to that of the State Suffrage League, whosearduous work of the past year would be undone. The outstanding featureof the year's work was the special hearing in the Legislature on theAct to Amend the Constitution so as to Give Woman Suffrage. InNovember, 1914, the legislators had been polled on the suffragequestion, A few did not answer; fifteen were flatly opposed; twelvewere in favor; the majority declared themselves open to argument. Atthe hearing held in the hall of the House with a large audiencepresent Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National Association, was the chief speaker. Others included Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Reilley, Mrs. Adelaide Goodno, president of the Woman's Christian TemperanceUnion; Mrs. Al Fairbrother and Mrs. Thomas W. Lingle. Miss Henderson, Legislative Committee chairman, presided. The measure was defeated. The committee recommended that future efforts be concentrated onPresidential and Municipal suffrage bills. Mrs. Charlotte Malcolm ofAsheville was elected president. [135]

There was no convention in 1916 but two were held in 1917. The firstmet in the auditorium of the Carnegie Library, Greensboro, Jan. 12, 13. Mrs. Walter McNab Miller, first vice-president of the NationalAssociation, was the principal speaker, addressing a mass meeting ofrepresentative people in the Opera House. Mrs. J. S. Cunningham waselected president. During 1916 Mrs. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs of Alabamamade addresses in the State and Miss Gertrude Watkins and Miss Stokes, national organizers, assisted in forming clubs. 

The second convention for 1917 met in the Wayne county Court House, Goldsboro, Oct. 30, 31, Mrs. Cunningham presiding and speaking. Colonel Joseph E. Robinson and J. F. Barrett made addresses. Theprincipal speaker was Mrs. Jacobs, then auditor of the NationalAssociation. A fine collection of suffrage literature was presentedfrom Chief Justice Clark. During the year Mrs. Miller had spokenseveral times in the State and delivered the commencement address atthe North Carolina College for Women. Mrs. Jerman cautioned thevarious leagues against affiliation with the Congressional Union, nowcalled the Woman's Party, whose representatives were then at work inthe State. Mrs. Cunningham was re-elected president. 

At the annual convention in the Woman's Club Building, Raleigh, Jan. 10, 1919, Miss Gertrude Weil was elected president and Mrs. JosephusDaniels honorary president. The chief speaker was the Hon. WilliamJennings Bryan, who addressed in the city auditorium an immensegathering of all classes. The past year had been a busy one. On April9, 1918, the State Republican convention included a suffrage plank inits platform. On the 10th representative suffragists appeared at theDemocratic State convention urging one but the plea fell upon dullears and unresponsive hearts. The latter part of May the StateFederation of Women's Clubs with 8, 000 members endorsed equal suffragewith but two dissenting votes. In June the State Trained NursesAssociation unanimously endorsed it. During September petitions signedby hundreds of college students and letters and telegrams representinghundreds of individuals were dispatched to U. S. Senators Simmons andOverman in Washington urging them to vote for the Federal SuffrageAmendment. On the petition from one college the names represented 107cities and towns in the State. The one from the State Normal Collegecarried the signatures of 576 out of the 650 women students. Thepetition of citizens from Raleigh bore the names of two daughters ofSenator Simmons. The Senators were not moved. In all that memorablestruggle only one North Carolina Representative, Zebulon Weaver, aDemocrat of Asheville, voted "aye. " Edwin C. Webb of Cleveland county, as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, was a powerful foe. 

Attempts were made to form suffrage leagues in different women'scolleges, where the students were eager to be organized, but in nocase would the trustees permit it. In November the State Leaguetelegraphed President Wilson urging the appointment of Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt, national president, on the Peace Commission. In Decemberthe Farmers' Union, representing 17, 000 farmers, endorsed equalsuffrage. During the year the cause was advanced by the addresses ofDr. Shaw and Miss Jeannette Rankin, the first woman Representative inCongress. At this time the State League carried on its letterhead anAdvisory Committee of Men such as never had been formed in any otherState. The list of ninety-six names included Secretary of the NavyJosephus Daniels, Mr. Bryan, Chief Justice Clark, the most eminentmembers of the legal, medical and clerical professions, publicofficials and business men. 

The annual convention met in the O. Henry Hotel, Greensboro, Jan. 27, 28, 1920, Miss Weil presiding. A brilliant banquet was attended by alarge number of representative men and women. The honorary president, Mrs. Daniels, made a brief speech and Miss Marjorie Shuler, nationaldirector of publicity, was a speaker. Mrs. Raymond Brown, vice-president of the National Association, and Miss Shuler addressedthe convention and the public meeting in the evening, over which Mrs. Daniels presided. Twenty-four leagues were reported, largely the fruitof the organization work done during the year by Mrs. Mary O. Cowperof Durham, who had the assistance of Miss Mary E. Pidgeon, a nationalorganizer. During the year a series of related suffrage papers wereprepared by members of the Greensboro league and distributed by theState league among the different branches. Miss Weil was continued aspresident. Reports of all committees and of the work in generalthroughout the State, were so encouraging that Miss Shuler frequentlyvoiced the common feeling, "North Carolina will ratify. "

Among the North Carolina women who have made addresses for suffrage inthe State are: Dr. Delia Dixon-Carroll, Miss Louise Alexander, MissClara B. Byrd, Mrs. Cunningham, Miss Harriet Elliott, Mrs. Fairbrother, Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Jerman, Mrs. Lingle, Mrs. T. D. Jones, Mrs. Platt, Miss Weil. 

When the State Equal Suffrage League was organized in 1913 many of thenewspapers refused to carry stories about it or assist in advertisingit in any way. Gradually, however, they have been won over almostwithout exception, not only to the publishing of news but many of themost influential papers contained during 1920 convincing editorials inbehalf of equal suffrage, so that the women who are working for itregard the newspapers as among their strongest allies. Special mentionshould be made of the vigorous support of ratification of the FederalSuffrage Amendment by the Raleigh _News and Observer_, the Greensboro_Daily News_ and the Charlotte _Observer_. 

The workers are greatly indebted to Chief Justice Clark, who for yearshas been an unfailing champion of equal suffrage and real democracy. Deep indebtedness is acknowledged to Dr. Shaw, who a number of timescame to speak and whose memory is held in deep affection by NorthCarolina suffragists. Her last visit was made when she gave thecommencement address at the College for Women at Greensboro in May, 1919, wearing the medal for distinguished service given by Secretaryof War Baker the preceding day. A few years ago a beautiful residencefor the women students was erected on the college grounds. She hadspoken several times to the students, who were devoted to her, andafter her death on July 2 the alumnć officially requested that theresidence be named the Anna Howard Shaw building, which was done. [136]

On Oct. 7, 1920, after the Federal Amendment had been proclaimed, theState League held its last meeting and was merged into the League ofWomen Voters, with Miss Gertrude Weil chairman. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, chairman of the National League, addressed a large and appreciativeaudience. 

RATIFICATION. The Legislature of 1919 had instructed Governor ThomasW. Bickett to call a special session in 1920 to consider mattersconnected with taxation and it was understood that the ratification ofthe Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment would be considered at that time. By March, 1920, it had been ratified by 35 States and it was evidentthat North Carolina might be the one to give the final affirmativevote. This did not seem impossible, as the most prominent men in theState were favorable, including the Lieutenant Governor, the Speakerof the House, several members of Congress, the Secretary of State andother officials; the presidents of most of the colleges and of variousorganizations; Judges, Mayors and many others. The Republican Stateconvention in March seated two women delegates for the first time andput a woman on the ticket for State Superintendent of PublicInstruction, Mrs. Mary Settle Sharpe of the North Carolina College forWomen, who was on two State Republican Committees. The Democrats attheir State convention, April 8, seated about forty women delegates. Before the convention U. S. Senator Simmons, always a strong opponentof woman suffrage, announced himself in favor of ratification on theground of political expediency. Governor Bickett issued a similarstatement and A. W. McLean, member of the Democratic NationalCommittee, declared publicly for it. Clyde Hoey, member of Congress, temporary chairman of the convention, made the key-note speech inregard to State issues, in which he said: "I hope to see our GeneralAssembly at its special session ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment. There is no one thing you can do here that will be worth so much tothe party in the nation as to recommend to the Legislature theratification of this amendment. " It was supposed that U. S. SenatorOverman would fall in line but in his speech he said: "I have been andstill am opposed to woman suffrage. It is fundamental with me, deepand inborn . .. But I recognize the fact that it seems inevitable. "

The plank in the platform, as it came from the committee, recommendedthat the amendment should not be ratified but a State amendment shouldbe submitted to the voters. A minority report called for thesubmission to the convention of the question whether the platformshould contain a plank for ratification. A second minority report wasoffered to eliminate all reference to woman suffrage. Never in thehistory of the party was there such a fight over the platform. ColonelA. D. Watts and Cameron Morrison led the opposition to ratification;W. P. Glidewell and John D. Bellamy the affirmative. Finally F. P. Hobgood, Jr. , one of the earliest champions of woman suffrage, after afiery speech, presented the following substitute for all the reports:"This convention recommends to the Democratic members of the GeneralAssembly that at the approaching special session they vote in favor ofthe ratification of the proposed 19th Amendment to the FederalConstitution. " This was carried by a vote of 585 to 428. Mrs. John S. Cunningham, former president of the State Equal Suffrage League, waselected by a large majority as honorary delegate to the DemocraticNational convention and Miss Mary O. Graham as delegate. She hadalready been made a member of the National Committee. 

The attention of the country was focussed on North Carolina. In theearly summer President Wilson telegraphed to Governor Bickett: "I neednot point out to you the critical importance of the action of yourgreat State in the matter of the suffrage amendment. " The Governorreplied in part: "I hope the Tennessee Legislature will meet andratify the amendment and thus make immediate action by North Carolinaunnecessary. We have neither the time nor the money and such action onthe part of Tennessee would save this State the feeling of bitternessthat would surely be engendered by debate on the subject that wouldcome up in the Legislature. I have said all I intend to say on thesubject of ratification. While I will take my medicine I will neverswear that it tastes good, for it doesn't. "

Just before the assembling of the Legislature suffrage headquarterswere opened in Raleigh with Miss Gertrude Weil, president of the StateEqual Suffrage League, and Mrs. Palmer Jerman, chairman of itslegislative committee, in charge. Miss Engle and Miss Pidgeon, national organizers, were also members of the headquarters group. MissMartha Haywood did invaluable work as publicity chairman. A booth withliterature, posters, etc. , was established in the Yarborough Hotel. 

Among the prominent men who during the struggle for ratificationstrongly urged it were: Secretary Daniels, Gen. Julian S. Carr; Col. Wade Harris, editor of the Charlotte _Observer_; J. W. Bailey, collector of Internal Revenue; Clyde R. Hoey, member of Congress; MaxO. Gardner, Lieutenant Governor; J. C. Pritchard, Judge of the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Dennis G. Brummitt, Speaker of the House;ex-Governor Locke Craig, A. W. McAlister and many others. SenatorSimmons, who was asked to come to Raleigh to assist in the fight, refused to do so but issued another statement that, although he hadalways been opposed to suffrage and his position was unchanged, herealized that its coming was inevitable and believed that it wouldhelp the Democratic party to ratify. Later, in response to a requestfrom the Raleigh _News and Observer_, he stressed the point that, since the rest of the country was practically unanimous forratification, he feared sectional antagonism might be aroused if NorthCarolina did not ratify. Mr. Bryan sent a message urgingratification. Mrs. Daniels came to Raleigh to assist personally in thestruggle to ratify. 

On August 10 the session convened. The outlook was encouraging but theenemies had been busy and the very next day a "round robin" signed by63 members of the House was sent to the General Assembly of Tennessee, where a bitter fight on ratification was in progress, which said: "We, the undersigned, members of the House of Representatives of theGeneral Assembly of North Carolina, constituting the majority of saidbody, send greetings and assure you that we will not ratify the SusanB. Anthony amendment interfering with the sovereignty of Tennessee andother States of the Union. We most respectfully request that thismeasure be not forced upon the people of North Carolina. "

On August 13 the Governor, accompanied by Mrs. Bickett, Mrs. Danielsand Mrs. Jerman, appeared in person before the joint assembly in thehall of the House of Representatives, where the gallery was crowdedwith women, and began his address by saying: "From reports in thepublic press it seems that sentiment in the General Assembly isdecidedly against the ratification of the amendment. With thissentiment I am in deepest sympathy and for the gentlemen who entertainit I cherish the profoundest respect but this does not lessen myobligation to lay before you a photographic copy of my mind on thisimportant subject. It is well known that I have never been impressedwith the wisdom of or the necessity for woman suffrage in NorthCarolina. " After a long speech setting forth the arguments inopposition and quoting poetry he said: "But in the words of GroverCleveland, a condition not a theory confronts us. Woman suffrage is athand. It is an absolute moral certainty that inside of six months someState will open the door and women will enter the political forum. Nogreat movement in all history has ever gone so near the top and thenfailed to go over. The very most this General Assembly can do is todelay for six months a movement it is powerless to defeat. I amprofoundly convinced that it would be the part of wisdom and grace toaccept the inevitable and ratify the amendment. "

On the same day Senator Scales introduced the resolution to ratify, which was referred to the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. Within a quarter of an hour the committee reported favorably by 7 to1--Senator Cloud. This prompt action was said to be not a tribute toGovernor Bickett but to Lieutenant Governor Gardner. It was introducedinto the House by minority leader H. S. Williams (Republican) andreferred to the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. 

Senator Scales, floor leader in the Senate for ratification, andSenator Lindsay Warren, floor leader for the opposition, agreed thatthe resolution to ratify should come up for discussion August 17. Sogreat was the excitement that by order of the Senate the gallery spacewas divided, the east wing being assigned to the ratificationists, thewest wing to the rejectionists. An impassioned debate continued aboutfive hours, Senator Carr opening for ratification, followed bySenators Sisk, Long of Halifax, Lovell and Glidewell, with Scalesclosing. The opposition was led by Senator Warren, followed bySenators Beddingfield, Thompson and Conner. When agreement to vote wasreached and the prospect for ratification was favorable, SenatorWarren suddenly interposed a resolution to defer action until theregular meeting of the Legislature in 1921. Senator Scales had nointimation that this move would be made until it was too late toprevent it and the vote stood 25 ayes, 23 noes. Blame for the defeatwas placed to a large extent upon Senator Stacy. Had he remained true, there would have been a tie and the Lieutenant Governor would havevoted in favor. 

Meanwhile it was generally understood that Representative W. W. Nealhad been sent to Tennessee for a conference with the opponents in theLegislature there to arrange for the defeat of ratification by theHouse in each State. Speaker Seth Walker of the Tennessee Housetelegraphed Speaker Brummitt: "Have the amendment defeatedoverwhelmingly in the Lower House. We are proud of our mother State ofNorth Carolina. God grant that she stand true to her glorioustradition and history. " All kinds of canards were in circulation andGovernor James M. Cox, Democratic candidate for President, had to senda personal telegram denying that he was opposed to the ratification. A Rejection League of Women had been formed with Miss Mary HilliardHinton as chairman, which was very active. 

August 16 a resolution to reject was introduced in the House byRepresentative Grier. After the unexpected action of the Senateinterest abated in the House. The question was taken up on the 19thand the resolution to ratify was considered first. RepresentativeEverett led the ratification forces with Representative Gold andothers giving strong support. Representatives Crisp and Dawson led theopponents. The vote stood 41 ayes, 71 noes. The rejection resolutionwas laid on the table. 

In her report on ratification Mrs. Jerman made the significantstatement that, although individual men in both parties had stood trueto their pledges as loyal supporters, yet both parties had repudiatedtheir State platforms, and, therefore, the women were free so far asany feeling of allegiance to either for what it may have done forsuffrage was concerned. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1897. The first bill for woman suffrage wasintroduced by Senator James L. Hyatt, Republican, of Yancey county. Referred to Committee on Insane Asylums. 

1913. Municipal suffrage bill introduced by David M. Clark of Pittcounty. Tabled. Walter Murphy, Speaker of the House, left his chair totalk against it. 

1915. Constitutional woman suffrage amendment introduced by Senator F. P. Hobgood, Jr. , of Guilford county. Senate vote: 11 for, 37 against. Introduced in the House by Gallatin Roberts of Buncombe county; 39for, 68 against. 

1917. Bill for Presidential electors, county and city officers, introduced by Senator H. B. Stevens of Buncombe county; vote, 20 for, 24 against. 

State amendment resolution, introduced by G. Ellis Gardner of Yanceycounty, an anti-suffragist, was tabled, as desired. 

FOOTNOTES:

[134] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Clara BoothByrd, a member of the faculty of the North Carolina College for Women. 

[135] Those besides the presidents who held office during thesubsequent years were: Vice-presidents: Mrs. Lingle, Mrs. Jerman, Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Fairbrother, Mrs. C. A. Shore, Miss Weil, Miss JuliaAlexander; corresponding secretaries: Miss Susan Frances Hunter, MissElizabeth Hedrick, Miss Eugenia Clark; recording secretaries: Mrs. Lalyce D. Buford, Miss Margaret Berry, Miss Exum Clements; treasurers:Miss Lida Rodman, Mrs. E. J. Parrish, Mrs. Julius W. Cone. 

[136] In this college women are at the head of the departments ofmathematics, Latin, chemistry, political science and home economics. The situation is similar in all colleges for women. The StateUniversity and some others are co-educational. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

NORTH DAKOTA. [137]

The Equal Suffrage Association of North Dakota held its annualconvention at Devil's Lake July 17, 1901, where it was a prominentfeature of the Chautauqua Assembly. The auditorium was hung with hugebanners reading, "Equality at the Ballot Box, " "Taxation WithoutRepresentation is Tyranny, " etc. Dr. Cora Smith Eaton addressed alarge audience on The Status of Woman Suffrage in our Country. Officers elected were, Mrs. Flora B. Naylor, president; Mrs. JanetteHill Knox, vice-president; Mrs. Mazie Stevens, treasurer; Mrs. Katharine F. King, recording secretary. 

From 1901 to 1912 there are no records of an active suffrageorganization but individuals and small groups of women in differentparts of the State kept alive the suffrage spirit. On Feb. 4, 1912, twenty-four men and women were invited to meet Miss Sylvia Pankhurstof England at the home of Mrs. Mary Darrow Weible in Fargo. After aninformal discussion the Votes for Women League of Fargo was organizedwith Mrs. Clara L. Darrow president. A strong league was organized inGrand Forks by Mrs. R. M. Pollock. On June 13, at the call of theFargo League, an earnest group of men and women from different partsof the State met at the Public Library and formed a State Votes forWomen League. Officers: President, Mrs. Darrow; vice-president atlarge, Mrs. M. L. Ayers, Dickinson; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Alice Nelson Page, Grand Forks; recording secretary, Mrs. Kate SelbyWilder, Fargo; treasurer, Mrs. Helen de Lendrecie, Fargo; Committee onPermanent Organization, Mrs. Ayers, Mrs. James Collins, Mrs. W. J. Holbrook, N. C. McDonald, W. L. Stockwell; Resolutions, Mrs. Page, Mrs. Wilder, Mrs. W. F. Cushing; Constitution, Miss Candis Nelson, Mr. McDonald; Promotion, Mrs. C. F. Amidon. Steps were taken toaffiliate with the National American Woman Suffrage Association and itwas decided to introduce a resolution for the submission of a Statesuffrage amendment to the voters at the next session of theLegislature. Mrs. De Lendrecie gave headquarters in the de LendrecieBuilding at Fargo. 

The first convention was held at the Civic Center, Fargo, Oct. 18, 1913. The Promotions Committee reported the circularization of theentire press and the legislators and a number of towns organized. Awoman suffrage bill had been passed by the Legislature and would besubmitted to the voters on Nov. 4, 1914. With the following Stateofficers the campaign was launched: Mrs. Darrow, president; Mrs. Weible, vice-president; Mrs. Emma S. Pierce, treasurer; Mrs. FrancisS. Bolley, congressional chairman; Mrs. Elizabeth Darrow O'Neil, campaign manager. 

A plan to divide the State into its judicial districts with district, county and township chairmen was only partially carried out. Onehundred leagues were formed with approximately 2, 000 members. Whereverthere was an efficient worker she was given a free hand to get thevotes in her locality in the most effective way. From four to sixorganizers were in the field continually; seven speakers, includingDr. Anna Howard Shaw, its president, were sent by the NationalAssociation and five were furnished by the State. Chautauquas, fairs, theaters and all kinds of meetings were everywhere utilized and therewere automobile speaking tours to outlying districts; plate matter wasfurnished to the press and political party members were circularized. A fund of $6, 000 was raised, $3, 000 of which came from the NationalAssociation and other outside sources. 

It was a hard and hopeless campaign because of an impossiblerequirement. When the framers of the constitution for statehood in1889 refused to include woman suffrage a provision was put in theconstitution whereby the Legislature at any time could submit a billfor it at the next general election. If approved by a majority ofvoters "voting upon the question" it became a Law. How, when or wherethe words "voting at the election" were substituted for "voting uponthe question" no one seemed to know but they got into theconstitution. They meant that the suffrage referendum must poll amajority of all the votes cast at the election and not just on themeasure itself. If the ballot was not marked at all it was counted inthe negative. The official returns gave the affirmative vote onsuffrage 40, 209; blanks and noes together 49, 348, making a total of89, 557, or 251 more votes than were cast for Governor, who polled thelargest number. It was generally conceded that if the unmarked ballotshad not been counted against the measure it would have been carried. The entire western part of the State went for suffrage. The chiefopponents were the German Russians in Emmons and surrounding countiesand a handful of anti-suffragists who came from outside the State. 

The same Legislature that sent this bill to the electors alsosubmitted a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution, whichwould be more secure than a law. This resolution had to pass twoLegislatures but it required only a majority at the polls of the votesactually cast on the question. The suffragists felt sure that theLegislature of 1915 would pass for the second time this resolution foran amendment but it refused to do so. They soon sustained a great lossin the death of Mrs. Darrow, the much loved president, on April 23, 1915. She had sacrificed her life in her ceaseless work for womansuffrage. Her husband, Dr. E. M. Darrow, a pioneer physician, twodaughters and three sons ardently supported her efforts. 

On account of the campaign the convention of 1914 had been postponed. It was held at Valley City in June, 1915, and Mrs. Grace Clendening ofWimbledon was elected president. Undaunted the suffragists made plansto hold together the converts won during the campaign. Theorganization had been of mushroom growth and they now had tostrengthen it. 

The annual convention was held at Minot Oct. 10, 1915, and Mrs. Clendening was re-elected. Extensive educational work was done thefollowing year, at Chautauquas by holding "suffrage days, " and throughbooths maintained at the Fargo and Grand Forks fairs, with a widedistribution of literature. The Votes for Women League and the Woman'sChristian Temperance Union opposed Governor Hanna and LieutenantGovernor Fraine at the June primaries because they were responsiblefor the unfair treatment of the suffrage resolution in the Legislatureand both were defeated. 

The annual convention was held Oct. 13, 1916, at Valley City, theNational Association sending as a representative its firstvice-president, Mrs. Walter McNab Miller of Missouri. It was plannedto organize the State on the lines of its three Congressionaldistricts, which made a smaller executive board and facilitated itsmeetings. The following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Clendening; treasurer and press chairman, Mrs. Pierce; national andfirst congressional district chairman, Mrs. O'Neil; educational andsecond district chairman, Mrs. Charles Rathman; third districtchairman, Mrs. Emma Murray; legislative chairman, Mrs. Weible;publicity chairman, Miss Aldyth Ward. An active campaign was startedto influence legislators for a Presidential and Municipal suffragebill and a constitutional amendment. The National Association sent twoorganizers to tour the State, arouse interest and raise money. InFebruary, 1917, one-fifth of the newspapers of the State, representingfour-fifths of the counties, published suffrage editions, and in May a60-page suffrage edition of a Labor magazine was edited and 5, 000copies distributed. In April the headquarters were largely used forwar work. 

The annual convention was held at Bismarck Sept. 25-26, 1917. ThePresidential and Municipal suffrage bills having passed both Housesand become law the convention decided to concentrate on the FederalSuffrage Amendment. An emergency executive committee of Fargo womenwas elected to cooperate from the State headquarters without delay incarrying out instructions from the National Association. The followingresolution was adopted: "The North Dakota Votes for Women League, reaffirming its steadfast loyalty and support to our President and ourGovernment, will continue to carry on the patriotic work assigned usby the Government through our National Association, and will redoubleour efforts to gain enfranchisement for the women of the United Statesin order that we may do more effective war work. " Mrs. Clendening, whowas State president from 1915 to 1920, was now also vice-president ofthe State Committee of the Woman's Division of the National Council ofDefense. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. From the time the convention for statehood failedto put equal suffrage into the constitution the Women's ChristianTemperance Union kept up the agitation for it. In every Legislature asuffrage bill was introduced and its president, Mrs. Elizabeth PrestonAnderson, attended each session. Although working separately, Mrs. Anderson and the suffrage legislative committees were always inperfect harmony. In 1911 the Union had a resolution introduced tosubmit a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution. Mrs. Darrow and Mrs. De Lendrecie of the State Suffrage League lobbied forit. It was lost in the Senate by 23 to 25 votes; referred to theCommittee on Woman Suffrage in the House, which recommended indefinitepostponement and the report was accepted by 54 ayes, 42 noes. 

1913. The Legislative Committee consisted of Mrs. Darrow, Mrs. FannieD. Quain, Mrs. Ella C. Boise and Miss Ward. Two suffrage measuresdrawn up by Senator R. M. Pollock passed both Houses. The resolutionfor an amendment to the State constitution, which would have to passtwo consecutive Legislatures before submission to the voters, receivedin the Senate 31 ayes, 19 noes; in the House 79 ayes, 29 noes; 5absent. A legislative bill, which would go to the voters at the nextelection, received in the Senate, 27 ayes, 22 noes; 1 absent; in theHouse, 104 ayes; 1 no. Another bill introduced at this same session, providing that the question be submitted to a vote of the women, waspassed in the Senate by 41 to 9 and indefinitely postponed in theHouse. 

1915. Legislative Committee Mrs. Darrow, Mrs. Quain and Mrs. Weible. It is a significant fact that of the nearly 800 bills introduced everyone had honest treatment, passed or failed to pass on roll call or wasindefinitely postponed by vote, except the one which vitally affectedthe women. The concurrent resolution for a woman suffrage amendment, which had passed the Legislature of 1913 and had to be ratified bythat of 1915, was passed in the Senate on February 13 by 31 ayes, 15noes, more than two to one, and the so-called "clincher" applied to itwhich prevented its reconsideration by less than a two-thirds vote. The House had appeared more favorable than the Senate and it seemedcertain that it would pass that body. On February 18, five days afterthe measure had passed the Senate, Senator Jacobson moved that it berecalled from the House, where it had had its first and secondreadings and been referred to the Committee on Elections. This motionwas carried by 26 to 22. The opponents at once gathered their forces. Judge N. C. Young of Fargo, attorney for the Northern Pacific Railway, and Mrs. Young, president of the State Anti-Suffrage Association, arrived immediately and began lobbying, Judge Young even appearing onthe floor of the Senate chamber. [138] The German vote was promised toambitious politicians and a desired change of the county seat wasoffered. The Senate not having the necessary two-thirds to kill theresolution refused by a majority vote to take action upon it. Itshould then have gone automatically back to the House but thepresident of the Senate, Lieutenant Governor Fraine, withheld it untilthe Legislature adjourned. The chief opponents during these years werethe old Republican "stand-patters, " who controlled the political"machine, " and Judge Young was one of the most prominent. Success camewith its overthrow. 

1917. The Legislative Committee consisted of Mrs. Clendening and Mrs. Weible. On January 14 Senator Oscar Lindstrom introduced aPresidential and Municipal suffrage bill, written by Senator Pollockat Mrs. Anderson's request. It was modelled on the Illinois bill andbeginning with July 1 it entitled women to vote for Presidentialelectors, county surveyors and constables and for all officers ofcities, villages and towns excepting police magistrates and cityjustices of the peace. A concurrent resolution providing for anamendment to the State constitution to give full suffrage to women wasalso introduced. Both were passed on January 16 by the same vote, 37ayes, 11 noes in the Senate; 89 ayes, 19 noes in the House, and werethe first measures signed by Governor Lynn J. Frazier, on the 23rd. 

This Legislature and also the one of 1919 adopted a resolution callingupon Congress to submit the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment. Four ofthe five North Dakota members were then in favor of it and in 1918 thehesitating Senator made the delegation unanimous. 

The State Referendum Association and the Anti-Suffrage Associationmade an attempt to secure a petition for a referendum to the voters ofthe Presidential and Municipal suffrage bill, but although less than11, 000 names were required only a few thousand were filed with theSecretary of State and there was considerable difficulty in securingthose. Affidavits were sent to the Suffrage Association proving thatmany names were obtained by fraud. 

1919. The Legislature passed the concurrent resolution providing foran amendment to the constitution giving women full suffrage, which hadgone through that of 1917. The vote in the Senate was 43 ayes, 1 no, with 5 absent; in the House 98 ayes, no negative, with 15 absent. Itwas to be voted on Nov. 2, 1920. Before that date the FederalAmendment had been submitted by Congress and ratified by thirty-sevenLegislatures. 

RATIFICATION. The Legislature met in special session Dec. 2, 1919, andratified by the following vote: Senate, 41 ayes, 4 noes with 3 absent;House 102 ayes, 6 noes. Nevertheless the vote on the State amendmenthad to be taken on Nov. 2, 1920, and it stood: Ayes, 129, 628; noes, 68, 569. Thousands of women voted at this election. 

On April 1, 1920, the State Votes for Women League met and wasre-organized as the League of Women Voters, with Mrs. Kate S. Wilderof Fargo chairman. 

FOOTNOTES:

[137] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Emma S. Pierce, vice-president of the State Votes for Women League. 

[138] A field worker for a philanthropic organization, who had a roomin a hotel in Bismarck, the capital, next to one occupied by therepresentative of the liquor interests, heard him send a long distancetelephone message to Mrs. Young for her and the Judge to come on thefirst train, as they were needed. She heard another one say: "If thed----n women get the ballot there will be no chance of re-submittingthe prohibition amendment. "

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

OHIO. [139]

The history of woman suffrage in Ohio is a long one, for the secondwoman's rights convention ever held took place at Salem, in April, 1850, and the work never entirely ceased. Looking back over it since1900, when the Ohio chapter for Volume IV ended, one is conscious ofthe wonderful spirit manifested in the State association. Other Statesdid more spectacular work and had larger organizations but nonefinished its tasks with a stronger spirit of loyalty and love for thework and the workers. 

The State Woman Suffrage Association was organized in 1885 and heldannual conventions for the next thirty-five years, at which capableofficers were elected who were consecrated to their duties. From 1899to 1920 Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton was president, with the exception ofthe three years 1908-1911, when the office was filled by Mrs. PaulineSteinem of Toledo. During the first twenty years of the presentcentury but one year, that of 1911, passed without a Stateconvention. [140] For over twenty years the State headquarters were inWarren, the home of Mrs. Upton. 

On May 4, 5, 1920, the final convention of the Woman SuffrageAssociation was held in Columbus and with its work finished the StateLeague of Women Voters was organized, with Miss Amy G. Maher aschairman. 

The devotion, the efficiency, the self-sacrifice of the suffrageworkers in Ohio will never be known. Their strength lay in theircooperation. To give their names and their work would fill all thespace allowed for this chapter but one exception should in justice bemade. Elizabeth J. Hauser from her childhood days until the FederalAmendment was ratified gave her life to woman's enfranchisement. Painstaking, fearless, unselfish and able, she labored cheerfully, notcaring for praise or credit for the things she accomplished. A goodexecutive, organizer, legislative worker, speaker and writer, she wasa power in the counsels of the suffragists. To her more than to anyother woman do Ohio women owe a debt of gratitude. [141]

From the first gathering of Ohio suffragists in 1850 until Tennesseespoke the last word in 1920, few years passed when some suffragemeasure was not asked for and few Legislatures went out of existencewithout having considered some legislation referring to women. In 1894a law gave them the right to vote for members of the boards ofeducation. In 1904 and 1905, the Legislature was asked to submit tothe voters an amendment to the State constitution giving full suffrageto women but the resolution was not reported out of the committees. In1908 it was reported but no vote was taken. In 1910 it was defeated onthe floor. This was the experience for years. 

Periodically attempts had been made to revise the State constitutionof 1851 without success but the Legislature of 1910 provided forsubmitting to the voters the question of calling a convention, whichwas carried in the fall of that year. The convention was to benon-partisan. The suffragists interviewed the delegates on puttingwoman suffrage in the new constitution and the poll was complete whenthe convention opened. The moment the president was chosen, thesuffrage leaders asked for a friendly committee and from that time tothe very last moment they were at work. The proposition for a womansuffrage clause was introduced Jan. 22, 1912; a pro-hearing was heldFebruary 8; an anti-hearing followed by a public meeting was hadFebruary 14 and the following day it was favorably reported out ofcommittee by a vote of 20 to 1. 

Interests, vicious and commercial, fought the suffrage amendment fromevery possible angle but on March 7 the convention adopted it by avote of 76 to 34. If accepted by the voters it would eliminate thewords "white male" from Section 1, Article V, of the presentconstitution. The enemies secured the submission of a separateamendment eliminating the word "white. " This was done to alienate thenegro vote from the suffrage amendment and the negroes were told thatit was a shame they should be "tied to the women's apron strings. "

The new constitution was made by adding amendments to the old one andthe suffrage amendment went in with the rest. William B. Kirkpatrick, chairman of the Equal Suffrage Committee of the convention, more thanany one was responsible for the acceptance of the amendment. Throughthe whole convention he fought for it, sacrificing many things nearhis heart--they could wait, this was the chance for woman suffrage. 

The amendment was numbered "23" and at that time this number wasconsidered unlucky. The most illiterate could remember to vote againstthat "23. " The constitution was ready on May 31 and the specialelection was set for Sept. 3, 1912. Three months of vigorous campaignfor the amendment followed. The German-American Alliance and thePersonal Liberty League, two associations representing the brewers'interests, fought it in the field as they had done in the convention. It was estimated that the suffragists spent $40, 000 and it was learnedthat the liquor forces first appropriated $500, 000 and later added$120, 000 to defeat the suffrage amendment. The chief work of thesuffragists was done in the cities, although women spoke at picnics, county fairs, family reunions, circuses, beaches, institutes, labormeetings, at country stores, school houses and cross roads. More thanfifty workers came into Ohio from all directions to assist, the largernumber from the eastern States. They received no financial recompenseand gave splendid service. In August an impressive suffrage parade of5, 000 took place in Columbus. 

The president of the German-American Alliance at a meeting inYoungstown boasted openly that it defeated the amendment. Itadvertised everywhere, by posters and in street cars, and had novoluntary workers. It was evident that huge sums were being spent. Theamendment was lost by a majority of 87, 455--ayes, 249, 420; noes, 336, 875. Only 24 out of 88 counties were carried and but oneCongressional district, the Eighteenth. 

There was never any state-wide anti-suffrage association of women butonly small groups in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus. Mostof them were rich, well situated, not familiar with organized reformwork and not knowing the viciousness of their associates. The real foewas the associated liquor men, calling themselves at first thePersonal Liberty League, later the Home Rule Association, appearingunder different names in different campaigns and they had in theiremploy a few women who were connected with the Anti-SuffrageAssociation. The amendment was lost in 1912 because of the activity ofthe liquor interests and the indifference of the so-called goodpeople. More men voted on this question, pro and con, than had evervoted on woman suffrage before in any State. 

The amendment eliminating the word "white, " left over from ante bellumdays, also was defeated and the new constitution retained a clausewhich had been nullified by the 15th Amendment to the NationalConstitution forty years before! The initiative and referendumamendment was carried. The State Suffrage Association, therefore, early in 1913, decided to circulate a petition initiating a womansuffrage amendment to the constitution, as there was no hope that theLegislature would submit one. It required the signatures of ten percent. Of the voters at the last election, in this instance 130, 000names. It was drawn by an Ohio member of Congress, received at Stateheadquarters April 15, submitted to the Attorney General and held manyweeks. When returned, instructions were carefully followed. OnSeptember 15 the first petition heads were received from the printer. 

It was a new law and lawyers and laymen were uncertain about it. Thequestion of the validity of the petitions if circulated by women wasraised and a ruling was asked for. The Secretary of State decided thatwomen could circulate them and the Attorney General agreed. It wasfeared by some that the petition head was faulty because it did notcontain a repeal clause and after three weeks of anxious waiting theopinion was given that this was not necessary. Then arose anotherpoint, that the names of the committee standing for the petition mustbe on it. This constant objecting and obstructing led the suffrageleaders, upon advice of their attorney, to withdraw the petition andawait the action of the special session of the Legislature. It passedthe initiative and referendum safeguarding measure, which the Governorsigned Feb. 17, 1914, and all uncertainties seemed over. 

Determined to have a perfect copy for the petition head thesuffragists had it prepared by the State Legislative ReferenceDepartment and the Secretary of State orally approved it. At theheadquarters it was noticed that the words, "Be it resolved by thepeople of Ohio, " which the constitution specifically provided must beon petition heads and which had been on the first one, had beenomitted. They asked the Secretary of State whether this jeopardizedthe petition and it was his opinion that it did, although he hadapproved it. The Attorney General finally gave it official sanctionand the first petitions were put out in March, 1914, after one year'scontinuous effort to get them into circulation. Who but women fightingfor their freedom could ever have had the courage to keep on? They hadno money to pay circulators and all was volunteer work. Over 2, 000women circulated these petitions. To have more than 130, 000 men writetheir names and addresses on a petition and the circulator see them doit and swear that she did was no light task but it was accomplished. On July 30 petitions bearing 131, 271 names were filed with theSecretary of State. A petition was secured in every county, althoughthe law requires them from a majority only, and each was presented bya worker from that county. The sight of scores of men and women witharms laden with petitions marching up to the State House to depositthem brought tears to the eyes of some of the onlookers. 

The campaign opened in Toledo, April 14, 15, was hectic. Everythingpossible was done to bring the amendment to the attention of thevoters. Cleveland suffragists put on a beautiful pageant, A Dream ofFreedom. A pilgrimage was made to the Friends' Meeting House in Salemwhere the suffrage convention of 1850 was held and the resolutions ofthose pioneers were re-adopted by a large, enthusiastic audience. Women followed party speakers, taking their audiences before and afterthe political meeting. State conventions of all sorts were appealed toand many gave endorsement, those of the Republicans and the Democratsrefusing. Groups of workers would visit a county, separate and canvassall the towns and then keep up their courage by returning to thecounty seat at night and comparing notes. Street meetings and noonmeetings for working people were held. Everything which had been triedout in any campaign was done. 

From the beginning of 1913 to the election in November, 1914, therewas constant work done for the amendment. The total number of votescast on it was 853, 685; against, 518, 295; for 335, 390; lost by 182, 905votes. There were gains in every county but only 14 were carried, where there had been 24 in 1912. 

That the liquor interests and the anti-suffragists worked together wasclearly established. The Saturday preceding the election the presidentof the State Suffrage association saw in her own city of Warren a mandistributing literature from door to door and accompanied by a witnessshe followed him and picked up several packages in different parts ofthe city. They contained two leaflets, one giving information on howto vote on the Home Rule or "wet" amendment, the other givinginstructions how to vote against the suffrage amendment. The latterhad a facsimile ballot marked against it and was signed by five women. The _Liberal Advocate_ of Oct. 21, 1914, (official organ of the liquorinterests), published at Columbus, had a picture and a write-up ofMrs. A. J. George of Brookline, a speaker from the MassachusettsAnti-Suffrage Association, with a headline saying that she would bepresent at a luncheon of anti-suffragists on the 27th in that city andalso speak elsewhere in the State. 

After the defeats of 1912 and 1914 the suffragists abandoned the ideaof carrying an amendment. The revised constitution provided for "homerule" for cities, which allowed them to adopt their own chartersinstead of going to the Legislature. Suffragists believed that thesecharters could provide for woman suffrage in municipal affairs. In1916 East Cleveland decided to frame a charter and they saw a chanceto make a test. This campaign was the work of the Woman Suffrage Partyof Greater Cleveland. On June 6 a city charter was submitted to thevoters and adopted including woman suffrage. A suit was brought totest its constitutionality and it was argued in the Supreme Court, oneof the lawyers being a woman, Miss Florence E. Allen. [142] Byagreement between the court and election officials women voted at theregular municipal election in November. The court upheld its validityApril 3, 1917, and the constitutionality of Municipal woman suffragein charter cities was established. 

In the fall of 1917 the women of Lakewood, a city adjoining Clevelandon the west, gave municipal suffrage to its women by charter after avigorous campaign. Columbus undertook to put this in its charter and abitter campaign took place. It was the house to house canvass and thecourageous work of the Columbus women and State suffrage officerswhich brought the victory when it was voted on at the election inAugust, 1917. Sandusky was not successful. 

A partial poll of the Legislature on the subject of Presidentialsuffrage for women in 1915 had shown that it would be futile toattempt it but after endorsements of woman suffrage by the nationalparty conventions in 1916 it was determined to try. 

The Legislature of 1917 was Democratic and Representative James A. Reynolds (Cleveland) met the State suffrage workers upon their arrivalin Columbus for the opening of the session and informed them that hewas going to sponsor their bill. On January 16 Representative Pratt, Republican, of Ashtabula and Mr. Reynolds, Democrat, each introduced ameasure for Presidential suffrage. By agreement the Reynolds bill waschosen and he fought the battle for it against great odds. He was theone anti-prohibitionist who worked for it, considering it his duty andhis privilege, and, because of his standing and because his party wasin power, he was the only one perhaps who could have carried itthrough. He stood by the suffragists until Tennessee had ratified andthe contest was over. 

On Jan. 30, 1917, the bill to give women a vote for Presidentialelectors was reported favorably from the House Committee on Elections, and on February 1 it passed the House by 72 ayes, 50 noes, fifty-fiveper cent. Of the Democratic members voting for it and sixty-nine percent of the Republicans. In the Senate the leader of the "wets"introduced a resolution for the submission of a full suffrageamendment in the hope of sidetracking the Reynolds bill but the latterreached the Senate February 2, before the Holden bill could beconsidered. The suffragists, wishing to expedite matters, did not askfor a hearing but the "antis" did and at Mr. Reynolds' request theformer were present. At this hearing the women leaders of the "antis"and the liquor men occupied seats together on the floor of the Senate. The next morning the bill was reported favorably from the FederalRelations Committee and passed on February 14, by 19 ayes, 17 noes. Immediately the leader of the opposition changed his vote to yes inorder to move a reconsideration. This he was not permitted to dobecause a friend of the measure forced the reconsideration the nextday, and as this was lost by a vote of 24 to 10, the bill itself wenton record as having received the vote of the "wet" leader and havingpassed by 20 to 16. Governor James M. Cox signed it Feb. 21. 

Very soon the opponents opened headquarters in Columbus and circulatedpetitions to have the Presidential suffrage bill referred to thevoters for repeal. The story of these petitions is a disgraceful one. Four-fifths of the signatures were gathered in saloons, the petitionskept on the back and front bars. Hundreds of names were certified toby men who declared they saw them signed, an impossibility unless theystood by the bar eighteen hours each day for some weeks and watchedevery signature. Some petitions, according to the dates they bore, were circulated by the same men in different counties on the same day. Some of them had whole pages of signatures written in the same handand some had names only, no addresses. The suffragists copied some ofthese petitions after they were filed in Columbus and although thetime was short brought suit to prove them fraudulent in six counties. In four the court ordered all but a few names thrown out. In Sciotoall the names were rejected and in Cuyahoga county (Cleveland), 7, 000names were thrown out. The petitions in Franklin county (Columbus), Lucas (Toledo) and Montgomery (Dayton) were unquestionably fraudulentbut the election boards were hostile to woman suffrage and powerfulwith the courts and refused to bring cases. When suffrage leadersattempted to intervene the courts declared they had no jurisdiction. 

The suffragists were on duty in Columbus from January toOctober, --long, weary, exciting months. It was clearly proved in thecases brought that the petitions were fraudulently circulated, signed, attested and certified. In the course of an attempt to bring a caseagainst Franklin county a ruling of the Common Pleas Court was thatthe Secretary of State should be restrained from counting thesignatures from seventeen counties because the Board of Elections hadnot properly certified them. The Secretary of State telegraphed theseboards and they certified again, although there is no constitutionalor statutory provision for recertification. Nevertheless when thesecorrected certifications were made the Judge dissolved the injunctionand 17, 000 names were restored to the petition. U. S. Senator WarrenG. Harding in a Decoration Day speech at Columbus declared himselfdecidedly opposed to accepting this referendum. 

Cases were brought to the Supreme Court via the Court of Appeals, onea general suit demanding that petitions from certain counties berejected because they were fraudulent and insufficient, the other tomandamus the Secretary of State to give the suffragists a hearing toprove their charges. The first was dismissed, the Supreme Court sayingit had no jurisdiction over a case which had not been finished in thecourt from which the appeal had been taken. They returned to the Courtof Appeals and tried one case on the constitutionality of the law of1915, which gives the Board of Elections and Common Pleas Judges theright to examine the petitions and pass upon their validity, insteadof the Secretary of State. The court decided to give no decision aselection was so near at hand. 

The law made no provision to meet the expenses of petition suits andthe suffragists had to bear the cost, no small undertaking. Theelection boards which were dominated by politicians who had beennotorious for their opposition to suffrage, interposed every possibleobstacle to the attempt of the suffragists to uncover fraud. In somecounties it was impossible to bring cases. Women were absorbed in warwork and thousands of them bitterly resented the fact that at such atime their right to vote should be questioned. The referendum wassubmitted with the proposal so worded on the ballot that it wasextremely difficult to know whether to vote yes or no. 

At the election in November, 1917, the majority voted in favor oftaking away from women the Presidential suffrage. The vote forretaining it was 422, 262; against, 568, 382; the law repealed by amajority of 146, 120. More votes were polled in 1917 than in 1914. Thelaw was upheld in 15 counties, in 11 of which suffrage had thencarried three times. 

Ohio suffragists now turned their attention entirely towards nationalwork. It was apparent that while the liquor interests continued theirfight, women with a few thousand dollars, working for principle, couldnever overcome men with hundreds of thousands of dollars working fortheir own political and financial interests. Intensive organizedcongressional work was carried on henceforth for the Federal SuffrageAmendment. When the vote on it was taken in the House ofRepresentatives Jan. 10, 1918, eight of Ohio's twenty-two Congressmenvoted for it. Three years before, Jan. 12, 1915, only five had votedin favor. In the U. S. Senate, Oct. 1, 1918, Senator Atlee Pomerenevoted No; Senator Warren G. Harding paired in favor. On Feb. 10, 1919, Senator Harding voted Yes; Senator Pomerene No. 

The Legislature in 1919, Republican by a large majority in bothHouses, endorsed the Federal Amendment by a vote of 23 to 10 in theSenate, 79 to 31 in the House. When the vote was taken in the NationalHouse of Representatives, May 21, 1919, only two Ohio members votedNo, one a Democrat, Warren Gard of Hamilton, one a Republican, A. E. B. Stephens of Cincinnati. When the final vote was taken in the SenateJune 4, 1919, Senator Harding voted Yes, Senator Pomerene, No. 

RATIFICATION. The Legislature was so eager to ratify that it had onlyrecessed instead of adjourning so that it could come together for thatpurpose whenever the amendment was submitted. Representative Reynoldshad again introduced a Presidential suffrage measure, and C. H. Foutsof Morgan county, to carry out the Republican platform, had presenteda full suffrage proposal. Both were held back until the fate of theNational Amendment should be known. The legislators assembled toratify on June 16 and the House vote was 76 ayes, 6 noes. In orderthat the women might be sure of a vote at the next election thePresidential suffrage bill was immediately passed by a vote of 75ayes, 5 noes. The House was in an uproar, cheering, laughing andtalking. Then a committee came to the suffrage leaders who were now onthe floor, always heretofore in the gallery, and escorted them to theSenate through the legislative passage way which had always beforebeen closed to them. The Senate ratified by a vote of 27 ayes, 3 noes. The Presidential bill was read, debated and passed by the Senate latethat night by 27 ayes, 3 noes. 

Never was there a finer example of cooperation than in thisratification of the Federal Amendment. The adoption of the jointresolution was moved by the Republican floor leader and seconded bythe Democratic floor leader. The same spirit characterized the passageof the Presidential suffrage bill. Mr. Reynolds, fearing someprejudice might attach to it if it bore his name, as he was a minorityparty member, proposed to the Republican leaders that the name ofSpeaker Kimball be substituted. The Speaker replied: "No, you deserveto have it go through with your name attached. " Mr. Reynolds thenasked that the name of Mr. Fouts be added because he had introduced afull suffrage measure, and it became the Reynolds-Fouts Bill. MissHauser, editor of the _Bulletin_, official organ of the State SuffrageAssociation, said in it: "We had just witnessed a perfect exhibitionof team work and a demonstration of loyalty to a cause and to eachother by members of opposing political parties that was heart warming. We had finished the suffrage fight in Ohio as Mrs. Upton had alwayswanted to finish it, with love, good will and harmony in our ownranks, and, so far as we were able to judge, with nothing but goodwill from the men with whom we had worked since the present stage ofthe contest was inaugurated in 1912. "

The suffragists believed the fight was over, not so the opponents. They at once secured referendum petitions on both ratification andPresidential suffrage. In 1918 the Home Rule Association (the liquorinterests) had initiated and carried at the November election anamendment to the State constitution providing that Federal amendmentsmust be approved by the voters before the ratification of theLegislature was effective. This was designed primarily to secure areversal of prohibition in Ohio but also to prevent ratification ofthe suffrage amendment. [143]

In collecting their petitions the same old tactics were employed. Thepersonnel of the workers was largely the same, with the addition of aState Senator from Cincinnati as general manager. The money to financethe campaign came principally from that city and this time members ofthe women's Anti-Suffrage Association were contributors. The saloonswere now closed and pious instructions were given not to have thepetitions circulated by saloon keepers or bar tenders. Neverthelessnearly 600 of them were circulated by men who had been connected withthe saloon business, some of them now conducting soft drinkestablishments, and the signatures were plainly of the most illiterateelements. 

The State Suffrage Association persuaded the National AmericanAssociation to attack the constitutionality of this referendum in thecourts and suit was accordingly brought. Eventually it was sustainedby the Supreme Court of Ohio and was carried to the U. S. SupremeCourt by George Hawk, a young lawyer of Cincinnati. It rendered adecision that the power to ratify a Federal Amendment rested in theLegislature and could not be passed on by the voters. 

The Legislature in an adjourned session in 1920 gave women Primarysuffrage in an amendment to the Presidential bill, but the finalratification of the Federal Amendment in August made all partialmeasures unnecessary, as it completely enfranchised women. [144] Thusafter a struggle of seventy years those of Ohio received the suffrageat last from the national government, but they were deeplyappreciative and grateful to those heroic men of the State who foughttheir battles through the years. 

FOOTNOTES:

[139] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Harriet TaylorUpton, treasurer of the National Woman Suffrage Association 1893-1910;president of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association 1899-1908 and1911-1920. 

[140] These conventions were held in the following order: Athens, Springfield, Cleveland, Sandusky, London, Youngstown, Toledo, Warren, Columbus, Elyria, Lima, Columbus, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Lima, Dayton, Columbus (last three years). 

[141] The executive officers who finished the work of the StateAssociation were as follows: Honorary president, Mrs. Frances M. Casement, Painesville; president, Mrs. Upton, Warren; first, secondand third vice-presidents, Zara du Pont, Cleveland; Dora SandoeBachman, Columbus; Mrs. J. C. Wallace, Cincinnati; correspondingsecretary, Mrs. Kent Hughes, Lima; recording secretary, Margaret J. Brandenburg, Oxford; treasurer, Zell Hart Deming, Warren; member ofthe National Executive Committee, Mrs. O. F. Davisson, Dayton. Chairmen: Organization Committee, Elizabeth J. Hauser, Girard;Finance, Miss Annie McCully, Dayton; Industrial, Rose Moriarty, Cleveland; Enrollment, Mrs. C. H. Simonds, Conneaut; member ExecutiveCommittee at Large, Mrs. Malcolm McBride, Cleveland. 

[142] Miss Allen was counsel in all court cases of the Ohiosuffragists from 1916 to 1920. In 1920 she was elected Judge in theCommon Pleas Court of Cuyahoga county (Cleveland), the first woman inthe United States to fill such an office. 

[143] Several years before the "wets, " this time under the name of theStability League, had initiated an amendment, which, if it had beencarried, would have prohibited the submission of the same amendmentoftener than once in six years. Thus the suffragists in 1916, 1917 and1918 were in the courts for months each year. 

[144] In the presidential campaign of 1920 Mrs. Upton was appointedvice-chairman of the Republican National Executive Committee, thehighest political position ever held by a woman, and she had charge ofthe activities of women during that campaign. Her last work for womansuffrage was during the strenuous effort to obtain the 36th and finalratification of the Federal Amendment from the Tennessee Legislaturein the summer of 1920, when she went to Nashville at the request ofthe National Republican Committee. --Ed. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

OKLAHOMA. [145]

From the time Oklahoma Territory was opened to settlement in 1889efforts were made to obtain the franchise for women, first by theWoman's Christian Temperance Union, and in 1895 the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association sent organizers and an auxiliary wasformed. It held annual conventions and bills were presented to theLegislature but when one had been grossly betrayed in the Senate afterpassing the House in 1899 no further effort was made for a number ofyears. [146] Finally in answer to requests sent to the NationalAssociation, an organizer, Miss Laura Gregg of Kansas, was sent to theTerritory in March, 1904. She was cordially received and spent thenext eight months in speaking and organizing suffrage clubs. InDecember Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, the national president, joined her fora two-weeks' series of conferences in the large places, in each ofwhich a society was formed. 

A convention of Oklahoma and Indian Territory delegates was called forDecember 15-16 in Oklahoma City. Dr. Shaw presided at the firstsession and delivered an address to a large audience. Over sixtymembers were added to the city club and from this time it was the mostactive in the State. Statehood was being agitated and a letter wasread from Miss Susan B. Anthony, honorary president of the NationalAssociation, which said: "No stone should be left unturned to securesuffrage for the women while Oklahoma is yet a Territory, for if itcomes into the Union without this in its constitution it will take along time and a great deal of hard work to convert over one-half ofthe men to vote for it. "

Letters expressing a strong desire for the franchise were read fromwomen in different parts of the Territories. The Twin TerritorialAssociation was organized and a resolution was adopted calling forstatehood and saying: "Said statehood shall never enact any lawrestricting the right of suffrage on account of sex, race, color orprevious condition of servitude. " Prominent at this convention wereMrs. Kate H. Biggers, Mrs. Julia Woodworth, Mrs. Anna Laskey and Mrs. Jence C. Feuquay. The officers elected were: president, Mrs. Biggers, Indian Territory; first vice-president, Mrs. Woodworth; second, Mrs. Anna M. Bennett; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Laskey; recordingsecretary, Mrs. Louisa Boylan McLoud; treasurer, Miss Margaret Rees;auditors, Mrs. Rebecca Forney and Mrs. Mary B. Green, all of OklahomaTerritory, and Mrs. Mary C. Harvey of Indian Territory. 

The second annual convention was held Oct. 26-28, 1905, at Chickasha, Indian Territory. Mrs. Biggers, Mrs. Woodworth, Miss Rees and Mrs. Green were re-elected. New officers were, Mrs. Minnie Keith Bailey, Mrs. Cleo Ikard Harris, Mrs. Ida Wood Norvell, Mrs. Jessie LivingstonParks and Mrs. Hattie Sherman. Vigorous protest had been made by womenthroughout the Territories against the bill for statehood which hadbeen presented to Congress, classifying women in the suffrage sectionwith illiterates, minors, felons, insane and feeble-minded. The matterwas also taken up by the National Association. [See Chapter V, VolumeV. ] Later when bills in the Territorial Legislature for aconstitutional convention repeated this clause a conference was heldwith the officers of the W. C. T. U. And hundreds of letters ofprotest were sent. 

As a constitutional convention seemed near at hand Dr. Frances Woodsof South Dakota was sent by the National Association to organize inIndian Territory. With the help of Mrs. Woodworth she secured hearingsbefore women's clubs and W. C. T. U. 's, addressed State Labor andPress Associations and was invited to speak to a Farmers' Institute300 miles away with her expenses paid. Miss Gregg continued theorganizing in Oklahoma, addressing an audience of 6, 000 at the GrandArmy of the Republic encampment and speaking to teachers' institutes, business colleges, country school house meetings and women's clubs. One issue of the _Messenger_, the U. C. T. U. Organ, was devoted towoman suffrage. The membership increased; over 75 papers used suffragearticles and much literature donated by the National Association wascirculated. The Oklahoma City Club, Mrs. Adelia C. Stephens, president, was especially active in having the women register for theschool elections, in which they could vote for trustees, in order todefeat the school book trust, and 600 did so. 

In May Dr. Woods spoke at the annual meeting of the Woman's ReliefCorps in Oklahoma City and a resolution was passed favoring womansuffrage. The Grand Army of the Republic, in session at the same time, gave her a place on an evening program at the Opera House, where sheaddressed a large, enthusiastic audience. Mrs. Biggers attended theannual meeting of the Twin Territories Labor Union, which unanimouslyadopted a resolution for woman suffrage. In Tulsa on Labor Day the"float" of the suffragists in the big procession won the prize. AtChickasha during the agricultural fair the tent of the suffrage clubhad the best location on the grounds. Dr. Woods and Mrs. Biggers wentto Muskogee to see Robert L. Owen, a prominent lawyer, and enlist hisstrong influence in favor of a woman suffrage clause in the newconstitution. He cordially promised his influence, service andfinancial assistance and he made his first great suffrage speech inOklahoma City before the convention took place. Dr. Woods left thelast of May and the National Association sent Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer ofPennsylvania in October, 1906, to establish headquarters. When theconstitutional convention opened in Guthrie they were transferredthere, with Mrs. Biggers and Mrs. Boyer in charge. Miss Laura Clay ofKentucky, a national officer, went to their assistance at her ownexpense and Mrs. Mary C. C. Bradford of Colorado did some veryeffective speaking. In February, 1907, a hearing was granted by theSuffrage Committee of the convention. Later Mr. Owen, former GovernorAlva Adams of Colorado and Miss Clay addressed the entire convention. Mr. Owen engaged the Opera House for a mass meeting to influence thedelegates and paid for printing handsomely the Memorial which theState Suffrage Association presented to the convention. 

Mrs. Boyer said. "The woman suffrage measure caused the most heateddebate of the convention. It had been arranged by the politicalmanipulators to apply gag rule and shut off debate as soon as theopposition had exploited itself but on a motion to discuss thesuffrage resolution the vote stood 41 noes, 42 ayes, and the delegatesfavoring it managed to secure the floor and hold it. " Peter Hanraty, the principal representative of the labor organizations, which werepractically solid for a woman suffrage clause in the constitution, ledthe debate in its favor. A number of prominent men spoke strongly forit. Some of the opposing speeches were very coarse. On the final voteit was lost by 50 nays to 37 ayes. Notwithstanding all that had beendone and said the suffrage clause in the new constitution read: "Thequalified electors shall be male citizens of the State and malepersons of Indian descent, who are over 21 years of age. .. . Specifically excepted are felons, paupers, lunatics and idiots. "

The headquarters were returned to Oklahoma City with Mrs. Boyer andMrs. Biggers still in charge and Miss Gregg continued her field work, as the suffragists desired to help some of their friends who werecandidates. Among them at the election in October, 1907, Bird S. McGuire was elected member of Congress, Mr. Hanraty mine inspector, Charles L. Daugherty labor commissioner, Jesse L. Dunn and M. J. KaneJustices of the Supreme Court and fourteen to the Legislature. CharlesW. Haskell, who had been among the bitterest of the opponents in theconvention, was elected Governor. When the first Legislature met inDecember, Mr. Owen was unanimously elected U. S. Senator and neverthereafter failed to render assistance to both State and nationalsuffrage for women. Unsolicited Perry A. Ballard introduced a bill inthe House at the first session giving the Presidential franchise towomen but it never came out of committee. 

The suffrage work done in 1908 was principally through the society inOklahoma City. The State Federation of Labor at its annual conventionendorsed woman suffrage and pledged its support to candidates for theLegislature who would submit the question to the voters. TheSocialists also gave unqualified support. There was no officialrecognition by Democrats or Republicans but a considerable per cent. Of their legislative candidates declared themselves in favor of thisaction. 

State suffrage headquarters were opened in Guthrie in January, 1909, and Mrs. Boyer took charge. Members from clubs over the State came toassist in lobbying for the amendment and pledges were secured from amajority in both Houses. Miss Kate M. Gordon of New Orleans, corresponding secretary of the National Association, came to make theprincipal argument at the Senate hearing. One was granted also beforethe Committee of the Whole. Mrs. N. M. Carter presided and strongappeals were made by Mrs. Boyer, Mrs. M. A. Morrison, Mrs. Feuquay andMrs. Bailey. A petition of 8, 000 names was presented, which had beenquickly collected, but it was treated with discourtesy, one membertearing up the sheets from his district and throwing them into thewaste basket. The Speaker jestingly referred it to the Committee onGeological Survey. The attendance was so great the hearing had to beadjourned to a larger room. Through every possible device and evenconspiracy the measure was lost in the Senate, Governor Haskell usinghis influence against it. 

It was already evident that the amendment could be submitted onlythrough the Initiative and Referendum. This was a new and not wellunderstood law, there was little money in the treasury and the womenwere tired and discouraged, saying, as Mrs. Woodworth expressed it:"It's of no use, for the whisky ring and the grafters will beat usevery time. " Nevertheless an undaunted few decided to begin theimmense work of securing the initiative petition. Mrs. Biggers wascontinued as president and Dr. Ruth A. Gay agreed to act as chairmanof finance and conduct the petition work from her office in OklahomaCity, with the cooperation of Mrs. Stephens, who went personally intothe counties. The National Association again sent Mrs. Boyer, who usedher own room for headquarters in order to save money. She said inwriting of the summer's campaign:

 The women circulated the petition and obtained nearly 38, 600 signatures of voters--more than the necessary number. The State was new; there were few trolleys in cities and still fewer interurbans to make the rural communities accessible; the railroads had infrequent and uncertain schedules. That petition was a marvel in attainment and a monument of sacrifice. The headquarters work has never been surpassed in devotion of local suffragists. Do you know of any other State where the entire campaign was carried on by but two paid workers--a manager and a stenographer? Mrs. Stephens went into the field and Mrs. Biggers remained with the office work and spent her money freely. Dr. Gay sacrificed time from her practice and pressed her father and mother into service so that literature might be addressed to the voters. Mrs. Woodworth, Mrs. Feuquay, Mrs. Burt, Mrs. Mattie Flick, Mrs. Dunham and her daughter Junia and Miss Mary Barber worked day and night in the office or the field. 

Altogether $900 were raised. To this amount Miss Clay contributed$300; Henry B. And Alice Stone Blackwell (Mass. ) $400 and also lentmoney. Most of the women worked gratuitously and paid their ownexpenses. Oklahoma City was canvassed without cost. When the petitionwas ready for filing a representative committee of women carried it toGuthrie and Secretary of State Cross complimented its excellentarrangement. So quietly had it been secured that the "machine"politicians were astounded and dismayed when it was presented andplans were at once made to attack its validity. Senator Roddie waschosen to protest it on the ground that 5, 000 of the signatures werefraudulent but he offered no proof of the charge. Three eminentlawyers, Judge J. B. A. Robertson, Democratic candidate for Governor;Judge T. L. Brown, a Republican, and P. J. Nagel, a Socialist, gavetheir services to the suffragists. The first argued for the justice ofsubmitting the amendment; the second defended the legality of thepetition and the third demanded recognition of the 38, 586 voters whohad signed it. Secretary of State Cross announced a recess until 2 p. M. At that hour he declared that the petition was "in due form of lawand amply sufficient in all things and that the question therebyproposed should be certified to the Governor to the end that the samemay be submitted to the electors of the State as is provided by law. "Senator Roddie then appealed to the Supreme Court, which in June, 1910, sustained the petition. 

Believing that the petition would be upheld the suffragists had openedheadquarters in the Lee Huckins Hotel in Oklahoma City February 1. There was hope of a special election for the amendment, in which caseit could be carried by a majority of those voting on it. If it went tothe regular election it would require a majority of the highestnumber of votes cast. It finally went over to the general election. There was no money for salaries and very little for expenses. Mrs. Boyer conducted a very efficient publicity service and was obliged tofill many appointments as a speaker, besides having all the officework in charge, making it necessary for her to toil far into thenights. Mrs. Biggers carried on the work during Mrs. Boyer's absences. Often there was no money for postage and Dr. Gay would go out and bega few dollars from some friend of the cause. 

It being a State campaign year there were many opportunities for workat picnics and tent meetings arranged for the candidates. TheDemocrats were the dominant party and principal opposers. Among theircandidates were few avowed friends or active helpers and some wereopenly and bitterly opposed. Women who had never made a public speechhad to meet their eloquence and sophistry. Mrs. Stephens and Miss MaryBarber were sent into the most hostile part of the State and workedthrough the heat and dust of almost the entire summer. They spoke fromboxes and wagons; in little dark school houses with only one smokykerosene lamp, making it impossible to read their notes or see theaudience; before large, unsympathetic crowds at open air meetings. Itwas an experience that tested endurance and loyalty almost to thebreaking point. 

The Socialists were always helpful but they were intensely dislikedand sometimes their friendship only made the way more difficult. Thelabor unions were unusually helpful and never antagonistic. Toward thelast of the campaign the secretary of the State Federation of Labor, J. Luther Langston, with Miss Gordon made a two-weeks' speaking tourthrough the State. The vote was taken Nov. 8, 1910, and was announcedas ayes, 88, 808; noes, 128, 928; lost by 40, 120. While thedisappointment was intense yet as an education this campaign could notbe overestimated. [147]

There was still a desire to keep the organization alive and be readyfor the next opportunity. In 1911 Mrs. Biggers declined to stand againfor the presidency, after serving seven years, and Dr. Ruth A. Gay, with a full board, was elected at the annual convention, Mrs. Biggerstaking the office of treasurer. At the State meeting of 1912 Mrs. Mattie Flick, Miss Jessie Nourse and Mrs. Mattie Cloud were added tothe board. Dr. Gay held the presidency until 1913, when Mrs. Cora B. Gotchy was elected. The State association became a member of theSouthern Women's Conference. No further effort was made with theLegislature but the Republican party put a woman suffrage plank in itsState platform and the Progressive party took steps toward anotherinitiative petition, Mrs. Gotchy assisting, but it did not meet withsupport. Mrs. Feuquay was selected for president in 1914 and helped aresolution for an amendment introduced in the Legislature by theSocialist Representatives McLemore and Pritchett, which did not comeout of committee. 

In 1915 Mrs. Adelia C. Stephens was elected president. Thevice-president, Miss Mary Crangle, in the northeastern part of theState, and the recording secretary, Mrs. Frances A. Agnew, in thesouthwestern part, did active personal work to keep up the interest. The Democratic Secretary of State, J. L. Lyon, made strenuousindividual effort to start an initiative petition, which was notsuccessful. Suffrage resolutions were introduced by legislatorsindependently in the session of 1915 and the special session of 1916. Luther Harrison and Charles F. Barrett, now Adjutant General, werehelpful friends in the Legislature. Mrs. Stephens was continued aspresident through 1916 and 1917. [148] In 1916 the resolution for asuffrage amendment passed the House by a vote of 62 to 15 but wasadversely reported by the Senate Committee. 

Since 1910 Mrs. Woodworth had kept the question of woman suffragecontinually before the State Federation of Women's Clubs and in allorganizations of women there was an increasing interest inlegislation, especially for the benefit of women and children, andthey were seeing the necessity of the ballot as a means of attainingit. Meanwhile most of the States west of the Mississippi River hadenfranchised their women and for months before the Legislatureconvened in 1917 letters and telegrams came in announcing that formerfoes had become friends, many of them offering to help the cause. Woman suffrage was the first subject discussed when the Legislatureconvened. The resolution to submit an amendment was championed in theSenate by Senators Fred Tucker of Ardmore, John Golobie of Guthrie, Walter Ferguson of Cherokee and many others. In the House among themost earnest supporters were Paul Nesbitt of McAlester and Bert C. Hodges of Okmulgee. The vote in the Senate February 2 was unanimousand in the House March 17 was 75 ayes, 12 noes. 

Women over the State watched anxiously the action of the Legislatureand many were in attendance. Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. Frank Mulkey ofOklahoma City and Mrs. Robert Ray of Lawton were especially active butthe chief credit belongs to Mrs. Frank B. Lucas, legislativerepresentative of the Federation of Women's Clubs, with wideexperience in legislative procedure. Mrs. Woodworth and Mrs. Lucas hadacted as committee for the State suffrage association, which nowmerged with the campaign committee. 

The campaign was made particularly difficult by the fact that GovernorRobert L. Williams, Attorney General S. P. Freeling and the chairmanof the State Election Board, W. C. McAlester, all Democrats, wereavowed and active anti-suffragists, notwithstanding the party haddeclared in State convention in favor of the amendment. Encouraged byeastern women an Anti-Suffrage Committee was formed with Mrs. T. H. Sturgeon chairman and Miss Maybelle Stuard press chairman and speaker, both of Oklahoma City. Other women prominent in the movement were MissEdith Johnson, of the _Daily Oklahoman_ and Miss Alice Robertson ofMuskogee, who were very active in the distribution of the usual"anti" literature, attempting to link the suffragists with Germans andwith the negro vote. Miss Charlotte Rowe of Yonkers, N. Y. , representing the National Anti-Suffrage Association, remained inOklahoma during most of the campaign but their work was scattered andineffectual. 

The election took place Nov. 8, 1918, and the amendment received amajority of 25, 428 of the votes cast on it. It had a majority of 9, 791of the highest number of votes cast at the election, a record thatnever had been equalled in any State. After the National League ofWomen Voters was organized at the convention of the National AmericanSuffrage Association in March, 1919, a State League was formed inOklahoma with Mrs. Phil Brown of Muskogee chairman. 

 * * * * *

Report of Mrs. Shuler to the Board of the National American WomanSuffrage Association on the Oklahoma Campaign. 

 Against the advice of the National Board with conditions adverse as they were in Oklahoma the legislative committee of the State Federation of Women's Clubs and some members of the State suffrage board secured the submission of an amendment to the voters in 1917 and appealed for help to the National Association. It found that the Oklahoma association was not organized as in other States with the club as the unit but was composed of individual memberships and was not an auxiliary of the National Association, not having paid dues for several years. After obtaining the submission there seemed to be a desire on the part of the women to waive all responsibility for the campaign, but they said that if the National Association considered the winning of it a necessity to its program, it should assume the entire financial responsibility. 

 On Jan. 19, 1918, Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, corresponding secretary and chairman of campaigns and surveys; Mrs. T. T. Cotnam of Arkansas and Mrs. Charles H. Brooks of Kansas, directors of the National American Association, reached Oklahoma City. Several conferences were held with the State board none of whose members could give all their time to the campaign, although two would work for salary and expenses. It was evident that a Campaign Committee must be formed and new groups interested, to which the board agreed. Forty-five women met at the Lee Huckins Hotel on January 21, adopted a plan for work and agreed to raise a budget of $25, 000, Mrs. Shuler stating that no financial assistance from the National Association could be given until the Board had taken action on her "survey" of conditions. Mrs. John Threadgill was elected chairman of the campaign committee with a salary of $100 a month and Mrs. Julia Woodworth, the former State secretary, was made executive secretary at a salary of $15 a week. Mrs. Frank B. Lucas, chairman of finance, agreed to raise the $25, 000 necessary for the campaign with the understanding that she was to have personally 10 per cent. Of the money raised. She raised a little over $2, 000 and resigned April 1. 

 An organization of young women was formed in Oklahoma City and State and city headquarters were opened in the Terminal Arcade. Two organizers, Miss Josephine Miller who remained one week and Miss Gertrude Watkins who remained three weeks, were sent by the National Association. Miss Lola Walker came January 30, Miss Margaret Thompson, a volunteer, and Miss Edna Annette Beveridge in February, all remaining through the campaign. 

 Mrs. Shuler left April 6 for South Dakota and Michigan, both in amendment campaigns. While in Oklahoma she had visited twenty-seven counties out of the seventy-seven and organization had been effected in thirty-two county seats; also the passage obtained of a resolution by the Democratic and Republican State Committees not only endorsing but promising to work for the amendment. A Campaign Committee had been formed with representatives from seventeen organizations of men and women representing different groups with widely diversified interests. Ten State vice-chairmen had been selected from different sections and eleven chairmen of active committees. Headquarters had been opened in Tulsa and Muskogee and others promised in the larger cities. A canvass had been made of forty-six newspapers showing only five to be absolutely opposed. The State had been divided into ten districts and it was hoped that each might have the services later of an experienced national worker. 

 On April 17, 18, a meeting of the Executive Council of the National Association was held in Indianapolis. The Board took action on Oklahoma, agreeing to give organizers, press work and literature to the amount of $13, 650, provided the State would put two more trained organizers in the field immediately and raise the rest of the "budget, " about $11, 000. Mrs. Threadgill attending this meeting and agreed to the plan. 

 On May 1 Miss Marjorie Shuler was sent by the National Association to take entire charge of press and political work, and, to quote from Miss Katherine Pierce's report, "to her effective work with the newspapers of the State was due in a great measure the success of the campaign. " Three hundred were supplied with weekly bulletins and two-and-a-half pages of plate, and the last week 126, 000 copies of a suffrage supplement sent from national headquarters in New York were circulated through the newspapers. As a unit the suffrage organization was used for the 3rd and 4th Liberty Loans, and a statewide Unconditional Surrender Club, in which nearly 100, 000 members were enrolled, was organized by Miss Shuler. In the face of these activities the men paid little heed to the charges of pacifism and lack of patriotism made against the suffragists by paid "anti" speakers sent in from outside the State. 

 May 1 found the Campaign Committee without funds and a meeting held in Oklahoma City early in the month passed the following resolution: "On account of the unusual conditions prevailing at this time which have caused the Oklahoma State Campaign Committee to find itself unable to meet the expenses of the campaign, said committee does hereby dissolve and stands ready to cooperate in any way possible in any plans that may be evolved by the National Board, hoping for its continued aid and support and expressing warmest thanks and most earnest appreciation of the generous aid and assistance already given. " This resolution was unanimously carried, the committee dissolved and Mrs. Clarence Henley was made chairman, Mrs. Frank Haskell, vice chairman, Mrs. A. . Crockett, secretary, Mrs. Blanche Hawley, treasurer, and Mrs. C. B. Ames, chairman of finance of a new one. As the State had not put in the two trained organizers, the National Board sent Mrs. Mary K. Maule in April and Misses Alice Curtis and Doris Long in June. 

 One of the requirements by the National Association if financial assistance were given was that States in campaign should secure signatures of women on petitions. At the meeting in January officers of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union agreed to take entire charge of this work but later decided that it might injure the chances for national prohibition. Its president, however, Mrs. Abbie Hillerman of Sapulpa, served as an advisory member of the Campaign Committee and with other members rendered valuable assistance. Under the direction of Miss Curtis 58, 687 signatures were obtained. 

 In the meantime the Oklahoma City organization, which had for officers a group of young women, was dissolved and their headquarters given up. Money was needed to maintain State headquarters, which were an absolute necessity. In June Mrs. Henley, the chairman, sent a financial plan to all county chairmen, asking for a certain sum from each county based on population, wealth, etc. Some county chairmen resigned, which was a discouragement to Mrs. Henley and to the national workers. Early in July Mrs. Henley telegraphed her resignation to the National Board, stating that the campaign must go by default unless it would assume all financial obligation. Mrs. Catt, the national president, wrote urging her not to resign and stating that the National Association would pay salary and expenses of all national organizers then in the field and would send other workers as needed, providing Oklahoma would finance its State headquarters and speakers' bureau and meet the pledge made in April to pay salary and expenses of two workers. Mrs. Henley remained chairman; Mary Parke London and Sally Fanny Gleaton were sent by the board in July; Alma Sasse in August and Isabella Sanders as headquarters secretary on September 1. Mrs. Shuler returned from New York and took over the campaign for the final two months, with headquarters in Oklahoma City. 

 All of the prominent suffragists in the State were doing war work. .. . There was a depleted treasury. The Campaign Committee was not able to pay for any workers in the field. Money was needed for rent, postage, telegrams, stenographers' salaries, etc. It became necessary for Mrs. Shuler and the organizers, in addition to the detailed work of the campaign, to assume the financial burden as well. Mrs. Shuler gave her personal check for rent for August, September and October and with the national assistants in the field and by personal appeals raised $2, 433. From January 21 to November 5, 1918, there came into the State Campaign Committee's treasury $4, 993 and of this amount $2, 559 were spent from January to June for salaries of Mrs. Threadgill, the chairman; Mrs. Woodworth, the secretary, and headquarters expenses. These funds were checked out on warrants signed by them and the checks signed by Mrs. Hawley, treasurer. From June to November $2, 433 were raised and checked out on warrants signed by Mrs. Henley and checks signed by Mrs. Hawley for headquarters expenses--not a penny going for salary or expenses of any national worker. The sum of $79. 92 remaining in the treasury at the end was turned over to the Ratification Committee. 

 The Tulsa suffragists opened headquarters, engaged an executive secretary and financed their own campaign. They also very generously paid nearly $500 for the suffrage supplement distributed through the State. There were other counties no doubt where money was spent locally, but no record was sent to headquarters. The National Association expended nearly $20, 000 in Oklahoma, the largest sum it had ever put into a State Campaign. By September 1 it was paying salaries and expenses of eleven national workers. [149]

 When the epidemic regulations forbade meetings of more than twelve persons, the suffragists resorted to all manner of devices for voiceless speech and 150, 000 fliers with the wording of the amendment, directions how to vote and the warning that a "silent vote" was a vote against it were distributed by hand and through the mail. Other circularization, posting of towns at a specified date and newspaper publicity were pushed. Much political help was secured. Both Republican and Democratic State conventions passed suffrage resolutions and preceding the Democratic nearly every county convention passed such a resolution. 

 No work which the women did in the campaign was more effective than their election day appeal. Nearly every polling place had women watchers within and women scouts without. Whenever one party in any place denied women the privilege of watching, they secured appointments as regular watchers for the other party. An amendment to the constitution of Oklahoma has to poll a majority of the highest number of votes cast in the general election. The "silent vote" is the term applied to the votes cast in the election but not on the amendment and which are counted against it. The task of arousing every man to such a degree of interest that he would remember to mark his ballot on the suffrage amendment seemed a hopeless task. Those who know the usual inattention given to any constitutional amendment by the rank and file of voters can estimate how difficult it was to get a _majority of the ballots correctly marked_. 

 Early in September it was learned that the Elections Board, claiming that the Secretary of State had failed to supply the official wording of the amendment ninety days before election, did not intend to print the suffrage amendment. Through the efforts of Judge W. H. Ledbetter of Oklahoma City, who donated his services, this obstacle was overcome, and then further to increase the difficulties, the board decided to print the suffrage amendment on a separate ballot. In October it was found that soldiers had voted in seven camps but suffrage ballots had not been furnished them and thus hundreds were prevented from voting on the amendment, yet all of these were counted as voting in the negative! The attempt to hold back the returns and to get a new ruling on the meaning of the so-called "silent vote" are matters of history. 

 On Friday after election it became apparent to the State Elections Board that the suffrage majority was piling up and there was every evidence that the amendment had won. On Saturday it was reported that a member of the State Elections Board in Oklahoma City had called up some chairmen of county elections boards, asking that they open the sealed returns and send a second report counting from the "stubs, " which would include the mutilated and spoiled ballots, so as to increase further the number of the "silent votes. " At that time the suffrage headquarters had received returns from 63 out of 77 counties, showing a majority of 21, 000 of the votes cast on the amendment, about 10, 000 over the "silent vote. " The publication of these attested returns prevented any further attempt to get them from "stub" books. When all other resources failed, the anti-suffragists filed a protest against certification by the State Elections Board. 

 There were really two campaigns in Oklahoma--one to win the ballot and the other to hold it. Mrs. Shuler remained in the State until November 14. On that day the _Oklahoman_ printed the statement by Governor Williams that on the face of the returns so far suffrage had won. 

 Miss Beveridge, who had charge of one of the most difficult sections of the State and had carried it, remained in Oklahoma until December 3, when Governor Williams finally called for the suffrage returns and without certification by the Elections Board, proclaimed it carried. The vote stood 106, 909 ayes, 81, 481 noes, a majority of 25, 428 votes on the amendment and of 9, 791 over the total vote cast at the election. This latter requirement had always been counted on to defeat any measure that the party "bosses" did not want carried and the politicians now asked, "But where was the 'silent vote'?" The answer came when a map of the State was shown almost obliterated with tiny red stars and they were told, "Every star represents a suffrage committee working since last January. " Organization had reduced the "silent vote" to five per cent. And won the suffrage for the women of Oklahoma. [End of Mrs. Shuler's report. ]

RATIFICATION. With the successful closing of the campaign the countychairmen answered the call of Mrs. Shuler to meet in Oklahoma City andformed a Ratification Committee to carry on the work of ratifying theFederal Suffrage Amendment when it should be submitted to theLegislatures. This committee was composed of Miss Katherine Pierce ofOklahoma City, chairman; Mrs. A. P. Crockett of the same city, treasurer, and Miss Aloysius Larch-Miller of Shawnee, secretary, withrepresentative women from the State at large as follows: Mrs. FrankHaskell, Tulsa; Mrs. E. E. McPherron, Durant; Mrs. Walter Ferguson, Cherokee; Mrs. Robert J. Ray, Lawton; Mrs. Hardee Russell, Paul'sValley. The county chairmen for the campaign were retained. 

No active work was done until after the Conference of Governors inSalt Lake City in the summer of 1919, when the amendment had beensubmitted. At this conference the new Governor, J. B. A. Robertson, gave as a reason for not calling a special session to ratify, thegreat expense and the fear of untimely legislation but he consented tocall one if these could be avoided. In September Miss Larch-Miller, assisted by Miss Marjorie Shuler, sent by the National Association, asked the legislators to sign a pledge that they would attend aspecial session, serve without pay, consider no other legislation andvote for ratification. Pledges were signed by a majority of bothHouses and presented to the Governor who made no answer. Several weekslater he addressed the State Federation of Women's Clubs and againoffered the same excuses. 

In January, 1920, the Democratic Central Committee called countyconventions of women to select delegates to a State convention ofwomen to be held prior to the regular State convention. Many of thesecounty conventions passed a resolution requesting the Governor to calla special session and it was also adopted at the State convention ofabout 1, 500 women. A number of the regular county conventions of menand women passed it. Miss Larch-Miller attended the convention of hercounty, although she had been confined to her room for several dayswith influenza. She spoke strongly for the resolution and was opposedby the Attorney General, S. P. Freeling, one of the ablest orators inthe State, but her enthusiasm and eloquence carried the day and it wasadopted. The exertion proved too much for her frail body and the nextnight pneumonia developed and she gave her young life as the supremesacrifice for the cause she loved. 

The Democratic State convention met at Muskogee February 5 and SenatorRobert L. Owen's candidacy for President of the United States haddeveloped to such an extent that he was its dominating figure. Heinsisted on a special session to ratify the amendment. GovernorRobertson stated to the convention that because of its interest inSenator Owen's candidacy he would call the session and he did so forFebruary 23. President Wilson sent the following telegram on the 25thto the Speaker of the House: "May I not take the liberty of expressingmy earnest hope that Oklahoma will join the other suffrage States inratifying the Federal Suffrage Amendment, thus demonstrating anew itssense of justice and retaining its place as a leader in democracy?"

Mrs. Rufus M. Gibbs and Mrs. Mabel G. Millard, presidents of theMaryland and Iowa Anti-Suffrage Associations, sent urgent telegrams todefeat ratification, which were read to both Houses. Attorney GeneralFreeling made a strong State's rights argument against it but theresolution was finally passed on February 27 by a vote of 84 to 12 inthe House and the next day in the Senate by 25 to 13. Senators FredTucker of Ardmore and J. Elmer Thomas of Lawton sponsored it in theSenate and Paul Nesbitt of McAlester and Bert C. Hodges of Okmulgee inthe House. Governor Robertson signed it February 28. Attorney GeneralFreeling immediately started a petition to refer this action to thevoters. The decision of the U. S. Supreme Court that there could be noreferendum of Federal Amendments ended this final effort. 

The Ratification Committee, with a feeling of gratitude to theNational Suffrage Association for the generous assistance that hadbeen given to Oklahoma affiliated the State with this body and it wasrepresented at the next national convention by a delegation of eight. 

In 1920 Mrs. Lamar Looney was elected to the State Senate; Miss BessieMcColque to the House and Miss Alice Robertson to the Lower House ofCongress. 

FOOTNOTES:

[145] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Adelia C. Stephens, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association, and MissKatherine Pierce, chairman of the Ratification Committee. 

[146] History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV, page 888. 

[147] The following testimonial was gratefully offered: Mrs. IdaPorter Boyer by her tact and never failing kindness not only won thelove of the suffragists of Oklahoma but the respect and confidence ofall others who knew her. By her tireless energy and unselfishness shedid a work which contributed very largely to the final success thatcame later. Signed, Kate H. Biggers, president State SuffrageAssociation; Jence C. Feuquay, first vice-president; Adelia C. Stephens, corresponding secretary; Ruth A. Gay, chairman financecommittee. 

[148] Other State officers through the years were Mrs. N. M. Carter, Mrs. Julia Dunham, Dr. Edith Barber, Elizabeth Redfield, Mrs. J. R. Harris, Mrs. Narcissa Owen, Mrs. A. K. McKellop, Martha Phillips, Minnie O. Branstetter, Mrs. Roswell Johnson, Lucy G. Struble, CarrieK. Easterly, Kate Stafford, Dora Delay, Ellen McElroy, Edith Wright, Mrs. Lee Lennox, Mary Goddard, Mrs. John Threadgill, Blanche H. Hawley, Mrs. A. S. Heany, Mrs. Clarence Davis, Mrs. Carl Williams, Mrs. C. L. Daugherty, Mrs. John Leahy, Jessie Livingston Parks, Mrs. N. McCarty, Louise Boylan. 

District presidents and chairmen of committees: Dora Kirkpatrick, Janet C. Broeck, Elizabeth Burt, Ethel Lewis, Mrs. H. J. Bonnell, Mrs. O. A. Mitscher, Mrs. C. C. Conlan, Effie M. Ralls, E. Irene Yeoman. 

[149] Many ardent suffragists found they could not stand up againstthe statewide comment that the women should be doing only war work butthe cooperation in many counties was splendid and there is not spaceenough to name those who stood by throughout the struggle. To thosealready mentioned should be added Judge and Mrs. D. A. McDougal ofSapulpa, Mrs. Robert Ray of Lawton, Mrs. B. W. Slagle of Shawnee, Mrs. Hardee Russell of Paul's Valley, Mrs. Lamar Looney of Hollis, Mrs. Francis Agnew of Altus, Mrs. Eugene B. Lawson of Nowata, Mrs. AnnetteB. Ahler of Hennessey, Mrs. Olive Snider of Tulsa. Among the men to bespecially mentioned are James J. McGraw of Ponca City, member of theNational Republican Committee; Tom Wade of Marlow, member of theNational Democratic Committee; George L. Bowman of Kingfisher, AlgerMelton of Chickasha, Colonel E. M. McPherron of Durant and BirdMcGuire of Tulsa. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

OREGON. [150]

The advent of 1901 found the suffrage cause in Oregon almost becalmedupon a sea of indifference. With an ultra conservative population, defeats in five previous campaigns, the existence of bitter prejudicesand an utter lack of cooperation among the suffragists themselves, theoutlook was almost hopeless, except for the one outstanding fact thateach failure had carried the women a little nearer their goal. Aninactive State organization had been maintained for years and in1901-1904 the officers were: President, Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway;vice-president-at-large, Dr. Annice Jeffreys; vice-president, Mrs. AdaCornish Hertsche; corresponding secretary, Miss Frances Gotshall;recording secretary, Mrs. W. H. Games; treasurer, Mrs. Henry WaldoCoe. No regular conventions were held. 

Mrs. Duniway, the mother of suffrage in Oregon, always advocated the"still hunt, " preferring to centralize and individualize the effortthrough prominent men and women rather than through a large andgeneral organization. Shortly before her death in 1915, speaking ofher work she said: "Occasionally I would gather a few women togetherin a suffrage society but on the whole I did not find my time thusspent at all profitable. Some traveling lecturer would often comealong and after speaking before the little local band of a dozenmembers would receive the contents of the treasury, leaving thesociety to ravel out for lack of funds. These experiences led me togive up organizing suffrage societies, as I had learned thatlecturing, writing serial stories and editorials and correspondenceafforded a more rational means of spreading the light. .. . The onlytime for general, active organization is after a few devoted workershave succeeded in using the press for getting the movement squarelybefore the voters in the shape of a proposed State suffrageamendment. "

This will answer very largely the many criticisms that came from theNational Association and from equal suffrage States over the apathy ofOregon women from 1900 to 1904. What the result might have been, withthe State and national growth of suffrage sentiment, had there been astrong, active organization is problematic, but Oregon might have hadthe proud distinction of being first instead of last of the PacificCoast States to liberate her women politically. In 1905 the followingofficers were elected: Honorary president, Mrs. Duniway; president, Mrs. Coe; vice-president, Dr. Jeffreys Myers; secretary, Dr. Luema G. Johnson; treasurer, Mrs. Abbie C. French; auditors, Dr. Mary Thompson, Mrs. Martha Dalton and Mrs. Frederick Aggert. 

The Legislature had many times submitted the amendment but itsrepeated failures had discouraged the most ardent supporters in thatbody. The gains in the various campaigns were not sufficient, theyargued, to warrant the expense of resubmission in the near future. This reason was freely and courageously given from the Chair of theSenate by one of the staunchest friends suffrage ever had in theState, the Hon. C. W. Fulton, when he voted "no" on re-submission inthe Legislature of 1899, and the defeat of 1900 intensified thisfeeling. 

Hope revived when the Initiative and Referendum Act was adopted by thevoters in 1902. The District Judges decided against itsconstitutionality and an appeal was carried to the State Supreme Courtby Attorney Ralph Duniway, whose able argument resulted in a reversaland the establishment of the legality of the new law. This decisionwas rendered Dec. 22, 1903, and on Jan. 2, 1904, a suffrage petitionwas issued. This required the signatures of 8 per cent. Of the legalvoters of the State based on the highest number of votes cast at theelection of 1902, in round numbers 7, 200 names, and compelled thesubmission of the amendment. In less than three weeks 7, 900 had beenobtained but as only half of them had been verified and classifiedbefore the limited time expired the work was of no avail. 

During the following two years another force had been contributingindirectly to the suffrage cause through the preparations for theNational Exposition which was to celebrate in Portland the Lewis andClark Expedition. In 1904 the Hon. Jefferson Myers, president of theExposition Commission, with his wife, Dr. Annice Jeffreys, attendedthe convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association atWashington, D. C. , and so eloquently presented the claims of Oregonthat its unanimous decision was to hold its next meeting in Portland. Stimulated by this prospect the Legislature of 1905 yielded topressure and submitted the amendment to be voted on in November, 1906. 

It was a proud day for Oregon when the national convention was calledto order on June 21, 1905, by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, nationalpresident, in the First Congregational Church. The honorary president, Miss Susan B. Anthony, then 85 years old, favored every session withher gracious presence. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the vice-president;Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, the recording secretary, with her father, Henry B. Blackwell; Miss Kate Gordon, corresponding secretary, andMiss Laura Clay, auditor, were present and with Mrs. Charlotte PerkinsGilman, Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, Misses Gail Laughlin, Mary andLucy Anthony, Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, Mrs. Maud Wood Park and otherwell known women were heard during the convention. [See Chapter V, Volume V. ]

Very significant of the changing sentiment toward women was theunveiling of the Sacajawea statue, in the exposition grounds, whichhad been arranged for the time when these visitors could assist thecommittee in the ceremonies. Miss Anthony in the opening address paida glowing tribute to this Indian woman and exhorted the women ofOregon to lead the way to women's liberty. Dr. Shaw highlycomplimented those who had made this recognition of a woman's servicesto her country possible and hailed it as the dawning of a new day forthe cause of woman. Brief words along these lines were spoken by Mrs. Catt and others. The picture will never fade from the memory of thosewho saw Miss Anthony and Dr. Shaw standing on the platform with thesun lighting up their silver hair like an aureole and their facesradiant with hope, as "The Star Spangled Banner" sung by an Indianboy raised a tumult of applause while the flag floated away revealingthe idealized mother and babe. [151]

The national suffrage convention gave to the cause in Oregon a newbirth. Some of the most prominent men in the State appeared on itsplatform and urged another campaign and political leaders in privateconference with its officers assured them that the time was ripe forsuccess. Encouraged by this assurance and in response to the strongappeal of the leaders among the women of the State, the NationalAssociation pledged its support. The suffragists for the most partwere now fully convinced that if the amendment was to be carried in1906 there must be state-wide, systematic organization and in answerto their request the National Board sent to assist them two of itsbest organizers, Miss Mary N. Chase and Miss Gail Laughlin. By the endof 1905 forty-two clubs had been formed in Portland and committeesoutside. Newspapers were giving full reports of meetings and thePortland _Journal_ was publishing each Sunday articles on suffrage byMrs. Sarah A. Evans, editor of the woman's page. At a State conventionheld in Portland on November 8 the attendance was so great it wasnecessary to adjourn to a larger hall. Mayor Harry Lane welcomed theconvention and took an unequivocal position in favor of womansuffrage. Statesmanlike addresses were made by Miss Laughlin and MissLaura Clay of Kentucky. A special Campaign Committee had beenorganized to cooperate with the State and national workers. [152]

The great leader of women, Susan B. Anthony, had passed away in March, 1906, her thoughts on the Oregon campaign to the very last, and, carrying out her wishes, the following group of women came at once toassist the women of the State: Dr. Shaw, Miss Clay, Miss Blackwell andMiss Gordon, national officers; her sister and niece, Miss Mary andMiss Lucy Anthony; Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer of Pennsylvania, Miss LauraGregg of Kansas, Mrs. Mary C. C. Bradford of Colorado. Miss Laughlinwas already there. Added to the able Oregon workers a more efficientbody of women never had charge of a suffrage campaign. Centrallylocated headquarters were at once opened in Portland, which soonbecame the Mecca for the suffragists from all over the State. Theabove trained campaigners submitted a plan to the State board andcommittee, which was adopted. Women who had been named as countychairmen previous to 1905 by Mrs. Duniway were used when possible as anucleus for a county organization. Many young women who took a leadingpart in later campaigns got their first inspiration. 

One large room at headquarters was set aside in which to prepareliterature for mailing and there daily went a stream of Portlandwomen, often swelled by women from out of the city, who workeddiligently from morning till night and many of them every day. Thesenoon hours became the social events of the campaign and many businesswomen acquired the habit of dropping in to help a bit with the workand to enjoy the delightful companionship of the women they foundthere. Mrs. Coe, the State president, was out of the city severalmonths, returning only a few weeks before the election. 

Among the women outside of Portland who put their shoulders to thewheel were Mrs. Clara Waldo, Marion county; Mrs. Emma Galloway, Yamhill; Dr. Anna B. Reed, Linn; Mrs. Elizabeth Lord, Wasco; ProfessorHelen Crawford, Benton; Mrs. Henry Sangstacken, Coos; Mrs. ImogeneBath, Washington; Mrs. Rosemary Schenck, Lincoln; Mrs. MinnieWashburn, Lane, and Mrs. Eva Emery Dye, Clackamas. 

Miss Clay, Mrs. Bradford and Miss Gregg supervised the work of Stateorganization, going into large and small places and extending it intothe remotest corners. Mrs. Boyer took up the publicity, in which shehad had long experience. Miss Gordon had charge of parlor meetings inthe cities and larger towns, reaching hundreds who could not have beeninduced to attend public rallies. Miss Laughlin appealed powerfully tothe labor and fraternal organizations and conducted a series ofmeetings in their halls, at industrial plants and on the streets. MissBlackwell, assisted by the Misses Mary and Lucy Anthony, remained atthe headquarters and supervised the sending out of literature. Dr. Shaw, while keeping her finger on the pulse of all the work, wasspeaking to great crowds constantly. 

The impetus given the cause by the national convention the previoussummer and the activity of the national workers in the presentcampaign aroused the corrupt influences in politics and the upper andlower classes of anti-suffragists as never before and they jointlyemployed Ferdinand Reed, an experienced politician, at a high salary, as manager of a skilfully organized effort to defeat the amendment. 

The Brewers' and Wholesale Liquor Dealers' Association of Oregon sentout from Portland May 21 to the retail liquor dealers and druggiststhe following secret circular, printed on its official paper, headedwith the names of thirteen breweries and nineteen wholesale liquorhouses:

 Dear Sir:--Two laws are to be voted on at the election June 4, which are of vital importance to every liquor merchant in Oregon without exception. The first is woman suffrage. The second is the amendment to the local option law. The members of this association have worked hard for a long time on both these matters . .. But, being few in number, they can not by themselves pass the local option amendment or defeat woman suffrage. That part of the work is up to the retailers. We write this letter earnestly to ask you to help. 

 It will take 50, 000 votes to defeat woman suffrage. It will take 50, 000 votes to pass the amendment to the local option law. There are 2, 000 retailers in Oregon. That means that every retailer must himself bring in 25 votes on election day. Every retailer can get 25 votes. Besides his employees he has his grocer, his butcher, his landlord, his laundryman and every person he does business with. If every man in the business will do this we will win. 

 We enclose 25 ballot tickets, showing how these two laws will appear on the ballot and how to vote. If you will personally take 25 friendly voters to the polls on election day and give each one a ticket showing how to vote, please mail this postal card back to us at once. You need not sign the card. Every card has a number and we will know who sent it in. Let us all pull together and let us all work. Let us each get 25 votes. 

The election took place June 4, 1906, and resulted in an adversemajority of 10, 173 in a vote of about 84, 000. Besides the money raisedin Oregon the National Suffrage Association expended on this campaign$18, 075. Of this amount $3, 768 were used in the preliminary work of1905. All of the eastern workers except the organizers contributedtheir services and several defrayed their own expenses. 

The women decided to go immediately into another campaign. TheLegislative Assembly of 1907 refused to submit the amendment and theState Association again circulated an initiative petition to have itsubmitted. Miss Clay contributed $300 toward the expense of it; Mr. And Miss Blackwell also contributed liberally and the requisite numberof names was secured. Mrs. Duniway in reporting this campaign said:"It was more like that of 1900, as only Oregon women took part and nolarge meetings were held. " There were a few less votes in favor of theamendment in 1908 than in 1906 and 11, 739 more against it. 

The State Association filed a petition for another initiative measureimmediately after this defeat. It was quite a different proposition, however, as it read: "No citizen who is a taxpayer shall be denied theright to vote on account of sex. " Both men and women, many of them thestaunchest suffragists, openly opposed it and it was bitterly foughtby labor and fraternal organizations. No campaign was attempted exceptfrom the State president's office and there was general satisfactionwhen it was defeated in 1910 by a majority of 22, 600. 

A reorganization of the State work in 1906 after the election hadresulted in Mrs. Duniway's again resuming the presidency with thefollowing board: Vice-president-at-large, Mrs. Elizabeth Lord;corresponding secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth Craig; recording secretary, Miss Emma Buckman; financial secretary, Mrs. A. Bonham; treasurer, Mrs. W. E. Potter; auditors, Mrs. Frederick Eggert and Mrs. MarthaDalton; honorary president, Mrs. Coe. This board practically remainedintact until 1912. In the two disastrous campaigns of 1908 and 1910, against the protest of many, the "still hunt" method was employed andno state-wide organization was attempted. With indomitable courage theboard again circulated an initiative petition and had the amendmentfor full suffrage put on the 1912 ballot. Although it was unnecessaryfor the Legislature to vote for its submission it did so in order togive it more weight. 

The women of the State now grew restive and began to agitate fororganization for the coming campaign. During 1910 and 1911 Washingtonand California had enfranchised their women and Oregon remained theonly "black" State on the Pacific Coast. This was a matter of greathumiliation to the women who had worked for suffrage at least a scoreof years, as well as to the progressive young women who were beginningto fill the thinning ranks of the pioneer workers. 

In December, 1911, Dr. Shaw, the national president, wrote a verystrong letter to some of the women severely criticizing their apathyand lack of preparation for this campaign. This was brought to theattention of the State president, who later wrote: "Although urgedfrom many sides and by some of the ablest women of the State to begina campaign for 1912 in the summer of 1911, I withstood all suchrequests. " A division of opinion arose among the women of Portlandregarding the wisdom of delay and Dr. Shaw's letter was submitted tothe Woman's Club, an organization which up to this time had taken noactive part in work for suffrage. Now a motion prevailed to enter intothe campaign and authorize the president, Mrs. A. King Wilson, toappoint a committee for this purpose. The personnel of the committeewas: Mrs. Frederick Eggert, Mrs. William Fear, Mrs. George McMillan, Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy, Mrs. Grace Watt Ross, Mrs. Sarah A. Evans, chairman; Mrs. William Strandborg, secretary. This committee waited onthe State president and submitted a plan whereby all the variousgroups of women which were forming might be co-ordinated and operatefrom one headquarters, the committee offering to assume all financialexpense for them. The plan was not approved by her and the committeeand all other groups were compelled to work independently of the Stateorganization. 

The Portland Woman's Club Committee opened headquarters in January, 1912, occupying two rooms in a centrally located office building forthe entire ten months of the campaign. Dr. Shaw, through thegenerosity of a friend, contributed $200 a month toward theirmaintenance. Mrs. Strandborg, a newspaper woman of large experience, sent every two weeks a short, spicy letter to 210 papers throughoutthe State. Many appreciative notices were given by the press. 

Almost simultaneously with the opening of headquarters by thiscommittee a number of independent societies were formed forpropaganda, which sent out organizers and by summer there were nocounties and but few towns or hamlets without a suffrage society. Withthe assistance of Miss Anita Whitney of California and Mrs. Helen HoyGreeley of New York the women of Oregon University organized a largecollege suffrage club; the State Agricultural College did the same andthese were rapidly emulated by the smaller colleges and schools. TheState Federation of Labor endorsed it and sent organizers into thefield as did many fraternal associations. 

The first concerted effort made by the State Association was at SalemFeb. 16, 1912, in the Hall of Representatives by permission ofSecretary of State Ben Olcott. A large number of suffragists werepresent. The speakers were Governor Oswald West; Mrs. Olive EnglishEnright; Mrs. Greeley and Miss Whitney. Mrs. Duniway became seriouslyill immediately after this meeting and the work of the associationfell upon Mrs. Coe, who courageously assumed the responsibility. Inthe secretary, Miss Buckman, she had an able assistant, and also inMrs. L. W. Therkelsen, Mrs. H. R. Reynolds, Dr. Marie D. Equi and Dr. Victoria Hampton, close friends of Mrs. Duniway. On March 8 Mrs. Coecalled a meeting at the headquarters in the Selling Building inPortland, two rooms having been generously donated by the Hon. BenSelling to be jointly used by the State association and the CollegeLeague. The State work was definitely launched by the appointment ofthe following committees: Finance, Mrs. J. A. Fouilhoux, Mrs. ElliottCorbet, Dr. Florence Manion; literature, Mrs. Louise Trullinger, Mrs. A. E. Clark, Miss Emma Wold, Miss Blanche Wren; ways and means, Dr. Florence Brown Cassiday, Mrs. Caroline Hepburn, Mrs. C. B. Woodruff. 

In June the General Federation of Women's Clubs met in San Franciscoand many of the prominent women in attendance arranged to return viaOregon, the New York special train stopping over for one day. It wasmet twelve miles out and escorted to Portland and met at the depot bya brass band. 

In the afternoon a meeting was held in the Taylor Street MethodistChurch with many unable to obtain admittance. Miss Mary Garrett Hay ofNew York; Mrs. H. C. Warren of New Jersey; Mrs. Desha Breckinridge ofKentucky; Miss Helen Varick Boswell and Miss Mary Wood of New York, and Professor Frances Squire Potter of Minnesota University, wereamong the speakers. The last four remained for several days and spokeat the great Gladstone Chautauqua. One of the most noteworthyincidents of the campaign was a debate here between Mrs. Breckinridgeand the Rev. Clarence True Wilson, secretary of the Committee ofTemperance and Morals for the Methodist Church. The reverend gentlemanwas the white hope of the anti-suffragists. His exalted calling andhis official position as a prohibitionist, camouflaged the relationbetween the two extremes of society that were working against theamendment--the liquor people and a group of society women supplementedby a group of prominent men. He had sent the challenge to the Woman'sClub Committee and Mrs. Breckinridge took up the gauntlet. Threethousand people saw him, completely routed, retire from the platformwhile Mrs. Breckinridge and "the cause" got a tremendous ovation. Mr. Wilson and William D. Wheelwright were the only two men who took theplatform against the amendment. The women "antis" were led by Mrs. A. E. Rockey, Mrs. Ralph Wilber, Mrs. Robert Lewis and the Misses Ettaand May Failing. 

The committee maintained a speakers' bureau and sent out thousands ofpieces of literature. Among the first to enter the campaign was aMen's Equal Suffrage Club, organized and promoted by W. M. Davis, aprominent attorney of Portland, which soon became an active state-wideorganization. Mr. Davis was the legal adviser of all the women'sorganizations. 

Mrs. Solomon Hirsch, an early worker and one of the most liberalfinancial supporters of the campaign, went directly into the camp ofthe enemy and organized a group of society women in the Portland EqualSuffrage League. No one feature stands out more conspicuously forresults than a "tea" she gave for Sir Forbes-Robertson in her palatialhome, to which she invited about two hundred guests, most of whom wereradical anti-suffragists, but many of them went away converts afterhearing the presentation of the subject by the guest of honor. Mrs. Hirsch also brought the Rev. Charles A. Aked of San Francisco. 

Dr. Coe was the first president of the Portland College League andwhen she had to assume the duties of the State president, Miss EmmaWold filled her place. The largest suffrage meeting up to that timewas under the auspices of this league at Oaks Amusement Park, whereMrs. Sara Bard Field (Ergott) and C. E. S. Wood, a brilliant orator, addressed more than 10, 000 people. Mrs. A. C. Newill established theCooperative Civic League, which did active work with the Stateassociation. Dr. Lovejoy organized Every Body's League late in thecampaign but succeeded in gathering hundreds of unattached men andwomen into the ranks of the workers. The Woman's Christian TemperanceUnion added its mighty strength and did valiant service under the ableleadership of Mrs. Lucia Faxton Additon, Mrs. M. L. T. Hidden and Mrs. Ada Wallace Unruh. 

On Nov. 5, 1912, the equal suffrage amendment was carried by amajority of 4, 161, not by any one person or by any one organization, for no individual or single organization could have compassed the workrequired to put the State "over the top" with even this meagremajority in a total vote of 118, 369. When the heights were reached, however, all were ready to lay the laurels at the feet of AbigailScott Duniway, Martha A. Dalton, Charlotte M. Cartwright and Dr. MaryThompson, the pioneers who had borne the heat and burden of the earlydays. Governor West paid Mrs. Duniway the compliment of inviting herto write the proclamation of woman suffrage and jointly with him tosign it, and John Coffey, the county clerk, carried the registrationbook to her sick room so that she might be the first woman in Oregonto register. 

At the close of this arduous campaign the women folded their hands fora quiet rest until the cry for help came from other States. It was amost difficult task to gather up the broken threads of so manyorganizations and again rouse them to enthusiasm. Dr. Lovejoy, however, at the earnest request of Dr. Shaw, sent out a general callfor a conference in March, 1915. At this meeting the State SuffrageAlliance was formed with Mrs. William Ogburn as first president. Thosewho followed her in the office were: Mrs. Thomas Burk, Mrs. KelleyRees, Mrs. Elliott Corbett and Mrs. C. B. Simmons. It gave itsassistance to the unenfranchised States and was ready to respond toany call from the national president. 

RATIFICATION. The Alliance was largely instrumental in having aspecial session of the Legislature called to ratify the FederalSuffrage Amendment. This was done by unanimous vote in the HouseJanuary 12 and in the Senate January 13, 1920, and Governor OswaldWest affixed his signature on the 14th. The resolution was introducedin the lower House by Mrs. Alexander Thompson, a member. 

On March 6, 1920, at a called meeting the women organized a League ofWomen Voters and Mrs. Charles E. Curry was elected chairman. 

The Oregon chapter on suffrage was closed on Aug. 28, 1920. At noon ofthat day, while nearly 300 women stood at attention around the banquettable at the Benson Hotel in Portland, every bell and whistle in thecity sounded forth the glad refrain of liberty and righteousness, universal suffrage for women, proclaimed by Secretary of StateBainbridge Colby. The Mayor of Portland, George L. Baker, was there torejoice with them. Old women who had stood in the battle-front foryears were there to tell of the hard struggles they had passed throughfor the franchise and young women were there to promise that theywould keep the faith and honor the inheritance that had come to them. The jubilee closed with the singing of a Hymn of Thanksgiving writtenfor this meeting by Mrs. Helen Ekin Starrett, the only woman livingwho had attended the first and last conventions of the NationalSuffrage Association--1869-1920. 

FOOTNOTES:

[150] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Sarah A. Evans, president of the State Federation of Clubs ten years; on the ChildLabor Commission eighteen years and market inspector for Portlandsixteen years. 

[151] Sacajawea was a young Indian woman who accompanied her husbandon the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the Missouri River to thePacific Coast, the only woman in the party. She had been a captivefrom an Idaho tribe of the Shoshones and was the only person who couldspeak the language of the Indians that would be met on the way or whohad ever been over the route to be traveled. With her baby in her armsshe was the unerring guide through the almost impenetrable mountainpasses and on several occasions saved not only the equipment anddocuments but the lives of the party. In recognition of this servicethe women of Oregon formed the Sacajawea Association, with thefollowing officers: Mrs. Eva Emery Dye, president; Mrs. C. M. Cartwright, first vice-president; Mrs. M. A. Dalton, second; Mrs. J. B. Montgomery, third; Mrs. Sarah A. Evans, secretary; Mrs. A. H. Breyman, treasurer. This association secured subscriptions and erecteda beautiful bronze statue on the exposition grounds, which later wastransferred to a prominent place in the city park. 

[152] Campaign Committee: Mrs. Henry Waldo Coe, chairman, president ofthe Equal Suffrage Association; Mrs. Duniway, honorary president; Dr. Annice Jeffreys Myers, its vice-president and auditor of the NationalAssociation; Mrs. Sarah A. Evans, president State Federation ofWomen's Clubs; Mrs. Lucia F. Additon, president Woman's ChristianTemperance Union; Mrs. C. M. Cartwright, State Pioneers' Association;Mrs. Clara Waldo, State Grange; Dr. Luema G. Johnson, State LaborOrganization; Mrs. Eva Emery Dye, Sacajawea Association. 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

PENNSYLVANIA. [153]

Pennsylvania was a pioneer State in the movement for woman suffrage. One of the first "woman's rights" conventions in history took place in1852 in West Chester under the auspices of the Friends, or Quakers, and Philadelphia was the home of Lucretia Mott, who joined withElizabeth Cady Stanton in 1848 in calling the first "woman's rights"meeting ever held. The State Woman Suffrage Association was formed inthis city in December, 1869, a few months after the founding of theNational Association, and did not cease its work until the finalvictory in 1920. 

Mrs. Lucretia L. Blankenburg of Philadelphia was reelected to thepresidency in 1901 for the tenth consecutive term and was reelectedannually six times thereafter, retiring in 1908 because the work thenrequired long journeys from home. Auxiliaries had been organized in 11counties before the convention held in Philadelphia, Nov. 26, 1901. Suffrage activities had been confined to southeastern Pennsylvania butnow three extreme western counties and two central ones hadorganizations and offered a promising field. For the first time planswere made for extended canvassing for members. To the courageous womenof that period who carried on steadfastly under severe handicaps andwith little encouragement may be attributed much of the inspiration ofthe suffragists of later years. Miss Jane Campbell of Germantown, poet, author and orator, president for many years of the large, activePhiladelphia County Society, was responsible in a great degree for theenthusiasm and spirit which sustained the pioneers. 

The convention of 1902 took place in Philadelphia November 7. Areport on the canvassing of one ward of Philadelphia, the 10th, showed55 per cent. Of the women in favor. Leaflets were sent to 2, 184schools during the year and a prize offered for the best essay onwoman suffrage by a pupil. On December 5 the Philadelphia YearlyMeeting of Friends organized an Equal Rights Association. 

A report on the canvass of the 15th ward, undertaken by the countysociety, the largest and most active auxiliary, was given at theannual convention held in Philadelphia, Nov. 7, 1903, and showed thatof the 4, 839 women interviewed nearly one-half were favorable, lessthan a third opposed and the rest were indifferent. This year theState Grange and the city Labor Union endorsed woman suffrage. Abanquet in honor of Miss Susan B. Anthony and the other nationalofficers took place at the New Century Club, the guests includingMayor Samuel Ashbridge and his wife. His progressiveness contrastsstrongly with the fact that sixteen years later the suffragists wereunable to persuade Mayor Thomas B. Smith to welcome their FiftiethAnnual Convention to the city. 

Easton was the place of the convention, Nov. 3-5, 1904, where it wasreported that the result of sending fraternal delegates tothirty-seven State gatherings was the adoption of woman suffrageresolutions by nineteen. The convention of 1905 was held inPhiladelphia, November 14, and all auxiliaries reported large gains inmembership. This year suffragists had ably assisted the City Party ina reform campaign and advanced their own cause. Kennett Squareentertained the convention Nov. 6-8, 1906. An increase of 1, 182 inmembership had been made during the year. In 1907 the State conventionwas held in the western part of the State, taking place in Pittsburgh, November 6-8. A resolution was proposed for the first time to ask thepolitical parties to put woman suffrage planks in their Stateplatforms by Miss Charlotte Jones but it was voted down asimpracticable. The State Grange, Letter Carriers' Association andState Woman's Christian Temperance Union adopted suffrage resolutionsduring the year. A junior suffrage auxiliary of 400 Pittsburgh girlsand boys was represented. 

Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery succeeded Mrs. Blankenburg as president atthe convention held in Norristown Nov. 4-6, 1908. The proposed programof the National American Association to secure an enormous petitioncalling upon Congress to submit a woman suffrage amendment wasundertaken cheerfully, although it was a heavy task for a small groupof workers with no headquarters and limited finances. The Stateconvention took place at Newton Nov. 22-24, 1909, and Mrs. Avery wasre-elected president. The Equal Franchise Society, representing agroup of prominent women of Philadelphia, had been organized in thespring as an auxiliary of the State association and the increase ofwork caused by advance throughout the State made the establishment ofheadquarters imperative. A committee was appointed to arrange forState and county headquarters in Philadelphia and a sum sufficient tosustain them for three years was pledged. 

The convention of 1910 was held in Harrisburg and Mrs. Ellen H. E. Price of Philadelphia assumed the presidency. This year was organizedthe Equal Franchise Federation of Western Pennsylvania, later changedto Federation of Pittsburgh, its leaders destined to play a veryimportant part in suffrage annals. Julian Kennedy was the firstpresident, one of the very few men who served as president of a womansuffrage organization. The State Federation of Labor not only adoptedresolutions endorsing woman suffrage but pledging itself to select menfor offices who were committed to a belief in it. The politicaldistrict plan was adopted for future work, in accordance with therecommendation of the National Association. The headquarters wereopened at 208 Hale Building, Philadelphia, October 7. Street meetingswere inaugurated in that city the next summer and the speakers werereceived with amazing cordiality. Mrs. Price was re-elected presidentat the convention which opened in the Mayor's reception room, CityHall, Philadelphia, Nov. 23, 1911, Mayor John E. Reyburn granting thiscourtesy. 

Owing to the necessity of giving the work state-wide scope theconvention held in Philadelphia Nov. 26, 27, 1912, recommended movingthe State headquarters to Harrisburg and this change was effected inDecember. In March a Men's League for Woman Suffrage had beenorganized with Judge Dimner Beeber of Philadelphia as president andmore than 100 prominent members enrolled. Fourteen new organizationswere formed during the year but the larger part of the State was stillunorganized. The national suffrage convention preceded the Stateconvention and gave an impetus to the movement. An evening massmeeting in the Metropolitan Opera House made the record of the largestand most enthusiastic suffrage meeting ever held in this city. [SeeChapter XII, Volume V. ] The association now had 7, 211 members. Mrs. Frank M. Roessing of Pittsburgh was elected president and this young, practical woman was principally responsible for changing the characterof the work from purely propagandistic lines to recognized businessstandards. 

The annual convention met in Pittsburgh, Oct. 28-30, 1913, thepresident's term of office was lengthened to two years and Mrs. Roessing was reelected. The State Grange and the Federation of Laborreaffirmed their suffrage resolutions and the InternationalBrotherhood of Firemen went on record in favor. A proposition tosubmit the question of woman suffrage to the voters had been favorablypassed on by the Legislature and waited action by a second. 

Great strides were made in 1914. A press department conducted alongprofessional lines supplied all the papers of the State with livesuffrage news and there were suffrage editions of several papers. MissHannah J. Patterson of Pittsburgh had charge of organizing the WomanSuffrage Party along political lines out of the State association, andto Mrs. Roessing and her belongs especial credit for the strong, workable organization which was built up so carefully in preparationfor the campaign year. The State convention was held in Scranton, November 19-24. There was every indication that the next Legislaturewould submit a constitutional amendment and the Executive Board askedfor a campaign fund of $100, 000, of which $30, 000 were pledged at theconvention. Mrs. William Thaw, Jr. , of Pittsburgh offered $10, 000 ifthe fund reached $50, 000 by April 1. With this splendid foundation theState was ready to take up the actual work of the campaign in 1915. Mrs. Charles Wister Ruschenberger of Strafford announced that shewould have a replica cast of the Liberty Bell to be known as the"woman's liberty bell. " Later Dr. Mary M. Wolfe of Lewisburg waselected chairman of the Finance Committee and the $50, 000 were raisedon time. 

The Legislature of 1915 submitted an amendment to be voted on at theregular election November 2. Mrs. Roessing was president of the StateAssociation and Miss Patterson was chairman of the Woman SuffrageParty, whose plan provided for organization by political districts, recognizing every political division from that of the State unit downto the precinct and township. The State was divided into ninedistricts but as very few women could give sufficient time to head adivision comprising from seven to ten counties, only four weresupervised by chairmen--Mrs. Anna M. Orme, Mrs. E. E. Kiernan, Mrs. Maxwell K. Chapman and Miss Mary J. Norcross. 

Allegheny county had four experienced organizers, Philadelphia four, Montgomery three, Bucks two, Chester, Washington, Luzerne and McKeaneach one. Eighteen other organizers worked under the supervision ofMiss Patterson. [154] They visited every one of the 67 counties duringthe year, formed new organizations, stimulated those alreadyestablished, conducted booths at county fairs, addressed women'sclubs, teachers' institutes, Chautauquas, picnics, farmers'institutes, men's organizations, political, church, college andfactory meetings. During the last three months of the campaign theyconducted county tours and held open air meetings daily. They formedcentral organizations in 64 counties under competent chairmen. Cameronand Pike were the only counties where there were no societies but inCameron there were active workers. In the other eleven countiescentral organizations were not formed but legislative districts andboroughs were organized, each with a capable chairman. [155]

To Miss Clarissa A. Moffitt, its secretary, belongs much credit forthe able management of the Speakers' Bureau. During the campaign year56 counties were supplied, involving the services of 64 speakers; 14were men, 33 were Pennsylvanians, 14 contributed services and expensesand 27 asked expenses only. The bureau made a study of thecharacteristics of each county in industry, agriculture, character ofpopulation and politics. Speakers were then offered who would beacceptable to the community as well as to the particular meeting. Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, national president, gave 28 lectures and from everycounty reports came that hundreds of converts were made. 

The manager of the publicity department, Charles T. Heaslip, was anexpert not only in the art of journalism but also in the art ofpublicity. This department ultimately required the full time of threespecial writers. Semi-monthly a two column plate service was sent to260 papers from February and from October 1 it was weekly, the list ofpapers having grown to 346. Allegheny county, in which Pittsburgh islocated, conducted the most efficient county campaign. Itsheadquarters practically duplicated the State headquarters atHarrisburg with secretaries and organizers and it was the only onewhich employed its own publicity agent. A weekly news bulletin wasissued to 500 papers and the regular service was supplemented byspecial stories. Much work was done in advance of meetings. From Julyto November a weekly cartoon service was undertaken, a new feature insuffrage campaign work. According to the newspaper men it comprisedthe best cartoons ever used in any campaign in the State and the moneyspent for them brought greater returns than that for any otherfeature. The cartoonists were C. Batchelor, Charles H. Winner andWalter A. Sinclair. 

In special features the publicity department avoided sensationalism. Suffrage Flower Gardens, Good Roads Day, the Justice Bell andSupplication Day comprised practically the entire list. Attractiveyellow boxes containing seeds for the old-fashioned yellow flowerswere offered for sale by the State association and the flower gardensfurnished a picturesque form of propaganda and long continuedpublicity. In Pennsylvania a day in the spring is set aside by thedepartment of highways when all residents along country roads areasked to contribute their services for their improvement. The localsuffrage organizations provided coffee and sandwiches for thelaborers and got in their propaganda. On Supplication Day, the lastSunday before election, ministers were asked to preach suffragesermons. Mrs. Ruschenberger's Bell was the best and main publicityfeature and undeniably secured many thousands of votes. It visited allthe counties, traveling 3, 935 miles on a special truck. Hundreds ofappeals by as many speakers were made from this as a stand and it wasreceived in the rural communities with almost as much reverence andceremony as would have been accorded the original bell. Thecollections and the receipts from the sale of novelties moulded in thelikeness of the bell helped materially to defray the heavy expense ofoperating the truck, paying the speakers' expenses and providingliterature. 

Space for the display of advertising cards was purchased in 5, 748street cars for August, September and October. Special suffrageeditions of newspapers in all parts of the State, copy and cuts forwhich were prepared by the State Publicity Department, contributedconsiderably to propaganda and finance. Throughout the State thegeneral lines of activity were the same--meetings of all kinds, parades, hearings before organizations to secure endorsements, boothsat county fairs, exhibitions, canvassing, circularization and autotours. The degree of success in each locality depended upon the kindand amount of work. Millions of fliers, leaflets and booklets originalto Pennsylvania were issued in English, Italian, German, Polish andHebrew and no effort or expense was spared to secure converts throughthe written word. During the last month of the campaign the countyorganizations circularized their voters twice--once with speeches ofRepresentatives Mondell of Wyoming and Keating of Colorado in Congressand once with a personal letter written to the voter and signed by thecounty chairman or a suffragist in his own community. Four days beforeelection 330, 000 of these letters went to the voters. 

Although a bill for woman watchers at the polls failed to pass theLegislature and the suffragists were thus denied the protection whichevery political party is permitted, yet in many counties theassistance of the regularly appointed watchers was secured. TheWashington party and Socialist watchers were universally helpful andin many cases the Democratic and Republican watchers gave assistance. The suffrage organizations were urged to place women workers at everypolling precinct. Many men favorable to suffrage advised against thisplan but the result of the election showed that nothing won as manyvotes at the last minute as the appeal of the women at the polls. Ofthe 33 counties which were carried 21 had women working at the polls;of the 36 which lost only six had women there. Of the 33 counties 17had headquarters. 

Eight of the 33 counties which gave a majority are chiefly industrial;eight are equally industrial and rural and seventeen are chieflyrural. Luzerne, Lackawanna and Westmoreland are the third, fourth andfifth counties in point of population and they won by majorities of3, 139, 2, 654 and 1, 140. In all of them the labor vote is heavy, asmining is the chief industry. Allegheny was the first county of itssize to be carried in the history of suffrage. Fayette county, thehome of Republican State Chairman Crow, who never wavered in hisopposition, was carried by 1, 400. Every ward in Uniontown, the countyseat and his home, gave a majority for the amendment. Mrs. Robert E. Umbel was county chairman. The eight Dutch counties lost by majoritiesranging from 2, 000 to 7, 000. Rockbound conservatism had much to dowith this result. Schuylkill county, where an adverse vote from 10, 000to 15, 000 was predicted, lost by only 1, 000. Miss Helen Beddall, thechairman, conducted a persistent campaign of education for two years. 

Philadelphia had the most difficult problem to face with its largevote and political corruption. Its difficulties were increased by theduplication of suffrage organizations working independently. An addedcomplication was the prejudice created by the efforts of the"militant" suffrage organization, then called the Congressional Union, to organize, this being the only center in the State in which they hadsecured a foothold. The large women's clubs of Philadelphia took nopart in the constructive work of the campaign. Wilmer Atkinson of thiscity, editor and owner of the _Farm Journal_, was president of theMen's League for Woman Suffrage and gave unstintingly of his strengthand means to secure victory. The vote in Philadelphia was 122, 519noes, 77, 240 ayes; adverse majority, 45, 279. The total vote was826, 382; in favor, 385, 348; opposed, 441, 034; lost by 55, 686 votes, only 10, 407 more than the majority in Philadelphia. The amendmentreceived nearly 47 per cent. Of the total vote cast on it. 

Prior to election day all the political parties in the State hadendorsed woman suffrage per se, except the Republican and that partyhad declared in favor of a referendum to the voters. The greatweakness of the campaign was lack of money. The total State fund was$78, 698, of which Allegheny county contributed 50 per cent. Many ofthe counties spent considerable sums in addition, Allegheny county'sspecial "budget" being $25, 000. If the association had had anadditional $25, 000 the lacking 3 per cent. Of the voters could havebeen secured and the campaign would have ended in a victory. 

 * * * * *

The State convention was held in Philadelphia Nov. 30, 1915. Asamendments to the State constitution can be submitted only once infive years, the delegates reconsecrated themselves to a new campaignat the end of that time. At a conference held in Harrisburg in thespring of 1916 47 counties were represented and an inspiring addresswas made by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, now national president. Anintercounty rally at Somerset in July was attended by 500 suffragistsfrom ten counties and a State suffrage flag was adopted. The annualconvention was held in Williamsport, November 21-24, and the delegateswere unanimous in their desire to continue preparations for anothercampaign. Mrs. George B. Orlady was elected president. 

As Philadelphia is the center of population in the State, thefinancial center, has the largest number of newspapers and is moreaccessible than Harrisburg, State headquarters were moved to that cityJune 1, 1917. Upon the entrance of the United States into the WorldWar the association without a day's delay offered the services of itsmembers and the facilities of its organization to the Government. State officers, county chairmen and suffragists in the ranks served onthe Council of National Defense, on Liberty Loan Committees, in thevarious "drives" and wherever needed. Mrs. John O. Miller, Statevice-president, was appointed by Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo amember of the National Woman's Liberty Loan Committee and also servedas State Chairman. Pennsylvania contributed $20, 573 to the Women'sOversea Hospitals, maintained by the National Suffrage Association, $11, 397 of which were raised in Pittsburgh at an outdoor fęte of whichMrs. Leonard G. Wood was chairman. The State convention was held inthis city November 20-22 and Mrs. Miller was elected president. In thehope that the U. S. Senate would submit the Federal Suffrage Amendmentthe convention for 1918 was delayed from month to month and finallywas held in Philadelphia April 9, 10, 1919. Mrs. Miller wasre-elected. On November 10, 11, the amendment having been submitted, the 51st and last State convention was held in Philadelphia. [156] Thehistoric Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association was disbanded and theLeague of Women Citizens was organized, to become the League of WomenVoters when the women of Pennsylvania were enfranchised. This name wasadopted Nov. 18, 1920, and Mrs. Miller was elected chairman for twoyears. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. After a lapse of 26 years a second attempt wasmade in 1911 under Mrs. Anna M. Orme, as legislative chairman, tosecure a resolution to refer to the voters a woman suffrage amendmentto the State constitution. The Joint Committee of the Judiciary, towhich it was referred, after giving a hearing to the suffragists, sentit to a special commission which had been appointed to revise theelection laws. 

1912. Miss Lida Stokes Adams was legislative chairman when thiscommission gave an all day hearing March 22 at City Hall, Philadelphia, but took no action. This hearing was preceded by a massmeeting on the 20th in Witherspoon Hall. An effort was made to get anendorsement from the State political conventions. Miss Mary E. Bakewell of the Western Equal Franchise Federation appeared before theRepublican convention May 1; Mrs. Mabel Cronise Jones, Miss Adams andMiss Bakewell addressed the Democratic convention May 7, and both gaveapproval. The Keystone and Prohibition party conventions also heardsuffrage speakers and adopted favorable resolutions. For the firsttime all of the 880 candidates for the Legislature were interviewed bya letter as to submitting the question to the voters and 283 gaveaffirmative answers. 

1913. This year the referendum measure passed after a bitter contest. Twice when the resolution came up in the Senate the motion to postponewas avoided on a tie vote by Lieutenant Governor Reynolds, the firsttime in thirteen years that the president of the Senate had voted onany question. On the final vote the majority of one was only securedby the labor leader, Steve McDonald of Lackawanna county, who forcedits Senator, Walter McNichols, to represent his constituents. SenatorsEdwin M. Herbst, Edward E. Beidleman (later Lieutenant Governor) andJames P. McNichol maintained the strongest opposition. Miss Adams, thelegislative chairman, and Mrs. Roessing, the State president, did thegreater part of the work at Harrisburg. The association was indebtedto Representative Frank G. Rockwell and Senator A. W. Powell for theirskill in handling this measure. The vote in the Lower House, February5 was 131 ayes, 70 noes. 

1915. A proposed amendment to the constitution must be passed by twoLegislatures. Mrs. Roessing and Miss Hannah J. Patterson, organizationchairman, carried on the lobby work in 1915 and it passed the House onFebruary 9 by 130 ayes, 71 noes. In the Senate on March 15 a greatgain was registered, as 37 Senators voted aye and only 11 voted no. The amendment was defeated at the election in November. 

1916. The passage of an Enabling Act by the Legislature of 1917 beingthe first step toward a referendum in 1921, the work of the StateSuffrage Association in 1916 was concentrated as never before on thelegislative candidates. Practically every one was interviewedpersonally or by letter and before the November election reports on 40of the 50 Senators and all but ten of the 207 members of the Househad been made. Senator Boies Penrose was visited in Washington by Mrs. George B. Orlady and Mrs. John O. Miller, president and vice-presidentof the State Suffrage Association. He said he would help andauthorized these officers to quote him in the public press. On October9 the Republican State Committee meeting in Philadelphia refused ahearing to the Suffrage Board and took no action, despite thefavorable assurances of Senator Penrose and of State Senator WilliamE. Crow, its chairman. On December 28 Governor Martin G. Brumbaughpromised Mrs. Miller to secure the passage of the desired EnablingAct. 

1917. Mrs. Miller led the work when the Legislature convened inJanuary, 1917, and Mrs. Antoinette Funk, Mrs. Lewis L. Smith and Mrs. Harriet L. Hubbs were members of the Legislative Committee. Countychairmen of the suffrage association brought continuous pressure ontheir legislators; 270 powerful labor organizations in the Statesigned petitions with their official seal and a petition with thenames of 56, 000 individual men and women was unrolled on the floor ofthe House. Every legislator received a special petition signed by 445of the most prominent men in the State, a copy of Dr. Shaw'sbiography, the Story of a Pioneer, and weekly copies of the _Woman'sJournal_. Mrs. Funk had an interview with Senator Penrose atWashington with one of the most prominent members of the Republicanparty present. The Enabling Act was introduced in the House early inJanuary but at the request of Senator Penrose the vote was delayedfrom time to time and finally took place April 17. The preceding day121 men were listed as favorable, 104 being the requiredconstitutional majority. When the vote was taken only 101 answered"aye. "

Forty-eight hours before the vote the liquor lobby, represented byNeil Bonner, David Hardy, James P. Mulvihill and George W. Boyd, madea concentrated effort to defeat the measure. It was understood that150 men were employed for this purpose and that the pressure broughtupon the legislators was tremendous. Although other lobbyists had beendenied the privilege of going on the floor of the House Mr. Boyd wasalways permitted to do so and he announced to Mrs. Funk a few minutesbefore the vote was taken that he had the bill defeated by six votes. Speaker Richard J. Baldwin moved a verification of the rollimmediately in order that no man voting in the affirmative couldchange his vote and ask for a reconsideration. A bill grantingPresidential suffrage to women was introduced in the House May 28 butnever reported from committee. From 1913 to 1917, Robert K. Young, State Treasurer, rendered inestimable assistance by the closestcooperation with the Legislative Committees. 

1918. Plans were at once made for continuing the effort. In 1918 theorganization carried out a most efficient plan of interviewing everylegislative candidate before the primaries on two questions: (1) Willyou vote to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment? (2) Will you voteto submit to the voters an amendment to the constitution enfranchisingthe women of this State? After the November election 80 members of theHouse of Representatives for 1919 were favorably pledged in writing onboth questions and 40 had given verbal pledges--16 more than theconstitutional majority required. From the Senate 13 written and 18verbal pledges had been secured, 5 more than necessary. There waspractically no organized opposition to the referendum and probablymany of the men who pledged themselves to vote for ratification feltthat the Federal Amendment would not pass Congress. The gubernatorialcandidates also had been followed up carefully. William C. Sproul andJ. Denny O'Neil, of the rival Republican factions, both said ininterviews and through the public press that they were ready to workfor any measure which would ensure suffrage to Pennsylvania women. Judge Eugene C. Bonniwell, the Democratic candidate, did not answerany inquiries. 

1919. Upon the defeat of the Federal Amendment in the U. S. SenateFebruary 10, Governor Sproul, who had given many proofs of hisfriendship, was consulted regarding the advisability of introducingPresidential suffrage or a referendum or both. At first he recommendedboth but 24 hours later word came that the former could not be passedbut the "organization" would sponsor a referendum. A resolution forthis was introduced and after a public hearing, at which anti-suffragewomen from New Jersey and New York spoke at length, the House passedit on April 22 by 128 ayes, 66 noes. In the Senate on May 26 the votestood 41 ayes, 7 noes. Mrs. William Ward, Jr. , of Chester, vice-chairman of the Legislative Committee, managed a large part ofthe work for it. 

RATIFICATION. The Legislative Committee held its organization intactawaiting the submission of the Federal Amendment, which took placeJune 4, 1919. Although this committee was in Harrisburg continuouslyfrom January 6 to June 24 and knew the personnel of the Legislaturebetter than any others except some of the political leaders, membersof the National Woman's Party came to Harrisburg early in June, thefirst time they had ever been seen there, and tried to create theimpression that they inaugurated the work on ratification. Adelegation from the State Suffrage Association visited Senator Penrosein Washington on June 5. Although he was paired against the amendmenthe was asked to offer no opposition to ratification. He wasnon-committal but the committee felt that Republican opposition hadbeen removed. 

On June 8 the Legislative Committee began an intensive campaign. Mrs. Gifford Pinchot telephoned or telegraphed Chairman Hays and all themembers of the National Republican Committee; also all RepublicanGovernors and other prominent Republicans, asking them to communicatewith Governor Sproul, Senator Penrose and State Chairman Crow urgingratification as a Republican measure. All editors of influentialRepublican papers east of the Mississippi River received the sameappeal. The Governor advised that the resolution should not beintroduced in the Senate until Chairman Crow had decided to get behindit. On June 16 the latter told Mrs. Miller that the road was clear andit would come to a vote June 19. The vote stood 31 ayes, 6 noes. TheHouse voted on June 24, giving 153 ayes, 44 noes. 

Immediately after the vote in the House the work of the Stateassociation was recognized when Representative Robert L. Wallace, afriend in many Legislatures, moved to give its president the privilegeof addressing the House from the Speaker's rostrum. This was the firsttime it ever was granted to any man or woman. Governor Sproul alsogave a special reception to the officers of the association and the500 women who had journeyed to Harrisburg for the ratification. For anumber of years, the State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage hadbeen represented at all sessions of the Legislature by Mrs. HoraceBrock, the president, Mrs. John B. Heron and Miss Eliza Armstrong ofPittsburgh, but to Miss Armstrong, a woman of seventy, it had beenleft to fight the last battle on ratification and fifty legislatorssupported her efforts to the end. 

The example of the big Republican State of Pennsylvania unquestionablyaided in securing like action in a large number of other RepublicanStates. Its prompt action may be attributed primarily to GovernorSproul's sincere interest but due credit must be given to all thebrave women who toiled for more than half a century to keep the torchburning and to the leaders in the last years, especially Mrs. John O. Miller, the president. The newspapers, from the editorial departmentsto the youngest reporters, were always of the greatest assistance andit was highly appreciated. 

[LAWS. A complete digest of the laws relating especially to women andchildren accompanied this chapter, comprising about 3, 600 words andincluding the laws for women in the industries, child labor, jurisdiction of the Juvenile Courts, property rights of wives, guardianship of children, divorce, mothers' pensions and others. It isa distinct loss that the decision had to be made to omit the laws fromall State chapters for lack of space. ]

FOOTNOTES:

[153] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Harriet L. Hubbs, executive secretary of the State Woman Suffrage Association1916-1919 and thenceforth of the State League of Women Voters andactive member of Legislative Committees for both organizations. 

[154] These organizers were: Mrs. Evelyn Binz, Mrs. Laura GreggCannon, Mrs. Ada Mundorff, Mrs. Alice Moore Dunbar, Misses LillianHoward, Emma MacAlarney, Ladson Hall, Helen Arny, Grace Ballard, MaryCalhoun, Louise Hall, Leona Huntzinger, Doris Long, Adella Potter, Eudora Ramsey, Jeanette Rankin, Ethel Rankin and Mary Sleichter. 

[155] The list of the nearly seventy chairmen is unavoidably omittedfor want of space. 

[156] Several of the presidents of the association were at firstvice-presidents; others were Mrs. Mary B. Luckie, Mrs. Anna M. Orme, Mrs. William I. Hull, Dr. Ruth A. Deeter, Miss Lida Stokes Adams, MissMary E. Bakewell, Mrs. Maxwell K. Chapman, Mrs. Robert Mills Beach, Mrs. H. Neely Fleming, Miss Maud Bassett Gotham, Dr. M. Carey Thomas, Mrs. Lewis L. Smith, Mrs. Edward E. Kiernan, Mrs. James P. Rogers, Mrs. Edwin Linton; secretaries: Mrs. Helen M. James, Miss LybrettaRice, Miss Jane Campbell, Mrs. Mary R. Newell, Mrs. Mary C. Morgan, Miss Katharine Collison, Miss Caroline Katzenstein, Miss MaryNorcross, Miss Helen L. McFarland, Miss Helen C. Clark, Mrs. GiffordPinchot; treasurers: Mrs. Margaret B. Stone, Mrs. Luckie, Miss MatildaOrr Hays, Mrs. Robert K. Young, Mrs. Robert Mills Beach, Miss MarthaG. Thomas; auditors: Mrs. Ellen H. Thomas, Mrs. Mary F. Kenderdine, Mrs. Minora F. Phillis, Miss N. M. Crumpton, Mrs. Reba Artsdalen, Mrs. Robert Coard, Miss Ellen L. Thomas, Mrs. H. Wilfred DuPuy; directors:Mrs. Edward E. Kiernan, Miss Henrietta Baldy Lyon, Mrs. Emma H. McCandless, Mrs. E. S. H. McCauley, Mrs. Richard S. Quigley, Mrs. George A. Piersol, Mrs. Clifton A. Verner, Mrs. Daniel F. Ancona. 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

RHODE ISLAND. [157]

The opening of the 20th Century found the Old Guard of the RhodeIsland Woman Suffrage Association still in the van. Some of those whowere charter members when the organization was formed in 1868 were inactive service, enriching the work by their wide experience in thepast and clear vision for the future. Mrs. Ardelia Cooke Dewing, awoman of unusual ability, had taken the presidency at the death ofMrs. Elizabeth Buffum Chace in 1899 and continued in the office until1905. The association never failed to hold an annual convention in theautumn in Providence, where reside about half the population of theState. In 1901, the usual propaganda was conducted by public andparlor meetings, the circulation of literature and the May banquet, for years a regular social function. A special impetus was given thisyear by the presence of Miss Susan B. Anthony at the convention. Thefollowing morning she addressed the students of the Woman's College ofBrown University. 

On June 2, 1902, the endorsement of the State Central Trades and LaborUnions was secured. Harry Parsons Cross, a leading lawyer, gave twocourses of lectures on the Legal Status of Women and Parent and Childin Common Law. This year the organization met with a great loss in theremoval from Rhode Island of the Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer, who hadserved the society from its inception, officially and unofficially, with signal devotion. Henry B. Blackwell gave a notable address at theannual meeting. To him, Lucy Stone and Alice Stone Blackwell the Stateassociation was indebted for invaluable services on many importantoccasions. 

In 1903, at the annual meeting a letter was read from Mayor D. L. D. Granger of Providence, heartily endorsing woman suffrage. Mrs. Charlotte B. Wilbour and the Rev. Mrs. Spencer were made honorarypresidents of the association. In 1904 and thereafter a prize of $25from the Elizabeth Buffum Chace legacy was given for the best essay onwoman suffrage written by a student of the Woman's College. Mrs. Dewing declined re-election in 1905 and Mrs. Jeannette S. French waschosen president, serving two years. Events of the year were twolectures by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National AmericanSuffrage Association. In 1906 Mrs. Mary F. W. Homer was electedcorresponding secretary and her wide experience in suffrage work inMassachusetts was a valued contribution at a time when re-enforcementswere greatly needed. 

In 1907 Mrs. Rowena P. B. Tingley was elected president. Mrs. JuliaWard Howe, in her 88th year, gave a remarkable address in April. Theassociation secured an endorsement of woman suffrage and equal pay forequal work by the United Textile Workers of America, who met inProvidence. Mrs. George D. Gladding, daughter of Mrs. Dewing, wasappointed chairman of the Committee on College Work and initiated themovement for the College Equal Suffrage League by securing Mrs. MaudWood Park to address a meeting of college women at the home of Mrs. Dewing and also to speak at the Woman's College. The league wasorganized December 11. 

In 1908 Mrs. Tingley was re-elected president but because of illhealth the duties of the office devolved largely upon Mrs. Gladding, first vice-president. The 40th anniversary of the association wascelebrated December 11 in Churchill House, the women's club house, named for one of the distinguished suffrage pioneers, Mrs. ElizabethKittridge Churchill. Mrs. Tingley, Arnold B. Chace, Mr. Blackwell andthe Rev. Mrs. Spencer, the speakers on this occasion, had been presentwhen the association was formed and they added to the pleasure of themeeting with personal reminiscences. Miss Florence Garvin, presidentof the College Equal Suffrage League, spoke of the debt of the youngwomen to the pioneer suffragists. The State association enrolledthousands of names for the National Association's petition to Congressin behalf of the Federal Amendment and used its influence to obtainfor it the support of the Rhode Island members of Congress. 

In 1909 at the annual meeting Miss Elizabeth Upham Yates, who hadrecently come to the State, was elected president. This year wasmarked by distinctive propaganda through the efforts of Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont of New York. The lectures given at Marble Palace, her homein Newport, by Dr. Shaw and Professor Charles Zueblin interested a newand influential class and gave a substantial impetus to suffrage workthroughout the State. Increasing calls to discuss the question beforeclubs, granges, church societies and other organizations were anencouraging sign of a popular awakening to its importance. 

In 1910 a debate on woman suffrage between Brown University andWilliams College was won by the former in the affirmative. Mrs. AnneM. Jewett, who had served acceptably as recording secretary for tenyears, resigned. Miss Mary M. Angell was elected at the annual meetingand gave a like term of years of devoted service. Mrs. Dewing was madehonorary president. In 1911 a lecture on Woman's Ballot by ProfessorHenry S. Nash of Harvard University, well known as a lecturer, beforethe Providence Biblical Institute, greatly strengthened the causeamong conservative people. Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst gave a lectureunder the auspices of the State association and the College League. This year the first anti-suffrage society was organized by a group ofwealthy and prominent women, among whom were Mrs. Charles WarrenLippitt, Mrs. Rowland Hazard, Miss Louise Hoppin, Mrs. Herbert Maineand Mrs. Henry T. Fowler. Miss Yates and Mrs. Lippitt were invited tohold a debate before the Jewish Women's Council. 

In January, 1912, the College League and the State association openedheadquarters in Butler Exchange at Providence and engaged Miss LouiseHall as organizer. President M. Carey Thomas of Bryn Mawr Collegespoke under the auspices of the State Collegiate Alumnae on the Needof Woman's Ballot and made a strong impression on this conservativeuniversity city. From May the College League assumed the office dutiesand the State association carried on the field work. This year a boothwas secured at the Food Fair of the Retail Grocers' Association, where thousands of new members were enrolled, tens of thousands ofleaflets were distributed and much publicity work was done. The"suffrage map" was in evidence, showing the many States that had beenwon, an irrefutable argument against the emanations of theanti-suffrage booth. At no other time and place could so many classesof persons be reached. The arduous work involved was carried on byMiss Alice F. Porter, Miss Nettie E. Bauer, Mrs. George E. Dunbar, Miss Enid Peirce, Miss Althea L. Hall, Miss Margaretha Dwight, Mrs. Caroline Dowell, Miss Ethel Parks and a score more of like unselfishworkers. [158] At the annual meeting in October Mrs. Homer, who hadbeen the efficient corresponding secretary for six years, declinedre-election and Mrs. Sara L. Fittz was elected to the office, whichposition she retained until the end. She served also as chairman ofthe Publicity Committee and was always in demand as a speaker. MissHall went to assist in the Ohio campaign, accompanied by Mrs. CamillaVon Klenze, president of the College League. In April Dr. Shawaddressed a large audience at Infantry Hall. In the summer suffrageheadquarters were established on Franklin Street, Newport, mainlythrough the energy of Mrs. Belmont, a member of the Newport League, and meetings were held here every afternoon during this and otherseasons. 

In 1913 the work of the year opened with a lecture by Miss MaryJohnston, the novelist, on Woman in Politics and one by Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt on the White Slave Traffic. Mrs. Catt also addressed ameeting in the interests of the Woman Suffrage Party, which had beenorganized under the leadership of Mrs. Sara M. Algeo. The Stateassociation and the College League being dues-paying organizationsthere was an open field for the non-dues-paying Suffrage Party formedalong political lines. Nearly all the members of the olderassociations joined it and at the same time continued to maintaintheir own lines of propaganda. Miss Yates, the State president, wasinvited by the municipal government to deliver the Fourth of Julyaddress at City Hall, Providence. Dr. Valeria H. Parker addressed theannual convention on Women as Civil Guardians. 

In 1914 a series of lectures on the Modern Woman of Various Countrieswas given by the State association which called out large audiences. The three organizations united in a celebration of "suffrage week" inMay, closing with a meeting in the Casino at Roger Williams Park withRabbi Stephen S. Wise as the principal speaker. Miss Yates, afterserving five years, was obliged on account of other demands on hertime to decline reelection and was made honorary president. Nopresident being elected at the annual meeting, Agnes M. (Mrs. BartonP. ) Jenks was chosen later by the Executive Committee to fill thevacancy and afterwards was elected and held the office until May, 1918. In December representatives of the three organizations met andformed a Cooperative Council to secure economy of effort and increasedefficiency. The work of the College League had been of distinctivevalue in Providence, the seat of Brown University with its Woman'sCollege. During the years of its independent existence it had beenwell served by its presidents, Miss Garvin, Mrs. Von Klenze, Mrs. Algeo and Miss Helen Emerson. It presented speakers of nationalreputation; published special leaflets, notably What Rhode IslandWomen Ought to Know; conducted study clubs and gave generouscooperation in the undertakings of the other organizations. 

During the winter of 1915 a special series of lectures was given forthe council on political and economic subjects by professors of theUniversity. The joint endeavors of the three organizations this winterproving successful they amalgamated under the name of the Rhode IslandEqual Suffrage Association and the annual meeting was changed fromfall to spring. Most of the officers of the State association wereretained. Others were Miss Emerson and Mrs. Carl Barus, vice-presidents; Mrs. John A. Cross, treasurer; Mrs. Barton A. Ballou, Mrs. Gerald A. Cooper and Mrs. Gilbert C. Carpenter, auditors; Mrs. Dunbar and Mrs. Helen Dougherty, chairman and secretary of the WomanSuffrage Party. In accordance with the plan of the NationalAssociation, the State's members of Congress, U. S. Senators LeBaronB. Colt and Henry F. Lippitt; Representatives Walter R. Stiness, George F. O'Shaughnessy and Ambrose Kennedy, were interviewed on theFederal Amendment with encouraging results. Weekly suffrage teas wereestablished at headquarters during the winter, followed by addresseson current topics. The association was especially indebted to Mrs. Ballou, Mrs. Edward M. Harris and Miss Sarah J. Eddy for thehospitality of their homes that combined on many occasions socialpleasure with excellent opportunity to present the suffrage cause. 

On February 17, 1916, a luncheon and conference at the NarragansettHotel were held in honor of Mrs. Catt, now national president. A massmeeting was held in March in Sayles Hall, where Mrs. Glendower Evansof Boston and Professor Louis J. Johnston of Harvard spoke in theinterest of the Federal Amendment. In April a "suffrage shop" wasopened in Providence in charge of Miss Mary B. Anthony, which provedan active center of propaganda. Rhode Island was represented in thesuffrage parades during the national political conventions in Chicagoand St. Louis in 1916 by Miss Yates. On election night in November apublic reception was held at suffrage headquarters, where a privatewire had been installed to give the returns and large numbers werepresent. 

In 1917 Miss Yates conducted a suffrage school weekly at headquartersduring February and March. The major activities of the year were givento legislative work. The granting of Presidential suffrage to women bythe Legislature was celebrated at the annual meeting, at whichGovernor R. Livingston Beeckman, representatives of the politicalparties of the State and Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, nationalcorresponding secretary, were the principal speakers. An invitationwas accepted from Thomas W. Bicknell, one of the staunchestsuffragists, to unite with the Citizens' Historical Association, ofwhich he was president, in a joint celebration of the Declaration ofIndependence by Rhode Island on May 4, 1776, and the passage of thePresidential suffrage bill in April, 1917, and Miss Yates was chosenas speaker for the State association. Miss Elizabeth M. Barr waselected treasurer in 1917 and served until 1920. Miss Barr'spredecessors were Miss Mary K. Wood, Mrs. Jewett, Mrs. Ballou, Mrs. Helen N. B. Janes, Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Cross, and Mrs. George W. Parks. 

During the winter of 1918, a civics course was conducted by MissAnthony covering local and national government, Mayor Joseph H. Gainerof Providence and other city officers speaking in the course. MissAnthony was elected State president at the annual meeting in June andbrought to the office experience in public work and wide socialinfluence that were of special value in the closing years of theassociation. Mrs. Jenks was made honorary president. On December 11the 50th anniversary of the association was celebrated. An interestinghistorical review of the first meeting was given by Arnold BuffumChace, who had acted as secretary on that occasion and whose mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Buffum Chace, was president of the association forthirty years. The Rev. Mrs. Spencer, also a charter member, recountedthe early struggles of the pioneers. Miss Yates and Mrs. Jenks gaveinteresting accounts of the early and later work. Mrs. Catt and MissBlackwell were guests of honor and brought inspiring messages. Thisyear both the Democratic and Republican parties put suffrage planks intheir State platforms and sent resolutions to Congress urging theRhode Island Senators to support the Federal Amendment. 

The suffragists responded to every demand of the Government for warservice. Mrs. Walter A. Peck, honorary vice-president, was Statechairman of the Woman's Committee of the Liberty Loan. Miss Emerson, first vice-president, served in France with the Bryn Mawr unit. MissBauer, second vice-president, was a member of the executive board ofthe Red Cross. Miss Fittz, corresponding secretary, and Miss Yates, honorary president, received government certificates as speakers withthe "four-minute men. "

In 1919 Miss Frances E. Lucas, chairman of the Civics Committee, gavea course of lectures on social and political problems, which werelargely attended. Miss Avis Hawkins, chairman on schools, perfected anorganization throughout the State to advance the interests of bothpupils and teachers. On May 27 the Woman's College and the StateAssociation commemorated the centenary of the birth of Julia WardHowe, in Pembroke Hall of the college. At the annual meeting on June 4Miss Anthony was re-elected president. Mrs. Raymond Brown, nationalvice-president, gave an interesting address. The occasion was madememorable by the passing of the resolution for the Federal Amendmentby the U. S. Senate while the convention was in session. The entireRhode Island delegation in both Houses of Congress voted in favor, theonly eastern State except Maine to have this record. In October MissAnthony called a meeting of the presidents of all the women'sorganizations of the State in the interests of social betterment, which resulted in the foundation of the Civics Cooperative Council, and Mrs. Nancy M. Schoonmaker was engaged to give a course of lectureson Citizenship. [159]

THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE PARTY. 

In the fall of 1915 Mrs. Sara M. Algeo re-organized the Woman SuffrageParty as an independent body and began a vigorous campaign for civicbetterment and political education. Miss Mary E. McDowell of Chicagoand Miss Margaret Foley of Boston addressed large audiences. Itspolicy was to invite the fullest cooperation of colored women and ameeting was held at which Mrs. Robert M. LaFollette spoke to a largeaudience of both colored and white women on their common need of fullcitizenship. 

In 1916 the endorsement of the State conference of CongregationalChurches was secured. A civic forum was organized in Providence, holding Sunday afternoon meetings in a theater. Among the eminentspeakers were Lord and Lady Aberdeen, Thomas Mott Osborne, Mrs. KateWaller Barrett, Mary Antin and Mrs. Nellie McClung of Canada. The sameline of work was followed elsewhere in the State. A suffrage class wasestablished at the Young Men's Christian Association. Miss Laura Clayof Kentucky gave ten days of helpful service. 

In 1917 Mrs. LeBaron B. Colt of Bristol was appointed committeechairman of the Women's Oversea Hospitals conducted by the NationalSuffrage Association and with the assistance of Mrs. Algeo and theparty $3, 000 were raised. After the passage of the Presidentialsuffrage bill in 1917 the party specialized in training forcitizenship and conducted a campaign in naturalization in conjunctionwith the Americanization Committee of the National Association. In thefall under the direction of Mrs. Frederick H. Bagley of Boston, itschairman, efforts were made to secure from the Legislature anAmericanization bill providing compulsory education for immigrants andalso for a director of Americanization on the Board of Education, which was passed in 1919. Mrs. Agnes M. Bacon was appointed by theGovernor. 

In 1919 Mrs. Algeo compiled and published Suggestions to the WomenVoters of Rhode Island, of which thousands of copies were circulated. July 1, being the first day of registration for the elections of thefollowing year, she organized a state-wide campaign for theregistration of women for using the presidential vote. It wascelebrated in Providence by an imposing ceremony on the steps of theCity Hall at noon, and in the evening by a banquet, at which Mrs. Charles H. Brooks of Kansas, national chairman of the League of WomenVoters, and Mrs. Charles Tiffany of New York were the principalspeakers. This year Miss Leila P. Andrews was elected president of theWoman Suffrage Party and Mrs. Algeo president of the Providence Leagueof Women Voters. 

 * * * * *

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. After the defeat of a woman suffrage amendment tothe State constitution in 1887 and the refusal of the Legislaturesafterwards to submit it again the association decided to follow theadvice of Henry B. Blackwell and try to obtain a vote for presidentialelectors, which could be granted by a law. The proposition, first madein 1892, met with practically no support among the legislators andfinally further attempts to secure it were discontinued for years. Atthe annual meeting of 1902 an address by Mr. Blackwell resulted in aresumption of efforts to secure this law and in 1903 a petition to theLegislature, signed by influential men and women, accompanied a billintroduced in the Senate. A hearing was given but it was not reportedfrom committee. 

In 1904 the bill was presented in the House and Senate and reportedfavorably but defeated in both branches. 

In 1905 there was increased activity to secure favorable action on thebill. A little paper called _The Woman Citizen_ was issued as acampaign document and a copy of it placed on the desk of everylegislator. [160] The _Remonstrance_, a small paper published by theMassachusetts Anti-Suffrage Association followed, protesting againstit. The merits of the bill were presented at a well attended hearingbut no action was taken on it. 

In 1906 a Senate hearing was given on the bill, addressed by Mr. Blackwell. It was reported without recommendation and ably debated. Senator Walter R. Stiness made a strong speech in its support and itpassed by 29 ayes, 7 noes. In the House the bill was referred to theCommittee on Special Legislation. Long petitions from prominent voterswere presented asking that it be reported but General Charles R. Brayton, the Republican "boss" who for years controlled theLegislature, seeing the strong sentiment in its favor would not permitit to come to a vote. He admitted that he feared it would help theDemocratic party. 

In 1907 the battle for the bill was renewed and among the petitionerswas Governor James H. Higgins. At two largely attended hearings nearlyevery person gave a rising vote in favor. Mrs. Charles Warren Lippittand Mrs. Edward Johnson protested against women's being allowed tovote for President and Rowland Hazard supported them. The bill wasdefeated, though not by them but by political opposition. 

In 1909 Mr. Blackwell appeared for the last time as the advocate ofthe measure. Like a seer he pleaded for it, the significance andpotency of which he grasped far in advance of his contemporaries. MissYates was appointed his successor as the National Association'schairman of Presidential suffrage, which position he had filled formany years. 

In 1911 the Presidential suffrage bill was introduced in the Senateand referred to the Committee on Special Legislation, that limbo oflost causes. The suffragists rallied for a hearing and succeeded ingetting it reported without recommendation. When taken from thecalendar the Senators seemed to realize for the first time that theywere dealing with a live issue. One of them demanded to know why thatbill was permitted to waste their valuable time and threw it on thefloor and stamped on it, saying: "I will kill woman suffrage. " It wasthen buried by a vote of 29 noes and 3 ayes. The suffragists passedout from the obsequies with full faith in the resurrection. 

In 1913 a commission was appointed to revise the State constitutionand an appeal to it was made for a woman suffrage clause. A hearingwas given; influential men supported the association; the women"antis" made a touching plea to be spared from the burden of theballot, but the constitution was not revised. This year theLegislature of Illinois passed a bill for Presidential suffrage, whichattracted wide attention. The Rhode Island association continued topresent one every year. Sometimes zealous friends would introduce aresolution for a constitutional amendment but it was not endorsed bythe State association as it would require a three-fifths majority ofthe voters. 

In 1915 Governor R. Livingston Beeckman recommended Presidentialsuffrage for women in his message and the use of the hall of the Houseof Representatives in the new State House was for the first timegranted for a hearing. Mrs. Agnes M. Jenks, State president, securedSenator John D. Works of California and Representative Frank W. Mondell of Wyoming to speak on the practical effects of woman suffragein their States. Mrs. A. J. George came from Brookline, Mass. , tovoice the fears of the "antis. " Notwithstanding the hearing surpassedin attendance and interest any that session the bill was indefinitelypostponed by a House vote of 61 ayes and 31 noes. An active lobby wasmaintained and every available influence brought to bear to get thebill on the Senate calendar but it was killed in committee. 

Between the close of this Legislature and the opening of the one of1917 unforeseen events caused a marked change in the attitude of RhodeIsland politicians. Its delegates to the Democratic and Republicannational conventions in 1916 had recognized the party expediency whichcompelled a plank in the national platforms in favor of womansuffrage and voted for it. At the Republican State convention inSeptember U. S. Senator LeBaron B. Colt, who had been non-committal onthe question, came out with a decisive pronouncement in its favor. TheRepublicans saw the handwriting on the wall. They recognized that thevotes of western women had re-elected President Wilson. For the firsttime since the Republican party was organized, a Democratic U. S. Senator was elected. Both parties were on the alert for any issue thatmight bring re-inforcements. 

Once more Presidential suffrage was the objective and GovernorBeeckman repeated his endorsement. The bill was introduced in theSenate Feb. 8, 1917. The association's Legislative Committee workedwithout ceasing. The suffragists throughout the State were wellorganized and loyally backed the committee. Petitions, letters andtelegrams showered the legislators. The endorsement of the RepublicanState Committee was secured. Meanwhile the Legislatures in half adozen States granted Presidential suffrage. The time had come forRhode Island. On April 11 the bill passed the Senate by 32 ayes, 3noes. There was an organized attempt to defeat it in the House by onefor a referendum to the voters but by the efforts of Richard W. Jennings and Daniel E. Geary, Republican and Democratic floor leaders, it was defeated. On April 17, after four hours' debate in the presenceof hundreds of women, the bill passed by 71 ayes, 20 noes. This wasthe fifteenth time it had been before the Legislature. On April 18 itwas signed by the Governor. 

RATIFICATION. As soon as the Federal Amendment was submitted byCongress June 4, 1919, the suffrage organizations began to ask for aspecial session of the Legislature for ratification but it was deemedbest by Governor Beeckman for various reasons to wait until theregular session in January, 1920. Several days before it met thechairman of the Republican State Committee, Joseph P. Burlingame, madethe announcement that by a suspension of the rules and contrary toevery precedent ratification would be accomplished on the first day. The longed-for day, January 6, dawned clear and cold. Women throngedthe Capitol and filled the galleries of the House, except the sectionwhich was occupied by the Governor's party, who had come to witnessthe final scene in a fifty years' drama. After summoning the Senateto meet with the House in Grand Committee, the Governor read hisannual message in which he recommended immediate ratification of theamendment, "as an act of justice long delayed. " The resolution was atonce presented and the floor leaders of both parties, William R. Fortin of Pawtucket, Republican, and William S. Flynn of Providence, Democrat, spoke in favor. It was passed on roll call by 89 ayes, 3noes--Speaker Arthur P. Sumner of Providence, William H. Thayer ofBristol and Albert R. Zurlinden of Lincoln. A rush was made by theaudience across the corridors to the Senate Chamber, where action waseven more rapid. Lieutenant Governor Emery J. San Souci, a friend ofwoman suffrage, was in the chair and within a few moments, with nospeeches, the resolution was passed by viva voce vote with but onedissenting voice, that of John H. McCabe of Burrillville. Thefollowing day it was signed by Governor Beeckman, not that this wasnecessary but he wished to give it his approval. 

The great event was celebrated in the evening by a brilliant banquetgiven by the Providence League of Women Voters at which the work ofthe pioneers was especially featured. A handsome dinner given by theWoman Suffrage Party took place at which the Governor and other publicofficials spoke on the great victory. Miss Jeannette Rankin, the firstwoman member of Congress, was a speaker. [161]

On May 17, 1920, the Rhode Island Equal Suffrage Association concludedits work and merged into the State League of Women Voters, Miss MaryB. Anthony, chairman. Then a procession of women marched through thestreets of Providence carrying the records of the organization forfifty years, which were deposited in the archives of the State Housewith impressive ceremony. 

 * * * * *

Among the nerve centers of suffrage activity in Rhode Island theNewport County Woman Suffrage League had a definite place from itsfounding in 1908, by Miss Cora Mitchell, its first president. TheLeague's work was at first largely carried on by an active group ofphilanthropic women of Bristol Ferry, Miss Mitchell's friends andneighbors, among whom were Miss Sarah J. Eddy, Mrs. John Eldredge andMrs. Barton Ballou. Gradually the suffrage agitation spread over theentire island, which includes the three townships of Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport. In Middletown the league's work was ablycarried on by Mrs. Eugene Sturtevant and her daughters. All renderedpriceless service to what was then an unpopular and unfashionablecause. 

Mrs. Julia Ward Howe was present at the first meeting and as long asshe lived took great interest in its work. This interest was inheritedby her daughters, Mrs. Maud Howe Elliott and Mrs. Florence Howe Hall. The summer meetings were sometimes held at Oak Glen, Portsmouth, Mrs. Howe's country home, and here on soft June afternoons the veteransuffrage workers and the young neophytes destined to carry on theirwork rejoiced in coming together. On one occasion a young stranger wasnoticed in the audience who followed the proceedings with breathlessinterest. Soon afterwards Mrs. Norman deR. Whitehouse of New Yorkbegan her fine service for suffrage, which was continued until thevictory was won in that State. 

Many of the most distinguished speakers ever heard in Newport cameunder the auspices of this league. Among the active workers were Mrs. Walter Wright, secretary and treasurer; Miss Elizabeth Peckham, Mrs. Oscar Miller, Mrs. Bertram Storrs and many others, and among thefaithful members Admiral and Mrs. Sims rendered "aid and comfort"beyond belief in those days when it took some courage in fashionableNewport to "come out" for woman suffrage!

[The long and interesting account of this league must be omittedbecause space can be given only to national and State organizations. ]

FOOTNOTES:

[157] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Elizabeth UphamYates, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association 1909-1914, and honorary president until its work was finished in 1920. 

[158] The presidents of the State Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Mrs. Susan Hammond Barney, Mrs. Emeline Burlingame Cheney, Mrs. MaryA. Babcock, Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingston, Mrs. Jennie L. W. Rooke andMrs. Ethelyn Roberts have all been active workers for woman suffrage. 

[159] In addition to those already mentioned, the following have beenofficers or members of the State Executive Committees: Mrs. Ellen M. Calder, Mrs. Elizabeth Ormsbee, Mrs. Fanny Purdy Palmer, Mrs. Ora A. Angell, Mrs. Sarah M. Aldrich, Mrs. Betsy A. Stearns, Miss Mary K. Conington, Mrs. Annie B. Jackson, Mrs. Catherine G. Wilbur, Mrs. ClaraF. Delaney, Mrs. Myra Phinney, Miss S. Arvilla Jewett, Mrs. Amy E. Harris, Miss Katherine H. Austin, Mrs. Josephine Fry, Miss Eleanor B. Green, Mrs. Margaret C. Edgren, Mrs. Victor Frazee, Mrs. Anna B. Kroener, Miss Abby P. Gardiner, Mrs. William H. Adams, Mrs. NathanielGreene, Mrs. Job Manchester, Mrs. William A. H. Comstock, Miss MabelOrgelman, Mrs. Edwin C. Smith, Mrs. Ava C. Minsher, Mrs. Fred S. Fenner, Mrs. Clarence Fuller, Mrs. Frank A. Jackson, Miss Sarah E. Doyle, Mrs. Alfred M. Coats, Miss Ellen G. Hunt and Mrs. CharlesRemington. 

To these should be added a list of men to whom the workers are deeplyindebted. 

[160] The _Woman Citizen_ was edited and published for ten years byMrs. Jeannette French, and was a valuable contribution to the movementfor woman suffrage. 

[161] At the next Democratic State convention Miss Elizabeth UphamYates received the nomination for Lieutenant Governor amid greatenthusiasm. She was termed "a student of sociology, missionary leader, prophet and dreamer, whose dreams have come true. "--Ed. 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

SOUTH CAROLINA. [162]

For a number of years there had been a suffrage association in SouthCarolina with Mrs. Virginia Durant Young, editor of the Fairfax_Enterprise_, president. Evidence of advance in public sentiment wasshown when in April, 1900, by invitation, Mrs. Young addressed 5, 000people at Rivers Bridges Memorial Association; in June when Mrs. Malvina A. Waring made the commencement address at Limestone Collegeand again when Mrs. Young responded to a toast at the banquet of theState Press Association. That same year there was lively effort todecide which one of twenty women candidates should be elected Statelibrarian. Miss Lucy Barron was elected and a large number of womenengrossing clerks were appointed to share her work. 

In 1902 during the Exposition a woman suffrage convention was held inCharleston through the courtesy of the chairman of Promotion andPublicity, Major J. C. Hemphill. Although opposed to woman suffrage heinduced the officials in charge to grant the use of the GermanArtillery Hall for two nights and one meeting was held in theexposition grounds, where Henry B. And Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, Mrs. Mamie Folsom Wynn, Miss Koch, Miss Helen Morris Lewis, MissClaudia G. Tharin, Mrs. T. M. Prentiss and Mrs. Young made addresses. A reception was given in the Woman's Building. In May, 1903, Mrs. Young made a suffrage speech at the meeting of the State PressAssociation at Georgetown. With her death in 1906 the organizationlapsed but there was a small group of suffragists in Columbia with Dr. Jane Bruce Guignard president. 

It was not until May 15, 1914, when Miss Lavinia Engle, one of theorganizers sent by the National American Woman Suffrage Association, called together a representative group of clubwomen, that the StateEqual Suffrage League was organized in the Kennedy Library atSpartanburg. Mrs. M. T. Coleman of Abbeville, retiring president ofthe State Federation of Women's Clubs, was elected president; Mrs. John Gary Evans, Spartanburg, first and Mrs. J. L. Coker, Hartsville, second, vice-president; Mrs. Henry Martin, Columbia, secretary; Mrs. F. T. Kicklin, Chester, treasurer. Dr. Rosa H. Gannt, Spartanburg, wasappointed legislative chairman. Three organized leagues--Columbia, Charleston and Spartanburg--with a membership of about 450, joined atthis time. In twenty months the number of local leagues increased toeight and the membership to 1, 514. 

Three speakers were brought to the State during the winter of 1915, Mrs. Lila Meade Valentine, president of the Virginia League; Mrs. Desha Breckinridge, president of the Kentucky Association, and MissKate M. Gordon of Louisiana. The league supplied literature for schooland club debates and distributed it at many county fairs. On October17 a State convention was held in Columbia. Mrs. Coleman and Dr. Ganntresigned; Mrs. Harriet P. Lynch, Cheraw, was elected president andMrs. W. C. Cathcart of Columbia was appointed legislative chairman. This year for the first time suffrage was represented in a parade ofwomen, which took place during the State Fair with a suffrage float inthe evening display. 

In 1916 the annual convention met in Charlestown. During the year Mrs. Lynch had stressed organization and chairmen had been appointed insixteen counties to work along political lines, the unit oforganization being the wards in cities and townships in counties. Aplank in the Democratic platform to refer a woman suffrage amendmentto the voters was secured at the State convention in the spring andState and national candidates were canvassed as to their views onwoman suffrage. 

When the convention of 1917 was held in Columbia in October there weretwenty-five leagues in the State with a membership of about 3, 000. TheFederal Suffrage Amendment, the Prohibition Amendment, FoodAdministration as outlined by Mr. Hoover and a Minimum Wage for Womenwere endorsed. Protests were made against any attempt to lowereducational standards or to weaken the laws safeguarding women andchildren. The Legislative Committee reported that before theLegislature convened its members had been completely canvassed as totheir views on woman suffrage; these were classified and only a fewwere tagged impossible. A "suffrage school" was held in Columbia inDecember under the auspices of the National Association with onehundred pupils. During the year woman suffrage had been endorsed bythe State Federation of Labor, Federation of Women's Clubs and Woman'sChristian Temperance Union. 

In May, 1918, Mrs. Cathcart was appointed by U. S. Senator Tillman asassociate committeewoman on the Democratic National Committee. Whenthe State Democratic convention was held in Columbia that month thecommitteewoman and the committee decided that this was the opportunityfor the Democratic party to substantiate its pledge. Senator NeilsChristensen was asked to introduce a resolution requesting the partyto permit women to vote in the Democratic Primaries in August, provided the 36th State had ratified the Federal Amendment. Theresolution was debated in committee and rejected by a vote of 18 to14. The convention adopted the unfavorable report by a vote of 249 to58. The women were not only rejected but through the spokesman for theopposing faction, U. S. Senator Christie Benet of Columbia, they weredubbed as paid propagandists. This the women denied through the pressand called on him to prove his accusation, which was never done. TheState suffrage convention was held in October and Mrs. Lynch and Mrs. Cathcart were re-elected. At this convention the league declareditself in favor of the Federal Suffrage Amendment as a war measure. 

The State convention of 1919 was held in Columbia in January, Mrs. Julian B. Salley of Aiken presiding. Resolutions on the death of Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, also resolutions endorsing the Treaty of Peace andthe League of Nations were read by Mrs. Cathcart and adopted. Mrs. Lynch, whose resignation was accepted, was made honorary president, and at the meeting of the executive committee in Columbia in July Mrs. Salley was elected president. During the year work was immenselystrengthened by the contribution of the National Association of 10, 000pieces of literature and of Miss Lola Trax, who in five monthsorganized forty counties for the petition work for ratification. TheNational's expenditures were over $1, 700. 

The State convention of 1920 met in Columbia in January at theJefferson Hotel and was welcomed by Governor Robert A. Cooper, whosaid he was convinced that women would soon vote. U. S. SenatorPollock of Cheraw made a rousing speech in favor of the FederalAmendment. Mrs. Salley reviewed the year's work, telling of thedistribution of 10, 000 copies of Senator Pollock's speech in Congress;of the new course of citizenship in the State University and of thegrowth of the organization. The legislative report of the past fiveyears was read by the chairman, Mrs. Cathcart. Mrs. Munsell, chairmanof the American Citizenship Committee, reported a ten-day course ofcitizenship at Winthrop Summer School; a summer class at theUniversity of South Carolina; one at Coker College, Hartsville, conducted by Mrs. J. L. Coker, and a course at Converse College, Spartanburg. Mrs. Cathcart, chairman of the Resolutions Committee, read the following: "The State Equal Suffrage League tendersappreciation and thanks to the members of the General Assembly ofSouth Carolina, who have fostered the cause . .. Among them Joseph E. McCullough, Greenville; A. E. Horton, Spartanburg; James A. Hoyt, Speaker of the House; Senators J. L. Sherard, Anderson; NeilsChristensen, Beaufort; Allan Johnston, Newberry; Legrande Walker, Georgetown; T. C. Duncan, Union, and Representative Shelor, Oconee. Wecommend William P. Pollock who spoke and voted in the U. S. Senate forthe Federal Suffrage Amendment, for his loyalty to his convictions andhis belief in true democracy. " At the afternoon session Miss MarjorieShuler, who had been sent by the National Association for press andpublicity work for one month, was one of the principal speakers. Delegates were elected for the meeting to be called to merge the EqualSuffrage League into the League of Women Voters. This meeting was heldJune 20 at Craven Hall, Columbia, the league was formed and Mrs. Munsell was elected chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. In 1902 Mrs. Virginia D. Young, then president ofthe suffrage association, brought personal influence to bear on theGovernor, Senators and Representatives for a hearing on womansuffrage. On January 28 Senator Aldrich and Representative Izlerintroduced simultaneously two bills, one asking for Presidentialsuffrage for taxpaying women; the other for suffrage in Municipalelections. A hearing was held before a joint session January 31, withthe galleries crowded, where, in Mrs. Young's own words, "I wasreceived with the usual chivalric attention and asked if I wouldascend to the Speaker's chair. 'By no means. I wish to speak from thefloor, ' I answered. This privilege was accorded me and for the firsttime a woman spoke in the House of Representatives. "

1914. From 1902 there is no record of action on the part of theGeneral Assembly to grant suffrage to women until Jan. 23, 1914, whena bill was introduced in the House by Mr. McMillan and referred to theJudiciary Committee, by which it was unfavorably reported the next dayand rejected without a record vote, after little if any discussion. Ithad been introduced in the Senate by Mr. Carlisle on the 15th andreferred to the Judiciary Committee, which reported it withoutrecommendation February 25, and the next day it was laid on the tablewithout discussion or a record vote. 

1915. Early in the session a resolution was introduced asking for thesubmission of a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution. Inconnection an invitation was extended by Speaker James A. Hoyt ofColumbia to Mrs. Valentine, president of the Virginia Suffrage League, to address the House and she spoke most convincingly. It was said thatif a vote had been taken that night the resolution would have beenadopted. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee, which granted ahearing. The speakers were the Rev. Kirkman G. Finlay, Professor LewisParke Chamberlayne, Mrs. Coleman, Mrs. Lynch, Miss Eudora Ramsey, Dr. Gannt and Mrs. Valentine. The resolution was reported out of thecommittee unfavorably, with a minority report, and it was thought bestnot to push for a vote. 

1916. The resolution for an amendment was introduced in the House byJudge McCullough of Greenville and received a vote of 51 ayes; 61noes. 

1917. The amendment resolution was introduced by Senator J. L. Sherardand Representative A. E. Horton. After an exciting debate lasting forthree days the Senate bill came to a vote, receiving 25 ayes; 19 noes. In the House the bill was reported and placed early on the calendarfor the next year. 

1918. Mr. Horton, House leader, was requested by the league towithdraw the resolution and state that as President Wilson haddeclared himself in favor of the Federal Suffrage Amendment and hadrequested members of Congress to vote for its submission the leaguewould concentrate on this amendment. After the vote in favor by the U. S. House of Representatives letters and telegrams were sent by leaguesand individuals all over the State requesting the Senators to vote forit. Both voted against it but with the election of William P. Pollockthe suffragists were encouraged. The amendment was submitted to theLegislatures June 4, 1919. 

RATIFICATION. On January 14, 1920, Senator Neils Christensenintroduced a joint resolution to ratify the proposed Federal SuffrageAmendment, which was referred to the Judiciary Committee. On the 23rdit was reported unfavorably; on motion of Senator Christensen thereport was laid on the table; on the 28th the resolution went to avote and received 32 noes, four ayes--Christensen, Duncan, Shelor andWalker. In the House on January 21 Representatives Bradford and Hartintroduced a concurrent resolution to reject the proposed amendment;on the 22nd a motion to refer it to the Judiciary Committee wasdefeated by a vote of 85 to 26. The debate on the resolution to rejectextended into the afternoon and the vote resulted in 93 ayes, 20 noes. Even members who were opposed to ratification made strong speeches forjustice and denounced this unprecedented action of voting for ameasure before it had been referred to a committee or placed on thecalendar. 

FOOTNOTES:

[162] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. W. C. Cathcart, member of the State Board of Public Welfare and chairman of theLegislative Committee of the State Equal Suffrage League for sixyears. 

CHAPTER XL. 

SOUTH DAKOTA. [163]

Here beginneth the last chapter of the history of woman suffrage inSouth Dakota. At the time this is written (1920) women have the samerights, privileges and duties politically as men except that they donot serve on juries but the law will undoubtedly be amended to permitthem to do so if there is any demand for it. For many years thesuffrage work was conducted by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, its officers acting for the suffrage societies and its legislativecommittees doing the lobbying. The activities of the two organizationsare so interwoven until 1909 that the history of the W. C. T. U. Ispractically the history of woman suffrage. The suffrage associationwas inactive after the last defeat in 1898 until 1901. In that year aState Political Equality Association was organized with Mrs. Alice M. A. Pickler of Faulkton president and Mrs. Philena Everett Johnson ofHighmore vice-president. She was the mother of Royal C. Johnson, nowin Congress. 

A State amendment for full suffrage was not again submitted until 1909and in the interim there was a lull in active work although localclubs were formed as the nucleus of a larger organization. Thesuffrage lobby, usually the same as the W. C. T. U. Lobby, appeared ateach session of the Legislature. When a suffrage resolution wasintroduced it either died in committee or was reported out unfavorablyand failed to pass. Always when the question was brought before eitherHouse there was a spirited debate and the suffragists then continuedtheir campaign through literature and other means. 

In October, 1902, Mrs. Pickler called a conference at Watertown whichdecided to take advantage of the initiative and referendum, that theState had adopted in 1897. Not realizing that it did not apply toconstitutional amendments, the suffragists in 1903 at great expenseand effort secured the signatures of the requisite number of voters toa petition asking that a constitutional amendment be submitted to thevoters. Secretary of State O. C. Berg was criticized for refusing toreceive it for transmission to the Legislature but he could notlegally do so, as the initiative applied only to Laws. He was notopposed to woman suffrage and in later years his wife worked for itand his son conducted a newspaper which gave it able support. 

Still under the leadership of Mrs. Pickler, the years 1904 and 1905passed with the usual routine work and in 1906 another petition wasbegun which had nothing to do with the initiative and referendum butwas merely a petition of women as citizens to the Legislature askingthat the question be submitted to a vote at the next general election. This work was carried on all summer by a house to house canvassthroughout the State and later at the State Fair, with the result thatwhen it convened the women were able to stage a spectacular event byhaving pages carry up the aisle of the Lower House a list of namesthirty-six yards in length. The resolution was introduced and passedthe Senate but failed in the House by ten votes. 

During all this time Mrs. Anna R. Simmons of Faulkton was president ofthe State W. C. T. U. And Mrs. Pickler and she did excellent teamwork, enlisting the aid of many other splendid women. A complete listof them it is unfortunately impossible to secure but many mentioned inVolume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage continued their services. The years 1907-8 were spent in propaganda work and raising funds andwhen the Legislature convened in January, 1909, the suffrage and W. C. T. U. Lobby was on hand to ask once more for the submission of thequestion to the voters. Two resolutions for partial suffrage wereintroduced in the Senate in addition to the one for the amendment. Onewould confer the vote on property-owning women only and the otherwould permit women to vote on the liquor question, the State beingunder local option. Whether they were presented by friends or were a"half loaf" offered by enemies is not known at this late date. Theywere probably the former, because a vote on the liquor question bywomen was the last thing the principal opponents wanted and such anamendment if adopted would have speedily put South Dakota in the "dry"column for all time. The resolution to send to the voters an amendmentfor full suffrage passed both Houses and was signed by Governor RobertS. Vessey. His favorable attitude was a great help to the women, as ithad been in former years when he was in the State Senate. 

From 1909 the W. C. T. U. Continued its suffrage work under itsfranchise department and the State Suffrage Association was a separateorganization. In June, 1909, a suffrage convention was held atAberdeen and Mrs. Lydia B. Johnson of Fort Pierre was electedpresident of the State Political Equality League, a new constitutionadopted, officers chosen and an invitation extended to all women'sorganizations to send delegates to a convention at Sioux Falls in theautumn, when plans for the coming campaign would be perfected. Thisconvention met November 6 and from that time until the election inNovember, 1910, an active campaign was conducted. The amendment wasdefeated, receiving 35, 290 ayes, 57, 709 noes, but the workers feltthat gains had been made and were more determined than ever not tocease their efforts. 

After the election of 1910 Mrs. Johnson called a State convention atHuron and Mrs. John L. Pyle of that city was elected president andcontinued to serve until the Federal Suffrage Amendment was adopted in1920. The question was not again brought to the attention of theLegislature until 1913. During the summer of 1911 Mrs. Pyle called aconference at Huron. It seemed advisable to change the method ofprocedure and the name of the organization, which became the UniversalFranchise League. An incident of this conference--amusing now but veryserious then--was the earnest discussion of the newly introducedslogan, "Votes for Women, " brought over from England. Several precioushours were spent considering whether this was dignified and whetherwomen would not be considered "unladylike" if they adopted it. Therewas much protest also over being called "suffragettes" when they werereally "suffragists, " the former being the English for "militants. " Atthis meeting the State was divided into four districts for campaignpurposes. Mrs. May Billinghurst of Pierre was chairman for thenortheast; Miss Susie Bird of Belle Fourche for the northwest; Mrs. Edith M. Fitch of Hurley for the southeast and the Rev. KatherinePowell of Custer for the southwest, to organize branch leagues intheir districts. 

Their stories of trying to organize, especially in the western, thinlypopulated sections of the State would make an interesting volume. MissBird, with a horse and buggy, drove hundreds of miles, sometimes fortyfrom one house to the next. There were almost no railroad facilitiesafter leaving the Black Hills district but armed with suffrageliterature she drove her trusty steed from place to place, spreadingthe gospel of suffrage at school houses, private homes or wherever theopportunity presented and organizing little groups. 

In July, 1912, Mrs. Pyle called a convention at Huron, where thedecision was made to ask the Legislature of 1913 to submit a fullsuffrage amendment. Officers were re-elected, Mrs. Nina Pettigrew ofBelle Fourche took charge of the northwest district in place of MissBird, who had resigned, and the president was directed to select herLegislative Committee. It consisted of the Rev. Katherine Powell, Mrs. Billinghurst, Mrs. Ruth B. Hipple of Pierre, Miss Bird for the StateFranchise League and Mrs. Simmons of Faulkton; the State president, Mrs. Ruby Jackson of Ipswich, and Miss Rose Bower of Rapid City forthe W. C. T. U. 

In January, 1913, Mrs. Pyle and her lieutenants met at Pierre, thecapital, prepared for action. The hard work, the deep devotion to thecause of the men and women of preceding years had begun to bear fruitand instead of finding a lone member here and there in favor of womansuffrage, now there were many. Hitherto it had been solely a woman'scampaign, aided by only a few loyal men who dared brave the ridiculeof their brothers. The years of education had begun to change publicopinion and the president felt that the time for women to bebuttonholing unwilling men in the lobbies in an apologetic manner waspast. She called a conference of leading men from both Houses to meetwith the Legislative Committee in the office of Attorney General RoyalC. Johnson. This call met with a hearty response and plans were madewhich proved so effective that the amendment resolution was the firstmeasure to pass the Legislature, almost before the opponents knew thesuffragists were on the ground. The poll had been so quietly andcarefully taken that the committee knew its exact strength in bothHouses almost before the resolution was on the calendar. GovernorFrank M. Byrne gave his valuable assistance, as he had done when amember of the Senate in preceding years. Mrs. Byrne also was anexcellent ally. 

The members of the Legislature always referred to this legislativework as "the campaign of Committee Room 2, " as this room beside theelevator in the House side of the Capitol had been placed at thedisposal of the suffragists. Their committee quietly stayed therewhile members were summoned one by one, interviewed and pledged ifpossible. Unsuspecting members, supposing they were summoned by someState official, would come and then would consider it such a good jokethat they would say nothing and wait for their neighbor to get caught, so that nearly the entire membership was interviewed before the menbegan to compare notes. 

Among many amusing incidents was the following: The suffrage questioncould always be depended upon to fill the galleries and call forthfloods of oratory. When it was up for discussion at this time SenatorJames Mather of Brown county rose and announced in no uncertain termsthat he was unalterably opposed; he did not believe in woman suffrage;it would afford him great satisfaction, indeed he craved theopportunity, to be recorded as voting against it. The roll-callstarted alphabetically and it went Aye-Aye-Aye down to M. When thename Mather was called the Senator, looking decidedly embarrassed, asked to be excused from voting. Protests came from all sides. SenatorNorbeck (afterwards Governor) in stentorian tones demanded that sincethe Senator had craved the opportunity to record his opinion he shoulddo it now. Senator Mather meekly cast the only dissenting vote andnever was returned to the Legislature. In the Lower House the vote was70 ayes, 30 noes. 

The campaign of 1914 received most important and highly valuedassistance from Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the NationalAmerican Suffrage Association; Miss Jane Addams, its vice-president;Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, Mrs. Ella S. Stewart and Mrs. FlorenceBennett Peterson, all of Chicago, and from many others. One of thebest educational forces was the _South Dakota Messenger_, a weeklypaper controlled and edited by the State organization. It had a widecirculation and was able to reach into the farthest corners of theState. Other papers clipped freely from its editorial and newscolumns. On November 3 the amendment received 39, 605 ayes and 51, 519noes, lost by nearly 12, 000. For the fifth time the men of SouthDakota had denied their women the right of representation in thegovernment. 

The suffrage leaders were not in the least daunted or discouraged anda convention was very soon called at Huron to decide whether or notresubmission should be asked of the Legislature the next year and theunanimous decision was that it should be. The district plan wasabandoned and county organization adopted. A "budget" was prepared andeach county assessed according to its population, which plan wasgenerally successful. 

In January, 1915, the Legislative Committee, this time composed ofMrs. Pyle, Mrs. Etta Estey Boyce of Sioux Falls and Mrs. Paul Rewmanof Deadwood, assisted by a number of Pierre suffragists for theUniversal Franchise League and Dr. Mary Noyes Farr of Pierre and MissRose Bower for the W. C. T. U. , once more climbed the steps of theCapitol to ask for another referendum. Once more the request wasgranted--in the Senate by 29 to 15, in the House by 57 to 40--duringthe first two weeks of the session. A reception was given by thecommittee and Pierre suffragists to the members of the Legislature, the State officers and the ladies of their families in the ballroom ofthe St. George Hotel, said to have been a social event second only tothe inaugural ball. Later in the session a bill to give women a votefor presidential electors, county and municipal officers, which couldbe granted by the Legislature itself, received 59 ayes and 40 noes inthe House; 18 ayes and 24 noes in the Senate. 

During the summer of 1916 for the first time the women "antis" deemedit necessary to do active work. They established headquarters at thecapital with a manager in charge and made an open campaign. To answertheir old stock argument, "Women do not want the vote, " a state-wideplan of petitions by the women of each county was adopted and everyone where the work was well done showed a good majority in favor. OnNovember 7 when the first election returns came from those countiesthat usually indicate the result of the whole State, the AssociatedPress sent the news broadcast that South Dakota had been carried forwoman suffrage by a large majority, but again it was the same oldstory, principally the foreigners, especially the Germans, had oncemore denied to American women the privilege which they, themselves, had acquired so easily. The returns showed 53, 432 in the affirmative;58, 350 in the negative, an opposing majority of less than 5, 000. 

Each campaign had shown a growth in favorable sentiment and thereseemed every reason to believe that another one would be successful. The National Association agreed with the State in this opinion andwere ready to cooperate, so it seemed best to ask the session of 1917to give one more opportunity. The Legislature was well trained by thistime and willingly passed the resolution, the Senate by 31 ayes, 12noes; the House by 66 ayes, 27 noes. After it had adjourned and beforedefinite plans for a campaign were completed the country was plungedinto the World War and misgivings arose in the minds of the executiveboard as to the wisdom of an undertaking which would make demands onthe time of the women. After much prayerful deliberation the unanimousdecision was reached that since this war was being fought for theestablishment of world democracy and this question was undoubtedly oneof democracy, there must be no turning back, but that the campaignmust be managed in such a way as to require the services of as fewwomen as possible. No further effort was made to organize countyleagues but a committee of three was elected in each county to lookafter its interests except in those already well organized. Not muchwas done this year beyond laying a foundation for the necessary workof the next year. 

In January, 1918, Governor Peter Norbeck called a special session ofthe Legislature to consider important State affairs, one being tochange the clause in the constitution relating to citizenship. Itsframers, to render settlement of a new, undeveloped countryattractive, made the requirement such that a foreigner might become aqualified elector after having merely declared his intention ofbecoming a citizen, without having sworn allegiance to the UnitedStates. Thousands of aliens had taken out their first papers, filed ongovernment land, proved up and established their homes, failed tocomplete their naturalization and yet were fully qualified to vote. This had long been considered a menace to the government andsuffragists knew that it was principally to this class of voters thatthey owed their many defeats. The war developed great disloyalty amongthis class and the Governor announced that the situation wasintolerable and the requirements for citizenship must be changed. Inorder to do this it was necessary to amend the section of theconstitution which stated the qualifications of a voter and which wasthe same section that it was sought to amend for woman suffrage bystriking out the word "male. " It was finally decided that the only waywas to have the two matters submitted as one amendment. The word"male" was stricken out and full naturalization and a five years'residence were required before the privilege of voting should begranted and this was substituted for the original suffrage amendment. 

In the course of a report made to the national executive board Mrs. McMahon, one of its organizers, said:

 There was a conference in the headquarters at Huron and Mrs. Pyle faced the situation and took up the burden. The National Suffrage Association had sent two field workers--Miss Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon and Mrs. Albert McMahon. To the latter was given charge of the organization department and together the two women set to work with the State officers to district the State and organize in each county a campaign committee. Eventually there was an organizer for every six districts, each comprising from twelve to fourteen huge counties. Each worker as she came into the State had to be carefully instructed in everything that touched upon the constitutional provisions for voting, the status of the alien, the reason for putting the citizenship clause into the suffrage amendment, the effect its passage would have upon the aliens, etc. , because these questions were constantly met. Much new literature had to be prepared and all the posters changed to fit new conditions. 

 What won the State? Persistent, intensive, quiet work. We had few meetings of our own but we used those of every one else, from women's aid societies to Rotary clubs, political rallies and Fourth of July celebrations. We did not plan parades, but wherever patriotic sentiment expressed itself through a parade we were in it. We circularized the voters in groups again and again--lawyers, business men, farmers, etc. , with literature adapted to each group. We circulated a petition and 95 per cent. Of the women to whom it was presented signed it. We sent every organizer we could command into delinquent counties, having the cooperation of the local women. In the evening street meetings were held. The workers left literature in every home and posters placarded on every wall space. They left suffrage stories with the newspapers and the spoken word in the ear of all who would listen and they left the morale of the local workers at high water mark. The signed petitions were printed and mailed to the voters in each county with our final circularization. Ninety-eight per cent. Of the newspapers were favorable and in spite of paper shortage and the demand for war publicity they never failed the women. In addition to news stories, editorials, etc. , they universally used the plate material which the National Association furnished. As much as any other one thing perhaps, this plate material helped to win the campaign. All political parties endorsed the amendment, Republicans and Democrats making it a part of their platforms. 

 In June Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, corresponding secretary of the National Association, came to South Dakota and with Mrs. S. V. Ghrist, vice-president of the State League, and Mrs. McMahon, a school of methods was held in the principal towns. The women were taught how to organize and were grounded in the new aspects of the campaign. Mrs. Catt was ill and could not come, which was the greatest blow the campaign had; however Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, national recording secretary, took her place very acceptably. 

Among the organizers Mrs. McMahon mentioned Mrs. R. E. H. Stevens, Miss Stella Crosley, Miss Gertrude Watkins, Miss Josephine Miller, Miss Liba Peshokova and Miss Ida Stadie and said: "But this efficient, faithful little band could not have won the campaign alone. SouthDakota State women will perhaps never realize how much they owe toMrs. John L. Pyle, president, who gave herself absolutely to thewinning of their political freedom. She was at her desk from early inthe morning until 11 o'clock and later at night. Nothing was allowedto stand in the way of her complete service. The best there was in hershe gave to the cause and she has the gratitude of those for whom andwith whom she worked. Ably seconding her efforts were Mrs. Ghrist, vice-president; Mrs. Frank Meyer, office secretary; Mrs. Rewman andMiss Alice Lorraine Daly in the finance department; Mrs. Lewis L. Leavitt, chairman of the Minnehaha committee; Miss Harriet Grant ofHuron and Mrs. R. H. Lewis of Mitchell. The whole structure rested onthe county workers. There was never a Fair that was not covered nor aTeachers' nor a Farmers' Institute nor a political meeting. Everywherethat voters gathered, there they were. "

It may be presumed that those who would be disfranchised until theyhad completed their naturalization would cast their votes against theamendment but these were more than counteracted by American citizens, who, even if they did not believe in woman suffrage, would vote forthe amendment because of this part of it. The election took place Nov. 6, 1918, and the amendment received 49, 318 ayes and 28, 934 noes;carried by 20, 384. The following figures show the progress made fromcampaign to campaign: Opposing majority in 1910, 22, 419; in 1914, 11, 914; in 1916, 4, 934. 

The women of South Dakota are deeply grateful to the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association, which always helped generously withorganizers, speakers and money. It contributed $7, 500 to thiscampaign. Various States were loyal and helpful and have the fullestappreciation and gratitude. 

RATIFICATION. The final scene in the drama of woman suffrage wasstaged on December 4, 1919, at 12:40 a. M. , when the members of theLegislature, coming to Pierre at their own expense and at greatinconvenience, in the middle of winter, unanimously ratified theFederal Suffrage Amendment. Many States were having special sessionsfor this purpose but Governor Norbeck, who would have to call one inJanuary, did not wish to do so before then. He agreed, however, thatif a majority of the members would come to Pierre at their own expensein order to ratify the amendment, he would call a session for thatpurpose. 

This State has a new law which requires that in December of the yearpreceding an election there shall be "proposal meetings" held at thecapital to propose candidates for nomination at the March primaries, each party holding a separate meeting. This year there were to be alsothree party conventions at the same time and practically all thepoliticians would be at the capital. Mrs. Pyle and her board asked theGovernor to call the session for that time, for many of the memberswould be in attendance as delegates from their counties. Accordingly, after receiving the assurance that a majority of them were willing tocome to Pierre at their own expense, he issued a call for December 3at 7 o'clock in the evening. It was dead of winter and distances arelong. The call was issued after 3 o'clock on Saturday and the sessionwas to be the next Tuesday. Telephone and telegraph wires were kepthumming for the next thirty-six hours and the men came from alldirections. One man rushed home to Huron from Minneapolis, called tohis wife to send his "grip" after him and just caught the train forPierre. Another used up three automobiles getting to the train fromhis home many miles from the railroad, as the snow made the roadsalmost impassable. 

The question arose how to put the resolution through the two Houses inthe least possible time. It was finally done by introducing theresolutions in both Houses and giving them their first and secondreadings on the evening of December 3. They were then referred to theproper committees and the Legislature adjourned until the nextlegislative day. The earliest possible moment of the next day was oneminute after midnight and this was the hour when it convened. Thefinal passage took place at 12:44 a. M. On the 4th by unanimous vote. This was the first time that a South Dakota Legislature ever convenedin the middle of the night but the members were anxious to get home assoon as possible and the trains leave in both directions about 2 a. M. 

FOOTNOTES:

[163] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Ruth B. Hipple, member of the Legislative Committee of the State Woman SuffrageAssociation and editor of the _South Dakota Messenger_. 

CHAPTER XLI. 

TENNESSEE. PART I. [164]

The history of the suffrage movement in Tennessee filled only fivepages of the volume preceding this one, which ended with 1900, andsuch as there was had been due principally to that dauntless pioneer, Mrs. Lide A. Meriwether of Memphis, to whom this chapter is reverentlyand gratefully dedicated. The first suffrage society was formed inMemphis in May, 1889, and none of its founders is now living exceptMrs. J. D. Allen of this city. In April, 1894, a society was formed atNashville at the home of Mrs. H. C. Gardner by Miss Amelia Territt, Mrs. Bettie Donelson and a few others but it had no connection withthe one at Memphis. Its members were earnest and capable but it didnot long survive. Through the efforts of the National Association aState organization was effected in 1897, the year of the CentennialExposition in Nashville, and there was a convention in April, 1900, attended by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, national president. There hadbeen no State convention for five years when in 1906, through theinitiative of Miss Belle Kearney of Mississippi a meeting was calledin Memphis of which Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky sends the followingaccount taken from her scrapbook:

 The conference of Southern Women Suffragists was held in Memphis December 19, 20, the opening session in the morning at the Peabody Hotel; the afternoon session at the residence of Mrs. J. O. Crawford and the other sessions at the hotel. Miss Clay was elected chairman; Mrs. Nannie Curtiss of Texas, secretary. The meeting included representatives from many of the southern States and letters were received from "Dorothy Dix, " Mrs. Caroline E. Merrick and Mrs. Sophy Wright of New Orleans; Mrs. Mary Bentley Thomas of Baltimore; Mrs. Josephine K. Henry of Versailles, Ky. ; Mrs. Eliza Strong Tracey of Houston; Mrs. Mary B. Clay and Mrs. James Bennett of Richmond, Ky. , and Mrs. Key, president of the North Texas Girls' College. Discussions on aspects of the suffrage question were led by Miss Kearney, Miss Clay, Mrs. Meriwether and Mrs. Jennie H. Sibley of Georgia. The conference was resolved into a committee of the whole to formulate plans for concerted legislative work in the southern States. A thousand copies of the resolutions were printed. At this time the State Equal Suffrage Association was re-organized, with Mrs. Meriwether honorary president; Mrs. J. D. Allen, president; Mrs. L. F. Selden, corresponding secretary and treasurer; Mrs. M. M. Betts, recording secretary; Mrs. S. S. Deem, chairman of problems affecting women or children. 

Mrs. Allen served continuously until 1912. In 1908 the StateFederation of Labor not only endorsed woman suffrage but agreed topetition members of the Legislature and Congress to work for it andthey loyally kept their pledge. This same year suffrage literature wasfirst distributed at the State Federation of Women's Clubs and Dr. Shaw, then president of the National Association, spoke in Memphis. 

In 1910 the first suffrage State petition work was begun in Memphisand its Nineteenth Century Club and the Newman Circle of Knoxvilleheld parlor meetings and discussions. Knoxville formed a local league;the women's clubs began to awaken and the State Federation appointedits first legislative committee, with the object of having the lawsunfavorable to women changed. In 1911 thousands of pieces ofliterature were distributed, press articles sent out and a resolutionto amend the State constitution by striking out the word "male" wasfirst presented to the Legislature. The movement did not gain muchimpetus until the Nashville League was organized in the fall of thisyear and Chattanooga and Morrison soon followed. On Jan. 10-12, 1912, the association with its five virile infant leagues met in Nashvilleand plans for state-wide organization began. Miss Sarah BarnwellElliott, an eminent writer, was unanimously chosen president. InOctober, 1913, the State convention met in Morristown and eightleagues answered the roll call. 

The work in the Legislature naturally always fell heavily upon theNashville League and from 1913 to 1919 the lobby was composedprincipally of its members. The first real effort to break down theprejudice of the legislators was in 1913, when Miss Elliott and Mrs. Guilford Dudley asked for an audience for Miss Laura Clay, presidentof the Kentucky association, and Miss Mary Johnston of Virginia, thenovelist. This was granted and Miss Elliott was the first woman toaddress the Legislature, although no bill was before it. 

At a called meeting of the Executive Board, at Memphis in May, 1914, the resignation of Miss Elliott was regretfully accepted and Mrs. L. Crozier French succeeded her. At the State convention held October 29, 30 in Knoxville a division occurred and some of the delegates, refusing to be headed by Mrs. French, elected as president Mrs. JamesM. McCormack, who was first vice-president. Mrs. French wasunanimously elected by a part of the original association, which hadobtained a charter October 13, incorporating the name Tennessee EqualSuffrage Association. This association continued to be a dominatingforce in suffrage activities. Mrs. French resigned the presidencyApril 1, 1915, and her unexpired term was filled by thevice-president-at-large, Mrs. John M. Kenny of Nashville. The holdingof the annual convention of the National Association in Nashville Nov. 12-17, 1914, was the turning point in the history of suffrage inTennessee because of its far-reaching educational propaganda andbecause Nashville was the political center of the State. 

Mrs. Dudley was elected president at the State convention held atJackson in October, 1915. She went to east, west and middle Tennessee, visiting in the first year of her administration nineteen towns, manyof them twice, and assisting the Campaign Committee in organizingfourteen. She made addresses in twenty-two different cities. Towardthe end of the year Miss Sue S. White, of Jackson, the recordingsecretary, a court stenographer and business woman, gave a month toorganizing the headquarters staff and making plans to carry forwardthe work in a businesslike way. [165]

Mrs. Catt was making a strong effort to have the various States followthe same policy at the same time and thereby each could contribute tothe national victory. With the view of securing woman suffrage planksin both Democratic and Republican national platforms, each associationwas asked to secure endorsement from its political State conventions. Early in January, 1916, Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Kenny went before theexecutive committees of both parties, asking for a plank in theplatforms and also that delegates be instructed to vote for a suffrageplank in the national platform this year. In May Mrs. Dudley spokebefore the platform committees and the conventions of both endorsedwoman suffrage. Former Governor Ben Hooper, Mr. And Mrs. James S. Beasley, the Hon. H. Clay Evans and Harry Anderson were of muchassistance with the Republicans and Governor Tom C. Rye and U. S. Senator Kenneth D. McKellar secured the resolution from the Democrats. 

Tennessee sent seven women to the Republican national convention inChicago, who marched in the famous parade through wind and rain to theconvention hall, Mrs. Dudley carrying the State suffrage banner. Eleven women went to the Democratic national convention in St. Louis, where they stood bravely in the "golden lane" through which thedelegates marched to the convention. Mrs. Dudley was chosen to addressthe Tennessee delegation and it was a proud moment for the women ofthe State when they voted solidly for the suffrage plank. In Octoberfarewell banquets to congressmen on the eve of their departure forWashington, to influence their votes for the Federal SuffrageAmendment, were given in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. The StateFederation of Women's Clubs endorsed woman suffrage this year by alarge majority, under the leadership of Mrs. George Fort Milton ofChattanooga and Mrs. D. T. Kimbrough of Nashville. Other endorsementswere those of the Southern Federation of Labor (unanimous), obtainedthrough the efforts of Mrs. Walter Jackson of Murfreesboro; theTennessee Women's Press and Authors' Club, through Miss Libbie Morrow;the State conventions of the Beemen, the Nurserymen and theHorticulturists, at the request of Mrs. Kimbrough. 

Mrs. Dudley soon came to be known nationally. She spoke on the FederalAmendment at the luncheon of four hundred given to the incomingmembers at the Congress Hotel in Washington; addressed congressionalcommittee hearings, and in December she joined the "lobby" at thenational suffrage headquarters in Washington to interview southernSenators and Representatives. The State convention was held inNashville, Jan. 30, 31, 1917. Mrs. Dudley was unanimously re-electedand served until her election to the board of the National Associationin December. At this convention Mrs. Kenny was elected chairman ofpublicity and under her direction special suffrage editions ofnewspapers were published in the principal towns and cities and copiesmailed to every voter. The plate matter sent out by the national presscommittee was widely distributed. 

Mrs. Leslie Warner was elected president in 1918, and at the Stateconvention held in Nashville in June, 1919, Mrs. George Fort Miltonsucceeded her. During her seven years of suffrage activity Mrs. Miltonhad rendered valuable service in various official positions. It waswhile this convention was in session that the news came of thesubmission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment by Congress and there wasa demonstration of joy. In the evening a brilliant public banquet tookplace at the Tulane Hotel. The convention extended its official boardto include a chairman from each congressional district, for theratification campaign. Three weeks later the board held a meeting atLookout Mountain, formulated plans for organizing the districtspolitically and pledged the largest amount of money for State work inthe history of the association. 

LEGISLATIVE WORK. In 1915 Mrs. L. Crozier French, State president, appointed Mrs. Guilford Dudley, president of the Nashville League, legislative chairman to sponsor a resolution for a woman suffrageamendment to the State constitution. The members of the lobbycommittee were Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Kimbrough, Mrs. W. G. Spencer, Mrs. Reau E. Folk, Mrs. Ittie K. Reno, Mrs. Victoria James Roach and Mrs. A. Y. Scott. To amend the constitution it is necessary to obtain amajority in the first Legislature and a two-thirds majority in thesucceeding one before the question is submitted to the voters. InJanuary when the House committee met to report on the amendment it wasopposed almost to a man. Mrs. Dudley with all her committee back ofher made an eloquent appeal for justice and fair play, urging them atleast to permit the House to vote on the measure. When she finishednot a man raised his voice against it. The House adjourned to permitMrs. Dudley and Mrs. Scott to speak to the members and the final rollcall registered only fourteen noes. It passed the Senate with onlythree dissenting votes. The leagues all over the State had broughtstrong pressure to bear upon their representatives. In 1917 it wasreplaced by the Presidential suffrage bill. 

On May 17 a conference was held at Tullahoma, where the CampaignCommittee was formed. Two joint-chairmen headed the executivecommittee, Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Henry J. Kelso of Knoxville, with Mrs. Scott vice-chairman. On the resignation of Mrs. Kelso, Mrs. Milton waselected in her place. [166] Miss Elizabeth Breen, executive secretary, gave untiring and efficient service. Headquarters were opened inNashville. This Campaign Committee was the trail-blazer. Although inoperation only seven months it organized thirty-two leagues; enrolled9, 600 names; printed and distributed 75, 000 pieces of literature andexpended on organization work over $4, 000. State-wide publicity wasgained; the workers received valuable training in organizing andpublic speaking and it was a harmonizing force. 

It was difficult to enlist Tennessee suffragists in street speaking, not that they had not the courage of their faith but they feared toviolate the conservative traditions of their southland. After seeingits wonderful effect during the national suffrage convention inAtlantic City in 1916 a few of the bold-hearted summoned courage andthe first attempt was made in Jackson and Memphis in 1917 by Mrs. Kimbrough, Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Reno and Miss White. At theState Fair in Nashville in 1918 the Campaign Committee took charge ofthe open air meetings, these women speaking eight or ten times eachday, and they were rewarded by the great number of enrollment cardssigned by those who received the message favorably. 

In 1917 the legislative campaign was conducted under the friendlyadministration of a Democratic Governor, Tom C. Rye, and under thedirection of Mrs. Dudley, State president, and Mrs. Ezzell, legislative chairman. Before direct plans had been made, advices camefrom the National Association to concentrate on a Presidential andMunicipal suffrage bill similar to that passed in Illinois in 1913. This was agreed upon and General G. T. Fitzhugh of Memphis drew up thebill. His services were of great value to suffrage interests becauseboth as a citizen and a member of the bar he was held in the highestesteem. From this time until the State Supreme Court decision of 1919removed the last barrier to this bill he was a valued friend andadviser, and was associate counsel in the last legal battle onratification from the Chancery to the Supreme Court--all withoutfinancial remuneration. 

This Presidential and Municipal suffrage bill was one of the firstintroduced, sponsored in the House by Speaker Clyde Shropshire and inthe Senate by C. W. Rocks of Humboldt, and its progress was watchedwith great interest. Petitions were sent to the members from all partsof the State. The Memphis and Nashville members were solid for it fromthe beginning with one exception--Senator John M. Thompson, a violent"anti" from Nashville. Both suffragists and "antis" were invited tospeak before the House Judiciary Committee and both accepted, butafter two postponements through courtesy the "antis" did not put in anappearance and the suffragists alone were heard. General Fitzhugh cameto speak for the bill. There had been much discussion as to itsvalidity without the insertion of a poll tax clause and it was injeopardy. An appeal was made to a friend whose legal advice andservices the suffragists had always had for the asking--GeneralCharles T. Cates, Jr. , Attorney General, who came from his home inKnoxville to construe for the committee some of the perplexing phasesand the committee unanimously recommended the bill. 

When it came to a vote in the House women from all sections of theState were present. Among the most untiring workers were George FortMilton, editor of the Chattanooga _News_, and Mrs. Milton; MissMargaret Ervin of Chattanooga; Mrs. Isaac Reese, Mrs. Harry Andersonand Mrs. Scott of Memphis; Miss White, Mrs. Kimbrough and Mrs. Kenny. Many members of the Nashville League served at frequent criticaltimes. The vote in the House was 59 ayes, 25 noes, on Jan. 19, 1917, Lee's birthday, an anniversary celebrated throughout the South, and itwas fittingly referred to by some of the members as an appropriateoccasion for Southern men to give justice to women. Following itspassage the Hon. William Jennings Bryan, who was in Nashville, wasinvited to address the Legislature and spoke strongly in favor of it. Mrs. Bryan accompanied him and at a luncheon given in her honor at theHermitage Hotel, attended by members of the Legislature and over twohundred guests, she made an eloquent plea for suffrage and Mr. Bryanspoke again. 

While this bill was pending in the Senate the newspapers throughoutthe State were giving much more publicity to woman suffrage than theyhad ever done before. Many of the county papers favored it andpublished matter sent them. The _Labor World_ gave continuous support. Some of the best suffragists were newspaper women and they gave freelyof their time and talents. The excellent service of Mrs. W. A. Overallis recalled; though not a "professional" her clear, logical articlesimpressed impartial readers. Of the large daily papers the Knoxville_Sentinel_ and the _Commercial Appeal_ and _News Scimitar_ of Memphiswere favorable. The Jackson _Daily Sun_ and the Nashville _Banner_were opposed. The Chattanooga _News_ was an ardent advocate, while theChattanooga _Times_, under the control of the New York _Times_, wasstrongly opposed. The Nashville _Tennesseean_ was regarded as theofficial organ of the suffragists. Its owner, former U. S. SenatorLuke Lea, while in the Senate in 1913 had been one of three southernSenators to vote for the Federal Amendment. Throughout the campaign hewas ready at all times to help in every way possible, ignoring hispersonal political interests. This was true of U. S. Senator McKellarand Governor Rye. 

When the first canvass of the Senate was made the sentiment was aboutas follows: For the bill 11; unalterably opposed, 7; uncertain, 15. The classification "uncertain" was most appropriate, for fifteen moreuncertain men were never encountered. When assured that the measurecould safely be brought to vote it would be discovered that changeshad occurred over night which would mean defeat. The "antis" workedthrough a hastily organized local society at Nashville, which wasinspired by Judge John J. Vertrees, a prominent lawyer of that city. ACharles McLean of Iowa, who had been used by the opponents in otherState suffrage campaigns, made two or three visits to Nashville duringthe session. The State suffrage convention in this city a few daysbefore the bill came to a vote in the Senate was the largest ever heldand many delegates remained for the vote. 

The bill was introduced by Senator C. W. Rooks, who with Senator JohnC. Houk led the fight for it. It was lost on February 3 by 21 noes, 12ayes. A motion to reconsider by Senator A. E. Hill carried it overuntil the Legislature reconvened on March 7. The generosity of Mrs. Scott, vice-chairman of the Campaign Committee, who gave $500, enabledthe State association to employ four organizers and the NationalAssociation paid the salaries of three more. New organizations wereformed and remote towns, which had scarcely ever heard of suffrage, were visited. A telegram from President Wilson urging the Senate topass the bill was received at the March session but was not read inthat body until the day after it was defeated. [167] The motion forreconsideration was laid on the table the first day by 18 ayes, 10noes. 

Incessant work in behalf of the bill was carried on in the districtsof hostile or doubtful Senators from September until January, 1919, when the Legislature met and the bill for Presidential and Municipalsuffrage was again introduced. It was a hard fight for many weeks madeby Mrs. Warner and her committee, with daily, continuous work at theCapitol and "back log" work through the State, where she had theconstant help of her board. Mrs. A. G. Buckner, as legislativechairman, worked unceasingly, as did Mrs. Margaret Ervin Ford, Mrs. Reno and Miss Matilda Porter, the lobby committee, assisted by MissJosephine Miller, a national organizer. Mrs. Dudley came after thenational suffrage convention in March. 

Attorney L. D. Miller of Chattanooga introduced the bill in the Houseand conducted the fight for it. It passed the third and final readingApril 3 by 52 ayes, 32 noes. Speaker Seth M. Walker of Wilson countybecame a convert and eloquent advocate, leaving his desk to plead forit. [See Ratification. ]

After the bill had been cleverly put to sleep by the President of theSenate, Andrew Todd, by referring it to the hostile JudiciaryCommittee, Senator E. N. Haston, who was its sponsor, secured enoughvotes to overrule his action and put it in the Committee on Privilegesand Elections, which reported in favor. The enemies were led bySenator J. Parks Worley. The hardest fight that ever took place in theSenate was waged, and the outcome was not certain until Judge DouglasWikle of Williamson county cast the deciding vote in favor, making theresult on April 16, ayes, 17; noes, 14, a bare majority. At 10:30 thefollowing morning Governor Roberts affixed his signature to the Actconferring upon women the right to vote for electors of President andVice-President of the United States and in the Municipal electionsthroughout the State. More than half a million women were thus farenfranchised. 

Conspicuous and persistent among the enemies of the bill outside ofthe Legislature were U. S. Senator John K. Shields and Judge Vertrees. The latter, claiming to represent "others" filed a writ of injunctionin the Chancery Court to test the validity of the law. AttorneyGeneral Frank M. Thompson and other able lawyers defended thissuit[168], which was hotly contested, and this court, by ChancellorJames B. Newman, in June declared the law unconstitutional. The casewas appealed to the State Supreme Court, which in July, 1919, reversedthis decision and declared the law valid. 

When the Supreme Court rendered this decision the regular biennialregistration was only ten days off and it was at the hottest period ofthe summer, when many women and most of the suffrage officials wereout of town, but the registration was large in all the cities. InNashville about 7, 500 registered; in Knoxville about 7, 000, and thetype of those who presented themselves everywhere was of the highestand best. Contrary to all predictions the negro women did not flock tothe polls. They voted but in comparatively few numbers and the recordsshow that only the better educated were interested. Their vote provedto be anything but the "bugaboo" politicians had tried to show that itwould be and in some instances it was a contributing factor to goodgovernment. In Nashville they registered about 2, 500 and voted almosttheir full quota. They organized under the direction of the suffrageassociation, had their own city and ward chairmen and worked with anintelligence, loyalty and dignity that made new friends for their raceand for woman suffrage. There was not a single adverse criticism ofthem from any ward. They kept faith with the white women even whensome of their men sold out the night before election to a notoriouspolitical rounder. They proved that they were trying to keep step withthe march of progress and with a little patience, trust and vision theuniversal tie of motherhood and sisterhood can and will overcome theprejudice against them as voters. 

An immense amount of work was done by Tennessee women for the FederalSuffrage Amendment. After interviewing their members of Congress andusing every possible influence on them in their home districts, hundreds of letters and telegrams were sent to them in Washingtonwhenever they were to vote on it from 1915 to 1919. Mrs. Dudley, as amember of the national board, spent months in Washington and was sentto various southern States where skilled work was necessary. There wasa gradually increasing vote in favor by Tennessee members until whenthe last one was taken in June, 1919, only three Representatives, Moon, Hull and Garrett, voted against it. Senator Shields voted inopposition and Senator McKellar in favor. 

 * * * * *

[With this chapter was sent a complete history of the woman suffragemovement in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and smallercities, which accounts for the phenomenally rapid advance inTennessee. Unfortunately these chapters can give space only to thegeneral work of the State associations. ]

TENNESSEE. PART II[169]

Tennessee's pioneer period was from 1885-1911, for during those yearsthe educational and organization work carried on by a few intrepidwomen was as difficult as was the same work in other parts of theUnited States thirty or more years before that time. Woman suffragewas in the stage of ridicule and abuse and with a few exceptions thepress of the State was opposed and lost no opportunity to disparageit. 

The State Equal Suffrage Association was reorganized in Memphis in1906 and there was increasing activity each year afterwards. In 1907the suffragists held a convention and reported their membershiptrebled. They secured a suffrage article in the _News Scimitar_through the courtesy of Mike Connolly, its editor. In 1908 Dr. Shawspoke at the Goodwin Hall in Memphis under the auspices of the Stateassociation and a return engagement was secured by the Lyceum Coursethe following winter. The third annual convention was held Dec. 15, 1909, in Memphis at the home of the State president, Mrs. J. D. Allen, and the officers were re-elected. It was reported that a petition hadbeen sent to Congress for a Federal Amendment and more than 400letters written, one to President Taft asking him to declare for womansuffrage and local work had been done. Mrs. E. S. Conser, assisted byMrs. Allen and the suffrage club, prevailed upon the MemphisUniversity Law Department to open its doors to women and Mrs. Conserbecame its first woman student. Mrs. Allen attended the nationalconvention at Seattle, Washington. Mrs. Ittie K. Reno delivered thefirst woman suffrage address in Nashville, at the Centennial Club, andthe first one in Chattanooga was given by Miss Margaret Ervin at theuniversity where she was a student. 

In 1910 a league was organized in Knoxville by Mrs. L. Crozier French, who became its president. In the summer a suffrage debate, affirmativetaken by Mrs. Ford, was held in the Methodist church at Kingston, thefirst time the question was discussed in that part of the State andpeople came from neighboring towns. Miss Catherine J. Wester, aKingston suffragist, had a six weeks' newspaper debate in theChattanooga _Times_. A booth was maintained at the AppalachianExposition, and 590 names of visitors from Tennessee, Arkansas andMississippi were registered in the suffrage booth at the Tri-Statefair in September at Memphis. 

The fourth State convention was held at Memphis in the Business Men'sClub Feb. 18, 1911, and the president, Mrs. Allen, reported suffragetrips to Little Rock, Ark. , and Jackson, Miss. Addresses were given byAttorney Robert Beattie and by H. P. Hanson, vice-president of theSouthern Conference on Child and Woman Labor, who brought word thatthe Memphis Typographical Union was on record for woman suffrage. Mrs. Beattie was elected vice-president and Dr. Madge Patton Stephenssecretary. The Nashville club was organized September 28, with Mrs. Guilford Dudley president; one at Morristown November 3, with Mrs. Hannah Price Hardy president; one at Chattanooga December 9, with Mrs. E. W. Penticost president. 

By 1912 a new era had dawned with five of the largest cities organizedand affiliated with the State association. It held its annualconvention at Nashville January 10-11. Governor Ben W. Hooperaddressed it and stated that he was "on the fence" as to the suffragequestion. Mrs. Allen was elected honorary president and Miss SarahBarnwell Elliott president. Miss Elliott spent two months of this yearspeaking in the State and she also spoke in Birmingham, in New Yorkand the Mississippi Valley Conference in Chicago. In December asuffrage club was organized in Jackson with Mrs. C. B. Bell president. J. W. Brister, State Superintendent of Schools, gave a suffrageaddress at Nashville. 

The State convention was held again at the Hermitage Hotel inNashville, Jan. 6, 7, 1913. The principal speakers were ex-GovernorJohn I. Cox, U. S. Senator Luke Lea, Misses Laura Clay of Kentucky andMary Johnston of Virginia. Mrs. Virginia Clay Clopton, as president, sent greetings from the Huntsville, Ala. , league, reorganized after alapse of thirty years with the same president. The main discussion waswhether to introduce a suffrage bill in the Legislature. Mrs. MargaretErvin Ford urged it, saying that, though it had small chance, it waswell to accustom the Legislature to the idea. The matter was placed inthe hands of Miss Elliott, Mrs. French, Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Scott, who recommended that no bill should be introduced. Mrs. Allen and MissElliott were re-elected and Mrs. James M. McCormack was madevice-president-at-large; Miss Clay and Miss Johnston spoke on the 10that a large meeting in Chattanooga and Miss Clay the following Sundayin the Universalist church. On April 7 Miss Elliott and Mrs. Dudleymarched in Washington in a parade to the Capitol to interview theTennessee representatives in Congress on the Federal Amendment. Thisyear Miss Jeannette Rankin of Montana, an organizer for the NationalAssociation, came to assist. By October the State membership was 942and fifteen newspapers were reached regularly with suffrage matter. Booths were conducted at many of the county fairs and a "suffrage day"was given at the Memphis Tri-State fair, when the outside speakerswere Miss Clay and Miss Kate Gordon of Louisiana. The _News Scimitar_issued a suffrage edition. 

A second convention met in Morristown, October 21, 22. Miss Sue S. White was elected secretary, Mrs. Hardy State organizer and the otherofficers continued. At the national convention in Washington inNovember Miss Wester and Mrs. Ford represented Tennessee on the"committee of one hundred, " which, led by Mrs. Medill McCormick, chairman of the National Congressional Committee, called uponPresident Wilson to enlist his assistance. That year and eachsucceeding year letters, telegrams and petitions were sent to thePresident and to the Tennessee Representatives in Congress urgingtheir support of the Federal Amendment. One petition from Chattanoogabore a thousand signatures. 

By 1914 the six largest cities in the State were organized and themajority of the clubs celebrated National Suffrage Day, May 2, withparades and open air meetings to the amazement and interest of thepeople. The Chattanooga parade, with a brass band, ended at the CourtHouse where the steps of that building were aglow with yellow bunting. Mrs. Wesley Martin Stoner of Washington, D. C. , was the principalspeaker and Mrs. Ford, the local president, read the followingresolution: "We, citizens of Chattanooga, voice our demand that womencitizens of the United States be accorded the full right ofcitizenship. " The silence was breathless as the sound of the "ayes"died away and not a voice was raised to say "no. " Other speakers wereMayor Jesse M. Littleton, L. P. Barnes, Attorney J. J. Lynch, theReverends Charles H. Myers, L. R. Robinson and Dr. Daniel E. Bushnell. The State Federation of Women's Clubs in convention at Pulaski voteddown a suffrage resolution, though the president, Mrs. George W. Denney, favored it. 

From March to May 13 there was a spirited controversy as to whetherthe annual convention of the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation should meet in Chattanooga, which city had invited it, orin Nashville, which had not. Miss Elliott, who was ill, resigned andMrs. McCormack took charge of the State work. Chattanooga won theconvention on the first vote of the State board but after ballotingby the clubs through telegrams for several weeks and muchmisunderstanding it met in Nashville the next November. The annualconvention was held in Knoxville October 28-30, when there was aseparation of the State forces, Mrs. Crozier French and her followingleaving the convention, taking three clubs with them and organizingthe "Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association Incorporated, " with Mrs. French president. Mrs. McCormack was elected president of the originalEqual Suffrage Association, of which this chapter is the history. 

The Southern States Suffrage Conference, Miss Kate M. Gordon, president, met in Chattanooga, November 10-11, just before thenational convention. A special suffrage edition of the _News_, withMrs. Frances Fort Brown editor-in-chief, was issued and the conferencewas a great success. Many prominent women from outside the Stateattended and all except Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont of New York and MissChristabel Pankhurst of England, who was with her, went on to thenational convention at Nashville. Here a special edition of the_Tennesseean_ was issued, many street meetings were held and suffragearguments filled the air. Both State delegations were seated. 

By the end of the year only four cities with a population of fivethousand or over were still unorganized. In December Miss MaryPleasant Jones organized the Nashville Business Women's League with alarge membership. Organization was continued during 1915. Through thecourtesy of Judge Samuel C. Brown, the Circuit Court at Benton wassuspended for an hour to hear the speeches of Miss Wester, Miss SarahRuth Frazier and Mrs. Ford and a club was then organized with 100members. Mrs. Ford organized the Business Woman's Suffrage Club ofChattanooga with 160 charter members. A Men's Suffrage Club was formedthere, the first in the State, R. B. Cook, George Fort Milton and J. B. F. Lowery, officers. 

This year the suffragists assisted a vigorous campaign to secure amajority vote for holding a convention to prepare a new constitution, opened headquarters in the different cities and worked day and night, and they received letters of high appreciation from the chairman ofthe State committee. The convention really won but was lost bydishonest election returns. The annual convention was held at theHotel Patton, Chattanooga, December 9, Mrs. McCormack presiding. In1912 a treasury fund of $5. 50 was turned over to the new treasurer, Miss Wester, who handled in 1915 $1, 127. The National Association thisyear elected Mrs. McCormack auditor. 

National Suffrage Day, May 2, 1916, was celebrated in all of thelarger cities. The Business Women's Club brought Mrs. EmmelinePankhurst of England and Miss Margaret Foley of Boston to Chattanoogaand the 5, 000 capacity auditorium was packed. The State Federation ofWomen's Clubs, which was to hold its convention there May 3, wasinvited to attend and the next day it passed a woman suffrageresolution by a vote of 96 to 43. 

In May woman suffrage planks were secured in both the Republican andDemocratic State platforms, after which the State officers living inChattanooga had a 25-foot streamer prepared with the following wordson it: Tennessee Leads the South, The State Federation, Republican andDemocratic Parties Endorse Woman Suffrage, and had it stretched acrossthe main street. Over night Police Commissioner E. R. Betterton hadmade a ruling that banners could no longer hang over the street andthree policemen with the patrol wagon "arrested" it. The women securedthe release of the culprit and through the courtesy of E. A. Abbott, amerchant, it was placed over the front of his store and there it hungfor several weeks. On June 13 it was taken to the National Democraticconvention at St. Louis, where it gave its silent message hanging onthe wall of the lobby of the hotel in which the Tennessee delegationhad headquarters. Mrs. Dudley and Mrs. Ford addressed the Tennesseedelegates to the convention urging them to vote for the woman suffrageplank, which they did unanimously. 

Mrs. Catt held a successful congressional conference in Memphis, spokeat several large meetings and the biggest automobile parade ever seenin the city added to the occasion. [170] Federal Amendment Day wascelebrated in twenty-six cities and thousands of leaflets weredistributed. In October the legislative chairman wrote to allcandidates for Congress asking their position on suffrage and eightdeclared in favor. In November those elected were interviewed andbanquets, luncheons and receptions given them on the eve of theirleaving for Washington. 

In order to unite the two State associations Mrs. Catt suggested thatthey hold their conventions at about the same time in the same city. The Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association, Mrs. McCormack president, set its convention for Jan. 5, 6, 1917, and that of the other wasannounced for the 9th, both in Nashville. The former was held at theHotel Hermitage, large and enthusiastic, with the principal speakersClyde Shropshire, Speaker of the House, the Hon. George L. Berry, Dixon Merritt, editor of the _Tennesseean_, and Miss Laura Clay. Mrs. Ford was elected president. The latter postponed its convention toJanuary 30-31, which made the union impossible. On February 22 theformer association offered its services to Governor Rye to be utilizedas he should see fit, should the United States enter the war. Mrs. Catt called a meeting of the Executive Council of the NationalAssociation for the 23rd in Washington to consider offering itsassistance to President Wilson and Mrs. Ford represented Tennessee. The suffragists of this State, as did those of every other, rallied tothe colors. Many served in France and thousands at home in every fieldof activity where women were permitted, in army and navy, in citizenservice, Red Cross, Government bond sales, etc. , and their devotedservice proved a most effective plea for their enfranchisement. 

On March 26, 1918, the boards of the two associations met in Memphisat the Professional and Business Women's Club, with Mrs. Allen, honorary president, in the chair. A union was effected and Mrs. LeslieWarner was unanimously elected president of the amalgamatedassociations. Mrs. Warner spoke at the State Federation of Women'sClubs in Jackson and after one session she asked all to remain whowere interested in suffrage. About 90 per cent. Did so and anenthusiastic meeting was held. Her next work was to secure resolutionsin favor of the Federal Suffrage Amendment and protests againstfurther delay in the Senate. She spoke before nineteen organizationsof various kinds, all of which passed the desired resolutions. It wasalso endorsed by the Democratic and Republican State Committees. 

As vice-chairman of the Woman's Committee Council of National Defense, Mrs. Warner introduced Dr. Shaw, its chairman, to an audience of 7, 000people at Nashville in April. In July she called 200 suffragists fromall sections of the State for a hearing before U. S. Senator John K. Shields, hoping they might convince him that the Tennessee women didwant the ballot, as one of his reasons for voting against the FederalAmendment was that they did not. Later when pressed by the women for adeclaration during his candidacy for re-election he gave to the presshis correspondence with President Wilson who had urged him to vote forit, to whom he wrote: "If I could bring myself to believe that theadoption of the resolution would contribute to the successfulprosecution of the war we are waging with Germany I wouldunhesitatingly vote for it, because my whole heart and soul areinvolved in bringing the war to a victorious issue and I am willing tosacrifice everything save the honor and freedom of our country inaiding you to accomplish that end, but I have been unable to doso. .. . "

The President said in reply: "I realize the weight of argument thathas controlled your attitude in the matter and I would not havewritten as I did if I had not thought that the passage of theamendment at this time was an essential psychological element in theconduct of the war for democracy. I am led by a single sentence inyour letter, therefore, to say that I do earnestly believe that ouraction upon this amendment will have an important and immediateinfluence upon the whole atmosphere and morale of the nations engagedin the war and every day I am coming to see how supremely importantthat side of the whole thing is. "

On August 8 the State Bar Association passed a strong resolutionendorsing woman suffrage by Federal Amendment. The president, ColonelEd Watkins, in his annual address, included a strong plea for it andJudge David V. Puryear introduced the resolution. Miss Elizabeth LeaMiller and Mrs. Ford, the first women members of the association; Mrs. John Lamar Meek and others worked for it. Col. Joseph H. Acklen gavehis services as attorney for years to the State association withoutcharge. Urgent petitions which bore the names of all the leadingDemocrats of the State, arranged on a large sheet with the photographof and a quotation from President Woodrow Wilson, were sent to SenatorShields. The State board sent petitions to the legislators urging thatthey ask him to vote for the Federal Amendment resolution, whichlacked only two votes of passing the Senate, but he opposed it to theend. 

The remainder of Mrs. Warner's régime was filled with efforts in theLegislature for the Presidential suffrage bill. She began in Septemberand worked unceasingly until its passage the next April, financing thecampaign with some small assistance from her board. During thehundredth anniversary of the city of Memphis in June, a notable Stateevent, a suffrage "victory" celebration was held with addresses byMayor Monteverde and leading suffragists. 

The eleventh annual convention was held in the Tulane Hotel, Nashville, June 4, 5, 1919. During the second day's session news cameof the submission of the Federal Amendment by the U. S. Senate andexcitement ran riot. Telegrams of congratulation were sent to Mrs. Catt, Dr. Shaw, U. S. Senator McKellar and the TennesseeRepresentatives who voted for it. It was a dramatic ending of thelong contest--long even in Tennessee, for here too women had grown oldand died in the struggle. Tributes were paid to those who were gone, among them Mrs. Meriwether who had given her life to the work. The twopioneers present, Mrs. Allen and Miss Terrett, gave reminiscences ofthe early days. Mrs. George Fort Milton was elected president. 

A call was issued for the final convention of the State associationand the first convention of the Tennessee League of Women Voters tomeet May 18, 19, 1920, in the House of Representatives at Nashville. This was signed by the presidents of the following State associations:Suffrage, Mothers' Congress and Parent Teachers', Woman's ChristianTemperance Union, Federation of Music Clubs, Daughters of the AmericanRevolution and Press and Authors' Club. Mrs. Milton presided over theconvention and Miss Mary Boyce Temple, regent of the D. A. R. , presided over the first conference of the League of Women Voters. Theassociation and the League were merged and Mrs. Milton was electedchairman. [171]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1911. This year for the first time a resolutionwas introduced by Senator Walter White of Dayton "to amend theconstitution so as to give women the ballot. " It was referred to theConstitutional Amendment Committee, Alfred A. Adams, chairman, whichreported adversely. The women in charge were Mrs. J. D. Allen, Statepresident, and Attorney Frances Wolf, legislative chairman. 

1915. The suffragists espoused two bills. The association of whichMrs. McCormack was president worked for a new State constitutionbecause of the great difficulty of changing the old one. Theassociation of which Mrs. Dudley was president asked for an amendment. It received a "courtesy" vote in favor from the first Legislature anddid not come before a second. Mrs. McCormack, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Henry J. Kelso, Mrs. Hall and Miss Wester were the Legislative Committee. 

1917. In March the Legislature passed an Act amending the charter ofLookout Mountain so as to give the women Municipal suffrage. The primemover was Attorney James Anderson and Mayor P. F. Jones, and the othercommissioners voted unanimously for it. Mrs. Ford, the Statepresident, a lifelong resident, had the previous year registered therein order to call attention to the injustice of "taxation withoutrepresentation" but her name was removed from the records. Early in1917 Mrs. Ford called on President Wilson at the White House and askedhim to send a message to the Legislature in favor of the pendingPresidential suffrage bill, which he did. 

[Mrs. Ford's thorough account of the fortunes of this bill through theLegislatures of 1917 and 1919 is so largely covered by the report inPart I of this chapter that it is omitted here. ][172]

After the law was enacted Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Kimbrough appeared atthe office of the county trustee and made a tender of the amount dueas their poll tax. He refused to receive it, acting under instructionsfrom the county attorney who declared that the laws of the Stateexempted women. They then filed a bill in the Chancery Court ofDavidson county asking a decision. Chancellor Newman dismissed it withan opinion in part as follows: "It will be observed by Section 686 ofthe code that those liable for poll taxes are males between the agesof 21 and 50 years on the 10th day of January the year the assessmentis laid. Women were not liable Jan. 10, 1919, for poll tax and plainlyit was never the purpose or intent of Section 1220 that a qualifiedvoter as a condition precedent to the right to vote should producesatisfactory evidence that he had paid a poll tax assessed against himfor which he was not liable. .. . All women between the ages of 21 and50 years, otherwise qualified as voters, are entitled to vote in theNovember election of 1920 without paying a poll tax for 1919. " Thecase was taken to the Supreme Court, which ruled that women did nothave to pay in order to vote that year. 

RATIFICATION. When the Legislature of Washington in March, 1920, ratified the Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment making the 35th, therecame an absolute stop. The southeastern States had rejected it and ithad been ratified by all the others except Vermont and Connecticut, whose Governors refused to call special sessions. It looked as if thewomen of the United States would be prevented from voting at thepresidential election in November for the lack of one ratification. There was every reason to believe that the Legislature of Tennesseewould give this one if it were not prevented by a clause in the Stateconstitution. Meanwhile the ratification of the Federal ProhibitionAmendment by the Ohio Legislature had been sent to the voters by arecent law, they had rejected it and an appeal had been taken to theU. S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the referendum law. OnJune 1, in Hawk vs. Smith, this court held that a referendum to thevoters on the ratification of Federal Amendments was in conflict withArticle V of the Federal Constitution, therefore null and void, asthis Constitution was the supreme law of the land. The decision said:"It is not the function of courts or legislative bodies, National orState, to alter the method which the U. S. Constitution has fixed. "

Article II, Section 32 of the Tennessee constitution reads: "Noconvention or General Assembly of this State shall act upon anyamendment of the Constitution of the United States proposed byCongress to the several States unless such convention or GeneralAssembly shall have been elected after such amendment is submitted. "The presumption was naturally that this clause was nullified by the U. S. Supreme Court's decision. On June 10, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Suffrage Association, telegraphedGovernor Albert H. Roberts, urging him to call an extra session. He, thereupon, sought the opinion of Attorney General Frank M. Thompson asto the power of the present Legislature to ratify, who answered thatit would have the power. He said that he had submitted the question tothe U. S. Department of Justice through Solicitor General John L. Frierson, to whom President Wilson had also appealed, whose answer inbrief was as follows: "The ruling of the Supreme Court in the Ohiocase and the consideration which I gave to this question in preparingthose cases for hearing leave no doubt in my mind that the power toratify an amendment to the Federal Constitution is derived solelyfrom the people of the United States through this constitution and notfrom the people or the constitution of the State. The provision of theTennessee constitution that no Legislature shall act on an amendmentto the Federal Constitution unless elected after the proposal of theamendment, if valid, would undoubtedly be a restriction upon thatpower. .. . If the Legislature is called in extra session it will havethe clear right to ratify. "

A request was made to President Wilson for assistance, and on June 24he sent the following telegram to Governor Roberts: "It would be areal service to the party and to the nation if it is possible for youunder the peculiar provisions of your State constitution, having inmind the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the Ohio case, tocall a special session of the Legislature to consider the FederalSuffrage Amendment. Allow me to urge this very earnestly. " At the sametime the Governor received a telegram signed by practically everymember of the Tennessee delegation at the National Democraticconvention meeting in San Francisco, impressing on him the advantageto the party of his calling the extra session. In addition U. S. Senator Kenneth McKellar, a member of the platform committee of thatconvention, secured a plank in the platform, endorsing the amendmentand urging the Democratic Governors and legislators of Tennessee andother States to unite in an effort to complete the ratification. OnJune 26 Homer S. Cummings, chairman of the Democratic NationalCommittee, informed the Governor that the committee that day byunanimous vote had directed him to send the following message: "Wemost earnestly emphasize the extreme importance and urgency of animmediate meeting of your Legislature for the purpose of ratifying theproposed 19th Amendment to the Federal Constitution. " On June 8 theTennessee Democratic convention had passed the following resolution:"We heartily favor the ratification of the 19th Amendment to theConstitution of the United States . .. And we demand that the Governorcall an extra session. "

Governor Roberts answered President Wilson: "I will call the extrasession in ample time for the women to vote in the 1920 elections. "This he did on August 7, calling the Legislature to convene on the9th. [173]

The first of July Governor Roberts appointed Mrs. Leslie Warner Statechairman to organize for ratification. She selected a committee of onehundred, some from each county, recommended by the legislators, andopened headquarters at the Hotel Hermitage in Nashville and Mrs. JamesB. Ezzell was elected vice-chairman, Mrs. Margaret Ervin Ford, secretary of the committee, which became known as the DemocraticRatification Committee. On the advisory board were: Miss CharlWilliams, vice-chairman of the National Democratic Committee; MissDella Dortch, regional chairman of the National League of WomenVoters; Mesdames A. H. Roberts, wife of the Governor; Guilford Dudley, third vice-president of the National Suffrage Association; John B. Gilmore, James S. Fraser and Miss Lutie Jones. Mrs. George FortMilton, chairman of the League of Women Voters, appointed Mrs. John M. Kenny State chairman for ratification with Mesdames John R. Aust andClaude B. Sullivan chairmen of committees. They opened headquarters atthe Maxwell House. Mrs. James Beasley became chairman of theRepublican committee and ex-Governor Rye of the Men's Committee, assisted by ex-Governors Albert A. Taylor and Ben W. Hooper and Mr. Hal H. Clements. 

Early in July Miss Marjorie Shuler, chairman of publicity of theNational Suffrage Association, was sent by it to assist. She expressedgratification at what had been accomplished, saying: "The Tennesseewomen have done wonders; they are now well organized and things lookpromising for ratification. " She joined with the committees in urgingMrs. Catt to come and direct the work and she came soon after themiddle of July and remained six weeks. [174] Her first move was tostart a series of letters through the League of Women Voters to localgroups urging meetings, deputations to legislators and the return toheadquarters of their signed pledges to vote for ratification, whichlater were very useful. With Mrs. Milton and with Miss Shuler incharge of publicity, a speaking tour began at Memphis and ended ineastern Tennessee, including all the large cities and creating muchfavorable sentiment. During this trip Mrs. Catt did not hesitate tocall attention to the sinister forces which it was discovered wereworking against ratification and she sent a message to Senator Hardingand Governor Cox, the presidential candidates, describing them. OnJuly 24 Miss Esther Ogden, a director of the National Association, with a deputation of women, appeared before the National DemocraticCommittee in session at Columbus, O. , presenting a memorial from thatassociation, signed by Mrs. Catt, urging the committee to assume theresponsibility of achieving the ratification and she brought theirfavorable answer to Nashville. The last week in July Mrs. Cattreceived the following from Senator Harding: "I am exceedingly glad tolearn that you are in Tennessee seeking to consummate the ratificationof the suffrage amendment. If any of the Republican members should askmy opinion as to their course I would cordially recommend immediatefavorable action. " He sent a similar message to Senator John C. Houk, State chairman, but later when the Harding-Coolidge League of theDistrict of Columbia urged him to appeal further for ratification heanswered: "You can understand why I cannot consistently urge Tennesseelegislators to vote for ratification without knowing their reasons forsuch commitment as they have made. The situation is being reported tonational headquarters, where it will be given attention at once. "

A letter from Governor Cox to Mrs. Catt said: "I am very muchgratified at the news that you are to remain in Tennessee for theratification campaign. It gives me added reason for expressingconfidence that the Legislature will act favorably, which will greatlyplease the national Democratic party. " In addition he sent Miss CharlWilliams, a member of the Democratic National Committee, to Nashvillewith the message that if necessary he would himself come and fight forit. On August 7 at the request of Will H. Hays, chairman of theRepublican National Committee, Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, vice-chairman of its executive committee, came to assist. 

Urged by President Wilson, Governor Cox, George White, chairman of theNational Democratic Committee, and Senator Pat Harrison, its chairmanof publicity and speakers, U. S. Senator McKellar came with hisvaluable help. Miss Edna A. Beveridge of Maryland and Mrs. LydiaHolmes, president of the Louisiana Suffrage Association, came toassist Mrs. Catt. Miss Sue White, Tennessee chairman of the NationalWoman's Party, assisted by Mesdames L. Crozier French, Walter Jackson, Frank Phillips, Miss Anita Pollitzer, Miss Betty Grim, Parley P. Christensen and others, also opened headquarters and worked forratification. Since there were so many committees at work it wasdecided to appoint a general chairman and Miss Charl Williams was thewise choice. 

From the time the special session was called anti-suffragists gatheredin Nashville from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, many of them paidworkers. Everett P. Wheeler, a New York lawyer, president of aso-called American Constitutional League, formerly the Men'sAnti-Suffrage Association, came and formed a branch composed of menprominent politically, who used every means known to influencelegislation; sent speakers into the districts of friendly legislators, promised rewards, used threats, and charges of bribery were soinsistent that Judge D. B. DeBow ordered a grand jury investigation. There was no depth to which some of the men trying to defeat womansuffrage did not descend. [175]

Mrs. James S. Pinckard of Alabama, president of the Southern Women'sRejection League; Miss Josephine Pearson, its Tennessee president;Miss Mary G. Kilbreth, president of the National Anti-Woman SuffrageAssociation, with many of their followers were at work with thelegislators. They were industriously assisted by Mrs. Ruffin G. Pleasant, wife of the ex-Governor of Louisiana, and by Miss Kate M. Gordon of that State and Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky, ardentsuffragists but opposed to the Federal Amendment. The presidents orother officers of anti-suffrage associations in Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine and other States joined with the forcesabove. 

The Legislature convened in extraordinary session Aug. 9, 1920, andheard the Governor's message, which said in part: "The Legislatures ofthirty-five States have ratified the amendment, only one more beingrequired to make it effective as a part of the Constitution of theUnited States. Its prompt ratification is urgently recommended. Tennessee occupies a pivotal position and the eyes of all America areupon us. Millions of women are looking to this Legislature to givethem a voice and share in shaping the destiny of the Republic. " Hethen quoted the platform declarations of both State and NationalDemocratic and Republican parties urging ratification. The next daythe Senate was called to order by President Andrew L. Todd, whointroduced the ratification resolution. It was introduced in the Houseby the Shelby county delegation, all for it. Both were referred to theCommittee on Constitutional Amendments. 

On the night of August 12 a joint hearing was held and able speecheswere made by Senator McKellar, Generals James A. Fowler and Charles A. Cates, Jr. , and Attorney Ed T. Seay. Anti speakers were: CongressmanFinis J. Garrett, Major E. B. Stahlman, Judges S. F. Wilson and G. N. Tillman. Miss Charlotte Rowe, of Yonkers, N. Y. , represented theNational Anti-Suffrage Association. The next day a memorial fromMaryland "antis" urging rejection was read in the Senate. Senator L. E. Gwin presented the committee report recommending ratification, signed by himself and Senators M. H. Copenhaver, John C. Houk, C. C. Collins, J. W. Murray, T. L. Coleman, Douglas Wikle and E. N. Haston. Senators W. M. Cameron and J. W. Rice presented the minority report. After many eloquent speeches in favor and two in opposition theSenate vote was ayes 25, noes 4, two not voting, and a motion toreconsider was tabled. 

On August 17 the House Committee reported in favor of ratification, saying: "This is the performance of solemn platform promises and wetake great pride in the fact that to Tennessee has been accorded thesignal distinction of passing a resolution which will secure the finaladoption of the 19th Amendment. " Speaker Seth M. Walker then moved toadjourn to gain time, which was carried by 52 ayes, 44 noes. He hadgiven the suffragists his word that he would not only vote forratification but would lead the fight for it in the House. On thecontrary he suddenly underwent a radical change and fought it bitterlythrough the entire session. 

On August 18 occurred the most exciting and dramatic session ever heldin the House. Speaker Walker moved to table the resolution in aneffort to kill it. R. L. Dowlen, who had undergone a seriousoperation, was brought from his bed to the Capitol to vote for it. T. A. Dodson received a message that his baby was dying and after he hadtaken the train it was found that his vote would be needed to carryit. A member reached the train as it was pulling out, found him andthey leaped off. He cast his vote for the resolution and a man who wasable to do so sent him home on a special train. The Speaker lobbiedopenly after clearing the House of suffrage lobbyists. Sitting withhis arm around the shoulder of Banks S. Turner he stopped his votingwhen his name was called, but Turner won the honor of all presentwhen, at the end of the roll call, he threw off Speaker Walker's arm, stood up and cast his vote for ratification. Harry T. Burn, aged 24, had been voting with the opposition but had given the suffragists hisword that, as he had voted for the Presidential suffrage bill in 1919and as his mother wanted him to vote for ratification, he would do soif his vote should be needed but otherwise he would vote against it, as his constituency was opposed. When the vote was a tie--48 to 48--heinstantly realized that the resolution would be lost unless he shouldvote for it. This he did and the vote stood 49 ayes, 47 noes. SpeakerWalker then changed his vote from no to aye, making the vote 50 ayes, 46 noes, and moved to reconsider. [176]

By the rules of the House Speaker Walker had for three days theexclusive right in which to call up the motion to reconsider, afterwhich others could do so. During this time the opponents worked madlyto get one of the loyal 49 to change his vote without avail. Theyattempted every unscrupulous scheme known to control legislation. Allfailing, as a last desperate move, 36 in the early morning hours madea hegira to Decatur, Ala. , where they remained for about ten days. 

On August 23 the seats of the "antis" were conspicuously vacant. Asthe Speaker had not asked for a reconsideration, Mr. Riddick moved tocall from the Journal the motion to reconsider. Speaker Walker ruledthis out of order, giving among other reasons that Judge E. F. Langford of the Chancery Court had granted a temporary injunctionrestraining the Governor, Secretary of State and Speakers fromcertifying to Secretary of State Colby that the Legislature hadratified. Mr. Riddick appealed from the decision of the chair and itwas not sustained. He then moved that the House reconsider its actionin concurring in the Senate ratification, which was defeated by 49noes, 9 present and not voting. He next moved that the Clerk of theHouse be instructed to transmit to the Senate the ratificationresolution, which was carried by a viva voce vote. Governor Roberts, himself formerly a Judge, could not be checked by the devices of theopposition but asked Attorney General Thompson to place the matterbefore Chief Justice D. L. Lansden of the State Supreme Court. Heissued a writ of supersedeas and certiorari, which, taking the matterout of the jurisdiction of the Chancery Court, amounted to adissolving of the injunction. The Governor then mailed the certificateof ratification to Secretary Colby at noon, August 24, which hereceived on the morning of August 26. This completed the necessarythirty-six ratifications and Secretary Colby immediately proclaimedthe Federal Suffrage Amendment a part of the Constitution of theUnited States. 

During the weeks of machinations by the opposition, Governor Roberts, State Superintendent of Education Albert H. Williams, the otherofficers of the administration and the efficient Steering Committee, made up of members of the Legislature, headed by President Todd andChief Clerk W. M. Carter of the Senate, were on complete guard nightand day. 

After the American Constitutional League had failed in the courts ofTennessee they planned to secure injunctions against electionofficials to prevent women from voting and carried their fight to thecourts of the District of Columbia, losing in every one. They finallyreached the Supreme Court of the United States, which eventuallydecided that the 19th Amendment was legally and constitutionallyratified. [This matter is referred to in Chapter XX of Volume V. ]Meanwhile on September 20 Speaker Walker and other opponents went toWashington and requested Secretary Colby to withdraw and rescind theratification proclamation. Failing in this effort they went on toConnecticut to prevent ratification by the special session there, which had at last been called, and this mission also was a failure. 

To Tennessee will forever belong the glory of placing the last seal onthe Federal Amendment by which the women of the United States wereenfranchised. 

[Illustration: MAP I. 

The Suffrage Map from 1869 to 1893. Wyoming as a Territory in 1869 andas a State in 1890 gave equal suffrage to women. ]

[Illustration: MAP II. 

The Suffrage Map from 1893 to 1910. Colorado gave equal suffrage towomen in 1893 Utah in 1895, Idaho in 1896. ]

[Illustration: MAP III. 

The Suffrage Map when Congress submitted the Federal Amendment June 4, 1919. In the white States women had full suffrage; in the dottedStates Presidential; in Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennesseeand Vermont Municipal also; in the first three County besides. ]

[Illustration: MAP IV. 

The Legislatures of all the white States ratified the Federal WomanSuffrage Amendment; those of the black States rejected it except thatof Florida, whose Governor said it would do so if he called a specialsession. ]

[Illustration: This is What Tennessee Did to the Suffrage Map

MAP V. 

The Suffrage Map after the Ratification of the FederalAmendment--universal, complete woman suffrage in every State. ]

FOOTNOTES:

[164] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. John M. Kenny, an officer of the State Equal Suffrage Association from 1914 until theratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment in 1920. 

[165] Through the combined efforts of the joint chairmen of thecampaign Committee, Mrs. Kenny and Mrs. Milton, and the association ofwhich Mrs. Dudley was President, a conference was called to formulatea plan of amalgamation of the two State associations. This was finallyaccomplished in March, 1918, when Mrs. Leslie Warner of Nashville wasunanimously chosen as the amalgamation president. 

[166] The other congressional district chairmen were Mrs. Ferd. E. Powell, Johnson City; Miss Sara Ruth Fraser, Chattanooga; Mrs. SamYoung, Dixon Springs; Mrs. Walter Jackson, Murfreesboro; Mrs. Kimbrough, Nashville; Mrs. Ben Childers, Pulaski; Miss Sue S. White, Mrs. Jas. B. Ezzell, Newsom Station; Mrs. M. M. Betts, Memphis. 

[167] "W. R. Crabtree, President of the Senate: May I not express myearnest hope that the Senate of Tennessee will reconsider the vote bywhich it rejected the legislation extending the suffrage to women? Ourparty is so distinctly pledged to its passage that it seems to me themoral obligation is complete. --Woodrow Wilson. "

[168] Mrs. Frances Fort Brown of Nashville left a bequest of $3, 000 tothe National American Woman Suffrage Association and its board ofofficers appropriated enough of it to pay the expenses of this suit. 

[169] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Margaret ErvinFord, president of the State Equal Suffrage Association. 

[170] Mrs. C. B. Allen organized the Memphis Woman's Party within theState Association and became its president and Mrs. Ford organized itin Chattanooga with over 400 members, was elected president and wardorganization started there. Nashville had the first through wardorganization, due to Miss Matilda Porter. 

[171] The lists of the many officers of the association during theyears are unavoidably too imperfect to be used without doing injusticeto those omitted. In Mrs. Ford's strong desire to give full credit toall the men and women who were actively connected with the work forwoman suffrage in Tennessee she sent lists so long that the lack ofspace made it absolutely necessary to omit them. --Ed. 

[172] The gold pen used by Governor Roberts in signing the bill wasone used by Dr. John W. Wester when drafting the first anti-liquorbill ever introduced in the Tennessee Legislature, in December, 1841. With it also Governor Rye signed the Lookout Mountain Suffrage Bill. It belongs to Mrs. Ford, grand-daughter of Dr. Wester. 

[173] Anti-suffragists from all over the State bombarded GovernorRoberts with threats of defeat for reelection should he persist inpushing ratification, many of whom were his strongest friends andsupporters. At the special elections during the summer held to fillvacancies in the Legislature several suffragists were elected, amongthem M. H. Copenhaver, who took the seat of Senator J. Parks Worley, arch enemy of suffrage. T. K. Riddick, a prominent lawyer, made therace in order to lead the fight for ratification in the House. Representative J. Frank Griffin made a flying trip from San Franciscoto cast his vote for it. 

[174] Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Upton and Miss Shuler did no lobbying in theState House. 

[175] After Mrs. Catt returned to New York she said: "Never in thehistory of politics has there been such a nefarious lobby as laboredto block the ratification in Nashville. In the short time that I spentin the capital I was more maligned, more lied about, than in thethirty previous years I worked for suffrage. I was flooded withanonymous letters, vulgar, ignorant, insane. Strange men and groups ofmen sprang up, men we had never met before in the battle. Who werethey? We were told, this is the railroad lobby, this is the steellobby, these are the manufacturers' lobbyists, this is the remnant ofthe old whiskey ring. Even tricksters from the U. S. Revenue Servicewere there operating against us, until the President of the UnitedStates called them off. .. . They appropriated our telegrams, tapped ourtelephones, listened outside our windows and transoms. They attackedour private and public lives. I had heard of the 'invisiblegovernment. ' Well, I have seen it work and I have seen it sent intooblivion. "

[176] Burn's vote so angered the opposition that they attempted tofasten a charge of bribery on him. On a point of personal privilege hemade a statement to the House which was spread upon the Journal. Afterindignantly denying the charge he said: "I changed my vote in favor ofratification because I believe in full suffrage as a right; I believewe had a moral and legal right to ratify; I know that a mother'sadvice is always safest for her boy to follow and my mother wanted meto vote for ratification. I appreciated the fact that an opportunitysuch as seldom comes to mortal man--to free 17, 000, 000 women frompolitical slavery--was mine. I desired that my party in both State andNation might say it was a Republican from the mountains of EastTennessee, purest Anglo-Saxon section in the world, who made womansuffrage possible, not for any personal glory but for the glory of hisparty. "

[Lack of space prevents giving the names of the immortal 49, whichwere sent with the chapter. ]

CHAPTER XLII. 

TEXAS. [177]

For many reasons Texas was slow in entering the movement for womansuffrage. There was some agitation of the subject from about 1885 andsome organization in 1893-6 but the work done was chiefly through theWoman's Christian Temperance Union. In February, 1903, a meeting wascalled at Houston by Miss Annette Finnigan, a Texas girl and agraduate of Wellesley College. Here, with the help of her sisters, Elizabeth and Katharine Finnigan Anderson, an Equal Suffrage Leaguewas formed with Annette as president. The following month Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt, president of the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation, lectured in Houston under its auspices. During the summerAnnette and Elizabeth Finnigan spoke several times in Galveston andsecured a suffrage committee of twenty-five there. With this nucleus aState Woman Suffrage Association was organized at a convention held inHouston, in December, which lasted two days and was well attended. Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president of the National Association, waspresent at all the sessions, spoke at both evening meetings and took adeep interest in the new organization. Annette Finnigan was electedState president and during the following year made an effort toorganize in Beaumont, San Antonio and Austin but the women, althoughinterested, were too timid to organize for suffrage. Mrs. CharlottePerkins Gilman spoke under the auspices of the league. 

The second State convention or conference was held in Houston inDecember, 1904, Galveston and La Porte being represented. Reports weregiven and officers elected, Annette Finnigan remaining president. TheHouston league had a paid up membership of one hundred, regularmeetings were held and the subject of woman suffrage was keptconstantly before the public. An effort was made to get a woman on theschool board but the Mayor refused to appoint one. Among those activein the work were Althea Jones, Miss Mary W. Roper, Mrs. E. F. And MissRuby McGowen of Houston; Mrs. A. Adella Penfield of La Porte, Mrs. C. H. Moore and Miss Julia Runge of Galveston. The Finnigan sisters werethe leaders and the league prospered for several years until they leftthe State. The movement became inactive and the society formed inAustin in 1908 with twenty-five members was the only one thatcontinued. 

In 1912 through the efforts of Miss M. Eleanor Brackenridge of SanAntonio and Miss Anna Maxwell Jones, a Texas woman residing in NewYork, suffrage clubs were organized in San Antonio, Galveston, Dallas, Waco, Tyler and San Marcos. Miss Finnigan returned to Texas and theHouston league was revived. The third State convention was held in SanAntonio in March, 1913. Miss Brackenridge was elected president, MissFinnigan honorary president. The convention was spirited and showedthat the suffrage movement was well launched. This was just ten yearsafter the first club was started. Miss Brackenridge possessed largemeans and a wide acquaintance and gave much prestige to theassociation. A number of notable speakers were brought to the Stateand the subject was introduced in women's organizations. This yearthrough the San Antonio league a bill was introduced in theLegislature but never came to a vote. 

In April, 1914, the State convention was held in Dallas and MissBrackenridge was made honorary president and Miss Finnigan againelected president. During the year State headquarters were opened inHouston and the clubs were increased from eight to twenty-one. MissPearl Penfield, as headquarters and field secretary, organized theState work. The president sent letters to all the legislators askingthem to pledge themselves to vote for a woman suffrage amendment tothe State constitution. None of them had an idea that any of theothers would agree to support it and a considerable number in a desireto "please the ladies" wrote charming letters of acquiescence. When inJanuary, 1915, they confronted a large group of women lobbyists, experiences were hurriedly compared and consternation reigned amongthem. "Uncle" Jesse Baker of Granbury, of honored memory, introducedthe resolution to submit an amendment to the electors. The LegislativeCommittee were inexperienced but they worked with such zeal that itreceived a vote in the House of 90 to 32. It was not considered by theSenate. 

Among those who worked with Miss Finnigan during the three months inAustin were Mrs. Minnie Fisher Cunningham, president of the GalvestonEqual Suffrage Association; Mrs. Tex Armstrong of the Dallasassociation; Mrs. J. O. Creighton of the Austin association; Mrs. Ed. F. Harris and Mrs. J. H. W. Steele of Galveston; Mrs. David Doom, Mrs. Robert Connerly, Mrs. L. E. Walker, Mrs. A. B. Wolfe and Mrs. R. H. Griffith, all of Austin; Mrs William H. Dunne of San Antonio; Mrs. Elizabeth Herndon Potter of Tyler; Mrs. W. E. Spell of Waco. 

On Sunday afternoon, March 28, Dr. Shaw, the guest of MissBrackenridge, delivered a great speech in Beethoven Hall under theauspices of the San Antonio Equal Franchise Society, accompanied onthe stage by its president, Mrs. Dan Leary; J. H. Kirkpatrick, president of the Men's Suffrage League, the Rev. George H. Badger andMiss Marie B. Fenwick, a veteran suffragist. Many converts were made. In April the State convention met in Galveston and reports showedtwenty-one auxiliaries. Mrs. Cunningham was elected president, alert, enthusiastic and bringing to the cause the valuable experience of workin it for the past two years. The president and new board prosecutedthe work so vigorously that during the year there was a 400 per cent. Increase in organizations. Miss Kate Hunter, president of thePalestine league, gave her entire summer vacation to field work. 

In May, 1916, the State convention met in Dallas, re-elected Mrs. Cunningham to the presidency and instructed the executive committee toask for suffrage planks in State and National Democratic platforms. The name was changed from Woman Suffrage to Equal Suffrage Associationand the Senatorial district plan of organization was adopted, following the lines of the Democratic party. When the State Democraticconvention met in San Antonio this month to elect a nationalcommitteeman there were scores of women in the galleries proudlywearing their suffrage colors but Governor James E. Ferguson andex-U. S. Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey, both of unhallowed memory, united their forces and woman suffrage had not a remote chance. 

Texas women went to the National Republican convention in Chicago inJune and a sufficient number of them to form half a block in the"golden lane" at the National Democratic convention in St. Louis. Atthe latter Governor Ferguson brought in the minority report of theResolutions Committee against a woman suffrage plank in the platform, and let it be recorded that there were only three other men on thecommittee who would sign it, the remainder signing the majority reportplacing the plank in the platform. In August the Democratic conventionmet in Houston to nominate State candidates and prepare the Stateplatform. Mrs. Cunningham, Mrs. Helen Moore and Mrs. J. M. Quinnofappeared before the platform committee and with all the eloquence attheir command urged it to insert a woman suffrage plank or at least toendorse the National platform. This committee was entirely in thehands of the liquor ring and Ferguson was czar of the convention, sowoman suffrage was ignored. 

Mrs. Edith Hinkle League, the headquarters secretary, shared thepresident's ten, twelve and even fourteen-hour days of labor, so thatMrs. Cummingham was able to leave the office in charge of her andvolunteer assistants while she helped to fill the pressing need offield workers and organizers. She had the assistance of Miss LaviniaEngle, one of the National Association's organizers. Despite the lackof funds when word came of West Virginia's need of Mrs. Cunningham inits amendment campaign the executive board paid her expenses to thatState and she donated her services. Upon her return to Texas shedevoted July and August to field work, averaging two or three speechesa day during these insufferably hot months. 

When the Legislature convened in January, 1917, the LegislativeCommittee were on hand. The following report by Mrs. Cunninghamsummarizes the work:

 First. Opening suffrage headquarters on the main street at Austin near the Capitol. Second. A luncheon, at which the attendance exceeded the capacity of the largest hotel. The program was a mock legislative session at which the suffrage bill came up for the third reading and debate, those opposed imitating the style of the leading "antis" at hearings. Third. A very successful mass meeting at the Hancock Opera House with good speakers. Fourth. Introduction of the House Joint Resolution for a suffrage amendment, signed by twenty members, including some who had opposed it in 1915. Fifth. Mass meeting in the House of Representatives the night before the amendment came to a vote, invitation for this being extended by resolution of the House. Speaker F. O. Fuller presided and House and gallery were crowded. 

 Sixth. Introduction of the Primary suffrage bill in the Senate and House. Seventh. Introduction of the Presidential suffrage bill. Eighth. Speakers touring the State and keeping the cities and towns aroused; a constant stream of letters to organizations and individuals and from them to Representatives. Ninth. Press work, a weekly news letter to those papers which would reach the legislators; getting in touch with reporters and editors of the large daily papers in the State in Austin for the session. First, last and all the time work at the Capitol, interviewing members of the House and Senate, Speaker, President, and public men who could and if asked might help a little here and there. This work was carried on daily for nearly three months. 

 It is my judgment that the Presidential suffrage bill could have been passed (anticipating the Governor's veto though) but for the fact that the closing days of the session were taken up by the investigation of the Governor on charges preferred in the House. 

On January 31 the Primary suffrage bill was favorably reported by theSenate committee but was not taken from the calendar. On February 6the resolution to submit an amendment to the voters received 76 ayes, 56 noes in the House, lacking the required two-thirds. It was notacted upon by the Senate. On February 19 the Presidential suffragebill was referred to a Senate committee and on the 26th was returnedwith a favorable minority report but not acted upon. 

Early in 1917 the misdeeds of Governor Ferguson culminated and a greatcampaign was begun to secure his impeachment. He was the implacablefoe of woman suffrage and of every great moral issue for which womenstood, therefore at the very beginning of the campaign word was sentto the committee in Austin that the State Equal Suffrage Associationhad abandoned all other work temporarily and placed its entireresources at their command. The offer was accepted at once and thecharacter and value of the services which the women performed may bejudged from the following statement from D. K. Woodward, Jr. , secretary of the Central Committee in charge of the campaign:

 The impeachment of former Governor Ferguson could not have been brought about without the cooperation of the women of the State. .. . Their work was under the direction of Mrs. Cunningham, president of the Texas Equal Suffrage Association, who came at once to Austin and established headquarters. The women were asked to reach the remote sections, to eradicate prejudice and leave understanding in its stead. .. . They did all that was asked of them and more. The most confirmed skeptic on the question of women's participation in public life must have been converted had he witnessed the unselfish, tireless, efficient work of these hundreds of devoted women and the striking ability of their leader, whose genius for organization, knowledge of public affairs and public men of Texas and sound judgment on all questions of policy were of untold value. .. . [178]

Then came the entrance of the United States into the World War and thesuffragists consecrated time, strength, life itself if necessary toits demands. The call to the annual convention held in Waco in May, 1917, indicated with what directness and intelligence the womenapproached their added responsibilities. It was "a call to thecolors, " to work for the war. War and Woman's Service; What can we do?Our Need of the Ballot to do it; True Americanism, were among thesubjects considered. It voted to ask the War Department to abolishsaloons in the soldiers' concentration and mobilization camps. Resolutions were passed pledging "loyal and untiring support to theGovernment. " The convention expressed itself in no uncertain tones inthe following resolution telegraphed to President Wilson: "For nearlyseventy years the women of the United States have tried the Staterights' route with its long and tortuous path. Since the TexasLegislature has repeatedly refused submission of the suffrageamendment to the voters, thereby repudiating the State rights'principle of the Democratic party, the State Equal SuffrageAssociation hereby urges your support of the Federal SuffrageAmendment to enfranchise the women of our country. "

Mrs. Cunningham was literally conscripted president again, with abudget calling for the expenditure of $30, 000 and only $66. 38 in thetreasury! Other offices were filled and then the women hurried home toengage in Red Cross work, Liberty Loan work, anti-vice work; to knit, to sew, to tramp the highways and byways for the various "drives"; tomake speeches before all sorts of audiences--women who a year beforewere too timid to second a motion. Following the instructions of theconvention Mrs. Cunningham in June called together in San Antonio theheads of all organizations of women and out of the conference wasformed the Woman's Anti-Vice Committee. Living in such close proximityto the training camps, Texas women early learned with sinking heartsof the unspeakable conditions obtaining there and their efforts toremedy matters and to arouse the proper authorities were strenuous andunceasing. Thousands of mothers whose sons were in training in faraway Texas will never know how earnestly the mothers of this Statelabored to do by their sons as they would have wished their own doneby. 

The Federal Amendment work was not neglected during this time, neitherwas State work and organizations rapidly multiplied. The year 1918 isone never to be forgotten by Texas suffragists. January was given overto intensive work for the Federal Amendment. Day letters, nightletters and telegrams poured into Congress at such a rate that thenational president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, referred to them as the"heavy artillery down in Texas. " The Executive Committee of the StateAssociation in session at Austin, on the 23rd authorized Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. Hortense Ward to call upon the new Governor, William P. Hobby, and ask that he submit a bill for Primary suffragefor women at the special session of the Legislature soon to convene. 

A few weeks later the special session was called to consider a numberof important measures asked for by the Secretary of War. On February24 the suffrage leaders came to Austin and established headquarters atthe Driskill Hotel, determined to secure the Primary law in time forwomen to vote in the July elections. While the women were interviewingthe legislators Mrs. Nonie B. Mahoney, prominent in Dallas suffragework, called on Judge Barry of that city, who seemed unfavorable andfinally said it would take 5, 000 names of Dallas women on a petitionto change him. He dismissed the subject from his mind and returned tohis legislative duties. Four days later Mrs. Mahoney arrived in Austinwith a heavy suit case, opened it and unfolded before the Judge'sastonished gaze a petition containing the names, not alone of therequired 5, 000 but of 10, 000 of his townswomen!

Mrs. Cunningham and her committee again asked the Governor to submitPrimary suffrage for women to the Legislature but he delayed. So greatpressure was brought to bear on him that he finally consented if theyshould present a petition to him signed by a majority of the membersof both House and Senate. After many hours of labor they were able tocomply with this condition and to furnish additional data to provethat the bill would pass both Houses with large majorities. TheGovernor did not submit it but he did submit the Primary Electionbill, and the Primary Suffrage bill was immediately introduced by C. B. Metcalfe of San Angelo as an amendment to it. It passed the HouseMarch 16 by a vote of 84 to 34 and the Senate March 21 by 17 to 4, andwas signed by Governor Hobby on March 26 in the presence of Mr. Metcalfe, Captain Sackett, who also labored untiringly in its behalf, Mrs. Cunningham, Mrs. Doom, Mrs. Elizabeth Speer and Mrs. McCallum, members of the Legislative Committee. The handsome fountain pen waspurchased for the occasion by Mr. Metcalfe and after the signingpresented by him to Mrs. Cunningham. Judge A. S. Lattimore drafted thebill in 1917 and Judge Ocie Speer of Fort Worth the one carried in1918. [179]

This law gave women the right to vote at all primary elections and inall nominating conventions and nominations are equivalent to anelection, as there is practically but one party. As Texas has two U. S. Senators and 18 Representatives it gave the women votes for moremembers of Congress than those of any other State possessed, andconsequently for more presidential electors. [180]

The remaining days in March, all of April and a part of May weredevoted by the suffragists to the Liberty Loan. The annual conventionwas held in Austin May 29-31. In order to concentrate the entirestrength of the organization on war work the delegates agreed not toask the Legislature of 1919 to submit a constitutional amendment forfull suffrage but the women would give whatever time they could spareto the Federal Amendment. The convention enthusiastically endorsedGovernor Hobby for re-election and he addressed the delegates. It wasresolved to vote only for candidates for the Legislature who favoredratification and to send greetings and letters of appreciation to the"immortal six" Texas Representatives in Congress who voted for theamendment the preceding January. [181] Decisions of importance were towork out a plan whereby women could be educated as to candidates andissues and the machinery of voting; to endeavor to bring out a heavyvote of women in the coming primaries and to organize non-partisanWomen Voters' Leagues. Mrs. Cunningham against her determined protestwas re-elected president. 

The suffrage law did not go into effect until June 26, and, as theprimary election was scheduled for July 27 and registration had tocease fifteen days before, the women had only seventeen days in whichto register. There was not time to assess and collect the poll taxrequisite for voting and the Legislature added to its good work byremitting it for the election in case of women. The suffrageassociation set to work to assist the new citizens. Omitting only thewords "official ballot, " nearly half a million reproductions of thelong, complicated ballot to be used in the July primaries werecirculated; candidates' records were scrutinized; issues were studied;"schools of instruction" were conducted all over the State. Womenattending the first "schools" held others until practically the citywomen in every precinct, ward and block had been given the chance tovote intelligently if they so desired and the country women hadsimilar opportunities. All the candidates for Governor who stood forcivic righteousness withdrew in favor of Governor Hobby when it becamecertain that Ferguson would again be a candidate and the womenorganized Hobby clubs and advertised Ferguson's record. A strongcampaign was also waged in behalf of the suffrage candidate forSuperintendent of Public Instruction, Miss Annie Webb Blanton. Congressional candidates and those for the Legislature came in forespecial attention. Thousands of women remained in the heat and dustall summer to help in the campaign. As a result approximately 386, 000women registered in the seventeen days--surely a convincing answer tothe statement that "Southern women do not want to vote. " GovernorHobby was elected by an immense majority, as were Miss Blanton and allof the candidates who had been espoused by the new voters. 

In August women were heartily welcomed into the political conventions, the men urging their appointment on all committees and even passingresolutions of pleasure at having them participate! It was reportedthat 233 out of 253 county conventions endorsed woman suffrage in someform. In September, 1918, at the State Democratic convention in Wacothe women carried their demand for an endorsement of the FederalSuffrage Amendment but not without strenuous opposition. In Novemberthe Executive Board of the State Suffrage Association unanimouslypassed a resolution emphasizing the one of its annual convention, thatthe Legislature be requested to postpone a State referendum on womansuffrage until after the war. The thought of one under presentconditions was appalling. A Ratification Committee which included theheads of practically all of the women's organizations of state-wideimportance was formed. Mrs. Cunningham went to Washington for thefourth time to assist the National Congressional Committee in theeffort for a Federal Amendment. 

In January, 1919, the State Legislature met in regular session and thepoll in both Houses was entirely satisfactory in regard to ratifyingthe Federal Amendment. The lawmakers were so gratified at the partplayed by the women during the war and the "impeachment" that theywere ready and anxious to grant anything wanted of them, in fact weredisappointed that so little was asked. It was not deemed necessary tohave a large lobby and only Mrs. Jessie Daniel Ames of Georgetown cameto Austin to assist the chairman. A resolution offered by Judge W. H. Bledsoe of Lubbock county and Senator R. M. Dudley of El Paso county, which was enthusiastically adopted by both Houses the second day ofthe session, after complimenting highly the voting of the women at theprimaries, said: "Resolved, That the United States Senate is herebyrespectfully but urgently requested to act immediately and favorablyupon the woman suffrage amendment, which has already received properrecognition by the House of Representatives; that such action is infull accordance with enlightened sentiment which sees no reason forfurther delay. "

Unfortunately many friends, both men and women, were misled intobelieving that it would now be possible to win a complete suffragevictory in Texas, although 260, 000 real American voters were away onaccount of the war and thousands of aliens remained at home to vote. Because of the delay in Congress on the Federal Amendment both Housessubmitted by unanimous vote an amendment to the State constitution. Itwas handicapped by a "rider" which required full naturalization byevery foreign-born man before he could vote, instead of merely hisfirst papers as now. This ensured a negative vote from every alien. Atelegram to Washington summoned Mrs. Cunningham to return immediatelyand take command of the campaign, for it would be a Herculean task tomanage one successfully in less than three months' time in a Stateconsisting of 253 counties and the vote to be taken May 24. It wasimpossible for the State association to finance such a campaign andthe National Association, although disapproving of the referendum, contributed about $17, 000. 

President Wilson sent a cablegram from Paris urging the voters to givethe amendment their support and the members of his administration usedtheir influence in its favor. The State officials championed it andthe party organization of the State and many in the counties putthemselves behind it. All of the daily newspapers but one in the fourlargest cities advocated it. Almost every minister labored earnestlyfor it, many of them preaching in favor of it. Many excellent womenengaged in the campaign, some of them even speaking on the streetcorners. The district, city and county chairmen of the State suffrageassociation totaled 400 earnest, active women with whom theheadquarters kept in close touch through letters, press bulletins, telephone and telegraph. These chairmen were the medium through which3, 000, 000 fliers and 200, 000 copies of the _Texas Democrat_, anexcellent paper edited for the occasion by Dr. A. Caswell Ellis ofthe State University faculty, reached the voters. More than ninetysmall papers issued a four page suffrage supplement furnished them. The list of speakers included 1, 495 names and almost no meeting orconvention of any importance was held during the latter part of thethree months that did not make room on its program for a talk on womansuffrage. 

On the other hand every nook and corner of the State was flooded withanti-suffrage literature, a great deal of it emanating from U. S. Senator Reed of Missouri, of such a vile, insinuating character thatwhen placed by the "antis" upon the desks of the legislators theyquickly passed protesting resolutions with only five dissenting votes. These called attention to the splendid work of Texas women during thewar and their suffering at the absence and loss of their loved ones;declared that this literature was "nothing short of a slap in the faceof these good women and of the members who passed, by a unanimousvote, the woman suffrage amendment, " and said: "Resolved that we goupon record as condemning the circulation of this character ofliterature and opposed to the sentiments expressed therein. Were-affirm our allegiance to the woman suffrage amendment . .. And whenwe return to our homes we will do all in our power to secure thepassage of this amendment. "

Some of the most vicious literature was from a so-called "Man'sOrganization Opposed to Woman Suffrage, " with headquarters in Selma, Ala. Former U. S. Senator Bailey, who had been residing in New Yorkfor some years, made a speaking tour of the State, assailing theamendment in the most vindictive manner. [182]

The Women's National Anti-Suffrage Association sent Miss CharlotteRowe of New York, who spoke and worked against the amendment. Mrs. James W. Wadsworth, Jr. , president of this association, accompanied byher husband, the U. S. Senator, came into the State during thecampaign and held some parlor meetings. She appointed Mrs. James B. Wells, wife of the political "boss of the borderland" at Brownsville, to send out literature, speak where possible, etc. Mrs. Wells hadheadquarters in Austin with Mrs. Darden and their work was done fromthere. The amendment failed but not because of their feeble efforts. It was opposed by the strongest political forces in Texas, includingthe liquor interests. The vote was 141, 773 ayes, 166, 893 noes;defeated by a majority of 25, 120. 

In eleven days after this defeat--on June 4--the Federal WomanSuffrage Amendment was submitted by Congress to the Legislatures forratification. Both of the Texas Senators--Charles A. Culberson andMorris Sheppard--and nine Representatives voted for it. 

RATIFICATION. Governor Hobby issued a call for a second specialsession of the Legislature to convene June 23 to consider othermatters but the opening day found the suffragists on hand ready to askfor ratification. The "antis" were on hand also and while they wereholding a conference in the Driskill Hotel to devise ways and means ofobtaining a hearing before the House committee, Resolution No. 1 toratify the amendment was read the first time in the House and referredto this committee. The "antis" came in just in time to learn that thecommittee had held its meeting, favorably reported the resolution andit had been made the special order of business for 11 o'clock the nextmorning. All of this occurred before noon of the first day. 

Speaker R. E. Thomason was one of the most ardent supporters of theresolution and promptly on the hour it was brought up. As a poll ofthe House had shown that it was safe, the leaders decided not tochoose between the dozens who wanted to speak in its behalf but to letthe "antis" do the talking since the "pros" had the votes. The "fatherof the House, " Representative King of Erath, alone spoke for it butthe opponents talked until 3:55 p. M. , when some one moved theprevious question. The vote stood 96 ayes, 20 noes. As the Senatecommittee hearing was set for 4 o'clock there could be no thought oflunch but only to hurry to its room in the far removed wing of theCapitol. That hearing can never be adequately described. Ex-Congressman Robert W. Henry and State Senator J. C. McNealus, fire-eating "antis, " almost came to blows over the name of formerGovernor Ferguson, and Miss Rowe, the New York crusader, had adifficult time with questions. The chairman was instructed to reportfavorably and in the Senate the real fight was on. 

The opposition tried every conceivable method to defer or defeat. Heckling, threats, fervid oratory had no effect on the favoringSenators. Filibustering continued all through Wednesday and Thursday, except when the Senate recessed to listen to Governor Brough ofArkansas, who touched on the justice of suffrage for women in aneffective manner. Finally their swan song was due and came fromSenator W. A. Johnston of Houston, intimate friend of ex-SenatorBailey. Senator Paul Page of Bastrop ably led the fight in behalf ofthe resolution. On June 27, at 7 p. M. , it passed to third reading bya vote of 18 to 9, with one pair and one absentee. That night theopposition tried to get enough Senators out of town to break thequorum but the friendly members and the women "shadowed" thepassengers on all out-going trains. On June 28 by a viva voce vote theSenate went on record as the ninth State to ratify the FederalSuffrage Amendment, the actual strength being 19 to 10, with oneabsent. Lieutenant Governor W. A. Johnson proved his friendship andloyalty to the cause of woman suffrage by remaining in the chairconstantly during the four days' contest. 

With the women of Texas soon to be fully enfranchised the State EqualSuffrage Association in October, 1919, merged into the State League ofWomen Voters, with Mrs. Jessie Daniel Ames chairman. [183]

[LAWS. An excellent digest of the laws for women and childrenaccompanied this chapter, showing considerable advance since a résuméwas given in Volume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage. The writer ofthe present chapter insists that they never were so unjust as thererepresented. The omission of the laws from this, as from the otherState chapters for lack of space is a loss to the History. ]

FOOTNOTES:

[177] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Jane Y. McCallum, member of the Executive Board of the State Equal SuffrageAssociation as chairman of the Legislative Committee, the RatificationCommittee and the Publicity Committee. 

[178] It is a matter of much regret that the dramatic account sent ofthis remarkable campaign must be omitted because of the pressing lackof space. --Ed. 

[179] See Primary suffrage in Arkansas chapter. 

[180] Judge F. G. Chambliss of the 36th District Court, who wasdefeated for reelection at this time, claimed that it was due to votesof women and brought suit in the 79th District Court at Corpus Christito test the legality of the Primary Law. Judge V. M. Taylor ruled thatit was unconstitutional. In another case an injunction was sought torestrain the tax collector of McLennan county from issuing poll taxreceipts to women. The Appellate and Supreme Courts upheld theconstitutionality of the law. 

[181] The speech of Morris Sheppard delivered in the U. S. Senate Aug. 5, 1918, was one of the strongest arguments ever made for the FederalSuffrage Amendment. --Ed. 

[182] After women got the Primary vote Mr. Bailey returned to Texasand announced himself a candidate for Governor. He was overwhelminglydefeated at the primaries and his comment was: "The women and thepreachers did it. "

[183] The following women besides those mentioned have held office inthe association since 1900: Mesdames Tex Armstrong, Anna B. Cade, A. O. Critchett, John Davis, Walter L. Fordtran, Mary Herndon Gray, Goodrich Jones, Lindley Miller Keasbey, Helen Moore, ElizabethStribling Maury, Jane Yelvington McCallum, Sterling Myer, ElizabethHerndon, Dwight Edward Potter, Ella Pomeroy, E. B. Reppert, L. E. Walker, Robert Aeneas Watt; Misses Mary Fowler Bornefield, IreleneDeWitt, Marin B. Fenwick, Kate Hunter, A. A. Stuart, Hettie D. M. Wallis. 

CHAPTER XLIII. 

UTAH. [184]

The results of equal suffrage in Utah for fifty years--1870-1920--withan unavoidable interim of eight years, have demonstrated the sanityand poise of women in the exercise of their franchise. The Mormonwomen had had long training, for from the founding of their church byJoseph Smith in 1830 they had a vote in its affairs. Although theTerritory of Wyoming was the first to give the suffrage to women--inNovember, 1869--the Legislature of Utah followed in January, 1870, andthe bill was signed by Governor S. A. Mann February 12. Women voted atthe regular election the next August and there was no election inWyoming until September, so those of Utah had the distinction of beingthe pioneer women voters in the United States and there were over fivetimes as many women in Utah as in Wyoming. The story of how theirsuffrage was taken away by an Act of Congress in 1887 and how it wasrestored in full by the men of Utah when they made their constitutionfor statehood in 1895 and adopted it by a vote of ten to one isrelated in detail in Volume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage. Thewomen have voted since then in large numbers, filled many offices andbeen a recognized political influence for the benefit of the State. 

The large and active Territorial Woman Suffrage Association heldannual conventions until after it succeeded in gaining the franchise. In 1899, during a visit of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt to Salt Lake City, a meeting was called and steps taken to form a Utah Council of Womento assist the suffrage movement in other States and Mrs. Emily S. Richards was made president. This Council, composed of Mormons andnon-Mormons, continued in existence for twenty years. For the firstten years there were monthly meetings and also special and committeemeetings and prominent speakers addressed the annual gatherings, eulogizing and commemorating the lives and labors of the suffragepioneers throughout the Union. Whenever the National American SuffrageAssociation called for financial aid it responded liberally. Thesuffrage having been gained it was hard to keep up the interest andafter 1910 meetings were held only at the call of the president forthe purpose of carrying out the wishes of the National SuffrageAssociation, at whose conventions the Council was always representedby delegates. In 1909-10, when the association was collecting itsmonster petition to Congress, the Council obtained 40, 000 names asUtah's quota. 

The official personnel remained practically the same from 1900. Thatnoble exponent of the best there is in womanhood, Mrs. Emily S. Richards, preserved the spirit and genius of the Council, whichrecognized no party and whose members cast their votes for good menand measures without undue partisan bias. She was sustained by itscapable and resourceful secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Cohen, and bothmaintained a non-partisan attitude in the conduct of the Council. Theofficers were: Emmeline B. Wells, member national executive committee;Elizabeth A. Hayward, Mrs. Ira D. Wines, Dr. Jane Skolfield and Mrs. B. T. Pyper, vice-presidents; Anna T. Piercey, assistant secretary;Hannah S. Lapish, treasurer. 

As Territory and State, every county, every town, every precinct hasbeen served faithfully and well by women in various positions. Itwould be impossible to name all who have done yeoman service duringthe past years but the three women who have meant more than all othersto the suffrage cause are Mrs. Sarah M. Kimball, who was appointed byBrigham Young and Eliza R. Snow as the standard bearer of that causein the late '60's and who maintained her active hold upon politicsuntil about 1885, when her able first lieutenant, Mrs. Emmeline B. Wells, took up the work dropped by the aged hands of Mrs. Kimball. Shein turn carried the banner of equal civic freedom aloft, assisted byMrs. Richards, until she relinquished it in 1896 and Mrs. Richardsbecame the standard bearer. Many other splendid women have laboredassiduously in this cause. 

In legislative matters a committee from the Council has worked duringevery session since 1911 with associated committees from the otherlarge organizations of women, the powerful Relief Society, the YoungLadies' Mutual Improvement Association and the Federated Clubs leadingin all good movements. Results in the enactment of welfare laws forwomen and children have been very gratifying. The women's committeesof the various organizations meet at the State Capitol during thelegislative sessions and go over very carefully every bill in whichthey are interested. If after investigation a bill meets with theirapproval it is endorsed and every effort is made to secure itspassage. From 1911 to 1917 the women's legislative committee securedcopies of laws already in successful operation in other States andframed bills to meet their own needs. These were always submitted totwo young lawyers, Dan B. Shields and Carl Badger, who corrected anyflaws which might jeopardize their constitutionality. Among the womenwho comprise these committees are Mrs. Cohen, chairman, Miss SarahMcLelland of the Relief Society; Mrs. Adella W. Eardley and Mrs. JuliaBrixen of the Y. L. M. I. A. ; Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Hayward of theSuffrage Council; Mrs. C. M. McMahon, president, Mrs. Peter A. Simpkin, Mrs. A. V. Taylor and Mrs. Seldon I. Clawson, members of theFederation of Women's Clubs. 

In many Legislatures since statehood there have been women members andtheir work has been along expected lines. In 1896, the year Utah wasadmitted to the Union, Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon was elected to theState Senate, the first woman in the United States to receive thathonor. Several women were elected to the Lower House then and othersin the years following. Needed reform measures were secured by Mrs. Mary G. Coulter, who sat in the Lower House and was made chairman ofthe Judiciary Committee in 1903. There was a long interim when nowomen were sent to the Legislature but in 1913 four were elected, Mrs. Annie Wells Cannon, Dr. Skolfield, Mrs. Elizabeth Ellerbeck Reid andMrs. Annie H. King. They were instrumental in securing the Mothers'Pension Law and the Minimum Wage Law and through Mrs. Cannon thebureau of emigration labor was provided with a woman deputy to lookafter the women and children workers. Utah already had an equalguardianship law but largely through the efforts of Mrs. Cannon it wasimproved and is now regarded as a model and has been copied by otherStates. She is a representative daughter of Mrs. Wells. 

In 1915 Mrs. Elizabeth A. Hayward and Mrs. Lily C. Wolstenholme wereelected and to the former the improved child labor law must becredited. In 1917 she was re-elected and Dr. Grace Stratton Airy andMrs. Daisy C. Allen became members of the Lower House. During1915-1917 laws raising the age of protection for girls to 18 andrequiring equal pay for equal work were enacted. Mrs. Hayward, at therequest of the women's Legislative Council, introduced the resolutioncalling on Congress to submit the Federal Amendment. In 1918 she waselected State Senator. In 1919 Dr. Airy was re-elected and Mrs. AnnaG. Piercy and Mrs. Delora Blakely were elected to the Lower House. Altogether there have been thirteen women members of the Legislature. No State has better laws relating to women and children than Utah. 

It has been difficult to persuade the women to stand for importantoffices. The modern furious pace set by campaigners and the severanceof home ties for long periods are not alluring to wives and mothersbut they find many public activities through which to exercise theirexecutive abilities. They sit on the boards of many State and localinstitutions and serve on committees for civic and educational work. Aconsiderable number have filled and are now filling city and countyoffices. Mrs. L. M. Crawford has a responsible position in the officeof the State Land Board. Mrs. McVickar was State Superintendent ofSchools. In 1917 a new department was added to the office of theAdjutant General to secure pensions for those veterans who had servedin the early Indian wars of Utah. Mrs. Elizabeth M. Cohen was givencustody of the old Indian War Records and was named Commissioner ofPensions. In order to prove the claims of these men and women shecooperated with the Pension Bureau at Washington, D. C. Up to date outof a possible 1, 500 whose claims have merit nearly 700 pensions havebeen granted, bringing into the State the sum of $400, 000. 

When Brigham Young established those monuments to his name, theBrigham Young University of Provo and the Brigham Young College ofLogan in 1874 he placed women on their boards. Mrs. Martha J. Coray ofProvo served ten years for the former and Professor Ida M. Cook forthe latter. Mrs. Gates was made a trustee of the university in 1891, which position she still occupies, while her sister, Mrs. Zina YoungCard, has been a trustee since 1914. Mrs. Gates was on the board ofthe State Agricultural College 1905-1913. Mrs. A. W. McCune was onthis board ten years, seven of them its vice-president. Mrs. RebeccaM. Little, Mrs. Antoinette B. Kinney and Dr. Belle A. Gummel have beenregents of the university. Professor Maude May Babcock has been deanof physical education and expression since 1892 and a trustee since1897. Her culture and personality have left an indelible impress onthe history of this State. 

From the beginning women have allied themselves with the differentpolitical parties, occasionally uniting on a great issue like that ofProhibition. From the time they were enfranchised by the Stateconstitution they have received the recognition of the parties. In1900 women were sent as delegates and alternates to both nationalpresidential conventions and Mrs. Cohen seconded the nomination ofWilliam Jennings Bryan. A number were sent in following years. In 1908Mrs. Margaret Zane Cherdron was a delegate and a presidential elector, carrying the vote to Washington. She was one of the two received byPresident Taft and was royally entertained while in the capital. Amongother women who have acted as delegates and alternates since 1900 areMrs. William H. Jones, Mrs. Hayward, Mrs. Sarah Ventrees, Mrs. Gates, Mrs. Lucy A. Clark, Mrs. B. T. Pyper, Mrs. L. M. Crawford, Mrs. AliceE. Paddison. 

Women have their representation on all political committees--Mrs. Hayward is a member of the Democratic National Committee--and theirparticipation in politics is accepted without question. There areabout 10, 000 more women voters than men voters. As a rule about 90 percent. Of the women vote and about 86 per cent. Of the men, as some ofthe latter are in the mines or out of the State for various reasons. Among the Republican leaders are Mrs. Wells, Mrs. Gates, Mrs. Cherdron, Mrs. Jannette A. Hyde, Mrs. Cannon, Mrs. Wolstenholm, Mrs. Loufborough, Mrs. William Spry, Mrs. Reed Smoot; Mrs. Martha B. Keeler of Provo and Mrs. Georgina G. Marriott of Ogden. The Democraticparty has had among its leading women Mrs. Richards, Mrs. AliceMerrill Horne, Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Hayward, Gwen Lewis Little, Mrs. Piercy, Mrs. S. S. Smith, Mrs. Annice Dee, Mrs. Inez Knight Allen andMiss Alice Reynolds. 

No State exceeded Utah in the proportion of the work done by womenduring the World War. Mrs. Clarissa Smith Williams was the unanimouschoice for chairman of the State branch of the Woman's Council ofNational Defense. She was eminently fitted for this position throughher long experience as first counsellor to Mrs. Emmeline B. Wells, head of the Relief Society, and every demand of the Government wasfully met. 

RATIFICATION. At the request of the Suffrage Council and withouturging, Governor Simon Bamberger called a special session of theLegislature for Sept. 30, 1919, to ratify the Federal SuffrageAmendment submitted the preceding June. The resolution was presentedby Senator Elizabeth A. Hayward and was ratified unanimously by bothHouses within thirty minutes. The Governor signed it without delay. The women and the Legislature had helped in every possible way tosecure the Amendment and the entire Utah delegation in Congress hadvoted for it. 

A striking event in the train of possible fruitful activities leftbehind was the visit of the great leader, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Suffrage Association, with her ableyoung assistants, who came to Utah for Nov. 16-18, 1919. She wasaccompanied by Dr. Valerie Parker and Mrs. Jean Nelson Penfield, chairmen in the National League of Women Voters, and Miss MarjorieShuler, director of publicity for the National Association. Theconvention, held in the Assembly Hall, was in charge of the SuffrageCouncil, its president, Mrs. Richards, assisted by Mrs. Cohen and Mrs. E. E. Corfman. A long and valuable program was carried out. Mrs. Cattspoke in the Tabernacle on Sunday afternoon, introduced by PresidentCharles W. Penrose with a glowing tribute to her power as a leader, tothe sincerity and womanliness of her character and to the catholicityof her vision and sympathy. There were banquets, teas and receptions. 

At the close of the convention the Suffrage Council, which hadrendered such splendid service for the past twenty years, was mergedinto the State League of Women Voters and Mrs. Richards willinglyresigned her leadership to its chairman, Mrs. Clesson S. Kinney. 

On Feb. 12, 1920, a jubilee celebration was held in honor of thefiftieth anniversary of the signing of the woman suffrage bill by theTerritorial Governor S. A. Mann. There was also celebrated thegranting of the complete franchise by the immense majority of thevoters in 1895. 

Utah celebrated in Salt Lake City August 30, with a greatdemonstration, the triumph of woman suffrage in the United Statesthrough the ratification of the Federal Amendment, which had beenproclaimed August 26. It was introduced with an impressive parade ledby bands of music and the program of ceremonies was carried out on thesteps of the State Capitol. Governor Bamberger, former Governor HeberM. Wells, Congressman E. O. Leatherwood and Mayor C. Clarence Neslenjoined the women in congratulatory addresses. Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Hannah Lapish and Mrs. Lydia Alder, veteran suffragists, told of theearly struggles and Mrs. Beulah Storrs Lewis appealed to women to keephigh the standard in order to lead men out of the darkness of war intothe light of brotherly love and make ready for world peace. Mrs. AnnieWells Cannon and Mrs. Susa Young Gates were appointed to send atelegram of congratulation to Mrs. Catt. The celebration was under theauspices of the League of Women Voters, whose chairman, Mrs. Kinney, presided. The most impressive figure on the platform was PresidentEmmeline B. Wells, 92 years old, who had voted since 1870 and who hadlabored all these years for this glorious achievement. What those dimeyes had seen of history in the making, what those old ears had heardand what that clear brain had conceived and carried out only her closeassociates knew. She was the incarnate figure of tender, delicate, eternally determined womanhood, arrived and triumphant. 

FOOTNOTES:

[184] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Susa YoungGates, member of the General Board of the Woman's Relief Society andeditor of the Relief Society's Magazine since it was established in1913 and historian of the activities of Utah women. 

CHAPTER XLIV. 

VERMONT. [185]

The first convention to consider woman suffrage took place in Vermontin 1883, when a State association was formed, and others were heldregularly to the end of the century, with the cooperation of theMassachusetts association. At the convention held in Waterbury CenterJune 12, 13, 1900, Henry B. Blackwell of Boston, editor of the_Woman's Journal_, was the chief speaker. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the new president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, sent a letter of helpful suggestions. Petitions for a Federal SuffrageAmendment were forwarded to Congress. During this and the followingyears the _Woman's Journal_ was sent to members of the Legislature; acolumn prepared from that paper was sent to every editor in the Stateand much literature was distributed, the Woman's Christian TemperanceUnion assisting. 

The convention of 1901 met in Rochester June 25, 26. The speakers wereMr. Blackwell, Professor W. L. Burdick, the Rev. George L. Story, MissEliza Eaton, Miss Blanche Dunham and Mrs. Laura Kezer, president ofthe W. C. T. U. The convention congratulated women of the MethodistEpiscopal Church on their admission as delegates to the GeneralConference, the Vermont conference having voted for it unanimously. 

In 1902 the convention met at West Concord June 18, 19, among thespeakers being Miss Mary N. Chase, president of the New HampshireSuffrage Association, and Mr. Blackwell, who never missed aconvention. [186] The State Baptist Association went on record thisyear in favor of women voting on license and prohibition and theUniversalist Church convention endorsed equal suffrage. 

In 1903 the convention was held at Barton June 9, 10, with Mrs. IdaPorter Boyer, a national organizer, among the speakers. The conventionof 1904 went to Woodstock, June 22, 23, and was addressed by the Rev. Harry L. And Mrs. Canfield, suffrage leaders there, and many others. It was announced that Mrs. Dorcas McClelan of Glover had left abequest of $150 to the association. A "composition" entitled FemaleEducation, written by a pupil in a Woodstock school in 1831, now Mrs. Harriet Walker of Denver, 90 years old, was read and much enjoyed. 

The convention of 1905 took place in Springfield June 7, 8. During theyear 10, 000 copies of Opinions on Equal Suffrage by Vermont Men andWomen had been distributed and the _Woman's Journal_ placed in twelvelibraries. A memorial service was held for Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, alife long suffragist. In 1906 the convention was held at BrattleboroJune 6, 7, with a long list of State speakers, including sixclergymen. A memorial service with tributes of appreciation was heldfor Miss Susan B. Anthony. 

Burlington entertained the convention June 13, 14, 1907, which had theprivilege of hearing Mayor W. J. Bigelow, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, nowpresident of the National Association, and State Representative H. H. Shaw of Burlington. Mr. Blackwell presented a fine portrait of hiswife, Lucy Stone. Four prominent State workers had died during theyear, the Hon. Henry Ballard, C. W. Wyman, Miss Carolyn Scott and MissLaura Moore, the latter for twenty-two years secretary of the Stateassociation, its leader and inspirer. She was known at the Capitol as"the Saint of Barnet" and U. S. Senator Carroll S. Page once said: "Ifthe cause of equal suffrage should ever prevail in Vermont it will belargely because of the seed sown by Laura Moore. " Miss Scott, hercompanion and co-worker, who passed away in her 92d year, left abequest of $1, 000 to the association. 

At the convention in Rutland Oct. 12, 13, 1908, among the speakerswere the Reverend Mary Traffern Whitney and Mrs. Annette W. Parmelee, State superintendent of press. The association voted to becomeauxiliary to the National Association. A letter was read from formerGovernor Fletcher D. Proctor, declaring himself in favor of themovement and willing to assist it. Signatures to the suffrage petitionthis year included the names of Governor George H. Prouty, LieutenantGovernor John Abner Mead and Secretary of State Guy Bailey. 

In 1909 the convention held at Barre June 4, 5, decided to concentrateits efforts on a State constitutional amendment to be voted on in1910. A press report of the convention said: "Henry B. Blackwell, although 84 years of age, is a commanding figure and his voice as itrings forth in tones of conviction is more like that of a man in hisprime than of one who has passed his four-score milestone. " Ittherefore was a great shock when the news came on September 7 thatthis far-visioned leader had passed from earth. The State suffragistsowed him a debt of gratitude which could only be repaid by carryingforward his life work. 

In 1910 and 1911 the association so sadly bereft by death held noconvention but the work did not cease. Miss Chase, now a nationalorganizer, formed new leagues; Mrs. Parmelee sent out 3, 057 pieces ofmail, circularized the clergy, conducted thirty-seven debates, wrote131 newspaper articles, furnished leaflets to ninety W. C. T. U. Units, sent _Woman's Journals_ to every graded school and everylibrary in the State and circulated literature at the county fairs. She also prepared a leaflet, Seventeen Reasons Why Women Should Vote, wrote and superintended the production of a play entitled A MockSession of the Legislature and spoke at legislative sessions, churches, granges and parlor meetings. She was ably assisted in thiswork by the secretary, Mrs. Canfield, who had charge of the largeVermont and New Hampshire tent at the State Fair at White RiverJunction, where speeches were made, literature distributed andsignatures obtained. Fourteen speakers were kept busy. The pastors ofall the churches in the State were circularized and as a rule weresympathetic. [187]

In 1912 the convention was held at Montpelier on June 7, withProfessor George B. Cox of Dartmouth College; Attorney J. H. Senterand Dr. J. Edward Wright among the speakers. At Woodstock a bigsuffrage "rally" was held with Dr. Harvey W. Wiley of Washington aschief speaker. Mrs. Frances Rastall, recently appointed Statecongressional chairman by the National Association, organized acongressional committee in every county. At the convention inRochester June 11, 12, 1913, Mrs. Emily Chaffee of Detroit, Mich. , andmany State speakers made addresses. Mrs. Julia Pierce, the Statepresident, handsomely entertained speakers and delegates at her home. At St. Albans a successful "rally" with Mrs. Marian Booth Kelly asspeaker was held. 

In 1914 the convention was held in Burlington November 4, 5, and thecity hall was crowded at the evening meetings. Mrs. Beatrice ForbesRobertson Hale of New York and Mrs. Maud Wood Park of Boston were theout-of-town speakers and Representative E. P. Jose of Johnson headedthe State coterie. Conforming to plans sent out by the NationalAssociation, "suffrage day" had been observed May 1 in Burlington withan address by Mayor James E. Burke. 

The convention which met at Springfield Oct. 20, 21, 1915, received aroyal welcome. American flags and suffrage banners were suspendedacross the streets and the stores were decorated with yellow. Areception and banquet were given by Mr. And Mrs. W. D. Woolson atMucross Park. Among the speakers were Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, Arthur P. Howard, editor of _The Advance_; the Hon. James Hartness, Dr. Grace Sherwood and Representative H. E. Taylor. Mrs. Pierce, having served six years as president, asked to be released and wasmade honorary president for life. Mrs. Lucia E. Blanchard was electedin her place. The convention deplored the opposing attitude ofCongressman Frank Greene and of U. S. Senator William P. Dillingham, who had declared himself "unalterably opposed" to the Federal SuffrageAmendment, and it commended the stand of Congressman Porter Dale. Among public officials declaring themselves favorable were U. S. Marshal Horace W. Bailey, Dr. Guy Potter Benton, president of theUniversity of Vermont, and J. N. Barss, superintendent of the StateIndustrial School. 

On March 1, 1916, Mrs. Rastall called a congressional conference inBurlington. Mrs. Catt, national president, and Mrs. Susan W. Fitzgerald of Boston addressed a large audience. The day sessions wereat the City Hall and the mass meeting at the Strong Theater. Duringthe autumn a delegation of suffragists called on U. S. Senator CarrollS. Page of Hyde Park to urge his support of the Federal SuffrageAmendment. They were graciously received, entertained at luncheon atthe Inn and reported themselves as "pleased with the interview. " InNovember the National Association sent Mrs. Augusta Hughston, one ofits organizers, for a month's field work, paying all expenses, andeighteen clubs were formed with officers and active committees. 

In 1917 the convention was held at St. Albans June 27, 28, with theusual list of good speakers. Mrs. Lilian H. Olzendam was employed asState organizer. A resolution was passed condemning the methods of the"militant" suffragists. It was reported that after an address by Mrs. Rastall at the State conference of the Federation of Labor at BellowsFalls August 11, 12, woman suffrage was endorsed unanimously. 

In accordance with the plans of the National Association to strengthenthe situation wherever there were opposing members of Congress, and toassist in bringing pressure on Senator Dillingham, Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, its recording secretary, was sent to Vermont in July, 1918, and also Miss Marjorie Shuler, its director of field publicity, whospent two weeks, speaking, interviewing editors and building upfavorable press sentiment. The convention was held at Burlington July10, 11 and was addressed by Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. A. L. Bailey, Statepresident; Mrs. Joanna Croft Read, State secretary, and Dr. AliceWakefield. A resolution was adopted thanking Senator Page for hispromise to support the Federal Suffrage Amendment. Senator Dillinghamstill remained obdurate and Mrs. Wilson returned to meet with theExecutive Board August 17 at Montpelier, after which Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Read, Mrs. Parmelee, Mrs. Olzendam and Mrs. Wilson called on him byappointment to appeal for his vote. He was very courteous but gavethem no encouragement. Mrs. Wilson remained for three weeks conferringwith and assisting the workers. In November, at the expense of theNational Association, Mrs. Hughston spent three weeks doing valuablefield work. 

In January, 1919, Mrs. Wilson again returned to assist the boardduring the legislative session, remaining until after the convention, which was held at Burlington March 11, 12. The speakers were Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Wilson, Dr. Marion Horton, the new State president; CityAttorney Hamilton S. Peck, Miss Bernice Tuttle, president of the ChildWelfare Bureau; Mrs. Anna Hawkes Putnam, State chairman of the Woman'sDivision of the National Council of Defense; Mrs. M. D. Chittenden, president of the State Y. W. C. A. , and others. Mrs. Parmelee gave anaccount of the work for woman suffrage in Vermont and its courageousleaders during the past thirty-six years and the reasons why billswere voted down in the Legislature. 

RATIFICATION. On June 4, 1919, the Federal Suffrage Amendment wassubmitted to the Legislatures for ratification and a survey showedthat Vermont's would probably be necessary to make the needed 36. Mrs. Halsey Wilson returned for consultation with the State leaders and anintensive effort was begun which continued for more than a year. Mrs. Olzendam, chairman of ratification, not only obtained enough favorablepledges from the members to ratify but an agreement by a majority topay their own expenses, and give their time for a special session. Itwas soon evident, however, that Governor Percival W. Clement wasdetermined not to call one. Every possible influence was brought tobear on him but he based his refusal on the ground that it would beunconstitutional. By March, 1920, 35 States had ratified and it seemedthat the 36th would have to be Vermont or Connecticut, whose Governoralso had refused to call a special session. 

An ingenious demonstration was decided on, which was made possible bya contribution of $1, 000 from the Leslie Suffrage Commission. Aninterview of Vermont women with the Governor was arranged by a goodfriend of suffrage, Major Harvey Goodell, secretary of Civil andMilitary Affairs. On April 21, a remarkable deputation of 400 womenarrived in Montpelier, representing twelve of the fourteen counties, loyal, ardent soldiers, overcoming the obstacles of long distances, almost impassable roads and poor train service, many coming from townswhere there were no trains and where they must plow through deep snowand over muddy and rocky roads, one woman walking five miles. Led byMrs. Olzendam in a cold, drenching rain they marched through thestreets and up the steps of the Capitol and took their places beforethe Governor's chair. One by one, fourteen speakers presented the casein a few sentences. It was a notable demonstration in size, enthusiasmand determination. It had been arranged that letters and telegramsshould arrive the day before, the day of and the day following thevisit and his excellency received 1, 600 communications in three days. Governor Clement's only response was that he did not wish to make adecision at present. 

In May, 1920, the State Republican convention, with the Governorseated on the platform, passed a resolution urging him to call aspecial session, saying: "We have full faith and confidence that thevoters of the State, regardless of party affiliation, would cordiallyapprove and endorse the ratification of the Federal SuffrageAmendment. "

The State suffrage convention met in the roof garden of The Tavern, St. Albans, July 1, 2, in a rousing convention. Governor John H. Bartlett of New Hampshire, which had ratified, was the guest of honor, attending by special request of Will Hays, chairman of the NationalRepublican Committee. He had consulted Governor Clement about coming, who answered: "I shall be glad to have you. Regret I shall be unableto hear you. " Miss Katharine Ludington, chairman of the ConnecticutLeague of Women Voters, and Miss Julia A. Hinaman, its presschairman, were among the speakers. Mayor Charles A. Buck extended thefreedom of the city and Mrs. Read, acting president, responded. On theplatform were a large number of prominent Vermont men and women. Thereport of Mrs. Olzendam described the strenuous efforts of the womenof the State for an extra session, acknowledging the assistance ofMiss Ann Batchelder, Mrs. Vida M. Chase and others and thanking Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Raymond Brown, fourth vice-president, and Miss Shuler, ofthe National Association; Mrs. Sara Algeo, president of the WomanSuffrage Party of Rhode Island, and Miss Winifred Brown of Utah fortheir help. The delegates expressed in applause and in words theirhigh appreciation of Mrs. Olzendam's work. A resolution was passed atan evening mass meeting calling upon Governor Clement to summon aspecial session in order that Vermont might have the honor of beingthe 36th State to ratify. 

Just before the convention the Governor went to Washington and thepress dispatches of July 1 told of a long talk he had that day withPresident-elect Harding. Both men admitted in interviews that thecalling of a special session in Vermont had been discussed. SenatorHarding said he told the Governor he would be very glad to see thisdone but made plain his desire not to interfere with the Governor'sprerogatives. Governor Clement frankly admitted that he had been urgedby Senator Harding, Chairman Hays and other Republican leaders to givean early call but made the stereotyped excuses. Nevertheless the pressgenerally expressed the opinion that he would yield. On the contraryhe returned home and on July 12 issued an official proclamation inwhich he made the assertion that "the Federal Constitution in itspresent form threatened the foundation of free popular government; the16th Amendment, providing for a federal income tax, was lobbiedthrough Congress and State Legislatures by federal agents and the 18thAmendment for Federal prohibition was forced through by paid agents ofirresponsible organizations with unlimited funds. " To what he calledthe proposal to "force through the 19th Amendment for woman suffragein the same manner, " he said: "I will never be a party to anyproceeding which proposes to change the organic law of the Statewithout the consent of the people. " "The National Constitution, " hesaid, "threatens free popular government alike as it stands and as itis interpreted by the Supreme Court. Its decision leaves the people atthe mercy of any group of men who may lobby a proposal for a change init through Congress and then through the Legislatures. "

Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, national president, issued an open letter tothe Governor in the course of which she said:

 In order that this generation of your fellowmen and posterity also may not misunderstand your position, the National American Woman Suffrage Association urges you to supplement your proclamation with answers to the following questions: Do you challenge the fact which has stood unchallenged for 131 years that the Federal Constitution is the supreme law of this land and supersedes all State constitutions whenever the two are in conflict? Do you know that on Jan. 10, 1791, Vermont ratified that Constitution, although she had one of her own, and by so doing accepted the precedence of the Federal Constitution and by that act was admitted into the Union? If you do know these facts of common knowledge why did you throw over your refusal to call a special session the camouflage of a dissertation about the alleged conflict between the Vermont and Federal Constitutions which has nothing whatever to do with the calling of a special session of your Legislature?. .. Do you not know that when a Legislature acts upon a Federal constitutional amendment it draws its authority from the Federal and not from the State constitution, and that the Governor has no responsible part in the transaction except as custodian of the amendment when it comes from the Federal Secretary of State and returns to him with the Certificate of Ratification? Then why profess such a burden of personal responsibility in the matter?

 You pretend to fear "an invasion of State's Rights" and take upon yourself the responsibility of preserving "the foundations of free popular government. " Then why did you veto the Presidential suffrage bill passed by the Legislature of Vermont in 1919, which was strictly a State action and conferred the vote upon the women of Vermont alone?. .. Your national party convention in 1920 called for completion of ratification in time for women to vote for the next President. Your party's National Committee in the interim of conventions took action three times--once asking Congress to submit the amendment; once favoring early ratification and once calling upon Republican Governors to call special sessions in order that ratification might proceed. Your State party convention, your party's State Committee, your State Legislature, hundreds of Vermont women, the chairman of the National Republican Committee and the chairman of your State Republican Committee, the candidate for President of your party--all have asked you to call a special session. .. . You owe it to the Republican party and to the world to explain your assumption of an authority that belongs to your party leaders. By what right do you make this assumption? Governor Clement, tell it all!"

The total cost of the efforts to secure a special session was $7, 442, of which the National Association paid $2, 578 and the Leslie WomanSuffrage Commission $4, 864. [188]

Following the convention of the State association at St. Albans, July1, 2, 1920, Miss Ludington explained the purpose of the NationalLeague of Women Voters and the association was dissolved and a Stateleague organized with Mrs. Lilian Olzendam chairman. 

The Vermont suffrage association was fortunate in always having thesupport of other State organizations, the Woman's Christian TemperanceUnion, Grange, Federation of Labor, Teachers' Association, Federationof Women's Clubs, Young Women's Christian Association and, in theclosing years, of all political parties. Among other noted speakersfrom outside the State not mentioned were Professor Charles Zueblin, Mrs. Florence Kelley and Mrs. Susan S. Fessenden, president of theMassachusetts W. C. T. U. Over fifty clergymen of variousdenominations gave active assistance. [189]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. From 1884 to 1900 a bill to give Municipalsuffrage to taxpaying women was regularly introduced in theLegislature only to be defeated. 

1902. The Town and Municipal Suffrage bill in the Senate was defeatedby 22 to 6; in the House by 111 to 75. A Presidential suffrage billreceived only six votes. A bill permitting women to vote on thelicense question was defeated by 138 to 67. Petitions with 15, 000signatures had been presented for these various measures. 

1904. The Municipal Suffrage bill was reported favorably to the Houseby C. C. Fitts, chairman of the committee, but was refused thirdreading by 99 to 97. On November 17 it was introduced in the Senate, reported favorably by committee chairman J. Emery Buxton and passedwithout debate with three opposing votes. When on December 6 it cameagain before the House for reconsideration it was ordered to a thirdreading by 112 to 104 but the next day was defeated by 124 to 100. 

1906. A bill to substitute the word "person" for "male" in thestatutes came before the House October 24, was ordered to thirdreading by 149 to 24 and passed the following day by 130 to 25. Thismajority aroused the Massachusetts Society Opposed to the FurtherExtension of Suffrage to Women and an officer, Mrs. A. J. George ofBrookline, was sent to try to defeat the bill. She was coolly receivedand found it so impossible to convince the members that she was not anemissary of the liquor interests that she failed to obtain even ahearing before the committee. Her coming stirred the suffrage forcesand a telegram was sent to the _Woman's Journal_ of Boston asking forhelp and Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, the editor, and Mrs. Maud WoodPark responded. A public hearing was granted by the Senate committeeand people from all over the State were present. Nine legislators andmembers of the association spoke for the bill. Not one opponentappeared. In the Senate it failed by three votes, many who werepledged to it deserting. 

1908. Legislative committee chairman 1908-1910, Mrs. Annette W. Parmelee, spoke at the hearing on the Municipal suffrage bill, whichwas defeated in the Senate by 16 to 11. During the final debate Mrs. Parmelee wrote down the disgusting remarks made by some of theopponents and their consternation was great when these were published. This bill for years was termed the "football. "

1909. The legislative chairman sent an official letter to Frank E. Partridge, chairman of the Commission to Propose Amendments to theState Constitution, which can only be done once in ten years, askingthat suffrage for women be among the proposals considered. The letterwas read May 28, 1910, before the commission--Frank L. Greene, A. M. Fletcher, W. N. Cady and M. G. Leary, but received no attention. 

1910. The legislative chairman was assisted by Chaplain A. W. Ford. Inthe official record suffrage was spelled "sufferage. " The Municipalsuffrage bill was introduced in the House and the suffragists askedfor a hearing but the date was changed three times and the final oneleft no time for summoning speakers. At the request of Judge H. S. Peck the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole and theSenate came in. The Northfield Cadets, the Burlington High School andseveral hundred visitors attended the hearing and gave close attentionto Mrs. Parmelee for an hour. A large number of members spoke for andagainst the bill. An anti-suffrage newspaper in referring to it said:"Its killing will make a Roman holiday for ladies' week. " It wasrefused a third reading by 113 to 111. A bill permitting women to voteon the liquor question aroused the stormiest debate of the session andthe Speaker split his desk trying to preserve order. It was definitelysettled that the Legislature would pass no woman suffrage bills. 

1912. The legislative committee was Mrs. Frances Rastall, Miss FannyB. Fletcher, Mrs. J. B. Estee and Mrs. Parmelee and the bill was toadd the words "and female" in the statutes. On October 24 at a hearingheld in Representatives Hall, which was filled to overflowing, thefollowing made addresses in favor: Miss Anne Rhodes of New York; Mrs. Agnes M. Jenks of New Hampshire; Miss Mabel Foster of Washington, D. C. ; Mrs. Rastall, Mrs. Charles Van Patten, Mrs. Parmelee, SenatorsDarling, Jose, and the Rev. Clifford Smith, superintendent of theState Anti-Saloon League. Those speaking in opposition were: Mrs. E. D. Brooks Brown, who presented an "anti" petition; Miss MinnieBronson, secretary of the National Anti-Suffrage Association; Mrs. M. H. Buckham, Mrs. George W. Wales, Miss Lillian Peck, Mrs. T. J. Deavitt and Senator D. C. Hawley. It was defeated as usual. A billwhich gave women the same right as men to vote in town meetings on allmatters relating to taxation and the raising and appropriation ofmoney passed the Senate but was not considered by the House. 

1915. Mrs. Amanda Seaver served as the "watchman on the tower, " herhusband being a member of the Legislature, and she was assisted byMrs. Wyman and Mrs. Taylor. A public hearing on the bill for Municipaland Presidential suffrage was held January 21. A large audience inRepresentatives Hall listened to a convincing address by Mrs. Antoinette Funk of Chicago, a member of the Congressional Committee ofthe National Association. Mrs. Wyman closed the hearing with aneffective speech. Opportunity was given for the opponents but althougha large delegation of them from Burlington was present, no one spoke. Mrs. George of Massachusetts and John A. Matthews, a member of the NewJersey Legislature, were the anti-suffrage speakers February 2 at alargely attended Senate hearing. The vote in the Senate was 19 to 19;in the House the bill was loaded with amendments and a third readingwas refused by 129 to 100. 

1917. Dr. Grace Sherwood was legislative chairman. Six bills givingvarious kinds of suffrage to women were introduced and every trickthat legal minds could devise was employed to retard or defeat theirpassage but nevertheless one was passed, which was introduced byRepresentative Ernest E. Moore. It provided that "a female citizen, 21years of age, who has taken the Freeman's Oath . .. And whose taxeswere paid prior to the 15th day of February preceding town meeting, shall while residing in such town be a voter in town meeting. "Hearings were held February 6, 15, 16 and March 17, 20. There were 28speakers in favor, 9 of them women; 21 opposed, 9 of them women. TheSpeaker, Stanley G. Allson, instead of asking the usual question"Shall the bill pass?" put the question "Shall the bill be rejected?"Several members were caught by the trick and voted the opposite ofwhat they intended but four changed their votes--Hardy of Guildhall, Hayden of Barton, Hooper of Hardwick and Bliss of Georgia, just enoughto carry it. It passed the House March 9 by 104 to 100, and the SenateMarch 20 by 16 to 11. It was signed by Governor Horace F. Graham March30. Vermont thus had the honor of leading all eastern States inadopting a Town and Municipal suffrage bill permitting tax payingwomen to vote and hold office. 

1919. Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, its recording secretary, was sent by theNational Association to assist the State Executive Board during thelegislative session. A bill introduced by Senator Carr of Caledonia torepeal the Municipal suffrage act was promptly defeated. Effort wasnow concentrated on the Presidential suffrage bill, which wasintroduced January 14. The Senate passed it by a vote of 20 to 10 andsent it to the House, where it was first read on January 28 andreferred to the Committee on Suffrage and Elections, which reported infavor. The bill was read the second time and several motions to defeatit were made by Representative Hopkins of Burlington but all were lostand the third reading was ordered by a vote of 129 ayes, 83 noes. At ahearing February 4 the following spoke in favor: Dr. Sherwood, Mrs. Fred Blanchard, Mrs. Joanna Croft Read, Senators Steele, Vilas and M. J. Hapgood; in opposition, Senators Carr and Felton, Miss MargaretEmerson, Mrs. Wayne Read, Mrs. H. C. Humphrey, David Conant, Representatives O'Dowd, Cudworth and Hopkins. On February 5 the billpassed by 120 ayes, 90 noes. Governor Percival W. Clement vetoed it inMarch on the ground of unconstitutionality, though eight Legislatureshad passed a similar bill without question and Illinois women hadvoted under one in 1916. 

The State suffrage convention was in session at Burlington andimmediately on its adjournment March 12 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, thenational president, and fifteen of the delegates went to Montpelier, where Mrs. Catt addressed the Legislature. The Senate reconsidered thebill and passed it over the veto. On March 17 the Speaker laid beforethe House an extended communication from Governor Clements giving indetail his reasons for failing to approve the bill. It was then readand Representative Tracy moved that it be made a special order for thefollowing Thursday, which was agreed to by 104 ayes, 70 noes. At thattime the question, "Will the House pass the bill notwithstanding theobjections of the Governor?" was decided in the negative by 168 noes, 48 ayes. The next year the women were fully enfranchised by theFederal Amendment. 

FOOTNOTES:

[185] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Annette W. Parmelee, State Superintendent of Press, State Secretary and StateHistorian for the Vermont Woman Suffrage Association. 

[186] Among those who addressed the annual conventions during theyears were the Reverends A. M. Smith, J. A. Dixon, F. E. Adams, VerdiMack, J. Borden Estee, George B. Lamson, T. L. Massock, E. T. Matthison, E. M. H. Abbott, C. J. Staples, O. M. Owen, Eugene Haines, M. T. Merrill, Charles A. Pennoyer; Hon. James F. Hooker, Dr. M. V. B. Knox, Attorney E. B. Flynn, Colonel G. C. Childs, Professor Cox, Martin Vilas, Mr. Woolson and F. G. Fleetwood; Mesdames Canfield, Kidder, Flanders, Julia A. Pierce, C. J. Clark, M. V. B. Knox, LouisaM. Slocum, Inez Campbell, Mary E. Tucker, Laura Kezer, G. E. Davidson, M. S. Margum, E. B. Lund, Juliette Rublee, Amanda Seaver, FrancesRastall Wyman, Frances Hand, Elizabeth Van Patten, L. M. Benedict, O. C. Ashton, Edgar Moore, H. B. Shaw, Dr. Sue H. Howard; Misses Mary E. Purple, Grace Robinson, Margaret Allen, Fanny Fletcher, EmiliaHoughton, Eliza Eaton, Carolyn Scott. 

[187] This year Miss Lou J. C. Daniels, a liberal contributor to thesuffrage association, her family the largest taxpayers in Grafton, where they had a summer home, was indignant to learn that theRepresentative of her district had voted against the suffrage bill inthe Legislature. She sent a written protest and refusal to pay hertaxes, whereupon an official served papers on her and several sharesof stock in the Bellows Falls National Bank were attached and sold atauction. The bank declared it illegal and declined to honor the sale. The matter aroused discussion throughout the State and surroundingcountry. When the town elected a Representative who supported womansuffrage she considered the lesson sufficient and paid her taxes. 

[188] Governor Clement retired from office Dec. 31, 1920, and wassucceeded by Governor James Hartness. The Legislature met in regularsession in January, 1921. The resolution to ratify the FederalSuffrage Amendment was read in the House for the third time on January28 and passed by 202 ayes, 3 noes, French, Stowell and Peake ofBristol. On February 8 it passed the Senate unanimously. 

[189] Presidents of the State association from 1900 to 1920 notalready mentioned were Elizabeth Colley; C. D. Spencer; the Rev. A. M. Smith; Mrs. A. D. Chandler; the Hon. James Hutchinson; Mrs. FrancesRastall Wyman; Dr. Grace Sherwood. Secretaries: Miss Laura Moore(1883-1905); Mrs. Fatima Davidson; the Rev. Verdi Mack; the Rev. MaryT. Whitney; Mrs. Annette W. Parmelee; Mrs. Jeannette Pease; Mrs. AnnieC. Taylor; Miss Emilia Houghton; Mrs. Amanda Seaver; Miss MargueriteAllen; Miss Ann Batchelder; Mrs. James A. Merrill. 

CHAPTER XLV. 

VIRGINIA. [190]

The earliest record of woman suffrage in Virginia bears the name ofMrs. Hannah Lee Corbin of Gloucester county, whose protest in 1778against taxation without representation was answered by a letter fromher brother, Richard Henry Lee ("Lighthorse Harry"), who wrote that inhis opinion under the clause in the constitution which gave the voteto householders she could exercise the suffrage. 

There had been a suffrage organization in Virginia in 1893, of whichMrs. Orra Langhorne, a pioneer worker, had been president. When theState Equal Suffrage League was organized, Miss Laura Clay of Kentuckygave to it a trust fund of $2. 50 which had been left in the treasuryand Mrs. Langhorne had requested her to give to a Virginia League whenone should be formed. In November, 1909, a preliminary meeting washeld to discuss organization, followed a week later by the forming ofthe Equal Suffrage League of Virginia. Lila Meade (Mrs. B. B. )Valentine, widely known for her public work, was elected president andserved in this capacity for the next eleven years. State and cityheadquarters were opened in Richmond and remained there. Miss MaryJohnston was greatly interested and used her influence in promotingthe new organization. Miss Ellen Glasgow also was very active. Theleague was organized to work for suffrage by both State and Federalaction and early in its existence circulated a petition to Congressfor a Federal Amendment. In 1910 this was presented to the Virginiamembers by Mrs. Valentine and the State delegates attending thenational suffrage convention. 

In January, 1911, the first public meeting ever held in Richmond inthe interest of woman suffrage was addressed by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, withDr. Lyon G. Tyler, president of William and Mary College, in thechair. The first State convention was held this year in Richmond withdelegates present from Norfolk, Lynchburg, Williamsburg and HighlandSprings societies, and individual suffragists from Fredericksburg andCharlottesville. In 1912 the convention was held in Norfolk withdelegates from twenty-two leagues. In 1913 it met in Lynchburg and thereports showed that 2, 500 new members had been added and Mrs. Valentine had made 100 public speeches. 

An outdoor demonstration was held in Richmond on the steps of theState Capitol, May 2, 1914, in conformity with the nation-wide requestof the National Association, and the celebration was continued in theevening. The convention was held in Roanoke, where it was reportedthat forty-five counties had been organized in political units andthat the _Virginia Suffrage News_, a monthly paper, was beingpublished at State headquarters under the management of Mrs. AliceOverbey Taylor. 

In 1915 street meetings were inaugurated and held in Richmond from Maytill Thanksgiving, and in Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Lynchburgand Warrenton. For the first time women appeared on the same platformwith the candidates for the Legislature and presented the claims ofthe women of Virginia to become a part of the electorate. The May Daycelebration was held on the south portico of the Capitol on theafternoon of May 1, after a morning devoted to selling from streetbooths copies of the _Woman's Journal_, suffrage flags, buttons andpostcards. A band played and the decorations and banners in yellow andblue, the suffrage and Virginia colors, made a beautiful picture. JohnS. Munce of Richmond introduced the speakers, Dr. E. N. Calisch, Rabbiof Beth Ahaba Temple; Miss Joy Montgomery Higgins of Nebraska and MissMabel Vernon of Washington, D. C. In December the convention was heldin Richmond and the two hundred delegates marched to the office of theGovernor, Henry Carter Stuart, to request him to embody in his messageto the General Assembly a recommendation that it submit to the votersan equal suffrage amendment to the State constitution. They were ledby Mrs. Valentine and brief addresses were made by Mrs. StephenPutney of Wytheville, Mrs. Lloyd Byars of Bristol, Mrs. John H. Lewis of Lynchburg, Miss Lucy Randolph Mason of Richmond, great-great-granddaughter of George Mason, author of the Virginia Billof Rights; Miss Agnes Randolph, great-great-granddaughter of ThomasJefferson, founder of the University of Virginia; Miss Mary Johnston, Mrs. Sally Nelson Robins of Richmond, author; Miss Elizabeth Cooke ofNorfolk, Miss Janetta FitzHugh of Fredericksburg, Mrs. Kate LangleyBosher of Richmond, author; Miss Roberta Wellford of University; Mrs. George Barksdale, Miss Marianne Meade and Miss Adele Clark ofRichmond. He received them courteously but not seriously and paid noattention to their request. During the year organization of the Stateinto legislative and congressional districts was begun. Norfolk wasthe place of the annual convention in 1916 when 111 leagues werereported. This was a legislative year and all efforts wereconcentrated on the Assembly. [191]

From January 29 to February 2, 1917, a very successful suffrage schoolwas conducted in Richmond under the auspices of the NationalAssociation. Later when the services of this association were offeredto the Government for war work the league dedicated itself to Stateand country and endeavored to carry out the plans of the NationalBoard. The president, Mrs. Valentine, was the first person in theState, on request of the Governor, to speak in the recruiting campaignand other members also took part in it. At the annual convention heldin Richmond in November a resolution not only again endorsing theFederal Suffrage Amendment but pledging members to work for it wasunanimously adopted. Virginia sent the largest delegation in herhistory to the national convention in Washington in December and itwas upon the advice of the returning delegates that emphasis was laidupon enrollment of those who desired woman suffrage. Because of theinfluenza epidemic no State convention was held in 1918. 

The enrollment of 32, 000 men and women was accomplished in 1919, Mrs. Faith W. Morgan, a vice-president of the association, securing thelargest number of names and Miss Ellen Robinson being the first personto fill her quota. The submission by Congress of the Federal SuffrageAmendment in June of this year gave great impetus to the work. InNovember the annual convention was held in Richmond, withrepresentatives from all parts of the State. At this time there were175 suffrage centers. The members reaffirmed with enthusiasm theirdetermination to carry on the fight for ratification. An importantfeature of the year had been the endorsement of the amendment by theState Teachers' Association, the State Federation of Women's Clubs andthe Women's Benevolent Association of the Maccabees. [192]

On Sept. 9, 10, 1920, the State league met in convention in the hallof the House of Delegates in the Capitol for the joint purpose ofcelebrating the proclamation of the Federal Suffrage Amendment andplanning for the organization of a League of Women Voters. It was anoccasion never to be forgotten, with a welcome extended by GovernorWestmoreland Davis, speeches by Attorney General John R. Saunders, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Harris Hart and members ofthe Legislature who had made the fight for ratification. Mrs. MaudWood Park, president of the National League of Women Voters, gave aninspiring address and extensive plans for future work were made. Areception was given by the wife of the Governor assisted by theofficers of the league. On November 10, in the Senate chamber, theState League of Women Voters was organized with Mrs. Valentinehonorary chairman; Mrs. John H. Lewis honorary vice-chairman and MissAdele Clark chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. For improved conditions for women in industry, child labor laws and all welfare legislation before the GeneralAssembly in the past ten years individual members of the league havelabored assiduously. The league as an organization, however, hasconfined itself to work for suffrage, knowing that the vote gained"all things else would be added. "

1900. When the constitutional convention met to draft the presentState constitution, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of theNational American Woman Suffrage Association, and a small group ofVirginia and other southern women appeared before it and Mrs. Catturged it to embody woman suffrage in the new constitution but this wasnot done. 

1912. The first resolution proposing an amendment to the Stateconstitution enfranchising women was introduced in the House by HillMontague of Richmond and the hearing granted by the committee createdstatewide interest. The speakers were Mrs. Valentine, Mrs. Lewis, MissJohnston, Mrs. Bosher, Miss Randolph, Clayton Torrence and Howard T. Colvin of the State Federation of Labor, later Assistant U. S. Commissioner of Labor. The vote in the House was 12 ayes, 84 noes. 

1914. The resolution for a State amendment was again introduced in theHouse and a hearing granted by the Committee on Privileges andElections. Mrs. Valentine presided and introduced the followingspeakers: Mrs. Desha Breckinridge of Kentucky; Mrs. Kate WallerBarrett of Alexandria, State regent of the D. A. R. ; Mrs. Putney, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Barksdale of Richmond, Miss Mason, Miss Lillie Barbour, State factory inspector, and Mr. Colvin. The vote was 13 ayes, 74noes. 

1916. The resolution for a State amendment had its first publichearing before a joint committee of the House and Senate. The speakerswere Mrs. Valentine, Mrs. J. H. Whitner of Roanoke, a vice-presidentof the State League; Miss Eudora Ramsey and Miss Adele Clark ofRichmond; the Rev. John J. Wicker, pastor of Leigh Street BaptistChurch, Richmond, and E. F. Sheffey of Lynchburg. The House vote, 40ayes, 51 noes, marked the third defeat but an increase in suffragesentiment. 

1918. The Legislative Committee consisted of Mrs. Valentine, MissWellford, Mrs. Frank L. Jobson, Miss Clark, Miss Nora Houston andMrs. Munce, all of Richmond. The Federal Suffrage Amendment having nowpassed the Lower House of Congress, a resolution urging the U. S. Senate to take favorable action on the Federal Amendment wasintroduced but it did not come out of committee. The Hon. WilliamJennings Bryan stopped over trains to pay his respects to GovernorWestmoreland Davis. He was escorted to the Capitol by members of theEqual Suffrage League and made a brief address to the Assembly injoint recess, urging ratification of the Federal Amendment ifsubmitted in time for action at this session. [193]

RATIFICATION. The Legislature assembled August 13, 1919, in specialsession for the purpose of meeting the federal appropriation for goodroads. The Federal Suffrage Amendment having been submitted to theLegislatures for ratification on June 4 was due to be presented by theGovernor. As the special session had been called specifically for goodroads, the State Equal Suffrage League intended to await the regularsession of 1920 to press for action but to test the legislators aquestionnaire was sent to them. Answers proved that it would bewell-nigh impossible to obtain ratification at this time, even thoughsubstantial petitions from all sections of the State were shown to menrepresenting the localities from which these came. Spurred on, however, by efforts of the National Woman's Party to secure action atany cost, the opponents succeeded in having a Rejection Resolutionrailroaded through the House without debate ten minutes beforeadjournment in the second week of the session. The Senate refused tosanction such tactics and by 19 to 15 voted to postpone action untilthe next session. 

1920. The State league's committee on ratification was composed ofMrs. Valentine, Miss Clark, Mrs. Bosher, Mrs. Jobson, Miss Houston andMiss Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon. [194] Miss Josephine Miller, an organizerfor the National Association, was sent into the State toward the endof the campaign. There were in the two Houses 61 new members who hadbeen elected since the Federal Amendment was submitted. Very strongpressure to ratify was made upon the General Assembly. PresidentWilson sent an earnest appeal and others came from Homer Cummings, chairman of the National Democratic Committee; A. Mitchell Palmer, U. S. Attorney General; Carter Glass, U. S. Treasurer; U. S. Representative C. C. Carlin and other prominent Democrats. Thousandsof telegrams were sent from women throughout the southern States. Acablegram came from Lady Astor, M. P. Of Great Britain, a Virginian. Urgent requests for ratification were made by presidents of colleges, mayors of cities, State and county officials and other eminentcitizens. 

Before the Governor had even sent the certified copy of the amendmentto the Legislature its strongest opponent, Senator Leedy, also anopponent of the administration at Washington, introduced a RejectionResolution couched in the same obnoxious terms he had used in August. By urgent advice of the leaders he finally omitted some of its mostoffensive adjectives. It was presented in the House by RepresentativeOzlin and referred to the Federal Relations Committee, which granted ahearing. On the preceding evening Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, presidentof the National Suffrage Association, addressed a mass meeting held bythe Equal Suffrage League in the Jefferson Hotel. The hearing was heldbefore a joint session of the Senate and House in the Hall ofDelegates at noon on January 21. Some of Virginia's foremost citizensspoke for ratification, among them Allan Jones, member of the StateDemocratic Committee; Roswell Page, State auditor and a brother of theHon. Thomas Nelson Page; U. S. Representatives Thomas Lomax Hunter andHoward Cecil Gilmer; J. B. Saul, chairman of the Roanoke CountyDemocratic Committee; former Senator Keezel; Dr. Lyon G. Tyler. Thewomen speakers were Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Valentine, president, and Mrs. John H. Lewis, vice-president of the State Suffrage League, and Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett. [195]

Notwithstanding this very able presentation the Federal RelationsCommittee reported the Rejection Resolution favorably. On the floorLindsay Gordon of Louisa county substituted a Ratification Resolutionand Harry Rew of Accomac a substitute to refer ratification to thevoters. The latter carried on January 27 by a vote of 55 to 39, supported by Representatives Gordon, Willis of Roanoke, Williams ofFairfax, Hunter of Stafford, Rodgers, J. W. Story, Wilcox of Richmond, Snead of Chesterfield and H. W. Anderson, Republican floor leader. 

The battle front now shifted to the Senate, where, owing to illness ofthe chief suffrage proponent, G. Walter Mapp, consideration had beenpostponed. On February 6, the day finally set, proceedings weresimilar to those in the House, Senator E. Lee Trinkle's ratificationresolution and Senator Gravatt's referendum being respectivelysubstituted for Leedy's rejection. The referendum, under Leedy'scoercive method, was voted down. All day the contest raged on theratification resolution, with strong speeches in favor by SenatorsTrinkle of Wythe, Corbitt of Portsmouth, Paul of Rockingham, Layman ofCraig, West of Nansemond, Parsons of Grayson. Supporting the measureby vote were also Senators Crockett, Haslinger and Profitt; andpairing in favor Pendleton and Gravatt. The Ratifying Resolution wasdefeated. The Rejection Resolution was adopted by 24 to 10 votes; inthe House by 16 to 22. 

One week later the resolution of Senator J. E. West to submit to thevoters a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution passed theSenate by 28 ayes, 11 noes; the House by 67 ayes, 10 noes; as it wouldhave to pass the Legislature of 1921 and ratification of the FederalAmendment was almost completed, this vote was merely an emptycompliment. A few days thereafter the Qualifications Bill, offered bySenator Mapp, was overwhelmingly adopted, Senate, 30 ayes, 6 noes;House, 64 ayes, 17 noes. It made full provisions for the voting ofwomen if the Federal Amendment should be ratified. 

FOOTNOTES:

[190] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Edith ClarkCowles, Executive and Press Secretary; Miss Adele Clark, LegislativeChairman, and Miss Ida Mae Thompson, Headquarters Secretary of theState Equal Suffrage League. 

[191] From year to year delegates from the Equal Suffrage League wentto the State political conventions, asking for an endorsement of womansuffrage. The Republicans, the minority party, always received themcourteously and a few times put the plank in their platform. TheDemocrats always treated them with discourtesy and never endorsedwoman suffrage in any way until 1920, when they "commended the actionof the General Assembly in passing the Qualifications Bill contingentupon the ratification and proclamation of the 19th Amendment. "

[192] There were very few changes in officers during the eleven yearsof the league's existence. The list was as follows: Honoraryvice-presidents, Miss Mary Johnston, Miss Ellen Glasgow. Vice-presidents: Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett, Mrs. Louise CollierWillcox, Mrs. C. V. Meredith, Mrs. T. Todd Dabney, Mrs. W. J. Adams, Mrs. John H. Lewis, Miss Nannie Davis, Mrs. Stephen Putney, Mrs. KateLangley Bosher, Mrs. J. Allen Watts, Mrs. W. T. Yancey, Mrs. C. E. Townsend, Mrs. W. W. King, Mrs. J. H. Whitner, Mrs Faith W. Morgan, Mrs. Robert Barton; secretaries, Mrs. Alice M. Tyler, Miss AdeleClark, Mrs. Grace H. Smithdeal, Miss Roberta Wellford, Miss LucindaLee Terry; treasurers: Mrs. C. P. Cadot, Mrs. E. G. Kidd; auditors:Mrs. John S. Munce, Mrs. Henry Aylett Sampson, Mrs. S. M. Block. 

[193] By act of the General Assembly of 1918 women were admitted toWilliam and Mary College. They were admitted to the graduate andprofessional schools of the University of Virginia by act of the Boardof Visitors in 1920. 

[194] Miss Pidgeon was appointed by the National Association inNovember, 1919, for organization to prepare for ratification of theFederal Suffrage Amendment. After its defeat the next February shecontinued until June 15, organizing citizenship schools throughout theState. The expense to the association was $1, 792. 

[195] The next day, after Mrs. Catt had returned to New York, HarrySt. George Tucker appeared before the Legislature and ridiculed herand her speech in the most insulting terms. In 1921 Mr. Tucker was acandidate for Governor and was defeated at the primaries by Senator E. Lee Trinkle, whose plurality was 40, 000. He had been a strongsupporter of woman suffrage and his victory was attributed to thewomen. 

CHAPTER XLVI. 

WASHINGTON. [196]

The period from 1900 to 1906 was one of inactivity in State suffragecircles; then followed a vigorous continued campaign culminating inthe adoption of a constitutional amendment in 1910 granting to womenfull political equality. This victory, so gratifying to the women ofWashington, had also an important national aspect, as it marked theend of the dreary period of fourteen years following the Utah andIdaho amendments in 1895-6, during which no State achieved womansuffrage. 

The Legislature of 1897 had submitted an amendment for which abrilliant campaign was made by the Equal Suffrage Association underthe able leadership of its president, Mrs. Homer M. Hill of Seattle, but it was defeated at the November election of 1898. The inevitablereaction followed for some years. Three State presidents were elected, Dr. Nina Jolidon Croake of Tacoma, 1900-1902, elected at the Seattleconvention; Dr. Luema Greene Johnson of Tacoma, 1902-1904, elected atthe Tacoma convention; Dr. Fannie Leake Cummings of Seattle, 1904-1906, elected at a meeting in Puyallup at which only five personswere present, the small suffrage club here being the only onesurviving in the State. Dr. Cummings, aided by Mrs. Elizabeth PalmerSpinning of Puyallup, State treasurer for many years, and Mrs. EllenS. Leckenby of Seattle, State secretary, kept the suffrage torch frombeing extinguished. Mrs. Leckenby held office continuously throughouttwelve years. 

The revival of interest plainly seen after 1906 was due to the impetusgiven through the initiative of Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe, who with herhusband, John Henry DeVoe, had recently come from Harvey, Ills. , andestablished a new home. Mrs. DeVoe was a life-long suffrage workerwho had served many years in many States with Susan B. Anthony andalso was a national organizer. She began by calling on individualsuffragists and suggesting that Washington was a hopeful State for acampaign and aroused so much interest that in November a large andenthusiastic convention met at Seattle. Dr. Cummings presided andinspiring addresses were given by A. W. McIntyre of Everett, formerlyGovernor of Colorado; Miss Ida Agnes Baker of the Bellingham StateNormal School; Miss Adella M. Parker of the Seattle Broadway HighSchool and Professor J. Allen Smith of the University of Washington. Mrs. DeVoe was elected president. 

Conventions were held at Seattle in 1907, 1908 and 1909, Mrs. DeVoebeing re-elected each time. By June, 1909, there were 2, 000 paidmembers of the State association and afterwards, many thousands of menand women were enrolled. The executive committee decided upon acampaign to amend the State constitution for woman suffrage and Mrs. DeVoe was made manager and given authority to conduct it according toher own judgment. No other convention or executive committee meetingwas held, only frequent informal conferences, until after the vote wastaken on November 8, 1910. The final executive committee meeting washeld at Seattle in January, 1911, when it was voted to continue theassociation until all bills were paid and then disband. It was decidedto present the large silken banner "Votes for Women" to the next Statehaving a campaign and it went to California the following year. Theunfinished business was completed by the old officers, Mrs. DeVoe, Mrs. Leckenby and Dr. Eaton. [197]

CAMPAIGN. After the defeat of 1898 no amendment came before theLegislature for eleven years, nor was there any legislation on womansuffrage until a resolution to submit to the voters an amendment tothe State constitution giving full suffrage was presented to thesession of 1909. It was drafted by Senator George F. Cotterill ofSeattle, a radical suffragist, after many conferences with Mrs. DeVoe, and was introduced, strangely enough, by Senator George U. Piper ofSeattle, an able politician and a friend of the liquor interests, inhonor of his dead mother, who had been ardently in favor of womansuffrage. It was presented in the House by Representative T. J. Bellof Tacoma. The State association rented a house in Olympia forheadquarters and Mrs. DeVoe spent all her time at the Capitol, assisted by many of its members, who came at different times from overthe State to interview their Representatives and Senators. The workwas conducted so skilfully and quietly that no violent opposition ofmaterial strength was developed. The resolution passed the HouseJanuary 29 by 70 ayes, 18 noes; the Senate February 23 by 30 ayes, 9noes, and was approved by Governor Marion E. Hay on February 25. 

The interests of the amendment were materially advanced later bySenator W. H. Paulhamus, then an anti-suffragist, who "in the interestof fair play" gave advance information as to the exact wording andposition of the amendment on the ballot, which enabled the women tohold practice drills and to word their slogan, "Vote for Amendment toArticle VI at the Top of the Ballot. " The clause relating to thequalifications of voters was reproduced verbatim except for twochanges: 1. "All persons" was substituted for "all male persons. " 2. At the end was added "There shall be no denial of the electivefranchise at any election on account of sex. "

During the campaign of 1910 the State Equal Franchise Society, anoffshoot from the regular organization, was formed, its members beinglargely recruited from the Seattle Suffrage Club, Mrs. Harvey L. Glenn, president, with which it cooperated. Headquarters were openedin Seattle July 5, with Mrs. Homer M. Hill, president, in charge andthe organization was active during the last four months of thecampaign. [198] The Political Equality League of Spokane, Mrs. MayArkwright Hutton, president, worked separately for fourteen monthsprior to the election, having been organized in July, 1909. Thecollege women under the name of the College Suffrage League, with MissParker as president, cooperated with the regular State association. 

Following the act of the Legislature twenty months were left to carryon the campaign destined to enfranchise the 175, 000 women of theState. It was a favorable year for submission, as no other importantpolitical issue was before them and there was a reaction against thedominance of the political "machines. "

The campaign was unique in its methods and was won through thetireless energy of nearly a hundred active, capable women who threwthemselves into the work. The outstanding feature of the plan adoptedby the State Equal Suffrage Association under the leadership of Mrs. DeVoe, was the absence of all spectacular methods and the emphasisplaced upon personal intensive work on the part of the wives, mothersand sisters of the men who were to decide the issue at the polls. Bigdemonstrations, parades and large meetings of all kinds were avoided. Only repeated informal conferences of workers were held in differentsections of the State on the call of the president. The result wasthat the real strength was never revealed to the enemy. The oppositionwas not antagonized and did not awake until election day, when it wastoo late. Although the women held few suffrage meetings of their own, their speakers and organizers constantly obtained the platform atthose of granges, farmers' unions, labor unions, churches and otherorganizations. 

Each county was canvassed as seemed most expedient by interviews, letters or return postals. Every woman personally solicited herneighbor, her doctor, her grocer, her laundrywagon driver, the postmanand even the man who collected the garbage. It was essentially awomanly campaign, emphasizing the home interests and engaging thecooperation of home makers. The association published and sold 3, 000copies of The Washington Women's Cook Book, compiled by thesuffragists and edited by Miss Linda Jennings of LaConner. Many aworker started out into the field with a package of these cook booksunder her arm. In the "suffrage department" of the Tacoma _News_ a"kitchen contest" was held, in which 250-word essays on householdsubjects were printed, $70 in prizes being given by the paper. Suffrage clubs gave programs on "pure food" and "model menus" wereexhibited and discussed. 

Thousands of leaflets on the results of equal suffrage in other Stateswere distributed and original ones printed. A leaflet by Mrs. EdithDeLong Jarmuth containing a dozen cogent reasons Why Washington WomenWant the Ballot was especially effective. A monthly paper, _Votes forWomen_, was issued during the last year of the campaign with Mrs. M. T. B. Hanna publisher and editor, Misses Parker, Mary G. O'Meara, RoseGlass and others assistant editors. It carried a striking cartoon onthe front page and was full of suffrage news and arguments, even theadvertisements being written in suffrage terms. [199]

State and county fairs and Chautauquas were utilized by securing aWoman's Day, with Mrs. DeVoe as president of the day. Excellentprograms were offered, prominent speakers secured and prizes given incontests between various women's societies other than suffrage forsymbolic "floats" and reports of work during the year. Space was givenfor a suffrage booth, from which active suffrage propaganda went onwith the sale of Votes for Women pins, pennants and the cook book andthe signing of enrollment cards. The great Alaska-Yukon-PacificExposition of 1909 at Seattle was utilized as a medium for publicity. A permanent suffrage exhibit was maintained, open air meetings wereheld and there was a special Suffrage Day, on which Judge Ben B. Lindsey of Denver spoke for the amendment. The dirigible balloon, afeature of the exposition, carried a large silken banner inscribedVotes for Women. Later a pennant with this motto was carried by amember of the Mountaineers' Club to the summit of Mt. Rainier, nearTacoma, said to be the loftiest point in the United States. [200] Itwas fastened to the staff of the larger pennant "A. Y. P. " of theexposition and the staff was planted in the highest snows on the topof Columbia Crest, a huge white dome that rises above the crater. 

The State association entertained the national suffrage convention atSeattle in 1909 and brought its guests from Spokane on a special trainsecured by Mrs. DeVoe, as an effective method of advertising the causeand the convention. 

The State Grange and the State Farmers' Union worked hard for theamendment. State Master C. B. Kegley wrote: "The Grange, numbering15, 000, is strongly in favor of woman suffrage. In fact everysubordinate grange is an equal suffrage organization. .. . We haveraised a fund with which to push the work. .. . Yours for victory. " TheState Federation of Labor, Charles R. Case, president, at its annualconvention in January, 1910, unanimously adopted with cheers a strongresolution favoring woman suffrage and urged the local unions to "putforth their most strenuous efforts to carry the suffrage amendment . .. And make it the prominent feature of their work during the comingmonths. "

Practically all the newspapers were friendly and featured the news ofthe campaign; no large daily paper was opposed. S. A. Perkins, publisher of eleven newspapers in the State, gave a standing order tohis editors to support the amendment. The best publicity bureau in theState was employed and for a year its weekly news letter carried areadable paragraph on the subject to every local paper. Besides this, "suffrage columns" were printed regularly; there were "suffragepages, " "suffrage supplements" and even entire "suffrage editions";many effective "cuts" were used, and all at the expense of thepublishers. 

The clergy was a great power. Nearly every minister observed Mrs. DeVoe's request to preach a special woman suffrage sermon on a Sundayin February, 1910. All the Protestant church organizations werefavorable. The Methodist Ministerial Association unanimously declaredfor the amendment April 11 at the request of Miss Emily Inez Denney. The African Methodist Conference on August 10 passed a ringingresolution in favor, after addresses by Mrs. DeVoe and Miss Parker. The Rev. Harry Ferguson, Baptist, of Hoquiam was very active. InSeattle no one spoke more frequently or convincingly than the Rev. J. D. O. Powers of the First Unitarian Church and the Rev. Sidney Strongof Queen Anne Congregational Church. Other friends were the Rev. Joseph L. Garvin of the Christian Church, the Rev. F. O. Iverson amongthe Norwegians, and the Rev. Ling Hansen of the Swedish BaptistChurch. Mrs. Martha Offerdahl and Mrs. Ida M. Abelset compiled avaluable campaign leaflet printed in Scandinavian with statements infavor by sixteen Swedish and Norwegian ministers. The Catholic priestssaid nothing against it and left their members free to work for it ifthey so desired. Among Catholic workers were the Misses Lucy and HelenKangley of Seattle, who formed a Junior Suffrage League. Father F. X. Prefontaine gave a definite statement in favor of the amendment. Distinguished persons from outside the State who spoke for it wereMiss Janet Richards of Washington, D. C. , the well-known lecturer;Miss Jeannette Rankin of Montana, afterwards elected to Congress; Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby of Nebraska and Washington, D. C. , and Mrs. AbigailScott Duniway of Oregon. 

None of the officers and workers connected with the State associationreceived salaries except the stenographers. For four-and-a-half yearsMrs. DeVoe, with rare consecration, gave her entire time without pay, save for actual expenses, and even these were at crucial timescontributed by her husband, from whom she received constantencouragement and support. For the most part of the entire period shewas necessarily absent from home, traveling over the State, keeping inconstant personal touch with the leaders of all groups of womenwhether connected with her association or not, advising and helpingthem and on special days speaking on their programs. Her notablecharacteristics as a leader were that she laid personalresponsibility on each friend and worker; from the first assumedsuccess as certain and avoided arousing hostility by mixing suffragewith politics or with other reforms. She asked the voters everywheremerely for fair play for women and made no predictions as to what thewomen would do with the vote when obtained. It was her far-sightedgeneralship and prodigious personal work that made success possible. 

The Equal Franchise Society of Seattle planned to carry suffrage intoorganizations already existing. It gave a series of luncheons at theNew Washington Hotel and made converts among many who could not be metin any other way and was especially helpful in reaching society andprofessional people. Its workers spoke before improvement clubs, women's clubs, churches, labor unions, etc. A man was employed totravel and engage men in conversation on woman suffrage on trains, boats and in hotel lobbies and lumber camps. A good politician lookedafter the water front. The Political Equality League of Spokane workedin the eastern counties and placed in the field the effective worker, Mrs. Minnie J. Reynolds of Colorado. 

The Franchise Department of the W. C. T. U. Had done educational workfor years under the leadership of Mrs. Margaret B. Platt, Statepresident, and Mrs. Margaret C. Munns, State secretary, affectionatelyreferred to as "the Margarets. " Its speakers always made convincingpleas for suffrage and Mrs. Munns's drills in parliamentary usage werevaluable in training the women for the campaign of 1910. Tribute mustbe paid to the fine, self-sacrificing work of this organization. In aprivate conference called by Mrs. DeVoe early in the campaign, the W. C. T. U. Represented by these two, an agreement was reached that, inorder not to antagonize the "whisky" vote, the temperance women wouldsubmerge their hard-earned honors and let the work of their unions gounheralded. They kept the faith. 

A suffrage play, A Mock Legislative Session, written by Mrs. S. L. W. Clark of Seattle, was given in the State House and repeated in othercities. Several hundred dollars' worth of suffrage literature wasfurnished to local unions. They placarded the bill boards throughoutthe State, cooperating with Dr. Fannie Leake Cummings, who managedthis enterprise, assisted by the Seattle Suffrage Club, by Mrs. George A. Smith of the Alki Point Club and others who helped financeit to a cost of $535. The placard read: "Give the Women a Square Deal. Vote for the Amendment to Article VI, " and proved to be an effectivefeature. 

Mrs. Eliza Ferry Leary, among the highest taxpayers in the State, waschosen by the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage as theirrepresentative, but, having satisfied her sense of duty by acceptingthe office, she did nothing and thus endeared herself to the activecampaigners for the vote. There were no other "anti" members in theState. The only meeting held was called by a brief newspaper notice atthe residence of Mrs. Leary one afternoon on the occasion of a visitby a representative, Mrs. Frances E. Bailey of Oregon, at which sixpersons were present--the hostess, the guest of honor, three activemembers of the suffrage association and a casual guest. No businesswas transacted. With the "antis" should be classed the only ministerwho opposed suffrage, the Rev. Mark A. Mathews of the FirstPresbyterian Church, the largest in Seattle. He was born in Georgiabut came to Seattle from Tennessee. His violent denunciations lentspice to the campaign by calling out cartoons and articles combatinghis point of view. When suffrage was obtained he harangued the womenon their duty to use the vote, not forgetting to instruct them how touse it. 

Election day was reported to the _Woman's Journal_ of Boston by MissParker as follows: "It was a great victory. The women at the pollswere wonderfully effective. Many young women, middle-aged women andwhite-haired grandmothers stood for hours handing out the littlereminders. It rained--the usual gentle but very insistent kind ofrain--and the men were so solicitous! They kept trying to drag us offto get our feet warm or bringing us chairs or offering to hand out ourballots while we took a rest, but the women would not leave theirplaces until relieved by other women, even for lunch, for fear oflosing a vote. The whole thing appealed to the men irresistibly. Weare receiving praise from all quarters for the kind of campaign wemade--no personalities, no boasting of what we would do, no promises, no meddling with other issues--just 'Votes for Women' straightthrough, because it is just and reasonable and everywhere when triedhas been found expedient. "

The amendment was adopted November 8, 1910, by the splendid majorityof 22, 623, nearly 2 to 1. The vote stood 52, 299 ayes to 29, 676 noesout of a total vote of 138, 243 cast for congressmen. Every one of the39 counties and every city was carried. The large cities won in thefollowing order: Seattle and King County 12, 052 to 6, 695; Tacoma andPierce County, 5, 552 to 3, 442; Spokane and Spokane County, 5, 639 to4, 551. Then came Bellingham and Whatcom County, 3, 520 to 1, 334;Everett and Snohomish County, 3, 209 to 1, 294; Bremerton and KitsapCounty, including the U. S. Navy Yard, 1, 094 to 372. Kitsap was thebanner county giving the highest ratio for the amendment. This waslargely due to the remarkable house to house canvass made by Mrs. Elizabeth A. Baker of Manette. 

The cost of the twenty months' campaign is estimated to be $17, 000, which includes the amounts spent by organizations and individuals. Themoney was raised in various ways and contributions ran from 25 centsup, few exceeding $100. Over $500 were subscribed by the labor unionsand about $500 collected at the Granges and Farmers' Unions' suffragemeetings. Dr. Sarah A. Kendall of Seattle collected the largest amountof any one person. About $3, 000 were contributed from outside theState, chiefly from New York, Massachusetts and California. The firstand largest gift which heartened the workers was $500 from Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt. [201]

After the suffrage amendment was carried there was organized on Jan. 14, 1911, the National Council of Women Voters at the home of Mr. AndMrs. John Q. Mason in Tacoma. Governor James H. Brady of Idaho issueda call to the Governors of the four other equal suffrageStates--Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Washington--asking them to senddelegates to this first convention. He presided at the opening sessionand spoke at the evening meeting which filled the largest theater. Mrs. DeVoe was elected president and was re-elected at each succeedingconvention. It was non-partisan and non-sectarian and its objects werethree-fold: 1. To educate women voters in the exercise of theircitizenship; 2. To secure legislation in equal suffrage States in theinterest of men and women, of children and the home; 3. To aid in thefurther extension of woman suffrage. As new States gained suffragethey joined the Council. 

Before Mrs. DeVoe went to the National Suffrage Convention at St. Louis in March, 1919, she was authorized by the Council to takewhatever steps were necessary to merge it in the National League ofWomen Voters which was to be organized there. Mrs. Catt requested herto complete the arrangements when she returned to Washington and actas chairman until this was accomplished. On Jan. 6, 1920, the Councilbecame the State League of Women Voters. Mrs. Nelle Mitchell Fick waselected temporary and later Mrs. W. S. Griswold permanent chairman. 

On the afternoon of August 21, old and new suffrage workers joined ina celebration at Seattle of the final ratification by the Legislatureof Tennessee, which was attended by over two hundred women. 

 * * * * *

Election returns furnish conclusive proof that the women of Washingtonuse the ballot. After 1910 the total registration of the State nearlydoubled, although men outnumber women, and the women apparently votein the same proportion as men. A tremendous increase of interest amongthem in civic, economic and political affairs followed the adoption ofsuffrage and the results were evidenced by a much larger number oflaws favorably affecting the status of women and the home passed inthe ten year period following 1910 than during the previous ten yearperiod. Uniform hostility to liquor, prostitution and vice has beenshown; also to working conditions adversely affecting the health andmorals of women and children. 

The vote of the women was the deciding factor in the Seattle recallelection of February 8, 1911, when Mayor Hiram Gill was removedbecause of vice conditions permitted to flourish under hisadministration. It was acknowledged that, due to a strong combinationof the vice and public utility interests of the city, he would havebeen retained but for their opposition. His re-election later by asmall majority is explained by the fact that he begged the citizens togive him a chance to remove the stigma from his name for the sake ofhis wife and family, with whom his relations were blameless. 

The State Legislative Federation, representing 140 various kinds ofwomen's clubs and organizations, having a total membership of over50, 000 women, has maintained headquarters at Olympia during thesessions of the Legislature in recent years, to the advantage oflegislation. The W. C. T. U. Also is an active influence. Miss Lucy R. Case, as executive secretary of the Joint Legislative Committee of theState Federation of Labor, Grange, Farmers' Union and DirectLegislation League, took an important part at the elections of 1914and 1916 in defeating the reactionary measures affecting populargovernment and labor. 

Representative Frances C. Axtell of Bellingham introduced andengineered the minimum wage law and several moral bills in cooperationwith the W. C. T. U. Representative Frances M. Haskell of Tacoma ledin securing the law for equal pay for men and women teachers. Reah M. Whitehead, Justice of the Peace of King county, prepared and promotedthe law relating to unmarried mothers. The Seattle Branch of theCouncil of Women Voters established a "quiz congress, " which requestedcandidates to attend its meetings and state their position on campaignissues and answer questions and many candidates importuned it for achance to be heard. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Suffrage Amendment was ratified on March 22, 1920, at an extraordinary session called principally for that purpose. Governor Louis F. Hart had been reluctant to call a special session onthe ground that, due to the unsettled condition of the country at thattime, it would afford opportunity for the introduction of a flood ofradical legislation which would keep the Legislature in prolongedsession at great expense to the State. He finally yielded to thepersuasion of a large number of the leading women of the State and topolitical pressure from his party in high places and called thesession, which lasted but three days and dealt only with the subjectsmentioned in the call. 

The occasion was most impressive. The Capitol was thronged with womenwho had traveled from every corner of the State to participate in theoccasion. Every available seat in the balconies of both Houses wasfilled and the aisles and corridors were crowded. The hope andexpectation that at any moment the wires might flash the news thatDelaware had ratified and Washington would thus be the thirty-sixthand final State to enfranchise the women of the whole nation, lent anadded thrill to the proceedings. At noon both Houses met in jointsession to listen to the Governor's message. Dealing with theratification he reminded the members that in 1910 the electors hadadopted woman suffrage by an overwhelming vote and said, "The Statehas done well under the management of both men and women. " A markedfeature of their proceedings was the gracious courtesy accorded to theold suffrage leaders and workers, who were present in large numbers. 

In the House the honor of introducing the resolution was accorded toMrs. Haskell, Representative from Pierce county, who made a strongspeech favoring its adoption. Not one vote was cast against it. Byspecial resolution Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe, referred to as "the motherof suffrage" in the State, was invited to a seat on the right ofSpeaker Adams, with Governor Hart on the left. A special committee wasappointed to escort her and she took her seat amid loud cheers. Shewas asked to address the House and said in part:

 I am proud of the Legislature of Washington because of this patriotic act and I thank you in the name of our forefathers, who first proclaimed that "taxation without representation is tyranny" and that government without consent is unjust. .. . I thank you in the name of the early suffrage workers who have passed on to their beautiful reward. I thank you in the name of the women of the United States of today who will, I trust, use their new political freedom wisely and well. I thank you in the name of the children who will come after us; they will have a better, broader and nobler heritage than was ours. And I personally thank you from the depths of my heart. God bless you every one!

Twelve minutes after the resolution reached the Senate it had beenpassed by another unanimous vote. During the proceedings Mrs. Homer M. Hill sat beside President Carlyon and was invited to address themembers. Described as "a tiny figure whose white hair was scarcely ona level with the top of the Speaker's desk, " she expressed theemotions of the older suffragists as they witnessed the adoption ofthe resolution. She thanked them in the name also of the W. C. T. U. , and thanked the leaders in the cause of labor and of many otherorganizations, as well as the leaders of both parties. "Washington hasled the victorious crusade for the Pacific Coast States, " she said. "May we always appreciate what it means to live in a State whose menthemselves gave this right to women!"

 * * * * *

[LAWS. A complete digest of the laws relating especially to theinterests of women and children and to moral questions enacted duringthe first decade of the present century was prepared for this chapterby Judge Reah M. Whitehead of Seattle. This was supplemented by anabstract of fifty-eight statutes of a similar nature enacted duringthe last decade, prepared by attorneys Adella M. Parker of Seattle andBernice A. Sapp of Olympia. They largely cover the field of modernliberal legislation but can not be given because of the decision toomit the laws in all the State chapters for lack of space. The resultson questions related to prohibition submitted to the electors, withwomen voting, are significant: Statute for State-wide prohibitionsubmitted in 1914: ayes, 189, 840; noes, 171, 208; statute submitted in1916 permitting hotels to sell liquor: ayes, 48, 354; noes, 262, 390;statute authorizing manufacture, sale and export of 4 per cent. Beer:ayes, 98, 843; noes, 245, 399. ]

FOOTNOTES:

[196] The History is indebted for this chapter to Dr. Cora Smith King, assisted by Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe, Dr. Sarah A. Kendall, Mrs. Homer M. Hill, and others. Valuable assistance in editing the manuscript wasrendered by Judson King, writer and lecturer, Secretary of theNational Popular Government League, Washington, D. C. 

[197] Following is a complete list of the officers of the StateAssociation who served during the campaign of 1910: President, Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe, Melmont; vice-presidents: Mrs. Bessie I. Savage, Seattle; Mrs. Jennie Jewett, White Salmon; Mrs. John Q. Mason, Tacoma;Mrs. Alice M. Grover, Spokane; Mrs. Anna E. Goodwin, Columbia (nowMrs. Yungbluth); treasurer, Dr. Cora Smith Eaton, Seattle (now Dr. King); corresponding secretary, Mrs. Ellen S. Leckenby, Seattle;headquarters secretary, Miss Mabel Fontron, Seattle (now Mrs. PaulRewman); auditors, Miss Bernice A. Sapp, Olympia, Dr. Anna W. Scott, West Seattle, Dr. N. Jolidon Croake, Tacoma, Mrs. H. J. McGregor, Tacoma; trustees, Dr. Sarah A. Kendall, Seattle, Mrs. Georgia B. Smith, Anacortes, Mrs. B. B. Lord, Olympia; chairmen of standingcommittees: Church Work, Mrs. C. M. Miller, Seattle; Letter Writers, Mrs. Lucie F. Isaacs, Walla Walla; Literature, Mrs. E. M. Wardall, West Seattle; Labor Unions, Dr. Luema G. Johnson, Tacoma; Publication, Miss Linda Jennings, LaConner; Finance, Mrs. H. D. Wright, Seattle;Headquarters, Miss Mary G. O'Meara, Seattle (now Mrs. Otway Pardee);Advisory, Mrs. Amos Brown, West Seattle; Library, Mrs. Dora W. Cryderman, Bellingham; Precincts, Mrs. Silvia A. Hunsicker, Seattle;Petitions, Mrs. Roy Welch, Kelso; Educational, Mrs. Margaret HeyesHall, Vancouver; Member of National Executive Committee, Miss AdellaM. Parker, Seattle; Historian, Miss Ida Agnes Baker, Bellingham. 

[198] Other officers of the Franchise Society were: Assistants, Mrs. Edward P. Fick and Mrs. D. L. Carmichael; corresponding secretary, Mrs. F. S. Bash; recording secretary, Mrs. W. T. Perkins; treasurer, Mrs. E. M. Rininger; financial secretary, Mrs. Phebe A. Ryan. Otherswho worked without pay were: Miss Martha Gruening of New York and MissJeannette Rankin of Montana. Mrs. George A. Smith, president of theAlki Point Suffrage Club of Seattle, worked independently butcooperated with the society in many ways. The society employed Mrs. Rose Aschermann, Mrs. Ethel Stalford, Charles E. Cline, Vaughn Ellisand John Gray of Washington. 

[199] During the year following the winning of the franchise Mrs. Hanna published her paper under the name of _The New Citizen_. MissParker published twelve numbers of a monthly paper called The _WesternWoman Voter_, from the files of which much valuable data has beengleaned for this chapter. 

[200] The member was Dr. Cora Smith King. --Ed. 

[201] Among eastern contributors were Henry B. And Alice StoneBlackwell, Mass. , $250; Mr. And Mrs. J. H. Lesser, California, $100;Mrs. H. E. Flansburg, New York, $100; Miss Janet Richards, Washington, D. C. , $100; the Rev. Olympia Brown, Wisconsin, $25. The NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association contributed direct to Mrs. DeVoefor traveling expenses to June, 1909, inclusive, $900. At this time, seventeen months before the amendment was submitted, throughdifferences arising between the national and State organizations, allnational support was withdrawn. Among those contributing from the Eastto Mrs. Hill's society through Miss Margaret W. Bayne of Kirkland, whowent there to raise money, her own trip being financed by Mrs. E. M. Rininger of Seattle, were: Mrs. Henry Villard, New York, $200; Mrs. Susan Look Avery, Kentucky, $250; Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Miller and MissAnne Fitzhugh Miller, New York, $300; Mrs. Kemeys, New York, $100;Mrs. Alfred Lewis, New York, $50; Mrs. Raymond Robins, Illinois, $50;Misses Isabel and Emily Howland, New York, $20; Mrs. Sarah L. Willis, New York, $20; Mrs. Isabella B. Hooker, Conn. , $25; Equal SuffrageAssociation, Mass. , $100; Mrs. H. S. Luscomb, Mass. , $100; "A Friend, "$200. 

The net contribution of the National to the State Association duringthe campaign, deducting the expense of entertaining the 1909 nationalconvention, was about $30. 

CHAPTER XLVII. 

WEST VIRGINIA. [202]

In 1895 when the West Virginia Equal Suffrage Association wasorganized through the effort of the National American Association, with Mrs. Jessie G. Manley president, nine clubs were formed in thenorthern part of the State but only those in Fairmont and Wheelingremained in existence after 1900. The first president of the FairmontClub was the mother of Mrs. Manley, Mrs. Margaret J. Grove, who withher sisters, Mrs. Corilla E. Shearer and Miss Ellen D. Harn, all stillliving, aged 89, 90 and 92, led in the early suffrage work in theState, and Mrs. Mary Reed of Fairmont also was a pioneer. Littlepublic work was done until an active suffrage movement was inauguratedin Virginia and in 1912 Miss Mary Johnston came to Charleston andorganized a club. One was formed in Morgantown and these fourconstituted the State association until the amendment campaign of1916. 

The following have served as State presidents: Mrs. Beulah BoydRitchie, 1900-1903; Mrs. M. Anna Hall, 1904; Mrs. Anne M. Southern, 1905; Dr. Harriet B. Jones, 1906; Mrs. May Hornbrook, 1907-1910; Mrs. Allie Haymond, 1911-1912; Miss Margaret McKinney, 1913; Mrs. J. GaleEbert, 1914-1915; Mrs. Lenna Lowe Yost, 1916; Mrs. John L. Ruhl, 1917-1920. [203] Annual meetings were held as follows: 1900, December1, Fairmont; 1904, August 11, Moundsville; 1905, October 27, Fairmont;1906, October 26, Wheeling; 1907, November 8, Wheeling; 1908, October29, Fairmont; 1909, October 30, Wheeling; 1911, October 27, Fairmont;1913, October 24, Wheeling. During these years practically all thatwas done was to have speakers of note from time to time and aresolution for woman suffrage introduced in the Legislature wheneverpossible. 

In 1904 a new city charter was prepared for Wheeling and an effort wasmade to have it provide for a municipal vote for women. Dr. AnnaHoward Shaw, national president, gave a week to speaking in the cityand Miss Kate Gordon, national corresponding secretary, spent threeweeks there, addressing many organizations. The question was submittedto the voters with the charter but on a separate ballot. Both werelost, the suffrage amendment by 1, 600. More votes were cast on it thanon the charter itself. 

In 1910 an amendment to the State constitution permitting women to beappointed notaries public, clerks of county courts, probation officersand members of boards of State institutions went to the voters. TheState Bar Association also had an amendment and kindly printed theliterature for the former and sent it out with theirs. It received thelarger number of votes--44, 168 ayes, 45, 044 noes--and was lost by only876. 

With the submission to the voters by the Legislature of 1915 of anamendment to the constitution conferring full suffrage activity wasstimulated. Miss Ida Craft of New York, in cooperation with the womenof Charleston, held a suffrage school there January 28-February 3 andat that time Mrs. J. E. Cannady, vice-president of its Equal SuffrageLeague, obtained permission from Governor Henry D. Hatfield to put the"suffrage map" in the lobby of the Capitol. Mrs. Mary E. Craigie, chairman of church work for the National Association, addressed theWoman's Club of Parkersburg April 5 and afterwards spoke in manycities and towns through arrangement by Dr. Jones, as did Mrs. HarrietTaylor Upton of Warren and Miss Elizabeth J. Hauser of Girard, Ohio. In May Mrs. Ebert of Parkersburg, president of the State association, addressed a letter to the clergymen urging them to use as a text onMothers' Day, May 9, The Need of Mothers' Influence in the State, andDr. Jones sent a questionnaire to 150 editors, receiving answersfavoring suffrage from 53. Mrs. Desha Breckinridge, president of theKentucky Equal Suffrage Association, spent a week in the Statespeaking and Miss Craft, who kept her promise to return in May, organized many new suffrage groups, as did Mrs. Wesley Martin Stonerof Washington, who campaigned principally in the mining towns. In thesummer a Men's Advisory Committee with Judge J. C. McWhorter aschairman was appointed by the State board; the State EducationalAssociation in convention endorsed woman suffrage; and after anaddress by Mrs. Deborah Knox Livingston of Maine, who was on a tour ofthe State, the Methodist Episcopal Conference passed a favorableresolution. Later on Governor's Day at Middlebourne with thousands ofpeople present Mrs. Ebert spoke with Governor Hatfield, both makingappeals for votes for women. At the annual Fall Festival at Huntingtona suffrage float designed by Mrs. E. C. Venable was in the parade. AtParkersburg suffragists addressed an immense crowd at Barnum andBailey's circus. 

In October the number of small subscribers was increased by "dollarday, " when many persons sacrificed or earned a dollar and gave it tothe association. Window displays were arranged in many cities withespecially elaborate ones in Wheeling, Parkersburg and Huntington. Atthe State convention held in Huntington Nov. 16, 1915, a "budget" of$25, 000 was authorized, $5, 000 of which was quickly subscribed by thedelegates, Dr. Irene Bullard of Charleston and Mrs. Helen Brandeburgof Huntington pledging $1, 000 each for their branches. Mrs. FrankRoessing of Pittsburgh, national first vice-president, who was one ofthe speakers, pledged $400 for the Pennsylvania association. For thefirst time there was an automobile parade. 

In January, 1916, Mrs. Ebert resigned and Mrs. Yost, firstvice-president, succeeded her, soon afterwards opening headquarters inher own home in Morgantown. These demanded practically every hour ofher time from 6 in the morning until 11 at night throughout the tenmonths' campaign. Because of the illness of Dr. Bullard, chairman ofliterature, that department was moved to Morgantown and placed incharge of Mrs. P. C. McBee, with Lillie Hagans assisting. About $2, 000were invested in literature. Over 200, 000 congressional speeches weresent to the voters. In the last days of the campaign personal appealswere mailed to those in half of the 55 counties and 10, 000 posterswere sent out by this bureau to be used on election day. Through apublicity department opened February 25, with Frank C. Dudley at thehead, the 200 newspapers of the State were served with news bulletins. He also edited a special edition of the Wheeling _Intelligencer_ inJune. In September the National Association sent Mrs. Rose L. Geyer ofIowa, who had conducted the publicity in its campaign this year. During the last month bulletins were supplied to all daily papers; 110newspapers were provided with free plate service; many anti-suffragearticles were answered; much copy was given to local newspapers aboutpublic meetings held by the speakers and organizers; newspaperadvertisements were furnished to all rural papers the week beforeelection; every city organization carried a conspicuous advertisementin the daily papers; hundreds of two-page supplements were furnishedthe last week. The majority of the newspapers were editorially infavor of the amendment. 

In January the State association put two organizers in the field, MissMarie Ames and Miss Eudora Ramsey, the salary of the latter paid bythe Allegheny county suffrage society of Pennsylvania, and theNational Association placed two, Miss Lavinia Engle and Miss KatherineB. Mills. An appeal in March for more help brought Miss Hannah J. Patterson, its corresponding secretary and chairman of organization. In making her report to the National Board on April 5 she recommendedthat headquarters be established in the business district ofMorgantown; additional office assistance be sent to relieve thepresident; ten organizers be secured and so distributed that therewould be one in every group of five or six counties; and arepresentative of the National Association visit the State each monthin order to keep in close touch with the work. As the "budget" calledfor $16, 000 the National Board voted to give $5, 000 providing theState association would raise $11, 000. The headquarters were moved atonce and furnished by friends. Later when they became too small theBoard of Trade rooms were placed at the disposal of the suffragiststhrough the kindness of E. M. Grant. From time to time organizers weresent to the State until there were twenty-eight and 400 organizationswere formed. To relieve the president, Miss Alice Curtis of Iowa wassent as executive secretary, remaining until the end of the campaign. Miss Patterson made three trips to the State. Mrs. Catt made one withher, meeting with the State board August 3, 4, in Clarksburg, to holda workers' conference, which considered publicity, money raising, organization and election day methods. A "budget" of $14, 948 to coverthe last four-and-a-quarter months of the campaign was adopted. 

A "flying squadron" of prominent West Virginia men and women speakerswas sent in groups to thirty points. They were Dr. Joseph A. Bennettof Sistersville; C. Burgess Taylor of Wheeling; the Hon. Charles E. Carrigan of Moundsville; Judge McWhorter and J. M. N. Downes ofBuckhannon; Howard L. Swisher of Morgantown; the Hon. Tracy L. Jeffords and the Hon. B. Randolph Bias of Williamson; Mrs. Frank N. Mann of Huntington; Mrs. Flora Williams of Wheeling, soloist. Mrs. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs of Alabama and Mrs. Nellie McClung of Canadajoined the squadron and spoke at several points. Among others ofinfluence who filled many speaking engagements and met their ownexpenses were Mrs. Henry M. Russell and Rabbi H. Silver of Wheeling;Milliard F. Snider and the Hon. Harvey W. Harmar of Clarksburg; JudgeFrank Cox and ex-Governor Glasscock of Morgantown. Judge McWhortermade about 25 addresses. Uncounted numbers of women throughout theState freely gave their time and work. About 1, 500 meetings werearranged by the headquarters staff exclusive of those in charge oflocal women. Mrs. Catt spoke to mass meetings at Clarksburg, Morgantown and Fairmont and at the hearing before the Democratic Stateconvention; Mrs. Antoinette Funk of Chicago before the RepublicanState convention. Favorable suffrage planks were placed in theplatforms of both parties and the candidates for Governor declaredpublicly for the amendment. 

Dr. Shaw made thirteen addresses in cities of over 5, 000 inhabitants, contributing her services and expenses with the condition that thecollections at her meetings go into the State treasury. Miss KatharineDevereux Blake, principal of a New York City school, addressedTeachers' Institutes three weeks without charge, the State paying herexpenses. Mrs. Jacobs gave a two weeks' speaking tour and paid herown expenses. Other speakers from outside the State were Mrs. ForbesRobertson Hale, Mrs. T. T. Cotnam of Arkansas; Dr. Effie McCollumJones of Iowa; Mrs. Anna Ross Weeks and Miss Emma L. McAlarney of NewYork; Mrs. Minnie Fisher Cunningham of Texas and Mrs. McClung. Dr. Harriet B. Jones spoke throughout the campaign. 

The National Association paid the salary or expenses or both of theoutside speakers and twenty of the organizers. [204] It paid also for200, 000 Congressional speeches; circularized and sent the _Woman'sJournal_ for four months to 1, 600 clergymen; furnished suffrageposters and a Ford car and paid for election advertising in all therural newspapers. It sent Mr. Heaslip, its own chairman of publicity, for the last days of the campaign. Financial assistance came also fromthe Massachusetts association. The State was left with a deficit of$3, 740. During the campaign the National Association had sent in cash$5, 257. Afterwards, to reduce the deficit, it sent money for thesalary of one organizer and expenses of another beside $1, 000 in cash. Later the Leslie Suffrage Commission paid a bill of $540 to thePublishing Company for literature ordered from June to November by theState and $2, 000 in cash which cleared up the deficit. According tothe State report the campaign cost the State organization about$9, 000. It cost the National Association and Leslie Commission over$17, 000. 

The vote on November 7 was 63, 540 in favor; 161, 607 against; opposingmajority of 98, 000, the largest ever given against woman suffrage. Only two out of the fifty-five counties carried, Brooke and Hancock, industrial districts situated in the extreme northern part of theState. Brooke county had the lowest per cent. Of illiteracy--two percent. While it was eight and three-tenths per cent. In the State atlarge. The "wet" vote of Wheeling, Huntington and Charleston proved adecisive factor in defeating the amendment. Another element workingtoward the suffrage defeat was the use made by the opposition of thenegro question. They told the negroes that the white women would takethe vote away from them and also establish a "Jim-Crow" system andthey told the white women that the negro women outnumbered them andwould get the balance of power. There is a large colored vote in theState. A really big campaign was conducted and while the size of theopposition vote was appalling, one must consider that it was the firstattempt. The election methods in some places were reprehensible. 

The State convention was held at Fairmont, Nov. 20, 1917, and therewas a determination to hold together for future effort. In 1918 therewas no convention, the women being absorbed in war work. By 1919another great struggle was ahead, as it was evident that the FederalSuffrage Amendment would soon be sent to the Legislatures by Congress. 

Following the plan of the National Association Mrs. Nettie RogersShuler, national corresponding secretary and chairman of organization, went to Charleston on Jan. 7, 1919, to meet the State board to discussplans for ratification. The officers present were Mrs. Ruhl, president; Mrs. Yost, member of the National Executive Committee, andMrs. Edward S. Romine of Wheeling, chairman of the CongressionalCommittee. They stated that there was little organization, no fundsand that help must be given by the National Association. Mrs. Shulerremained two weeks and with these three officers and Miss Edna AnnetteBeveridge interviewed and polled members of the Legislature. Actingfor the association Mrs. Shuler divided the State and assigned thedistricts to three national organizers, Miss Beveridge, who remainedthree-and-a-half months; Mrs. Augusta Hughston and Miss Mary ElizabethPidgeon, six weeks each, the National Association paying salary andexpenses and furnishing literature and printed petitions to members ofthe Legislature. Suffrage societies were revived, public officials, editors and ministers interviewed and much work was done. 

On April 2, 3, a large and enthusiastic State convention was held inCharleston at the Kanawha Hotel. Coming directly from the conventionof the National Association at St. Louis, Mrs. Catt, the president, who had asked for a "working" conference with the State board, spokeon the Federal Amendment at the afternoon session and to a massmeeting in the Young Men's Christian Association Hall in the evening. She was accompanied by Mrs. Shuler, who spoke at a dinner in theRuffner Hotel presided over by Mrs. Woodson T. Wills, vice-presidentof the West Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs, and addressed byprominent men and women of the State and by Miss Marjorie Shuler, national director of field publicity, who had conducted a conferenceat the afternoon session. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Amendment was submitted by Congress June 4, and the pressing work for the State association was to secure itsratification by the Legislature. Mrs. Ellis A. Yost was made chairmanof the Ratification Committee, whose other members were Mrs. Ruhl, Mrs. Ebert, Mrs. H. D. Rummel, Miss Mary Wilson, Miss MargaretMcKinney and Mrs. Romine. An Advisory Board was formed of 150 of asinfluential men as there were in the State, judges, lawyers, bankers, officials, presidents and professors of colleges, editors, clergymen, presidents of the State Federation of Labor and other organizations;and the most prominent women in educational, civic and club work. Thislist was printed on the campaign stationery. The last of DecemberGovernor John J. Cornwell received a letter from Mrs. Catt urging himto call a special session in January. He was known to favorratification and he had been kept informed by the members of thesuffrage association and the W. C. T. U. , who had polled thelegislators and found a majority in favor. 

The Democratic Governor called the Republican Legislature in specialsession for Friday, February 27, 1920. President Wilson telegraphedmembers of the Senate: "May I not urge upon you the importance to thewhole country of the prompt ratification of the suffrage amendment andexpress the hope that you will find it possible to lend your aid tothis end?" Both the Democratic and Republican National Committeesjoined in urging ratification, as did the entire State delegation inCongress, who had voted for submitting the amendment. The resolutionwas introduced and by the rules went over for one day. All lookedpromising when suddenly its advocates found themselves in a torrent ofopposition, due to the injection of the fight that was being made forthe governorship and interference from outside the State. The MarylandLegislature sent a committee to urge its rejection and anti-suffrageleaders from all over the country made their appearance. The vote wastaken on Wednesday and stood 47 ayes, 40 noes in the House. The votewas 14 to 14 in the Senate. A motion to reconsider was lost by thesame vote. In the meantime Senator Jesse A. Bloch, who was inCalifornia, telegraphed: "Just received notice of special session. Amin favor of ratification. Please arrange a pair for me. " This wasrefused by the opponents with jeers. Secretary of State Houston G. Young immediately got into communication with him on the long distancetelephone and he agreed to make a race across the continent forCharleston. 

Then came the struggle to hold the lines intact until his arrival. Thesituation was most critical because a motion in the Lower House toreconsider had been laid on the table and could be called up at anytime. Many members were anxious to go home and there was difficulty inkeeping enough present at roll call to defeat hostile attacks. The tiein the Senate held fast, however, as Senator Bloch sped across thecountry. The day he reached Chicago the opposition resorted to itsmost desperate expedient by producing a former Senator, A. R. Montgomery, who about eight months before had resigned his seat, saying that he was leaving the State, and later had moved to Illinois. There was documentary evidence that he had given up his residence. Hedemanded of Governor Cornwell to return his letter of resignation. TheGovernor refused and he then appeared in the Senate that afternoon andoffered to vote. President Sinsel promptly ruled that he was not amember. On an appeal from this ruling he was sustained by a tie voteand the case was referred to the Committee on Privileges andElections. 

When Senator Bloch reached Chicago he found that not only a specialtrain but also an airship were awaiting him. [205] He chose the trainand made the trip with a speed that was said to have broken allrecords. He arrived on March 10 and took his seat in the Senate amidcheers from crowded galleries. The corridors were thronged and eventhe floor of the Senate was crowded with guests, many of them women. Then followed a most dramatic debate of several hours, as each sidetried to get the advantage. Montgomery was not permitted to take hisseat and at 6 o'clock in the afternoon the vote was taken--16 ayes, 13noes, one opponent changing his vote when he saw the resolution wouldpass. 

After the Senate vote a second was secured in the House by theopponents of the motion to reconsider, which resulted in a largerfavorable majority than the first. 

Harvey W. Harmer of Clarksburg, who had charge of the resolution inthe Senate and W. S. John of Morgantown in the House, deserve thewarmest gratitude of the women. It was not an ordinary vote that themembers gave but one which stood the test for days and against themost determined opposition. Too much praise can not be given toGovernor Cornwell for calling the special session and for unyieldinglystanding by the cause. The Democratic State chairman, C. L. Shaver, although unable to be present, gave splendid help. The men outside theLegislature who gave their time unstintedly, and were present, cooperating with the Ratification Committee of the Equal SuffrageAssociation, were State chairman of the Republican Committee, W. E. Baker; Secretary of State Young, former Minister to Venezuela; ElliottNorthcott, mayor of Charleston; ex-Governor A. B. White; U. S. SenatorHoward Sutherland; Major John Bond; National Republican CommitteemanVirgil L. Highland; Congressman M. M. Neely; Mayor Hall and Jesse B. Sullivan, a prominent newspaper correspondent. The best legal andeditorial assistance was given generously by the Hon. Fred O. Blue, the Hon. Clyde B. Johnson and former U. S. Senator W. E. Chilton. BoydJarrell, editor of the Huntington _Herald Dispatch_, was constantly onthe firing line. 

The chairman of the Ratification Committee had a herculean task duringthese strenuous days and after they were over a letter of appreciationof her services was sent to Mrs. Catt, the national president, whichclosed: "The opposing elements combined tended to create for Mrs. Yost what at first seemed to be a situation impossible of solution, but with rare tact and a soundness of judgment that we have seldomseen equalled her leadership has brought about a complete victory. Assupporters of suffrage we are sending you this without Mrs. Yost'sknowledge and simply that at least some part of the credit due her maybe given. " This was signed by Chas. A. Sinsel, president State Senate;Grant P. Hall, Mayor of Charleston; W. E. Chilton, former U. S. Senator; Houston C. Young, Secretary of State; Albert B. White, formerGovernor; W. E. Baker, chairman Republican State Committee; J. S. Darst, Auditor of State. 

The president of the State Association, Mrs. Ruhl, was presentthroughout the sessions, as were members of the State committee, Mrs. Ebert, Mrs. Rummel, Miss McKinney, Mrs. Romine, Mrs. Thomas Peadro, Mrs. Mann, Mrs. Allie B. Haymond, Mrs. O. S. McKinney, Mrs. KembleWhite, Mrs. William G. Brown and Mrs. Olandus West. The cost oforganizers and literature in the ratification campaign to the NationalAssociation was about $2, 300, in addition to the State association'sexpenses. 

On Sept. 30, 1920, the State association became the League of WomenVoters and Mrs. John L. Ruhl was elected chairman. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1901. A bill for Presidential suffrage, drawn byGeorge E. Boyd, Sr. , was introduced in the House by Henry C. Herveyand seconded by S. G. Smith of Wheeling. It was rejected by a vote of31 to 25, Speaker Wilson voting against it. The bill was introduced inthe Senate by Nelson Whittaker of Wheeling. U. S. Senator Stephen B. Elkins commanded it to be tabled and this was done. 

1903. A bill for Presidential suffrage was defeated. 

1905. A resolution introduced in the Senate by Samuel Montgomery tosubmit a suffrage amendment to the State Constitution received twovotes. 

1907. Dr. A. J. Mitchell introduced a resolution for an amendment inthe house; Z. J. Forman in the Senate. Senator Robert Hazlett arrangeda legislative hearing at which every seat was occupied, with peoplesitting on the steps and sides of the platform and the large space inthe back part of the room filled with men standing. Dr. Harriet B. Jones made a short address and was followed by Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National Suffrage Association, in an eloquent plea. The vote in the Senate was 10 ayes, 13 noes; in the House, 26 ayes, 48noes. 

1913. A resolution to submit a State amendment was introduced in theHouse January 28 by M. K. Duty and later at his request Delegate EllisA. Yost took charge of it. Through the generosity of the Hon. WilliamSeymour Edwards, Miss Mary Johnston was brought to Charleston by itssuffrage association and addressed the Legislature, which assembled inthe House Chamber. She also spoke to a large audience in the BurlewTheater. The resolution came up on February 15; the hall was crowdedwith interested spectators and stirring speeches were made by themembers. On the final roll call, to the dismay of its supporters, itdid not poll the necessary two-thirds. On motion of Delegate Yost theannouncement of the vote was postponed till Monday, the 17th, andevery possible effort was made to bring in absent members but as thefinal vote was being taken it was seen that it lacked one. At therequest of Governor Hatfield Delegate Hartley changed his vote and itwas carried by the needed 58, Speaker Taylor George voting for it. Theresolution was introduced in the Senate by N. G. Keim of Elkins andsupported by able speakers but it was lost on February 20 by 14 noes, 16 ayes, 20 being necessary. 

1915. On January 26 the resolution for a State amendment was submittedby 26 ayes, 3 noes in the Senate and 76 ayes, 8 noes in the House, tobe voted on in November, 1916. 

FOOTNOTES:

[202] The History is indebted for this chapter to Dr. Harriet B. Jones, officially identified with the movement for woman suffrage inthe State since its beginning about thirty years ago, and to LennaLowe (Mrs. Ellis A. ) Yost, chairman of the Ratification Committee;also to the records of the National American Woman SuffrageAssociation. 

[203] Women who have been most prominent in the work not alreadymentioned are: Miss Jennie Wilson, Mrs. Annie C. Boyd, Mrs. Henry O. Ott, Miss Elizabeth Cummins, Miss Anne Cummins, Miss Florence Hoge, Mrs. Virginia Hoge Kendall and Mrs. Edward W. Hazlett of Wheeling;Mrs. I. N. Smith, Mrs. Harold Ritz and Mrs. A. M. Finney ofCharleston; Miss Harriet Schroeder of Grafton. 

[204] The organizers, who often were speakers also, not elsewherementioned, were Misses Adella Potter, Eleanor Furman, Alice RiggsHunt, Lola Walker, Josephine Casey, Lola Trax, Grace Cole, EleanorRaoul, Mrs. C. E. Martin, Mrs. W. J. Cambron, Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan, Dr. Harriet B. Dilla and others. Miss Ramsey and Miss Raoul gave theuse of their cars. Miss Gertrude Watkins and Miss Gertrude Miller ofArkansas donated their services from July 17, the State paying theirexpenses. The Philadelphia County Society sent Miss Mabel Dorr fortwo-and-a-half months as its contribution. Miss Alma B. Sasse ofMissouri gave her services for over two months, the State paying herexpenses. 

[205] It was kept a secret at the time who was responsible for thisarrangement but later it was found to be Captain Victor Heinze ofCincinnati, who had charge of the National Republican headquarters inChicago. 

CHAPTER XLVIII. 

WISCONSIN. [206]

Woman suffrage history in Wisconsin from 1900 to 1920 naturallydivides itself into three sections, the first including the ten yearspreceding the submission of the referendum measure by the Legislaturein 1911; the second the two years of the referendum campaign and thethird the succeeding seven years to 1920. 

The work of the State Woman Suffrage Association, which was organizedin 1869, continued in the 20th century, as in the 19th, throughorganization, public meetings, annual conventions, the publication ofthe _Wisconsin Citizen_. The conventions of the first decade, whichalways took place in the autumn, were held as follows: 1901, Brodhead;1902, Madison; 1903, Platteville; 1904, Janesville; 1905, Milwaukee;1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, Madison; 1911, Racine. The Rev. OlympiaBrown, who had been elected president in 1883, continued to serve inthat capacity with undiminished vigor and ability, having been electedevery year, until the end of 1912. Besides her other services she gavehundreds of addresses on woman suffrage, speaking in nearly every cityin the State. [207]

The publication of the _Wisconsin Citizen_, established in 1887, wascontinued in spite of limited finances. Its first editor was MarthaParker Dingee from Boston, a niece of Theodore Parker, who gave herservices for seven years. After that the editors were Mrs. Helen H. Charlton, Miss Lena V. Newman and Mrs. Youmans. After 1914 it waspublished at Waukesha, before that at Brodhead, and was discontinuedin 1917. Notable speakers from outside the State at conventions of thefirst decade were Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, the Rev. FlorenceBuck, the Rev. Marion Murdock, Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby, Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood, Miss Jane Addams and Dr. Julia Holmes Smith. 

The association for some time supported a State organizer, the Rev. Alice Ball Loomis, and later Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe for two seasons. In1902 headquarters were established at Madison, the capital, in alittle room in the State House, for the distribution of literature, and here was kept a register of men and women who believed in womansuffrage. In 1907 the Rev. Mrs. Brown prepared a bulletin for thelegislators, giving the statistics of woman suffrage in the UnitedStates and other countries. 

In 1908 Mrs. Maud Wood Park came to Wisconsin and spoke to womenstudents of five colleges, arrangements having been previously made byMrs. Brown, who took part in some of the meetings, and College Women'sSuffrage Leagues were organized. Mrs. Brown prepared a pamphlet, Whythe Church Should Demand the Ballot for Women, which was widelydistributed. Near the end of 1909 the State association was asked tocirculate the national petition to Congress for the Federal SuffrageAmendment. Blanks were sent all over the State to schools, librariesand other public institutions and to individuals. The members took upthe matter with enthusiasm and worked faithfully. The association didall that could be done in the six weeks allowed and about 18, 000 nameswere signed, 5, 000 of them in Racine. Mrs. Wentworth, over eightyyears of age, canvassed portions of the city and obtained 1, 000 names. 

During this whole decade resolutions and petitions were sent toCongress and at every session of the Legislature suffrage measureswere introduced. Mrs. Jessie M. Luther was chairman of the LegislativeCommittee during this period, an unrecognized and unpaid lobbyist, butby her skilful work, in which at times she was assisted by Mrs. NellieDonaldson and others, she kept the Legislature in advance of thepeople of the State. 

In 1911 the Legislature submitted to the voters a statutory law givingfull suffrage to women, as it had authority to do. Influences fromoutside the State led to the organization of the Political EqualityLeague, of which Miss Ada L. James was president and Mrs. CrystalEastman Benedict from New York was made campaign manager. The campaignof 1911-1912, therefore, was carried on by two organizations, theState association and this league, working separately, although effortwas made to correlate their activities by forming a cooperativecommittee representing both societies, of which Miss Gwendolen BrownWillis was chairman. The National American Woman Suffrage Association, through its president, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, contributed $100 permonth salary for an organizer and speaker, Miss Harriet Grim, and gavefurther assistance to both organizations. [208]

Both associations employed field organizers, arranged meetings, provided speakers, distributed literature and made active effort tointerest as far as possible organizations and individuals in thecause. The State association had headquarters in the Majestic Buildingand later in the Goldsmith Building in Milwaukee. The League hadoffices first in the Wells Building and later in the Colby-AbbottBuilding in that city. A bulletin of suffrage news was sent each weekto the 600 newspapers in the State by Mrs. Youmans, who was pressmanager. 

The campaign opened with a big rally in Racine June 1, 1912. The Rev. Olympia Brown, State president, continued her speaking tours withoutcessation and was assisted by prominent outside speakers, includingMrs. May Wright Sewall, Mrs. Colby, Dr. And Mrs. William Funck ofBaltimore, Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery and Mrs. Clara V. Laddey, whoaddressed the Germans. Miss Willis arranged a course of lectures inMilwaukee for Miss Jane Addams, Louis F. Post, Dr. SophonisbaBreckinridge of Chicago University, and Mrs. Catherine WaughMcCulloch. [209]

The Political Equality League believed enthusiastically in streetmeetings and arranged many of them in Milwaukee and other cities. Under the same auspices several automobile tours swept the State, oneof them having an itinerary through the southwestern counties, MissJames, Mrs. B. C. Gudden, Miss Grim and Miss Mabel Judd the speakers. The noted air pilot, Beachy, scattered suffrage fliers from theairship which he took up into the clouds at the State Fair inMilwaukee. The State association had a large tent on the grounds, infront of which there were a platform for speakers, where addresseswere made every day, and a counter covered with literature and books. The two societies conducted Votes for Women tours up the Wolf and FoxRivers, which were important features of the campaign. They traveledin a little steamer, stopping at landings and speaking and giving outliterature. The association also held outdoor meetings at lunchtimebefore the factories and wherever it seemed best. The league formedtwo allied societies, the Men's League for Woman Suffrage, of whichthe late H. A. J. Upham was president, and a league for coloredpeople, Miss Carrie Horton, president. 

An extended series of mass meetings was held in many cities addressedby prominent speakers, who came from outside the State to assist, among whom were Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson, Miss Addams, Mrs. BeatriceForbes Robertson, Mrs. Emily Montague Bishop, Professor CharlesZueblin, Max Eastman, Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery; the Countess ofWarwick and Miss Sylvia Pankhurst of England; Miss Inez Milholland, Mrs. Maud C. Nathan, Mrs. Glendower Evans, Baroness von Suttner(Austria), Mrs. Alice Duer Miller, Mrs. Florence Kelley, Rabbi EmilHirschberg, Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout, Mrs. Henrietta C. Lyman, Mrs. Ella S. Stewart, Dr. Anna E. Blount, the Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer, Mrs. Clara Neymann, who addressed the Germans, and Dr. Shaw. 

There is no adequate record of that campaign in existence. Mrs. Lutherwas State historian and in the habit of keeping carefully allprograms, calls for meetings, reports and other material necessary forhistory, which were preserved at the Capitol and were destroyed whenit was burned. The Political Equality League raised and expended$10, 000 and the State association $5, 000, as reported to the Secretaryof State. Nearly as much more was expended by individual members andby other organizations. Dr. Shaw and Mrs. Benedict arranged a massmeeting in New York which netted $2, 700. 

The determined hostility of the liquor interests to woman suffrage wasunmistakably shown during the campaign by the official organ of theState Retail Liquor Dealers' Protective Association, called"Progress. " For months preceding the election it was filled withobjections, innuendo and abuse in prose, verse and pictures, alldesigned to impress the reader with the absurdity and danger of givingthe vote to women. It appealed to the farmers and to every class ofpeople connected in any way with the manufacture and sale of beer, saying in headlines: "Give the Ballot to Woman and Industry goes toSmash. " "It means the Loss of Vast Sums to Manufacturer, Dealer andWorkingmen, " and this was kept up to the end. 

An unprecedented vote was cast on the woman suffrage proposition atthe election November 4, 1912: for, 135, 736; against, 227, 054; lost by91, 318. Each of the three constitutional amendments voted on at thetime received barely a fifth of the vote cast on this measure. Of the71 counties but 14 were carried for suffrage, Douglas county in theextreme northwest on Lake Superior had the best record, a majority of1, 000. Milwaukee county, including the city, gave 20, 445 votes for and40, 029 votes against. The referendum was placed on a pink ballot, usedonly for this purpose, which unquestionably increased the majorityagainst it, as even the most illiterate could stamp it with a "no. "The defeat was conceded to have been due to an insufficiency ofgeneral education on woman suffrage and of organization, the largeforeign population and the widespread belief that it would helplargely to bring prohibition. 

Three days after the election officers of the Political EqualityLeague sent to officers of the State association a letter proposing aunion of the two under a new name and on condition that the presidentof neither should be made president of the new one. The latter was infavor of the union but insisted that the old historic name, WisconsinSuffrage Association, should be retained, which was done. Miss LutieE. Stearns was chosen its president at its annual convention to serveuntil the union was effected. There were ultimatums andcounter-ultimatums and finally a call for a joint convention to beheld in Madison Feb. 4, 5, 1913, was issued by Miss Zona Gale, vice-president of the association, and Miss James, president of theLeague. Here the union was duly effected; the Rev. Olympia Brown waselected honorary president, Mrs. Henry M. Youmans president and theother officers were divided between the two societies. 

The suffrage work henceforth was conducted under the same presidentand the same policy. The first year of the new régime, theorganization had no headquarters and paid no salaries, the officersdoing their correspondence with their own hands. The next year anoffice was opened in Madison and Miss Alice Curtis was installed asexecutive secretary. It was difficult to do effective work so far awayfrom the president and the office was removed to Waukesha, herresidence, with Miss Curtis and later Mrs. Helen Haight in charge. InOctober, 1916, it was removed to Milwaukee, and, with the countyassociation, headquarters were opened at 428 Jefferson Street, wherethey remained, with Mrs. Ruth Hamilton as office secretary. [210]

The great increase of sentiment favorable to woman suffrage throughoutthe country was plainly seen in Wisconsin and it was evident that awide campaign of education must be undertaken. A "suffrage school"held in Madison in June, 1914, was very successful. Sixty-six womenenrolled for the full course and hundreds of men and women attendedthe special lectures. The "faculty" of the school included the ChiefJustice of the Supreme Court, members of the faculty of the StateUniversity and other well known men and women. Social Forces, atopical outline with bibliography, published this year by theEducation Committee, Mrs. A. S. Quackenbush, chairman, was especiallydesigned for the instruction of women, first, in existing conditions, and second, in the various movements made to improve them. Copies werepurchased by universities, organizations and individuals all over theUnited States. Wisconsin Legislators and the Home was a valuablepamphlet compiled by Miss James following the legislative session of1913, giving the records of all members on the bills of especialinterest to women which came up that year. Wisconsin Legislation, Topics for Discussion, was prepared in 1915 by Mrs. J. W. McMulleinTurner for the use of the legislative and educational committees. 

Miss James served as legislative chairman in 1913; Mrs. Ben Hooper in1915; Mrs. Joseph Jastrow in 1917; Mrs. Hooper again in 1919. She wasalso for several years congressional chairman. Regular press servicewas continued during the last decade, a weekly letter being sent to100 newspapers. Mrs. Youmans had charge of all publicity during herpresidency. Mrs. Gudden supplied suffrage letters regularly to severalGerman papers and due to her ability they were always published. 

In March, 1916, a Congressional Conference was held in Milwaukee withMrs. Catt, the national president, as the chief speaker. In June atthe time of the Republican National Convention in Chicago theassociation sent to the great suffrage parade an impressivecontingent, accompanied by a G. A. R. Drum corps. This year it gave$500 to the Iowa campaign and among its members who assisted there andin campaigns in other States were Mrs. Hooper, Mrs. Haight, MissCurtis, Mrs. Maud McCreery, Miss Edna Wright and Mrs. Youmans. 

On Oct. 14, 1917, a branch of the National Woman's Party was formed inthe home of Mrs. Victor Berger and became active. There were twoanti-suffrage societies of women, one in Milwaukee and one in Madison, and together they formed a so-called State association, of which Mrs. C. E. Estabrook was president and Mrs. Francis Day an active member. They provided speakers for legislative hearings and signed their namesto newspaper articles sent them from the East but were of slightimportance. The State petition work was stopped by the epidemic ofinfluenza in the autumn of 1918 and after the first of the next yearthe apparent favorable attitude of the Legislature made itunnecessary, but already in forty counties the names of 5, 800 men and20, 000 women had been obtained. Self-denial Day was originated by MissHarriet Bain of Wisconsin and adopted by the National Association. Thefund in this State was over $400. 

The State association was prompt to organize for war work and formedall the committees recommended by the National American SuffrageAssociation. Many suffrage leaders served as leaders of the war workin their communities. The president was on the Woman's Committee ofthe State Council of Defense and State chairman for Americanization. The association sent $1, 590 for the Oversea Hospitals financed by theNational Association. 

The relations of the State with the National Association have beenvery cordial. It has sent a large delegation to each of the nationalconventions and paid its quota for the support of national work, about$1, 500 in 1919. 

In February, 1919, the Legislature gave Presidential suffrage to womenand the submission of the Federal Amendment was near at hand. The lastmeeting of the State association, a Good Citizenship convention, washeld in Milwaukee Oct. 29-Nov. 1. The program was devoted to theintelligent and patriotic use of the ballot. Mrs. Nancy M. Schoonmakercame from Connecticut to give six lectures on Citizenship for Women. Aplan was adopted for publishing a Citizenship Manual and engaging atraveling representative to teach good citizenship to groups of womenthroughout the State. The convention provided that the associationshould automatically cease to exist as soon as the Federal Amendmentwas ratified, in any case not later than March 1, 1920, and should bereplaced by a State League of Women Voters. This took place onFebruary 20 and Mrs. Ben Hooper was elected chairman. [211]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1901. Provision was made for separate ballot boxesfor women, making fully operative the School Suffrage Law of 1885. 

1903. A Municipal suffrage bill received a small vote. A full suffragemeasure introduced in the Assembly by David Evans was lost by only oneand had a large vote in the Senate. 

1905. A Municipal suffrage bill was passed by the Assembly; not actedupon by the Senate. 

1909. A bill for a referendum to the voters passed in the Senate;defeated in the Assembly by a vote of 53 to 34. 

1911. The session opened promisingly. David G. James introduced in theSenate and J. H. Kamper in the Assembly a measure providing fullsuffrage for Wisconsin women contingent upon the approval of amajority of the voters at the general election in November, 1912. MissMary Swain Wagner was the only registered lobbyist but othersuffragists, notably Miss James, Mrs. George W. Peckham, Mrs. NellieDonaldson and Mrs. Luther, worked for the measure. At a joint hearingthirteen speakers, including several from outside the State, spoke infavor of the bill and one lone Assemblyman, Carl Dorner, spoke inopposition. It passed the Senate March 31 by a vote of 16 to 4, andthe Assembly April 26 by a vote of 69 to 29, and was signed byGovernor Francis E. McGovern on the ground that it was a problem whichshould be solved by the voters. This measure was not, as generallyassumed, an amendment to the constitution but was a law, theconstitution providing that suffrage might be extended by statute butthis must be ratified by a majority of the voters at a generalelection. It was defeated in 1912. 

1913. Paradoxical as it may seem, legislators now became morefriendly. The Legislature of 1913 passed by a large majority in bothHouses another referendum bill introduced by Senator Robert Glenn butit was vetoed by Governor McGovern on the ground that the votersshould not be asked so soon to pass upon a measure which they had justdefeated. 

1915. Three measures were introduced in 1915, one by Senator Glenn andAssemblyman W. C. Bradley, providing for full suffrage by State-widereferendum; one by Senator George E. Scott and Assemblyman H. M. Laursen, providing for Presidential suffrage by action of theLegislature, and one by Senator A. Pearce Tompkins and AssemblymanAxel Johnson to permit to counties local option in the matter ofenfranchising their women. Only the first was seriously considered andthis was defeated in the Assembly by a vote of 49 to 41. Arepresentative of the German-American Alliance appeared against it atthe hearing and at several later sessions. 

1917. A referendum measure was introduced by Senator George B. Skogmoand Assemblyman James Hanson and was killed in the Assembly by a voteof 47 to 40. 

1918. Meanwhile the tide was perceptibly turning and at the Statepolitical conventions held in September, 1918, all parties adoptedplanks favoring the enfranchisement of women. What was known as "thewoman suffrage session" followed. 

1919. Resolution urging the U. S. Senate to submit a Federal SuffrageAmendment: Assembly 75 for, 14 against; Senate 23 for, 4 against. Presidential suffrage bill granting to women the right to vote forpresidential electors: Assembly 80 for, 8 against; Senate 25 for, oneagainst. Law extending the right of suffrage to women subject to areferendum, passed without an aye and no vote in both Houses. It wasrepealed after ratification of the Federal Amendment made itunnecessary. 

RATIFICATION. The Federal Suffrage Amendment was submitted by Congresson June 4, 1919. The Wisconsin Legislature ratified it about 11o'clock in the morning on June 10, with one negative vote in theSenate, two in the House. A special messenger, former Senator David G. James (the father of Ada L. James), started for Washington on thefirst train carrying the certificate from the Governor and he broughtback a statement from J. A. Tonner, Chief of the Bureau of Rolls andLibrary, Department of State, that "the certified copy of theratification resolution by the Legislature of Wisconsin is the firstwhich has been received. " The Illinois Legislature ratified an hourearlier but owing to a technical error it had to ratify a second time. The two U. S. Senators LaFollette and Lenroot and eight of the elevenRepresentatives from Wisconsin voted for the Federal Amendment on itsfinal passage through Congress. 

FOOTNOTES:

[206] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Theodora W. Youmans, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association from 1913until its work was finished in 1920. 

[207] The following were the officers for the first twelve years:Vice-presidents: Mrs. Jessie M. Luther, Mrs. Madge Waters, Mrs. LauraJames, Vida James, Mrs. E. C. Priddle, Miss Linda Rhodes;corresponding secretaries: Miss Lucinda Lake, Mrs. Margaret Geddes, Mrs. Emma Geddes, Miss Lena Newman, Mrs. B. Ostrander, Mrs. Nellie K. Donaldson; recording secretaries: Miss Marion W. Hamilton, Miss EmmaGraham, Mrs. Ethel Irish, Miss W. Von Bruenchenhein; treasurers: Mrs. Dora Putnam, Mrs. Lydia Woodward, Mrs. F. H. Derrick, Mrs. A. B. Sprague, Mrs. B. Ostrander, Gwendolen Brown Willis; chairmen ExecutiveCommittee: Ellen A. Rose, Mrs. Etta Gardner, Mrs. Kate Rindlaub. 

[208] Near the end of the campaign Miss Mary Swain Wagner from NewYork organized the American Suffragettes, a short-lived society, withMiss Martha Heide as president, and it arranged a mass meeting inMilwaukee with Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst of England as the principalspeaker. 

[209] A unique automobile tour was made by Mrs. McCulloch and herhusband, Frank McCulloch, both prominent lawyers in Chicago, and theirfour children, who devoted their annual vacation in the summer of 1912to a tour through Wisconsin, the eldest son driving a big car, Mr. AndMrs. McCulloch making suffrage speeches at designated points and thethree younger children enjoying the outing. 

[210] After 1913 annual conventions were held as follows: 1914, Milwaukee, speakers at evening meeting, Mrs. Pethick Lawrence ofEngland and Rosika Schwimmer of Hungary; 1915, Milwaukee; 1916(postponed to January, 1917, at the time of the legislative session), Madison; 1917, Milwaukee, Mrs. Nellie McClung of Canada speaker; 1918, no convention because of the war. 

[211] The officials from 1913, not already mentioned, were as follows:Vice-presidents: Miss Zona Gale, Dr. Jean M. Cooke, Mrs. Wm. PrestonLeek, Mrs. Victor Berger, Mrs. Isaac Witter, Mrs. Frank Thanhouser, Miss Harriet F. Bain; corresponding secretaries: Mrs. W. M. Waters, Mrs. Joseph Jastrow, Mrs. James L. Foley, Mrs. Glen Turner, Mrs. Charles H. Mott, Mrs. H. F. Shadbolt; recording secretaries: Mrs. H. M. Holton, Mrs. A. J. Rogers; treasurers, Miss E. E. Robinson, Mrs. Harvey J. Frame; auditors: Miss Gwendolyn B. Willis, Miss M. V. Brown, Mrs. Louis Fuller Hobbins, Miss Amy Comstock, Mrs. A. W. Schorger, Mrs. H. A. J. Upham, Mrs. Sarah H. Van Dusen. Mrs. A. J. Birkhauser. 

CHAPTER XLIX. 

WYOMING. [212]

Wyoming was the pioneer Territory and the pioneer State to give fullsuffrage to women. It is an interesting fact that the women did notfind it necessary to have a Territorial or State Suffrage Association, or even a convention except the one during the campaign for Statehoodin 1889-90. This rare situation is explained by the fact thatuniversal suffrage came to the women in the newly organized Territoryin 1869 without any general demand for it but through the efforts of avery few progressive men and women. [History of Woman Suffrage, VolumeIV, page 994. ] When the Constitutional Convention was preparing forStatehood in 1889, holding its sessions in Cheyenne, the women of theTerritory held a convention there in order to pass resolutions askingthat the constitution should contain an article granting to the womena continuation of the right of suffrage which they had possessed fortwenty years. This was granted and both men and women voted on theconstitution, which was adopted by a three-fourths majority of thevotes cast. The fact that there was no women's association forsuffrage or for political purposes was at times a serious handicap towomen of other States, who were not able to appeal to an organizedbody for an endorsement of woman suffrage or related subjects. 

In 1901 and at subsequent dates by joint resolution of both Houses ofthe Legislature a strong appeal was sent to Congress to submit theFederal Suffrage Amendment. On Feb. 14, 1919, a joint resolution waspassed and signed by Governor Robert D. Carey commemorating thegranting of woman suffrage in Wyoming, Dec. 10, 1869, by making thisdate each year Wyoming Day, "to be observed by appropriate exercisescommemorative of the history of the Commonwealth and the lives andwork of its pioneers. "

At a State convention in Laramie Nov. 9-11, 1919, with Mrs. CarrieChapman Catt, the national president, as guest of honor, a branch ofthe National League of Women Voters was organized, with Mrs. CyrusBeard as State chairman. At Casper, Oct. 2, 1920, it was re-organizedby Mrs. James Paige, regional director, with Mrs. C. W. Crouter asState chairman. 

RATIFICATION. Governor Robert D. Carey called a special session of theLegislature for Jan. 26, 1920, to ratify the Federal SuffrageAmendment. The vote was unanimous in each House, and, after it wasfinished and had received the Governor's signature, Mrs. TheresaJenkins of Cheyenne, a faithful supporter of woman suffrage in Wyomingfor fifty years, thanked the members and the Governor for their actionin behalf of the women of the State, the United States and the world. 

 * * * * *

The decree that laws must be omitted for lack of space bars out themany statutes in the interests of women and children which areWyoming's especial pride. 

The pioneer member of the Legislature was Mrs. Mary Godat Bellamy ofLaramie, elected to the Lower House in 1911. She had been a teacher inthe public schools of the city and county superintendent. She was veryactive in her duties and was instrumental in having a number ofexcellent bills become laws. Among these were bills for an adequateappropriation to employ a State humane officer for child and animalprotection; to establish an industrial institution for male convictstwenty-five years old or under, as at that time 85 per cent. Of thosein the penitentiary were under twenty-one; an eight-hour day for womenand children who worked in factories, laundries and industrial places;a grant to the State University of a permanent annual revenue. Shehelped to kill a bill to repeal an existing law which prohibitedliquor being sold in places that were not incorporated, as mining andlumber camps. Mrs. Bellamy said later: "While the men were courteousyet no woman must expect that when it comes to gaining a point a manis going to make an exception because his colleague is a woman. "

In the Legislature of 1913 two women Representatives had seats--Mrs. Anna Miller of Laramie, a mother of six grown children, three of whomwere graduated from the State University, and Miss Nettie Truax ofSundance, a school teacher and at one time county superintendent. Mrs. Miller was a successful merchant and at the time of her election wasat the head of a large drygoods establishment. She succeeded her sonin the Legislature. Miss Truax was made chairman of the importantCommittee on Education. In 1915 Mrs. Morna Wood, also of Sundance, waselected to the Lower House. She introduced a bill, which became a law, for the protection and regulation of child employment. During thissession a bill in the direction of easy divorce came before the Houseand Mrs. Wood made a strong speech condemning it and appealing forloyal support of her protest in the interests of the home and thechildren. Nothing further was heard of the bill. While women may nothave taken a large place as lawmakers they have had an active andeffective interest in many excellent laws. 

The following women have been elected State Superintendent of PublicInstruction: Miss Estelle Reel, 1894-1898; Miss Rose A. Bird, 1910-1914; Miss Edith K. O. Clark, 1914-1918; Mrs. Katharine A. Morton, 1918-1922. This is the most highly paid office occupied by awoman, the salary being the same as that of the Secretary of State, State Auditor and State Treasurer. By virtue of her office theSuperintendent is a member of the State Boards of Pardons, Charitiesand Reforms, Land Commissioners, School Land Commissioners andEducation, with power to appoint all members of the last board, whichelects the State Commissioner of Education. At present all thecounties have women county superintendents of schools, not an unusualsituation. They also hold other county offices and as in all States assoon as the suffrage is granted are eligible to all officialpositions. 

The largest woman's organization is the Federation of Clubs, with amembership of 4, 000, a democratic body which has been able to do muchfor the State in legislation, education and reform. The women ofWyoming have been very conservative with the ballot and have neverused radical means to accomplish their aims. No woman's ticket hasever been offered. 

All institutions of learning are co-educational. Since 1891 there hasbeen but a short interval when women have not been on the Board ofTrustees of the State University. Grace Raymond Hebard was the first, serving thirteen years. For eighteen years, 1891-1908, a woman wassecretary, acting also as financial agent, buying for the institutionand paying the bills. In February, 1913, Mrs. Mary B. David of Douglaswas appointed trustee by the Governor and displayed such unusualability as an executive that later she was unanimously elected by theBoard as its president, serving from September, 1917, to February, 1919, when she removed from the State. During her administration moreimportant matters than ever before were brought to the Board for itsconsideration and solution--questions of land leases and oil grants, rents and royalties involving millions of dollars. The efficient, intelligent and impartial way in which Mrs. David handled thesematters, of course in conjunction with the other members, won for herfrom the Board and the parties involved the strongest commendation. Atone time a woman was seriously thought of for president of theuniversity but she refused to consider it. At present (1920) two ofthe four most highly paid professors are women at the head of thecombined departments of Psychology and Philosophy and of PoliticalEconomy and Sociology. There are five women on the Faculty, receivingthe same compensation as the men holding equal positions. Women arefull professors in History, English and Home Economics. The professorof Elementary Education and supervisor of the training school is awoman and the Dean of Women ranks as a full professor. With theassistant professors there are fourteen women on the Faculty. 

On June 12, 1921, this university gave its first honorary degree andvery appropriately to a woman. With beautiful ceremonies the degree ofDoctor of Laws was conferred on Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president ofthe National American Woman Suffrage Association and of theInternational Woman Suffrage Alliance. 

FOOTNOTES:

[212] The History is indebted for this chapter to Dr. Grace RaymondHebard, professor of Political Economy and Sociology in the StateUniversity of Wyoming. 

CHAPTER L. 

WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THEPHILIPPINES. 

ALASKA. [213]

When the bill was before Congress in 1912 to make Alaska a Territoryof the United States an amendment was added on motion ofRepresentative Frank W. Mondell of Wyoming to give its Legislaturefull power to enfranchise women. This was accepted by the Housewithout objection. Afterwards the official board of the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association gladly responded to the request ofArthur G. Stroup of Sitka, one of the Territorial Representatives, whointended to introduce a bill for the purpose, to send up some suitableliterature. The board also asked women in Seattle, former residents ofAlaska, to write to the members of the new Legislature. 

Woman suffrage in Alaska possesses the unique record of being grantedwithout any solicitation whatever from the residents. It is not knownthat a suffrage club ever existed in the Territory; it is quitecertain that prior to the convening of the first TerritorialLegislature in Juneau in 1913 no suffrage campaigning whatever hadbeen carried on, yet two members, coming from towns not less than1, 500 miles apart, brought drafts for an equal suffrage bill. HouseBill No. 2, "An Act to extend the elective franchise to the women inthe Territory of Alaska, " was the first to pass both Houses--7Senators and 15 Representatives--and the vote on it was unanimous, Senator Elwood Brunner of Nome, the only member who had expressedhimself as unfavorable, having had the good sense or caution to absenthimself during roll call. This was also the first bill to be approvedby the Governor, J. F. A. Strong, on March 21, 1913, and the Actbecame effective ninety days thereafter. It declared the electivefranchise extended to such women as had the qualifications required ofmale electors. 

The Alaska Code had permitted women to vote only at School elections. The new law gave them the privilege of voting for the officers inincorporated towns and cities; for members of the TerritorialLegislature and for Territorial Delegate to Congress. 

It is estimated that there is a white population of 30, 000 of whombetween 5, 000 and 6, 000 are women. Probably not 500 native women arevoters. Indian men have a vote if they have "severed tribalrelations, " which is interpreted to mean that if an Indian moves to awhite man's town or lives on a creek or in a camp in such a way thatthe missions or the marshals think he has left his tribe, he can vote. Indian women have a vote if they marry white men who have a vote; ifthey are unmarried and have "severed tribal relations"; if they aremarried to an Indian who has "severed tribal relations. " The originalcode said definitely that Juries should be drawn from the malecitizens and it has never been changed. With this exception the rightsof men and women are the same. 

Two other bills of importance passed by the first Legislature providedfor the compulsory education of white children and for Juvenile Courtsto look after dependent children and create a Board of Children'sGuardians. This board consists of the District Judge and U. S. Marshalin each judicial division, together with one woman appointed by theGovernor, thus creating four such boards in the Territory, one foreach division. 

The interest of Alaska women in questions affecting local orTerritorial conditions is intense and their efforts effective, astheir work in the prohibition campaign of 1916 proved. This wasessentially a woman's campaign, so well handled that at the plebisciteheld at the time of the general election in November, 1916, the votewas about two to one in favor of prohibition. As a result, Congressenacted the Bone Dry Prohibition law for the Territory Feb. 14, 1917. It is believed that about three-fourths of the qualified women votebut there is no means of knowing. The percentage of illiteracy amongwhite women is negligible and the young native women taught at theGovernment and mission schools can read and write. 

The women of Alaska did their share in all kinds of war work, forconservation, bond drives, Red Cross and kindred activities. Onaccount of the vast distances and small means of transportation anygeneral cooperation is impossible. There are two daily papers inFairbanks with a wide circulation over the entire district, which islarger than Texas. The organizing for Red Cross work had to be largelydone through these papers but in a few months there were about 600knitters, practically all the women in the district, and thirtyorganizations in the mining camps, many of these having only two orthree women. In Fairbanks, by means of dances, card parties, sales, etc. , $8, 000 were raised just to buy wool, besides all the funds and"drives. "

The interest of Alaskan women in such public questions as affect womenelsewhere is that of the spectator rather than of the worker. Whenlegislation on housing and tenement laws, protection of factoryworkers, prevention of child labor and like problems becomes necessarythey will not be lacking in interest or energy. 

HAWAII. 

The Organic Act under which the Territories of the United States werecreated said that at the first election persons with specifiedqualifications should be entitled to vote and at subsequent electionssuch persons as the Territorial Legislature might designate. It wasunder this Act that Wyoming and Utah enfranchised their women in 1869and 1870 and Washington in 1883. 

When in 1899 the Congress was preparing to admit Hawaii as a Territorythe commission framed a constitution which specifically refused theprivilege that had been granted to every other Territory of having itsown Legislature decide who should vote after the first election, byinserting a clause that it "should not grant to . .. Any individual anyspecial privilege or franchise without the approval of Congress. " Thisconstitution gave the suffrage to every masculine citizen of whatevernationality--Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese--who could read and writeEnglish or Hawaiian, and it repeatedly used the word "male" to barwomen from having a vote or holding an office. The members of thiscommission were Senators John T. Morgan of Alabama and Shelby M. Cullom of Illinois; Representative Robert R. Hitt of Illinois;President Sanford B. Dole and Associate Justice Frear of Hawaii. Justice Frear said over his own signature that he and President Doledesired that the Legislature should have power to authorize womansuffrage but the rest of the commission would not permit it. MissSusan B. Anthony president, and the Official Board of the NationalAmerican Woman Suffrage Association, made vigorous objection to thisabuse of power, sent a protest to every member of Congress andfollowed this with petitions officially signed by large associationsbut to no avail. The Act was approved by President William McKinleyApril 30, 1900. [214]

The women had always exercised great influence in political affairsand the people of Hawaii resented this discrimination but the U. S. Congress then and for years afterwards was adamant in its oppositionto woman suffrage anywhere. After the women of Washington, Californiaand Oregon were enfranchised in 1910-11-12 this resentment foundexpression among the women of Honolulu in 1912, when they called onMrs. John W. Dorsett to help them organize a suffrage club. Theylearned in October that by good fortune Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, would stopthere on her way home from a trip around the world and they arrangedby wireless messages for her to address a mass meeting at the operahouse the one evening she would be there. The audience was large andsympathetic and she learned that every legislative candidate at theapproaching election had announced himself in favor of getting thevote for women. She met with the suffrage club and found itsconstitution modeled on the one recommended by the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association. She was in touch with the women afterwardsand the interest was kept alive. 

By 1915 the more thoughtful men of the Territory were beginning tofeel that its women must be enfranchised. Both political partiesdeclared in favor of asking the U. S. Congress for an Act giving theHawaiian Legislature authority in this matter and that body itselfpassed a bill to this effect. This was taken to Washington by theDelegate from the Territory, J. K. Kalanianaole, who presented it butit received no attention. He presented it again in 1916, with a likeresult. Soon afterwards Mr. And Mrs. Benjamin F. Pitman of Brookline, Mass. , visited the Islands. Mr. Pitman was the son of a HawaiianChiefess and although he had not been there since childhood he was theperson of the highest rank. Mrs. Pitman was prominent among thesuffrage leaders in Massachusetts and was deeply interested in thesituation in Hawaii. She attended the opening of the Legislature andconversed with nearly all the members, finding them to a man in favorof the bill, and the Legislature adopted strong resolutions callingupon Congress to sanction it. In answer to a request for herexperience to use in this chapter she wrote:

 It was on Jan. 30, 1917, that we arrived in Honolulu and on the 31st Madame Nakiuna, who was known as the Court historian, gave us a large reception at Laniakea. At this fęte were all the women of the highest social circles in the Islands. Among them were Mrs. John W. Dorsett, Mrs. A. P. Taylor, Mrs. Castle-Coleman, Miss Mary Ermine Cross and others who had heard of my activities in "the cause" and importuned me to hold meetings to try to arouse a keener interest. I would have consented at once but for the fact that almost the first person I saw in this beautiful land was the field-secretary of the Massachusetts Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women. I had a feeling that if there was not already an anti-association here there would be one the moment I began any serious work and so I advised waiting, promising to do my best for them as soon as it seemed wise, and so, while I was indeed sorry that the serious illness of a relative obliged her to depart for home at a very early date, it was amusing to say the least that while she was sailing out of the harbor I was holding my first suffrage meeting in the home of Mrs. Dorsett. I held meetings on two successive days, one attended mostly by the middle class and the other by high caste Hawaiians and the "missionary set, " which, perhaps, we might style their "400. " My talk was in the form of a discussion and I was surprised and delighted at the fluency of all who spoke, their wide knowledge of world affairs and desire for the franchise. Many months had passed since the departure of Prince Kalanianaole and so they begged me to investigate as soon as I returned home. This I promised to do and wrote at once to Mrs. Catt all that I heard. 

Mrs. Catt sent Mrs. Pitman's letter to Mrs. Maud Wood Park, chairmanof the Congressional Committee of the National Suffrage Associationand she took up the question with Senator John F. Shafroth, chairmanof the Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico. The Delegate fromHawaii, who was deeply interested, welcomed this new force to assistin pushing the bill, which had simply been neglected. On May 21, 1917, he presented still another resolution from the Territorial Legislatureasking for it and on June I Senator Shafroth introduced the followingbill:

 _Be it enacted_ . .. That the Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii be, and it is hereby, vested with the power to provide that in all elections . .. Female citizens possessing the same qualifications as male citizens shall be entitled to vote. 

 SEC. 2. That the said Legislature is further hereby vested with the power to have submitted to the voters of the Territory the question of whether or not the female citizens shall be empowered to vote. .. . 

The bill was reported favorably by the committee and passed by theSenate without objection or even discussion on September 15. In theHouse it was referred to the Committee on Woman Suffrage, which setApril 29, 1918, for a hearing. Delegate Kalanianaole had been calledback to Honolulu by business but was represented by his secretary andthere were present Mrs. Park, who presided, Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, honorary president of the National Suffrage Association, and Mrs. Pitman, the principal speaker. Judge John E. Raker was chairman of thecommittee, which did not need any argument but was interested inasking many questions of Mrs. Pitman. At the close of the hearing thecommittee voted unanimously to make a favorable report. The bill waspassed June 3 without a roll call. It was signed by President Wilsonon the 13th. 

The matter was now in the control of the Hawaiian Legislature, whichreceived petitions from a number of organizations of women to exerciseits power to confer the suffrage without a referendum to the voters. This was recommended by Governor C. J. McCarthy and early in thesession of 1919 the Senate took this action and sent the bill to theHouse. This body under outside influence refused to endorse it butsubstituted a bill to send the question to the voters. The Senatewould not accept it and both bills were deadlocked. 

The women were then spurred to action; old suffrage clubs wererevived; one was formed in Honolulu of the native high class women andwhat is known as the "missionary set, " a very brilliant group. Mrs. Dorsett made a tour of all the Islands to arouse interest and onMani, under the leadership of Mrs. Harry Baldwin, clubs were formedall over the island. A Hawaiian Suffrage Association was organized. Atthe next convention of the National Association a resolution wasadopted that it be invited to become auxiliary without the payment ofdues and the invitation was officially accepted with thanks. 

The Federal Suffrage Amendment proclaimed by Secretary of State ColbyAug. 26, 1920, included the women of the Territories and it was thusthat Hawaiian women became enfranchised. They voted in large numbersat the November elections that year. 

THE PHILIPPINES. 

The Philippine Islands came under the jurisdiction of the UnitedStates as a consequence of the Spanish-American war in 1898 and theirgovernment soon became an active question in Congress. There was adesire to permit their own people to participate in this to someextent and the National American Woman Suffrage Association, always onthe watch tower, took immediate action toward having women included inany scheme of self-government. With the recent example before it ofthe most unjust discrimination against them in the admission of Hawaiias a Territory, the association under the presidency of Miss Susan B. Anthony petitioned the members of Congress to recognize the rights ofwomen in whatever form of government was adopted. At its annualconvention in 1899 impassioned speeches were made against taking awayfrom Filipino women the position of superiority which they always hadheld under Spanish rule by giving the men political authority overthem. 

In 1900 Military Governor-General Otis ordered a re-organization ofthe municipalities. To decide who should have a vote in local affairsthe Philippine Commission of the U. S. Senate summoned well informedpersons and among them, in the spring of 1902, were Judge William H. Taft, Governor-General of the islands, and Archbishop Nozaleda, whohad been connected with the Catholic church there for twenty-six yearsand archbishop since 1889. Both declared that the suffrage should begiven to the women rather than to the men, the former saying: "Thefact is that, not only among the Tagalogs but also among theChristian Filipinos, the woman is the active manager of the family, soif you expect to confer political power on the Filipinos it ought tobe given to the women. Following is part of the Archbishop'sstatement. (Senate Document, p. 109. ):

 The woman is better than the man in every way--in intelligence, in virtue and in labor--and a great deal more economical. She is very much given to trade and trafficking. If any rights and privileges are to be granted to the natives, do not give them to the men but to the women. 

 Q. Then you think it would be much better to give the women the right to vote than the men?

 A. O, much better. Why, even in the fields it is the women who do the work; the men go to the cock fights and gamble. The woman is the one who supports the man there, so every law of justice demands that in political life they should have the privilege over the men. 

Notwithstanding this and other testimony of a similar nature theCommission framed a Code giving a Municipal or local franchise tocertain classes of men and excluding all women, taking away from themthe privileges they always had possessed. The men soon began demandingtheir own lawmaking body and in response Congress passed an Act totake effect Jan. 15, 1907, to provide for the holding of elections inthe Islands for a Legislative Assembly. The Act limited the voters to"male persons 23 years of age or over, " thus again putting up thebarriers against women and including them in the list of thedisqualified as listed--"insane, feeble-minded, rebels and traitors. "

The U. S. Government did, however, give women to the same extent asmen all educational advantages, which heretofore had been denied themand their progress was very rapid. In 1912 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, visited Manilaon her trip around the world and was warmly received. A meeting wascalled at the Manila Hotel for August 15 and twelve women responded. After making an address she helped them form a club which they calledSociety for the Advancement of Women. Thirty attended the next meetingtwo weeks later and they took up active philanthropic work. In alittle while most of the women of influence were members of it and itwas re-organized as the Woman's Club of Manila. Its work extended inmany directions and it became one of the city's leading institutions. Other clubs were formed and they joined the General Federation ofClubs in 1915. There are between 300 and 400 clubs in the Islands(1920). 

Meanwhile the men were not satisfied with their one-house LegislativeAssembly largely under American control, but wanted more power. Inresponse Congress provided for a Legislature of a Senate of 24 membersand a Lower House of 90, all to be elected except two of the formerand nine of the latter, who would be appointed by the AmericanGovernor-General to represent districts where elections were not held, the Act to go into effect in 1918. The suffrage was still confinedexclusively to males, although in 1916 the Women's Club had organizedfifty-seven Mothers' Clubs for the welfare of infants; had securedthrough women lawyers legal aid for over thirty poor women; had beeninstrumental in having 15, 000 people make gardens to give variety totheir fish and rice diet and done a vast amount of other valuablepublic work. The Act passed by large majorities, members voting for itwho had persistently voted against the Federal Amendment toenfranchise the women of the United States. 

The Philippines were from 1917 represented in Congress by an able andprogressive Commissioner, Jaime C. De Veyra, an advocate of womansuffrage. His wife, a native of Iloilo, who had been prominent incivic work in the Islands, shared his views, and was a frequentvisitor at the suffrage headquarters in Washington. In 1919, assistedby Miss Bessie Dwyer, vice-president of the Manila Women's Club, shegave beautifully illustrated addresses in Washington and New York, onthe position of women in the Islands. In these and in interviews shesaid:

 Philippine women have always been free and have always been held as equals of the men. In the little rural "barrios" you will always find some sort of woman leader. All over the islands they are highly considered. Even when old they exercise full sway over the family and have the last word in all financial matters. The married children still cling to the mother as adviser. The young women who marry go into partnership with their husbands and while the men handle the workers it is the women who do the paying and oversee things generally. They are engaged in all kinds of business for themselves and are employed by scores of thousands. Many thousands carry work home where they can take care of their children, do the housework and be earning money. 

 They have the same opportunities in the professions as men, are successful physicians and lawyers and members of the Bar Association. Laws made for them have combined the best of Spanish and American precedents. They are guardians of their own children; married women may hold property; of that which accrues to a married couple, the wife is half administrator. These are vested rights and cannot be taken away. 

 A short time ago the question of woman suffrage was introduced into the Legislature, not by the initiative of American women but urged by Madame Apacibile, wife of one of the government secretaries. A petition signed by 18, 000 women asking for a joint legislative hearing was sent to the law makers who granted it. Three Filipina women spoke, one the widow of the eminent Concepcion Calderon, a successful business woman, owning a fish farm and an embroidery enterprise. Others were Mrs. Feodore Kalon, Miss Almeda and Miss Pazlegaspi, the last two practicing lawyers. Only one man appeared in the negative. The president of the Senate, the Hon. Manuel L. Quezon, is in favor of woman suffrage. 

Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison recommended to theLegislature to give the suffrage to women, as it has the power to do. A bill was introduced and passed the Senate almost unanimously Dec. 7, 1919, but it was not acted upon by the House. As the Constitution ofthe United States is not in force in the Philippines the women werenot enfranchised by the Federal Suffrage Amendment in 1920 but mustawait the action of their own Legislature. 

PORTO RICO. 

After Porto Rico came under the control of the United States as aresult of the Spanish-American war in 1898 its political status wasundetermined for a long time. Shortly before that war Spain hadgranted universal suffrage to all its men over 21. Congress confirmedthis privilege as to the affairs of the island but they had no votingrights in those of the United States. After a few years the moreprogressive of the people began asking for the status of a Territorywith their own Legislature. This agitation was continued for sixteenyears before Congress took action and agreed on a bill which wouldadmit the islanders to citizenship. As usual the chief difficulty wasover the suffrage. There was a desire to have a slight educational anda small property qualification but as a large majority of the menwere illiterate and without property this aroused a protest, which wassupported by the American Federation of Labor. On May 22, 1916, whilethe Porto Rican bill was under consideration in Committee of the Wholein the Lower House of Congress, the Republican floor leader, James R. Mann (Ills. ), discovered that a majority of those present wereRepublicans and suffragists. He therefore proposed a clause giving thefranchise to the women, which was passed by 60 to 37. He expected toput the Democrats in the position of voting it down the next day inregular session but when it came up Republicans joined with Democratsin defeating it by 80 noes to 59 ayes. 

Finally when, under pressure, the committee was obliged to put inuniversal suffrage for the great mass of illiterate men, even the mostardent advocates of woman suffrage among the members felt that itwould be unwise to add universal suffrage for women. In answer to theurgent request of the Congressional Committee of the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association that this injustice should not be done towomen, Senator John F. Shafroth, chairman of the Committee on thePacific Islands and Porto Rico, wrote: "I would have been very glad toincorporate a provision including women but it would have killed thebill. I was notified by Senator Martine of New Jersey and others thatthey would not permit a provision of that kind to go into it and theparliamentary stage of the bill was such that any one Senator couldhave defeated it. As it was, it took two years to get the bill beforeCongress and fully twenty motions to have it considered and if eitherprohibition or woman suffrage had gone into it there would have beenno bill for Porto Rico. We avoided the word 'male' in prescribing thequalifications of electors. "

The Act, which received the approval of President Wilson March 2, 1917, provided that at the first election for the Legislature andother officers the electors should be those qualified under thepresent law, and thereafter voters should be citizens of the UnitedStates 21 years of age and have such additional qualifications asmight be prescribed by the Legislature of Porto Rico. The electiontook place on July 16. While this Act was an improvement on the onewhich admitted Hawaii as a Territory it left the many educated, taxpaying women, the woman in business, the teachers in government andmission schools, the nurses in the hospitals, the social workers, wholly in the power of men. 

About 1916 there was incorporated in Porto Rico an organization calledLa Liga Feminea de Puerto Rico, which worked energetically for thesocial uplift of the people and for the political enfranchisement ofwomen. The official organ was _La Mujer del Siglo Veinte_--_TheTwentieth Century Woman_. Early in the spring of 1917 Mrs. GeraldineMaud Froscher, an American living in Porto Rico, appealed to theNational Suffrage Association for financial assistance for a campaignpreparatory to the introduction of the woman suffrage bill in theLegislature that year. Literature was sent immediately and theassociation agreed to pay the expenses of Mrs. Froscher, who organizedsuffrage leagues in all towns of any considerable size, addressedwomen's clubs, interviewed legislators and distributed literature. Inthis work she had the able assistance of Mrs. Ana Roqué Duprey, thefirst president of the San Juan Suffrage League, editor of the abovepaper and later of _El Heraldo de la Mujer_--_The Woman's Herald_, with Mrs. Froscher as the American editor. 

In August, 1917, at the first session of the new Legislature, a billwas introduced in the Lower House to give women the right to holdoffice but without the right to vote and one to give them equalrights. Later two more bills were introduced but none was passed. AsPorto Rico is an unincorporated Territory of the United States, itswomen were not enfranchised by the Federal Suffrage Amendment in 1920. At three consecutive sessions of the Legislative Assembly a petitionfor woman suffrage has been presented. 

FOOTNOTES:

[213] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Jeannette DruryClark, a graduate of the University of California, who with herhusband, John A. Clark, an attorney, has made her home in Fairbanksfor the past fifteen years. 

[214] History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV, pages 325, 343, 346, 446. 

CHAPTER LI. 

PROGRESS OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. 

1900 - 1920. [215]

I consider it an honor to have been asked to take up the pen from thedate 1900, when my dear friend and colleague, the late HelenBlackburn, laid it down after writing the chapter on Great Britain forVolume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage. I am particularlyfortunate in that it falls to my lot to include the year 1918, whenVictory crowned our fifty years' struggle in these islands to obtainthe Parliamentary franchise for women. 

Several circumstances entirely outside our power of control combinedto promote the rapid growth of the movement at the beginning of theXXth Century. The chief of these were the South African war, 1899-1902, and the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. The war with theTransvaal was caused by the refusal of President Kruger and hisadvisers to recognize the principle that taxation and representationshould go together. The so-called Uitlanders, who formed a largeproportion of the population of the Transvaal and provided by taxationa still larger proportion of its revenue, were practically excludedfrom representation. This led to intense irritation and ultimately towar. It was, therefore, inevitable that articles in the press and thespeeches of British statesmen dealing with the war used argumentswhich might have been transferred without the alteration of a singleword to women's suffrage speeches. 

I have described on pages 29 and 30 of Women's Suffrage, a ShortHistory of a Great Movement, the strong impulse which had been givento the electorial activity of British women by the Corrupt PracticesAct of 1883, which made paid canvassing illegal and otherwise reducedelectorial expenses. Very soon after it came into operation both thechief political parties organized bands of educated women to act ascanvassers, election agents, etc. , in contested elections. The warstimulated this electorial activity of women. A general election washeld in 1900 and in the absence of husbands, sons and brothers inSouth Africa, many wives, mothers and sisters ran the whole electionon their behalf. Several of these were well known anti-suffragists. Even Mrs. Humphry Ward herself, on the occasion of an importantanti-suffrage meeting in London, excused her absence on the groundthat her presence was required by the exigencies of the pendingelection in West Herts, where her son was a candidate. Suffragistsagain were not slow to point the moral--if women were fit (and theyobviously were fit) not only to advise, persuade and instruct votershow to vote but also to conduct election campaigns from start tofinish, they were surely fit to vote themselves. 

The death of Queen Victoria in January, 1901, called forth aspontaneous burst of loyal gratitude, devotion and appreciation fromall parties and all sections of the country. Every leading statesmanamong her councillors dwelt on the extraordinary penetration of hermind, her wide political knowledge, her great practical sagacity, hergrasp of principle, and they combined to acclaim her as the mosttrusted of all the constitutional monarchs whom the world had thenseen. How could she be all that they justly claimed for her, if thewhole female sex laboured under the disabilities which, according toMrs. Humphry Ward, were imposed by nature and therefore irremediable?Nevertheless, it must not be supposed, genuine as were these tributesto Queen Victoria's political sagacity, that her example immediatelycleared out of the minds of the opponents the notion that women werefitly classed with aliens, felons, idiots and lunatics, as persons whofor reasons of public safety were debarred from the exercise of theParliamentary franchise. 

The Parliament returned in 1906 had an immense Liberal majority. Therewere only 157 Unionist members in the House of Commons against 513Liberals, Labour men and Nationalists, all of whom were for Home Ruleand therefore prepared to support in all critical divisions the newadministration which was formed under the Premiership of Sir HenryCampbell Bannerman. The new House contained 426 members pledged toWomen's Suffrage. The Premier was himself a suffragist but his Cabinetcontained several determined anti-suffragists, notable among whom wereMr. Herbert H. Asquith, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. JamesBryce, chief secretary for Ireland (now Lord Bryce), who becameBritish Ambassador to the United States in 1907. The new PrimeMinister received a large, representative suffrage deputation in May, 1906, in which all sections of suffragist opinion were represented, and their case was laid before him with force and clearness. In replyhe told them that they had made out "a conclusive and irrefutablecase" but that he was not prepared to take any steps to realize theirhopes. When asked what he would advise ardent suffragists to do hetold them to "go on pestering. " This advice was taken to heart by thegroup (a small minority of the whole) who had lately formed inManchester the organization known as The Women's Social and PoliticalUnion, led by Mrs. Pankhurst. 

An unforeseen misfortune was the death in 1908 of Sir H. C. Bannermanand the fact that his successor was our principal opponent in theGovernment, Mr. Asquith. It was not very long before he revealed theline of his attack upon the enfranchisement of women. He informed hisparty in May, 1908, that his intention was to introduce before theexpiration of the existing Parliament a Reform Bill giving a wideextension of the franchise to men and no franchise at all to women. Inthe previous February a Women's Suffrage Bill which removed all sexdisability from existing franchises had passed its second reading inthe House of Commons but this apparently had no effect on Mr. Asquith. There were, however, some cracks in his armour. He admitted that abouttwo-thirds of his Cabinet and a majority of his party were favourableto Women's Suffrage and he promised that when his own exclusively maleReform Bill was before the House and had got into committee, if anamendment to include women were moved on democratic lines, hisGovernment, as a Government, would not oppose it. This was at allevents an advance on the position taken by Mr. Gladstone upon hisReform Bill of 1884, when he vehemently opposed a women's suffrageamendment and caused it to be defeated. 

The emergence of what was afterwards known as "militancy" belongs tothis period, dating from the General Election of 1906 and very muchstimulated by Premier Bannerman's reply to the deputation in that yearand by the attitude of Mr. Asquith. It will ever be an open questionon which different people, with equal opportunities of forming ajudgment, will pronounce different verdicts, whether "militancy" didmore harm or good to the suffrage cause. It certainly broke down the"conspiracy of silence" on the subject up to then observed by thepress. Every extravagance, every folly, every violent expression, andof course when the "militants" after 1908 proceeded to acts ofviolence, every outrage against person or property were given thewidest possible publicity not only in Great Britain but all over theworld. There was soon not an intelligent human being in any countrywho was not discussing Women's Suffrage and arguing either for oragainst it. This was an immense advantage to the movement, for we had, as Sir H. Campbell Bannerman had said, "a conclusive and irrefutablecase. " Our difficulty had been to get it heard and considered and this"militancy" secured. The anti-suffrage press believed that it wouldkill the movement and it was this belief which encouraged them to giveit the widest possible publicity. The wilder and more extravagant the"militants" became the more they were quoted, described and advertisedin every way. The sort of "copy" which anti-suffrage papers demandedwas supplied by them in cartloads and not at all by law-abidingsuffragists, who were an immense majority of the whole. This can beillustrated by an anecdote. The Constitutional suffragists hadorganized a big meeting in Trafalgar Square and had secured a strongteam of first-rate speakers. The square was well filled and on thefringe of the crowd the following conversation was overheard betweentwo press men who had come to report the proceedings. One said he wasgoing away, the second asked why and the first answered: "It's no goodstopping, there's no copy in this; these women are only talkingsense!"

The earlier years of militant activity were in my opinion helpful tothe whole movement, for up to 1908 the "militants" had only adoptedsensational and unusual methods, such as waving flags and makingspeeches in the lobby of the House and asking inconvenient questionsat public meetings. They had suffered a great deal of violence but hadused none. From 1908 onwards, however, they began to use violence, stone throwing, personal attacks, sometimes with whips, on obnoxiousmembers of the Government, window smashing, the destruction of thecontents of letter-boxes--in one instance the destruction of ballotpapers cast in an election. Later arson practised for the destructionor attempted destruction of churches and houses became more and morefrequent. All this had an intensely irritating effect on publicopinion. "Suffragist" as far as the general public was concernedbecame almost synonymous with "Harpy. " This cause which had not beendefeated on a straight vote in the House of Commons since 1886 was nowtwice defeated; once in 1912 and once in 1913. The whole spiritengendered by attempting to gain by violence or threats of violencewhat was not conceded to justice and reason was intensely inimical tothe spirit of our movement. We believed with profound conviction thatwhatever might be gained in that way did not and could not rest on asure foundation. The women's movement was an appeal against governmentby physical force and those who used physical violence in order topromote it were denying their faith to make their faith prevail. 

The difference made a deep rift in the suffrage movement. Theconstitutional societies felt bound to exclude "militants" from theirmembership and on several occasions issued strongly-worded protestsagainst the use of violence as political propaganda. The fact that menunder similar circumstances had been much more violent anddestructive, especially in earlier days when they were less civilized, did not inspire us with the wish to imitate them. We considered thatthey had been wrong and that "direct action, " as it is now the fashionto call coercion by means of physical force, had always reactedunfavorably on those who employed it. While the constitutionalsocieties freely and repeatedly expressed their views on these points, the "militants" not unnaturally retorted by attempting to break up ourmeetings, shouting down our speakers and provoking every sort ofdisorder at them. It was an exceptionally difficult situation andthat we won through as well as we did was due to the solid loyalty toconstitutional and law-abiding methods of propaganda of the great massof suffragists throughout the country. We quoted the American proverb, "Three hornets can upset a camp meeting, " and we determined to holdsteadily on our way and not let our hornets upset us. Our societiesmultiplied rapidly both in numbers and in membership. For instance, the number forming the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societiesincreased from 64 in 1909 to 130 in 1910 and went on increasingrapidly until just before the war in 1914 they numbered more than 600, with a revenue of over 42, 000 pounds a year. 

More important in many ways than the "militant" movement was theemergence at the General Election in 1906 of the Labour Party. Mr. Keir Hardie, Mr. Philip Snowden and others of its leaders were verystrong supporters of women's suffrage and it was not long before theparty definitely made the enfranchisement of women on the same termsas men a plank in its platform. In anticipation of the first GeneralElection of 1910, the N. U. W. S. S. Addressed the leaders of the threeBritish parties, Conservative, Liberal, and Labour, asking them whatthey were prepared to do for Women's Suffrage. Mr. Asquith gave hisanswer at an Albert Hall meeting in December, 1909. He reiterated hisintention, if returned to power, of bringing in a Reform Bill, and hepromised to make the insertion of a Women's Suffrage amendment an openquestion for the House of Commons to decide. He added: "The Government. .. Has no disposition or desire to burke the question; it is clearlyan issue on which the new House ought to be given an opportunity toexpress its views. " This meant that the Government whips would not beput on to oppose the enfranchisement of women. Mr. Balfour replied toour memorial that it was a non-party question on which members of theUnionist Party could exercise individual freedom of action. Mr. ArthurHenderson, for the Labour Party, told us that it had already placedthe enfranchisement of women on its programme. The Labour Party wasnot large but it was an important advantage to us to have even a smallparty definitely pledged to our support. There were two GeneralElections in 1910, in January and December. The Liberal, Labour andNationalist group lost heavily in the second of these elections, theirmajority being reduced from 334 to 124. 

The Labour Party between these two elections had lost six seats butthey were still forty strong, all definitely pledged to Women'sSuffrage in the new Parliament which assembled in January, 1911. OurBill had been carried on its second reading in 1910 by a majority of110 but after the second General Election of 1910 it secured on May 5, 1911, a majority of 167; there were 55 pairs, only 88 members ofParliament going into the Lobby against us. The Bill on each of theseoccasions was of a very limited character; it proposed to enfranchisewomen-householders, widows and spinsters and would only have addedabout a million women to the Parliamentary register. It was called theConciliation Bill, because it sought to conciliate the differencesbetween different types of suffragists in the House of Commons, fromthe extreme Conservative who only cared for the representation ofwomen of property, to the extreme Radical who demanded theenfranchisement of every woman. A committee was formed to promote thesuccess of this bill in Parliament of which the Earl of Lytton wasChairman and Mr. H. N. Brailsford Hon. Sec. It was believed that thebill represented the greatest common measure of the House of Commons'belief in women's votes. The Labour Party were strongly in favour of amuch wider enfranchisement of women but generously waived their ownpreferences in order, as they believed, to get some sort ofrepresentation for women on the Statute Book. Almost immediately afterthis large majority for the second reading of the Conciliation Bill inMay, 1911, an official announcement was made by the Government thatMr. Asquith's promise of the previous November that an opportunityshould be afforded for proceeding with the bill in all its stageswould be fulfilled in the session of 1912. 

We were then in the most favourable position we had ever occupied; thepassing of the Women's Suffrage Bill in the near future seemed acertainty. The "militants" had suspended all their methods of violencein order to give the Conciliation Bill a chance, and, as justdescribed, it had passed its second reading debate with a majority of167 and time for "proceeding effectively" with a similar Bill in allits stages had been promised. All the suffrage societies were workingharmoniously for the same Bill and the Women's Liberal Federation werecooperating with the suffrage societies, when suddenly, like a boltfrom the blue, Mr. Asquith dealt us a characteristic blow. In reply toa deputation from the People's Suffrage Federation early in Novemberhe announced his intention of introducing during the coming session of1912 the Electoral Reform Bill which he had foreshadowed in 1908; hesaid that in this Bill all existing franchises would be swept away, plural voting abolished and the period of residence reduced. The newfranchise to be created was, he added, to be based on citizenship andvotes were to be given to "citizens of full age and competentunderstanding, " but no mention was made of the enfranchisement ofwomen. On being asked what he intended to do about women's votes, hedismissed the subject with the remark that his opinions on the subjectwere well known and had suffered no change, but he reiterated thepromise of "facilities" for the Conciliation Bill in the 1912 Session. 

The situation, therefore, was briefly this: An agitation ofever-growing intensity and determination had for some years beencarried on by women for their own enfranchisement and no agitation atall had been manifested by men for more votes for themselves; thePrime Minister's response to this situation was to promise legislationgiving far larger and wider representation to men and none at all towomen. No wonder that he provoked an immediate outburst of militancy!Stones were thrown and windows smashed all along the Strand, Piccadilly, Whitehall and Bond Street, and members of the Governmentwent about in perpetual apprehension of personal assault. 

The indignation of the Constitutional suffragists and of the Women'sLiberal Federation with Mr. Asquith was quite as real as that of the"suffragettes" but it sought a different method of expression. Someknowledge of this probably reached him, as for the first time in ourexperience all the suffrage societies and the W. L. F. Were invited bythe Prime Minister to form a deputation to him on the subject. What wewere accustomed to was sending an urgent demand to him to receive usin a deputation and to get his reply that he believed "no usefulpurpose would be served" by yielding to our request; but now, inNovember, 1911, he was inviting us to come and see him! Of course wewent. His whole demeanor was much more conciliatory than it had everbeen before. He acknowledged the strength and intensity of the demandof women for representation and admitted that in opposing it he was ina minority both in his Cabinet and in his party; finally he addedthat, although his personal opinions on the subject prevented him frominitiating and proposing the change which women were pressing for, hewas prepared to bow to and acquiesce in the considered judgment of theHouse of Commons, and he stated that this course was quite inaccordance with the best traditions of English public life. TheNational Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, of which I was themouthpiece, then put the following questions:

(1) Is it the intention of the Government that the Reform Bill shallgo through all its stages in 1912?

(2) Will the Bill be drafted in such a way as to admit of amendmentsintroducing women on other terms than men?

(3) Will the Government undertake not to oppose such amendments?

(4) Will the Government regard any amendment enfranchising women, which is carried, as an integral part of the Bill be defended by theGovernment in all its later stages?

To all these questions, as they were put severally, Mr. Asquithreplied "Yes, certainly. "

Mr. Lloyd George, who was present, was pressed by the deputation tospeak but did so only very briefly. He was known as an opponent of theConciliation Bill but had voted for it in 1911 because it was sodrafted as to admit of free amendment. He made no secret of hisconviction that the wider enfranchisement afforded by amendment of theGovernment measure would, to use his own expression, "torpedo" theConciliation Bill. Almost immediately after the deputation thusdescribed he sent the following message to the N. U. W. S. S. : "The PrimeMinister's pronouncement as to the attitude to be adopted by theGovernment towards the question seems to make the carrying of aWomen's Suffrage Amendment to next year's Franchise Bill a certainty. I am willing to do all in my power to help those who are labouring toreach a successful issue in the coming session. Next year provides thesupreme opportunity and nothing but unwise handling of that chance cancompass failure. "

There was plenty of unwise handling, but not, as I am proud to think, from the constitutional suffragists. The first was the wild outburstof "militancy" already referred to. Mr. Lloyd George was pursued bypersistent interruption and annoyance deliberately organised by theWomen's Social and Political Union. A meeting he addressed at Bath, mainly devoted to advocacy of Women's Suffrage, on Nov. 24, 1911, wasall but turned into a bear garden by these deliberately planned andvery noisy interruptions. Not to be outdone in "unwise handling" Mr. Asquith next had his innings. He received an anti-suffrage deputationon Dec. 14, 1911, about three weeks after he had received thesuffragists, and in the course of his remarks to them he said: "As anindividual I am in entire agreement with you that the grant of theParliamentary Vote to women in this country would be a politicalmistake of a very disastrous kind. " This went far to invalidate thefair-seeming promises to us given about three weeks earlier. How coulda man in the all-important position of Prime Minister pledge himselfto use all the forces at the disposal of the Government to pass in allits stages through both houses a measure which might include theperpetration of "a political mistake of a very disastrous kind"? Amember of Mr. Asquith's own party who took part in the anti-suffragedeputation interpreted this expression of his chief as an S. O. S. Callto his followers in the House to deliver him from the humiliation ofhaving to fulfil the promises he had given us. Every kind of intrigueand trick known to the accomplished parliamentarian was put intooperation. Every Irish Nationalist vote was detached from support ofthe Bill. A description of one of these discreditable devices, amongthem an attempt to hold up the N. U. W. S. S. To public contempt aspurveyors of "obscene" literature, will be found in a book by myselfcalled The Women's Victory and After, published in 1920. 

The first result of these intrigues was the defeat of theConciliation Bill, by 14 votes only, on March 28, 1912. This washailed as an immense triumph by the anti-suffragists, as indeed in asense it was, for exactly the same bill had been carried by the sameHouse in 1911 by a majority of 167; but it was a triumph which costthe victors dear, especially when the tricks and perversions of truthcame to light by which it had been achieved. From this time forwardpublic opinion was more decided in our favour and the general view wasthat the Government had treated us shabbily. 

The progress made by the Government in pressing forward theirElectoral Reform Bill was not rapid. When it was at last introduced itwas discovered to be not a Reform Bill, but in the main a RegistrationBill. In the second reading debate Mr. Asquith described his Bill asone to enfranchise "male persons only, " and said in regard to womenthat he could not conceive that the House would "so far stultifyitself as to reverse the considered judgment it had already arrivedat" earlier in the session. It was a "considered judgment" to defeatthe Bill by 14 votes in 1912 but not a "considered judgment" to haveit carried by 167 in 1911! Sir Edward Grey felt strongly that theHouse had placed itself in a very undesirable position, but theConciliation Bill was defeated and Sir Edward Grey, Mr. Lloyd Georgeand the leading suffragists in the Government continued to assure usthat the inclusion of Women's Suffrage through an amendment of theGovernment Bill presented us with by far the best prospect of successwe had ever had. We worked as we had never worked before to secure thesuccess of this amendment or series of amendments. The session of 1912had lasted from January to December without the committee stage of theGovernment Bill being reached. This interminable session overflowedinto 1913 and the debate on the suffrage amendments of the GovernmentBill was dated to begin on January 24th of that year. On January 23rd, however, in reply to a question, the Speaker [Mr. Lowther] indicatedthat he would probably be compelled to rule that if the Bill wereamended so as to include the enfranchisement of women, he might feelobliged to rule that in this form it was not the same bill of whichthe second reading had been carried in July, and it would, therefore, have to be withdrawn and re-introduced! This ruling he confirmed onthe following Monday, January 27th. Therefore, every one of the fairpromises which Mr. Asquith had given us in November, 1911, proved tobe absolutely worthless. 

I do not accuse Mr. Asquith of anything worse at this stage thanblundering. He was manifestly confounded and distressed by theSpeaker's ruling. Whether this were due to the naming of the Bill orto Mr. Asquith's own speech on the second reading, "This is a bill toenfranchise male persons only, etc. ", we were not able to discover;but the net result was that he found himself in a position in which itwas impossible for him to fulfil the promises he had given us. Underthese circumstances he did not take the only honorable course open tohim, i. E. , of sending for us once more and asking us what we shouldconsider a reasonable equivalent for these unredeemed promises. He hadmade these promises five years back and had repeated them from time totime ever since. Now they were null and void. The only reasonableequivalent would have been the introduction of a Government ReformBill which included the enfranchisement of women. Probably Mr. Asquithknew that this was what we should urge; for he not only did not sendfor us but he refused to see us or consult us in any way. He tossedus, without our consent, the thoroughly worthless substitute of a dayfor a Private Member's Bill, such as we had had experience of time andagain ever since 1870. The N. U. W. S. S. Indignantly rejected this offerand took no interest in the proposed Bill, which was, however, introduced and given a day for second reading in May, 1913, when itwas defeated by a majority of 47. 

This discreditable series of incidents did far more harm to theGovernment than to the suffrage cause, as was very conclusively shownin the press. "Punch, " for instance, had a cartoon on Feb. 5, 1913, representing a dance in which Mr. Asquith figured as a defaultingpartner in a corner and trying to escape from an indignant woman whosaid, "You've cut my dance!" This was indicative of the general trendof public opinion. 

In the previous year the N. U. W. S. S. Had placed a new interpretation onits election policy. This was to support in elections irrespective ofparty "the best friend of Women's Suffrage. " After the defeat of theConciliation Bill in 1912 when 42 so-called "friends" voted againstit, we resolved in the future that the best friend was a man who wasnot only personally satisfactory but who also belonged to a partywhich had made Women's Suffrage a plank in its platform. This meantsupport for the Labour Party and for the development of this policy weraised a special fund called the Election Fighting Fund and tookactive steps in canvassing and speaking for Labour men whenever theypresented themselves as candidates for vacant seats. Our movement hadnow become the storm centre of English politics. A well known labourleader wrote of the political situation in February, 1913, as follows:"The Women's Suffrage question will now dominate British politicsuntil it is settled. It has within the last few weeks killed a greatGovernment measure and it has done more than that. It has made itimpossible for this or any succeeding Liberal Government to deal withfranchise reform without giving votes to women. The Labour Party willsee to that. "

In 1913 the N. U. W. S. S. Organised the greatest public demonstration ithad ever made. We called it The Pilgrimage. It meant processions ofnon-militant suffragists, wearing their badges and carrying banners, marching towards London along eight of the great trunk roads. Theseeight processions, many of them lasting several weeks, stopped attowns and villages on their way, held meetings, distributed literatureand collected funds. It was all a tremendous and unprecedentedsuccess, well organised and well done throughout. (Described in detailin The Women's Victory. ) The Pilgrimage made a very great impressionand was favourably commented on in the organs of the press which hadnever helped us before. We finished The Pilgrimage with a mass meetingin Hyde Park on July 26, where we had seventeen platforms, one foreach of our federations. We asked Mr. Asquith and the leaders of otherpolitical parties to receive a deputation from The Pilgrimage thefollowing week. They all accepted with the exception of Mr. JohnRedmond. When Mr. Asquith received us his demeanor was far lessunfriendly than it had ever been before. He admitted that the offerof a Private Member's Bill was no equivalent for the loss of a placein a Government Bill. He said: "Proceed as you have been proceeding, continue to the end, " and said if we could show that "a substantialmajority of the country was favourable to Women's Suffrage, Parliamentwould yield, as it had always hitherto done, to the opinion of thecountry. "

In May, 1914, suffrage ground was broken in the House of Lords by LordSelborne and Lord Lytton, who introduced a bill on the lines of theConciliation Bill, the latter making one of the most powerful speechesin our support to which we had ever listened. The Bill was rejected by104 to 60, but we were more than satisfied by the weight of thespeeches on our side and by the effect produced by them. Anotherimportant event which greatly helped our movement in 1914 was theprotest of the National Trade Union Congress on February 12th againstthe Government's failure to redeem its repeated pledges to women anddemanding "a Government Reform Bill which must include theenfranchisement of women. " This was followed by resolutions passed atthe annual conference of the National Labour Party re-affirming itsdecision "to oppose any further extension of the franchise to men inwhich women were not included. "

There must, according to law, have been a General Election in 1915 andthe remarkable progress of the women's cause made us feel confidentthat a Parliament would be elected deeply pledged to our support. Ourfriends were being elected and our enemies, including that worst typeof enemy, the false friend and the so-called Liberal afraid of his ownprinciples, were being rejected at by-elections in a manner thatforeshadowed a great gain to suffrage forces at the General Election. Then suddenly, destroying all our hopes of success and jeopardizingthe very existence of representative government and all forms ofdemocracy throughout the world, came the outbreak of war; the entry ofour own country and the resulting concentration of the vast majorityof the British people, whether men or women, in the gigantic nationaleffort which the successful resistance of such a foe demanded. August4, 1914, was a heart-breaking day for us. Nevertheless, suffragistsfrom the first faced the facts and saw clearly what their duty was. The "militants" instantly abandoned every sort of violence. A largenumber of the more active members of their societies formed theWomen's Emergency Corps, who were ready to undertake all kinds ofnational work which the exigencies of the situation demanded. TheN. U. W. S. S. Executive Committee meeting on August 3, the day before ourown country was actually involved, resolved to suspend immediately allpolitical propaganda for its own ends. Under normal circumstances weshould have summoned a Council meeting to discuss the situation and todetermine the course to be taken by the Union. This being impossibleowing to difficulties connected with railway communication weconsulted our societies, then numbering over 500, by post, placingthem in possession of our own views, viz. : that ordinary politicalwork would have to be suspended during the war and suggesting that ourbest course would be to use our staff and organising capacity inpromoting forms of work designed to mitigate the distress caused bythe war. We felt that our members would desire to be of service to theNation and that the N. U. W. S. S. Had in their organisation a specialgift which they could offer to their country. This view was endorsedby our societies with only two dissenting. 

On receiving this practically unanimous backing we further proceededto recommend distinct forms of active service. The Local GovernmentBoard had addressed a circular to Lord Mayors and Mayors and Chairmenof Town and County Councils directing them at once to form LocalRelief Committees to deal with any kind of distress caused by the war. We suggested to our societies that they should offer their services tohelp, each in its own district, in this national work. We also openedin different parts of the country forty workrooms in which womenthrown out of work by the war found employment. We established bureauxfor the registration of voluntary workers and gradually our workspread in all directions; help for the Belgian refugees, the startingof clubs and canteens for soldiers and sailors, clubs for soldiers'wives, work in connection with the Sailors' and Soldiers' FamiliesAssociation, patrol work in the neighborhood of soldiers' trainingcamps, Red Cross work, conducting French classes for our men intraining. A very large number of our societies concentrated onmaternity and child welfare work; others in country districts took upfruit picking and preserving in order to conserve the national foodsupplies. It is really impossible to mention all our variousactivities. These were included under a general heading adopted at aProvincial Council meeting held in November, 1914, urging "oursocieties and all members of the Union to continue by every means intheir power all efforts which had for their object the sustaining ofthe vital energies of the Nation so long as such special efforts maybe required. "

The war work with which the name of the N. U. W. S. S. Is most widelyknown was the formation of the Scottish Women's Hospitals for ForeignService. This was initiated and organised by the Hon. Sec. Of ourScottish Federation, Dr. Elsie Inglis, and was backed by the whole ofthe N. U. W. S. S. (See Life of Dr. E. Inglis by Lady Frances Balfour. )Meeting at first with persistent snubbing from the Royal Army MedicalCorps and the British Red Cross, Dr. Inglis formed her first hospitalat the Abbaye de Royaument about thirty miles from Paris, officeredentirely by women. Other units on similar lines quickly followed inFrance and Serbia. Their work was magnificent and was rapidlyrecognised as such by the military authorities and by all who came incontact with it. These hospitals probably produced by the example oftheir high standard of professional efficiency and personal devotion apermanent influence on the development of the women's movement inthose countries where they were located. They received no farthing ofgovernment money but raised the 428, 856 pounds, which their auditedaccounts show as their net total to August 3, 1919, entirely byprivate subscription from all over the world including, of course, theUnited States. 

The N. U. W. S. S. Were very early in the field of women's national workduring the war because their members were already organised andaccustomed to work together, but it is no exaggeration to say that thewhole of the women of the country of all classes, suffragist andanti-suffragist, threw themselves into work for the nation in a waythat had never been anticipated by those who had judged women bypre-war standards. Into munition work and all kinds of manufacturingactivity they crowded in their thousands. They worked on the land andundertook many kinds of labour that had hitherto been supposed to bebeyond their strength and capacity. By what was called the Treasuryagreement of 1915 the Trade Unions were induced to suspend theoperation of their rules excluding the employment of female labour. They bargained that women should be paid the same as men for the sameoutput and the Government agreed not to use the women as a reservoirof cheap labour. Thus industrial liberty was ensured for women atleast so long as the war should last. 

All these things combined to produce an enormous effect on publicopinion. Newspapers were full of the praises of women; financiers, statesmen, economists and politicians declared that without the aid ofwomen it would be impossible to win the war. The anti-suffragism ofMr. Asquith even was beginning to crumble. In speaking of the heroicdeath of Edith Cavell in Belgium in October, 1915, he said: "She hastaught the bravest men among us a supreme lesson of courage; yes . .. And there are thousands of such women and a year ago we did not knowit. " Almost the whole of the press was on our side. The general tonewas that it would be difficult to refuse woman a voice in the controlof affairs after the splendid way in which she had justified her claimto it. We old suffragists felt that we were living in a new worldwhere everyone agreed with us. Nevertheless, I do not believe weshould have won the vote just when we did if it had not been that, through the action of the Government itself, it was absolutelynecessary to introduce legislation in order to prevent the almosttotal disfranchisement of many millions of men who had been servingtheir country abroad in the Navy and Army, or in munition or otherwork which had withdrawn them from the places where they usuallyresided. 

It may be necessary to explain to non-British readers that by far themost important qualification for the Parliamentary franchise in thiscountry before 1918 was the occupation of premises, and before a mancould be put on the register of voters it was necessary for its ownerto prove "occupation" of these premises for twelve months previous tothe last 15th of July. Seven out of every eight voters were placed onthe register through this qualification. It was not a propertyqualification, for the tiniest cottage at a shilling a week couldqualify its occupier for a vote if he had fulfilled the condition justdescribed; and a man might be a millionaire without getting a vote ifhe were not in occupation of qualifying premises. Before the war theregister of voters was kept up to date by annual revision. The war, however, made this difficult and the Government in 1915 gavedirections that this annual revision should be abandoned. As the warwent on, the existing register, therefore, rapidly became more andmore out of date. Millions of the best men in the country had becomedisqualified through their war service by giving up their qualifyingpremises. The House of Commons again and again postponed the date ofthe General Election but the occasional by-elections which took placeproved that there was no register in existence on which it would bemorally possible to appeal to the country. The old, the feeble, theslacker, the crank, the conscientious objector would all be left infull strength and the fighting men would be disfranchised. AParliament elected on such a register would, Mr. Asquith declared, bewholly lacking in moral authority. Therefore, by sheer necessity theGovernment was forced to introduce legislation dealing with the wholefranchise question as it affected the male voter. A CoalitionGovernment of the Liberal, Conservative and Labour Parties had beenformed in 1915. This improved suffrage prospects, for many of the newmen joining the Government, more especially Lord Robert Cecil, theEarl of Selborne and the Earl of Lytton, were warm supporters of ourcause; while in making room for these newscomers, Mr. Asquith found itpossible to dispense with the services of men of the type of SirCharles Hobhouse, Mr. A. J. Pease and others who were our opponents. The formation of a Coalition Government helped us in another way. Neither of the great parties, Conservative and Liberal, had beenunanimous on the women's question and the heads of these parties livedin terror of smashing up their party by pledging themselves todefinite action on our side. Mr. Gladstone had broken up the LiberalParty in 1886 by advocating Irish Home Rule, and Mr. Balfour and Mr. Chamberlain had broken up the Conservative Party by advocatingProtection in 1903-4. Each of these had, in consequence, a prolongedsojourn in the wilderness of Opposition. But now a Government wasformed in which all the parties were represented except the IrishNationalists, who had refused to join, and therefore our friends inboth the old parties could give free rein to their disposition to makeWomen's Suffrage a reality without dread of bringing disaster on theirorganisations. The attitude of the N. U. W. S. S. And seventeen otherConstitutional Suffrage Societies who had united to form aConsultative Committee, was quite clear as to the line we should takeunder these circumstances. In various ways and by repeatedcommunications, letters, memorials and deputations we kept theGovernment informed that if their intentions with regard to the newregister were limited simply to replacing upon it the names of the menwho had lost their vote through their patriotic service, we should notpress our own claim; but if on the other hand the Governmentdetermined to proceed by creating a new basis for the franchise, orchanging the law in any way which would result in the addition of alarge number of men to the register, without doing anything for women, we should use every means in our power within the limits of lawfulagitation to bring the case for the enfranchisement of women beforeParliament and the country. 

Mr. Asquith answered a communication from us on these lines in May, 1916, with the greatest politeness but said that "no such legislationwas at present in contemplation. " However, within the next fortnightit was in contemplation and the Government made repeated attempts todeal with the situation by the creation of a special register. All theattempts were rejected by the House of Commons, which evidently wantedthe subject dealt with on broader and more comprehensive lines. OnAugust 14 Mr. Asquith, in introducing yet another Special RegisterBill, announced his conversion to Women's Suffrage! This was an adventof great importance to our movement, for it virtually made the LiberalParty a Suffrage Party, but the Parliamentary difficulty was notremoved, for the Government was still nibbling at the question bytrying to deal with it by little amendments to the law relating tothe registration of voters. At last a way out was devised. Mr. WalterLong, president of the local government board, a typical conservativecountry gentleman and at that time an anti-suffragist, made thesuggestion that the whole question of Electoral Reform, including theenfranchisement of women, should be referred to a non-partyConference, consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament andpresided over by the Speaker. Mr. Asquith concurred and Parliamentagreed. Women's Suffrage was only one of many subjects connected withElectoral Reform which had to be dealt with by the Conference but itis not too much to say that if it had not been for the urgency of theclaim of women to representation the Conference would never have beenbrought into existence. 

The members of this Conference were chosen by the Speaker, who wascareful to give equal representation to suffragists andanti-suffragists. Sir John Simon and Sir Willoughby Dickinson, membersof the Conference, were very active and skilful in organising theforces in our favour. The Conference was called into being in October, 1916, and began its sittings at once. A ministerial crisis whichoccurred in December resulted in the resignation of Mr. Asquith andthe appointment of Mr. Lloyd George as his successor. The Speakerenquired of the new Prime Minister if he desired the Conference tocontinue its labours. The reply was an emphatic affirmative. TheConference reported on January 27, 1917. Everyone knows that itrecommended by a majority, some said a large majority, the granting ofsome measure of suffrage to women. Put as briefly as possible thefranchise recommended for women was "household franchise, " and for thepurposes of the bill a woman was reckoned to be a householder not onlyif she was so in her own right but if she were the wife of ahouseholder. An age limit of thirty was imposed upon women, notbecause it was in any way logical or reasonable but simply and solelyin order to produce a constituency in which the men were notout-numbered by the women. 

Some few weeks earlier we had heard on unimpeachable authority thatthe new Prime Minister was "very keen and very practical" on ourquestion and was prepared to introduce legislation upon it withoutdelay. He no doubt remembered how emphatically he had told us in 1911of the extreme value of the promises which had been made to us by Mr. Asquith, and how in our meeting in the Albert Hall in the followingMarch he had referred to the doubt which some suffragists hadexpressed upon the worth of these promises as "an imputation of deepdishonour which he absolutely declined to contemplate. " He had in 1911put into writing and sent as a message to the _Common Cause_, theofficial organ of the N. U. W. S. S. , a statement of his conviction thatMr. Asquith's promises made the carrying of a Women's Suffrageamendment to next year's franchise bill a certainty and he had offeredhis personal help to bring this about. It has already been describedhow all these confident hopes had been brought to nought; but now, December, 1916, within a fortnight of becoming Prime Minister, Mr. Lloyd George let us know that he was not only ready but keen to goforward on practical lines. When Parliament met we asked the PrimeMinister to receive a large and representative deputation of women whohad worked for their country during the war. Our object was to ask himto legislate at once on the lines recommended by the Speaker'sConference but we were pushing an open door. 

The new Prime Minister had arranged to receive us on March 29, 1917, and on the 28th Mr. Asquith had moved a resolution in the House ofCommons, and his motion had been agreed to by 341 votes to 62, callingfor the early introduction of legislation based on the recommendationsof the Speaker's Conference. When our deputation waited on Mr. LloydGeorge the following day he was able to inform us that he had alreadyinstructed the Government draftsman to draw up a bill on these lines. The debate in the House on March 28 had turned mainly on Women'sSuffrage and the immense majority in support of Mr. Asquith's motionwas rightly regarded as a suffrage triumph. Every leader of everyparty in the House of Commons had taken part in the debate and hadexpressed his support of the enfranchisement of women. The Governmentwhips had not been put on and throughout the debates which followedthe Bill was not treated as a Government but as a House of Commonsmeasure. The victory, therefore, was all the more welcome to usbecause it was the result of a free vote of the House. Mr. Asquith'sretraction of his former errors was quite handsome. He said, amongother things, that his "eyes which for years in this matter had beenclouded by fallacies and sealed by illusions at last had been openedto the truth. " It required a European War on the vastest scale thatthe world had ever known to shake him out of his fallacies andillusions, and many of us felt that it would have been better if aless terrible convulsion had sufficed to awaken him, but still, now hewas awakened, he was prompt in owning he had been in the wrong andtherefore no more was to be said. The subsequent stages of thisRepresentation of the People Bill were a series of triumphs for thesuffrage cause. The second reading debate was taken on May 22d and 23dand again turned almost entirely on the women's question; the majoritywas 329 to 40. When the Bill was in Committee and the clausesenfranchising women were taken up on June 19 the majority was 385 to55, or exactly seven to one. On June 20 a last division was made, whenthe number of anti-suffragists was only 17. 

Our friends in the Speaker's Conference had so often impressed on usthe danger of departing, even in the direction of obvious improvement, from its recommendations that we had carefully abstained from urgingany deviation from them; but when the immense majorities just quotedshowed that the Bill and our clauses in it were safe beyond aperadventure, we did press very strongly that the same principleshould be applied to Municipal suffrage for women which had alreadybeen sanctioned by the House for the Parliamentary Suffrage, namely, that the wives of householders should be recognized as householders, which would entitle them to vote. On November 15 an amendment to thiseffect was moved but was not accepted by the Government. There werevigorous protests in our favour from all parts of the House and thedebate on it was adjourned. During the interval the N. U. W. S. S. Andother societies with whom we were cooperating bombarded the leader ofthe House and the Minister in charge of the bill with letters andtelegrams in support of the amendment. These produced a good effectand on November 20, Government opposition having been withdrawn, theamendment was agreed to without a division. Thus without the existenceof a single woman voter but on the strength of her coming intoexistence within the next few months, the women on the Municipalregisters of Great Britain and Ireland were increased in number fromabout one million to over eight-and-a-half millions. And yet LordBryce and the other anti-suffragists assured us that the vote wouldmake no difference!

In the House of Commons a third reading of the Representation of thePeople Bill was taken on December 7 without a division. The Bill wasnow safely through the Commons but its passage through the Lords hadyet to be undertaken. The second reading debate began on December 17and lasted two days. No one could predict what would happen; LordCurzon, president of the Anti-Suffrage League, was leader of the Houseand chief representative of the Government. The Lord Chancellor [LordFinlay], who is in the chair in House of Lords' debates, was anenvenomed opponent. Among other influential Peers whom we knew as ourenemies were Lord Lansdowne, Lord Halsbury, Lord Balfour of Burleighand Lord Bryce. On the other hand we could count on the support ofLord Selborne, Lord Lytton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishopof London, Lord Courtney and Lord Milner. We looked forward to thedebate and the divisions in the Lords with considerable trepidation. The Lords have no constituents, they have no seats to fight for anddefend. It is therefore impossible to influence them by anyelectioneering arts but we sent to all the Peers a carefully wordedand influentially signed memorandum setting forth the chief facts andarguments in our favour. The second reading of the Bill was taken inthe Lords without a division, the most important speech against itbeing Lord Bryce's; he insisted again and again that the possession ofa vote made no difference. Lord Sydenham had the courage (!) to assertthat the suffrage movement had made no progress in America, and, whileadmitting that it had lately been adopted in the State of New York, nodoubt thought that he was giving a fair description when he said: "InAmerica . .. Fourteen States have refused the franchise to women andtwo, Montana and Nevada, have granted it. The population of thefourteen States is 43, 000, 000 and that of the two States is 500, 000. "(Twelve States had fully enfranchised their women. )

The real fight in the House of Lords began on Jan. 8, 1918, when thecommittee stage was reached. The debate lasted three days and onClause IV, which enfranchised women, Lord Selborne made anextraordinarily powerful and eloquent speech in its favour. The Housewas filled and the excitement on both sides was intense. As we weresitting crowded in the small pen allotted to ladies not Peeresses inthe Upper House on January 10th we received a cable saying the Houseof Representatives in Washington had accepted the Women's SuffrageAmendment to the Federal Constitution by the necessary two-thirdsmajority. This we hailed as a good omen. No one knew what LordSydenham thought of it! The most exciting moment was when Lord Curzonrose to close the debate. The first part of his speech was devoted toa description of the disasters which he believed would follow from theadoption of women's franchise but the second part was occupied bygiving very good reasons for not voting against it. He reminded theirLordships of the immense majorities by which it had been supported inthe House of Commons, by majorities in every party "including those towhich most of your Lordships belong. .. . Your Lordships can vote as youplease; you can cut this clause out of the Bill--you have a perfectright to do so--but if you think that by killing the clause you canalso save the Bill, I believe you to be mistaken. .. . The House ofCommons will return it to you with the clause re-inserted. Will you beprepared to put it back?. .. " Before he sat down Lord Curzon announcedhis intention of not voting at all, for the reason that if he had doneotherwise he "might be accused of having precipitated a conflict fromwhich your Lordships could not emerge with credit. " The division wastaken almost immediately after the conclusion of this speech. Both ofthe Archbishops and the twelve Bishops present voted for the bill. Ourclause was carried by 134 votes to 71, and Women's Suffrage was, therefore, supported in the Lords by nearly two to one. The Lordsinserted in it among other things Proportional Representation. It wason this and not on women's suffrage that the final contest took placewhen it was returned to the Commons, but at last the long struggle ofwomen for free citizenship was ended, having continued a little overfifty years. The huge majorities by which we had won in the House ofCommons had afforded our ship deep water enough to float safely overthe rocks and reefs of the House of Lords. The Royal Assent was givenon Feb. 6, 1918. 

The first election at which women voted was held on December 14. Ourfriends in the Speaker's Conference had aimed at producing aconstituency numbering roughly about 10, 000, 000 men and 6, 000, 000women. The actual numbers of both sexes enfranchised by the Act of1918 turned out to be considerably in excess of this calculation. AParliamentary return published in November, 1918, showed the followingnumbers of men and women on the register. 

 _Men. _ 12, 913, 166 Naval and Military Voters 3, 896, 763 16, 809, 929

 _Women. _ 8, 479, 156 Naval and Military Voters 3, 372 8, 482, 528

At the annual Council meeting of the National Union of Women'sSuffrage Societies held in March, 1918, its object was changed byformal vote. It was no longer necessary to concentrate on Women'sSuffrage and we adopted as our object "To obtain all such reforms asare necessary to secure a real equality of liberties, status andopportunities between men and women. " No change of name was made untilthe following year when a revised constitution was adopted and thename was modified in accordance with our present object. We have nowbecome the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship and wehope that the letters N. U. S. E. C. Will soon become as familiar andas dear to our members as N. U. W. S. S. Were in the old days. At thesame meeting I retired from the presidency and my friend andcolleague, Miss Eleanor Rathbone, was elected in my place. 

[216] In 1907 Acts of parliament for England, Wales and Scotland (andone for Ireland in 1911) made women eligible as members of Town, County, Burgh and Borough Councils and as chairmen of these bodies, including the right to be Mayors and Provosts, Aldermen and Baillies, with the limitation that women appointed to an office carrying with itthe right to be Justices of the Peace should be incapacitated from soacting. These Acts though non-contentious in the party sense requiredfourteen years' strenuous work to secure their adoption as Governmentmeasures. This was achieved during Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman'spremiership, the necessary legislation being announced in the King'sSpeech as part of the Government programme. 

In 1918 the Qualification of Women Act for the United Kingdom madewomen eligible to the House of Commons. The Bill passed almost withoutopposition through both Houses and became law in the week endingNovember 16. As the General Election took place on December 14 therewas little time for preparation, nevertheless, there were seventeenwomen candidates and one, the Countess Makievicz, a Sinn Feiner, waselected but refused to take her seat. The fact that her husband was aforeigner made it doubtful whether she would have been allowed to doso, though an Irishwoman by birth. In 1919 Viscountess Astor waselected for Plymouth. 

In 1919 the Sex Disqualification Removal Act for the United Kingdomwent some way but not the whole way towards the fulfilment of thepledge given by the Coalition Government of Mr. Lloyd George inDecember, 1918, "to remove existing inequalities in the law as betweenmen and women. " A much more complete bill had been introduced by theLabour Party early in the session, which passed through all its stagesin the House of Commons notwithstanding Government opposition but wasdefeated in the House of Lords and the Government changelingsubstituted. This Act, though it did not give women the parliamentaryvote on the same terms as men nor admit them to the civil service onequal terms, and though the clause specifically conferring on themeligibility to the House of Lords was cut out, contained, nevertheless, important provisions in the direction of equality. Itallowed them to sit on juries, be Justices of the Peace, sworn in aspolice officers, enter the legal profession and made it possible forthe Universities of Oxford and Cambridge to admit women to membershipand degrees on equal terms with men. 

The only important advance in education after 1900 was the throwingopen to women by the Governing Body of Trinity College, Dublin, ofdegrees, membership and all privileges pertaining thereto in 1903. Allthe universities in the United Kingdom, with the exception of Oxfordand Cambridge, have been for many years open to women and in November, 1919, a Royal Commission was appointed to enquire into their financialresources and into the administration and application of theseresources. On the commission, Miss Penrose of Somerville College, Oxford, and Miss B. A. Clough of Newnham College, Cambridge, thewomen's colleges, were appointed as members. An Act of Parliamentlater enabled both universities to grant membership, degrees and allprivileges to women. Oxford availed itself of these powers withoutdelay. Cambridge in December, 1920, refused to do so by a large vote, but it will ultimately have to open its doors. 

FOOTNOTES:

[215] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. MillicentGarrett Fawcett, J. P. , LL. D. , who has been prominently connected withthe movement for women's suffrage in Great Britain for nearly fiftyyears and was President of the National Association from 1904, when itwas re-organized, until after the victory was won in 1918. 

[216] Accompanying this chapter was a complete list of laws in theinterest of women enacted by the Parliament beginning in 1902, prepared by Miss Chrystal Macmillan, M. A. , B. Sc. The lack of spacewhich has compelled the omission of similar laws from all of the Statechapters makes it necessary in this one. Three of importancepolitically are given. --Ed. 

CHAPTER LII. 

WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN BRITISH COLONIES. 

In granting the complete franchise to a part of her women in 1918Great Britain followed all of her self-governing colonies, which, withthe exception of South Africa, had given the full suffrage on the sameterms as exercised by men. New Zealand, Australia and Canada gaveMunicipal suffrage at early dates, extending from 1867 in New SouthWales to 1894 in the Northwest Territories of Canada. 

NEW ZEALAND. 

New Zealand was the first country in the world to give full suffrageto women, its Parliament in 1893 conferring the franchise on allpersons over 21. In case of women, however, this did not include theright to sit in Parliament, and, although efforts to secure this rightwere made at intervals during all the following years, the bill for itseveral times passing the Lower House, they were not successful until1919. The unvarying record has been that the registration and vote ofwomen have nearly averaged those of men and in some instances haveexceeded them. In the election of 1919 the registration of men was355, 000; of women, 328, 320. New Zealand is noted for its advancedlegislation. 

AUSTRALIA. 

In 1901 the six States of Australia federated in a commonwealth with aNational Parliament and one of its earliest acts in June, 1902, was toconfer the complete universal suffrage on women and eligibility tothis body. About 800, 000 women were thus enfranchised. This action hadbeen preceded by the granting of the State suffrage by theLegislatures in South Australia in 1894 and in West Australia in 1899and this was done in New South Wales in August, 1902. Women receivedthe State suffrage in Tasmania and Queensland in 1905, Victoria in1908. South Australia was the only one that gave the right to sit inthe Legislature with the State suffrage. This eligibility was notconferred until 1919 in New South Wales and Victoria; 1920 in WestAustralia and does not yet exist in Tasmania and Queensland. One mustbe a property owner to be a municipal voter or office holder. 

Australia has largely substituted advanced legislation for women forthe English Common Law. The statistics relating to the voting of womenfollow closely those of New Zealand. There never has been a proposalto take away the political privileges of women, which could be done byan Act of Parliament. On the contrary during the years when thecontest for woman suffrage was being carried on in Great Britain itsParliament was more than once urged by that of Australia to grant it. In 1917, when the struggle was at its height, the strongest possiblememorial was adopted by the National Parliament of Australia, whichsaid:

 Appreciating the blessings of self-government in Australia through adult suffrage, and appreciating the desire of Your Majesty's Government to vindicate the claims of the small nations to self-government, we are confident that Your Majesty will recognize the justice of the same claim in the case of the small nation of women in Your Majesty's kingdom--women who, in this great crisis in the history of the British Empire . .. Have proved themselves as worthy soldiers as those on the battlefield, and as worthy of the protection of the ballot, which is conceded to men. .. . We are deeply interested in the welfare of the women of the Empire and we again humbly petition Your Majesty to endow them with that right of self-government for which they have petitioned for nearly three-quarters of a century. 

The most prominent statesmen of Australia and New Zealand in theirvisits to Great Britain, Canada and the United States have giventestimony as to the benefits of woman suffrage. 

DOMINION OF CANADA. 

When Volume IV of this History was written in 1900 four pages sufficedfor an account of woman suffrage in Canada. It was confined to aMunicipal or School franchise or both in the Provinces for widows andspinsters, and in some of them married women were included. Thisprivilege began in Ontario in 1884 and the situation remainedunchanged until 1916, when the World War, which brought the fullenfranchisement of women in many countries, began to have its effectin Canada. For the large amount of valuable material from which thefollowing brief résumé is made the History is indebted to Dr. AugustaStowe Gullen, a leader of the woman suffrage movement. Its foundationwas laid in 1878 and following years by the mother of Dr. Gullen, thepioneer woman physician, Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, a friend andcontemporary of Susan B. Anthony[217]. Dr. Stowe was a founder and thefirst president of the Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Association, which secured many privileges for women. 

The first woman suffrage society was organized in 1883 in the citycouncil chamber of Toronto with the Mayor in the chair. Mrs. DonaldMcEwan was made president and other officers were Dr. Stowe, Miss MaryMcDonnell and Dr. James L. Hughes, afterwards Inspector of Schools. Petitions were sent to the Dominion Parliament and bills presented butwhen in the late 90's the Electoral Act was changed to make thevoters' list for its members coincide with the lists in the Provinces, the latter became in a large measure the battle ground, although theefforts for a national law were not discontinued. The movement forProhibition had a strong influence in the granting of woman suffragein the Provinces and it was hastened by the splendid war work of thewomen. 

The first Provincial Legislature to enfranchise women was that ofManitoba, Jan 27, 1916. A convention of the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union as early as July, 1902, passed a resolution to pressthe work for it and later in the year the Labor Party endorsed equalsuffrage through its paper, _The Voice_, and its officers affiliatedwith the suffrage club. Dr. Amelia Yeomans was a devoted worker. In1906 when there was a prospect that the Municipal vote would be takenaway from married women property owners, the Liberal party conventionmade its retention a plank in their platform but the ConservativeLegislature abolished it. In 1907 it was restored. In 1913 the womensucceeded in getting a full suffrage bill before one House of theLegislature, which was defeated by 21 to 14 votes. The next year theLiberal Party pledged itself to give the complete franchise if it wonthe election. It did so and the women rolled up a big petition as abacking. Premier Norris and the Cabinet supported the bill. TheExecutive Board of the Political Equality League were invited to seatson the floor of the House the day of the third reading and the billgiving women equal suffrage and eligibility was passed amid greatenthusiasm by unanimous vote. 

The suffragists of Alberta began extensive work in 1910 to have theMunicipal franchise possessed by widows and spinsters extended tomarried women and the agitation was continued to include the fullsuffrage. Following the example of Manitoba Premier A. L. Siftonannounced on Feb. 24, 1916, before the Legislature opened, that theGovernment would introduce a woman suffrage bill of the widest scope. The bill passed in Alberta in March with the full approval of pressand people and the suffragists met at once in the home of Mrs. NellieMcClung at Edmonton to arrange for taking up their new duties. Mrs. O. C. Edwards had been a ceaseless worker here and in Saskatchewan. In1914 the first woman Judge in Canada, Mrs. Jamieson, president of theLocal Council of Women of Calgary, was appointed by the AttorneyGeneral as Commissioner of the Juvenile Court. In February, 1918, twowomen, Mrs. L. M. McKinney and Miss Roberta McAdams, a Lieutenant onthe staff of the Canadian military hospital in Orpington, Kent, wereelected to the Legislature, the first women legislators in the BritishEmpire. 

In 1910 the women of Saskatchewan sent in petitions, some of themendorsed by city councils, asking Municipal suffrage for marriedwomen, but the Government refused it. In opening the Legislature onMar. 14, 1916, Lieutenant Governor Lake said: "In future years the oneoutstanding feature of your program will be the full enfranchisementof women. " The suffragists of the Province had been organized aboutfive years and the president of the Franchise Board, Mrs. F. A. Lawton, had presented to Premier Scott a petition signed by 10, 000names to show that public sentiment was in favor of this action. Heanswered that he could give them a definite answer and, as he hadalready announced, their request would be granted. He said thatalthough Manitoba had been the first to give women the suffrage thoseof Saskatchewan would be the first to have a chance to use it. At anearly and full meeting of the Legislature a number of members spoke infavor of it and it passed practically without opposition. In 1919 Mrs. M. O. Ramsden was elected to the Legislature. 

In 1902 a petition for woman suffrage was presented to the Governmentin British Columbia and refused. Another effort was made in 1903 butthe subject was not brought before the Legislature until 1906, when itdefeated a bill. In 1908 it took away the Municipal franchise fromwomen householders. The women's clubs in Victoria secured 1, 000 namesin three days protesting against this action. Mr. Naden, Liberalmember from Greenwood, introduced a bill restoring it, supported byhis party, but it was defeated. The Council of Women, at its Novembermeeting, adopted a resolution "to do all in its power to promote thewoman suffrage cause. " It was the first Local Council in Canada toendorse this cause and later held two public meetings in its interest. In 1910 extensive work was done to regain the Municipal franchise. In1911 nine important amendments to the very reprehensible lawsconcerning women and children were submitted to the Legislature by theCouncil through the Attorney General and one was passed. In the autumnthe Political Equality Club was re-organized in Victoria, Mrs. GordonGrant, president, and in December at a Provincial Conference inVancouver she assisted in organizing one there; Mrs. Lashley Hall, president--later Mrs. C. Townley--and Miss Lily Laverock, secretary. The two societies organized a large deputation to wait upon theAttorney General and solicit better property laws for women, equalguardianship of children for mothers, the right taken away fromfathers to dispose of their guardianship by will and other equallyneeded laws. They also memorialized the Legislature for the fullProvincial suffrage for women. On Feb. 15, 1913, fifty women in theProvince presented a petition of 10, 000 names to the Premier, askingthat suffrage on equal terms with men be given to women and on the19th he answered that as a matter of Government policy it wasimpossible. 

The agitation increased and continued until the full enfranchisementof women in the three great Provinces to the east brought thequestion to a climax. Even then, however, it was not allowed to besettled by the Legislature, as it had been in those Provinces, but onApril 14, 1916, Premier Bowser stated that the Elections Act, whichprovided for allowing a vote to soldiers over 18, would include womenand would be submitted to a referendum of the electors. This was doneby the Legislature, which met May 31, and the election took placeSeptember 15. The amendment was carried by an immense majority inevery district, about two to one, and later this was increased by thelarge favorable majority of the absent soldiers, who were entitled tovote. It went into effect March 1, 1917. The area of Canadianterritory in which women were now enfranchised extended from Ontarioto the Pacific Ocean. In 1919 Mrs. Ralph Smith, widow of the Ministerof Finance, was elected to the Legislature and in 1921 she was madeSpeaker, the first instance on record. 

The struggle for woman suffrage in Canada was now centered in theProvince of Ontario, where it began in 1883, and it was largelycarried on during much of the time by the Dominion Women'sEnfranchisement Association, which had been incorporated in 1889. Dr. Augusta Stowe Gullen became its president in 1903, after the death ofher mother, Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, and held it until 1911. While itsprincipal object was the Dominion or National franchise for all womenit was for years at the head of the effort for the Provincial suffragein Ontario. In 1905, in connection with the Woman's ChristianTemperance Union, it organized a very representative deputation towait upon the Premier to ask that the Municipal vote possessed bywidows and spinsters be extended to married women. He said that'neither he nor any other statesman had placed woman where she was;that the Infinite was at work and woman being a part of the Divineplan her place was assigned by a greater power. ' In 1906 a deputationfrom the association, headed by Dr. Stowe Gullen, with Dr. MargaretGordon and Mrs. Flora McDonald Denison as speakers, called on theMayor and Council of Toronto and asked them to pass a resolution forthe extension of this Municipal franchise. They did so and sent it bythis deputation to the Legislature. As a result a bill for it wasintroduced and after a day's fun and sarcasm in the House it wasdefeated by 69 to 2. 

In 1907 the Dominion Association at its annual meeting changed itsname to the Canadian Suffrage Association. In 1908 it decided not tomemorialize the Government but to make greater efforts to organize andfor this purpose Mrs. Denison, vice-president and official organizer, visited Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. On March 24, 1909, theassociation sent a deputation of 1, 000 of its members to the House ofParliament to ask for full suffrage for the women of Ontario. Dr. Stowe Gullen presented with a strong argument a petition whichrepresented 100, 000 names and many important organizations, among themthe Women's University Clubs, Women Teachers' Association, MedicalAlumnae of the University of Toronto, Progressive Club, Trades andLabor Council, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Woman's Christian Temperance Union and Dominion TemperanceAssociation. There were prominent men and women speakers. Sir JamesWhitney, the Premier, answered adversely. The crowds were so greatthat Cabinet ministers could not gain admittance but all thisdemonstration resulted in no action. Allan Studholme, Labor memberfrom East Hamilton, introduced a bill for woman suffrage, which wasdefeated. 

In 1910 all the members throughout the Province were written to orinterviewed by suffragists, but the woman suffrage bill of the labormembers was defeated. Through the efforts of Mrs. Denison, Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst and Mrs. Philip Snowden of England came to Torontoand lectured in Massey Hall to immense audiences. Dr. Gordon attendedthe annual meeting of the National Council of Women in Halifax andpresented a motion that "the Council place itself on record in favorof the enfranchisement of women. " This was seconded by Dr. Rachel Toddin behalf of the Medical Alumnae, University of Toronto. After muchdiscussion it was carried and this large and influential organizationwas brought into the movement. The Local Council of Toronto adopted aresolution to the same effect. 

In 1911 the association organized another deputation to wait upon thePremier March 4, who were introduced by William Munns, the secretary. The bill introduced by Mr. Studholme, seconded by W. Proudfoot, Liberal from Center Huron after three days' discussion was lost. Before the Provincial elections the association sent a letter to allcandidates and twenty-five answered that they would vote for womansuffrage if elected. In June Dr. Stowe Gullen resigned the presidencyand Mrs. Denison was chosen in her place and Mrs. William Munns waselected secretary. Mrs. Denison, who was an ardent suffragist, anindefatigable worker and a fine organizer, edited a page in theToronto _Sunday World_ each week devoted to woman suffrage, which wasof immeasurable value. She represented the association at the meetingsof the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in Copenhagen in 1906 andin Budapest in 1913. This last year she organized a delegation andwent with them to take part in the suffrage parade in Washington, D. C. , March 3. 

In 1912 three suffrage bills were introduced. A resolution was movedby Mr. Marshall, Liberal, from Lincoln, seconded by Mr. Bowman, Liberal whip, but no bill was passed. Bills were presented every yearonly to be voted down by the Conservative Government. N. W. Rowell, the Liberal leader, pledged the support of his party in a non-partisanmeasure but in vain. 

In 1912 Mrs. Denison secured for a deputation an interview with SirRobert L. Borden, Prime Minister of Canada, to ask that the DominionParliament should grant a national franchise to women. He stated thedifficulties in the way, as the Election Act provided that theProvincial lists of voters were in force for the election of themembers of the Dominion Parliament and if the Provinces did not firstgrant the suffrage to women the cost and work would be required ofpreparing new lists of the women voters. He said that each Provincemust enfranchise its women before the Federal Government could act andno Province had done so at this time. 

In 1914 Dr. Gordon, president of the Toronto Suffrage Society, organized an influential deputation from its members which asked thecity council to submit to the voters at the approaching local electionthe question of extending to married women the Municipal franchise nowpossessed by widows and spinsters simply to ascertain their opinion. This was done and the measure was carried by a majority of 13, 713. During 1914, 1915 and 1916 Dr. Gordon sent a letter to the councils ofthe other cities, towns, villages and rural communities asking them tohold a referendum or to pass a resolution in favor of this extensionand send it to the Government. The letters were followed by asuccessful campaign in the municipalities by the society. As a result33 referenda were held, all giving favorable majorities, and about 160other municipal governments memorialized the Ontario Legislature infavor. Dr. Gullen published an open letter describing these efforts. They had no effect on the Legislature nor did it make any concessionsto the women even in the way of much needed better laws, for whichthey petitioned. 

At the annual meeting of the Canadian Suffrage Association, October 30Mrs. Denison resigned the presidency and Dr. Gordon was elected. Onthe 31st the members put on record the work of its beloved founder andone of the originators of the National Council of Women by presentinga bronze bust of Dr. Emily Howard Stowe to the city of Toronto. It wasofficially received by the Mayor and placed in the main corridor ofMunicipal Hall, the first memorial of this kind to any woman inCanada. 

This year the National Council of Women took a firm stand and urgedthat each Province fully enfranchise its women and asked the DominionParliament to grant the Federal vote to women. In 1915 the Ontariosociety sent another deputation to the Legislature to ask for theMunicipal franchise and reminded the Premier, Sir William Hearst, ofthe favorable verdict that had been given by the voters. He answeredthat "it had not been proved that the influence of women for goodwould be increased by the possession of the franchise. " When asked ifhe would submit the question of their full suffrage to the voters ofthe Province he replied that this would mean only a vote by the menand he was most desirous to ascertain the wishes of the women! Noattention was paid to either request. In 1916 the association againwent to the Legislature with a petition but Mr. Studholme's bill wasdefeated. This year came the complete enfranchisement of women in allthe Provinces between Ontario and the Pacific Ocean. The women ofCanada had given their full share of the work and sacrifices demandedby the war for two years but in the Province of Ontario not theslightest recognition had been shown of their right to a voice in theGovernment. 

The franchise societies and the W. C. T. U. Canvassed the wholeProvince, circulating a monster petition for the full Provincialfranchise. A group of women in Toronto organized an Anti-SuffrageAssociation and called a public meeting at which the suffragists weredenounced for "pressing their claims when all the thought and effortof the Government should be given to the demands of the war. " Up to1917 neither the Liberal nor Conservative party had shown the leastfavor to woman suffrage but now the former, which was out of power, made it a plank of its platform and its leader, N. W. Rowell, onFebruary 20 at the opening of Parliament moved an amendment to thespeech from the throne providing for the full enfranchisement of womenin Ontario. It was declared out of order by Premier Hearst. A few dayslater J. W. Johnson of Belleville, a private member, introduced a billfor woman suffrage. On February 27 this bill was indorsed for theConservative Government by Premier Hearst, who said: "Having taken ourwomen into partnership with us in our tremendous task I ask, 'Can wejustly deny them a share in the government of the country, the rightto have a say about the making of the laws they have been soheroically trying to defend?' My answer is, 'I think not. '"

Thus without discussion this act of justice for which women hadpetitioned since 1903 was granted by a single word. Mr. Rowell and theLiberals united with the Conservatives and the bill was passed Feb. 27, 1917. Although passed by a Union Government it was largely due tothe incessant efforts of the Liberal members in the past. 

While in Quebec and a few of the small Provinces the suffrage wasstill withheld from women it now so largely prevailed that theirnational enfranchisement by the Dominion Parliament seemed the nextinevitable step. During 1917 Sir Robert Borden made a visit to Englandand the war front. Although it was estimated that in some of theProvinces one man in every fourteen had enlisted, he returned fullyconvinced that "conscription" would be necessary and this wouldrequire a referendum to the voters. Quebec would vote solidly againstit, as would certain elements in the other Provinces. A Fusion partywas formed in the Parliament and under tremendous pressure a War TimeElection Act was passed in September. It disfranchised during the warDoukhobors and Mennonites, conscientious objectors, those born inenemy countries not naturalized before 1902 and some others. Itenfranchised certain women in all the Provinces and Yukon and theNorthwest Territories, which send a member to the Parliament, in thefollowing words: "Every female who, being a British subject andqualified as to age, race and residence as required of a male, is thewife, widow, mother, sister or daughter of any person, male or female, living or dead, who is serving or has served without Canada in any ofthe military forces, or within or without in any of the naval forcesof Canada or Great Britain in the present war. .. . "

It was estimated that this Act would enable about 600, 000 women tovote when the question of "conscription" was submitted and leave about1, 000, 000 unable to do so although having the Provincial franchise. Itraised a storm of protest from those who were not included and whodoubted that this arbitrary action would result in securingconscription. Sir Robert Borden had no doubts but based his faith onthe belief that those women having relatives in the war would vote tocompel other men to go and he said at the time: "We are now verging onthe point at which women must be entitled to the same voice indirecting the affairs of this country as men, and as far as I amconcerned I commit myself absolutely to that proposition, but inworking it out it is necessary to take into account certainconsiderations. " With this concession the women had to be satisfied. The general campaign came on in November 1917, with "conscription" theissue on which the Government appealed for return to power. Theelection took place in December and the Union Government carried thefour Western Provinces, Ontario and New Brunswick, receiving almostthe full vote of the women. The Opposition carried Quebec, Nova Scotiaand Prince Edward Island. 

During the campaign the Premier several times pledged himself and hisGovernment to equal suffrage for women and it was generally recognizedthat if they were re-elected this pledge would be redeemed at an earlydate. This action was urged by the Labor members. On Feb. 15, 1918, the Government announced the extension of the full suffrage to thewomen of Canada as a part of its policy and its consideration of themeasure at the approaching session of Parliament. Later the WarCabinet invited all of the large organizations of women in theDominion to send representatives to a conference with the Governmentin Ottawa on March 1. There was a very large response and thedelegates were welcomed by the Governor General, the Duke ofDevonshire, with a tribute to the conduct of women during the war. ThePresident of the Privy Council, N. W. Rowell, outlined the work of theConference and the confidence felt by the Government in the continuedassistance of women. They were assured by various members of theGovernment of the desire for their suggestions on all mattersconnected with the carrying on of the war. The conference lasted for aweek and the women submitted their recommendations, the first of whichwas that women should be permitted to take a fuller share in theresponsibilities of government. All of these were respectfully andcordially received by the members of the Cabinet. 

The Parliament opened on March 18. The Duke of Devonshire read thespeech from the throne to galleries crowded with women and said in thecourse of it: "A bill for extending the franchise to women, withsuitable provisions respecting naturalization, will be submitted andcommended to your consideration. "

Sir Robert Borden introduced the bill March 21 and an extendeddiscussion took place in the House on the 23rd. There was no realopposition, although the members from Quebec were not friendly, sayingthat it was not wanted there by men or women. Sir Wilfred Laurierfavored woman suffrage but thought it should be conferred only by theProvinces. The Premier spoke at length in moving the second reading. It passed without division and again on the third reading April 12, 1918, when the full Parliamentary or Federal suffrage was conferred onevery woman who fulfilled the following conditions: (1) Is a Britishsubject; (2) is of the full age of 21 years or upwards; (3) possessesthe qualifications which would entitle a male person to vote at aDominion election in the Province in which the woman is seeking tovote, provided that a married woman or a daughter living at home withher parents shall be deemed to have any necessary property or incomequalifications if her husband or either of her parents is soqualified. A woman is banned if married to an enemy alien. This Actsuperseded the War Time Election Act. [218] The following yearthis Parliament passed an Act enabling a wife to retain hernationality. [219]

In New Brunswick in 1908, led by Mrs. Fiske, Mrs. Hathaway and MissPeters, the suffragists memorialized the Legislature to extend thefull suffrage to women but a bill for this purpose was defeated. In1909 a bill to give it to taxpaying widows and spinsters passed theUpper House and after much discussion in the Lower House waspostponed. In 1915 married women were included in the Municipalfranchise possessed by widows and spinsters. These efforts werecontinued from year to year and finally after the Dominion franchisehad been conferred, the Elections Act was amended by the LegislativeAssembly on April 17, 1919, to confer complete universal suffrage onwomen. 

On May 20, 1919, the Council of Yukon Territory amended its ElectionLaw to read: "In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwiserequires, words importing the masculine gender include females and thewords 'voter' and 'elector' include both men and women . .. And underit women shall have the same rights and privileges as men. "

Bills to give the full suffrage to women in Nova Scotia were manytimes defeated. In 1916, when all the western provinces wereenfranchising their women, the Lower House of the Legislature passed abill for it and later rescinded it on the excuse that it was notdesired by the women. This put them on their mettle and they tookaction to convince the lawmakers that they did want it. The suffragesociety was re-organized and a resolution was adopted by the executiveboard of the Local Council of Women and sent to every member of theLegislature. A joint independent committee was created with Mrs. Charles Archibald chairman and suffrage groups were formed within manyorganizations of women. All the members of the Government wereinterviewed and many promised support and the two Governmentnewspapers were favorable. Before the committee had time to put in abill one was drafted by Supreme Court Justice Russell and introducedby R. H. Graham. The women filled the galleries at its second readingand it passed without opposition and was referred to the LawAmendments Committee, of which the Attorney General was chairman. Itgave a public hearing and the women crowded the Assembly Chamberupstairs and downstairs and nine short speeches were made by women. The Premier and Attorney General said it was the best organizedhearing and best presented case that had come before a House Committeein twenty-five years. The Bill was left with the committee with theassurance that it would be well cared for--and then it was postponedindefinitely! The excuse was that there had been no demand from thecountry districts! By another year, however, it was too late for suchtactics and when Lieutenant Governor McCallum Grant opened theLegislature with the speech from the throne on Feb. 21, 1918, heannounced that the electoral franchise would be given to women. Theamended Franchise Act went through the Lower House without opposition;had its second reading in the Senate April 29 and the third May 3, andreceived the royal assent May 23. This added the State suffrage to theFederal, which had been conferred the preceding month. 

Widows and spinsters in the Province of Quebec had Municipal andSchool suffrage from 1892. In 1903 in the city council of Montreal anamendment to the charter was moved to take it away. The Woman'sChristian Temperance Union held several large public meetings tooppose such action addressed by prominent men. The press publishedarticles and letters of protest and it was voted down. In 1910 thefirst suffrage society was formed in Montreal with Mrs. Bullockpresident. In 1914 a deputation of Montreal women presented a petitionto the Premier, Sir Lorner Guoin, asking that women might sit onschool boards and that the Municipal franchise be extended to marriedwomen. No action was taken. After the Federal Suffrage was granted in1918 by the Dominion Parliament, which included the women of Quebec, abill was introduced in its Legislature to grant them the Provincialfranchise, which was voted down. Similar bills were defeated in 1918and 1920 and Quebec remains the only Province in Canada where womendo not possess the State franchise in addition to the National. 

NEWFOUNDLAND. 

When the Provinces of Canada united in a Confederation Newfoundlandwas the only one that declined to enter it and remained independent. Therefore, when the Dominion suffrage was conferred by the Parliamentin 1918 it did not include the women of this island. This was keenlyfelt by many of them and they made efforts to have its Legislaturegrant them the Provincial franchise but without success. In 1921 theWoman Suffrage League determined to make an organized effort andcollected a petition of 10, 000 names, representing every district, andpresented it to the Legislature. From the first the Premier, SirRichard Anderson Squires, was hostile and this was the case with mostof the Cabinet, but Minister of Marine Coaker showed a friendlyspirit; Minister of Justice Warren introduced the bill and Mr. Jennings, chairman of the Board of Public Works, agreed to bring it upfor action. After the sending of many deputations to the ExecutiveMembers of the Government the women were astonished at being told oneday that these members had held a meeting and it had been arrangedthat the Premier himself should introduce the bill as a Governmentmeasure. Seven went with Mr. Jennings by pre-arrangement to thePremier's office and meeting Mr. Coaker he said: "Your bill goesthrough all right, the Premier has his orders. " Some provisions hadbeen attached to the bill--non-eligibility to office, no voting poweruntil the next general election and an age limit of 30 years. ThePremier promised to have the Government reduce this to 25 and theywere compelled to agree. Then he impressed upon them that the billwould go through as a Government measure, declaring: "I will pass itthis session, whether the House closes in one month or three--what Isay goes!"

Some time afterwards the women read in an account of the Houseproceedings that the Premier had said in answer to a question that thebill was not a Government measure. An official letter was at once sentfrom the Woman Suffrage League, reminding him of his promise, to whichhe made no answer. They obtained an interview with him at which hetreated them very discourteously and denied all responsibility for thebill after its second reading. They could get no satisfaction from anymember of the Government. The bill was not reported from the committeefor weeks and when at last brought before the House in August it wasturned over to a Select Committee of five, three of them pronouncedanti-suffragists, and was not heard of again. 

SOUTH AFRICA. 

At the present time South Africa has the distinction of being the onlyEnglish-speaking nation that has not enfranchised its women. Thereseems to have been some agitation for a vote by the Boer women inearly days but a "movement" for it was definitely begun in 1895, whenat the annual conference of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union ofCape Colony at Kimberley, woman suffrage was made one of theirofficial departments of work. In 1902 a Woman's Enfranchisement Leaguewas formed in Durban, Natal, and in a few years one in Cape Town, CapeColony, followed by others in seven or eight towns. In 1904 M. L. Neithling moved in the Legislative Council of Cape Colony a resolutionto enfranchise widows and spinsters with the required property andeducational qualifications, which was discussed but not voted on. In1907 Dr. Viljoen presented one to extend the suffrage to women on thesame terms as to men. The division showed 24 in favor of it, twelvefrom each party. 

In 1909 the Enfranchisement Leagues of Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburgand Pretoria united in sending four delegates to the InternationalWoman Suffrage Alliance meeting in London. This year representativesof Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal and Orange Free State met in anational convention to prepare a constitution for the Union of SouthAfrica and the suffrage leagues sent a numerously signed petitionasking that it include the franchise of women. This was rejected andthey were told to "await a more convenient season. " The women weremuch aroused and early in 1910 the Women's Citizen Club of Cape Townand the Women's Reform Club of Johannesburg were formed. In the summerof 1911 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the InternationalWoman Suffrage Alliance, accompanied by Dr. Aletta Jacobs, presidentof the National Association of The Netherlands, made a tour of 4, 000miles in South Africa, remaining 76 days. They were present when thedelegates from eleven suffrage societies met and organized the Women'sEnfranchisement Association of the Union of South Africa and it soonhad twenty-two branches. The visits of the international presidentwith the suffragists of the different localities gave them muchcourage and inspiration and thenceforth she was in close touch withthem, conferring and advising. 

The new association presented a monster petition to the Parliament in1912 and Mr. Andrews of the Transvaal introduced a woman suffragebill, which after two days' debate was defeated by 70 to 30 votes. In1914 Mr. Wyndham's bill did not reach a vote. In 1917 Mr. Rockey's wasdefeated by 63 to 28. In 1918 a woman suffrage clause in the newElectoral Bill was defeated by 54 to 39. All this time the splendidservice and sacrifice of the women during the long years of the warwas being lauded, while St. Paul's definition of their "sphere" wasbeing quoted as a reason for not giving them the suffrage. 

In January, 1919, a conference took place in Cape Town and it wasdecided that the three suffrage associations unite immediately andform a standing committee of their parliamentary secretaries throughwhich intensive work could be done with the Parliament. On April 1 Mr. Wyndham introduced the following motion: "In the opinion of this Housethe sex qualification for the exercise of the parliamentary franchiseshould be removed. " It simply affirmed the principle but wasstrenuously debated without regard to party lines and finally carriedby a vote of 44 to 42. No further action was taken. Mrs. Laura Ruxton, parliamentary secretary, attended the convention of the GovernmentParty to present the question, addressed it and the resolution to puta woman suffrage plank in the platform was carried by 72 to 58. TheUnionist, Labor and South African parties accepted it, the NationalistParty alone refusing it. At a banquet in Bloemfontaine Premier Bothaappealed to the Parliament, saying that in view of the great servicesof women during the war the men would be compelled to give them thefranchise. He died soon afterwards and petitions from the mostrepresentative citizens then began to pour in upon his successor, General Smuts. 

In 1920 Daniel McLaren Brown presented a resolution that in theopinion of this House the time has arrived when the right of votingfor members of Parliament and the Provincial Councils should beextended to women. After a two days' debate it passed on May 3 by 66ayes, 39 noes, a majority of 27 as against two a year before. Mr. Brown then introduced a bill conferring this right. A deputation of500 women carried an immense petition for it to the Parliament and itpassed first reading by 66 to 47. Although Premier Smuts had supportedit as "a great and necessary reform" and promised it every chance hedeclined to make it a Government measure or give any facilities forsecond reading. Mr. Brown and his House Committee and the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Mullineux, worked valiantly for the bill but it got nofurther, although eight of the Cabinet ministers were in favor of itand the Government Party had endorsed it. It is the almostinsurmountable objection to the colored vote which is the chief factorin preventing women's enfranchisement. 

The Parliament of Rhodesia gave full State suffrage to women in April, 1919, and that of the British East African Protectorate in July, 1919. In both this carried eligibility to office and a woman was elected tothe Parliament of Rhodesia in 1920. In several of the States womenhave the Municipal franchise and have been elected to the citycouncil. 

INDIA. 

There has been remarkable progress in the enfranchisement of women inIndia, although it has been for the most part since 1920, with whichthis volume of the History closes. The Women's Indian Associationranks with other women's organizations in the British Dominions andhas branches throughout the country. There are many political reformorganizations and almost without exception they are willing to includewomen in any rights obtained. Increased opportunities for theireducation have been opened and there are hundreds of women universitygraduates. In several cities the limited municipal vote that men haveis shared by women and they are eligible to the council. In 1917Great Britain announced that self-government would be given to thepeople of India and the Women's Indian Association and other agenciesbegan a strenuous campaign to have women included. In 1918 the Women'sIndian Association had suffrage resolutions introduced in manyprovincial conferences and national congresses of men and they wereusually passed by large majorities. The British Parliament sent acommittee to India to collect evidence as to the amount of franchisethat should be included in the proposed Government Bill anddistinguished men and women appeared before it in behalf of women, among them Mrs. Annie Besant, president of the National Home RuleLeague of India, which was strongly in favor of woman suffrage. Contrary to all the evidence the committee reported against it. Massmeetings of women in India were held in protest. In 1919 eminent womenand men were sent to London to present the case to Parliament. Theywere cordially greeted by the British suffragists and given everypossible assistance. A petition was sent to the Government of IndiaCommittee by the Women Citizen's Union of the British Dominions, wherein all but South Africa women were now fully enfranchised. 

All were in vain and woman suffrage was not included in the IndiaReform Bill but the question was left to the decision of the governingbodies that had been created. The women then had to begin campaignsthroughout India, mass meetings, petitions, even processions andlobbying. In May, 1921, the Madras Presidency, one of the largestdivisions of the country, gave the complete franchise to women and itwas followed soon afterwards by the great Bombay Presidency, whoseLegislative Council voted for it by 52 to 25, and by that of Burmah. Each State has its Legislative Council and a number of these havegiven the vote to women. The movement is active for it throughoutIndia. 

FOOTNOTES:

[217] See History of Woman Suffrage, Vol. III, page 832. 

[218] On Dec. 6, 1921, Miss Agnes McPhail was elected to the House ofCommons for Southeast Grey. 

[219] This Act was heralded far and wide, as it was unprecedented. In1920, giving as a reason that the Act had been only a war measure, itwas repealed bodily by the Parliament and the old Act substituted witha few amendments that did not by any means give the privilegesafforded by the new one. It was generally believed that this was doneunder the direct influence of England. 

CHAPTER LIII. 

WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN MANY COUNTRIES. 

When Volume IV of the History of Woman Suffrage was written in 1900four pages contained all the information that could be obtained inregard to woman suffrage outside of the United States and GreatBritain and her colonies. At the time the first International Councilof Women was held in Washington, in 1888, under the auspices of theNational Woman Suffrage Association of the United States, GreatBritain was the only other country that had an organization for thispurpose. At the writing of the present volume in 1920 there arecomparatively few countries in the world having a constitutional formof government where women are not enfranchised. The only two ofinfluence in Europe are France and Italy; the others are Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Turkey. Women do not vote in Orientalcountries. This is also true of Mexico, Central and South America. 

FINLAND. [220]

The first country in Europe to give equal suffrage to women wasFinland in 1906, when it was a Grand Duchy of Russia with its own Dietor Parliament, whose bills required the sanction of the Czar to becomelaws. Girls were admitted to the full privileges of the university in1878 and in the student organization they were on a footing of perfectequality. Important positions and even places in the civicadministration were open to women. As early as 1863 the Diet gave thelocal or Municipal vote to taxpaying women in the country and in 1872to those in the towns, but not eligibility to office. In 1897 theFinnish Women's Association presented a petition to the Diet for fullsuffrage, which did not reach second reading. Its president, BaronessAlexandra Gripenberg, had attended the World's Congress of Womenduring the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and becomeintimately acquainted with Miss Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. May WrightSewall and other noted suffragists in the United States. In 1899 thesword of Russia descended, the constitution of Finland was wrecked andher autonomy, religion, customs, language, everything sacred wasthreatened. 

The real movement for the full enfranchisement of women began in 1904, when bills were introduced in the Diet. In the autumn the president ofthe Woman's Alliance Union, Miss Annie Furuhjelm, returned from theinspiration of the great International Council of Women in Berlin andthe forming of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance. With thepolitical oppression now existing the women were feeling a strongdesire to share in the responsibility for the fate of the country. Under the auspices of the Union the first public meeting for womansuffrage was held in Helsingfors on November 7, attended by more thana thousand women of all classes and all parties. Resolutions werepassed that the complete suffrage should be extended to every citizenand a petition demanding it should be sent to the Diet. For the firsttime the Union included eligibility to office in its demands. Forty-seven addresses of sympathy signed by hundreds of women werereceived from different parts of the country. From this time the Uniondevoted all its energies to the movement for the franchise. 

In another year the Russo-Japanese War was over and Russia was in themidst of a revolution. In October, 1905, the long pent-up forces ofFinland broke the barriers and a "national strike" was inaugurated. Women were members of the central committee elected at a mass meetingto manage it. Those in the highest ranks of society had for the pastyear been members of a secret organization extending over the countryraising funds, smuggling literature and daily risking their lives. Forfive days not a wheel turned and no work was done except under themost urgent necessity. There was perfect order and at intervalsdeputations of men and women went to the Russian Governor General inHelsingfors asking for the restoration of Finnish autonomy. At lastthe Government at St. Petersburg yielded, as all its forces wererequired in Russia. Meetings of women were then held in all parts ofthe country to elect delegates to another mass meeting in Helsingforson December 7, where amid great enthusiasm a resolution was carrieddemanding full suffrage and eligibility for every citizen twenty-fouryears old. 

On May 28, 1906, this reform was passed by the Diet without objection. It was taken to the Czar by the eminent Senator Mechelin, who assuredhim that the nation demanded it, and he gave his assent. The Dietconsisted of four chambers--nobles, clergy, burghers (taxpayers intowns and cities) and peasants who were landowners. It was nowreorganized in a single chamber of 200 members. The first electiontook place March 15, 16, 1907, and 19 women were chosen, among themthe Baroness Gripenberg by the Old Finnish Party. Miss Furuhjelmbelongs to the comparatively small National Swedish Party, whichelects few candidates. She was elected in 1913 and has beencontinuously re-elected. Following are the numbers of women members ofParliament: 1907--19; 1908--25; 1909--21; 1910--17; 1911--14;1913--21; 1916--24; 1917--18; 1919--17. From the beginning the womenmembers have introduced bills for much needed reforms, for the care ofchildren, protection of wives and mothers, benefit of working womenand many for social welfare. While the Czar was in power these wereall vetoed. Since then, with their small number and the greatquestions that have pressed upon the Parliament, they have found itdifficult to secure domestic legislation but they have united with themen in passing many bills of a political nature. 

In 1917 a law gave to every man and woman 21 years old Municipalsuffrage, without paying taxes, and eligibility to office and a numberof women have been elected to city and rural councils. The Czar hadhitherto vetoed this bill. In 1919, after a period of the greateststrife and sorrow, caused by the World War, Finland severed allconnection with Russia and became an independent republic. In a newconstitution adopted at this time the word "citizen" was used insteadof "man" and all legal disqualifications of women were removed. Boththe men and women of Finland at last are free. 

NORWAY. 

The second country and the first independent Government in Europe toenfranchise women was Norway. With characteristic caution andconservatism this was done by degrees, beginning with the Municipalvote for taxpayers, followed by the complete franchise, and then theremoval of the taxpaying qualification for the former and at last forthe full suffrage. The president of the National Association throughall the years has been Mrs. F. M. Qvam of Stenkjaer, county of N. Trondhjem, to whom the women have given undivided allegiance. TheHistory is indebted to Mrs. Qvam for most of the followinginformation. In sending it she wrote: "The last twenty years are likean Adventure of a Thousand Nights for suffragists. What was sown andseemed lost has sprouted and brought the greatest victories around theworld. May women now be able to do at least a little of the good thatthe workers for the suffrage have dreamt that it would bring to thenations. " Its results in Norway certainly have realized that dream, asthey have effected many beneficial changes in the laws. 

The first demand for woman suffrage at a public meeting, so far asknown, was made in 1869 by Mr. Qvam, a barrister. The pioneer of theorganized movement was Miss Gina Krog, who, after having written andlectured on the subject for years, founded the Christiania WomanSuffrage Union in 1885. She was moved to do this by reading the earlyvolumes of the History of Woman Suffrage, published about this timeand sent by Miss Susan B. Anthony to the university at Christiania. Miss Krog edited _Nylande_, a monthly devoted to the interests ofwomen, and continued as president twelve years. She was succeeded byMiss Rogstad. In 1886 bills were presented to the Parliament inconnection with an extension of the male suffrage. In 1888 the firstlarge public meeting was held. These were continued, petitions werecollected, bills were presented at every session, one in 1893receiving a majority but not the necessary two-thirds. Women fromother parts of the country became interested and on Feb. 12, 1898, theNational Woman Suffrage Association was organized; Mrs. Qvam waselected president. The association is still doing a vast amount ofwork in the interest of women and children. There was never an activeworking membership in the association of more than 2, 500 but wheneverpetitions were needed for an advanced step the signatures poured in bythe thousands and the Executive Committee was always assured of alarge support. In 1899 the names signed to a petition for equalsuffrage numbered 12, 000. 

As the grant of universal suffrage to men had been made only thepreceding year it was too much to expect it for women at once butthrough the assistance of Liberals and Radicals with the help of manyConservative members, and the efforts of women themselves, theMunicipal suffrage was given by the Parliament in May, 1901, to thefollowing: All who pay taxes to State or Municipality on an income of400 kroner in the towns and 300 (about $71) in the country districts, or have complete or partial joint property with a husband who payssuch tax. The amount was so small that a considerable proportionreceived this vote. It carried eligibility to the municipal councilsand this year 98 women were elected and 160 "substitutes. " TheNational Executive Committee conducted an active campaign ofliterature and lectures to rouse the women to exercise their newprivilege, and it continued to ask for the full suffrage. In 1905 themomentous question arose of separation from Sweden. The women madeevery effort to be permitted to vote in the referendum but in vain. The National Suffrage Association then undertook the task of obtainingthe personal signatures of women to a petition in favor of separationand on August 22 the Executive Committee presented it with an addressto the president of the Storthing with the statement that it wassigned by 300, 000 women, a very large proportion of the adults. Allthe members arose in tribute to the women. 

As a result of this action by the National Association its petition in1906 was received with much sympathy. During the summer before thenext Storthing was to be elected the Executive Committee carried on amost strenuous campaign. The president and other members went to thepolitical meetings of all parties to secure endorsement. They calledattention to the granting of universal suffrage to women by theParliament of Finland in May of that year. The fifty branchesthroughout the country held meetings and sent appeals. In August, whenthe campaign was at its height, the International Woman SuffrageAlliance held a most successful congress in Copenhagen, which wasenthusiastically commented on by the Danish press and that of Norwayadopted an entirely different attitude from this time. The Lefts andthe Socialists, who had put the plank in their platforms, elected amajority of the Storthing but from January to June the women were inthe greatest suspense and those in the different constituencies wereworking on their members. Finally on June 14, 1907, after only twohours' debate, the complete franchise with full eligibility wasconferred on women by 96 to 23 votes, only 82 being needed. 

This grant was made to the taxpaying women who had the Municipalfranchise and it was then the work of the National Association to haveit made universal. On June 7, 1910, it succeeded in having thetaxpaying qualification removed for the Municipal suffrage, and onJune 11, 1913, a paragraph was added to the constitution whichprovided that "all men and women 25 years of age, who have beendomiciled in Norway five years shall be entitled to the completefranchise and eligibility. " Over half the total number of voters arewomen. Women may be Premier, State officers, Judges, magistrates, sheriffs, professors in the university, even the theologicaldepartment, and are eligible to all public offices with equal pay. Theconstitutional arrangement for electing members of Parliament has beenan obstacle to the election of women but it has now been remedied. Five had been elected as "substitutes" or "proxies" to take the placeof absent members. Hundreds have been elected to city councils and tojuries, which are elected for fixed periods. The only positions fromwhich they are excluded are those of a military character, theCabinet, the diplomatic corps, the clergy and officials of the Statechurch. 

DENMARK. 

Although Danish women had long had the highest educational advantagesand considerable freedom under the laws they had no suffrage up to thetime the International Woman Suffrage Alliance held its congress inCopenhagen in 1906. The following women had gone to the meeting inBerlin in 1904 when this Alliance was organized: Mrs. Johanne Münter, Mrs. Charlotte Norrie, Mrs. Vibetha Salicath, Mrs. CharlotteEilersgaard, Misses Rasmussen, Eline Hansen and Anna Hude. Theyreported its proceedings to the Woman Suffrage Association of Denmark, formed in 1899, of which Mrs. Louise Norlund was president, and itthen affiliated with the Alliance and invited it to hold its nextcongress in Copenhagen. At the time it met this association comprisedfourteen societies and they had worked chiefly for the Municipalfranchise. In 1906 the Kvindesamfund, organized in 1871 to work forthe general cause of women and advocating the franchise, adopted aspart of its regular program Municipal and full suffrage and joined theWoman Suffrage Association. As early as 1888 it had presented to theRigsdag a petition by women all over the country asking the Municipalfranchise for single women, which the Lower House was willing to grantbut the Upper House ignored. The interest died out for awhile but in1904 and 1905 the Lower House again favored this limited grant and inthe winter of 1906 both Houses received delegates from the society butno action was taken. 

The congress of the Alliance in 1906, which lasted over a week, was arevelation of the size and strength of the movement for woman suffrageand the great ability of women. It was cordially recognized by thepress and people and a great impetus was given to the work in Denmark. That year a liberal Rigsdag was elected and a suffrage campaign wasmade by the association. In 1907 the Parliament gave a vote to womenfor public boards and the right to be elected to them and the UpperHouse abandoned its opposition to enfranchising married women. Astrong movement was developed among women and many new suffragesocieties were formed. On April 20, 1908, the Parliament gave tosingle women who pay taxes and to married women whose husbands aretaxpayers the Municipal franchise and eligibility. This was abeginning and the Suffrage Association distributed 18, 000 circulars towomen in Copenhagen before the elections the following March urgingthem to go to the polls. Seventy per cent. Of those entitled to votedid so and seven were elected to the city council. In all districts127 were elected. 

There was a growing demand for a revision of the constitution and inOctober the association sent in a petition that this should includethe complete enfranchisement of women. There was at this time nationalagitation for election reforms, for direct election of the UpperHouse, for lowering the voting age from 30 to 25, and this went inwith the other demands. By 1911 the National Association had 144sections with 12, 000 members and maintained a press bureau, supplying60 papers. Another association, the Landsforbundet, had 100 branchesand 11, 000 members, and published a paper, and there were many outsidegroups. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the InternationalSuffrage Alliance, stopped in Copenhagen on her way to its congress inStockholm in June and addressed a mass meeting under the auspices ofthe two large associations. 

With all parties in favor of giving the full suffrage to women andpublic sentiment favoring it the bill was caught in the maelstrom ofagitation for a revised or new constitution and the Rigsdag refused toconsider it separately. Finally the bill for a new constitutionincluding woman suffrage passed the Lower House by a vote of 95 to 12. It was sent to the Upper House, referred to a committee and there itremained while the controversy raged over the constitution. This wasstill the situation when the World War broke out in 1914 and it wasApril, 1915, before an entire new constitution passed both Houses byan enormous majority. It provided for universal suffrage witheligibility for men and women, no taxpaying qualifications, the age tobe 29 with gradual reduction to 25. A general election at once tookplace on this issue, the new Rigsdag immediately adopted theconstitution the required second time and on June 5 it was signed bythe King. The women voted for the first time at a general election in1918 and nine, representing all parties, were elected to the Rigsdag, five to the Upper and four to the Lower House. They voted a secondtime in 1920 and eleven were elected. They have obtained laws forequal pay, the opening of all positions to women and equal status inmarriage. 

ICELAND. 

Iceland was a dependency of Denmark with its own Parliament, theAlthing. In 1881 a bill was passed, presented by Skuli Thorvoddsen, amember and an editor, giving to widows and spinsters who werehouseholders or maintained a family or were self-supporting, a votefor parish and town councils, district boards and vestries, at the ageof 25, which became law in 1882. In 1895 the Woman's Alliance wasformed and a petition of 3, 000 women was collected and sent to theAlthing asking it to consider suffrage for married women and increasedproperty rights, which it ignored. In 1906 Mrs. Briet Asmundsson, theleader of the woman's movement, attended the congress of theInternational Woman Suffrage Alliance in Copenhagen, and, returning toReykjavik, the capital, organized in January, 1907, the Associationfor Women's Rights. In four months 12, 000 signatures had been obtainedto a petition for full suffrage for women and eligibility to alloffices. Mr. Thorvoddsen introduced the bill, which was notconsidered, but one was passed giving the Municipal franchise andeligibility to all women in the Reykjavik and one other district, which became law Jan. 1, 1908. The association carried on a vigorouscampaign and four women were elected to the council of Reykjavik. Itspresident then made a two months' tour of the country and organizedfive branches. At all political meetings the women had resolutionspresented for equal suffrage and eligibility, which were usuallycarried unanimously. On April 15 a law was passed extending Municipalsuffrage and eligibility to all women. 

In 1911 women were made eligible to all State offices, including thoseof the church, and a constitutional amendment was passed granting thecomplete franchise. It had to pass a second Althing and politicalquestions arose which were all absorbing until 1914. Then theamendment passed but a compromise had to be made fixing the age forwomen at 40, to be lowered annually, under much protest, but PremierEggers refused to submit it to the King of Denmark for his sanction. It had to wait until another took the office and finally was signedJune 19, 1915, two weeks after the women of Denmark were fullyenfranchised. In 1918 a referendum was taken, in which women voted, on making Iceland an independent State having a personal union withDenmark and the same King, which resulted favorably. A new Althing waselected Nov. 15, 1919, and a new constitution adopted which gave towomen full suffrage at 25, the same age as to men. 

SWEDEN. 

The story of Sweden is especially interesting as the women were thefirst in Europe to have the Municipal vote and among the last to havethe Parliamentary. In 1862 widows and spinsters who had paid taxes hada vote for all officers except members of the Parliament. In 1909 theywere made eligible for the offices. Later this franchise was enlargedto admit married women, and in 1918 it was made universal for men andwomen of 23 without taxpaying requirements. This chapter is indebtedfor much of the information in it to Mrs. Anna B. Wicksell, who was adelegate from Sweden to Berlin in 1904, when the International WomanSuffrage Alliance was formed and is now a vice-president. Mrs. Wicksell gained international fame when her Government appointed her adelegate to the League of Nations meeting at Geneva in 1920-21 and shewas placed on the Mandates Commission. 

The first bill to give women full suffrage and eligibility waspresented in the Second Chamber by F. D. Borg, an enlightened member, in 1884 and ridiculed by Parliament and press. In 1902 Carl Lindhagenoffered a bill calling on the Government to investigate the subject. The first organized movement among the women was the forming of asociety in Stockholm this year and an address to Parliament with 5, 641signatures urging this bill. It was rejected by 111 to 64 in theSecond Chamber (Lower House) and without a division in the First. In1904 his bill, endorsed by 30 members, received 115 noes, 93 ayes andno vote in the First Chamber. In 1905, endorsed by 57, it had 89 noes, 30 ayes in the First Chamber and the Second rejected it by 109 to 88. The suffrage societies had multiplied and now there were 63. 

A National Suffrage Association was formed in 1904, which stillexists. It carried on the work for seventeen years, under thepresidency of Miss Anna Whitlock, Dr. Lydia Wahlstrom, Miss SigneBergman and Dr. Karolina Widerström. When success finally crowned itsefforts it had 240 branches and 15, 000 members. With the greatdifficulties of securing names in this country of widely scatteredpeople the petitions collected and sent to Parliament were remarkable, the last one in 1914 having 350, 000 signatures. Among the women whowere conspicuous in long and arduous service besides the presidentswere Mrs. Ann M. Holmgren, Dr. Gulli Petrini, Mrs. Frigga Carlberg andMrs. Gloria Hallberg. Miss Selma Lagerlöf assisted on great occasions. Men who for years were most valuable workers were Stockholm'sburgomaster, Carl Lindhagen, and the three Prime Ministers, KarlStaaf, Nils Edén and Hjalmer Brantung. Two of the most conspicuousopponents were Mr. Lindeau and Mr. Trygger, through fear that theSocial Democratic Party would gain. 

The years 1905-1906 saw much advance, as the separation from Norwaytook place and the question of the enlargement of male suffrage was tothe fore. The women made strenuous but unsuccessful efforts to havethe Parliament include women but the bill for men was rejected. Itdid, however, by a majority even in the Upper House, order aninvestigation of woman suffrage where it existed. Societies wereorganized from the Sound to Lapland. King Oscar received a deputationand in answer to the address of Miss Gertrud Adelborg expressed hissympathy but said the Government could not endanger the desiredsuffrage for men. In 1907 a petition from 142, 128 women was presentedto the Parliament. The Labor Party made woman suffrage a part of theirprogram, the Lindhagen group supported it, a number of bills werebrought in but all was in vain. At a woman suffrage mass meeting in1908 in Stockholm thousands were turned away. Meetings were heldthroughout the country. The Liberals and Social Democrats put womansuffrage in their programs. At the opening of Parliament the King'sspeech contained a few favorable words. Leading members conferred withthe Executive Committee of the National Suffrage Association, with theresult that it arranged a meeting at the Grand Hotel with many membersof Parliament present, who were addressed by prominent women andseemed much impressed, but all suffrage bills were lost. 

The well-organized suffragists then went actively into the campaignand worked to defeat their opponents. As a result a majority waselected to the Second Chamber in favor of giving the suffrage towomen. A deputation of 35 was granted an audience by the new King, Gustav V, and he expressed the hope that the time was near when theirclaims could be regarded. In February, 1909, the Government's billembodying universal suffrage for men finally passed both Chambers andit included eligibility to the municipal offices for the women whocould vote for them, which the suffrage association had worked for. The next April the first woman suffrage bill was passed by the SecondChamber. In 1910 37 women were chosen for the councils in 34 towns, which partly elect the First Chamber. 

The situation looked so favorable that the National Associationinvited the International Woman Suffrage Alliance to hold its congressin Stockholm in 1911 for the effect which this large and importantbody would have on public sentiment. After this had been arranged, theSwedish women learned to their disappointment and indignation that theGovernment did not propose to introduce a woman suffrage bill thisyear, as they wished first to see the effect of the new universalfranchise law for men. Besides, the investigation of woman suffragewas not completed! A representative Men's League for Woman Suffragewas formed. A new Second Chamber was to be elected and as the suffragebill would have to be acted upon by two Parliaments there would haveto be a wait of several years. A bill was presented and passed theLower House but all progressive legislation was blocked by the FirstChamber. During the campaign the women worked vigorously for theelection of Liberal and Social Democratic candidates, who had womansuffrage on their program, 29 women speaking on their party platformsat 217 meetings. They formed a large majority of the new Governmentand a Liberal Cabinet was formed. The First Chamber was dissolved andin the new one, instead of a negligible few, there were 64 Liberalsand Social Democrats to 86 Conservatives. In his speech on opening thenew Parliament in 1912 the King announced that he would present a billgiving to women suffrage and eligibility on the same conditions aspossessed by men. On April 2 the Government brought in this billwhich was carried in the Lower House by 140 to 66; defeated in theUpper by 86 to 58. This year 64 women councillors were elected. Thewomen strengthened their organization, added to their monsterpetitions, held their mass meetings and then in 1914 came the War!

In the flood-tide of democracy which resulted the existence of thekingdom itself was threatened. The First Chamber of nobles and landedproprietors was forced to abandon its conservatism. The Reform Billproposed in December, 1918, at an extra session, abolished pluralvoting, gave universal Municipal suffrage, made women eligible toCounty Councils and provided for the Parliamentary franchise for them. At the session of 1919 the bill was laid before the Parliament and onMay 24 it was passed by both Chambers without opposition. On the 29thgreat celebrations were held in Stockholm and other cities and at theold university town of Upsala the speakers were the Archbishop, Dr. Selma Lagerlöf and Prime Minister Brantung. 

It was not all ended, however, for the measure had to pass a secondParliament, although this was a mere matter of form. The electionstook place in the autumn of 1920. On Jan. 26, 1921, without debate, the law was sanctioned by the new Parliament and two days later it waspromulgated by the King. It gives complete, universal suffrage towomen. In September the election occurred in which women took part andfive were elected to the Parliament, one of them to the First Chamber, which so many years stood between women and their political rights. 

THE NETHERLANDS. 

The story of woman suffrage in the Netherlands is one of intense, unceasing work for a quarter of a century. The old constitution didnot specifically exclude women and in 1882 Dr. Aletta Jacobs, thefirst woman physician, who had been studying in England and met thesuffrage leaders, applied to be registered for an election. This wasrefused and she carried the case through the highest court with adecision against her. It was in effect that by the letter of the lawshe was eligible but the spirit of the law intended to exclude women. In 1885 a new constitution was made which definitely excluded womenbut made a further extension of the suffrage to men, who had notasked for it. It required a long, hard effort to organize for womansuffrage, as there was almost no sentiment for it, but on Feb. 5, 1894, the Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht was formed of women indifferent places with Mrs. Versluys-Poelman, president. She held theoffice eight years and then Dr. Jacobs, who had been president of theAmsterdam branch during this time, was elected and served till thecontest was finished in 1918. It is to Dr. Jacobs this chapter isindebted for the information it contains. This was the onlyassociation of a national character until 1908, when the Bond voorVrouwenkiesrecht came into existence. When the work ended it had 80branches and about 10, 000 members. The former had 160 branches andover 25, 000 members and reorganized in the Netherlands Society ofWomen Citizens to work for the legal and economic equality of women. 

At first the press was hostile, all political parties were opposedexcept a small group of Constitutional Democrats and no member ofParliament would introduce the question. The work had to begin fromthe bottom with personal interviews with the members, watching thebills relating to women and children, showing the need of women'sinfluence, etc. In 1904 Dr. Jacobs, Misses Johanna W. A. Naber and E. L. Van Dorp, Mrs. Von Loenen de Bordes, Mrs. Rutgers Hoitsema and Mrs. Hengeveld Garritson were present at the organization of theInternational Woman Suffrage Alliance in Berlin, as was Miss MartinaKramers, who was elected Secretary, and the Dutch national associationbecame auxiliary. From that time it went into direct political work, in 1905 presenting to the Queen and the Prime Minister its requestthat in a proposed revision of the constitution the words men andwomen be used after citizens. The Commission that drafted it in 1907recommended suffrage and eligibility for women. The association, expecting a campaign, had invited the International Alliance to holdits congress in Amsterdam in June, 1908. It proved to be one of themost brilliant and successful ever held and was enthusiasticallyreceived by the press and the public. An active Men's League for WomanSuffrage was formed. 

From that time the question of woman suffrage was on a constantlyrising tide. A liberal Parliament had been elected and it was toconsider giving the vote to women. Appeals were made through themembers from the fifty branches of the association and through publicmeetings and much outdoor propaganda was carried on in little boats. There was no cessation of the work and as a result leaders of the fourpolitical parties declared themselves in the Parliament in favor ofthe enfranchisement of women, but in 1909 a Conservative Governmentwas elected and the revision was withdrawn. This year the Lutheran andMennonite churches gave women a vote on all matters. In 1913 theCabinet announced its own revision of the constitution. Early in 1914the association memorialized the Premier and the Queen, sent lettersto all the electors and carried on the most strenuous work. Itsmeetings in every town and city were crowded and in a short time apetition signed by 165, 000 women was presented to the Parliament. Thenthe War broke forth and everything was at a standstill. 

In 1915 the suffragists were roused by the announcement that theconstitution would positively be revised. In June they held a bigdemonstration in Amsterdam, in which trade unions and politicalparties participated. It was evident that the country was back of thedemand for woman suffrage. Although street processions were forbidden, the burgomaster, a suffragist, allowed it. In The Hague a large onetook place in September, when the Parliament opened, the burgomasteryielding to the entreaties of the women that if the Government wasgoing to bring in a new constitution in the midst of the War, which somuch concerned women, they should be allowed to express themselves. Itwas preceded by an immense meeting and a resolution calling for womansuffrage was passed; thousands of women massed in front of theParliament House and Dr. Jacobs and a deputation carried it in to theSpeaker, who promised to do all in his power for them. During all theweeks while the discussion raged the members had to pass through tworows of silent women wearing broad sashes with the name of theassociation on them. Women filled the seats inside and the Speakeroffered his private box to Dr. Jacobs and her friends. Prime MinisterCort van Linden threatened that if a vote were permitted on womansuffrage he would withdraw the whole constitution. The members ofParliament were so afraid they would lose universal male suffragethat they gave up this amendment and the constitution was adoptedwithout it. It did, however, make the valuable concession that itshould be possible for the Parliament to grant the suffrage to womenat any time without submitting it to the voters as part of theconstitution. It also contained the remarkable provision that womenshould be eligible to election to the Parliament and allrepresentative bodies, although they had not a scrap of suffrage. 

The exclusion of women was received with the disapproval of thecountry and in the election campaign of 1918 the demand of all thenon-clerical parties was for woman suffrage. At the opening ofParliament H. P. Marchant, leader of the Constitutional Democrats, introduced a bill for the complete enfranchisement of women. Early inNovember, 1918, all Europe was alarmed by the revolution in Russia andThe Netherlands was threatened. There was a demand for woman suffrageat once as a deterrent. The Government agreed and took up Mr. Marchant's bill but the danger passed and nothing was done. ByFebruary, 1919, the suffragists were obliged to hold another massmeeting and demonstration at The Hague and assure the Government thatthey would rouse the country. The Speaker then brought in the bill, which was discussed in April, and on May 9 universal suffrage forwomen on the same terms as possessed by men was accepted by a vote of64 to 10 by the Second Chamber. The following July it passed the FirstChamber with five dissenting votes and was signed by the Queen onSeptember 8. 

In 1918 a woman had been elected to the Second Chamber and in 1920 onewas elected to the First Chamber, and there were 36 on County Councilsand 88 on Municipal councils, chosen by men before women had yetvoted. 

BELGIUM. 

On November 23, 1918, five days after the armistice which ended theWorld War the National Federation for Woman Suffrage in Belgiumresumed its activities with an open letter to the Labor Party, referring to their manifesto for universal suffrage and reminding themthat this included women. A little later it addressed an appeal to thenewly established Government and started a petition. In the midst ofthe war King Albert and Queen Elizabeth had expressed themselves infavor of the enfranchisement of women but when he opened the firstParliament after it was over he recommended only equal, universalsuffrage for men. Notwithstanding the unfavorable conditions thepetition soon had 35, 000 signatures and was sent to the Parliament. Bymidwinter of 1919 the question was one of heated controversy among theparties, which continued. By April the petition had reached 175, 000. The Catholics favored woman suffrage, the Liberals and Socialistsopposed it, fearing the influence of the church. To avoid adissolution of the Parliament a compromise was finally effected bywhich the parliamentary vote was given to "all widows of soldiers andcivilians killed by the enemy, or, where there is no widow, to themother"; and to "all women condemned or imprisoned for patriotic actsduring the enemy occupation. " This enfranchised about 30, 000 women andwas only to be in effect until a Constituent Assembly should beelected which would revise the electoral law. 

Meanwhile a bill for the Municipal or Communal franchise for women wasintroduced. Plural voting for men was abolished; a general electiontook place November 16 and the new Parliament met in December. Thenecessary two-thirds vote for the Parliamentary suffrage for womenseemed impossible but the three parties were virtually pledged to givethe Municipal. After three months of controversy and suspense thisCommunal franchise was granted in the Chamber of Deputies on March 3, 1920, to all women 21 years of age, by vote of 120 to 37. All theCatholics voted in favor; all the Liberals but two againstit--Burgomaster Max and Paul Hymans, Minister of Foreign Affairs; theSocialist vote was divided, 45 of the 56 in favor. It was accepted inthe Senate April 14 by 60 to 33. 

The commission on revising the constitution refused by 11 to 9 votesto include the Parliamentary franchise for women but recommendedunanimously their eligibility to sit in both chambers. This wasaccepted in June by the Deputies by 142 to 10 votes. On July 1 theyrejected by a vote of 89 to 74 a bill giving the complete suffrage towomen. On July 28 they voted by a large majority for a clause thatany future Parliament might do this by a two-thirds vote without arevision of the constitution. 

LUXEMBURG. 

Under the Treaty of Peace after the war Luxemburg became anindependent government with its own Parliament. There was a temporaryConstituent Assembly and on May 8, 1919, without even an effort bywomen, this body adopted universal suffrage, without distinction ofsex, by a vote of 39 to 11. All inhabitants 21 years of age areelectors and after 25 are eligible for the Parliament and CommunalCouncils. On September 28 men and women voted on the country's futureform of government and decided by a four-fifths vote to have anindependent monarchy with an elected Parliament. A month later theelections for it took place. One of the two women candidates waselected. 

RUSSIA. 

It would be difficult to relate the story of woman suffrage in Russia. In the villages and among the peasants women had long voted at thelocal elections either as proxies of the husband or by right of owningproperty, and among the nobility and wealthy classes they could votethrough male proxies. There was little national suffrage even amongmen and the Revolution after the Russo-Japanese war was a struggle forrepresentation. In March, 1905, a Russian Union of Defenders ofWomen's Rights was started in Moscow and spread among differentclasses throughout Russia. It became a part of the general movementfor liberty, was well organized and its demands were many but thefirst one was for a Constituent Assembly elected by universal, secretballot. It united with the great political Union of Unions, whichofficially recognized the equal rights of women in all respects inJuly, 1905, and before the end of the year this had been done by manymunicipalities. 

Everything was stopped by the Revolution and that was followed by theestablishment of the Douma. All that women hoped for from it waswrecked when it was dissolved. Their Union at this time had 79branches and 10, 000 members and had collected and used $50, 000 forits work. The struggle was continued but two years later not 1, 000members could be found. In December, 1908, the first Women's Congressin Russia was held in St. Petersburg, welcomed by the Mayor andaddressed by members of Parliament and eminent women, and wasfavorably received. Many women's societies were formed but workedunder great difficulties. Woman suffrage bills came before the Doumaand it passed one giving the Municipal franchise, after striking outeligibility, but the Czar did not sign it. A bill for adult suffragewas taken up and Professor Miliukov made a brilliant plea forenfranchising women but it was not passed and the suffrage had notbeen granted to women at the beginning of the war in 1914. 

In the second revolution in 1917 women took practically the same partas men and in the Provisional Government which was the result therewas no question as to their equal rights in suffrage and officeholding. They were elected to the City Council of St. Petersburg andput on all public committees. Then came the counter revolution andchaos. From the beginning of the International Woman Suffrage Alliancein 1904 Russian delegates, women of great ability, had come to itscongresses with their reports but at the first meeting after the war, in Geneva in 1920, there was no word. When Russia eventually secures astable government it probably will make no distinction between thepolitical rights of men and women. 

GERMANY. 

When the International Woman Suffrage Alliance met in Budapest inJune, 1913, delegates were present from affiliated societies intwenty-one countries; national associations from several had appliedfor admission and committees had been formed in several others. Over ahundred fraternal delegates were sent from organizations in twelvecountries having woman suffrage as one of their objects or as the onlyone. In every direction the prospect looked encouraging and then oneyear later the great War burst upon the world! The first thought ofthe suffrage leaders was that the work of years had been swept awayand after the War it would have to be commenced again. They did notdream that as a result of the War would come victories for equalsuffrage that it would have required many years to win. Thesevictories began with the enfranchisement of the women of Great Britainand Ireland in February, 1918, as described in another chapter, thedirect result of the War. On the Continent woman suffrage came firstwhere it had been least expected--in Germany and Austro-Hungary. Insome of the German States women landowners could vote by male proxies. Each of the 22 States had its own King and Parliament and made its ownlaws and all men of 25 could vote for the Reichstag or Lower House ofthe Imperial Parliament but this privilege was largely nullified by asystem of plural voting. In Prussia and Bavaria, the two largestStates, women were not allowed to attend political meetings or formpolitical organizations, and those for suffrage came under this head. The first attempt to form a suffrage society was made in Hamburg, oneof the three "free cities, " in 1901 and it was followed by others inthe other two "free cities, " Frankfort and Bremen, and in the southernStates, where these restrictions did not exist. In 1902 thesesocieties were united in a National Association, of which Dr. AnitaAugspurg was president. Its members kept up an agitation for theMunicipal vote, carrying the question into the courts, and they alsopetitioned the Reichstag for the full suffrage. 

The International Council of Women met in Berlin in 1904, the largestmeeting of women ever held in any country, and the organizing at thistime of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance aroused universalinterest. In the election of the new Reichstag in 1906 the suffragesocieties took an active part and in 1907 it repealed the old lawforbidding women to attend political meetings and form politicalassociations, the new law going into effect in May, 1908. Thesuffragists celebrated with an immense meeting in Frankfort, addressedby Mrs. Pethick Lawrence and Miss Annie Kenney of England, who rousedgreat enthusiasm. Suffrage associations were then organized in thevarious States, which began to work with their own Parliaments. Through lectures, literature and organizing the effort was continued, the women joining and working with the political parties, especiallythe Social Democratic, which espoused their cause. In 1912 fortypetitions for the Municipal suffrage in Prussia were presented to itsDiet by women. A Woman's Congress was held in Munich and for the firsttime in Germany a procession of women marched through the streets. In1911 differences in questions of policy which had been increasing hadresulted in the forming of a second National Association. The twounited in 1916 under the presidency of Mrs. Marie Stritt, formerpresident of the National Council of Women of Germany and secretary ofthe International Alliance. In March, 1918, Mrs. Stritt wrote to the_International Suffrage News_: "We German women have at present noreason to rejoice over the progress of our cause but we have followedwith all the greater joy the unexpected success of our sisters inother countries. "

In 1920 Mrs. Stritt, now a member of the city council in Dresden, wrote for this History as follows: "Although throughout the more thanfour years of war the women worked eagerly for the suffrage throughtheir organizations, demanding it in public meetings and petitioninglegislative bodies, they did not get it by their own efforts but bythe Revolution in November, 1918, at the end of the war. In August, 1919, their rights were confirmed unanimously by all parties in thenew constitution. They received the suffrage and eligibility for theReichstag, and for the Parliaments of the States and localbodies--universal, equal, direct and secret and applied exactly on thesame terms as to men. Women are by the constitution eligible to allState and Government offices. In the first elections, in January, 1920, 39 were elected to the National Assembly, 117 to the StateParliaments in Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, etc. , and 1, 400 to localbodies. Twenty were elected to the Diet of Prussia. "

Dr. Alice Salamon, of Berlin, secretary of the International Councilof Women, wrote: "From the first day of the Revolution, when suffragewas proclaimed for all men and women from the age of 20, it wasaccepted as the most natural thing in the world. It was neitherquestioned nor opposed by any political or professional groups. Allpolitical parties resolutely accepted woman suffrage as a fact andissued electoral platforms in which they declared themselves for thefull partnership of women in political life. "

In the autumn of 1919 the National Union for Woman Suffrage held aconvention in Erfurt and by unanimous vote dissolved, considering thatits work had been accomplished. The members then devoted their effortsto abolishing the many legal, civil and social discriminations againstwomen. 

AUSTRIA. 

The situation in Austria was much the same as in Germany except thatfrom a very early date women taxpayers had some small franchiserights, but in 1906, when by a peaceful revolution men secureduniversal suffrage for themselves, the new constitution took eventhose away from women which they had. Although large numbers of womenhad stood shoulder to shoulder with the Progressives and SocialDemocrats in their struggle for suffrage, when the latter succeeded ingetting control of both branches of the Parliament they refused togrant any voting rights to women. The Austrian Government had neverallowed women to attend political meetings or form suffrage societies. It was not until 1905 that they dared even to form a Woman SuffrageCommittee and while the men were demanding their own rights it sent apetition to the Parliament that these should be granted to women also. In 1907, after the new régime was under way, they sent anotherpetition signed by 4, 000 men and women asking for the repeal of theabove obnoxious law. It was refused and the Supreme Court sustainedthe refusal. 

The women did not relax their efforts. Mass meetings were held inVienna and the provincial capitals under the auspices of the WomanSuffrage Committee and other committees were formed. They published amonthly paper and many of the newspapers took up their cause. In 1910they sent a deputation to the Premier and Minister of InternalAffairs, which was sympathetically received, and the latter said thatnot only ought the law to be repealed but women should have theMunicipal franchise. A Socialist Deputy brought the matter of the lawbefore the Constitutional Committee, which reported it to the Chamber, where the sentiment was almost unanimous for its repeal. It went tothe Upper House but before it could be sanctioned the Parliament wasdissolved. In the autumn of 1913 a new Law of Assemblies was passedfrom which the section so bitterly opposed was omitted and in fact thewomen had been defying it. They began at once a nation-wide suffrageorganization, which affiliated with the International Alliance. Thenext year the country was immersed in a World War which continued overfour years. At the end of it the Government passed into the hands ofthe people. The new constitution provided that all women over 20should have full suffrage and eligibility to all offices, national andState, on the same terms as men. For the first elections the followingFebruary the Austrian Union of Suffrage Societies and the NationalCouncil of Women worked together and it was estimated that 2, 000, 000women voted; eight were elected to the National Constituent Assembly, twelve to the city council of Vienna and 126 to other municipalcouncils. 

HUNGARY. 

Women were not prohibited from political activities in Hungary as inAustria and when the International Woman Suffrage Alliance was formedin Berlin in 1904 Rosika Schwimmer came from Budapest with a reportthat in 1900 Francis Kossuth and Louis Hentaller were advocating womansuffrage in the Parliament and in 1903 women were working with men forpolitical reforms. By 1905 a Woman Suffrage Association was formed, auxiliary to the International, mass meetings were held and petitionswere sent to the Parliament. In 1906 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, theinternational president, and Dr. Aletta Jacobs, president of theNetherlands National Association, visited Budapest and addressedenthusiastic meetings. Later Baroness Alexandra Gripenberg of Finlandand Mrs. Dora Montefiore of England did the same. Strenuous agitationwas kept up, meetings, processions, demonstrations, and half a millionleaflets were distributed. The Government was to discuss a Reform Billin 1908 and a determined effort was made to keep the women out of theHouse of Parliament as spectators. Mrs. Catt paid another visit thatyear and gave ten lectures in eight cities. Eloquent women speakerswent to the aid of the Hungarian women from Berlin, Munich, Berne, Turin and Rotterdam. In 1910 the conservative National Council ofWomen added a woman suffrage committee and a Men's League for WomanSuffrage of representative men was formed. There were suffragesocieties in 87 cities and towns composed of all classes. The womenwere badly treated by all political parties and excluded from theirmeetings, the Radicals and Social Democrats being their strongestopponents. The struggle continued with sometimes a favorable andsometimes an unfavorable Government and always the contest by men fortheir own universal suffrage. 

In 1913, through the remarkable efforts of Rosika Schwimmer, theInternational Suffrage Alliance held its congress in Budapest withdelegates from all over the world. It was a notable triumph, welcomedby the dignitaries of the State and city; its meetings for seven dayscrowded to overflowing and every possible courtesy extended. Thedemand that women should have the vote seemed to have becomeuniversal. Then came the War and all was blotted out for years. Whenit was over in 1918 internal revolution followed and out of it came aRepublic but without stability. A law was enacted giving suffrage toall men of 21 but only to women of 24 who could read and write. Womenvoted under it in 1919 and one was elected to the Parliament but thelaw has not yet been written into a permanent constitution. 

BOHEMIA. 

Bohemian women suffered the disadvantages of those of Austria andcould not attend political meetings or form suffrage societies, although by an old law taxpayers and those belonging to the learnedprofessions could vote by a male proxy for the members of the Diet ofthe Kingdom, and were eligible themselves after the age of 30. Theyhad a Woman Suffrage Committee and petitioned the Diet to includewomen in the new electoral law of 1907 but it received word fromVienna that nothing must be done. By 1911 a Woman Suffrage Committeewas doing a good deal of active suffrage work and women'sorganizations were being formed in the political parties but theSocial Democratic was the only one that favored equal suffrage. For anumber of years the women endeavored to secure the nomination of awoman candidate for the Bohemian Diet but were always unsuccessful. Finally in 1912 the Social Democratic and a section of the Liberalparty each nominated a woman and by the most heroic effort and acombination of fortunate circumstances the latter, Mrs. Vikova-Kuneticka, a prominent writer and suffragist, was elected onJune 13. The Governor of the district, doubting her eligibility, delayed issuing the certificate; the Diet did not meet; the War cameon and after it ended Bohemia assumed her own government with equalrights for women, and she took her seat. 

In the newly organized country of Czecho-Slovakia woman suffrageprevailed throughout and in 1920 thirteen women were elected to theLower and three to the Upper House of the National Parliament. The newParliament of Jugo-Slavia voted against woman suffrage. 

 * * * * *

It is practically impossible to give an accurate account of thesituation in regard to the suffrage and office-holding of women in there-alignment which took place in central and southeastern Europe afterthe war. The States which were formed with new or changed boundariesall began with the declaration of absolute democracy, equal suffragefor men and women and eligibility to all offices. At their firstelections women in some of them were elected to the Parliaments andcity councils of the new régime. Poland, restored, gave universalsuffrage, and elected eight to the Parliament. Its women are stronglyorganized and very capable. It is not possible to foretell the futureof these experiments in democracy. It has been reported from time totime that the suffrage had been given to women in Bulgaria, Roumaniaand Serbia and then denied but at present they do not seem to beexercising it. (1920. )

SWITZERLAND. 

Switzerland, like France, is a republic only in name, as women arewholly disfranchised. It is now the only country where the question ofwoman suffrage has to be submitted to the individual voters. To givewomen the franchise for the Federal Council that body must submit thequestion to all the voters, and to give it in each Canton of the 22for its Council, this body must submit the question to all the votersin the Canton. It never has been submitted by the Federal Council, which holds that it must first be granted in the Cantons. Wheneverthey have voted on it they have defeated it, the agriculturalpopulation being especially hostile. There are many organizations ofwomen, the most important of which ask for the suffrage. The largestof them, the National Council of Women, with 20, 000 members from allkinds of societies, was very slow to recognize the value of the votebut in January, 1919, when a revision of the constitution wasexpected, it took official action and unanimously adopted suffragework. 

Mme. Chaponničre-Chaix (who is now president of the InternationalCouncil of Women), Mme. Saulner and Mlle. Camille Vidart were presentat the forming of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in Berlinin 1904 to represent a group in Geneva. In May, 1908, a Central WomanSuffrage Committee was formed in Berne of societies in seven citiesand it was admitted to membership in the Alliance. In January, 1909, aNational Association was organized with M. De Morsier, a Deputy of theCouncil of the Geneva Canton, as president and lectures and organizingcommenced. The work was continued and small gains were made. Vaud, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Bâle-Ville and Berne gave women a vote in theState church. They can sit on school boards in these Cantonsand Zurich. They can vote for and serve on the tribunaux deprud'hommes--industrial boards--in two or three Cantons, these rightsgranted by the Councils. The universities and the professions are opento women. 

Work for woman suffrage was at an end during the War and after it wasover there was not the disposition to enfranchise women that prevailedin other countries of Europe but it was taken up by the liberalparties. The suffragists entered upon vigorous efforts to have therights of women included in the proposed revision of the nationalconstitution. On March 17, 1919, in response to large petitions, theCouncil of Neuchâtel by a vote of 60 to 30 submitted the question ofwoman suffrage to the voters. In June the National SuffrageAssociation held its annual meeting in this Canton with a largeattendance and its president, Mlle. Emily Gourd, gave an account of anactive year's work. A petition signed by 157 women's societies askedthe Federal Council to put woman suffrage in the revised nationalconstitution. There was a spirit of hopefulness that a new régime wasat hand, as many Cantons were considering the question. 

The vote was taken in Neuchâtel June 28, 29, 1919. A dishonorablecampaign had been made by the opponents, financed by the liquor trade, and the result in the entire Canton was 12, 017 noes, 5, 346 ayes. Inthe town it stood 1, 647 noes, 831 ayes; in the industrial andSocialist town of Chaux de Fonds it was 2, 400 noes, 1, 800 ayes. TheFederal Council refused all appeals to submit the question, althoughit was discussed in the First Chamber. In October the Council of Basleby 63 to 24 voted to submit the proposition. The Council of Zurichalso sent it to the voters, adding eligibility to office. On February8, 1920, the vote in the Canton of Zurich was 88, 249 noes; 21, 608ayes. In that of Basle it was 12, 455 noes; 6, 711 ayes. The peasantswere solidly opposed and the workingmen voted against it. 

The suffragists then concentrated upon Geneva and set out to get apetition from 2, 500 electors, which would compel the Council of theCanton to submit the proposition. In June, 1920, the InternationalWoman Suffrage Alliance held in Geneva its first congress after thewar. Delegates were present from all over the civilized world. Twenty-one countries had now enfranchised women. From every point ofview it was one of the most successful it had ever held and it wasexpected to influence the referendum on woman suffrage. The year wascrowded with work and the 2, 500 names were not obtained untilNovember. It was February, 1921, before the Council of the Cantondiscussed the petition and then it was referred to a SpecialCommission, where it was held until September 21 before the proposalto give full suffrage and eligibility to women was submitted to thevoters. The election took place October 17 and resulted in 14, 166noes; 6, 629 ayes. 

ITALY. 

Woman suffrage in some form had been a number of times before theItalian Parliament and it was advocated by many of the eminentuniversity women. At the first congress of the International WomanSuffrage Alliance in Copenhagen in 1906 Professor Teresa Labriola, alecturer on law in the University of Rome, came to tell of effortsduring the past year to awaken interest in the question of votes forwomen, due largely to the demand of men for universal suffrage. Somewomen had tried to have their names placed on the election lists, asthe electoral law did not prohibit it, but the courts decided againstthem. A petition signed by a large number of women was presented tothe House of Deputies and some of these advocated a law to give womenthe suffrage but Premier Giolitti held that full civil rights mustfirst be given to them. In 1908 congresses of women were held, committees formed and a National Committee for Woman Suffrage wassufficiently organized to send a delegate to the meeting of theInternational Alliance in Amsterdam and be accepted as an auxiliary. Later it became a National Federation for Woman Suffrage. By 1909suffrage committees had been established in many cities, publicmeetings held and propaganda work done. The National Committee hadtaken a very active part in the elections of March to have Deputiesselected who favored giving the franchise to women, under thedirection of its president, Countess Giacinta Martini, andvice-president, Professor Labriola. The press was obliged to take upthe question, led by the _Giornale d'Italia_. In 1910 a Men's Leaguefor Woman Suffrage was formed with a membership of prominent men. Abill was brought before the Chamber to abolish marital authority, admit women to the legal profession and give them a vote in localgovernment. Premier Sonnino was in sympathy but his Cabinet fell. 

The National Suffrage Union by 1912 had 10, 000 members and tookvigorous part in the municipal elections. As a result many MunicipalCouncils adopted resolutions calling on the Deputies to pass a womansuffrage bill. In 1912 the Chamber was discussing a bill to extend thevote to illiterate men and one was introduced to give it to women, which was defeated through the influence of Premier Giolitti, but theballoting showed that it was not a party question. His government wascontinued in power by a large vote at the next election. The King inopening Parliament promised a bill to give civil rights to women. Thebreaking out of the War in 1914 ended all hope of favorable action butagitation and organization did not cease. Large suffrage congresseswere held in Rome in 1916 and 1917, the latter opened with aneloquent address by Keeper of the Seals Sacchi, who was to introducea Reform Bill for women but it was not done. 

After the War Italy shared in the world-wide movement toward improvingthe position of women. The long-delayed Sacchi bill was introduced. Itvery largely removed the civil disabilities of women, which were many;abolished the authority of the husband, which was absolute; gave womenthe right to control their property, enter the professions, fillpublic offices and have equal guardianship of their children. On March25, 1919, the Senate Commission recommended the passing of the billwithout change, which was done in July by a vote of 58 to 17. On April23, 29, 1920, an immense suffrage congress was held in Milan, openedby Dr. Margherita Ancona and addressed by prominent men of allparties. This was followed by others and there was a strong publicdemand for the enfranchisement of women. A bill was presented July 30, sponsored by sixteen prominent Deputies of all parties, to give womenthe vote on the same terms as men but they were not to use it untilafter the approaching general election, as there would not be time tomake new lists. This Martini bill was referred to a special committeeof Signor Martini, Signor Gasparotto and Signor Sandrini and it wasdue to their excellent management that it went through with such speedon September 6. It was favored by Premier Nitti, some brilliantspeeches were made and it passed by 174 ayes, 55 noes. Before thegreat rejoicing was over, before the bill could be acted on by theSenate, the Government was defeated and the Parliament was dissolved. Italy soon, like other European countries, was threatened withrevolution. Ministers rose and fell; politics was in a chaotic state. This situation has continued to a considerable degree and women arestill without the suffrage (1921). 

FRANCE. 

For many years there were detached groups in France working forpolitical rights for women but it was not until 1909 that any effortat national organization was made. Then in February a NationalCommittee was formed of one member from each society with Mme. JeanneE. Schmahl, a well-known worker for the rights of women, as chairman. The National Council of Women of France, an influential body, gaveits assistance. Mme. Schmahl went to the meeting of the InternationalWoman Suffrage Alliance in London the following April, whichrecognized the committee as a National Association and accepted it asan auxiliary. It immediately began organizing branches in theProvinces, and received especial help from the universities. Professional women, those in public service and wage-earning womenjoined the association, which soon had over 3, 000 members. The righthad been given to working women to vote in the election of TradeCouncils. As far back as 1906 M. Dussaussoy had proposed a bill to theChamber of Deputies giving to all women a vote for Municipal, Districtand General Councils. In March, 1910, M. Buisson, chairman of theParliamentary Committee for Universal Suffrage, reported in favor ofthis bill and added full suffrage. In June, at the request of the newassociation, 163 Deputies signed a petition that the report should betaken up at once. A remarkable sentiment in favor was disclosed. 

Mme. V. Vincent, a pioneer in the woman movement, became president ofthe association, which was called the French Union for Woman Suffrage. By the time the International Alliance held its congress in Budapestin June, 1913, Mme. Marguerite de Witt Schlumberger, a very capableexecutive, had been elected president and the report of the secretary, Mme. C. V. Brunschvicg, of the progress made along many lines filledfive printed pages. The Municipal suffrage bill had been taken up bythe Chamber of Deputies in December, 1912, and then, as usuallyhappened in all countries, some electoral reform in the interest ofmen crowded it out. The Union now numbered 10, 000 members and held anational meeting each year. More requests came for speakers than couldbe answered. 

The War begun in 1914 put an end to all hope of parliamentary actionbut after it ended the expectation throughout the world was that themagnificent courage and efficiency of French women during thefour-and-a-half years would be rewarded with full enfranchisement. TheUnion took up the question at once and met the fullest cooperation inthe Chamber of Deputies. The debate opened in May, 1919, and continuedthrough three sessions. It commenced with the bill for the Municipalfranchise but at the beginning of the third session this passed to anamendment, conferring the same complete universal suffrage possessedby men. The Chamber was undecided when M. Viviani and M. Briand, former Prime Ministers, in strong speeches called for the amendment. Their powerful influence turned the scale and on May 20 by 377 ayes, 97 noes, the Deputies voted for the amendment amidst the greatestenthusiasm. It had to be ratified by the Senate, a non-progressivebody not elected by popular vote but by District and MunicipalCouncillors in each Commune. 

With much anxiety the women turned to the Senate and after interviewswith individual members succeeded in obtaining a hearing before theCommission, or Committee, on Adult Suffrage, June 12. They presentedan eloquent appeal, signed officially by the Union of SuffrageSocieties with 80 branches; the National Council of Women with 150 andseveral other large organizations of women, and gave a copy to eachmember. It was received in cold silence and they knew that not morethan half-a-dozen of the 27 members were favorable. The elections wereapproaching and the commission would not report the subject to bediscussed in the Senate. After the election the new Chamber ofDeputies considered in September a proposal to the Senate to hold adiscussion on the woman suffrage bill, which was passed by a vote of340 to 95. It had no effect and the commission not only refused to laythe measure before the Senate but rejected one to give the franchiseto woman relatives of the men who were killed in the war. The Radicalmembers fear that to give women a vote would strengthen the power ofthe Catholic church; the Conservatives fear that the politicalemancipation of women would diminish the influence of the clergy. Thusthe situation remains in the so-called Republic. 

OTHER COUNTRIES IN EUROPE. 

At the meeting of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in Genevain 1920 the president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, called attention inher address to the fact that Greece and Spain in Europe, Argentina andUruguay in South America and the island of Cuba had made enoughprogress in organization for woman suffrage within a few years to beaccepted as auxiliaries. 

GREECE. While the Peace Treaty was being framed at Paris in 1919Premier Venizelos received a deputation of leading suffragists frommany countries, expressed his sympathy with the movement and gave themthe names of women in Athens with whom to take up the question oforganization. On Jan. 23, 1920, he stated to the Parliament in Greecethat the Government was prepared to give the suffrage to women as soonas they to some extent requested it. This was followed in March by theforming in Athens of a League for the Rights of Women and later bybranches in Crete, Thessaly and Corfu. A petition for political andcivic rights, in which other societies of women joined, was sent tothe Parliament. The Lyceum Club, one of the oldest and mostinfluential in Greece, arranged a great congress of women to meet inOctober to consider measures for the advancement of women along alllines, including that of suffrage. Then the Venizelos Government wasoverthrown by a plebiscite, the King returned and the congress wasdeferred until April, 1921. At that time a hundred societies of womensent delegates. It was opened by Premier Gounaris and the King andQueen were present. Woman suffrage was the leading feature and severalCabinet Ministers announced the intention of the Government to conferit. Queen Sophia decorated Madame Parron, president of the congress, and thanked her for devoting her life to the progress of Greek women. There have been the usual delays but the women will probably beenfranchised in the not distant future. 

SPAIN. The women of Spain labor under great disadvantages in trying toobtain the franchise, as the Catholic church, which is all-powerful, is not in favor of it. The King and Queen are friendly and a number ofthe statesmen are ready to assist. The Cabinet in 1919 proposed a billwhich would give a vote to all women over 23 years old and it wasplaced on the program of the Republican party. There are eight or tensuffrage societies in different cities united in a Supreme FeministCouncil, which holds congresses and has presented to the Parliamentpetitions signed by thousands of women asking for complete politicaland legal equality. It is an auxiliary of the International Alliance. 

There have been attempts to organize for woman suffrage in Portugal. Travellers in various districts of Turkey report that in some of themwomen are permitted to vote and hold office. 

Before the outbreak of the War there was some suffrage among theproperty owning women in the Jewish colonization of Palestine. Afterit was taken by General Allenby the Jewish Provisional Assembly calledto arrange for a National Constituent Assembly provided that women aswell as men should vote for it. There was opposition from the orthodoxbut the liberal element prevailed. They vote and belong to thepolitical organizations and also have their own, which work for theimprovement of the civil and legal position of women. They have unitedin a national organization and become auxiliary to the InternationalWoman Suffrage Alliance. Women have been elected to city councils andeven to the National Assembly. 

When Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt visited China in 1912 she found thatwomen had taken part in the revolution and not only had voted for thenew Parliament but had been elected to it. These privileges wereafterwards taken away but they organized societies to get them again. Mrs. Catt kept in touch with these societies and in 1913 they wereaccepted as auxiliary to the Alliance. They are still keeping up thestruggle for political rights. 

There is only the nucleus of a movement for woman suffrage in Japanbut some of the statesmen favor it and women's societies petition forit. Under the auspices of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union abeginning has been made toward organization. Women are not allowed toattend political meetings and their position is very restricted butthis year (1921) they have done a great deal of public work for peace. The Japanese Government is progressing rapidly and the results willeventually be seen in an improved status of women. 

SOUTH AMERICA. Women occupy an advanced position in Argentina ineducation, in business and in organized work. They have had during thepast twenty years an excellent training through the National Councilof Women and they have exercised much influence in public affairs. They were slow in entering the movement for woman suffrage but by 1920they were sufficiently organized under the presidency of Dr. AliciaMoreau, to send a representative to the congress of the InternationalAlliance in Geneva in June and be received as an auxiliary. Largemeetings have been held in Buenos Aires. There is much favorablesentiment in the Parliament, where bills have been introduced. 

The woman suffrage movement is well advanced in Uruguay under thepresidency of Dr. Paulina Luisi, who attended the Geneva congress, where her association entered the International Alliance. Thepresident of the Republic, Dr. Baltaser Brum, is an ardent advocate ofwoman's enfranchisement and is using his best efforts for it. A billwas introduced by Dr. Aralya for the complete emancipation of women, which did not pass. Later one for the Municipal franchise waspresented by Deputy Alfco Brum, brother of the president, which it isbelieved will ultimately be accepted. There is a suffrage society inChili, one in Paraguay and one in Brazil, where the Senate in 1920defeated a bill. 

The Central American Constituent Assembly, the legislative body of thenew Federation of Central American States, has approved womansuffrage. There is to be a Pan American Suffrage Congress of Women inthe United States in 1922, which doubtless will give a great impetusto the cause in the Central and South American countries. 

MEXICO. The constitution made for Mexico after the last revolutiongave the suffrage to all citizens without distinction of sex and womenhave voted in Yucatan but the elections throughout the country havenot been settled enough for them to exercise their right. There aresuffrage societies among the different classes of women and thewage-earners are especially insistent on having a voice in theGovernment. The President is quoted as having said that the time whenwomen will vote is near at hand. 

FOOTNOTES:

[220] The History is indebted for the material in this division toMiss Annie Furuhjelm of Helsingfors, member of Parliament, vice-president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance andpresident of the Woman's Alliance Union of Finland formed in 1892. 

CHAPTER LIV. 

THE INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE. 

An international association of the groups of women in variouscountries who were working to obtain the suffrage was for many yearsthe strong desire of Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Miss Susan B. Anthony, two leaders of the movement in the United States. When, however, in the early eighties the first steps were taken they foundthat Great Britain was the only one with organizations for thispurpose. They visited there in 1883-4 and found so much sympathy withthe idea that a committee was appointed to cooperate with one in theUnited States in arranging for an International Woman SuffrageAssociation. [221] It was decided as a first step to hold anInternational Suffrage Convention but after a correspondence whichextended through several years, because of the difficulty of gettingin touch with women in the different countries who were interested, itwas considered advisable to broaden the scope of the undertaking andcall an International Congress of Women engaged in all kinds of workfor the general welfare. This was held in Washington, D. C. , in March, 1888, under the auspices of the National Suffrage Association and wasthe largest convention of women which had ever taken place up to thattime. It resulted in a permanent International Council of Women, whichin a few years established a Standing Committee on Suffrage and Rightsof Citizenship with Dr. Anna Howard Shaw as chairman. The NationalCouncils in all countries formed auxiliary committees and made womansuffrage a part of their program and it had a prominent place at theNational and International Congresses. The woman suffrage leaders inthe United States did not abandon the idea of an affiliation of thesocieties which were forming in many lands for the specific purpose ofobtaining the franchise but no further steps toward it were taken. 

From the time Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt became officially connectedwith the National Association in 1905 a dominant thought with her wasthat there should be an international suffrage association. MissAnthony resigned the presidency in 1900 and Mrs. Catt became hersuccessor. She presented her idea to Miss Anthony, who told her of theearly efforts and encouraged her to apply her great organizing abilityto the undertaking, feeling that she was fitted for it above allothers. Mrs. Catt at once began the preliminary work and after twoyears of correspondence the officers of the National American WomanSuffrage Association issued an invitation for an InternationalConference to be held in Washington, D. C. , at the time of its annualconvention in February, 1902. This conference took place and wasattended by delegates from many countries. A part of their interestingand valuable addresses before the convention and committees ofCongress will be found in Chapter II of Volume V. The officialproceedings of the conference are condensed from the Minutes asfollows:

Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American WomanSuffrage Association, called the meeting to order and gave a briefhistory of the correspondence conducted with the officers of women'sassociations of various kinds concerning an International WomanSuffrage Conference. She reported that ten countries would berepresented by delegates--England, Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Chile and the United States. She expressedregret that unforseen circumstances at the last moment prevented theattendance of the Canadian delegation but stated that James L. Hughes, Inspector of Public Schools in Toronto, would attend and report on theposition of women in Canada. 

The United States association had appointed four delegates and it hadbeen hoped that each country would send four but no country had sentmore than one. The meeting was asked to select a chairman and onmotion of Mrs. Fenwick Miller, seconded by Mrs. Drewson, Miss Susan B. Anthony was unanimously chosen and took the chair. Miss Vida Goldsteinwas elected recording secretary. 

The following delegates responded to the roll call: Mrs. FlorenceMiller, England; Miss Vida Goldstein, Australia; Mrs. Sofja LevovnaFriedland, Russia; Mrs. Gudrun Drewson, Norway; Miss Florence Fensham, Turkey; Miss Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the Rev. AnnaHoward Shaw, Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, United States. Mrs. Cattannounced that a delegate from Germany, Miss Antonie Stolle; one fromChile, Miss Carolina Huidobro, and one from Sweden, Mrs. Emmy Evald, would arrive later. A committee of five was appointed to consider aplan for international cooperation--Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Avery, MissStolle, Mrs. Drewson, Miss Goldstein. At another session itsrecommendations were read and adopted as follows:

1. That it is desirable to form an International Woman SuffrageCommittee for the purpose of acting as a central bureau for thecollection, exchange and dissemination of information concerning themethods of suffrage work and the general status of women in thevarious countries having representation on the committee. 

2. That the delegates to the conference be instructed to ask theirrespective societies to appoint three representatives to act on such acommittee. 

3. That in the event of societies declining to cooperate, thedelegates be authorized to form a separate International Committee intheir respective countries. 

4. That the secretary of the International Committee be instructed tocommunicate with known suffragists in countries not represented inthis conference and to recommend cooperation with the internationalorganization. .. . 

The delegates were unanimously of the opinion that the above temporaryform of organization would result in most satisfactory internationalcooperation. It was held that each nation should be given freeopportunity to aid in the forming of the permanent organization andthat the present needs would be best served by a temporaryInternational Committee. It was agreed that the next InternationalWoman Suffrage Conference should be called in Berlin in 1904, inconnection with the Quinquennial Meeting of the International Councilof Women, and that meantime each nation should be asked to considerthis movement and send delegates fully instructed as to the best formof a permanent international organization. 

Miss Anthony was elected permanent chairman; Mrs. Catt, secretary;Mrs. Fenwick Miller, treasurer. Mrs. Catt moved that as anInternational Association was not yet permanently organized, eachcountry should be asked to contribute something toward the generalworking expenses of printing, postage, etc. , but the financialobligation should be left to its own discretion. It was decided thatthe plan of organization adopted by the conference be read to theconvention of the National Suffrage Association then in session. Tomake the conference still more international in character avice-chairman representing Germany was added and the appointment wasleft to the German societies. It was arranged that the committeeshould hold office till the meeting in Berlin. It was moved by Mrs. Friedland, seconded by Miss Fensham, that the foreign delegates accordtheir warmest thanks to the National American Suffrage Association forinviting them to the International Conference and for the manykindnesses shown them. 

Mrs. Catt had sent out a list of twenty-eight questions to most of thecountries and she reported that answers had been received fromthirty-two. These questions covered property rights of women, occupations, wages, education, guardianship of children, divorce, office holding, suffrage and other legal and civil rights. The fulland comprehensive answers, some of them from Consuls and othergovernment representatives, were published in the official report ofthe conference and formed an invaluable collection of facts andstatistics such as had never before been made. They gave a strikingobject lesson in the strong necessity for women to have a voice in thelaws and the governments under which they live. 

It had been suggested by Mrs. Catt that this conference shouldconsider issuing a Declaration of Principles, expressing briefly thedemand for independence and individuality which women are makingtoday. Mrs. Fenwick Miller warmly supported the suggestion and acommittee of three was appointed to draw it up--Mrs. Avery, Mrs. Evaldand Miss Fensham. As finally submitted, discussed and accepted itformed the platform of the international organization and was adoptedat each meeting for some years afterwards. It was called a Declarationof Principles and read as follows:

 1. Men and women are born equally free and independent members of the human race, equally endowed with intelligence and ability and equally entitled to the free exercise of their individual rights and liberty. 

 2. The natural relation of the sexes is that of inter-dependence and cooperation and the repression of the rights and liberty of one sex inevitably works injury to the other and hence to the whole race. 

 3. In all lands those laws, creeds and customs which have tended to restrict women to a position of dependence, to discourage their education, to impede the development of their natural gifts and to subordinate their individuality have been based upon false theories and have produced an artificial and unjust relation of the sexes in modern society. 

 4. Self-government in the home and the State is the inalienable right of every normal adult and the refusal of this right to women has resulted in social, legal and economic injustice to them and has also intensified the existing economic disturbances throughout the world. 

 5. Governments which impose taxes and laws upon their women citizens without giving them the right of consent or dissent which is granted to men citizens exercise a tyranny inconsistent with just government. 

 6. The ballot is the only legal and permanent means of defending the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" pronounced inalienable by the American Declaration of Independence and accepted as inalienable by all civilized nations. In any representative form of government, therefore, women should be vested with all the political rights and privileges of electors. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE ALLIANCE. 

The International Woman Suffrage Committee, which had been formed at aconference in Washington, D. C. , in February, 1902, and adjourned tomeet in Berlin in June, 1904, was called to order on June 3, in thePrince Albert Hotel by the chairman, Miss Susan B. Anthony, who waswarmly greeted by the women of all countries. The following report ofthis and subsequent meetings is condensed from the Minutes:

The program arranged by the officers was adopted as the order ofbusiness. Dr. Jur. Anita Augsburg of the German Suffrage Associationdelivered a cordial address of welcome and Miss Anthony, in behalf ofthe visiting delegates, responded. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt presenteda gavel from the women of Wyoming, who have enjoyed the right of fullsuffrage longer than any other women in the world. 

Dr. Phil. Käthe Schirmacher of Germany was appointed officialinterpreter; Miss Adelheid von Welczeck of Germany was made assistantsecretary and was also appointed on the committee on credentials withDr. Aletta Jacobs of Holland and Miss Edith Palliser of England. Theroll call of nations showed delegates from the United States, GreatBritain, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Hungary, New Zealand and Germany. 

Guests and delegates from countries where no organization wasaffiliated with the International Committee were given the privilegesof the conference except the vote. The Declaration of Principles wasread and Dr. Schirmacher and Mlle. Camille Vidart of Switzerland wereappointed to translate it into German and French for discussion. Dr. Augspurg read telegrams of greeting and good will from the Frenchdelegates, who were prevented from attending the conference. 

It was agreed that the name of the new association be theInternational Woman Suffrage Alliance and a motion by Dr. Anna HowardShaw (U. S. A. ) that Miss Anthony be declared its first member wascarried amid cheers. It was moved by Mrs. Lucretia L. Blankenburg ofPhiladelphia and unanimously carried that Miss Mary S. Anthony be thesecond member. It was voted that those delegates at the firstconference in Washington who were not now present be invited to standalso as charter members of the permanent Alliance. The opportunity wasthen given for the affiliation of honorary associates and thefollowing were accepted: Wilhelmine Sheriff Bain and Isabel Napier, New Zealand; Miss Anna Hude, Mrs. Charlotte Norrie, Mrs. JohanneMünter, Copenhagen; Mrs. Friederike von Mekler Traunwies, Austria;Leopold Katscher, Hungary; Mme. Chaponniere-Chaix, Mlle. Vidart, Switzerland. 

The object of the Alliance was declared to be "to secure theenfranchisement of the women of all nations and to unite the friendsof woman suffrage throughout the world in organized cooperation andfraternal helpfulness, " and a constitution was adopted. The roll ofnations was called and the delegates from Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the United States pledged affiliation. Mrs. Catt made the pledge for Australia. Delegates from Denmark and Norwayasked for time to present the matter to their associations and alittle later became auxiliaries. All the suffrage associations inexistence that could be called national except that of Canada--eightaltogether--joined the Alliance. Mesdames Minna Cauer, Germany; AgdaMontelius, Sweden; Charlotte Norrie, Denmark; Mrs. Blankenburg, Dr. Jacobs and Miss Palliser were appointed to consider designs for aninternational badge. 

Miss Anthony announced that as she had reached the age of 84 she couldnot stand as candidate for the presidency and it was unanimously votedthat she be made honorary president. The following officers wereelected: President, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, New York; firstvice-president, Dr. Jur. Anita Augspurg, Hamburg; secondvice-president, Mrs. Millicent Garrett Fawcett, London; secretary, Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, Philadelphia; first assistant secretary, Dr. Käthe Schirmacher, Paris (address temporarily); second, Miss JohannaA. W. Naber, Amsterdam; treasurer, Miss Rodger Cunliffe, London. (Later Miss Naber resigned and Miss Martina G. Kramers of Rotterdamwas appointed. )

The Executive Committee of the new Alliance met June 6 at the PalastHotel. It was arranged that fifty copies of the Declaration ofPrinciples, the Constitution and the Minutes be typed in Berlin andsent to the presidents of the affiliated societies and the honoraryassociates. It was decided to postpone application for auxiliaryshipto the International Council of Women for at least two years. Correspondence with the countries requiring special information wasassigned as follows: "To Mrs. Catt, Australia; to Dr. Augspurg, Norwayand Austria; to Dr. Schirmacher, Italy and France; to Miss Naber, Switzerland and Belgium. It was decided that the Alliance should meetevery five years for the election of officers, revision of theconstitution, etc. , but that during this period executive meetingsand congresses might be held. [222]

THIRD CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIANCE. 

The first Executive Meeting and Third Conference of the Alliance washeld at Copenhagen Aug. 7-11, 1906, in the Concert Palais, in responseto a Call from the president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, and secretary, Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, to the affiliated National Woman SuffrageAssociations, which said:

 An especial invitation to send fraternal delegates is extended to all societies known to be in sympathy with our movement. Individuals of whatever race, nativity or creed, who believe in the right of the woman citizen to protect her interests in society by the ballot, are invited to be present. The enfranchisement of women is emphatically a world movement. The unanswerable logic upon which the movement is based and the opposition which everywhere appears to combat that logic with its array of traditions and prejudices are the same in all lands. The evolution of the movement must proceed along the same lines among all peoples. In union there is strength. Let international cooperation, organization and work be our watchwords. 

Two years of careful preparation, extended correspondence and closeattention to endless details by the president and officers of theAlliance had brought to Copenhagen a congress of women prepared toinaugurate a world movement for woman suffrage. Excellent arrangementshad been made by the Danish Association through four committees:Finance, Miss Eline Hansen; Information, Miss Julie Laurberg; Press, Miss Sophie Alberti; Entertainment, Mrs. Johanne Münter. The music wasin charge of Miss Bernberg. The entire expenses of the convention, rent of hall, handsome decorations, silk badges, etc. , were met by thefinance committee. The elaborate souvenir programs contained manyviews of the city which were made by Miss Laurberg's camera. Theremarkable work of the press before and during the congress was due toMiss Alberti's judicious and skilful management. The entertainmentsunder the capable direction of Mrs. Münter included a beautiful dinnergiven by a committee of Danish ladies at the famous pleasure resortMarienlyst; a reception by the directors at Rosenberg Castle; anafternoon tea by the officers of the widely-known Women's Reading Clubof 3, 200 members, of which Miss Alberti, a founder, was the president;a reception and banquet by the Municipal Council in the magnificentCity Hall and a farewell supper by the Danish Suffrage Association atSkydebanen, preceded by an interesting program of recitations andcostume dances. There were many private dinners, luncheons andexcursions to the beautiful and historic environs. 

Two more national suffrage associations had united with theAlliance--those of Hungary and Canada. Australia was ready to enter. France had sent a delegate, Madame Maria Martin, and expected to forma national association within a year. Professor Teresa Labriola waspresent to promise the affiliation of Italy in another year. Sixhighly educated, progressive delegates from Russia represented theUnion of Defenders of Woman's Rights, composed of 79 societies and10, 000 members, which applied for auxiliaryship. Fraternal delegateswere present from the International Council of Women and the NationalCouncils of Norway, Sweden, France, the United States and Australia;from the International Council of Nurses and from organizations ofwomen in Finland and Iceland. Telegrams of greeting were received fromsocieties and individuals in twenty-five different cities of Europe. About one hundred delegates and alternates from twelve countries werepresent. 

Several sessions were filled to overflowing with these greetings andthe reports from the various countries of the progress made by womenin the contest for their civil, legal and political rights. Aspublished in the Minutes, filling 55 pages, these reports formed aremarkable and significant chapter in the world's history. Mrs. Cattwas in the chair on the first afternoon and a cordial welcome wasextended by the presidents of five Danish organizations of women: MissAlberti, Mrs. Louise Hansen, Mrs. Louise Norlund, Mrs. Jutta BojsenMoller and Miss Henni Forchhammer for the National Council of Women. Dr. Jur. Anita Augspurg of Germany, the first vice-president, responded for the Alliance. She was followed by Mrs. Catt, who, in herpresident's address, after describing in full the forming of theAlliance, gave a comprehensive report of the progress towardorganizing suffrage associations in the various countries during thepast two years and the growth and future prospects of theinternational movement. She touched a responsive chord in every heartwhen she said:

 Since we last met our cause has sustained a signal loss in the death of our honorary president, Susan B. Anthony. She has been the inspirer of our movement in many lands and we may justly say that her labors belonged to all the world. She passed in the ripeness of years and with a life behind her which counted not a wasted moment nor a selfish thought. When one thinks of her it must be with the belief that she was born and lived to perform an especial mission. All who knew her well mourn her and long will they miss her wise counsel, her hearty cheerfulness and her splendid optimism. There has been no important national suffrage meeting in the United States for half a century and no international meeting of significance at any time in which she has not been a conspicuous figure. This is the first to meet without her. We must hope that her spirit will be with us and inspire our deliberations with the same lofty purpose and noble energy which governed all her labors. 

Mrs. Catt reviewed the movement for woman suffrage, declaring that themost ambitious should be satisfied with the general progress, and saidin conclusion:

 We have been like an army climbing slowly and laboriously up a steep and rocky mountain. We have looked upward and have seen uncertain stretches of time and effort between us and the longed for summit. We have not been discouraged for behind us lay fifty years of marvelous achievement. We have known that we should reach that goal but we have also known that there was no way to do it but to plod on patiently, step by step. Yet suddenly, almost without warning, we see upon that summit another army. How came it there? It has neither descended from heaven nor made the long, hard journey, yet there above us all the women of Finland stand today. Each wears the royal crown of the sovereignty of the self-governing citizen. Two years ago these women would not have been permitted by the law to organize a woman suffrage association. A year later they did organize a woman suffrage committee and before it is yet a year old its work is done! The act giving full suffrage and eligibility to all offices has been bestowed upon them by the four Chambers of Parliament and the Czar has approved the measure! Metaphorically a glad shout of joy has gone up from the whole body of suffragists the world over. 

Mrs. Catt presided at every public and every business meeting and herswas the guiding spirit and the controlling hand. By her ability andfairness she won the entire confidence of the delegates from twelvecountries and launched successfully this organization which many hadbelieved impossible because of the differences in language, temperament and methods. 

Throughout the meetings twenty-minute addresses were made by prominentwomen of the different countries, some of them reports of theorganized work, others on subjects of special interest to women, amongthem The Ideal Woman, Miss Eline Hansen; What Woman Suffrage Is Not, Dr. Schirmacher; Women Jurors of Norway, Miss Mörck; Woman's Horizon, Mrs. Flora MacDonald Denison, Canada; The Silent Foe, Dr. Anna HowardShaw; What Are Women to Do?, Dr. Jacobs; Our Victory, Miss AnnieFuruhjelm, Finland; Why the Working Woman Needs the Ballot, Mrs. Andrea Brachmann, Denmark; Why the Women of Australia Asked for andReceived the Suffrage, sent by Miss Vida Goldstein and read by Mrs. Madge Donohoe. 

Others besides the officers and those above mentioned who spoke duringthe convention were Cand. Phil. Helena Berg, Elizabeth Grundtvig, Stampe Fedderson, Denmark: Briet Asmundsson, Iceland; Mrs. F. M. Qvam, Cand. Phil. Mathilde Eriksen, Gina Krog and Mrs. L. Keilhau, Norway;Dr. Ellen Sandelin, Anna Whitlock, Gertrud Adelborg, Huldah Lundin, Ann Margret Holmgren, Frigga Carlberg, Anna B. Wicksell, and JennyWallerstedt, Sweden; Baroness Gripenberg, Dr. Meikki Friberg, Finland;Zeniede Mirovitch, Elizabeth Goncharow, Olga Wolkenstein, AnneKalmanovitch, Russia; Rosika Schwimmer, Vilma Glücklich, Bertha Engel, Hungary; Lida Gustave Heymann, Adelheid von Welczeck, Regina Ruben, Germany; Mrs. Rutgers Hoitsema, Mrs. Van Loenen de Bordes, Netherlands; Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Lady Steel, Dora Montefiore, Mrs. Broadley Reid, Great Britain; Miss Lucy E. Anthony, UnitedStates; Mrs. Henry Dobson, Australia. 

One afternoon session was devoted to memorial services for MissAnthony, with the principal address by Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, herbiographer, and beautiful tributes by delegates of seven Europeancountries and Canada expressing the debt of gratitude which all womenowed to the great pioneer. Mrs. Harper briefly sketched thesubordinate position of women when Miss Anthony began her great workfor their emancipation in 1851; told of her efforts for temperance andthe abolition of slavery; her part in forming the InternationalCouncil of Women; her publication of the History of Woman Suffrage andthe many other activities of her long life. She described the advancedposition of women at present and closed by saying:

 No one who makes a careful study of the great movement for the emancipation of woman can fail to recognize in Miss Anthony its supreme leader. After her death last March more than a thousand editorials appeared in the principal newspapers of the country and practically every one of them accorded her this distinction. She was the only one who gave to this cause her whole life, consecrating to its service every hour of her time and every power of her being. Other women did what they could; came into the work for awhile and dropped out; had the divided interests of family and social relations; turned their attention to reforms which promised speedier rewards; surrendered to the forces of persecution. With Miss Anthony the cause of woman took the place of husband, children, society; it was her work and her relaxation, her politics and her religion. "I know only woman and her disfranchised, " was her creed. .. . May we, her daughters, receive as a blessed inheritance something of her indomitable will, splendid courage, limitless patience, perseverance, optimism, faith!

Dr. Shaw closed the meeting with an eloquent unwritten perorationwhich told of her last hours with Miss Anthony as the great soul wasabout to take its flight and ended: "The object of her life was toawaken in women the consciousness of the need of freedom and thecourage to demand it, not as an end but as a means of creating higherideals for humanity. "

A resolution was adopted rejoicing in the granting of full suffrageand eligibility to sit in the Parliament to the women of Finland thepreceding May. The delegates from Norway received a message from thePrime Minister that it was the intention of the Parliament to enlargethe Municipal franchise which women had possessed since 1901. 

Designs for a permanent badge were submitted by several countries andthe majority vote was in favor of the one designed by Mrs. Pedersen-Dan of Denmark, the figure of a woman holding the scales ofjustice with a rising sun in the background and the Latin words JusSuffragii. It was decided to publish a monthly paper under the name of_Jus Suffragii_ and in the English language. Afterwards Miss MartinaG. Kramers was appointed editor and the paper was issued fromRotterdam. The invitation was accepted to hold an executive meetingand conference in Amsterdam in 1908, as a new constitution was aboutto be made for The Netherlands and there would be a strong effort tohave it include woman suffrage. 

Mrs. Catt's closing words to the delegates were to encourageagitation, education and organization in their countries. "Theenfranchisement of women is as certain to come as the sun is sure torise tomorrow, " she said. "The time must depend on politicalconditions and the energy and intelligence with which our movement isconducted. " Thus ended happily and auspiciously the first Congress ofthe International Woman Suffrage Alliance. 

FOURTH CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIANCE. 

The Executive Meeting and Fourth Conference of the International WomanSuffrage Alliance was held in Amsterdam, June 15-20, 1908, in thespacious and handsome Concert Hall, in response to the Call of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president, and Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, secretary. No one who was present can ever forget this meeting in themost fascinating of countries, with every detail of its six days'sessions carefully planned and nothing left undone for the comfort andentertainment of the visitors who had come from most of the countriesof Europe, from Canada, the United States and far-away Australia andNew Zealand. The following account is condensed from the very fullreport of the recording secretary, Miss Martina G. Kramers:

The arrangements for the congress were made by a Central Committee, ofwhich Dr. Aletta Jacobs, president of the Vereeniging voorVrouwenkiesrecht, the organization which had invited the Alliance toAmsterdam, was chairman. Mrs. W. Drucker was chairman of the FinanceCommittee, Mrs. Van Buuren Huys, secretary, and Miss Rosa Manus gavemuch assistance. The Press Committee, Miss Johanna W. A. Naber, chairman, did excellent work in conjunction with a committee from theAmsterdam press association. .. . That the accounts throughout the worldwere so complete is due to this painstaking, able committee'sassistance to the correspondents from far and wide. 

The Committee on Local Arrangements, Mrs. Van Loenen de Bordes, chairman, performed well many duties, issued a dainty booklet, boundin green and gold, which contained the program interspersed with viewsof Amsterdam, and provided handsome silk flags to mark the seats ofeach delegation, which were presented to the Alliance. A Bureau ofInformation was presided over by young women who were able to answerall questions in many languages. The back of the great stage wasdraped with the flags of the twenty nations represented, those ofNorway, Finland and Australia being conspicuously placed in thecenter, that especial honor might be done the full suffrage countries. The front of the stage was a mass of flowers and plants, a magnificentbust of Queen Wilhelmina occupying a conspicuous place. 

The Committee on Reception, chairman, Mrs. Gompertz Jitta, and that onEntertainments, chairman, Mrs. Schöffer-Bunge, provided manypleasures. Chief among these was the musical reception on the firstafternoon. A grand welcome song with a military band playing theaccompaniment was sung by four hundred voices; a variety of children'ssongs followed and the program was closed by a cantata called OldHolland's New Time, which had been prepared especially for thecongress. All the music had been composed by Catherine Van Rennes, whowas also the conductor. The congress opened with a large receptiongiven by the Dutch Women's Suffrage Association at Maison Couturier, with a greeting by Mrs. Gompertz-Jitta. It had as a unique feature alittle play written by Betsy van der Starp of The Hague. The gods andgoddesses with much feeling discussed the appeal of Woman, who hadasked their help in her effort to secure more rights on Earth. .. . OnTuesday afternoon a reception was given by Burgomaster and Mrs. VanLeeuwen at their beautiful home, where refreshments were served in ashaded garden and the hospitable and democratic freedom was greatlyenjoyed. On the same afternoon the Amsterdam branch of the NationalAssociation took the foreign visitors for a delightful excursion onthe Amstel River. On Wednesday afternoon Dr. Jacobs had a mostenjoyable tea in the Pavilloen van het Vondelpark. Mrs. Gompertz-Jittaopened her own luxurious home for tea on Friday. A house filled with arare art collection, a fine garden and a charming hostess gave anafternoon long to be remembered. A farewell dinner on Saturday nightwas held in the great Concert Hall. A gay assembly, a good dinner, thenational airs of all countries played by a fine band, furnishedabundant enjoyment and aroused enthusiasm to the utmost. The climaxcame when a band of young men and women, dressed in the quaint andpicturesque costumes of the Dutch peasantry, to rollicking musicexecuted several peasant dances on the platform and around the bigroom. 

The day following at an early hour several car loads of suffragistsset forth for Rotterdam and near the station two steamers took theircargo of happy people for a trip on the River Maas. They went as faras Dordrecht, where opportunity was given to see this quaint town. Luncheon had been served on the steamers and at Rotterdam the guestsproceeded to the Zoological Garden, which many people pronounce thefinest in the world. At 6:30 dinner was served in a large, finerestaurant, followed by animated speeches until train time. It hadbeen a rare day, full of interest, for which the Congress was indebtedto the Rotterdam branch of the National Association and to Mrs. Vanden Bergh-Willing, who supplied one of the steamers and invited over ahundred of the delegates as her guests for the day. The next day wasspent under the direction of The Hague branch. An afternoon tea withmusic was given at the Palace Hotel, Scheveningen, the famous seasideresort, and later a dinner was served at the Kurhaus, followed by afine concert arranged in honor of the guests. Later came a specialdisplay of fireworks with a closing piece which triumphantly flashedthe words "Jus Suffragii" across the sky. 

Mrs. Catt was in the chair at the first afternoon session and Dr. Jacobs welcomed the conference in an address given in perfect Englishduring which she said: "When so strong and energetic a body of earnestwomen meets to deliberate on this greatest of modern world problemsthe impression can not fail to be a powerful one, for the vision mustarise of the beauty and glory of future womanhood, of women who haveobtained proper place and power in the community, which shall enablethem to infuse their love, their moral perceptions, their sense ofjustice into the governments of the world. We believe the moment hasnow come to show our country the seriousness and extent of ourmovement and its determination to gain political equality for women inevery civilized land. With the greatest appreciation we see among ourvisitors many high officials, who have not hesitated to answer ourinvitation favorably and to give us through their presence a proof ofsympathy with the work we do. We wish to welcome these gentlemen firstof all. " Naming one country after another Dr. Jacobs mentioned theparticular achievement of each during the past two years and extendeda special welcome, saying: "May your presence here contribute toaugment the public interest in the movement for women'senfranchisement in our country. "

The address of the international president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, was a masterly effort and should be reproduced in full. In beginningit she referred to the suggestive coincidence that the opening day ofthe Congress commemorated the anniversary of the signing of theimmortal Magna Charta and said: "At no time since the movement for theenfranchisement of women began have its advocates had so much causefor self-congratulation as now. The Alliance met in Copenhagentwenty-two months ago and in the brief time since then the progress ofour cause has been so rapid, the gains so substantial, the assuranceof coming victory so certain that we may imagine the noble and bravepioneers of woman suffrage, the men and women who were thetorch-bearers of our movement, gathering today in some far-offcelestial sphere and singing together a glad pćan of exultation. " Mrs. Catt referred to the granting of full suffrage and eligibility towomen by Norway in 1907 and continued:

 Within the past two years appeals for woman suffrage have been presented to the Parliaments of eighteen European governments; the United States Congress and the Legislatures of twenty-nine States; the Parliaments of Canada and Victoria and the Legislature of the Philippines--fifty-one independent legislative bodies. The appeals were made for the first time, I believe, in twelve of the European countries. In Spain and the Philippines bills were introduced by friends of the cause quite unknown to national or international officers. This activity has not been barren of results and the delegates of six countries come to this congress vested with larger political rights than they possessed at the time of the Copenhagen meeting, namely, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, England and Germany. Each of the five Scandinavian lands has won something. Norwegian women come with full suffrage rights; Finnish delegates come as representatives of the only nation which has elected women to seats in its Parliament; Sweden and Iceland have gained a step in eligibility and our Icelandic delegate of two years ago is now a member of the city council of Reykjavik, the capital. The women of Denmark, next to those of Norway, have made the largest gain, as Municipal suffrage with liberal qualifications has been bestowed upon them. English women have secured eligibility to become Mayors and members of town and county councils. Germany has revised its law and women are now free to join political associations and to organize woman suffrage societies. The German association affiliated with the Alliance is now a federation of State bodies. In Sweden within two years the membership in the organization has doubled and the 63 local organizations reported at Copenhagen have become 127. A petition of 142, 128 names has been presented to Parliament; deputations have waited upon the Government and been granted hearings. 

A thorough analysis was made of the present status of woman suffragethroughout the world and in summing up the speaker said: "Althoughfrom Occident to Orient, from Lapland to sunny Italy and from Canadato South Africa the agitation for woman suffrage has known no pause, yet, after all, the storm center of the movement has been located inEngland. In other lands there have been steps in evolution; in Englandthere has been a revolution. There have been no guns nor powder norbloodshed but there have been all other evidences of war. .. . Yet theolder and more conservative body of workers have been no lessremarkable. With a forbearance we may all do well to imitate, theyquadrupled their own activities. Every class, including ladies of thenobility, working girls, housewives and professional women, hasengaged in the campaign and not a man, woman or child has beenpermitted to plead ignorance concerning the meaning of womansuffrage. "

Mrs. Catt reviewed at length the "militant" movement in Great Britain, showing how it had awakened interest in votes for women in allquarters of the globe, and recalled the struggle of the barons inwresting the Magna Charta from King John. She then passed to theUnited States and to the persistent charge that its experiment inuniversal male suffrage had been a failure, to which she replied:"Although the United States has gathered a population which representsevery race; although among its people are the followers of everyreligion and the subjects of every form of government; although therehas been the dead weight of a large ignorant vote, yet the littlesettlement, which 150 years ago rested upon the eastern shores of theAtlantic a mere colonial possession, has steadily climbed upward untiltoday it occupies a proud position of equality among the greatestgovernments of the world. .. . The fact that woman suffrage must comethrough a referendum to the votes of all men has postponed it but mansuffrage in the United States is as firmly fixed as the Rock ofGibraltar. .. . "

In an eloquent peroration Mrs. Catt said: "Within our Alliance we musttry to develop so lofty a spirit of internationalism, a spirit soclarified from all personalities and ambitions and nationalantagonisms that its purity and grandeur will furnish new inspirationto all workers in our cause. We must strike a note in this meeting sofull of sisterly sympathy, of faith in womanhood, of exultant hope, anote so impelling, that it will be heard by the women of all lands andwill call them forth to join our world's army. "

The business sessions opened with all the officers present; over onehundred delegates and alternates from the now sixteen auxiliarycountries; delegates sent by their governments and fraternal delegatesfrom the International Council of Women, ten National Councils, sevennon-affiliated national associations for woman suffrage and elevennational organizations in sympathy with it. Mrs. Catt introduced Mrs. Henry Dobson, sent by the Commonwealth of Australia; Miss Gina Krog, sent by the government of Norway; Dr. Romania Penrose, Mrs. Helen L. Grenfell and Mrs. Harriet Q. Sheik, appointed by the Governors ofUtah, Colorado and Wyoming, U. S. A. 

The following countries had their full quota of six delegates:Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United States, and nearly all had six alternates. Russia had fivedelegates; Finland, Switzerland and South Africa two each; Italy, Bulgaria, Australia and Canada one each. Miss Chrystal Macmillan ofScotland represented the International Council of Women; Dr. C. V. Drysdale, the Men's League for Women's Enfranchisement of GreatBritain; Mrs. Marie Lang, the Austrian Committee for Woman Suffrage;Miss Franciska Plaminkova and Miss Marie Stepankova, the CzechishWoman Suffrage Committee of Bohemia; Mrs. Alice M. Steele, NewZealand--the last three countries not yet affiliated. All kinds oforganizations sent fraternal delegates, from the Union of EthicalSocieties in London, whose delegate was Stanton Coit, their leader, tothe Society of Peasant Women in Balmazujvaros, Hungary. 

This was doubtless in many respects the most remarkable and importantgathering of women ever assembled up to that time. English, French andGerman were adopted as the official languages. The wise andsympathetic management of Mrs. Catt convinced those of all nationsthat impartiality and justice would prevail without exception; acommon bond united them; they learned that in all countries theobstacles to woman suffrage were the same and that in all womenwere oppressed by the inequality of the laws and by theirdisenfranchisement, and they understood the influence which could beexerted through an international movement. There were occasionalmisunderstandings on account of the varied parliamentary procedure indifferent countries and because of the necessity for interpreting muchthat took place but on the whole the delegates were satisfied. Theyhad intense admiration for the great executive ability of theirpresident and showed their confidence in her again and again. 

Switzerland, Bulgaria and South Africa having announced through theirdelegates that their suffrage societies had united in nationalassociations and desired to become affiliated, they wereenthusiastically accepted. Mrs. Stanton Coit of London, the newtreasurer, paid a tribute to her predecessor, Miss Rodger Cunliffe, who had died since the last conference. Mrs. Pedersen-Dan reportedthat 8, 677 badges had been sold. Many interesting discussions tookplace during the morning and afternoon sessions of which one of themost valuable was on the methods of work for the suffrage pursued inthe various countries. These methods included debates in schools andcolleges, distribution of literature, petitions to the Parliament, circulating libraries, courses of lectures, house-to-house canvassing, protests against paying taxes, mass meetings to show the need of avote in matters of public welfare. In nearly all countries thesuffragists were taking political action, questioning candidates byletter and in person and in some places working for or against them. This was especially the case in Great Britain and Miss FrancesSterling and Miss Isabella O. Ford told of the successful work atby-elections, of having thousands of postal cards sent to candidatesby their constituents, of appealing to the workingmen. A report of thespeech of Miss Margaret Ashton, a member of the city council ofManchester, quoted her as saying that, though the president of a largebody of Liberal women, she had decided that it was useless to workfurther for her party unless it would enfranchise women. Women hadworked sixty years for this party and now, if they will gain their ownliberty, they must refuse to lift hand or foot for it until itenfranchises them. 

Mrs. Rutgers Hoitsema of the Netherlands told of the efforts made tohave woman suffrage put in its new constitution; of winning six of theseven members of the Government Commission and of the request of thePrime Minister for favorable printed arguments. Miss Annie Furuhjelmsaid in her report for Finland: "We got our suffrage through arevolution, so we can not be an example for other lands as to methods. We can say, however, that we used all methods in our work. In 1904 wehad a great public meeting for woman suffrage. We organized a 'strike'against the conscription for the Russian Army and we found the mothersinterested in saving their sons. The Social Democrats had womansuffrage in their platform before 1905 but the leading men of Finlandwould not have helped the women to the suffrage if the women had notshown that they understood the public questions of the day and takenan active part in resistance to an unlawful régime. " She told of theelection of nineteen women to Parliament in 1907. Mrs. ZeneideMirovitch said in her touching report: "The women of Russia have notbeen able to work as those in other countries do, for their membersare often in danger of imprisonment or death. They have lecturers whotravel about to hold meetings; they publish a review of the work oftheir Union; members of it have started clubs which carry on generalwork for women's betterment. They have sold very cheaply 10, 000suffrage pamphlets; they have a committee in St. Petersburg whichwatches the acts of the Douma and when a law is proposed whichconcerns women and yet fails to consider them, this committee remindsthe members of their needs. It protests against the massacres andoutrages when women are assaulted and tortured. Now during thereaction the Union is not permitted to work in any way. "

Mrs. Dora Montefiore of England spoke in favor of "militant" methods. An invitation to send fraternal delegates had been declined by Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst for the Women's Social and Political Union of GreatBritain, who said they had more important work to do. It had beenaccepted by Mrs. Despard, president of the Womens' Freedom League, whocame with seven delegates. She explained that its methods consistedonly of trying to enter the House of Commons, holding meetings nearby, heckling Government candidates, refusing to pay taxes, chalkingpavements, etc. Mrs. Cobden Sanderson and Mrs. Billington Greig madevigorous, convincing speeches and all were enthusiastically received. The congress adopted a resolution of "protest against the action ofany government which classes the women suffragists imprisoned foragitation for the vote as common law-breakers instead of politicaloffenders. " It also expressed its "sympathy for the Russian women intheir struggle demanding so much sacrifice and its profound respectfor the women who under great trial do not hesitate to stand for theirrights. " A message was received with applause during one session that"the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church has resolved unanimouslyto give a vote to women on the questions that have until now beensubmitted only to the men of the congregation. "

The evening meetings were largely given up to addresses and at the onewhere Woman Suffrage in Practice was considered Mrs. Madge Donohue ofAustralia, spoke on An Experiment Justified; Mrs. Steele, New Zealand, Fifteen Years of Woman Suffrage; Miss Furuhjelm, A True Democracy. Atanother evening session Miss Fredrikke Mörck gave the Results of WomanSuffrage in Norway. In a symposium, Why Should RepresentativeGovernments Enfranchise Women? the speakers were Miss Ashton, Mrs. Minna Cauer, Germany; Miss Janka Grossman, Hungary; Mrs. Theo. Haver, Netherlands; Mrs. Louise Keilhau, Norway; Mrs. Frigga Carlberg, Sweden; Mrs. Olga Golovine, Russia; Mrs. A. Girardet, Switzerland;Miss Macmillan, Great Britain. Here as at nearly all of the publicmeetings Dr. Anna Howard Shaw made the closing speech, for if she wasnot on the program the audience called for her. Mrs. Münter gave anaddress on the Legal Position of Danish Women; Dr. Elizabeth AltmannGottheiner, Germany, Does the Working Woman Need the Ballot? Mrs. Miriam Brown, Canada, Ideal Womanhood; others were made by Miss RosikaSchwimmer, Hungary, and Miss Stirling, Great Britain. An afternoonmeeting for young people was addressed by Mrs. Millicent GarrettFawcett, chairman; Mrs. Ann M. Holmgren, Sweden; Dr. Anita Augspurg, Mrs. Mirovitch; Miss Rendell, Great Britain; Miss Schwimmer; Mrs. EllaS. Stewart, United States. 

Much pleasure was expressed at the report of Mrs. StaatsministerindeQvam, president of the National Woman Suffrage Association of Norway, who said in beginning: "Since we met in Copenhagen taxpaying women inNorway have obtained full suffrage and eligibility to office by a voteof 96 to 23 in the Parliament. About 300, 000 women have becomeentitled to vote. It is calculated that 200, 000 are yet excluded, although the tax is very small. .. . The object of our association issuffrage for women on the same terms as for men. The men haveuniversal suffrage. We therefore will continue our work until thewomen have gained this same right. " Miss Eline Hansen gave aninteresting report of winning the Municipal franchise in Denmark. 

Woman Suffrage from a Christian Point of View was presented oneafternoon by Mrs. Beelaerts von Blokland, chairman; Countess Anna vonHogendorp and Mr. Hugenholtz, all of the Netherlands; Mrs. Blauenfeldt, Denmark; Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, United States. An address sent by Lady Frances Balfour was read by Mrs. C. H. Corbett, Great Britain; one sent by Mrs. Aline Hoffmann, Switzerland, was read by Miss Johanna W. A. Naber, Netherlands; one sent by Mme. Mangeret, France, was read by Mrs. Heineken-Daum, Netherlands. Greetings were given from the National Councils of Women of Germanyand The Netherlands by their presidents, Mrs. Marie Stritt and MissElizabeth Baelde; from Great Britain, France, Belgium, Norway andSweden by fraternal delegates, Mrs. Fawcett, Miss Cecile Cahen, MissIda La Fontaine, Miss Thea Holst, Dr. Lydia Wahlstrom; from nationalorganizations by Mrs. Elna Munck, Denmark; Dr. Phil. KätheSchirmacher, Germany; Miss Stepankova, Bohemia; Mrs. Lang, Austria;Miss K. Honegger represented the newly affiliated national associationof Switzerland and Dr. Pateff and Miss Jenny Bojilowa that ofBulgaria. Most valuable reports were read from all the affiliatedcountries containing accounts of their political conditions and thestatus of the movement for woman suffrage, which were printed in theMinutes, filling over fifty pages. 

The Resolutions Committee, Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, Miss Ashton andMrs. Van Loenen de Bores, reported strong resolutions, which werefully discussed and adopted. The last one was as follows: "Resolved, that the plain duty of women at the present hour is to secure thesupport and cooperation of all the forces favorable to woman suffrage, without question as to their political or religious affiliations; toavoid any entanglement with outside matters; to ask for the franchiseon the same terms as it is now or may be exercised by men, leavingany required extension to be decided by men and women together whenboth have equal voice, vote and power. "

The conference accepted with appreciation the cordial invitation ofthe National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies of Great Britain, extended through its president, Mrs. Fawcett, to hold its next meetingin London. At the public session on the last evening Mrs. Van Itallievan Embden, Netherlands, spoke on the subject, Does the Wife, Motherand Homekeeper Need the Ballot? Mrs. Anna Kalmanovitch, Russia, on TheFinal Aim of the Woman Movement;, addresses were made by Mrs. EmiliaMariana, Italy; Mrs. Mirovitch, Dr. Wahlstrom and Dr. Shaw. Mrs. Cattgave the final words of farewell and the delegates parted infriendship to meet again as comrades in a great cause. 

FIRST QUINQUENNIAL OF THE ALLIANCE. 

The first Quinquennial and the Fifth Conference of the Alliance met inSt. James Hall, London, April 26-May 1, 1909, with the president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, in the chair. A cordial address of greeting wasmade at the first morning session by Mrs. Millicent Garrett Fawcett, president of the National Union of Women's suffrage Societies, thehostess of the guests from many nations. Preceding chapters have givenan idea of the wide scope and the general character of theseinternational meetings and the names of those who earliest representedtheir countries and their associations. Here at the end of the firstfive years the list of delegates and alternates filled four and a halfprinted pages and seventy-three fraternal delegates were present fromforty-one different organizations; in addition there were speakers onthe program who were not on these lists. 

Among the organizations sending fraternal representatives, men andwomen of distinction, were International and National Councils ofWomen, Actresses', Artists' and Writers' Leagues, Women's Federationof the British Liberal Party, Conservative and Unionist Women'sFranchise Associations, Men's Suffrage Leagues, Independent LabourParty, International Women's Socialist Bureau, Ethical Societies, Women's Trade Unions, Industrial Suffrage Societies, Women's NationalPress Association, Women's Agricultural Clubs, Fabian Society, National Committee against the White Slave Traffic--the list is almostendless. Naturally all wanted to be heard and how to permit this andleave any time for the regular proceedings of the convention became aserious question. The United States, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden sent their full quota of six delegatesand six alternates. Five were present from Finland, six from Hungaryand five from South Africa. The Government of Norway had sent as itsofficial delegate Mrs. Staatsministerinde F. M. Qvam, president of theNational Woman Suffrage Association. A National Association had nowbeen formed in France and its secretary, Madame Jane Misme, broughtits request for affiliation. A similar request was presented by Mlle. Daugotte, delegate from a new association in Belgium, and both wereunanimously and joyfully welcomed. 

At the first evening session the speakers were Mrs. Qvam, Miss AnnieFuruhjelm, Finland; Mrs. Isabel May, New Zealand; Armitage Rigby, Isleof Man, all testifying to the good effects of woman suffrage in theirrespective countries, and Mrs. Catt delivered her president's address, a thorough review of the work of the Alliance. She said in part:

 On a June day in 1904 the delegated representatives of seven National Woman Suffrage Associations met in a little hall in Berlin to discuss the practicability of completing a proposed International Union. At that date there were in all the world only ten countries in which woman suffrage organizations could be found. Those of you who were present will well remember the uncertainty and misgivings which characterized our deliberations. The doubting delegates questioned whether the times were yet ripe for this radical step; already over-taxed by the campaigns in their respective countries they questioned whether the possible benefits which might arise from international connection might not be over-balanced by the burden it would impose. There were delegates also who asked whether it was within the bounds of possibilities that suffragists could work together in harmony when they not only would represent differences of race and character but widely different stages of development of the movement itself. There were even more serious problems to be considered. Some of our associations were pledged to universal suffrage, some to Municipal, some to suffrage based upon a property or educational qualification. How could such differences, each defended as it was by intense conviction, be united in a common platform?. .. Yet despite all these obstacles, which at that time seemed to many well nigh insurmountable, our International Alliance was founded "for better or worse" and I think I may add "till death do us part. "

 Five years have passed away, prosperous, successful, triumphant years; prosperous, for we have known no quarrel or misunderstanding; successful, for the number of National Associations in our Alliance has more than doubled; triumphant, because the gains to our cause within the past five years are more significant in effect and meaning than all which had come in the years preceding. Indeed, when we look back over that little stretch of time and observe the mighty changes which have come within our movement; when we hear the reports of the awakening of men and women to the justice of our cause all the way around the world, I am sure that there is no pessimist among us who does not realize that at last the tide of woman's enfranchisement is coming in. 

Mrs. Catt described the influence the Alliance had had in thesechanges and said: "We have been baptised in that spirit of the 20thcentury which the world calls Internationalism; it is a sentiment likelove or religion or patriotism, which is to be experienced rather thandefined in words. Under the influence of this new spirit we realizethat we are not enlisted for the work of our own countries alone butthat before us stretches the task of emancipating the women of thecivilized world. .. . " The brilliant Congress of Women held in Russia inspite of its reactionary government was described, and the women ofFinland were urged not to be discouraged because the iron rule ofRussia was again threatening their recently gained liberty. Theprogress in other European countries was sketched and the address thendealt unsparingly with the situation in Great Britain, where the womenfor years had organized and worked for the candidates of the politicalparties, and continued:

 If the women of England have time enough to solicit votes for the men of their party and intelligence enough to train men to vote; if they do not neglect their homes and families when their political parties direct them to act as catspaws to pull the political chestnuts out of the fire and to put them into the Conservative and Liberal baskets, the world wants to know how these political parties are going to escape from the logic of the situation when these same women ask some of the chestnuts for themselves. Again, this nation was presided over for sixty years by a woman, and she was accounted worthy to present an annual Parliamentary Address in which she pointed out the duty of the members of Parliament. Now the outside world wants to know how that Parliament can consistently say that other British women are not even worthy to cast a vote to elect that body. There is still another reason why the world is watching England. The British Colonies have enfranchised women; how is the Home Government to explain the phenomenon of women, enfranchised in Australia, then disfranchised in England; enfranchised in New Zealand and disfranchised when they return to the mother country?

She called attention to the forming of the Anti-Suffrage Associationby women in Great Britain and said: "They are sending in a petition toParliament. It is well known that people by nature are opposed to newthings; before education people are anti-suffragists. If a petitionopposed to woman suffrage should be presented to the Hottentots, theAfghanistans, the tribes of Thibet or to the interior of Turkey, everyindividual would sign it and the longest petition 'opposed to thefurther extension of rights to women' yet known could be securedthere. A petition for suffrage, however, carries a very differentmeaning; every name represents a convert, a victory, an education ofthe understanding, an answer to an appeal for justice. A womansuffrage petition is a gain; an anti-suffrage petition merely showshow much more must be gained. One is positive, the other negative. Wait a little and you will find that England, and other countries aswell, will perceive the real truth, that the anti-suffrage women arethe most inconsistent products of all the ages. "

The flaying did not stop here but Mrs. Catt called attention to thefact that this convention celebrated the birthday of MaryWollstonecraft, referred to the position of women in her time andsaid:

 There have been women who have crucified their very souls and the lineal ancestors of the present-day "antis" with withering scorn and criticism opposed every step. Yet some of those modern anti-suffragists possess a college degree, an opportunity which other women won for them in the face of universal ridicule; they own property which is theirs today as the effect of laws which other women labored for a quarter of a century to secure; they stand upon public platforms where free speech for women was won for them by other women amid the jeers of howling mobs; they use the right of organization which was established as the result of many a heartache and many a brave endeavor when the world condemned it as a threat against all moral order. They accept with satisfaction every political right which has been accorded by their Government; they even accept public office. They take all as their birthright; and yet, endowed with this power of education, of property, of organization, of free speech, of partial political rights, they turn upon the last logical effort in the movement which has given them so much and with supreme self-satisfaction say: "Thus far shalt thou come and no farther. " It takes no logic to perceive the inconsistency of such a position. .. . 

The changed position of women in the world of labor was sketched; theold divisions were obliterated; a great army of women were nowcompeting with men in the open market and there were found not onlywomen but little children. Everywhere was cruel injustice to women, barred out from the higher places, working for half the pay of men inothers, and discriminated against even by the labor unions. "They areutterly at the mercy of selfish employers, of hard economic conditionsand unfair legislation, " she said. "The only logical conclusion is togive votes to working women that they may defend their own wages, hours and conditions. We have worked to gain the suffrage because theprinciple is just. We must work for it now because this great army ofwage-earning women are crying to us for help, immediate help. .. . Youand I must know no sleep or rest or hesitation so long as a singlecivilized land has failed to recognize equal rights for men and women, in the workshop and the factory, at the ballot box and in theParliament, in the home and in the church. "

Here as at all meetings of the Alliance one of the most valuablefeatures was the reports from the various countries, reaching almostfrom "the Arctic Circle to the equator, " of the progress in themovement for suffrage, juster laws for women, better industrialconditions. Printed in fifty-seven pages of the Minutes they formed astorehouse of information nowhere else to be found. As the struggle ofthe "militants" in Great Britain was attracting world-wide attentionto the exclusion of the many years of persistent work by the originalassociation in educating not only women themselves but also publicopinion to see the necessity for woman suffrage, the report of itspresident, Mrs. Fawcett, had a special interest:

 The year which has just closed is the most strenuous and active we have ever known since women's suffrage has been before the country. The number of societies which combine to form the National Union has more than doubled. The membership in several societies has more than doubled and in others has largely increased; in one important society it has been multiplied by five. The number of meetings held throughout the year in connection with the National Union alone has been unprecedented, an average of at least four a day. The experience gained at bye-elections confirms the Union in their view that by far the most effective work can be done by acting strictly on non-party lines and supporting that candidate whose record and declarations on the subject of suffrage are the most satisfactory. .. . 

 At the beginning of last November Mrs. Garrett Anderson, M. D. , was elected Mayor of Aldeburgh; Miss Dove, M. A. , the head mistress of Wycombe Abbey School, came within two votes of being chosen Mayor of the borough of High Wycombe. Several women at the same time were elected as borough councillors, among whom we may mention our colleague, Miss Margaret Ashton, the president of the Manchester and North of England Society for Women's Suffrage. A large Conservative and Unionist Association for women's suffrage has been formed. Its president is Lady Knightley of Fawsley and among its vice-presidents are the Duchess of Sutherland, the Countess of Meath, Viscountess Middleton, Lady Robert Cecil, Miss Alice Balfour, etc. 

 In December a weighty and closely reasoned statement of the case for women's suffrage was presented to the Prime Minister by the Registered Medical Women of the United Kingdom. The committee were able to inform Mr. Asquith that out of 553 all but 15 support the extension of the Parliamentary franchise to women. The case for women's suffrage was argued before the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords in November last with great ability by Miss Chrystal Macmillan, M. A. , B. Sc. The case was raised on the plea of women graduates of the Scottish Universities that they were entitled to vote in the election for the members of Parliament representing the universities. The word used in the Scottish University Act was "persons"--all "persons" having passed such and such degrees and fulfilled such and such conditions were entitled to vote in such elections. The case had been heard before two Scottish Courts and adverse decisions had been given. The House of Lords was appealed to as the highest Court and it confirmed the decisions of the lower courts that the word "persons" does not include women when it refers to privileges granted by the State. 

Mrs. Fawcett spoke of the work of the Union year after year for thesuffrage bill in Parliament; of the enrollment during the present yearof over 300 men eminent in literature, science, the arts, law, publicoffices, churches, education, commerce, etc. ; of its great processionand the demonstration in Albert Hall. She said of the otherorganization, which was yet in its early stages of aggressiveness:"Opinions greatly differ in suffrage circles as to the effect producedon the cause by what are known as 'militant' tactics. It is difficultfor one who is completely identified with constitutional methods tojudge aright the total result of unconstitutional forms of agitation. That the 'militants' have been courageous and self-sacraficing no onedenies. That they have provoked discussion and aroused attention isequally obvious and from these our cause always stands to gain. On theother hand many of us feel a profound conviction, which experienceonly strengthens, that women are adopting a mistaken course inappealing to violence. Our business as women asking for justice is notto rely upon physical force but in the eternal principles of right andjustice. Law abiding methods alienate no one while methods of violenceand disorder create anti-suffragists by the hundreds. "

To this convention, as to the one of the preceding year in Amsterdam, Mrs. Pankhurst refused to send any representatives of the Women'sSocial and Political Union. A mass meeting under its auspices was heldin Albert Hall one evening and many of the delegates accepted anofficial invitation to attend. 

At an afternoon session ten minute addresses were made by Mrs. BetsyKjelsberg of Norway on Six Years' Experience in Municipal Work; byMrs. Madge Donohoe for Australia, The Latest Victory; by Dr. Phil. Gulli Petrini of Sweden, Suffrage Work on Both Sides of the PolarCircle; by Mrs. Rutgers-Hoitsema, A Curious Football Game in Holland;others by Mrs. Zeneide Mirovitch, Russia; Miss Theo. Daugaard, Denmark; Mlle. Daugotte, Belgium; Mme. Auberlet, France; Mrs. SaulSolomon, South Africa. The Dutch Men's League for Women Suffragewas represented by E. J. Van Straaten, LL. D. And F. F. W. Kehrer-Gorinchens; the British by Herbert Jacobs and Dr. C. W. Drysdale. Mrs. Anna M. Haslam, fraternal delegate from the IrishWomen's Suffrage Association, and her husband, Thomas J. , the oldestdelegates, were most cordially received. The Bohemian delegate, MarieTumova, could not be present because making a campaign for election tothe Diet. 

The delegates had a strenuous time trying to attend the businessmeetings, listen to the excellent programs of prominent speakers, goto the enjoyable social affairs and make the visits and excursions tothe many historical places in and around London which most of them hadalways longed to see. The Executive Committee of the National Union, Mrs. Fawcett, chairman, served as Reception Committee; its treasurer, Miss Bertha Mason, expended the large fund subscribed for the use ofthe convention; the Press Committee managed the newspapers throughMiss Compton Burnett; Mrs. Anstruther, Rutland House, PortlandGardens, had the exacting but pleasant duties of chairman of theHospitality Committee. 

A delightful reception on Sunday evening, April 25, at the LyceumClub, introduced the pleasures of the week, which ended with ahandsome reception given by the Men's League for Women's Suffrage onSaturday evening. There was a brilliant official dinner at Prince'sRestaurant and there were teas and concerts and dramaticentertainments. To most of the delegates the weeks were the richest inexperience ever known, with the specially conducted visits to famousuniversities and schools; cathedrals and abbeys; galleries andpalaces; courts and gardens--every spot filled with historicassociations for English speaking people and with intense interest forthose of other countries. For delegates concerned with civic andsocial work there was the keenest enjoyment in the specialized andextensive developments along many lines. The Minutes of the conventionthus describe one of its leading events:

 The mass meeting at the Royal Albert Hall under the auspices of the London Society for Women's Suffrage afforded the delegates a most impressive display of the earnestness of the British suffragists. A procession of women engaged in various trades and professions, carrying the emblems of their work, marched from Eaton Square to the hall. It was a wonderful inspiration to the brave bands of pioneers from other lands to see the long procession march with fluttering flags and swinging lanterns along the darkening streets, greeted now with sympathy, now with jeers. As it entered the hall and trade after trade, profession after profession filed past the platform on which were seated women of all nations, the enthusiasm reached its height. It would be impossible to give a list of the groups but especially notable were the chain makers from Cradley Heath, who toil for about four shillings per week of sixty hours. The common remark that the suffrage movement is an amusement for rich women was once for all disproved as the factory workers and cotton operatives in their distinctive dress swung into the vast arena. The group of women doctors in their gorgeous robes were loudly cheered, as were the nurses and mid-wives who followed, while teachers of all branches of the profession closed the long line. There were notable speeches but the real effect of the meeting lay in the wonderful gathering itself, women of all nations, classes, creeds and occupations united for a common purpose, together with men, filling one of the largest halls in Europe. Mrs. Fawcett, LL. D. , presided and the speakers were Ramsey McDonald, M. P. , Mrs. Catt, Dr. Shaw, Miss Frances Sterling and Mrs. Philip Snowden. 

Twice during the convention it came in touch with royalty in aninteresting way. At the official dinner Mrs. Qvam, delegate from theNorwegian Government and president of the National SuffrageAssociation, brought greetings and wishes for the success of thecongress from Queen Maud of Norway, a daughter of King Edward andQueen Alexandra, to which an appreciative response was sent. At amorning session the birth of a daughter to the Queen of theNetherlands was announced and at the request of Dr. Aletta Jacobs, president of the National Suffrage Association of that country, atelegram of congratulations from the Alliance was sent. 

There was much discussion over the motion that all organizationsauxiliary to the Alliance must have woman suffrage as their soleobject. It was finally decided in the affirmative and a flood ofsocieties of every description was excluded. The number of delegatespermitted to each country was increased from six to twelve, withtwelve alternates. A resolution was adopted urging the NationalSuffrage Association of each nation to prepare a comprehensivestatement of the laws which place women at a disadvantage in regard toproperty, earnings, marriage, divorce, guardianship of children, education, industrial conditions and political rights, and to explain, when demanding their immediate enfranchisement from their respectiveParliaments, that they consider these injustices can be effectivelyremoved only through joint political action by men and women. Thiswas introduced at the request of Lady McLaren, who had prepared such acharter for Great Britain. Many beautiful designs for a flag andbanner had been submitted and it was found that the one selected wasthe work of Miss Branting of Sweden. The international hymn chosenfrom a number which were submitted was written by Mrs. Theodora FlowerMills. 

As this was the quinquennial meeting officers were elected. Mrs. Cattwas unanimously re-elected and the following received largemajorities: Mrs. Fawcett, first, and Miss Furuhjelm, secondvice-presidents; Miss Martina Kramers, Netherlands; Mrs. AnnaLindemann, Germany; Miss Signe Bergman, Sweden, first, second andthird secretaries; Mrs. Stanton Coit, treasurer. As the time ofholding the regular session of the Alliance was changed from five tofour years they were elected to hold office until 1913. Mrs. Cattwelcomed the new officers and warmly thanked the retiring officers fortheir valuable services. The invitation to hold the congress of 1911in Stockholm, if the political conditions were favorable, was acceptedwith pleasure. 

The Resolutions presented by the committee--Miss Frances Sterling, Great Britain; Mrs. E. R. Mirrlees, South Africa; Mrs. Ida HustedHarper, United States--and adopted, summarized the gains of the pastfew years in Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Bohemia, Cape Colony and the Transvaal and said: "This Congress, rememberingthe lessons of history, urges the National Societies not to bebetrayed into postponing their claim for the enfranchisement of womenfor any other object, whether it be the further extension of thesuffrage to men or the success of some political party. " At the lastmeeting of the delegates Mrs. Catt thanked them for their heartycooperation with their president; she urged them to demand thesuffrage upon the broadest basis, namely, that the government may restequally on the will of both men and women, and said the Alliance wouldwield great influence if they remained united and they would securethe enfranchisement of the women of the world for all futuregenerations. A public meeting in St. James Hall was held on the lastevening with Mrs. Catt in the chair and addresses of the highest orderwere made by Miss Margaret Ashton, Men and Women; the Rev. IvoryCripps, the Nation's Need of Women; Miss Rosika Schwimmer, TheHungarian Outlook; H. Y. Stanger, M. P. , The Prospect of FranchiseReform; Dr. Käthe Schirmacher, Woman Suffrage. 

On the Sunday afternoon preceding the convention the Rev. Anna HowardShaw preached for a Men's Meeting at Whitefield's, Tottenham CourtRoad, the most of the large and interested audience hearing for thefirst time a sermon by a woman. On the Sunday following the conventionshe preached in the morning for the West London Ethical Society in theKensington Town Hall and in the evening at the King's Weigh HouseChapel, Duke Street, Grosvenor Square. At 3 o'clock in the afternoonthe Rev. Canon Scott Holland gave a sermon in St. Paul's Cathedral, the national church, on the Religious Aspect of Women's Suffrage, withtwo hundred seats reserved for the delegates, and they felt a deepthrill of rejoicing at hearing within those ancient walls a strongplea for the enfranchisement of women. They were invited to attend thenext evening a symposium by the Shakespeare League at King's Collegeon What Shakespeare Thought of Women. 

SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIANCE. 

The Sixth Conference and Congress of the International Woman SuffrageAlliance took place in the banquet hall of the Grand Hotel, Stockholm, June 12-17, 1911. The coming of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president ofthe Alliance, had been widely heralded. She had been received inCopenhagen with national honors by cabinet ministers and foreignlegations; the American flag run up for her wherever she went and theDanish colors dipped and there was almost a public ovation. InChristiania she was met with a greeting from a former Prime Ministerand an official address of welcome from the Government and wasreceived by King Haakon. At Stockholm she was met by deputations withflowers and speeches. Dinners, receptions and concerts followed. TheAmerican and Swedish flags waved together. The whole city knew thatsomething important was going to happen. In the midst of it all thewoman suffrage bill came up for discussion in both Houses of theParliament. The international president was escorted to the LowerHouse by a body of women that crowded the galleries. After a stormydebate the bill to enfranchise the women of Sweden received a majorityvote. In the midst of the applause Mrs. Catt was hurried to the UpperChamber, the stronghold of caste and conservatism. Her presence andthat of the flower of Swedish womanhood did not save the bill from theusual defeat. 

The congress opened with representatives from twenty-four affiliatedNational Associations and two Committees, those of Austria andBohemia. The government of Norway sent as its official delegate Dr. Kristine Bonnevie. The list of delegates filled seven printed pages, the United States, the Netherlands and Sweden having the full quota oftwelve delegates and twelve alternates, Germany lacking only three ofthe latter, while Great Britain, France, Denmark, Norway, Finland andHungary had twelve or more. Six were present from Russia; Bulgaria, Servia, Switzerland, South Africa, Iceland and Canada hadrepresentatives. Of fraternal delegates from other organizations therewas no end--about seventy men and women--among them members of fiveMen's Leagues for Woman Suffrage--in the United States, Great Britain, Netherlands, Hungary and Sweden. In addition to the spoken wordsletters and telegrams of greeting were read from societies andindividuals in twelve different countries. The distinguished guests ofthe occasion were Dr. Selma Lagerlöf of Sweden, who had recentlyreceived the Nobel Literature Prize, and Miss Helena Westermarck ofFinland, the eminent writer and publicist. Among prominent speakerswere Mayor Carl Lindhagen and Ernest Beckman, M. P. , the Rev. K. H. G. Von Scheele, Bishop of Visby, and the Rev. Dr. Samuel Fries. Theushers and pages were women students of the universities. 

On the Sunday afternoon preceding the convention the precedent of allpast ages was broken when Dr. Anna Howard Shaw preached in the ancientState Church of Gusta Vasa. When the Swedish women asked for the useof the church they were told that this could be granted only to aminister of the same denomination but they learned that when aminister from another country was visiting Sweden the pastor of thechurch might invite him to occupy his pulpit at his discretion. Thepastor said he would run the risk, knowing that he might incur thedispleasure of the Bishop, and Dr. Shaw, therefore, felt a doubleresponsibility. She could not enter the pulpit, however, but spokefrom a platform in front of it. It was a never to be forgotten scene. The grand old church was crowded to the last inch of space, althoughadmission was by ticket. Facing the chancel were the thirty famouswomen singers of Göteborg, their cantor a woman, and the noted womanorganist and composer, Elfrida Andrée, who composed the music for theoccasion. In the center of all was the little black-robed minister. Itwas said by many to be the most wonderful sermon of her life and afterthe service was over the pastor, with tears rolling down his cheeks, went up to her with hands outstretched and taking both of hers said:"I am the happiest man in Sweden. " Sunday evening a reception wasgiven at the Restaurant Rosenbad to the officers, presidents ofnational auxiliaries and Swedish Committee of Arrangements by itschairman, Mrs. Bertha Nordenson. At six o'clock excursions of manydelegates had started to enjoy the long evening when the sun did notset till nearly midnight. 

The official report of the first executive session Monday morningsaid: "Miss Janet Richards, delegate from the U. S. A. , with anadmirable speech, presented to the Alliance from the State which hadrecently given full suffrage to women a gavel bearing the inscription:"To the International W. S. A. From the Washington Equal SuffrageAssociation. " It was announced that National Suffrage Associations hadbeen formed in Iceland and Servia and they were gladly accepted asauxiliaries, bringing the number up to twenty-six. The municipalityhad contributed 3, 000 crowns to the congress, which proved to be thelargest ever held in Stockholm. Season tickets had been sold to 1, 200persons and other hundreds bought tickets to the various meetings. During the entire week the flags of the nations represented at thecongress floated from the flagstaffs that lined the quay in front ofthe Grand Hotel facing the royal palace, as far as the eye couldreach. All the time Mrs. Catt was in the city the American flag wasrun up for her as a public guest wherever she went and the Swedishcolors dipped a salute. 

The Congress was formally opened in the afternoon of June 12 withaddresses of welcome from Miss Anna Whitlock, acting president of theNational Suffrage Association of Sweden, and the Hon. Ernest Beckman, M. P. , president of the National Swedish Liberal Association, andresponse from the Alliance was made by Miss Chrystal Macmillan ofGreat Britain, proxy for Mrs. Millicent Garrett Fawcett, its firstvice-president. Miss Anna Kleman, president of the Stockholm suffragesociety, then presented the beautiful white satin, gold embroideredAlliance banner, which was carried by six university students in whitedresses with sashes of the Swedish colors. Mrs. Catt announced thatthe Alliance flag was now flying over the Grand Hotel where they wereassembled. The banner was the gift of Miss Lotten von Kroemer, apioneer suffragist of Sweden, and the flag of the resident Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Tea Co. , U. S. A. A suffrage song written by K. G. Ossian-Nillson and the music composed by Hugo Alfven for the occasionwas sung by the Women's Choir of Göteborg, after which an officialdelegate of the Government extended its greeting while the audiencerose and the flags of the nations waved from the galleries. Mrs. Cattreceived an ovation as she came to the front of the platform to makeher address. It filled twenty-three pages of the printed minutes andwas a complete resumé of the early position of women, the vast changesthat had been wrought and the great work which the Alliance was doing. Only a few quotations are possible:

 In the recent debate on the bill in the Swedish Parliament a university professor said in a tone of eloquent finality: "The woman suffrage movement has reached and passed its climax; the suffrage wave is now rapidly receding. " With patronizing air, more droll than he could know, the gentleman added: "We have permitted this movement to come thus far but we shall allow it to go no farther. " Thus another fly resting upon the proverbial wheel of progress commanded it to turn no more. This man engages our attention because he is a representative of a type to be found in all our lands; wise men on the wrong side of a great question, modern Joshuas who command the sun to stand still and believe that it will obey. 

 Long centuries before the birth of Darwin an old-time Hindoo wrote: "I stand on a river's bank. I know not whence the waters come or whither they go. So deep and silent is its current that I know not whether it flows north or south; all is mystery to me; but when I climb yon summit the river becomes a silver thread weaving its length in and out among the hills and over the plains. I see it all from its source in yonder mountain to its outlet in yonder sea. There is no more mystery. " So these university professors buried in school books, these near-sighted politicians, fail to note the meaning of passing events. To them the woman movement is an inexplicable mystery, but to us standing upon the summit of international union, where we may observe every manifestation of this movement in all parts of the world, there is no mystery. From its sources ages ago, amid the protests which we know barbaric women must have made against the cruel wrongs done their sex, we clearly trace its course through the centuries, moving slowly but majestically onward, gathering momentum with each century, each generation, until just before us lies the golden sea of woman's full liberty. 

Mrs. Catt traced the progress of the ages until it culminated in thedemand for political rights for women, told of the beginning of theAlliance and said: "Today, seven years later, our Alliance counts 26auxiliary national associations. Are these evidences of a wave rapidlyreceding? It would be more in accordance with facts should we adoptthe proud boast of the British Empire and say that the sun now neversets upon woman suffrage activities. The subscribing membership in theworld has increased seven times in the past seven years and it hasdoubled since the London congress two years ago. Even in GreatBritain, where the opposition declared at that time very confidentlythat the campaign had reached its climax, the National Union, ourauxiliary, has tripled its individual membership, tripled itsauxiliary societies and doubled its funds since then, and twelveindependent suffrage societies have been organized. The membership andcampaign funds have likewise tripled in the United States and everypresident of an auxiliary national society has reported increase innumbers, funds and activity. .. . No human power, no universityprofessor, no Parliament, no government, can stay the coming of womansuffrage. It is a step in the evolution of society and the eternalverities are behind it. .. . Of the 24 nations represented in thiscongress the women of 15 have more political rights than they hadseven years ago. "

Mrs. Catt paid high tribute to the Scandinavian people and eulogizedFredrika Bremer, Sweden's great pioneer. In speaking of the progressin this country she said: "Municipal suffrage has now been extendedto married women and eligibility to office to all women. Organizationsexist in 170 towns, some of them north of the Arctic Circle; there isa paying membership of 12, 000 and 1, 550 meetings have been held in thelast two years. Two political parties espouse the cause. Women mayvote for town and county councils, which elect the Upper House ofParliament, and thirty-seven are serving on these councils. " Shereferred eloquently to the honored Selma Lagerlöf and to Dr. LydiaWahlstrom, the recent president of the National Suffrage Association, who had been crowned with a laurel wreath for her wisdom by theUniversity of Upsala. She told of a questionnaire she had sent to thepresidents of the national suffrage associations in all countriesasking what were the indications that the woman suffrage movement wasgrowing and said: "Such volumes of evidence of progress were receivedthat it is quite impossible to give an idea of its far reachingcharacter. .. . [223]

At the official reception given by the National Suffrage Associationof Sweden in the evening the guests were welcomed by Mrs. Ann MargretHolmgren and their appreciative responses were made by Mrs. MargaretHodge, Australia; Miss Gabriella Danzerova, Bohemia; Mrs. Daisy Minor, Austria; Miss Helen Clay-Petersen, Denmark; Miss Annie Furuhjelm, Finland; Madam DeWitt Schlumberger, France; Dr. Jur. Anita Augspurg, Germany; Mrs. Olga Ungar, Hungary; Mrs. Philip Snowden, Great Britain. These were followed by a cantata beautifully rendered by the Göteborgchoir, words and music by women. 

During the convention Lieutenant Colonel W. A. E. Mansfeldt of Hollandmade the report for its Men's League for Woman Suffrage; Dr. C. V. Drysdale for Great Britain; Jean du Breuil for France; Dr. AlexanderPatai for Hungary; Frederick Nathan for the United States, and thefounding of an International Men's League was announced with ColonelMansfeldt secretary. 

The reports of the work of the different branches and theirdiscussion, bringing before the Alliance the experience and opinionsof women from all parts of the world, were perhaps the most valuablefeature of the conference. The most animated and vital of thesediscussions was the one of a political nature, divided into threeparts: 1. What political work have the women of the enfranchisedcountries done, what is their relation to the different parties andhow do these treat them? Have they any advice to offer? led by MissHodge, Mrs. Louise Keilhau, Norway; Dr. Tekla Hultin, M. P. , Finland. 2. How can woman's political influence be brought to bear mosteffectively on Parliaments and governments? Led by Mrs. Snowden; Mrs. Anna B. Wicksell, Sweden; Dr. Käthe Schirmacher, Germany; MissRichards. 3. What should be the relation of the suffrage movement topolitical parties in the unenfranchised countries? Led by Miss ElineHansen, Denmark; Miss Rosika Schwimmer, Hungary; Madame Pichon, France; Mrs. Zeneide Mirovitch, Russia. There was a wide divergence ofopinion but at last a resolution was unanimously adopted that "womansuffrage societies do their best work when organized in a non-partisanmanner. " In order to remove persistent misunderstanding a statementpresented by Mrs. Catt was adopted explaining the wording of theresolution demanding "the franchise for women on the same terms as itis or may be exercised by men. " It declared that the Alliance had onno occasion taken a position for or against any special form ofsuffrage but that the affiliated societies were left entirely free todetermine for themselves which form they would demand. The Alliancedid not express an opinion as to what should be the qualifications forenfranchisement, its sole object being to establish the principle thatsex should not be a disqualification. 

No more eminent group of women speakers ever appeared before anaudience than those who spoke in the Royal Opera House of Stockholm onthe second evening of the convention. Mrs. Catt presided and addresseswere made by Miss Westermarck, Dr. Augspurg, Mrs. Snowden, MissSchwimmer, Dr. Shaw and Sweden's best beloved Selma Lagerlöf. The lastnamed moved the audience to tears during her address on Home and Stateby her impassioned plea for the enfranchisement of women. It was saidby delegates from the various countries who had attended many of theseinternational gatherings that this meeting surpassed all others. Another which differed from all that had gone before was the greatgathering in Skansen, the magnificent park, where at 7 o'clock, fromtwo platforms, noted speakers from ten countries addressed an audienceof thousands. A dinner followed in the park house, Högenloft, withfine music, and then in the open air the visitors saw the famousnational dances and processions by the young people in the picturesquecostumes of the country. 

Although the official languages of the Alliance were French, Germanand English a crowded meeting was held one evening in the People'sHouse with the speeches in the northern tongues, understood by all theScandinavian people. It was opened by Mayor Lindhagen, an ardentadvocate of woman suffrage. At another session the Woman Question inthe Russian Parliament was considered by the noted woman leader, Dr. Shiskin-Yavein; the Suffrage Outlook in Bohemia by Miss Maria Tumova, recent candidate for Parliament; the Future of South African Women byMiss Nina Boyle. A special meeting was held one afternoon in the hallof the Young Women's Christian Association. Mrs. Marie Stritt, Germany; Mme. Maria Verone, France, and Miss Macmillan were appointedto compile a pamphlet of information about woman suffrage in all landsto be used for propaganda work. 

A delegate from the United States, Professor Mary Gray Peck, officially connected with its national suffrage headquarters, gave thefollowing description in a letter to the press:

 The ball room of the Grand Hotel where the meetings were held is a palatial apartment, its walls richly gilded and adorned with long mirrors between the windows, while from the ceiling hang great crystal chandeliers, which were always lighted while the congress was in session. The platform for officers and distinguished guests was placed between gilded pillars at one end of the hall, draped and canopied with the national colors of Sweden, blue and yellow, and the international suffrage colors, yellow and white. Then there is the memory of other places where the delegates assembled, the ancient State Church, with its reminder of St. Paul's in London; the splendid Academy of Music, with the heraldic banners of the nations suspended around the gallery; the Royal Opera House with its tiers of balconies and the rising of the curtain to show the beautiful stage picture of the speakers and the arch of flowers beneath which they spoke; the Moorish court in the Royal Hotel, where the reception was held, with the delightful Birgitta cantata, recalling the heroic in Swedish womanhood; the open air meeting at Skansen with the native songs and dances; the farewell in the garden at Saltsjöbaden, given by the Stockholm society; the peasant singing and the wonderful ride back to the city by late northern twilight and moonlight together. 

 The closing speech of the congress made by the international president at the close of the dinner at Saltsjöbaden was something indescribable. She stood on a balcony facing the sunset sky and blue sea, with pine trees forming an amphitheater in the background. It was like a triumphant recessional, with benediction for the past and challenge for the future, and when the speaker descended from the balcony and went down to the boat landing followed by the singing of the peasants, the crowd divided, leaving a wide path, and stood gazing after her as though she were too imperial to be followed by anything but music. 

On the Sunday following the congress an excursion was arranged onbeautiful Lake Malaren to the ancient Castle of Gripsholm, whereevening dinner was served. The city council and the State railwaysfinancially assisted the Entertainment Committee. At all of theAlliance congresses the social entertainments were a marked feature. The hospitality was boundless and each country had its historic placesand beautiful resorts which differed so much from those of all othersas to give them an indescribable charm and interest. Following is partof the report of this one by Mrs. Anna Lindemann, secretary of theAlliance:[224]

 The official entertainments were most appropriately opened by the truly international greeting which Mrs. Holmgren, one of the founders of the Swedish suffrage movement, addressed to the guests at the reception in the Grand Hotel Royal. Her words which gave a hearty welcome to the French and German-speaking guests and to our Swedish sisters in their several languages; the beautiful cantata written by Sigrid Leijonhufvud, the music composed by Alfrida Andree specially for this occasion, and last but not least the presence of the woman all of us had long known and loved before we saw her, Selma Lagerlöf, made us feel at home in Sweden at once. This feeling deepened as time went on and Wednesday evening at Skansen a new note was added. All we saw of Swedish nature and Swedish life in that beautiful open air museum, the national dances, the characteristic art of Sven Scholander and his daughter Lisa, gave us a deeper understanding of the people whose guests we were and showed us some of the roots from which it draws its strength. Another aspect also, the refined culture of modern Sweden, was the dominant note of the dinner at Hasselbacken with the heartfelt speech of the venerable Bishop Scheele of Visby. 

 On a background of lovely scenery this week will stand out in our memory as one long summer day with a long, long evening full of silver light. .. . During the carriage drive generously provided by Miss Lotten von Kraemer our hearts were gladdened by the many expressions of sympathy we met on our way, from the dear old women, who waved their handkerchiefs and their aprons, down to small girls by the side of their mothers. .. . Especially the day at Upsala, by invitation of its suffrage society, will not be forgotten. The warm-hearted reception, the gay flags all through the town, at once lifted up the spirit of the whole gathering, which found a charming expression in the improvised festive procession from the botanical garden to the cathedral. The presence and eloquence of the Rev. Anna Howard Shaw gave an added dignity to this as to many others of our social gatherings. Schools, hospitals, museums, exhibitions of all kinds of women's art and women's work, were visited. .. . [The many private invitations were referred to. ] The thirty-six delegates, who accepted Mrs. Caroline Benedick-Bruce's invitation to the Island of Visby, have told us that words failed to describe this beautiful day. 

 Looking back on the time that lies behind us, we, the women who have come here from all over the world, thank our Swedish sisters for the inspiration their kindness and their loving reception have been to us. We thank Sweden for the splendid women it has produced. We have seen the many elements that have worked together to attain this result; we have learned to admire and respect Swedish history, Swedish culture, Swedish art; and as, besides the many other things this congress has done for us, it has most specially taught us to love the Swedish women, we can express no better wish for our future conventions than that every new country which receives us may in the same way widen our hearts by a new love. 

SEVENTH CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIANCE. 

The International Woman Suffrage Alliance held its Seventh Conferenceand Congress in Budapest June 15-21, 1913. As had been the case withall that had preceded, the place of meeting had been chosen withreference to the situation in regard to woman suffrage where theprospect for it seemed favorable and it was desired to influencepublic sentiment by showing that the movement for it was world-wide. When it had been announced at the congress in Stockholm that the nextone would be held in the capital of Hungary it had seemed very faraway and that country was not associated with representativegovernment. It proved to be, however, one of the largest and mostimportant of the conventions and its efforts were widespread, as thedelegates stopped en route for mass meetings and public banquets inBerlin, Dresden, Prague and Vienna. Twenty-two countries wererepresented by 240 delegates and alternates. The full quota of 24 werepresent from Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, the UnitedStates and Hungary; Finland sent 15; Denmark and Norway 11 each;Switzerland 9: Italy 8; Russia 5; Belgium and Austria, 4 each; fromSouth Africa came 4, from Iceland, 2; from Canada, 3; from Bohemiaone. 

It was indeed a cosmopolitan assemblage. The government of Australiahad an official delegate, Mrs. Frederick Spencer, and that of Norwaytwo, the president of the National Suffrage Association, Mrs. F. M. Qvam, and the president of the National Council of Women, Miss GinaKrog. The Governors of California, Oregon and Washington had appointedrepresentatives. Written or telegraphed greetings were received fromnineteen countries, encircling the globe. The question of fraternaldelegates reached its climax, as 163 were present from twelvecountries, all wishing to offer their greetings and a large numberintending to advocate the particular object of their organizations. Aresolution was finally adopted that no credentials should be accepteduntil the society presenting them should be approved by the NationalSuffrage Association of its country and no fraternal delegate shouldspeak except by invitation of the president of the Alliance and withthe consent of the congress. This checked a torrent of oratory andallowed the convention to carry out its program. The Chinese WomanSuffrage Society was admitted, for which Mrs. Catt had sowed the seedsat the time of her visit to that country, and the beautifullyembroidered banner they had sent was presented to the Alliance by Dr. Aletta Jacobs, president of the Netherlands Association, who hadaccompanied her. She said in part:

 It is difficult to speak to an audience which certainly does not know the Chinese women in their own land, an audience of which only a few have had the privilege to hear from the lips of those feet-bound women what an important part they have taken in the revolution of their country and in the political reform which has resulted from it; to make you clearly understand the spirit of these Chinese women when they offered this banner to Mrs. Catt, as president of the Alliance, in gratitude for what it is doing for the uplifting of womanhood, and when they expressed their hope that it would take the Chinese women under its care. You have not been, as Mrs. Catt and I have, in the south of the country, where we saw Chinese women sitting in Parliament but from whom the vote is now taken away. You have not heard, as we did, in many towns, the Chinese women speak in crowded meetings to a mixed, enthusiastic audience with an eloquence none of us can surpass. You can not imagine how hard is the struggle for liberty which they have to make. In every town we found intelligent women with the same love for freedom as inspires us, who hunger after righteousness just as we do and who devote not only all their money but their entire life to the struggle for the improvement of the position of the women of their country. 

 Many of the Chinese women have already been decapitated for the truth they have told while fighting their battle for freedom and all the leaders of the woman movement know that their life is uncertain and that any day the men may find a reason to silence them when their eloquence and enthusiasm make too many converts. In translating the words which they embroidered upon this bright red satin you will learn what is going on in the minds of the new Chinese women: "The Mutual Helping Society to the International Alliance. Helping each other, all of one mind. " In the name of these Chinese women I ask you to accept this banner in the same loyal spirit in which it is offered and to welcome the Chinese suffragists into our Alliance. 

A handsome banner was presented by the delegation from Galicia. Thepresident of the Belgian Association reported that Roman Catholic, Conservative, Socialist and Progressive women had united in anon-partisan federation to work only for woman suffrage. South Africa, Roumania and Portugal associations were received in full membershipand also a committee from Galicia, where women were not allowed toform an association. Greetings came by cable from the women of Persia. 

No tribute can do justice to the genius of Rosika Schwimmer inarranging for this remarkable convention, the first of the kind everheld in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Both the government and themunicipality made liberal contributions, which the citizenssupplemented with more than enough to pay the entire expenses of thecongress, that was conducted on a liberal scale. A sale of 2, 800season tickets was made. Through the assistance of capable committeesevery effort possible was made for the comfort and pleasure of thedelegates, who were cared for from the moment they arrived at thestation. English speaking university students and others of educationhelped to overcome the extreme difficulties of the language. So manydelightful expeditions into the wonderful country had been providedthrough the courtesy of the railroads and navigation company that itrequired a strong sense of duty for the delegates to attend to thebusiness of the convention. A reception given Saturday evening by theNational Suffrage Association at the Gerbaud Pavilion enabledofficers, delegates and members of the committees to beginacquaintance and friendship. 

According to the custom of the country the convention was opened onSunday afternoon. Dr. Anna Howard Shaw had conducted religiousservices in the morning at the Protestant church in Buda, assisted bythe Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes, by courtesy of its minister, the Rev. Benno Haypal. At four o'clock a large and cordial audience assembledin the grand Academy of Music for the official welcome, which beganwith an overture by the orchestra of the National theater, composedfor the occasion by Dr. Aladar Renyi. A special ode written by EmilAbranyi was beautifully recited in Hungarian by Maria Jaszai and inEnglish by Erzsi Paulay, both actresses from the National Theater. Greetings were given by Countess Teleki, chairman of the Committee ofArrangements, and Miss Vilma Glücklich, president of the NationalSuffrage Association. The official welcome of the Government wasextended by His Excellency Dr. Bela de Jankovics, Minister ofEducation, in an eloquent speech, and that of the city by Dr. Stephende Barczy, the Burgomaster, who was very imposing in the robes andinsignia of his high office. The response for the Alliance was made byits secretary, Dr. Anna Lindemann, in German and French. Dr. Alexander Geisswein, a prominent member of Parliament, made a strongaddress in favor of woman suffrage. These ceremonies were followed bythe president's address of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, a summing up ofthe world situation in regard to woman suffrage, during which shesaid:

 When the organization of the Alliance was completed in 1904, it was decided that national woman suffrage associations only should be admitted to membership and a nation was defined as a country which possesses the independent right to enfranchise its women. At that time eight such nations had woman suffrage associations. Now, nine years later, with the exception of the Spanish American Republics, there are in the entire world only seven without an organized woman suffrage movement. Only three of these are in Europe--Greece, Spain, and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg. The remaining four are not well established self-governing nations, and Japan, which is more autocratic than democratic. We shall admit to membership the Chinese Woman Suffrage Association and the standard of the Alliance will then be set upon five continents. Twenty-five nations will be counted in its membership. Organized suffrage groups also exist on many islands of the seas. Like Alexander the Great, we shall soon be looking for other worlds to conquer! The North Star and the Southern Cross alike cast their benignant rays upon woman suffrage activities. Last winter when perpetual darkness shrouded the land of the Midnight Sun, women wrapped in furs, above the Polar Circle, might have been seen gliding over snow-covered roads in sledges drawn by reindeer on their way to suffrage meetings, from whence petitions went to the Parliament at Stockholm. At the same moment other women, in the midsummer of the southern hemisphere, protected by fans and umbrellas and riding in "rickshas, " were doing the same thing under the fierce rays of a tropical sun; while petitions poured into the Parliament asking suffrage for the women of the Union of South Africa from every State and city of that vast country. 

 Since our last Congress not one sign has appeared the entire world around to indicate reaction. Not a backward step has been taken. On the contrary a thousand revelations give certain, unchallenged promise that victory for our great cause lies just ahead. .. . During the past winter woman suffrage bills have been considered by seventeen national Parliaments, four Parliaments of countries without full national rights and in the legislative bodies of twenty-nine States. .. . The largest gains for the past two years have been in the United States. Five western States and the Territory of Alaska have followed the example of the four former equal suffrage States and have enfranchised their women. Now 2, 000, 000 women are entitled to vote at all elections and are eligible to all offices, including that of President. .. . If France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria and Hungary could be set down in the middle of this territory, there would be enough left uncovered to equal the kingdom of Italy in size. 

Mrs. Catt spoke of the trip of Dr. Jacobs and herself around the worldand said: "We held public meetings in many of the towns and cities offour continents, of four large islands and on the ships of threeoceans and had representatives of all the great races andnationalities in our audiences. We are now in touch with the mostadvanced development of the woman's movement in Egypt, Palestine, India, Burmah, China, Japan, Java and the Philippine and HawaiianIslands, and also in Turkey and Persia, which we did not visit. "

In telling of the momentous changes taking place in the East she said:"Behind the purdah in India, in the harems of Mohammedanism, behindveils and barred doors and closed sedan chairs there has beenrebellion in the hearts of women all down the centuries. .. . We spokewith many women all over the East who had never heard of a 'woman'smovement, ' yet isolated and alone they had thought out the entireprogram of woman's emancipation, not excluding the vote. .. . " Shereviewed at length the position of women in Persia, in India and inAsia, the influence of the various religions and the signs ofprogress, paying a tribute to Mrs. Annie Besant, to the teachings oftheosophy and especially to those of the Bahais. The terribleconditions for wage-earning women, the child labor and the nearlyunrestricted white slave traffic in the far East were feelinglydescribed and the address, which had been heard with almost breathlessinterest, concluded:

 The women of the western world are escaping from the thraldom of the centuries. .. . Their liberation is certain; a little more effort, a little more enlightenment and it will come. Out of the richness of our own freedom must we give aid to these sisters of ours in Asia. When I review the slow, tragic struggle upward of the women of the West I am overwhelmed with the awfulness of the task these Eastern women have assumed. They must follow the vision in their souls as we have done and as other women before us have done. My heart yearns to give them aid and comfort. I would that we could strengthen them for the coming struggle. I would that we could put a protecting arm around these heroic women and save them from the cruel blows they are certain to receive. Alas! we can only help them to help themselves. Every Western victory will give them encouragement and inspiration, for our victories are their victories and their defeats are our defeats. For every woman of every tribe and nation, every race and continent, now under the heel of oppression we must demand deliverance. 

On the Sunday evening after the opening of the convention the RoyalOpera, a State institution, gave a special gala performance ofMozart's Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, with Cupid's Tricks, by the fullballet. This was complimentary to the visitors, as the regular seasonhad closed, and the magnificent spectacle and splendid music werehighly appreciated by the large audience, by none more than by a groupof peasant women, who sat in one of the galleries with shawls overtheir heads, having walked fifty miles to attend the congress. Provision was made for their return home by train. 

The formal organization for business took place Monday morning in theRedoute, a large, handsome convention hall, but hardly were thepreliminaries over and luncheon finished when a long row of gailydecorated carriages was ready for a three hour drive around thebeautiful city and its environs. At 7:30 the municipality gave an openair fęte on Fisher Bastion, that noble piece of architecture which isthe pride of Budapest. A writer describing the procession of officersand delegates, headed by Mrs. Catt, passing up the steps to receivethe greetings of the city's high officials, said: "The entrance up thewide steps, between lines of attendants in picturesque uniforms, withthe soft sunset glow and the lights coming out one by one in the cityand on the river below, was like passing from real life into a land ofenchantment. " After the reception all assembled in the Court of Honor, where sparkling five-minute speeches were made by representatives froma dozen countries. 

It was soon evident that the business of the convention would have tobe confined to the morning hours, as the afternoons and evenings hadto be given over to public speech making and social functions. Therewas long discussion in several sessions on establishing internationalheadquarters and a press bureau, enlarging the monthly paper, _JusSuffragii_, and changing the place of its publication. After most ofthe delegates had expressed opinions the whole matter was left to theboard of officers. Miss Martina Kramers, Netherlands, declined tostand for re-election to the office of recording secretary and theeditorship of the paper and a standing vote of thanks was given "forher seven years' hard work, with the hope that her name will never beforgotten in the International Suffrage Alliance and that she willalways be appreciated as the founder of _Jus Suffragii_. [225] MissChrystal Macmillan, Mrs. Marie Stritt and Mme. Marie Verone reportedthat the book Woman Suffrage in Practice, which they had beenrequested at the Stockholm meeting to prepare, was finished and theEnglish edition ready for this convention; the French and Germaneditions would be published in a few weeks. 

The treasurer, Mrs. Stanton Coit, made a detailed and acceptablereport and said that, with new headquarters, a paid secretary, anenlarged newspaper and many publications, 2, 000 pounds would benecessary for the next two years. Pledges were made for 2, 510 pounds($12, 350)[226]. 

Mrs. Catt having served as president nine years earnestly desired toretire in favor of a woman from another country but at a meeting ofthe presidents of all the auxiliaries she was unanimously and stronglyurged to reconsider her wish. She reluctantly did so and was electedby acclamation. The delegates decided that the ten persons receivingthe highest number of votes should constitute the officers of theAlliance and the board itself should apportion their special offices. Mrs. Fawcett, Mrs. Coit, Miss Furuhjelm, Miss Bergman and Mrs. Lindemann were re-elected. The five new officers selected were Mrs. DeWitt Schlumberger, France; Miss Schwimmer, Hungary; Miss Macmillan, Great Britain; Mrs. Stritt, Germany; Mrs. Katharine Dexter McCormick, United States. 

The persistent requests that the Board should and should not endorsethe "militant" movement in Great Britain, which had assumed seriousproportions, caused it to recommend the following resolution whichwas adopted without dissent: "Resolved: That as the InternationalWoman Suffrage Alliance stands pledged by its constitution to strictneutrality on all questions concerning national policy or tactics, itsrules forbid any expression favoring or condemning 'militant' methods. Be it further resolved: That since riot, revolution and disorder havenever been construed into an argument against man suffrage, we protestagainst the practice of the opponents of woman suffrage to interpret'militancy' employed by the minority in one country as an excuse forwithholding the vote from the women of the world. " At another timeMrs. Cobden Sanderson of Great Britain, speaking as a fraternaldelegate, eulogized the self-sacrifice of the "militants" as theprincipal factor in the movement, and Mrs. Catt, speaking from thechair, said that she would like to answer the assertion that it wasonly the "militant" women who were the martyrs. To the women who hadmade such protests had come the glory, whereas there were thousandswho had given their lives to the cause whose names had never beenheard. All down the centuries there had been heroines and martyrs andmany of them had stood alone. She believed the movement owed a greatdebt to the "militant" women of Great Britain but they were only apart of it. 

Mrs. Catt introduced and urged a resolution "to send from thiscongress a request to the Governments of all countries hererepresented to institute an international inquiry into the cause andextent of commercialized vice, and to ask the woman suffrageorganizations in each country to petition their own Government toinstitute a national inquiry and to include women in the Commission. "The resolution was unanimously adopted. Mrs. Catt was appointed torepresent the Alliance at the approaching International White SlaveTraffic Congress in London. A very able address, showing a thoroughstudy of the question, was made by Mrs. Fawcett, who presided at themeeting held to discuss What Women Voters Have Done towards theSolution of this Problem. 

The usual important reports of the progress in all the affiliatedcountries were presented and ordered published in the Minutes, wherethey filled over sixty pages. Miss Schwimmer in reporting for Hungarysaid:

 At the time of the founding of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance there was nothing even approaching a feminist movement in Hungary, yet the recent Reform Bill which has just passed the two Houses includes a long and thorough explanation of the usefulness and need of woman suffrage and apologies on the part of the Government for not being able (owing to the present precarious political situation) to grant it. The marked inclination of the Government in favor of woman suffrage and the discussion which took place in the House afterwards, together with the fact that an amendment to include woman suffrage received more votes than any other moved, has given the whole question such an importance that it is no longer a matter of discussion as to whether our claims are justified or not, but only when shall they be granted?

 The work accomplished by us since the Stockholm Congress has been in the main, as before, educational; propaganda by meetings, lectures at all seasons and in all places; the distribution of an immense quantity of leaflets and other printed matter and lectures by famous foreign suffragists. The most valuable and effective part of our work was that we took advantage of the meetings arranged by the coalition opposition parties, which include the Social Democratic and the Bourgeois-Radicals. They held hundreds in all parts of Hungary, many attended by six or eight thousand people, and in one in Budapest gathered an audience of 15, 000. We tried to get a speaker of ours on every program. In spite of the militant opposition of the Social Democratic party and Radical leaders, we succeeded nearly every time in getting the floor, where we presented amendments to their resolutions, which, when the chairman was honest enough to put them to be voted on, were always enthusiastically carried. .. . About sixty societies for various purposes have declared their position by taking part officially in several of our public demonstrations. 

A list was given of distinguished men who had become converted towoman suffrage. Men took a more prominent part in this convention thanin any which had preceded, due principally to the very activeHungarian Men's League for Woman Suffrage, which included a numberwell known in political and intellectual life. The InternationalAlliance of Men's Leagues conducted an afternoon session in the PesterLloyd hall with the Hon. Georg de Lukacs of Hungary, its president, inthe chair. What can Men Do to Help the Movement for Woman Suffrage?was discussed by Dr. C. V. Drysdale, Great Britain; Major C. V. Mansfeldt, Netherlands, and Dr. Andre de Maday, Hungary. On Thursdayevening this International League held a mass meeting in the Academyof Music with rousing speeches for woman suffrage by Hermann Bahr, Austria; M. Du Breuil de St. Germain, France; Major Mansfeldt; KeirHardie, Great Britain; Senator Mechelin, Finland; Dr. Vazsonyi, M. P. , Hungary; Professor Wicksell, Sweden; Professor Gustav Szaszy-Schwartz, Hungary. 

A crowded mass meeting addressed by women took place one evening inthe Academy of Music, with Mrs. Catt presiding. Mrs. Stritt, presidentof the National Suffrage Association of Germany, spoke on WomanSuffrage and Eugenics; Mme. Maria Verone, a well known lawyer ofParis, made her impassioned address in French, and Dr. Gulli Petriniof Sweden spoke in French on Woman Suffrage and Democracy; MissSchwimmer inspired the audience with Hungarian oratory; Miss JaneAddams of the United States gave a forceful address on Why the ModernWoman Needs the Ballot, and Dr. Shaw closed the meeting with aneloquent interpretation of the demand of women for the vote. Oneafternoon from 4 to 6 o'clock was devoted to a Young People's Meeting, addressed by delegates from eight countries. A forenoon was given tothe discussion of the always vital question, What Relation ShouldSuffrage Organizations Bear toward Political Parties, led by Mrs. AnnaB. Wicksell, Sweden, and Miss Courtney, Great Britain. A largeaudience heard one evening the Benefits of Woman Suffrage related bythose who had been sent as official delegates from Governments thathad given the vote to women, Mrs. Qvam, Miss Krog and Mrs. Spencer, and in supplementary speeches by Mrs. Jenny Forselius, member ofParliament from Finland; Miss A. Maude Royden, Great Britain; Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, United States, whose topic was New Mothersof a New World. A resumé of all these addresses was made in Hungarianby Vilma Glücklich. During the convention much of the interpreting inEnglish, French and German was done by Mrs. Maud Nathan of the UnitedStates, who also made an address in the three languages. 

On the last day it seemed almost as if the men had taken possession ofthe congress, for they had secured the convention hall for theafternoon meeting, but the women did not like to discourage suchexceptional interest. Woman Suffrage and Men's Economic, Ethical andPolitical Interest in it was discussed by Professor Emanuel Beke, Hungary; Dr. Emil von Hoffmansthal, Austria; Frederick Nathan andRabbi Stephen S. Wise, United States. Vigorous speeches were made byMalcolm Mitchell, Great Britain; Leo Gassman, Germany; the Rev. BennoHaypal, and Alexander Patay, Hungary. The hall was restored to thewomen at 5 o'clock for their final program under the general topic, How may women still bound by ancient custom, tradition and prejudicebe awakened to a realization that these new times demand new dutiesand responsibilities? How to Reach the Home Woman, Mrs. Gisela Urban, Austria; Mrs. Irma V. Szirmay, Mrs. Von Fürth, Hungary; How to Reachthe Church Woman, Mme. Jane Brigode, Belgium, Mme. Girardet-Vielle, Switzerland; How to Reach the Society Woman, Miss Royden, Mme. Schlumberger; How to Reach the Woman of Higher Education, Mrs. CrystalEastman Benedict, United States; How to Reach the Wage-earning Woman, Miss Isabella O. Ford, Mrs. Clinny Dryer, Great Britain; How to Reachthe Woman Social Worker, Miss Addams. 

At the last business session the convention placed on record itsappreciation of the unsurpassed hospitality shown by the Hungarians. The delegates from this country expressed the pleasure it had been towelcome the women of all nations and the inspiration that had beenreceived. The president, Mrs. Catt, asked them to part with theintention of coming to the next conference, each with a victory in herown country to celebrate. 

There were many luncheons, teas and dinners in beautiful privatehomes. The social entertainment which will be longest remembered wasthe evening trip down the Danube with supper and music on board, ahappy, congenial party with three hours of the exquisite scenery alongthe shores. Usually suffrage conventions closed in a burst of oratoryat a grand mass meeting but not so in this pleasure loving Hungariancity. The last evening was given over to a banquet which taxed thecapacity of the big convention hall. There were toasts and speechesand patriotic songs, and the presentation of the international pin, set with jewels, by the ladies of Budapest to Miss Schwimmer. She saidin a clever acceptance that the women had done what the men never hadsucceeded in doing; it was the desire of all Hungarians to make thiscity the resort of the world and the women of the world had been thefirst to come. "These ambassadors, " she said, "who came, to quote thewords of Mazzini, 'in the name of God and humanity, ' will report totheir countries the friendly reception they have met and will surelyhelp the cause of international good feeling. "

Several countries competed for the honor of the conference of theAlliance in 1915 and its regular convention in 1917. Mrs. May WrightSewall, honorary president of the International Council of Women, presented an official invitation from the managers of the PanamaPacific Exposition to be held in San Francisco in 1915, endorsed bythe California Suffrage Association; the executive committee of theNational Suffrage Association of Germany extended an urgent requestfor the conference and that of France for the congress. The answer wasreferred to the board, and it later accepted the invitations to Berlinand Paris. This had been the largest meeting of the Alliance. Neverhad the prospects seemed so favorable for accomplishing its objects;never had the fraternity among the women of the different nationsseemed so close. When they parted with affectionate farewells and thebright hope of meeting two years hence in Berlin they little dreamedthat it would be seven long years before they came together again;that during this time the world would be devastated by the mostterrible war in history and that the task must be once more commencedof developing among the women of the nations the spirit of confidence, friendship and cooperation. 

EIGHTH CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIANCE. 

On call of its president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt of the UnitedStates of America, the International Woman Suffrage Alliance wassummoned to its Eighth congress June 6-12, 1920, in Geneva, Switzerland, seven instead of the usual two years after the last one. The reason for the long interim was given in the opening sentences ofthe president's address on the first day: "It is seven years sincelast we met. In memory we live again those happy days of friendlycamaraderie in Budapest. All the faces were cheerful. On every sideone heard joyous laughter among the delegates and visitors. Everyheart was filled with buoyant hopes and every soul was armored withdauntless courage. We had seen our numbers grow greater and ourmovement stronger in many lands and here and there the final triumphhad already come. .. . Alas, those smiling, shining days seem now tohave been an experience in some other incarnation, for the years whichlie between are war-scarred and tortured and in 1920 there is not ahuman being in the world to whom life is quite the same as in 1913. .. . So we do not come smiling to Geneva as to Budapest. "

On Sunday morning, June 6, for the first time in the history of Genevaa woman spoke in the National Church, the Cathedral of St. Peter, andstanding in the pulpit of Calvin Miss A. Maude Royden of Great Britainpreached in French and English to an audience that filled the ancientedifice to the doors. That morning at 9 o'clock Father Hall, sent bythe Catholic ecclesiastical authorities from England for the purpose, delivered a sermon to the congress at a special mass in NotreDame. [227] In the afternoon a reception was given by Mlle. EmilieGourd, president of the Swiss National Suffrage Association, in thelovely garden, Beau Sejour. At a public meeting in the evening atPlainpalais, M. J. Mussard, president of the Canton of Geneva; Mme. Chaponničre Chaix, president of the Swiss National Council of Women, and Mlle. Gourd gave addresses of welcome, to which responses weremade by Miss Annie Furuhjelm, Finland; Mme. De Witt Schlumberger, France, and Mrs. Anna Lindemann, Germany, officers of the Alliance. Mrs. Catt then delivered her president's address. She described thephysical, mental and moral chaos resulting from the war, the immenseproblems now to be solved, and said: "For the suffragists of the worlda few facts stand forth with great clarity. The first is that war, theundoubted original cause of the age-old subjection of women the worldaround; war, the combined enemy of their emancipation, has brought tothe women of many lands their political freedom!"

Mrs. Catt showed how the suffrage had come in some countries where noeffort had been made for it, while in others where women had workedthe hardest they were still disfranchised, and she gave a scathingreview of the situation in the United States, where it had been solong withheld. She paid eloquent tributes to Susan B. Anthony, afounder of the Alliance, and to Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, who had helpedto found it and had attended every congress but had died the precedingyear. She pointed out to the enfranchised delegates the greatresponsibility that had been placed in their hands and through it thevast power they would have in re-creating the world and said: "Ibelieve had the vote been granted to women twenty-five years ago, their national influence would have so leavened world politics thatthere would have been no world war. " Among the many objects for theAlliance to accomplish she named the following: (1) Stimulate thespread of democracy and through it avoid another world war; (2)Discourage revolution by demonstrating that change may be broughtabout through peaceful political methods; (3) Encourage education andenlightenment throughout the world; (4) Keep the faith inself-government alive when it fails to meet expectations. Methods forachieving these results were suggested and it was impressed on theyounger women that this would be their task, as the older ones hadpractically finished their work. This address of surpassing eloquenceclosed with these words:

 God's order will come again to the world's stricken, unhappy, much-suffering people. It will come because the divine law of evolution never ceases to operate and the destiny of the race leads eternally on without pause. So much sacrifice and sorrow as the war has cost the world can not have been endured in vain. .. . As I view world politics the only possible hope for the happiness, prosperity and permanent peace of the world lies in the thorough democratization of all governments. There can be no democratization which excludes women and no safe or sound democracy which is not based upon an educated, intelligent electorate. Nor is it enough to establish democracy in individual nations--it must be extended to world politics. The old militarism must go and with it the old diplomacy, with its secret treaties, distrust and intrigues. No League of Nations can abolish war unless every government in the world is based on democracy. 

 In our home countries we should urge support of every movement for the extension of popular education, foster every agency which helps men and women to think for themselves, promote every endeavor to maintain honest elections, judicially conducted campaigns and high ideals in parties and parliaments, for democracy succeeds when and where independence and intelligence are greatest. 

A few of the delegates wished to disband the Alliance; a few othersdesired to change the character of its objects, but by an overwhelmingmajority it was voted to continue it along the original lines, although broadened, until the women of all countries wereenfranchised. The Congress was held in the Maison Communale dePlainpalais, the large town hall in a suburb of Geneva, and here oneevening its municipality gave a reception to the members. The shadygardens and sunny terrace were the scene of many socialgatherings. [228] The congress opened with a roll call of the suffragevictories and the responses showed the almost unbelievable record thattwenty countries had enfranchised their women during the years of thewar! The Official Report was edited by Miss Chrystal Macmillan, recording secretary of the International Alliance, and theIntroduction was a graphic review, which said in part:

"Despite the difficulties of travel and the fact that only threemonths' notice had been given the gathering at Geneva was more widelyrepresentative than any previous meeting. Women were present fromthirty-six countries. Of the twenty-six affiliated with the Allianceat the time of the last meeting, in 1913, the auxiliaries of nineteenshowed their continued vitality by sending fully accredited delegatesto Geneva. Representatives were also present from the formerauxiliaries in Austria and Germany, who were accorded full membershiprights. The Russian national president, a fugitive from her country, was unable to come but sent her greetings. The Belgian societyabstained from taking part and from the Polish and Portugueseauxiliaries no answer was received. 

"Four countries, Greece, Spain, Argentina and Uruguay, sent delegatesfrom newly formed National Suffrage Societies, which were accepted inthe Alliance. In addition there were present women from Armenia, theCrimea, Lettonia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, New Zealand, Poland, Turkeyand Ukrainia. For the first time women from India and Japan came totell of the beginnings of the organized movement among the women ofthe East. It was only the difficulties of travel which prevented thedelegates who had started on their journeys from China, Egypt andPalestine from arriving in time for the congress. For the first timemore than half the voting delegates represented countries in whichwomen had the full suffrage. The consequent increased politicalimportance of the congress was recognized by the governments of theworld, of which eighteen in Europe appointed official representatives, and the United States of America and Uruguay of South America. TheSecretariat of the League of Nations also sent a representative. .. . 

"The outstanding feature of the first business session was theannouncement of particulars by representatives of the many nationswhich had given the political and suffrage and eligibility to womenbetween 1913 and 1920--Austria, British East Africa, Canada, Crimea, Czecho-Slovakia, Denmark, Esthonia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Iceland, Lettonia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Poland, Rhodesia, Russia, Sweden, Ukrainia and six more of the United States. It was announced that women sit as members of Parliament in themajority of these countries, while large numbers are members ofmunicipal councils. In the United States of America the FederalSuffrage Amendment had passed both Houses of Congress and had beenratified by thirty-five of the necessary thirty-six States. Serbia, Belgium and Roumania had granted Municipal suffrage to women and theZionists of Palestine and the Commune of Fiume had given to them fullequal suffrage and eligibility. .. . It was decided to arrange at thenext congress a session at which only enfranchised women shouldspeak. .. . The Catholic Woman Suffrage Society of Great Britain wasaccepted as a member of the Alliance. .. . 

"Each of the three evening meetings, besides that of Sunday, whichwere all crowded and enthusiastic, was characteristic of a differentaspect of the present development of the suffrage movement. On Monday, a special feature was the speeches of five women members ofParliament--Helen Ring Robinson (State Senate), Colorado; Elna Münch, Denmark; Annie Furuhjelm, Finland; Lady Astor, Great Britain; TeklaKauffman, Wurtemberg. In all, nine women members of Parliamentattended the Congress. The others, who spoke at later meetings, wereFrau Burian and Adelheid Popp of Austria; Mme. Petkavetchaite ofLithuania and Adele Schrieber-Krieger, whose election to the GermanReichstag was announced during the Congress. On Wednesday at the greatmeeting in the Hall of the Reformation, three-minute speeches weregiven by representatives of each of the enfranchised countries in theAlliance. Yet another new aspect was illustrated by the meeting ofThursday, addressed by women from India and China. The speeches showedhow similar are the difficulties of the women of both the East and theWest and how much new ground has still to be broken before the objectof the Alliance is achieved. "

The forenoons were devoted to business meetings relating to the futurework of the Alliance and they were in session simultaneously indifferent rooms in the great building--Women and Party Politics, LegalStatus of Women, Civil Equality, Economic Value of Domestic Work ofWives and Mothers, Equal Pay for Equal Work, Single Moral Standard, Protection of Childhood--questions affecting the welfare of allsociety in all lands, pressing for solution and in all practically thesame. The afternoons were given largely to the reports from manycountries. [229] _The Woman's Leader_, organ of the National Union ofSocieties for Equal Citizenship of Great Britain, in its account ofthe Congress said:

 The effect of these reports was intensely dramatic, mingled, as it inevitably was, with the memories of the strange and bitter conditions under which the change had come. In some of the countries that had been at war enfranchisement came in the midst of revolution, riot and disaster; in others it came fresh and new with the beginning of their independent national life and almost as a matter of course. "Our men and women struggled together for our national freedom, " said delegate after delegate from the new States of Europe, "and so when any of us were enfranchised we both were. " The report on the election of women to national or municipal bodies was deeply interesting and in many respects surprising. Germany easily surpassed other countries in this respect, having had 39 women members in the last National Assembly, 155 in the Parliaments of the Federated States and 4, 000 on local and municipal bodies. In Denmark the record of success that followed the election of women was astonishing. "We have done, " said the spokeswoman, "what we set out to do; we have introduced equal pay and equal marriage laws; our equality is a fact. "

 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the Alliance, welcomed each new representative in the name of all the countries, and, although the victories had been won in times of stress and war, the rejoicing was without rivalry, for in the Congress from the first day until the last no sign or mark of ill-feeling or enmity was to be found. Not that the delegates forgot or disregarded the recent existence of the war; no one who saw them would suppose for a moment that they were meeting in any blind or sentimental paradise of fools. Their differences and their nations' differences were plain in their minds and they neither forgot nor wished to forget the ruined areas, the starving children and the suffering peoples of the world. They met differing perhaps profoundly in their national sentiment, their memories and their judgments but determined to agree where agreement was to be found; to understand where understanding could be arrived at and to cooperate with the very best of their will and their intelligence in assuring the future stability of the world. 

An important report was that of the Headquarters Committee, consistingof Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Millicent Garrett Fawcett, first vice-president ofthe Alliance, Mrs. Adela Stanton Coit, treasurer, and Miss Macmillan. Mrs. Coit was chairman the first two years and Mrs. Fawcett the restof the time. After the Congress at Budapest in 1913 the officialmonthly paper _Jus Suffragii_ was removed from Rotterdam to London andthe international headquarters established there. For the next sevenyears the three members of the committee resident in London heldregular meetings, seventy altogether, consulting Mrs. Catt by letteror cable when necessary. Miss Mary Sheepshanks was editor andheadquarters secretary. "She occupied that post with great acceptancetill 1919, " said the report, "when it was with much regret that herresignation was accepted. Mrs. Elizabeth Abbott was appointed to theplace, where in connection with the preparations for the presentCongress her organizing capacity has been of special value. " MissRosika Schwimmer of Hungary was appointed press secretary to furnishthe news to the international press but her work had hardly begunwhen the war broke out and she resigned the position to take up workfor peace. 

The report told of the meeting of the international officers and anumber of the national presidents which took place in London in July, 1914, to make arrangements for the Congress in Berlin the next year. Among the many social receptions given were one in the House ofCommons and one at the home of former Prime Minister Balfour. Mrs. Catt had just started on her homeward voyage when the war began. Theofficers in London at once issued a Manifesto in the name of theAlliance and presented it to the British Foreign Office and theAmbassadors and Ministers in London, which after pointing out thehelplessness of women in this supreme hour said: "We women oftwenty-six countries, having banded ourselves together in theInternational Woman Suffrage Alliance with the object of obtaining thepolitical means of sharing with men the power which shapes the fate ofnations, appeal to you to leave untried no method of conciliation orarbitration for arranging international differences which may help toavert deluging half the civilized world in blood. " They decided tocooperate with the British branch of the Alliance in a public meeting, which was held August 3 with Mrs. Fawcett in the chair, and aresolution similar to the above was adopted. In the next issue of the_International News_, when war had been declared, Mrs. Fawcett in herofficial capacity wrote:

 We are faced by the disruption, the animosity, the misunderstanding caused by war but notwithstanding the cruel strain we must firmly resolve to hold our International Alliance together. We must believe all through that good is stronger than evil, that justice and mercy are stronger than hatred and destruction, just as life is stronger than death. We women who have worked together for a great cause have hopes and ideals in common; these are indestructible links binding us together. We have to show that what unites us is stronger than what separates us. Between many of us there is also the further link of personal friendship cemented by many years of work together. We must hold on through all difficulties to these things which are good in themselves and must therefore be a strong help to us all through these days of trial. 

"In this spirit the Headquarters Committee has endeavored to carry outits task, " said its report, "and it has so far succeeded that it isin a position today to lay down its work without any society havingbeen lost to the Alliance and with a considerable group of countriesnever before associated with it now seeking affiliation. " The greatdifficulty of getting the paper into the various countries wasdescribed but it was accomplished; the paper never missed an issue; itremained absolutely neutral and the number of subscribers largelyincreased. It was the one medium through which the women of thewarring nations came in touch during the four and a half years of theconflict. All through the war it had news of some kind from thevarious countries showing that their women were still engaged inorganized work for many useful purposes. It was evident that inpractically all of them they were demanding that women should have avoice in the government. 

The headquarters cooperated with other international organizations informing the International Woman's Relief Committee and the work wasconducted in its rooms. More than a thousand foreign girls were sentor taken to their countries and hundreds of British, French andBelgian women brought from Germany and Belgium to London. The workamong Belgian refugees would require many pages to describe. 

Mrs. Fawcett and Mrs. Catt were preparing to send a deputation fromthe Alliance to the Peace Conference to ask for a declaration forwoman suffrage when the National Woman Suffrage Association of France, through its president, Mme. DeWitt Schlumberger, took the initiativeand called for the national associations of the allied countries tosend representatives to Paris to bring pressure on it. They werecordially received by the members of the Conference and apronouncement in favor of the political equality of women andeligibility to the secretariat was placed in the constitution of theLeague of Nations, which attracted the attention of the world. 

When the plan of holding the Congress of the Alliance at Berlin in1915 had to be given up Holland sent an urgent invitation for thatyear but its acceptance was not considered feasible. The SwedishAuxiliary wanted it held at the time and place of the Peace Conferencebut this was found to be inadvisable. The majority of the officers andauxiliaries in the various countries wished to have a congress thenext spring after the Armistice but there proved to be insurmountableobstacles. Toward the end of 1919 an invitation was accepted from thesuffrage societies in Spain to come to Madrid in 1920. Preparationswere under way when local opposition developed which made it necessaryto abandon the plan. Switzerland had already invited the congress andit gladly went to Geneva. 

In the report of Mrs. Coit, the treasurer, she said:

 You will remember that at Budapest in 1913 a sum of about 2, 000 pounds was raised, mostly by promises of yearly donations for the period of two years. This sum was to finance headquarters and the paper till we met in Berlin in 1915. In August, 1914, not even all the first instalments had been received, and from then on, owing to war conditions, it became impossible for some of our biggest donors to redeem their pledges. By the beginning of 1917 we found ourselves with an empty exchequer and facing the possibility of closing down our work. It was then that help came from our auxiliary in the United States. Mrs. Catt, with the help of her many devoted friends, raised a sum of $4, 333, which was placed at our disposal and has enabled the Alliance to keep going. When speaking of the United States' help I wish to make special mention of the splendid work for the Alliance by Miss Clara M. Hyde, private secretary for Mrs. Catt. To her incessant interest and energy it is due that the number of honorary associates in the U. S. A. Now is at least three times as high as in any other country; also she has quite trebled the number of subscribers to the _International News_ in the States. Her devoted work is an example of what can be done by a single national auxiliary to further the development of the Alliance, and I recommend her example for universal imitation. 

The United States Auxiliary continued to add to the above sum and fromMay, 1916, to May, 1920, it sent in membership dues, subscriptions tothe paper and donations $9, 337. Mrs. Frank M. Roessing, president ofthe Pennsylvania Suffrage Association, was responsible for collectingover $5, 000 of this amount. 

The money for the Congress in Geneva, about $3, 500, was raised by aBritish committee of which Miss Rosamond Smith was chairman and Mrs. Pethick Lawrence treasurer. To this fund the United States, which hadnot suffered from the war to the extent of European countries, was alarge contributor. At the close of the congress there were no funds onhand for the coming year and the delegates from all countries werefeeling the effects of the war financially. At this critical momentMrs. Katharine Dexter McCormick of the United States, correspondingsecretary of the Alliance, made a contribution of $5, 000, and a littlelater the Leslie Commission added $4, 000. This with individualsubscriptions raised the amount of about $15, 000 and guaranteed theexpenses for resuming and continuing the work of the Alliance. 

From the organization of the Alliance in Berlin in 1904 Mrs. Catt hadbeen the president and at no election had there been anothercandidate. Her strong desire to relinquish the office was overruled atBudapest. She went to Geneva with the positive determination not toaccept it again but she faced an equally determined body of delegates. Not only was she supported by all from the Allied Countries, as theywere known during the war, but she was equally acceptable to thosefrom the Central Countries. She was literally compelled to retain theoffice. 

Nominations for the other officers were made by ballot and submittedto the convention and the ten receiving the highest number of votesconstituted the board. They were as follows: Mme. DeWitt Schlumberger(France), Miss Chrystal Macmillan (Great Britain), Mrs. Anna B. Wicksell (Sweden), Mrs. Corbett Ashby (Great Britain), Dr. MargheritaAncona (Italy), Mrs. Anna Lindemann (Germany), Miss Eleanor Rathbone(Great Britain), Mrs. Katharine Dexter McCormick (U. S. A. ), Mme. Girardet-Vielle (Switzerland), Mrs. Adele Schreiber-Krieger (Germany). Most of them were officers of the National Association in their owncountries. Miss Rathbone was also a member of the city council ofLiverpool. 

Among the twenty-two sent as Government delegates were ViscountessAstor, member of the British House of Commons; Mrs. Marie Stritt, citycouncillor of Dresden, and Mrs. Josephus Daniels, wife of theSecretary of the Navy, U. S. A. Invited members were present from ninecountries, including ten from India, one from Japan and the wife ofthe Tartar president of the Parliament of Crimea. There were fraternaldelegates from six international associations; from associations innearly every country in Europe (fourteen in Great Britain) and fromSouth Africa, Australia, Argentina and Uruguay. Greetings were sentfrom associations in many countries including China. 

A number of the resolutions adopted have been foreshadowed in thisreport of the proceedings. Others were for the equal status of womenwith men on legislative and administrative bodies; full personal andcivil rights for married women, including the right to their earningsand property; equal guardianship of their children by mothers; thatthe children of widows without provisions shall have the right tomaintenance by the State paid to the mothers; that children born outof wedlock shall have the same right to maintenance and education fromthe father as legitimate children, and the mother the right ofmaintenance while incapacitated. Resolutions called for the sameopportunities for women as for men for all kinds of education andtraining and for entering professions, industries, civil servicepositions and performing administrative and judicial functions, anddemanded that there shall be equal pay for equal work; that the rightto work of women, married or unmarried, shall be recognized and thatno special regulations shall be imposed contrary to the wishes of thewomen themselves. A higher moral standard for both men and women wascalled for and various resolutions were adopted against traffic inwomen, regulations of vice differentiating against women and Stateregulation of prostitution. 

The Congress took a firm position on the League of Nations and itsrecognition of women in the following resolution: "The women ofthirty-one nations assembled in congress at Geneva, convinced that ina strong Society of Nations based on the principles of right andjustice lies the only hope of assuring the future peace of the world, call upon the women of the whole world to direct their will, theirintelligence and their influence towards the development and theconsolidation of the Society of Nations on such a basis, and to assistit in every possible way in its work of securing peace and good willthroughout the world. "

A resolution was adopted that a conference of representative women besummoned annually by the League of Nations for the purpose ofconsidering questions relating to the welfare and status of women; theconference to be held at the seat of the League, if possible, and theexpenses paid by the League. The Board instructed Mrs. Ashby Corbettto arrange a deputation to the League of Nations to presentresolutions and to ask for the calling of the conference as soon aspossible. [230]

On the last day of the Congress from 5 to 7 o'clock the State Councilof the Canton and the Municipal Council of Geneva gave an officialreception and tea to the delegates and visitors. The resolutions ofthanks for the assistance and courtesies received from committees andindividuals filled two printed pages. The _Woman's Leader_ thus closedits account: "The immense hospitality of Geneva and of the SwissConsulate, the superb weather and the beautiful excursions by land andlake were above all praise. .. . Taking the Conference as a whole, withits concrete work and its general spirit, it is clear that it marks anew step forward. A new force has come into the politics of almost allthe world. It is a force inspired at present with good will, ahumanitarian and an internationalizing force, drawing together thethoughtful and disinterested women of all countries. It is a forcethat the world has need of and no Government should be so blind as toignore it. "

FOOTNOTES:

[221] _History of Woman Suffrage_, Volume IV, page 124. 

[222] Delegates and alternates present besides those already mentionedwere Misses L. G. Heymann and Marta Zietz, Germany; Mrs. Stanton Coit, Great Britain; Mrs. Henrietta von Loenen de Bordes, Mrs. HengeveldGarritson, Miss C. C. A. Van Dorp, Netherlands; Mrs. Vibetha Salicath, Miss Eline Hansen, Mrs. Charlotte Eilersgaard, Miss Rasmussen, Denmark; Mrs. Anna B. Wicksell, Mrs. Frigga Carlberg, Miss JennyWallerstedt, Sweden; Miss Fredrikke Mörek, Miss Marie Scharlenberg, Norway; Mrs. Saulner, Switzerland; Mrs. Henry Dobson, Australia; MissRosika Schwimmer, Hungary; Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, Miss Belle Kearney, Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, Miss Lucy E. Anthony, Miss Nettie LovisaWhite, Mrs. Lydia Kingsmill Commander, United States. 

[223] The reports from the various countries prepared for thiscongress filled fifty-seven pages of the printed report and fullyjustified Mrs. Catt's statement. 

[224] The committee which had been appointed to prepare for thecongress and had been working for many months beforehand consisted ofthe Executive Committee of the central board of the National SuffrageAssociation and the presidents of sub-committees formed for differentpurposes. Miss Signe Bergman acted as president, Miss AxianneThorstenson as vice-president, Miss Anna Frisell as treasurer, MissNini Kohnberger and Miss Elise Carlson as secretaries. Mrs. Virgin wasat the head of the Finance Committee. The work of the Press Committeewas directed by Mrs. Else Kleen. Mrs. Lily Laurent was at the head ofthe Committee on Localities. Mrs. Lizinski Dyrssen headed theCommittee for Festivities. Mrs. Ezaline Boheman was the head of theInformation Bureau. Miss Lamm and Miss Anden directed the work of thethirty university students who served as pages and whose kindness andswift and silent service none will ever forget. At the head of theTravelling Committee was Dr. Malin Wester-Halberg, who arranged thejourney to Lapland, gave information about all excursions, etc. 

[225] International headquarters were established in London, the paperwas greatly enlarged and published there under the title, _JusSuffragii, International Woman Suffrage News_, and Miss MarySheepshanks was appointed editor, a post which she filled mostsatisfactorily during the following six troubled years. 

[226] Because of the war which devastated Europe for the next fiveyears these pledges could not be kept and the Alliance did not meetagain until 1920. Meanwhile the United States contributed enough sothat the London headquarters were kept open and the paper did not missan issue. 

[227] The English church of Geneva also for the first time admitted awoman to its pulpit, which was occupied on the following Sunday, June13, by Miss Edith Picton Turberville of Great Britain. 

[228] Among the many entertainments during the congress were areception given by the British delegation; a motor excursion byinvitation of Mrs. McCormick and the American delegates; a dinnerparty at Hotel Beau Rivage by Lady Astor for British and Americandelegates; a delightful "tea" by the French delegation and a gardenparty by M. And Mme. Thuillier-Landry. Excursions were arranged by theGeneva Committee and visits to the schools, museums, parks and endlesspoints of attraction in this most interesting city. 

[229] These valuable accounts of the status of women in the variouscountries were published in full in the 252-page Report of theCongress. 

[230] They called on Sir Alec Drummond, head of the Secretariat, inLondon. He received them cordially but said it would be impossible forthe League to undertake such expenses and advised them to appoint acommittee to act as a source of communication between the League andthe Alliance. Thenceforth the League recognized the Alliance as anauthority and accepted its recommendation to place Mrs. Anna B. Wicksell on its Mandates Commission and Miss Henni Forchhammer on itsWhite Slave Traffic Commission. These women had already been sent tothe League meetings by Sweden and Denmark as alternate delegates. 

APPENDIX. 

NEBRASKA MEN'S ASSOCIATION OPPOSED TO WOMAN SUFFRAGE. 

To the Electors of the State of Nebraska:

At a meeting of men lately held in the city of Omaha the followingresolution was unanimously adopted: "Resolved, That it is the sense ofthis meeting that a Manifesto be prepared, issued and circulated, setting forth the reasons for our opposition to the pendingconstitutional amendment providing for equal (woman) suffrage andrequesting the cooperation of the voters of the State, and that suchManifesto be signed by all the men present. "

We yield to none in our admiration, veneration and respect for woman. We recognize in her admirable and adorable qualities and sweet andnoble influences which make for the betterment of mankind and theadvancement of civilization. We have ever been willing and ready togrant to woman every right and protection, even to favoritism in thelaw, and to give her every opportunity that makes for development andtrue womanhood. We have a full appreciation of all the great thingswhich have been accomplished by women in education, in charity and inbenevolent work and in other channels of duty too numerous to mention, by which both men and women have been benefited, society improved andthe welfare of the human race advanced. We would take from women noneof their privileges as citizens but we do not believe that women areadapted to the political work of the world. 

The discussion of all questions growing out of the social and familyrelations and local economic conditions has no direct relationship tothe right of women to participate in the political affairs ofgovernment. The right of suffrage does not attach of right to theowners of property, for, if so, all other persons should bedisfranchised. It is not a fundamental right of taxpayers, for a greatbody of men are not taxpayers, and nine-tenths of the women who wouldbecome voters, if woman suffrage were adopted, would be non-taxpayers. It is not an inherent right of citizenship, for the time never was inthe whole history of the world when the franchise was granted to allcitizens. .. . Franchise is a privilege of government granted only tothose to whom the Government sees fit to grant it. As a law-abidingpeople men and women alike should recognize once and for all that theright of suffrage is not a natural or inherent right of citizenshipbut can only come by grant from the Government. [Legal authoritiesquoted. ]

We must also recognize that woman suffrage is inconsistent with thefundamental principles upon which our representative government wasfounded and to accept it now involves revolutionary changes. Theframers of the Federal Constitution, a body of the wisest men thecountry has ever produced, did not recognize or provide for womansuffrage. No one of the original thirteen States which adopted itprovided in their constitutions for woman suffrage. True it waspermitted in New Jersey from 1776 to 1807, a period of thirty-oneyears, when it was taken away by statute, by reason of unsatisfactoryconditions and results. After the close of the Civil War, the southernStates which had gone into rebellion were admitted back into theUnion under constitutions limiting suffrage to men. These precedentsin our governmental history were never departed from until in recentyears. 

The greatest danger to the Republic of the United States today, as italways has been in governments where the people rule, is in anexcitable and emotional suffrage. If the women of this country wouldalways think coolly and deliberate calmly, if they could always becontrolled and act by judgment and not under passion, they might helpus to keep our institutions "eternal as the foundations of thecontinent itself"; but the philosophers of history and the experienceof the ages past and present tell us in unanswerable arguments andteach us by illustrations drawn from actual experience, thatgovernments have been overturned or endangered in periods of greatexcitement by emotional suffrage and the speech and writings ofintolerant people. .. . 

Open that terrible page of the French Revolution and the days ofterror, when the click of the guillotine and the rush of blood throughthe streets of Paris demonstrated to what extremities the ferocity ofhuman nature can be driven by political passion. Who led thosebloodthirsty mobs? Who shrieked loudest in that hurricane of passion?Woman. Her picture upon the page of history is indelible. In the cityof Paris, in those ferocious mobs, the controlling agency, nay, notagency but the controlling and principal power, came from those whomGod had intended to be the soft and gentle angels of mercy throughoutthe world. .. . 

It has been said that if woman suffrage should become universal in theUnited States, in times of great excitement arising out of sectionalquestions or local conditions this country would be in danger of Stateinsurrections and seditions and that in less than a hundred yearsrevolutions would occur and our republican form of government wouldcome to an end. The United States should guard against emotionalsuffrage. What we need is to put more logic and less feeling intopublic affairs. This country has already extended suffrage beyondreasonable bounds. Instead of enlarging it there are strong reasonswhy it should be curtailed. It would have been better for wise andsafe government and the welfare of all the people if there had beensome reasonable standard of fitness for the ballot. 

During the intense feeling and turbulent conditions growing out of theCivil War, suffrage was so extended that many of the southern Stateswere turned over to the political control of those not sufficientlyinformed to conduct good government. It has taken half-a-century ofstrenuous effort to correct that mistake. The granting of universalwoman suffrage would greatly increase the existing evil and put itbeyond the possibility of correction except by an ultimate revolution. 

We hear it frequently stated that there is no argument against womansuffrage except sentiment. We can reply with equal force that there isno argument for woman suffrage except sentiment, and that oftenmisguided and uninformed. Some suffragists insist that if womansuffrage became universal "it would set in motion the machinery of anearthly paradise. " It was a woman of high standing in the literary andjournalistic field who answered, "It is my opinion it would let loosethe wheels of purgatory. " . .. Suffragists frequently ask the question, "If we want to vote why should other people object?" If it is wrongthey should not ask it any more than they should ask the privilege ofcommitting a crime. If it is a wrong against the State every otherman and woman has a right to object and it is their duty to object. .. . 

There are spheres in which feeling should be paramount. There arekingdoms in which the heart should reign supreme. That kingdom belongsto woman--the realm of sentiment, the realm of love, the realm ofgentler and holier and kindlier attributes that make the name of wife, mother and sister next to the name of God himself, but it is not inharmony with suffrage and has no place in government. 

We submit these considerations in all candor to the men of this State. Ultimately the decision of this question at the polls is a man'squestion. We ask your cooperation. .. . 

Omaha, July 6, 1914. 

 JOSEPH H. MILLARD, ex-U. S. Senator and president Omaha National Bank. (Largest creditor of Willow Springs Distillery. ) JOHN A. MCSHANE, ex-Congressman and retired capitalist. JOHN LEE WEBSTER, lawyer, representing Omaha Street Railway. LUTHER DRAKE, president Merchants' National Bank. JOHN C. COWIN, prominent lawyer. WILLIAM F. GURLEY, prominent lawyer. WILLIAM D. MCHUGH, lawyer representing Standard Oil Company. FRANK T. HAMILTON, president Omaha Gas Co. And officer Street Railway Co. WILLIAM WALLACE, former cashier Omaha National Bank. JOHN A. MUNROE, vice-president Union Pacific Railway Company. FRANK BOYD, employee Omaha National Bank. GERRIT FORT, Union Pacific Railway official. _Joseph Barker_, insurance official. EDWARD A. PECK, general manager Omaha Grain Elevator Company. HENRY W. YATES, president Nebraska National Bank. MILTON C. PETERS, president Alfalfa Milling Co. WILLIAM H. KOENIG, of firm of Kilpatrick & Co. , dry goods merchants. W. H. BOCHOLZ, vice-president Omaha National Bank. FRED H. DAVIS, president First National Bank. BENJAMIN S. BAKER, lawyer. L. F. CROFOOT, lawyer for Omaha Smelting Co. And Chicago & Milwaukee R. R. E. E. BRUCE, wholesale druggist. GEORGE W. HOLDREGE, manager Burlington & Missouri River R. R. Co. FRED A. NASH, President Omaha Electric Light Co. NELSON H. LOOMIS, General Attorney Union Pacific R. R. EDSON RICH, assistant attorney Union Pacific R. R. FRANK B. JOHNSON, president Omaha Printing Co. THOMAS C. BYRNE, president Wholesale Dry Goods Co. REV. THOMAS J. MACKAY, Minister All Saints' Church (Episcopal). REV. JOHN W. WILLIAMS, Minister St. Barnabas' Church (Episcopal). 

 * * * * *

This Manifesto with the signatures is given almost in full because inlanguage and in the business interests of the signers it is thoroughlytypical of the open opposition to woman suffrage. The other classeswho were opposed--the "machine" politicians, the liquor interests andthose directly or indirectly connected with them--for the most partworked more secretly. 

INDEX

The contents of this volume are so arranged that the reader will havelittle difficulty in finding the references desired. The firstforty-nine chapters are devoted exclusively to the work for womansuffrage which was done in the various States of the Union throughannual conventions, effort with the Legislatures for the submission tothe voters of an amendment to the State constitutions which wouldfully enfranchise women and campaigns to secure a majority vote forit. There was also an attempt to obtain from the Legislatures lawswhich did not have to be approved by the voters, giving women theright to vote at Municipal elections and every four years forPresidential electors. In addition the women in every State constantlyassisted the National American Woman Suffrage Association in itssupreme effort to obtain from Congress the submission to theLegislatures for the ratifying of three-fourths of them of anamendment to the Federal Constitution which would give the completefranchise to all the women of the nation. 

These State chapters are arranged alphabetically and near the end ofeach an account is given of the action taken on Ratification, and alsoof the forming of a League of Women Voters. It is manifestlyimpracticable to index the names of all the thousands of women whogave devoted service in these States. Only a comparatively few ofthose who worked longest and most prominently or are mentioned inother parts of the books can be listed. The names of many more will befound in the various chapters. This is also true of the many membersof Congress and Legislatures and of other men who were sympathetic andhelpful in this long contest. 

In the chapters on the effort for woman suffrage in the Territoriesand possessions of the United States the principal points and workersare indexed. This is the case in the chapter on Great Britain and herColonies and on the countries of the world, each listed under itsproper head. The long chapter on the International Woman SuffrageAlliance forbids an accurate index, as it contains the names of scoresof workers for woman suffrage in most civilized countries. Some butnot all of the most prominent are noted and in the well indexedchapters on its seven congresses the reader will find a satisfactoryroster. 

The Table of Contents will act as a trustworthy guide. 

 A

 Abbott, Frances M, in N. H. , 400. 

 Abbott, Dr. Lyman, 291; 401. 

 Aberdeen, Lord and Lady, 572. 

 Adams, Gov. Alva (Colo. ), 62. 

 Adams, Annette Abbott, 58; 112. 

 Adams, John T, 191. 

 Adams, Lida Stokes, 88; 559-60. 

 Addams, Jane, speaks for wom. Suff. In Ga, 127; 146; 184; in Kans, 198; Mass, 271, 274; Mo, 356; Neb, 376; Nev, 387, 397; S. Dak, 590; Wis, 700-1-2; Budapest, 857, 858. 

 Aked, Rev. Chas. F, in Calif, 48-49; Nev, 387; N. Y. , 457; Ore, 548. 

 Alabama, effort for wom. Suff, workers, legis. Action; see St. Chapter, 3. 

 Alaska, Legis. Grants wom. Suff, status of women, 713-715. 

 Alberta, gaining of wom. Suff, 755. 

 Alberti, Sophie (Denmark), 812-13. 

 Aldrich, George W, 483. 

 Aldrich, Margaret Chanler, 454; 462; 466. 

 Algeo, Sara M, 568-9; 572-3; 658. 

 Allen, Florence E, 453; appointed Judge, 514. 

 Allen, Gov. Henry J, 202; 204; 351; see Kans. Chap. 

 Allen, Mrs. Henry Ware, 203-4. 

 Allen, Mrs. J. D. , 596-7; 607-8; 613. 

 Amendments, State, in Ariz, 14; Ark, 26; Calif, 37; vote on it, 50; Colo, 59; Iowa, 186; vote, 189; Kans, 196; vote, 201, 205; Ky, 211-12-13; La, 223; vote, 228; Me, 238; vote, 243, 244; Mass, vote, 287; Mich, 306; vote, 307; second, 308; vote, 309; third, 311; vote, 314; Miss, 339; vote, 341; Mo, 347, 354-5; vote, 356; Mont, 363; vote, 367; Neb, 369; vote, 377; Nev, 385-387; vote, 389, 398-9; N. H. , 400; vote, 402; N. J. , 421, 423, 431; vote, 426; N. Mex, prohibits, 439; N. Y. , 458, 460 et seq; vote in City, 464; in State, 474-5; second campaign, 465, 468, 471, 476-7; vote, in State, 482; in City, 467; Me, 238, 242; vote, 243; effect on N. Y. , 479; N. Dak. (law), 502; vote, 503, 506-7; Ohio, 509-10; vote, 511; second, 512; vote, 513; Okla, 524; vote, 526; second, 528-9 et seq. ; vote, 529, 535; Ore, 539, 541; vote, 544, 548; Penn, 554; vote, 557; 560, 562; R. I. , 575; S. Dak, 587; second, 588; vote, 590; third, 591; vote, 594; Texas, 639-40; vote, 642; Va, 672; Wash, 675; vote, 682; W. Va, 688; vote, 692, 698; Wis. (law), 700, 707; vote, 703. See Federal Wom. Suff. Amend. 

 American Constitutional League (anti suff. ), 621; 625. 

 Ames, Marie B, 204; 351; 358-9; 690. 

 Ammons, Prof. Theodosia, 60. 

 Anderson, Frances B, 113; 115. 

 Anderson, Chief Justice John C, 7. 

 Anthony, Lucy E, 87; 442; 542-3; 812; 816. 

 Anthony, Mary B, 570-1-2; 577. 

 Anthony, Mary S in N. Y. , 442; memorial, 443; in Ore, 542-3; 570-1-2; 577; Berlin, 810. 

 Anthony, Susan B, greetings to Calif, 29; 30; entertained in Calif, 32; S. B. A. Club, 52; in Del, 86; Life and Work, 87; Memorial Fund, 88; birthday celebr, 90; in Wash, 105, 109; memorial service in Ga, 123; honored in Md, 248; memorial, 249; in Minn, 317; memorial, 318; birthday, 320; Mont, 360; memorial in Neb, 371; in Nev, 384; in N. J. , 414, memorial, 415; in N. Y. , 440; 443 memorial, 443; birthdays celebr, 449; 454; 455; letter to Okla, 520; in Ore, 540-1; in Phila, 551; in R. I. , 565; memorial in Vt, 652; urges suff. For Hawaiian women, 716; for Filipino women, 719; 772; 774; work for Intl. Suff. Assn, 805; presides at first conf. For it in Wash, 806-808; at second in Berlin, 809-811; memorial service in Copenhagen, 816; tribute at Geneva, 861. 

 Anti Suffragists, in Ala, 7; Ariz, 15; Calif, 36, 43; Natl. Assn, work in Calif, 44; falsehoods denied in Colo, 62; in Conn, 85; Del, 96, 99, 102-3; Ga, Macon _Telegraph_, 138; in Legis, 139; Ind, 176; Iowa, 188; Kans, 201; La, 232; Maine, 242-3, 245, 247; Md, 254-255, 258-260; Men's Assn, 261; Mass, 273, 280; Men's League, 288; 291-2, 294, 296, 301; Mich, 307; Men's League, 308; Miss, 335, 338; Mont, 365; Neb, 375; Men's League Manifesto, 376; in full, 873; headqrs, 376; German Amer. Alliance, 377; at Legis, 379; petitions, 380; Nev, 397; N. H. , 401, 404, 407, 409; N. J. , 424, 431; N. Y. , 454-457, 466; N. Dak, 506-7; Ohio, 509, 511; work with liquor interests, 513, 515; Okla, 528, 537; Ore, 543, 547; Penn, 562, 564; R. I, 567, 574-5; S. Dak, 591; Tenn, 602, 604, 619; Mrs. Catt's comment, 621; Texas, Legis. Rebukes, 641; 642; Vt, 661-2; Wash, 681; Wis, 705; Gr. Brit, 726-747; Lord Curzon's speech, 748; Mrs. Catt flays, 831; in Canada, 761; Men's Assn. In Neb, 873. For names see above references. 

 Argentina, effort for wom. Suff, 803. 

 Arizona, efforts for wom. Suff. Legis. Action, Gov. Brodie vetoes, amendment carries; see St. Chap, 10. 

 Arkansas, efforts for wom. Suff, workers, legis. Action, Primary suff; see St. Chap, 16. 

 Arnold, Ethel M, 263; 275; 343; 403. 

 Arthur, Clara B, see Mich. Chap, 303; 310 et seq. 

 Ashton, Margaret, on Liberal party in Great Brit, 824; 826; 833; 837. 

 Asquith, Herbert H, anti suff. Action in Great Brit, 727, 730 et seq; receives suffs, 732, anti suffs, 734; converted, 743; 744. 

 Astor, Viscountess, urges ratif. In Va, 671; Govt. Delegate to Intl. Alliance cong. In Geneva, 862, 864, 869. 

 Atkinson, Mrs. W. D, 198. 

 Augsburg, Dr. Jur. Anita (Germany), 809, 814; 826; 843-4. 

 Australia, wom. Suff. In, 752; urges it in Great Brit, 753. 

 Austria, women vote; in Legislature, 792. 

 Avery, Dr. Alida C, 30; 52. 

 Avery, Rachel Foster, 87; 88; 250; in N. Y, 443; Penn, 551-2; Wis, 701-2; at intl. Suff. Conf. In Wash, 807-8; Berlin, 811; Copenhagen, 812. 

 Avery, Susan Look, 682. 

 Axtell, Frances C, 112; 684. 

 Aylesworth, Dr. B. O, in Ind, 168; Md, 250; Neb, 372; N. Y, 447. 

 B

 Bacon, Elizabeth D, 69; 70. 

 Bagley, Mrs. Frederick H, 573. 

 Bailey, U. S. Sen. Joseph W, opp. Wom. Suff. In Texas, 633, 641; women defeat, 641. 

 Baird, U. S. Sen. David, 428. 

 Baldwin, Isabel A, 45; 52. 

 Balentine, Katharine Reed, in Calif, 33, 53; Wash, 106-7; Maine, 238, 243, 245. 

 Balfour, Arthur J. (Great Brit. ), on wom. Suff, 730; 866. 

 Ball, U. S. Sen. L. Heisler, 93; 97; 100. 

 Bamberger, Gov. Simon (Utah), 649-50. 

 Bankhead, U. S. Sen. John H, 5; 8. 

 Barkley, Edna M, 373; 378-9; 381-2. 

 Barnes, Prof. Earl, 344; 417. 

 Barrett, Kate Waller, 572; 668-9; 671. 

 Barrows, Isabel C, 268; 275. 

 Bartlett, Gov. John H. (Vt. ), 408-9; 657. 

 Bass, Mrs. George, in Ala, 8; Del, 94; Ills, 155, 162; La, 233. 

 Bass, John P, Bangor (Me. ), _Commercial_, 241. 

 Bates, Mrs. Arthur L, 247. 

 Bates, Helen N, 236-7; 241; 243. 

 Bates, Gov. John L. (Mass. ), 293. 

 Beadle, Robert Cameron, secy. Men's League, 485. 

 Beard, Mary R, officer Congressl. Union, 109. 

 Beauchamp, Frances E, 209. 

 Beckham, U. S. Sen. J. C. W, 213. 

 Beeckman, Gov. R. Livingston (R. I. ), 575-6-7. 

 Behrman, Mayor Martin (N. O. ), 225-6; 228; 231; 233. 

 Belgium, grants Munic. Franchise, 786, 788. 

 Belmont, Mrs. Oliver H. P, 198; at Southern Conf, 219, 610; helps Nev, 387; enters suff. Movement, 445; in N. Y, 447, 456, 469; in R. I, 567-8. 

 Benbridge, Helen, 172-3; 179; 180. 

 Benedict, Crystal Eastman, 109; 701; 703; 858. 

 Benedict, Elsie, 377. 

 Benet, U. S. Sen. Christie, 581. 

 Benners, Helen J, see Ala, chap, 3, 4. 

 Bennett, Mrs. M. Toscan, 71; 74. 

 Bennett, Sarah Clay (Mrs. James), 209; 596. 

 Benton, Pres. Guy Potter, 655. 

 Besant, Annie, 770; 852. 

 Beveridge, Edna Annette, in Ala, 6; in Md, 254; Okla, 530, 535; Tenn, 621; W. Va, 693. 

 Bickett, Gov. Thomas W. (N. C. ), 495, 499. 

 Bidwell, Annie K, 28; 32; 39. 

 Biggers, Kate H, 521-527. 

 Bilbo, Gov. Theodore G. (Miss. ), 338. 

 Bingham, Judge Robert, brings out _Courier Journal_ for wom. Suff, 208. 

 Bird, Mrs. Charlotte Sumner, 280-1-2; 301. 

 Bishop, Emily Montague, 702. 

 Bissell, Emily P, 103; in N. H, 401. 

 Black, Gov. James D. (Ky. ), 213. 

 Blackwell, Alice Stone, 30; natl. And State officer, work in Mass, 267 et seq; 281; 393; N. H, 400; N. J, 414, 424; 441; Okla, 525; Ore, 540, 544; R. I, 565-6, 571; S. C, 579; Vt, 654, 661, 682. 

 Blackwell, Rev. Antoinette Brown, in Mass, 272; birthday, 280; see N. J, chap, 412. 

 Blackwell, Dr. Emily S, 415. 

 Blackwell, Henry B, 30; memorial in Del, 88; 198; 204; memorial in Md, 250; work in Mass, 267 et seq; birthday, 271; memorial in

 Boston, 275; marriage, 278; in Minn, 317; N. H, 400; N. J, 414-15, memorial, 416; in Okla, 525; Ore, 540, 544; R. I, 565; for Pres. Suff, 573-4; S. C, 579; Vt, 651, memorial, 653; 682. 

 Blair, Edna S, 309. 

 Blair, Emily Newell, 346; 348-9. 

 Blair, U. S. Sen. Henry W, 400; 402; 405. 

 Blake, Katharine Devereux, work in Mont, 364; N. Y, 471; West Va, 691. 

 Blake, Lillie Devereux, 456. 

 Blankenburg, Lucretia L, 160; in N. J, 414; Penn, 550 et seq; Berlin, 810-11. 

 Blanton, Annie Webb, 638-9. 

 Blatch, Mrs. Harriot Stanton, in N. H, 401; N. J, 414, 416; Seneca Falls, 444; 450; N. Y, 454, 468-9; founds Wom. Polit. Union, 486. 

 Blinn, Nellie Holbrook, 29; 31; 52-3. 

 Bloch, St. Sen. Jesse A, in West Va, 695. 

 Blount, Dr. Anna E, 149; 702. 

 Bohemia, suffrage for women, 795. 

 Booth, Elizabeth K, work in Ills. Legis, 150 et seq. 

 Borah, U. S. Sen. William E, 253; 287. 

 Boswell, Helen Varick, 106; 455; 547. 

 Bowen, Mrs. Joseph T, 159; 165. 

 Boyer, Ida Porter, in La, 219, 220; Mich, 309, 312; Okla, 522-526; tribute to from St. Leaders, 526; Ore, 542; Vt, 652. 

 Brackenridge, M. Eleanor, 631. 

 Bradford, Mary C. C, in Ariz, 11; Colo, 61; 64; 67; Kans, 194; Neb, 371; Okla, 522; Ore, 542. 

 Brady, Gov. James H. (Wash. ), 683. 

 Braly, John Hyde, work in Calif, 36, 38, 40-1, 51, 56; 198. 

 Brandegee, U. S. Sen. Frank B, 81. 

 Brandeis, Louis D, speaks for wom. Suff, in Mass, 288, 298. 

 Brandenburg, Prof. S. J, 200. 

 Breckinridge, Desha, his _Herald_ for wom. Suff, 208. 

 Breckinridge, Mrs. Desha, in Mo, 356; N. C, 491; Ore, 547; S. C, 580; Va, 669; West Va, 688; see Kentucky chapter, 207. 

 Breckinridge, Prof. Sophonisba, 202; 701. 

 Breshkovsky, Catharine, addresses suff. Meetings, 272. 

 British Colonies, See chapter, 752-770. 

 British Columbia, gains woman suffrage, 756. 

 Bronson, Minnie, in Calif, 44; Ind, 176; Mich, 308; Mo, 357; Mont, 366; Neb, 375, 379; Nev, 397; Vt, 662. 

 Brooks, Mrs. Charles H, 203; 204; 529; 573. 

 Brooks, John Graham, 269. 

 Brotherton, Belle, see Mich. Chapter, 303; 312; 315. 

 Brough, Gov. Charles H. (Ark. ), 20; 643. 

 Brown, Frances Fort, 610. 

 Brown, Rev. Olympia, in Kans, 198; Md, 254, 256-7; work in Wis, see State chapter, 699; 701; 704. 

 Brown, Mrs. Raymond, in Del, 92; N. J, 419; N. C, 494; R. I, 571; Vt, 658; see N. Y. Chapter, 468. 

 Brumbaugh, Gov. Martin G. (Penn. ), 561. 

 Bryan, William Jennings, urges ratification in La, 233; Miss, 340; Mo, 349; Neb, 376; N. C, 493, 497; Tenn, 603; Va, urges Fed. Amend, 670. 

 Bryan, Mrs. William Jennings, speaks for suff. In Fla, 119; Neb, 378; Tenn, 603. 

 Bryce, (Lord) James, on wom. Suff, 727; 747. 

 Buck, Rev. Florence, 700. 

 Bulkley, Mary, in Conn, 83; Nev, 398. 

 Burdette, Mrs. Robert J, 51. 

 Burn, Harry T, in Tenn. Legis, 623-4. 

 Burns, Lucy, 109; 251. 

 Burr, Frances Ellen, 68; 70. 

 Butt, Hala Hammond, 326. 

 Bynner, Witter, 404. 

 Byrd, Clara Booth, see N. C. Chapter, 490, 494. 

 Byrne, Gov. Frank M. (S. Dak. ), 589. 

 C

 Calder, U. S. Sen. William M, 489. 

 California, effort for wom. Suff, names of workers, legis. Action, campaign, see St. Chapter, 27. 

 Calloway, James P, 138. 

 Campaigns, in Ariz, 13; Calif, 38-50; Iowa, 186; Kans, 196; La, 224, 228; Maine, 238; Mass, 283; Mich, 306; Mo, 347, 355; Mont, 363; Neb, 375; Nev, 387, 394; N. J, 423; N. Y, City, 460; second, 465; State, 468; second, 475; N. Dak, 502; Ohio, 510; second, 512; Okla, 525; second, 528; Ore, 539, 541; 544-5; Penn, 554, 558; S. Dak, 587, 589, 591-2; Tenn, 601, 611, 619; Texas, 640; Wash, 675; West Va, 688; Wis, 701. 

 Campbell, Jane, in Del, 86, 87; Penn, 550. 

 Campbell-Bannerman, Sir Henry, 727-8. 

 Canada, efforts for wom. Suff, 753-766; Dominion suff. Granted, Sir Robert Borden's work for, Sir Wilfred Laurier objects, 761-763; see Provinces; nationality of wives, 764. 

 Cannon, St. Sen. Martha Hughes, 646. 

 Capper, Arthur, 200-2-3. 

 Carey, Gov. Robert D. (Wyo. ), 709-10. 

 Carr, Gen. Julian S, 491, 497. 

 Carruth, Prof. W. H, 202. 

 Castleman, Mrs. Samuel, 215. 

 Caswell, Mrs. George A, 37, 44. 

 Cates, Attorney General Charles T, Jr, 602; 621. 

 Cathcart, Mrs. W. C, work in S. C, 579, 580. 

 Catholic, St. Catherine's Welfare Assn. Work in N. Y, 487. 

 Catt, Carrie Chapman, work in Ariz, 10; visits Ark, 18; Calif, 28; 30; 46; assists Conn, 76-7; Del, 86, 91, 95-96; criticizes Seth Low, 107; in Atlanta, 122; Chicago, 161; work in Iowa, 187; speaks in Kans, 203; Ky, 208; 216; in Maine, 236, 238, opp. Campaign, 239, speaks in it, 242; work in Md, 248-9, 253, 265; speaks in Boston, 280-1, 291; work in Mich, 309, 311, 313; speaks in Minn, 317; Miss, 326; St. Louis, 342, at natl. Suff. Conv, 351; work in Mont, 360; Neb, 368-9, 370, 378; Nev, 390-1; N. H, 400-1-2, 407-8; N. J, 413-14, 429; N. Mex, 435-6; New York, 442, organizes Wom. Suff. Party, 445; 450; at legis. Hearing, 454; 456; pres. Inter-Urban Council, 459; manages first campaign, 462 et seq; second, 469 et seq; 465; 474-5; great work, 483; in Okla, 532; Ore, 540; Penn, 558; R. I, 568, 570, 571; speaks in Tenn, 596, 598, 612; work for Fed. Amend, urges special session, 617; begins campaign, 619; U. S. Sen. Harding and Gov. Cox write, 620; her opinion of opponents, 621; in Texas, 630, 636; visits Utah, 644, speaks in Tabernacle, 649; women congratulate, 650; work in Vt, 651, 655-6; scores Gov. Clement, 659; addresses Legis, 664; in Va, 669; addresses Legis, 671; helps Wash. , 682; in West Va, 691; urges special session, 694; in Wis, 705; in Wyo, 710; receives doctor's degree from Wyo. Univ, 712; visits Hawaii, 716; urges suff. For its women, 717; visits Manila and organizes women, 720; tours S. Africa, helps organize suff. Assn, 767; visits Copenhagen, 778; speaks in Hungary, 793; in Geneva, 801; calls conf, in Wash, D. C, to organize Intl. Wom. Suff. Alliance and opens it, 806; work for and in conf, 806-8; at Berlin conf, presents gavel, 810; elected pres, 811; calls conf. At Copenhagen, 812; presides, tribute to Miss Anthony, 813; 815; closing words, 817; calls conf. At Amsterdam, 817; address, 820-822; wise management, 823; presides at quinquennial in London, 828; address, 829-832; speaks in Albert Hall, 836; re-elected pres, 837; calls conf. At Stockholm, honors in Copenhagen, ovation in Sweden, visits Parliament, 838; 839, 840, 846; address, 841-843; presides in Royal Opera House, 844; address at Budapest, 851; received by officials, 853; re-elected, 854; on "militancy, " 854; on "white slave" traffic, 855; presides in Academy of Music, 857; farewell, 858; calls Alliance conf. In Geneva after the war, 859; address, memorial tribute to Dr. Shaw, plea for democracy, 860-1; welcomes delegates, 865; raises money, 868; re-elected, 869. 

 Catt, George W, 249. 

 Cauer, Minna (Germany), 826. 

 Central America, 804. 

 Chace, Arnold Buffum, 566; 571. 

 Chace, Elizabeth Buffum, 565; 571. 

 Chapman, Mariana W, 441. 

 Chaponniere-Chaix, Mme. (Switz. ), 810-11. 

 Chase, Mary N, in N. H, 400 et seq; 404; Ore, 541; Vt, 651. 

 Cheney, Edna D, 272. 

 Cherdron, Margaret Zane, 648. 

 Chilton, U. S. Sen. W. E, 696-7. 

 China, effort for wom. Suff, Mrs. Catt visits, 803; suff. Assn. Joins Intl. Alliance, sends banner, 848. 

 Churchill, Winston, 401

 Churchill, Mrs. Winston, 404. 

 Clapp, U. S. Sen. Moses E, 319; 405. 

 Clark, Adele, 665; 667-70. 

 Clark, Speaker Champ, speaks for wom. Suff in La, 234. 

 Clark, Gov. George W. (Iowa), 183. 

 Clark, Jeannette Drury, writes Alaska chapter, 713. 

 Clark, Mrs. Orton H, 310-11. 

 Clark, Chief Justice Walter (N. C. ), 491-2; 494. 

 Clarke, Grace Julian, 171-2; 175. 

 Clay, Laura, work in Ariz, 12; speaks in Atlanta, 123; Ind, 169; work in Kans, 200; in Ky, see St. Chapter, 207 et seq. ; ambulance named for, 211; opp. Fed. Amend, 212; at Dem. Natl. Conv, 220; in Md, 251; Mich, 309; Okla, 522, 525; Ore, 540, 544; R. I, 572; Tenn, 596, 598, 608-9, 612; opp. Ratification in Tenn, 622; 665. 

 Clement, Gov. Percival W. (Vt. ), opp. Wom. Suff. In Vt, 656; women visit, demand special session, 657-8; calls on Pres. Harding, attacks Fed. Amend, 658; Mrs. Catt scores, 659; vetoes Pres. Suff, 659, 664. 

 Clendening, Grace, 503-4; 506. 

 Clergy, for wom. Suff, names in State chapters. 

 Clopton, Virginia Clay, 3; 608. 

 Coats, Sarah Chandler, 342. 

 Coffin, Lillian Harris, 27; 29; 33; 36; 53; 56. 

 Coggeshall, Mary J, 181; bequests, 183. 

 Cohen, Elizabeth M, 645-9. 

 Coit, Stanton, 276; 342. 

 Coit, Mrs. Stanton, 812; 824; 837; 854; 865; Intl. Alliance treas. Report, 868. 

 Colby, Secy. Of State Bainbridge, to Ga. Women, 132; proclaims Fed. Suff. Amend, 625. 

 Colby, Clara Bewick, in Md, 248, 251, 254; Mich, 309; Wash, 679; Wis, 700-1. 

 Colby, Everett, 418; 429; 431. 

 College Equal Suffrage League, work in Calif, 47, 51; D. C. , 105, 107; Mass, 274, 279; Mich, 305; 307; Minn, 318-19; Neb, 372, 374; Nev, 396; N. Y, 469; Ore, 546; R. I, 566, 567, 569; Wash, 676; Wis, 700. 

 Colorado, second victory; see St. Chapter, 59. 

 Colt, U. S. Sen. LeBaron B, 569, 576. 

 Colvin, Prof. Caroline, work in Me, 236. 

 Congressional Union (see National Woman's Party), in Colo, 64; Conn, 72; Del, 89 et seq; organized, 109; in Mass, 290; Minn, 321; N. Mex, 436; protest against in N. C, 491-2; Penn, 557. 

 Connecticut, effort for woman suff, workers, legis. Action; see State chapter, 68. 

 Connor, Mabel, see Maine chapter, 236, 243, 245. 

 Conventions, Constitl, in Ariz, 12; Ark, 20; Ills, 162; Ind, 175; Mass, 299; Mich, 304; Neb, 383; N. H, 400; N. Mex, 438; Ohio, 509; Okla, 522; R. I, 575; Tenn, 611. 

 Cooley, Roselle C, 113; 118. 

 Coolidge, Gov. Calvin (Mass. ), for wom. Suff, 302. 

 Coolidge, Mary Roberts, 48-9; 52. 

 Corbin, Hannah Lee, 665. 

 Cornwall, Gov. John J. (West Va. ), 694-5-6. 

 Costello, Ray, 329. 

 Cotnam, Mrs. T. T, work in Ark, 16-23; in N. Y, 20; 208; in Me, 238; 311; 529; 692. 

 Court decisions, on Pres. Suff, in Ills, 158, 163; Ind, 177-8; referendum in Maine, 245; Fed. Amend. , in Md, 261; Pres. Suff. In Ohio, 514; Pres. Suff. Referendum, 516; on ratification, 519; Pres. Suff. In Tenn, 605; poll tax for women, 616; right to ratify Fed. Amend, 617; U. S. Sup. Ct. On referring ratification to voters, 617; in Tenn. , on ratif, 624; Texas Primary law, 637. 

 Cowles, Edith Clark, see Va. Chapter, 665. 

 Cox, Gov. James M. (Ohio), urges Fed. Suff. Amend. In La, 234; telegraphs N. C, 499; helps ratification in Tenn, 620-1. 

 Cox, Gov. John I. (Tenn. ), 608. 

 Cox, Lenore Hanna, see Ind. Chapter, 171. 

 Craft, Ida, 364; 398; 448; "hikes, " 451-2; West Va, 688-9. 

 Craigie, Mary E, 314; 401; 454; 456; 688. 

 Crane, Rev. Caroline Bartlett, 311; 316. 

 Cranston, Martha S, 86; 88-9; 90; 92-3; 102-3. 

 Creel, George, secy. Men's Suff. League, 485. 

 Crooker, Rev. Florence Kollock, 268; 270; 403. 

 Crossett, Ella Hawley, see N. Y. Chapter, 440-448; legis. Report, 454; 455-6-7. 

 Crowley, Teresa A. , see Mass. Chapter, 267 et seq; in campaign, 284-5; 302. 

 Culberson, U. S. Sen. Charles A, 642. 

 Cummings, Fannie Leake, 673; 680. 

 Cummings, Homer S, urges ratif. Of Fed. Amend, in Ala, 8; La, 234; Miss, 340; Tenn, 618; Va, 671. 

 Cunningham, Minnie Fisher, work in Texas, see St. Chapter, 630; Fla, 117; Miss, 334; Nev, 390; West Va, 692. 

 Curtis, Alice B, in Iowa, 187; Okla, 532; West Va, 691; Wis, 704. 

 Curzon, Lord (Great Brit. ), on wom. Suff, 747-8. 

 Czecho-Slovakia, gives wom, suff, 795. 

 D

 Damrosch, Walter, 467. 

 Daniels, Secy. Of the Navy Josephus, urges Fed. Amend, in Ala, 7; Del, 96; Miss, 340; N. C, 493, 497. 

 Daniels, Mrs. Josephus, in N. C, 493-4, 498; in Geneva, 869. 

 Darrow, Clara L, 501-2-3; 505. 

 Davis, Gov. Westmoreland (Va. ), 668. 

 Day, Mrs. George, 102; 393. 

 Day, Lucy Hobart, 236. 

 Dean, Dr. Maria M, 360. 

 Decker, Sarah Platt, 60; 291. 

 Deering, Mabel Craft, 33; 45-6. 

 Delaware, effort for wom. Suff, workers, struggle over ratification, see St. Chapter, 86. 

 Democratic National Committee, urges ratif. Of Fed. Amend, in Ga, 142; La, 234; Tenn, 618, 620; West Va, 694. 

 Democratic State Committees and Conventions, action on wom. Suff. In Ala, 8; Ark, 21; Calif, 53-4, 56; Conn, 85; Del, 93, 99; Ky, 210-11-12; Mass, 295, 298; Minn, 322; Mo, 348; N. Y, 446, 451; N. C, 493, 495, 500; S. C, 580; Tenn, 599, 613, 618; Texas, 639; Va, 667; West Va, 691. 

 Denison, Flora McDonald, work in Canada, 757, 760; 815. 

 Denmark, work for wom. Suff, entertains Intl. Alliance, wom. Suff. Gained, women officials, 776, 778; Mrs. Catt visits, 778. 

 Dennett, Mary Ware, 89; 276; 294. 

 DeVoe, Emma Smith, 254; work in Wash, see St. Chapter, 673; ad. Legis, 685; in Wis, 700. 

 De Vou, Mary R, work in Del, 86, 88, 101. 

 Dewey, Prof. John, 485. 

 Dewing, Ardelia Cooke, 565-6-7. 

 De Young, M. H, 46. 

 Dietrich, Mrs. Charles H, 381; 383. 

 Digges, Annie L, 248. 

 Dillingham, U. S. Sen. William P, 408; 655-6. 

 District of Columbia, helps States get wom. Suff, entertains natl. Convs, works with Congress, names of workers, see D. C. Chapter, 104. 

 "Dix, Dorothy, " letter to Tenn, 596. 

 Dobson, Mrs. Henry, 812; 816; 823. 

 Dodge, Mrs. Arthur M, pres. Anti Suff. Assn, in Neb, 375; N. Y, 454. 

 Dorsett, Mrs. John W, work in Hawaii, 716-17-18. 

 Dorsey, Gov. Hugh M. (Ga. ), 139; 142. 

 Douglas, Judith Hyams, 217; 330. 

 Drew, U. S. Sen. Irving, 401; 406. 

 Dudley, Mrs. Guilford, work in Tenn, 597 to 619; at Dem. Natl. Conv. And in Wash, 599, 600, 606, 619. 

 Dundore, Lavinia C, pioneer suffragist, 248. 

 Duniway, Abigail Scott, work in Ore, 538 et seq; honored, 548; in Wash, 679. 

 Dunlap, Flora, see Iowa chapter, 181. 

 Dunne, Gov. Edward F. (Ills. ), 146; 152; 157; 159. 

 DuPont, T. Coleman. Pierre, Alfred I, 93-4-5; 98; 100. 

 Dye, Eva Emery, 541. 

 E

 Eacker, Helen N, 196; 201-2. 

 Eastman, Max, 276; for Men's League, 484-5; 702. 

 Eaton, Cora Smith, in Md, 248; Minn, 317, 320; N. Dak, 501; Wash, 674, 678. See King. 

 Eddy, Sarah J, in R. I, 570, 578. 

 Edge, U. S. Sen. Walter E, 429; 430. 

 Edson, Katharine Philips, 36, 41. 

 Edwards, Betsy Jewett, 95; 172; 409. 

 Edwards, Gov. Edward I. (N. J. ), 429, 430. 

 Edwards, Mrs. Richard E, 173; 180. 

 Elkins, U. S. Sen. Stephen B, 697. 

 Ellicott, Mrs. Charles E, 257; 264-5-6. 

 Ellicott, Elizabeth King, 263-4. 

 Ellington, Mrs. O. F, see Ark. Chapter, 16-20, 23-25; in Va, 220. 

 Elliott, Albert H, 30; 48-9. 

 Elliott, John Lovejoy, 342. 

 Elliott, Maud Howe, 274; 280; 291; 578. 

 Elliott, Sarah Barnwell, 597-8; 608-9-10. 

 Engle, Lavinia, 4; 114; 579; 633; 690. 

 Equal Guardianship, in Mass, 291; Utah, 647. 

 Erwin, Margaret, 333; 607. See Ford. 

 Evans, Mrs. Glendower, in Maine, 238; Mass, 277; Mich, 309; R. I, 570; Wis, 702. 

 Evans, Sarah A, see Ore. Chapter, 538, 541, 545. 

 Ewing, Robert, in La, 224; 226. 

 F

 Fallows, Bishop Samuel, 148. 

 Farmer, Eugenia B, 318. 

 Farrell, Mrs. Percy J, 312; 315-16. 

 Fawcett, Millicent Garrett, pres. Brit. Natl. Suff. Assn, writes chap, for History, 725; on "militancy, " 728; heads deptn. To Asquith, 733; work completed, 749; elected vice-pres. Intl. Alliance, 811; 816; 826; 827; invites Alliance to London, greets, 828; suff. Work of her assn, 833; on "militancy, " 834; 835; presides in Albert Hall, 836; re-elected, 837; 854; on "white slave" traffic, 855; manifesto at beginning of war, work on Headqrs. Com, 865; 867. 

 Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment, Ala. Women demand, 5; endorsed in Ark, 20; petition from Calif, 34, Legis. Appeals for, 57; Colo. Legis. Demands, 63; work for in Conn, 73 et seq; Del, 88 et seq; Fla, 119; Ga, 123-4-5, 127, 130; members of Cong. Vote for, 131; 136; Ills, 164; Ind, 178-180; Iowa, 185; Kans, 203-4, 206; Ky, 211; La, 218, 227-8; Maine, 237-8; Md, 257-261; Mass, 280-1, 290, 300; Mich, 305, 309; Minn, 319, 321; Miss, 331, 334; Mo, 353, 357; Neb, 372; Nev, 390; N. H, 408; N. J, 415, 429; N. Mex, 436-7; N. Y, 488-9; N. C, 493, 495; N. Dak, 504, 507; Ohio, 517; Penn, 552, 562; R. I, 566, 570-1; S. C, 580-1, 584; Tenn, 599, 600, 606-7, 609, 612-13-14, 625; Texas, 635-6, 639, 640, 642; Utah, 645, 649; Vt, 656-660; Va, 665, 668, 670; Wash, 685; West Va, 693-4; Wis, 700, 708; Wyo, 709; U. S. Sup. Ct. Decision, 617; Solicitor Genl. Frierson's, 617; proclaimed by Secy. Of State, 625. 

 Federations of Labor, for wom. Suff, Ala, 8; Calif, 54; give hall for suff. Meet. In Atlanta, 125, 127; for wom. Suff. In Maine, 237; Md, 251, refused, 253; Mass, 273, 295; Nev, 396; N. H, 402; N. J, 415; Okla, 523; Ore, 546; Penn, 552-3; S. C, 581; Tenn, 597-9; Vt, 660; Va, 669. 

 Federation of Women's Clubs, record in each State chapter. Genl. Fedn. Declares for wom. Suff, 160; applauds it in Boston, 274. 

 Feickert, Lillian F, 418-19; work in N. J; see St. Chapter, 420 et seq. 

 Fels, Mrs. Joseph, in Mass, 300; Nev, 387. 

 Felton, Rebecca Latimer, 126; 128; 131. 

 Ferguson, Gov. James E, opp. Wom. Suff. In Texas, 633; at Dem. Natl. Conv, 633; women work against, 634-5, 638. 

 Fernald, U. S. Sen. Bert, 242; 245. 

 Fernald, Fannie J, 236-7; 402-3. 

 Fess, Simeon D, chmn. Rep. Congrssl. Com, 94. 

 Fessenden, Susan S, in Del, 87; Mass, 270, 273; N. H, 400; Vt, 660. 

 Field, Sarah Bard, 398; in Ore, 548. 

 Finland, great "strike, " wom. Suff. Granted, women in Parliament, 771-773; 824. 

 Finnegan, Annette, work in Texas, 630-1-2. 

 FitzGerald, Susan W, 274; 282; 294; 297; 301; 309; 406; 655. 

 Fitzhugh, Gen. G. T, in Tenn, 602. 

 Fletcher, U. S. Sen. Duncan U, 117. 

 Florida, effort for wom. Suff, workers, legis. Action, see State chap, 113. 

 Foley, Margaret A, in Mass, 276-7, 296, 301; Nev, 397; R. I, 572. 

 Foltz, Clara Shortridge, 30. 

 Forchhammer, Henni (Denmark), on League of Nations, 814; 871. 

 Ford, Mr. And Mrs. Henry, 313. 

 Ford, Margaret Ervin, work in Tenn; see St. Chapter, 604, 607 et seq. 

 Fordyce, Mrs. William C, 348; 354; 357. 

 Fort, Gov. John Franklin (N. J. ), 418. 

 Foster, J. Ellen, 401. 

 Foulke, William Dudley, 267. 

 France, U. S. Sen. Joseph I, 257-8. 

 France, effort for wom. Suff, 799. 

 Frazier, Helen, 351. 

 Frelinghuysen, U. S. Sen. Joseph S, 429; 430. 

 French, Mrs. L. Crozier, 598; 600; 607; 609; 610; 621. 

 Frick, St. Sen. George Arnold (Md. ), suit against Fed. Suff. Amend, 261. 

 Frierson, U. S. Solicitor Genl, 617. 

 Fuller, Minnie Rutherford, 16; 18; 22. 

 Funck, Emma Maddox, see Md. Chapter, 248; in Wis, 701. 

 Funck, Dr. J. William, 249; 250-1; 256; 701. 

 Funk, Antoinette, in Ills, 154; Mont, 364; Nev, 398; N. H, 405: N. J, 432; Penn, 561, West Va, 691. 

 Furman, Eleanor, 265. 

 Furuhjelm, Annie, work in Finland, 772; in Parliament, 773; 815; report on wom. Suff. In Finland, 824; 826; 829; elected vice-pres. Intl. Alliance, 837; 843; 854; 860; 863. 

 G

 Gale, Zona, in N. H. 405; in Wis, 704; 706. 

 Gallinger, U. S. Sen. Jacob, 400; death, 406. 

 Gannett, Mrs. William C, 442; 457. 

 Gardener, Helen H, 105; 110; 112. 

 Garesché, Marie R. , see Mo. Chapter, 342-3. 

 Garrett, Mary E, 249. 

 Garrison, Francis J, 275. 

 Garrison, Wm. Lloyd, memorials, 88, 416; work in Mass, 267 et seq. 

 Garwood, Omar E, 62; 198; 330. 

 Gates, Susa Young, see Utah chapter, 644; 648; 650. 

 Gay, U. S. Sen. Edward J, 229. 

 Gay, Dr. Ruth A, 524-7. 

 Gellhorn, Mrs. George, 346; 350-1-2-3-4; 358. 

 George, Mrs. A. J, in Neb, 376; Ohio, 513; N. H, 401; R. I, 575; Vt, 661, 663. 

 Georgia, effort for wom. Suff, workers, legis. Action, see St. Chapter, 121. 

 German American Alliance, in Neb, 377; Ohio, 510; Wis, 708. 

 Germany gives wom. Suff, elects women, 789-92. 

 Geyer, Rose Lawless, 187; 241; 243; 690. 

 Gillett, Emma M, 106-7; 249. 

 Gillmore, Inez Haynes, 268. 

 Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, 208; 250; 276; 387; 414; 540; 630; Budapest, 857. 

 Glasgow, Ellen, 655; 668. 

 Glass, U. S. Treasurer Carter, 671. 

 Goldstein, Vida (Aus. ), in Calif, 29; Mass, 269; intl. Suff. Conf, 806-7; 815. 

 Goodrich, Ellen Knox, 28. 

 Goodrich, Gov. James P. (Ind. ), on ratif. Of Fed. Amend, 176. 

 Goodwin, Grace W, 103. 

 Gordon, Anna A, 437. 

 Gordon, Rev. Eleanor, 182. 

 Gordon, Jean, in Atlanta, 123; in La, 216-17; 221; 225; 232; in Miss, 328. 

 Gordon, Kate M, proposes Primary suff, 24, 222; in Fla, 115: Atlanta, 122; work in La. : see St. Chapter, 216; brings natl. Conv. To New Orleans, 218; org. South. Conf, 219; Dem. Natl. Conv, 220; opp. Fed. Amend, 232, 622; in Miss, 328-9, 336; 338; Okla, 524, 526; Ore, 540, 542-3; S. C, 580; Tenn, 609; West Va, 688. 

 Gordon, Laura de Force, 33. 

 Graham, Gov. Horace F. (Vt. ), 663. 

 Grand Army of the Republic, endorses wom. Suff, 87, 522. 

 Grange, Natl. And State, endorsement of wom. Suff. In many St. Chapters. 

 Great Britain (United Kingdom), lone effort for wom. Suff; action of Parliament; see chapter, 727 et seq; work of Natl. Union, 730 et seq; great pilgrimage, 737; war work, 739; society changes form, 749; Labor Party for wom. Suff, 730-1, 737; war work of women, 738; Coalition Govt, 742; Conference formed, Commons passes bill, 744 et seq; Lords accept, 748; women vote, 749; favorable laws for women, 750; elected to Commons, 750; universities opened, 751; see 833. 

 Greece, organizes for wom. Suff, King, Queen and Venizelos favor, 802. 

 Greeley, Helen Hoy, 46; 48; 90; 546. 

 Gregg, Laura, in Ariz, 12; 318; Mont, 360; Neb, 368, 370; Nev, 397; Okla, 520-1; Ore, 542. 

 Grenfell, Helen Loring, 61; 64. 

 Grey, Sir Edward, on wom. Suff, 735. 

 Griffin, Frances A, suff. Pioneer in Ala, 3; in Ga, 121. 

 Griggs, Prof. Edward Howard, 278. 

 Grim, Harriet, 148-9. 

 Gripenberg, Baroness Alexandra, work in Finland, 772; in Hungary, 793; 815. 

 Grossman, Leonard J, 126. 

 Guise, Mrs. John A, 317; 322. 

 Gullen, Dr. Augusta Stowe, work in Canada, see chapter, 754; 757. 

 H

 Hackstaff, Priscilla D, 309; 401; 417; 459. 

 Haines, Dr. Blanche M, 310; 312. 

 Hale, U. S. Sen. Frederick, 247. 

 Hale, Mrs. Forbes-Robertson, 86; 91; 208; 309-10; 654; 692; 702. 

 Haley, Margaret A, 46; 48; 145. 

 Hall, Florence Howe, work in N. J, see St. Chapter, 412; 578. 

 Hallam, Julia Clark, 182. 

 Harbert, Elizabeth Boynton, 145. 

 Hardie, Keir, help in Great Brit, 730; 857. 

 Harding, U. S. Sen. And Pres. Warren G, app. Wom. Judge, 104; opposes anti-suff. Referendum, 516; votes for Fed. Amend, 517; for ratification in Tenn, 620; Gov. Clement of Vt. Visits, 658. 

 Hardwick, U. S. Sen. Thos. W, 127; 136. 

 Hardy, Jennie C. Law, 306; 316. 

 Harper, Ida Husted, speaks in Md, 263; writing in Rochester, 442; in New York, 450-7; Ore, 540; 812; memorial address for Miss Anthony in Copenhagen, 816; resolutions com. In Amsterdam, 827; in London, 837. 

 Harriman, Mrs. J. Borden, 86; 91. 

 Harris, U. S. Sen. Wm. J, votes and works for Fed. Amend, 131, 142. 

 Harris, U. S. Commissioner of Education, William T, 344. 

 Harrison, Gov. Genl. Francis Burton, 722. 

 Harrison, U. S. Sen. Pat, 341. 

 Hart, Prof. Albert Bushnell, 298. 

 Hart, Gov. Louis F. (Wash. ), 684-5. 

 Hartness, Gov. James (Vt. ), 660. 

 Harvey, Col. George, 418; 485. 

 Haskell, Gov. Charles W. (Okla. ), 523-4. 

 Haskell, Oreola Williams, work in New York, see St. Chapter, 459, 461. 

 Haslam, Thomas J. And Anna M. (Ireland), 834. 

 Hauser, Elizabeth J, in Ohio, 509; West Va, 688. 

 Havemeyer, Mrs. H. O, 424. 

 Haver, Jessie R, 391. 

 Hawaii, effort for wom. Suff, action of U. S. Congress, 715-17; status of women, Mrs. Catt visits, 716; Mrs. Pitman assists, 717-18; action of Hawaiian Legis, 718. 

 Hawk, George, carries referendum on Fed. Suff. Amend. To U. S. Supreme Court, 519, 617. 

 Hay, Mary Garrett, work in Ariz, 10; Del, 86-7; speaks in Chicago, 161; in Mass, 281; work in New York, 446, 455; chmn, N. Y. City, first campaign, 461 et seq; 465; second, 469 et seq; in Ore, 547. 

 Hays, Natl. Chmn. Will H, interviewed by Conn. Wom, 79; assists ratification in Del, 94; in Tenn, 620; in Vt, 657-8. 

 Hayward, St. Sen. Elizabeth A. (Utah), 645-9. 

 Hayward, Prof. H. H, 87-8-9. 

 Hayward, Mary Smith, 368-9. 

 Headquarters, Natl. Suff, opened in New York City, 445. 

 Hearst, William R, 158. 

 Heaslip, Chas. T, in Penn, 555; 692. 

 Hebard, Dr. Grace Raymond, work in Wyo, 709, 712. 

 Hemphill, Robert R, in Atlanta, 122. 

 Henderson, Arthur (Gt. Brit. ), 730. 

 Heney, Francis J, 38. 

 Henrotin, Mrs. Charles, 146. 

 Henry, Alice, 146. 

 Henry, Josephine K, 207, 596. 

 Hepburn, Katharine Houghton; see Conn. Chapter, 68 et seq; in Del, 103; in N. H, 404. 

 Higgins, Gov. Frank M. (N. Y. ), 454. 

 Higgins, Gov. James H. (R. I. ), 574. 

 Higginson, Col. Thomas W, work in Mass, 269; memorial, 278. 

 "Hikes" for wom. Suff, 451. 

 Hill, Mrs. Homer M, 673; 676; 686. 

 Hilles, Mrs. Bayard, 90; 91; 96; 102. 

 Hipple, Ruth B, see S. Dak. Chapter, 585; 588. 

 Hirsch, Mrs. Solomon, 547. 

 Hirschberg, Rabbi Emil, in Wis, 702. 

 History of Woman Suffrage, 344; Miss Anthony gives to Norwegian library, 774. 

 Hitchcock, U. S. Sen. Gilbert H, 383. 

 Hitz, Justice William, 111. 

 Hobby, Gov. William P. (Tex. ), 636-7-8-9. 

 Hoch, Gov. Edward W. (Kans. ), 195; 205. 

 Hodges, Gov. George H. (Kans. ), 202; 205. 

 Hodges, Justice William, proposes Primary suff. For women, 24. 

 Hoffman, Catharine A, 195-6-7; 200; 204. 

 Holcomb, Gov. Marcus A. (Conn. ), opp. Fed. Amend, 73, 75, 77, 81-2. 

 Hollis, U. S. Sen. Henry F, 405-6. 

 Holmes, Lydia Wickliffe, see La. Chapter, 226; in Tenn, 621. 

 Holmgren, Ann Margret (Sweden), 815; 826; greets Alliance congress, 843, 846. 

 Holt, Hamilton, 485. 

 Hooker, Mrs. Donald, 257-260; 263. 

 Hooker, Isabella Beecher, 68-9. 

 Hooper, Mrs. Ben, in Nev, 390; in Wis, 705-6. 

 Hooper, Gov. Ben W. (Tenn. ), 599; 608; 619. 

 Hosmer, Katharine Tipton, see Colo. Chapter, 59; 60; 63; 65. 

 Howard, Prof. George W, 379. 

 Howard, H. Augusta, 121; 123. 

 Howe, Julia Ward, memorials, in Del, 88; Boston, 278; N. J, 417; work in Mass, 267 et seq; 274; R. I, 566; birthday celebr, 281, 571, 578. 

 Howe, Marie Jenney, 443; 448. 

 Howells, William Dean, 485. 

 Howland, Emily S, 442. 

 Hubbs, Harriet L, see Penn. Chapter, 550; 561. 

 Hughes, Gov. Charles E. (N. Y. ), 457. 

 Hughes, Dr. James L. (Canada), 754; 806. 

 Hughes, Rev. Kate, 146. 

 Hughes, U. S. Sen. William, 428. 

 Hughston, Augusta, in Me, 238; Mich, 314; Vt, 655-6; West Va, 693. 

 Hull, U. S. Rep. Harry E. (Iowa), 185. 

 Hultin, Rev. Ida C, 250; 267, 269, 403. 

 Hundley, Mrs. O. R, 4. 

 Hungary, struggle for wom. Suff, entertains Intl. Alliance; Mrs. Catt speaks in eight cities, 793; 856. 

 Hunt, Alice, 265. 

 Hunt, Augusta M, 238; 242. 

 Hurd, Dr. Ethel E, 318; 320. 

 Hurst, Sadie D, 388; 390-1-2. 

 Hussey, Cornelia C, 413. 

 Hussey, Dr. Mary D, work in N. J, see St. Chapter, 412. 

 Hutson, Ethel, see La. Chapter, 226. 

 Hutton, May Arkwright, 676. 

 I

 Iceland, gives suff. To women, elects to office, 776. 

 Idaho, 25 years of wom. Suff, 143. 

 Ijams, Martha A, 52. 

 Illinois, effort for wom. Suff. , workers, legis. Action, campaigns, see St. Chapter, 145. 

 India, efforts for wom. Suff, 769. 

 Indiana, effort for wom. Suff. , workers, legis. Action, see St. Chapter, 166. 

 Initiative and Referendum, used for wom. Suff. In Ariz, 14; Mo, 347, 355-6; Neb, 372, 373; petitions, 379; fraudulent, carried into court, 380, 382; in Ohio, 511; courts reject, 515; to refer ratif. Of Fed. Amend, 518; attacked, 519; in Okla, 524; Ore, 539, 544-5; S. Dak, 585. 

 International Council of Women, meets in Berlin, 790; Standing Com. On Wom. Suff, 805; 822. 

 International Woman Suffrage Alliance, inception, founding and eight Congresses, 805-871; preliminary meeting and Intl. Com. Formed in Washtn, names of delegates, decl. Of principles, 805; organized in Berlin, names of delegates, officers elected, 809; conf. And cong. In Copenhagen, 812; in Amsterdam, 817; quinquennial in London, 828; congress in Stockholm, 838; Budapest, 847; Geneva, after the war, 859; names of delegates and speakers, Mrs. Catt's president's address, extracts from speeches, reports, resolutions, action taken, entertainments given, under each heading; women in pulpits, Dr. Shaw in London, 838, in Stockholm, 839, in Budapest, 850; A. Maude Royden and Edith Picton Turberville in Geneva, 860; object of Alliance, 807, 810, 822, 830, 832, 844, 861, 864, 866; non-partisanship, 827, 833, 844; growth, 821, 829, 842, 851, 863; financial help of U. S, 854, 868-9; of Great Brit, 868; action on "social evil, " 855; 870; attitude toward war, 861, 866; work during war, 867; position on League of Nations, 870; future of Alliance, 861-2, 871. 

 Iowa, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, campaign; see St. Chapter, 181. 

 Ireland, Archbishop, for wom. Suff, 317. 

 Irish, Col. John P, in Calif, 48; Iowa, 188. 

 Italy, organizes for wom. Suff, efforts with Parliament, civil rights granted, 797. 

 Ivins, William M, 485. 

 Ivins, Mrs. William M, 446; 448. 

 J

 Jackson, Alice Day, 398. 

 Jacobs, Dr. Aletta, in S. Africa, 768; work in Netherlands, 783; 785; in Hungary, 793; at Berlin conf, 810; 815; brings Alliance to Amsterdam, 818; address, 820; presents Chinese banner, 849; 852. 

 Jacobs, Pattie Ruffner, work in Ala, see St. Chapter, 3; in Miss, 333; N. C, 492; West Va, 691. 

 James, Ada L, 701-2; 704-5, 707-8. 

 Jameson, Mrs. Ovid B, 172. 

 Janney, Dr. O. Edward, 249; 250-1. 

 Janney, Mrs. O. Edward, 254; 263. 

 Japan, prospect for wom. Suff, 803. 

 Jeffreys-Myers, Dr. Annice, 538-9; 540-1. 

 Jenks, Agnes M, work in N. H, 403-4; 410; R. I, 569, 571; Vt. 662. 

 Jennings, Mrs. Chester, 16; 22. 

 Johnson, Adelaide, 450. 

 Johnson, Gov. Hiram (Calif. ), elected, 36; has suff. Amend. Submitted, fails to speak for it, 37; 57. 

 Johnston, Mary, in R. I, 568; Tenn, 598, 608-9; Va, 655; 668-9; West Va, 687, 698. 

 Johnston, Ch. Justice William A, 197-8. 

 Johnston, Mrs. William A, work in Kans, see St. Chapter, 193. 

 Jones, U. S. Sen. Andrieus A, 435. 

 Jones, Anna Maxwell, 90; 631. 

 Jones, Dr. Effie McCollum, in Iowa, 187; Minn, 321; N. H, 406; West Va, 692. 

 Jones, Dr. Harriet B, work in West Va, see St. Chapter, 687. 

 Jones, Jenkin Lloyd, 148. 

 Jones, Rosalie Gardiner, 89; 356; 364; 376; 398; organizes suff. "hikes, " 451. 

 Jordan, David Starr, helps wom. Suff. In Calif, 29, 31, 34. 

 Jordan, Secy. Of State, Frank, 50. 

 _Jus Suffragii_, official organ Intl. Alliance, begun, 817; moved to London, 853; during the war, 854, 865. 

 K

 Kansas, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, campaign, see St. Chapter, 193. 

 Kearney, Belle, in Md, 256; work in Miss, 326 et seq; in Tenn, 596; 812. 

 Keith, Mary McHenry (Mrs. William), work in Calif, see St. Chapter, 27 et seq; contributions, 32-35; 45; 51-2. 

 Keith, William, gives picture to suff. Bazaar, 28; 29; paints portrait of Miss Anthony, 32. 

 Keller, Dr. Amelia, 171-2-3. 

 Kelley, Florence, in Calif, 36; Ga, 123; Md, 253; N. Y, 443, 456; Vt, 660; Wis, 702. 

 Kelly, Dr. Howard, 263. 

 Kelly, Marion Booth, 282; 654. 

 Kendall, Dr. Sarah A, 673; 682. 

 Kenney, Annie (Gt. Brit. ), speaks in Nev, 398; in Germany, 790. 

 Kenny, Mrs. John M, see Tenn. Chapter, 596; 616; work for ratification, 619. 

 Kent, Mrs. Carrie E, 105-6. 

 Kent, U. S. Rep. And Mrs. William, in Del, 103; in Nev, 398. 

 Kentucky, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 207. 

 Ketcham, Emily Burton, 303. 

 Keyes, Gov. Henry W. (N. H. ), 406. 

 Kilbreth, Mary G, in Tenn, 621. 

 Kimball, Martha S, 403-4-5; 409-10. 

 Kimber, Helen, 193-4. 

 Kimbrough, Mrs. D. T, 599; 600-1; poll tax refused, 616. 

 King, Dr. Cora Smith, see Wash. Chapter, 673; see Eaton. 

 Kirby, U. S. Sen. W. F, 21, 24. 

 Klatschken, Martha, 416; 452-3. 

 Koch, Dr. Margaret, 318-19-20-22. 

 Kollock, Alice G; see Fla. Chapter, 113. 

 Kramers, Martina G, intl. Secy, 811; edits official paper, 817; report of conf. In Amsterdam, 818; 837; Alliance thanks, 854. 

 Krog, Gina, work in Norway, 774; 815; 823; 848; 857. 

 L

 Labor party (Gt. Brit. ), on wom. Suff, 730; women support, 737; in Manitoba, 754. 

 Labriola, Prof. Teresa (Italy), 797-8; 813. 

 Laddey, Clara S, in Mich, 309; work in N. J, see St. Chapter, 412; Wis, 701. 

 LaFollette, Fola, 347. 

 LaFollette, U. S. Sen. Robert M, 708. 

 LaFollette, Mrs. Robert M, speaks in Md, 251; in R. I, 572. 

 Lagerlöf, Selma, assists wom. Suff. In Sweden, 781, 783; 839, 843; great speech, 844; 847. 

 Laidlaw, James Lees, in Calif, 46; pres. Natl. Men's Suff. League, 62; 126; in Mont, 364; Nev, 387; N. Y, 467; 469; work for Men's League, 485. 

 Laidlaw, Mrs. James Lees, in Calif, 46; Mont, 364; Nev, 387; N. Y, 450, 462, 464, 475-6-7; 488. 

 Lamar, Mrs. Walter D, 138-9. 

 Langhorne, Orra, 665. 

 Langley, U. S. Rep. John W. (Ky. ), 213. 

 Larch-Miller, Aloysius, 536. 

 Lathrop, Julia C, chief Federal Children's Bureau, 112. 

 Laughlin, Gail, work in Calif, 30, 39, 49; Colo, 61; Minn, 318; Mont, 360-1; Neb, 369, 370-1; Nev, 398; Ore, 540-1, 543. 

 Lawrence, Mrs. Pethick (Great Brit. ), 208; 704; 790; 868. 

 Laws, for women and children much improved, 1. 

 Lawther, Anna B, 184; 187. 

 Lea, U. S. Sen. Luke, 603; 606; 608. 

 Leach, Antoinette D, 167; 169. 

 League of Nations, attitude toward of Intl. Wom. Suff. Alliance, 870-1. 

 League of Women Voters, organized, chairmen, see each St. Chapter near close. 

 Leckenby, Ellen S, 673-4. 

 Leech, Mrs. James A, 215. 

 Legislatures, action on wom. Suff, listed in each St. Chapter; women members, see Officers. 

 Leighty, Mrs. John R, 348; 352; 357-8-9. 

 Lenroot, U. S. Sen. Irvine L, 708. 

 Leonard, Gertrude Halliday, 282; 285-6-7; 299. 

 Leser, Judge Oscar (Md. ), 261. 

 Leslie Woman Suffrage Commission, assists Ala, 5; Me, 243; Vt, 660; West Va, 692; Intl. Suff. Alliance, 869. 

 Lewis, Mrs. George Howard, contribution, 444; 456. 

 Lewis, Mrs. Lawrence, 109. 

 Lexow, Caroline, 456; 487. 

 Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony, 87, 253, 418. 

 Lindemann, Anna (Germany), 837; report of Alliance cong. In Stockholm, 846; Budapest, 850, 854; Geneva, 860, 869. 

 Lindsey, Judge Ben, in Kans, 198; Mass, 276; Wash, 678. 

 Lindsey, Gov. Washington E. (N. M. ), 436; 438. 

 Lindsey, Mrs. Washington E, see N. Mex. Chapter, 434, 436. 

 Lindsey, Mrs. Z. T, 373-4-5. 

 Lippitt, U. S. Sen. Henry F, 569. 

 Liquor interests, opposed to wom. Suff. In Ariz, 10, 14; Calif, 27; Fla, 119; Ills, 154, 158, 163; Iowa, 188-9; Kans, 203; Ky, 210; Md, 261; Mass, 293; Mich, 307-8-9; Minn, 325; Mont, 365; Neb, 376; Nev, 394; N. J, 424-5; N. Y, 483; N. Dak, 506; Ohio, 510-11, 513; work with women "antis, " 513, 515, 519; Okla, 524; Ore, 543; Penn, 561; S. Dak, 586; Wis, 703, 708. 

 Livermore, Mrs. Arthur L, in Md, 265; N. H, 407; N. Y, 448, 468, 476. 

 Livermore, Mary A, see Mass. Chapter, 267 et seq; pres. From 1893; birthday, 268; tribute to Mr. Blackwell; death, 271; memorial in N. J, 414; Vt, 652. 

 Livingston, Deborah Knox, work in Me, 238-9, 242-3; N. H, 405; West Va, 689. 

 Lloyd George, action on wom. Suff. In Gt. Brit, 733, 736, 744; receives deputation, has bill drafted, 745. 

 Lockwood, Belva A, 105; 250; 700. 

 Lodge, U. S. Sen. Henry Cabot, anti suff. Work in N. H, 406, 408. 

 Loines, Mary H, 454. 

 London, Mary Parke, 6. 

 Lord, Eliza H, 253. 

 Lore, Ch. Justice Charles B, 88. 

 Lore, Emma, 88-9. 

 Louisiana, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, Southern Conf, see State chapters, 216, 226. 

 Low, Seth, ignores women, 107. 

 Lowden, Gov. Frank C. (Ills. ), 162; 164. 

 Ludington, Katharine, see Conn. Chapter, 74; issues manifesto, 77; interviews Natl. Com. Chmn. Hays, 78; 82; in N. H, 657. 

 Luxemburg, grants wom. Suff, 788. 

 M

 Mack, Mrs. O. H, work in Nev, see St. Chapter, 384. 

 Mackay, Mrs. Clarence, encourages Nev. Women, 384-5; society in N. J, 416; organizes Equal Franchise Society, work in N. Y, 444-5, 456-7. 

 McAlarney, Emma L, 242; 265; 692. 

 McCallum, Jane Y, see Texas chapter, 630, 637. 

 McClung, Nellie, 321; 322; in Minn, 321-2; West Va, 691-2; Wis, 704; Canada, 755. 

 McComas, Alice Moore, 30; 40. 

 McCormack, Mrs. James M. , 598; 610-11-12; 615. 

 McCormick, Katharine Dexter, in Mass, 276, 295; elected vice-pres. Intl. Alliance, 854; in Geneva, 862; contributes to Alliance, re-elected, 869. 

 McCormick, Medill, 162; 374. 

 McCormick, Mrs. Medill, 114; work in Ills. Legis, 154, 157; assists Mo. Campaign, 355; heads deleg. To Pres. Wilson, 609. 

 MacCracken, Pres. Henry Noble (Vassar), 485. 

 McCrea, Mrs. Willis S, 149. 

 McCulloch, Catharine Waugh, work in Ills, see St. Chapter, 145; Calif, 39, 41, 46; Ind, 176; Md, 248; Mich, 305; Ore, 540; S. Dak, 590; Wis, 700-1; Amsterdam, 827. 

 McDougald, Emily C, work in Ga, see St. Chapter, 134. 

 McFarland, Henry B. F, 105. 

 McGraw, Mrs. J. W, work in Ills, see St. Chapter, 145. 

 McKellar, U. S. Sen. Kenneth, assists ratif. In Del, 96; Md, 258; Tenn, 599, 603, 614; 621-2; secures suff. Plank in natl. Dem. Platform, 618. 

 McKelvie, Gov. Samuel R. (Neb), 383. 

 McLendon, Mary L, work in Ga, see St. Chapter, 121; tries to vote, 132. 

 McMahon, Mrs. Albert, in Ala, 6; Del, 92, 94; Fla, 117, 119; Minn, 321; report on S. Dak, 592. 

 Macmillan, Chrystal, makes digest of British laws for women, 750; 823; 826; addresses Judic. Com. Of House of Lords, 833; 841; 845; 854; report of Alliance conf, in Geneva, 862; 865; 869. 

 McNaughton, Dr. Clara, 106. 

 McNeel, Mrs. John D, 6. 

 McPike, Sara, work in N. Y, 487. 

 McWhirter, Mrs. Felix T, 170-1-2; 175. 

 McWhorter, Judge J. C. (West Va. ), 689; 691. 

 Maddox, Etta, in Md, 253; 255; 257. 

 Maine, efforts for wom. Suff, workers, legis. Action, campn, see St. Chapter, 236. 

 Malone, Dudley Field, 257. 

 Manitoba, work for wom. Suff, 754. 

 Mann, Gov. S. A. (Utah), 644; 650. 

 Mansfield, Mrs. Howard, 469; 480. 

 Marble, Amanda J, 369; 370-1-2. 

 Marbury, William F, opp. Wom. Suff. In Md, 258; 260; brings suit, 261. 

 Martin, Anne, in Del, 103; see Nev. Chapter, 386, 392; N. Mex, 436. 

 Martin, U. S. Sen. George B, 213. 

 Martine, U. S. Sen. James E, 123; 421. 

 Maryland, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, great opposition, see St. Chapter, 248. 

 Massachusetts, effort for wom. Suff, New England Assn, legis. Action, campaign, workers, see St. Chapter, 267. 

 Maud, Queen, greetings to suff. Cong, 836. 

 Mead, Edwin D, 275; 295. 

 Mead, Lucia Ames, in Me, 242; work in Mass, 269 et seq; in Mo, 344. 

 Men's Advisory Committee, in N. C, 493; West Va, 689. 

 Men's Leagues for Woman Suffrage, in Ala, 6; Calif, 35, 40; Conn, 75, 81; Fla, 115; Ga, 126; Ills, 147; Iowa, 187; Kans, 200-1; La, 227; Me, 237, 242; Md, 251, 263; Harvard, 278; Mass, 283, 287; Mich, 306, 313, 314; Mo, 345; Mont, 364, 366; Neb, 372, 374; Nev, 387, 394, 397; N. J, 417-18, 423; N. Y, 447, 469, 476; full account of, 484; in Penn, 552, 557; Tenn, 611; Texas, 632; Wis, 702; Sweden, 782; Netherlands, 784; Hungary, 794, 856; Italy, 798; Gt. Brit, 835; Intl. League founded, 843. 

 Meredith, Ellis, in Colo, 61; N. J, 414. 

 Meriwether, Lide A, work in Tenn, 596-7; 615. 

 Merrick, Caroline E, 216; 596. 

 Mexico, grants wom. Suff, 804. 

 Michigan, effort for wom. Suff, campaigns, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 303. 

 Miles, General Nelson, 317. 

 Milholland, Inez, speaks in Wis, 702. 

 "Militancy, " 342; effect in N. Y, 466, 478; in Gt. Brit, 727; 734; analysis of by Mrs. Fawcett, 728, 834; Mrs. Catt's comment, 822, 855; attitude of Intl. Alliance, 825, 854. 

 Miller, Alice Duer, 702. 

 Miller, Anne Fitzhugh, 443; 454; 456; 682. 

 Miller, Elizabeth Smith, 272; 443; 682. 

 Miller, Florence Fenwick (Gt. Brit. ), 414; at intl. Suff. Conf. In Washtn, 806-808. 

 Miller, Mrs. John O, 558; 564. 

 Miller, Josephine, 6; 17; 19; 22; 530; 604; 670. 

 Miller, Mrs. Walter McNab, in Miss, 333; work in Mo, see St. Chapter, 345 et seq. ; N. C, 492; N. Dak, 504. 

 Milliken, Gov. Carl E. (Me. ), 242; 244; 246. 

 Mills, B. Fay, 29. 

 Mills, Harriet May, in Del, 87, 89; Md, 249; N. J, 414; work in N. Y, see St. Chapter, 441-3-4; 448; 468; 476; edits _Club Letter_, 449. 

 Millsaps, Major R. W, 341. 

 Milton, George Fort, 602; 611. 

 Milton, Mrs. George Fort, work in Tenn, see State chapter, 596 et seq. 

 Minnesota, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see State chap, 317. 

 Minor, Virginia L, 342. 

 Mirovitch, Zeneide (Russia), 815; 825-6; 834. 

 Mississippi, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 326; telegram of Legis. To Del. Legis, 96. 

 Missouri, efforts for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, campaign, see St. Chapter, 342. 

 Mitchel, Mayor John Purroy (N. Y. ), 465; 479; 485. 

 Mitchner, Lilian, 196-7; 198; 206. 

 Mondell, U. S. Rep. Frank W. (Wyo. ), 575; offers bill for wom. Suff. In Alaska, 713. 

 Montana, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaign, workers, see St. Chapter, 360. 

 Montefiore, Dora B. (Gt. Brit. ), 277; 793; 816; 825. 

 Moore, Laura, 652. 

 Moore, Mrs. Philip, 160. 

 Morgan, St. Rep. W. Y. (Kans. ), 200; 202. 

 Morgan, Mrs. W. Y, 197; 203. 

 Morrisson, Mrs. James W, 155; 159; 161. 

 Morrow, Gov. Edwin P. (Ky. ), 210; 213-14. 

 Moses, U. S. Sen. George H, 401; 406-7-8. 

 Moses, Judge Jacob M, 251; 253; 262-3. 

 Moss, Mrs. Robert, 257; 259; 266. 

 Mott, Lucretia, 550. 

 Munds, Frances W, see Ariz. Chapter, 10; elected Senator, 15. 

 Municipal Suffrage, in Del, 89; in Fla, 120; action on in Ga, 122, 128, 129; Atlanta, 131, 136, 138; Ills, 146-7; Chicago, 149; work in Ills. Legis, 150; gained, 156; in Ind, gained, 176, adverse court decis, 177; bill to repeal in Kans. Legis, 204; in Mass, 291, 293; Mich, 310, 316; Neb, 379; N. H, 410-11; N. Mex, 438; N. Dak, 506; Ohio, 513; S. Dak, 590; Tenn, gained, 602, 616; Vt, gained, 660, 663-4; West Va, vote on, 688; in Finland, 773; Norway, 775-6; Denmark, 777; Iceland, 779; Sweden, 783; Belgium, 787. 

 Mussey, Ellen Spencer, 106; 108; 166; 250. 

 Myers, Dr. Annice Jeffreys, see Ore. Chapter, 538. 

 Myers, Jefferson, 540. 

 N

 Nash, Prof. Henry S, 567. 

 Nathan, Maud, in Md, 250-1; N. Y, 456; Wis, 702; Budapest, 857. 

 National American Woman Suffrage Association, assists Ala, 4, 6; Ariz, 10; Ark, 20; Calif, 31; Conn, 68, 76; Del, 91-2, 95, 101-2; Fla, 114, 117, 119; Kans, 199; Me, 238, 243; Md, 265; Okla, 280; Mich, 312, 314; Minn, 318, 321; Miss, 334; Mont, 365; Neb, 377; Nev, 394; N. H, 406, 408, 410; N. J, 414; N. Mex, 435; N. Y, 478; N. C, 492, 497; N. Dak, 502, 504; Okla, 530 et seq; Ore, 541-2; S. C, 579; 581-2; S. Dak, 589, 592-3-4; Texas, 640; Vt, 655, 660; Va, 667, 670; Wash, 682, 692-3; West Va, 690; Wis, 701; urges suff. For and assists Hawaiian women, 716; Filipino women, 719; Porto Rican women, 723-4. 

 National Council of Women Voters, 683-4. 

 National Woman's Party (see Congressional Union), Colo. Objects to, 61; in Conn, 75, 82; Ga, 142; Mass, 301; N. Y. Repudiates, 466, 478; in Tenn, 621; Va, 670; Wis, 705. 

 Nebraska, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, petitions, see St. Chapter, 368; Omaha Men's Anti-suff. Manifesto, 873. 

 Negro women vote in Tenn, 606. 

 Nelson, Julia B, in Minn, 318; 322. 

 Nesbitt, W. D, 7, 8. 

 Netherlands, effort for wom. Suff, eminent women, entertains Intl. Alliance, suff. Granted, 783. 

 Nevada, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaign, workers, see St. Chapter, 384. 

 New Brunswick, work for wom. Suff, 764. 

 Newfoundland, work for wom. Suff, 766. 

 New Hampshire, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 400. 

 New Jersey, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 412. 

 Newlands, U. S. Sen. Francis G, 389; 394. 

 New Mexico, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 434. 

 Newspapers, listed in each State chapter. 

 New York, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, see St. Chapter, 440. 

 New Zealand, wom. Suff. In, 752. 

 Neymann, Clara, speaks in Wis, 702. 

 Nicholes, Anna, 147. 

 Nicholson, Meredith, speaks for wom. Suff. , 176. 

 Noble, Harriet, 167; 172-3. 

 Noland, Anna Dunn, work in Ind, see St. Chapter, 166. 

 Norbeck, Gov. Peter (S. Dak. ), 591; 594. 

 Nordica, Lillian, sings for wom. Suff. In Calif, 49; in New York, 450. 

 Norris, U. S. Sen. George W, 383. 

 North Carolina, efforts for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, memorial to Dr. Shaw, see St. Chapter, 490. 

 North Dakota, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, see St. Chapter, 501. 

 Northrup, Dr. Cyrus, 323. 

 Norway, work for wom. Suff, petitions, success, women in office, 774; 826. 

 Nova Scotia, work for wom. Suff, 764. 

 Nozaleda, Archbishop, 719-20. 

 Nugent, James R, 424-5; 430. 

 O

 Obenchain, Eliza Calvert, 207. 

 Oddie, Gov. Tasker H. (Nev. ), 389. 

 Odell, Gov. Benjamin F. (N. Y. ), 454. 

 Officers, Women, in Calif, 58; Colo, 64-66; D. C. (National), 108, 110-11-12; Mont, 367; Nev, 390; Okla, 537; Tex, 638; Utah, 646, 648; Wyo, 710-11-12; Gt. Brit, 750-1; Canada, 755-6-7, 764; Finland, 773; Norway, 776; Denmark, 778; Iceland, 779; Sweden, 782-3; Netherlands, 786; Luxemburg, 788; Russia, 789; Germany, 791, 864; Austria, 793; Hungary, Bohemia, Czecho-Slovakia, Poland, 794-5; Palestine, 803; 863. 

 Ogden, Esther G, before Natl. Dem. Com, 620. 

 Ohio, effort for wom, suff, legis. Action, campaigns, law suits, see St. Chapter, 508. 

 Oklahoma, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, see St. Chapter, 520. 

 Oliver, U. S. Rep. Wm. B. (Ala. ), 8. 

 Olzendam, Lilian H, 655-8; 660. 

 O'Neil, Mrs. David, 346; 351-2; 354; 357. 

 Ontario, work for wom. Suff, 757. 

 Ordway, Evelyn, 216. 

 Oregon, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, see St. Chapter, 538; Mass. Contributes to campaigns, 268, 278. 

 O'Reilly, Leonora, 276; 456; 461. 

 Organizations of Women, endorsement of wom. Suff, in every State chapter. 

 Organizers, lists of, 554; 692. 

 Orr, Pauline V, 333-4. 

 Osborn, Gov. Chase S. (Mich. ), 306-7; 315. 

 Osborne, Eliza Wright, 442-3; 448; 456. 

 Osborne, Thomas Mott, 442; 572. 

 Otis, Harrison Gray, 46. 

 O'Toole, Mary, work in D. C, app. Judge, see chapter, 104. 

 Overman, U. S. Sen. Lee S, 493; 496. 

 Owen, U. S. Sen. Robert L, for wom. Suff. In Okla, 522-3, 537. 

 Owens, Helen Brewster, 198. 

 P

 Page, U. S. Sen. Carroll S, 652; 655-6. 

 Page, Mary Hutcheson, see Mass, chapter, 267; in N. H, 403. 

 Palestine, women vote and hold office, 803. 

 Palmer, Attorney General A. Mitchell, urges Fed. Amend. In Del, 96; Md, 257; Miss, 340; N. J, 430; Va, 671. 

 Palmer, U. S. Sen. Thomas W, 306. 

 Pankhurst, Christabel, in La, 220; Tenn, 610. 

 Pankhurst, Mrs. Emmeline, in Conn, 70; D. C, 107; Ky, 208, 214; Md, 252; Mass, 275, 285; Harvard refuses, 283; in Mo, 344; Neb, 372; N. J, 419; N. Y, 486; R. I, 567; Wis, 701; organizes "militant" suff. Society in Great Brit, 727; its work, 728-9, 732, 734; war work, 739; in Toronto, 758; refuses to send delegates to Intl. Alliance cong, 825, 834. 

 Pankhurst, Sylvia, in Calif. , 47; Md, 252; Mass, 285, 295; Mo, 344; N. H, 404; N. Dak, 501; Wis, 702. 

 Parades for Woman Suff, in Ala, 9; Calif, 54; Conn, women, 73; Del. Women, 89, 91, 98, 102-3; D. C, 108; Ga, 129; Chicago, in 1913, 157, in 1914, 159, in 1916, 161; Iowa, 182; Kans. Women, 203; Ky, 210; Md. Women, 252, 265; Mass, 275, 279, 285-6-7, 295; Minn, women, 320-1-2; in Miss, 332; Mo, 347, 349; Mont, 366; Neb, 376; N. H, 405; N. J. Women, 417-8, 421, 426; in N. Y, 450, 470, 474; first men marched, 485; R. I. Women, 570; Tenn. Women, 599, 609, 612; in Utah, 650; West Va, 689; Wis. Women, 705; Canadian women, 759; in Holland, 785. 

 Pardee, Gov. George C. (Calif. ), 31. 

 Park, Alice, in Ariz, 14; Nev, 398; see Calif, chapter, 27. 

 Park, Maud Wood, in Calif, 33; Del, 86; 91; Me, 238; see Mass. Chap, 267; 281; in Mich, 309; Minn, 319; Neb, 372; Nev, 387; N. H, 401, 406; N. Dak, 495; Ore, 540; R. I, 566; Vt, 661; Va, 668; Wis, 700; helps wom. Suff. In Hawaii, 717-18. 

 Parker, Adella M, 674-7; 679; 681; 686. 

 Parker, Gov. John M, see La. Chapter from 230. 

 Parker, Dr. Valeria H, 391; 649. 

 Parkhurst, Gov. Frederick H. (Me. ), 247. 

 Parmelee, Annette W, work for wom. Suff. In Vt, see St. Chapter, 651. 

 Parsons, Herbert, 483; 485. 

 Partridge, Mary, 2; 3. 

 Patterson, Hannah J, work in Penn, 553-4; 560; West Va, 690-1. 

 Paul, Alice, chmn. Congressl. Com, 108; org. Congressl. Union, 109; 394; N. C. Objects to, 491. 

 Peabody, George Foster, 457; pres. N. Y. Men's League, 484-5. 

 Peck, Mary Gray, 318; describes Alliance meeting in Stockholm, 845. 

 Peet, Mrs. Sturtevant, 34. 

 Penfield, Jean Nelson, in Nev, 391; Utah, 649. 

 Pennsylvania, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaign, workers, see St. Chapter, 550. 

 Pennybacker, Mrs. Percy, 160. 

 Penrose, U. S. Sen. Boies, promises help, does not give it, 561; 563. 

 Petition, of National Assn. For Fed. Amend, in Mass, 281-300; Mich, 305; Minn, 319, 322; Neb, 372; N. Y, 447, 465, 480; Penn, 552; R. I, 566; Utah, 645; Wis, 700; for wom. Suff. In Philippines, 719. 

 Pettyjohn, Dr. E. S, 198. 

 Philippines, The, effort for wom. Suff; Natl. Suff. Assn. Petitions for, Gov. Genls. And Archbishop recommend, action of U. S. Congress, of Filipino Congress, Mrs. Catt visits Manila, Philippine Commssr. De Veyra and wife urge it, status of women, 719. 

 "Picketing, " Colo, objects, 61; New York protests, 466, 478; President Wilson on, 479. 

 Pidgeon, Mary E, 494; 497; 592; 670; 693. 

 Pierce, Emma S, see N. Dak. Chapter, 501. 

 Pierce, Katherine, see Okla. Chapter, 520, 536. 

 Pinchot, Mrs. Gifford, 563. 

 Pinckard, Mrs. James S, in Ala, 7; Tenn, 621. 

 Pitman, Mrs. B. F, work in Mass, 279-80, 284; in Hawaii, 717-8. 

 Pittman, U. S. Sen. Key, 389. 

 Pleasant, Gov. Ruffin G. (La. ), 223-4; 230; 233. 

 Pleasant, Mrs. Ruffin G, in Tenn, 622. 

 Poland, grants wom. Suff, elects women, 795. 

 Pollock, U. S. Sen. William P, 582. 

 Pomerene, U. S. Sen. Atlee, 517. 

 Porritt, Annie G, see Conn. Chapter, 68; 83. 

 Porto Rico, efforts for wom. Suff, action of U. S. Cong; of its Legis, 722. 

 Portugal, 802. 

 Post, Mrs. Edmund M, 215. 

 Post, Louis F, in Wis. Campaign, 701. 

 Post, Mrs. Louis F, in Md, 251. 

 Potter, Prof. Frances Squire, speaks in Calif, 36; Mass, 276; 318; Mo, 344; N. J, 416; N. Y, 446; Ore, 547. 

 Presidential Suffrage, legis. Action, in Ills, 149, 150 et seq; gained, 156; in court, 158; women's first vote, 162; in Ind, 176; law suits, 177; re-passed, 178; Iowa, 191; Kans. Legis, 204-5; in Ky, 214; Me, 245; Md, 257; Mass, 291; Mich, 311, 316; Minn, 324-5; Mo, 351, 357-8-9; Neb, 379; N. H, 410-11; N. J, 427, 432-3; N. Mex, 438; N. C, 500; N. Dak, 506; Ohio, in court, 514, 519; Okla, 523; Penn, 562; R. I, 570, 573-4, 576; S. C, 583; S. Dak, 590; Tenn, 601-5; in court, women vote, 605; 616; Texas, 634; Vt, 660; vetoed by Gov, 664; West Va, 697; Wis, 707-8. 

 Primary Suffrage, Ark. Legis. Grants, 19-25; legis. Action in Fla, 117, 119; Iowa, 191; Miss, 339; S. C, 581; Texas Legis. Grants, 634; 638. 

 Progressive State conventions, in Ky, 211; Mass, 297-8. 

 Prohibition, women's votes for, in Mich, 315; Wash, 686; Alaska, 714; 754. 

 Prouty, Gov. George H. (Vt. ), 653. 

 Pyle, Mrs. John L, work in S. Dak, see St. Chapter, 587 et seq. 

 Q

 Quebec, work for wom. Suff, 765. 

 Quinby, Gov. Henry B. (N. H. ), 403. 

 Qvam, Mrs. F. M, work in Norway, 774; 815; reports on wom. Suff, 826; 829; brings message from Queen, 836; 848; 857. 

 R

 Raker, U. S. Rep. John E, at La. Legis, 234; for wom. Suff. In Hawaii, 718. 

 Rankin, Jeannette, 46; in Fla, 118; Md, 257; work in Mont, see St. Chapter, 360; elected to Congress, 367; in N. H, 405; N. C, 493; R. I, 577; Wash, 679. 

 Rathbone, Eleanor (Gt. Brit. ), 740; 869. 

 Ratification of Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment, account near end of each State chapter; see especially Ala, 7; Conn, 75; Del, 93; Ga, 140; La, 225, 230; Md, 257; Miss, 337; N. C, 495; Tenn, 616; West Va, 694. 

 Reed, U. S. Sen. James A, 358, 641. 

 Reedy, William Marion, 350. 

 Reid, Mrs. Ogden Mills, 475; 482. 

 Reports, to Intl. Suff. Cong, 808, 813, 864. 

 Republican National Committee, 78; 79; 80; assists ratification in Del, 94; 100; N. H, 409; Tenn, 621; West Va, 694. 

 Republican State conventions and committees, in Calif, 33, 53-4, 56; Conn, 76, 78, 85; Del, 93-4, 98; Ills, 146; Iowa, 186; Ky, 210-11-12; Mass, 295, 298; Minn, 322; Mo, 348; N. Y, 446, see 483; N. C, 493, 495, 500; R. I, 576; Tenn, 599, 613; Vt, 657; Va, 667; West Va, 691. 

 Reynolds, Minnie J, in Colo, 61; N. J, 416, 418; 420-1; 432; 449; Wash, 680. 

 Rhode Island, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 565. 

 Richards, Emily S, see Utah chapter, 644 et seq. 

 Richards, Janet, in Del, 91; Md, 263; N. J, 415; 488; Wash, 679, 682; Stockholm, 840, 844. 

 Riddle, State Sen. Agnes, 64; 67; 202. 

 Ridgely, Mrs. Henry, 93-4; 96; 101. 

 Riggs, St. Rep. John A. (Ark. ), 23-4-5-6. 

 Ringrose, Mary E, 39; 200; 398. 

 Roark, Mary C, 209. 

 Roberts, Gov. Albert H. (Tenn. ), 605; Mrs. Catt asks to call extra session, 617; confers with Pres. Wilson, urged by Dems, 618; calls it, threatened with defeat, 619; message to Legis, 622; upholds ratif. And forwards certificate, 623-4. 

 Roberts, Caroline, 265-6. 

 Roberts, Margaret S, see Idaho chapter, 143. 

 Robertson, U. S. Rep. Alice, 528, 537. 

 Robertson, Sir Forbes, 548. 

 Robinson, State Sen. Helen Ring, in Ga, 29; in Col, 67; Ky, 208; Mass, 285; N. H, 404; Geneva, 863. 

 Robinson, Lida P, 10. 

 Roessing, Mrs. Frank M, see Penn. Chap, 553 et seq; in West Va, 689; assists Intl. Alliance, 868. 

 Roosevelt, President Theodore, appealed to for Fed. Amend. From Calif, 34; faint praise for wom. Suff, 44; Del. Women petition, 88; urges wom. Suff. In Me, 241; 280; petitioned by Mich. Women, 303; enrolls for wom. Suff, 317; appeals to U. S. Sen. Moses for Fed. Suff. Amend, 408; N. J. Women petition, 415; speaks for wom. Suff. In New York, 450; advice as Governor, 454. 

 Root, Elihu, 483. 

 Roraback, John Henry, 76, 78, 80. 

 Rowe, Charlotte, in Del, 96; La, 232; N. H, 407, 409; Okla, 529; Texas, 641-2. 

 Royden, A. Maude (Gt. Brit. ), in Md, 250; Budapest, 857-8; preaches in Geneva, 860. 

 Ruhl, Mrs. John L, 687; 693-4; 697. 

 Rumsey, Mrs. Dexter P, 444; 448; 456; 468; 475. 

 Russell, Gov. Lee M. (Miss. ), 339. 

 Russia, efforts for wom. Suff, Prof. Miliukov assists, women hold cong, elected, 788-9; 825. 

 Ruutz-Rees, Caroline, 70. 

 Rye, Gov. Tom C. (Tenn. ), 599; 601; 603; 616. 

 S

 Sacajawea, unveiling of Statue in Ore, 540-1. 

 Safford, Rev. Mary A, work in Fla, 115, 119; Iowa, 183; Mass, 270. 

 Salamon, Dr. Alice (Germany), 791. 

 Sanderson, Annie Cobden (Gt. Brit. ), 252; 273; 825; on "militants, " 855. 

 Sanford, Prof. Maria, 322. 

 Sapp, Bernice A, 674; 686. 

 Sargent, Ellen Clark, see Calif. Chap, 27 et seq; 52. 

 Saskatchewan, work for wom. Suff, 755. 

 Schlingheyde, Clara, work in Calif, 28, 31, 50; for Intl. Suff. Alliance, 868. 

 Schlumberger, Mme. DeWitt, pres, natl. Suff. Assn. Of France, 800; 843; 854; 858; 860; appeals to League of Nations for wom. Suff, 867. 

 Schmidt, Prof. Nathaniel, 344; 444; 456. 

 Schools for Citizenship, in Me, 246; Mo, 352; N. H, 408; S. C, 582; Wis, 706. 

 Schools for Woman Suffrage, in Ala, 6; Fla, 116; Atlanta, 129, 130; Ind, 174; Iowa, 185; Kans, 204; Me, 238; Md, 265; Mich, 310; Neb, 379; N. J, 421; R. I, 570; S. C, 581; Va, 667; West Va, 688; Wis, 704. 

 Schoonmaker, Nancy, 74; 245-6; 572; 706. 

 Schurman, Pres. Jacob G, 485. 

 Schwimmer, Rosika, in Ky, 208; Wis, 704; 812; 815; 826; 838; 844; Intl. Suff. Alliance Cong, in Hungary, 793; 849; 854; report for Hungary, 855; 857; countrywomen honor, 858, 865. 

 Scott, Mrs. William Force, 44. 

 Sellers, Kathryn, 109; 111. 

 Seton, Mrs. Ernest T, 73-4. 

 Severance, Caroline, M, 30-1; 40. 

 Severance, Sarah, 34. 

 Sewall, May Wright, lectures in Calif, 28; organizes in Ind, 171; work in Wis, 701; 772; at cong. In Budapest, 859. 

 Sexton, Minola Graham, see N. J. Chapter, 412 et seq. 

 Shafroth, Gov. And U. S. Sen. John F, 5; assists wom. Suff. In Kans, 198; Md, 257; at Dem. Natl. Conv, 349; N. J, 431; Hawaii, 717; Porto Rico, 723. 

 Shaw, Dr. Anna Howard, letter to Ala, 4; visits Ark, 20; in Ariz. Campaign, 14; entertained in Calif, 32; speaks in Del, 86, 91; memorial, 92; 102; 110; in Fla, 116-7; Ga, 122-3, 135; Iowa, 182, 187; letter to Kans, 198; speaks in Ky, 208; in southern States, 218; Md, 249, 253, 256; Mass, 270 to 294; Mich, 305, 309; Minn, 317-18-19; Miss, 326, 329, 333; Mo. 349; at natl. Suff. Conv. 1919, 351; memorial, 354; before Legis, 355; Mont, 364; Neb, 370-1, 373-4, 376; work in Nev, 384, 387, 397; N. H, 401-2-3; N. J, 413-14-15, 417, 420, 424, 431; N. Y, 441-2-3, 450, 455, 464, in campaign, 483; wants Men's League, 484; in N. C, 492-3; memorial bldg, 495; N. Dak, 502; Okla, 520; Ore, 540, 542-3, 545; R. I, 567-8; memorial in S. C, 581; in S. Dak, 589; Tenn, 597, 607, 613; Texas, 630, 632; Vt, 652-3; Va, 666; West Va, 688, 691, 697; work for Wis, 701-2-3; for wom. Suff. In Hawaii, 718; chmn, suff. Comn. Intl. Council of Women, 805; at Berlin conf. Intl. Suff. Alliance, 810; at Copenhagen, 815, memorial to Miss Anthony, 816; at Amsterdam, 826, 828; speaks in Albert Hall, 836; preaches in London, 838; great sermon in Stockholm, 839; in Budapest, 850; 857; memorial tribute in Geneva, 861. 

 Shaw, Mrs. Quincy A, work in Mass, 268; 269; 270; 279; in Nev, 394. 

 Sheepshanks, Mary, 865. 

 Sheldon, Rev. C. M. , 202. 

 Sheppard, U. S. Sen. Morris, 638; 642. 

 Sherwood, Dr. Mary, 263. 

 Shields, U. S. Sen. John K, opp. Wom. Suff, 605; writes Pres. Wilson, 613; 614. 

 Shippen, Rev. Eugene R, 306. 

 Shuler, Marjorie, in Del, 95; Fla, 117; Nev, 391; N. H, 408; N. C, 494; Okla, 531, 536; S. C, 582; Tenn, 619-20; Utah, 649; Vt, 655, 658; West Va, 694. 

 Shuler, Nettie Rogers, work in Me, 238, 242; Md, 265; Mass, 280; Mich, 311; N. H, 410; N. Y, 441, 448, 456, 470; Okla, report on campaign, 529; R. I, 570; S. Dak, 593; West Va, 693-4. 

 Simmons, U. S. Sen. F. M, 493; 496-7. 

 Simons, Mrs. Seward A, work in Calif, 41-2; 52. 

 Simpson, Mrs. David F, 317; 321. 

 Sims, Rear Admiral and Mrs. William S, 578. 

 Slosson, Dr. And Mrs. Edwin A, 417. 

 Smith, Gov. Alfred E. (N. Y. ), 489. 

 Smith, Mrs. Draper, 373; 375; 379; 381. 

 Smith, Ethel M, 90. 

 Smith, U. S. Sen. Hoke, 127; 136. 

 Smith, U. S. Sen. John Walter, 257. 

 Smith, Dr. Julia Holmes, 146; 700. 

 Smith, Mrs. Thos. Jefferson, 207; 215. 

 Snowden, M. P. Philip, 276; 285; 344; in Gt. Brit, 730. 

 Snowden, Mrs. Philip, in D. C, 107; Ky, 208; Md, 252; Mass, 274, 276, 285; Mo, 344; Neb, 372; Toronto, 758; London, 836; Stockholm, 844. 

 Somerville, Nellie Nugent, work in Miss, see St. Chapter, 327; in N. C, 491. 

 South, Mrs. John Glover, 208; 215. 

 South Africa, effort for wom. Suff, Premiers' action; Mrs. Catt and Dr. Jacobs visit, 767. 

 South Carolina, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers; see St. Chapter, 579. 

 South Dakota, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers; see St. Chapter, 585. 

 Southern States Woman Suffrage Conference, 218, 610. 

 Spain, efforts for wom. Suff, 802. 

 Spargo, John, in N. Y. Legis, 546. 

 Spencer, Rev. Anna Garlin, in Mass, 269; R. I, 565-6, 571; Wis, 702. 

 Spencer, U. S. Sen. Selden P, 358. 

 Sperry, Dr. Mary, 50; 398. 

 Sperry, Mary S, see Calif. Chap, 27 et seq; 52. 

 Spring, Rebecca, 30. 

 Springer, Elmira E, 147. 

 Sproul, Gov. William C. (Penn. ), 562-3. 

 Stanford, Mrs. Leland, for wom. Suff, 28. 

 Stanislawsky, Mrs. Henry, in Calif, 46; Nev, 384-5-6; 393. 

 Stanley, Gov. A. O. (Ky. ), 211. 

 Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, birthdays, 30, 90, 109; 100th, 487; memorial in Neb, 370; pioneer, 440; memorial in Seneca Falls, 444; for Intl. Suff. Assn, 805. 

 Starbuck, Kathryn H, 459. 

 Starrett, Helen Ekin, 549. 

 Stearns, Sarah Burger, 40. 

 Steinem, Pauline, 508. 

 Stephens, Adelia C, work in Okla, see St. Chapter, 520. 

 Stephens, Gov. William D. (Calif. ), 57. 

 Stevens, Doris, 309; 407. 

 Stevens, Isaac N, 60; 62. 

 Stevens, Dr. Mary Thompson, 305-6; 316. 

 Stewart, Ella S, in Calif, 36; Ills, 146; 149; Ind, 167; Md, 251; Mich, 309; S. Dak, 590; Wis, 702; Amsterdam, 826. 

 Stimson, Henry L, 483. 

 Stimson, Mrs. S. C, 170. 

 Stockwell, Maud C, work in Minn, see St. Chapter, 317. 

 Stone, Lucy, birthdays celebr, in Del, 90; Mass, 269, 273, 278, 280; marriage, 275, 278; work in N. J, 412, 417; 423; in R. I, 565. 

 Stone, U. S. Sen. William R, 357-8. 

 Stoner, Mrs. Wesley Martin, 105; at Dem. Conv, 220; in Tenn, 609; West Va, 689. 

 Stowe, Dr. Emily Howard, suff. Pioneer in Canada, 754; memorial in Toronto, 760. 

 Strachan, Grace C, 254. 

 Stritt, Marie (Germany), 827; 845; 854; 857. 

 Strong, Rev. Josiah, 456. 

 Stuart, Gov. Henry Carter (Va. ), 666. 

 Stubbs, Pres. J. E, 385; 389. 

 Stubbs, Gov. W. R. (Kans. ), 195-6; 198; 202; 205. 

 Stubbs, Mrs. W. R, 195-6; 202; 206. 

 Sulzer, Gov. William (N. Y. ), 451-2. 

 Sumner, Dean Walter T, 410. 

 Sutherland, U. S. Sen. Howard, 696. 

 Suttner, Baroness von, speaks in Wis, 702. 

 Sweden, efforts for wom. Suff, great petitions, entertains Intl. Alliance, women in Parliament, 780, 783. 

 Swift, Mary Wood, see Calif. Chap, 27 et seq; 52; in Denmark, 812. 

 Switzerland, effort for wom. Suff, entertains Intl. Alliance, 795. 

 T

 Taft, President William Howard, 108; appoints Miss Lathrop, 112; Tenn. Women petition, 607; advises wom. Suff. In Philippines, 720. 

 Taxes, Mrs. Sargent sues for in Calif, 27; women protest against in Atlanta, 122, 124; Dr. Shaw's car sold for, 129; women pay in Mass, 269; Miss Daniels of Vt, refuses, 654; women's poll tax refused in Tenn, 616. 

 Taylor, Lucretia Watson, 29; 39; 45. 

 Tennessee, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, ratification; see St. Chapters, 596, 607. 

 Territories of the United States, wom. Suff. In, 713 et seq. 

 Territt, Amelia, 596; 615. 

 Terry, Mrs. D. D, 22. 

 Texas, efforts for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaign, workers, see St. Chapter, 630. 

 Thomas, Mary Bentley, 249; 254; 596. 

 Thomas, Pres. M. Carey, work for natl. Suff. Conv, 249; in R. I, 567. 

 Thompson, Ellen Powell, 105. 

 Thompson, Lily Wilkinson, work in Miss, see St. Chapter, 326. 

 Tiffany, Mrs. Charles L, 350; 469; 573. 

 Tindall, Helen Rand, 105-6. 

 Tindall, Dr. William, 105-6; 248. 

 Todd, Helen, in Calif, 46; Conn, 72; Mass, 283; Mo, 356. 

 Tolhurst, Mrs. Shelley, 36; 40; 42. 

 Topping, Lucile Dyas, see Mont. Chapter, 360. 

 Tours for wom. Suff, "yellow flier, " "prairie schooner, " 110; in Ills, 148-9; Iowa, 183; Mass, 276-7, 283-4-5; Minn, 321; Neb, 376; N. J, 422; N. Y, 470; Ohio, 513; Wis, 702. 

 Townsend, Gov. John G, in Del, 91-2; 94-5; 97; 100. 

 Trax, Lola, 6; 91; 581. 

 Treadwell, Harriette Taylor, 155; 157-8. 

 Trinkle, Gov. E. Lee (Va. ), 671-2. 

 Trout, Grace Wilbur, work in Ills, see St. Chap, 145 et seq; in Wis, 702. 

 Tumulty, Joseph P, 425. 

 Turkey, 802. 

 Tyler, Pres. Lyon G, 666; 671. 

 U

 Ueland, Mrs. Andreas, tribute to, 320; 323-4. 

 Underwood, U. S. Sen. Oscar W, 7, 10. 

 U. S. Supreme Court, decision on Fed. Wom. Suff. Amend, 262. 

 Untermeyer, Samuel, 457; 485. 

 Upshaw, U. S. Rep. W. D. (Ga. ), 131. 

 Upton, Harriet Taylor, in Calif, 29; 30; Del, 89; Ind, 166; Iowa, 184; work in Ohio, see St. Chapter, 508; political position, 519; helps ratific, in Tenn, 519, 619, 621; in West Va, 688. 

 Uruguay, effort for wom. Suff, 804. 

 Utah, half century of wom. Suff, first women voters, Council of Women, good laws, women in office, see St. Chapter, 644. 

 V

 Valentine, Lila Mead, in N. C, 490; S. C, 580, 583; work in Va, see St. Chapter, 655. 

 Vanderlip, Frank A, 485. 

 Vanderlip, Mrs. Frank A, 86; 476; 489. 

 Van Sant, Gov. Samuel R. (Minn. ), 317. 

 Van Winkle, Mina C, police lieut, 112; in N. J, 416; 421-2; 424. 

 Vardaman, Gov. And U. S. Sen. (Miss. ), 328; 331. 

 Vermont, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 651. 

 Vernon, Mabel, in Del, 89, 102; Nev, 387, 394-5; 398; N. Mex, 436. 

 Vertrees, Judge John J. (Tenn. ), 604-5. 

 Vessey, Gov. Robert S. (S. Dak. ), 587. 

 Villard, Fanny Garrison (Mrs. Henry), in Mass, 295; N. Y, 443, 448, 455-6; 682. 

 Villard, Oswald Garrison, work in N. Y, 456-7; for Men's League, 484-5. 

 Vincent, Dr. George E, declares for wom. Suff, 321. 

 Virginia, efforts for wom. Suff, legis. Action, workers, see St. Chapter, 665. 

 W

 Wadsworth, U. S. Sen. James W, opp. Wom. Suff. In N. H, 408; in N. Y, 455, 483, 489; in Texas, 641. 

 Wadsworth, Mrs. James W, pres. Anti-Suff. Assn, in Me, 242; Texas, 641. 

 Waite, Clara Turnbull, see Md. Chapter, 262. 

 Walker, Lola, 243-4; 435; 530. 

 Walker, Speaker Seth M, telegram to N. C. Legis, 499; opp. Ratific, in Tenn, 605, 623-4; goes to Washington and Conn, to opp. 625. 

 Walsh, Gov. And U. S. Sen. David I, 280; 285; 286; 300. 

 War Work of Suffragists, see record in each State chapter and Chap. XXIV, Vol. V. 

 Ward, Mrs. Humphry, in Great Brit, 726. 

 Ward, Lydia A. Coonley, 146. 

 Warner, Mrs. Leslie, 598; 600; 604; 613; 614; 619. 

 Warwick, Countess of, speaks in Wis, 702. 

 Washington, efforts for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, see St. Chapter, 673. 

 Watkins, Gertrude, 19; 22; 334; 435; 492; 530; 593. 

 Watson, Elizabeth Lowe, work in Calif, see St. Chapter, 34 et seq; rep. On campaign, 38; 55; in Wis, 702. 

 Watson-Lister, Mrs. A. (Aus. ), 277. 

 Watterson, Col. Henry, 208. 

 Way, Amanda, 31. 

 Weaver, U. S. Rep. Zebulon (N. C. ), 493. 

 Webb, U. S. Rep. Edwin Y. (N. C. ), 493. 

 Weeks, Anna Ross, 692. 

 Weeks, U. S. Sen. John W, women defeat, 300; 408. 

 Wells, Emmeline B, see Utah chap, 644 et seq. 

 Wells, Gov. Heber M. (Utah), 650. 

 West, Bina M, 313. 

 West Virginia, efforts for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaigns, workers, see State chap, 687. 

 Wester, Catharine J, 608-9; 611; 615. 

 Wheeler, Mrs. Benjamin Ide, 44. 

 Wheeler, Everett P, in Md, 261; Tenn, 621. 

 Wheeler, Grace M, see Neb. Chapter, 368. 

 White, Gov. Albert B. (West Va. ), 696-7. 

 White, Armenia S, 400-1; 405. 

 White, Mrs. Edward F, 170; 176. 

 White, Mrs. Lovell, 28. 

 White, Nettie Lovisa, in D. C, 106; in Denmark, 812. 

 White, Sue S, 598; 601-2; 621. 

 Whitehead, Judge Reah M, 684; digest of laws for women, 686. 

 Whitehouse, Mrs. Norman deR, work in N. Y, see St. Chapter from 469; in Switzerland, 488; R. I, 578. 

 Whitehouse, Judge Robert Treat, 237; 243. 

 Whitehouse, Ch. Justice William Penn, 243. 

 Whiteside, Frances Smith, 128; 134. 

 Whitlock, Anna (Sweden), 815. 

 Whitman, Gov. Charles S. (N. Y. ), 478-9; 483; 485. 

 Whitney, Charlotte Anita, work in Calif, 47; Nev, 398; Ore, 546. 

 Wickersham, George W, 483. 

 Wicksell, Anna B, work in Sweden, member League of Nations, 780; 812; 815; 844; 857; 869; on Mandates Commission, 871. 

 Wier, Prof. Jeanne Elizabeth, 384; 386. 

 Wilbour, Charlotte B, 566. 

 Wiley, Dr. Harvey W, 654. 

 Wiley, Mrs. Harvey W, 105; 108. 

 Wilfley, U. S. Sen. Xenophon P, 358. 

 Wilhelmina, Queen, 818; 836. 

 Wilkes, Rev. Eliza Tupper, in Calif, 31; 40; in Budapest, 850. 

 Willard, Mabel Caldwell, in Del, 91; Mass, 285. 

 Williams, Charl, in Tenn, 619, 620-1. 

 Williams, U. S. Sen. John Sharp, 332; 341. 

 Williams, Mary H, see Neb. Chap. From 368. 

 Williams, Mrs. Richard, 444. 

 Williams, Gov. Robert L. (Okla. ), 528; 535; 537. 

 Willis, Gwendolen Brown, 257; 699; 701; 706. 

 Wills, M. Frances, 27. 

 Wilson, Miss B. M, work in Nev, 387, 392, 394. 

 Wilson, Rev. Clarence True, 201; 547. 

 Wilson, Mrs. Halsey W, in Del, 91-2; Fla, 117; Me, 238; Md, 265; Mich, 311; N. H, 406; S. Dak, 593; Vt, 655-6, 658, 663. 

 Wilson, J. Stitt, work for suff. In Calif, 35, 48, 49; in Nev, 398. 

 Wilson, President Woodrow, urges Ala. Legis. To ratify Fed. Suff. Amend, 9, 10; urges Del. Legis, 96, 100; appoints women to office, 108, 111-12; urges Ga. Legis. To ratify, 142; same, La, 233; urges St. Suff. Amend. In Me, 241; 280; Miss. Women petition, 331; to N. J. Women, 422; votes for wom. Suff, 425; assists N. Y, campn, 479; refers to "picketing", 479; 493; urges ratification in N. C, 497; in Okla, 537; Pres. Suff in Tenn, 604; women call on, 609; writes Sen. Shields for Fed. Amend, 613; assists ratification, 617; telegraphs Gov. Roberts for special session in Tenn, 618; Texas women appeal to for Fed. Amend, 635; urges State amend, 640; urges ratification in Va, 671; in West Va, 694. 

 Wisconsin, effort for wom. Suff, legis. Action, campaign, workers, see St. Chapter, 699. 

 Wise, Rabbi Stephen S, for Men's League, 484; in R. I, 569; in Budapest, 858. 

 Wolcott, U. S. Sen. Josiah O, 92-3; 99. 

 _Woman Citizen_, natl. Suff. Assn. Official paper, 130; 314. 

 Woman Suffrage in Many Countries, manner and time of gaining, see chapter on, 771; also on British Colonies, 752. 

 Woman Suffrage Party, in Calif, 50; Ga, 127; La, 224-226; Md, 251; Mass, 281; N. J, 418; organized in New York, 445, 460; work in city, 461 et seq; 468 et seq; org. In State, 475; 477; in Penn, 553; R. I, 568, 572, 577. 

 Woman's Christian Temperance Union, work for wom. Suff. Referred to in each State chapter. 

 _Woman's Journal_, its founding, 275; 279; 285; 329. 

 Women's Political Union, work in N. J, 420, 424; in N. Y, 486. 

 Wood, Mary I, 402; 404; 406-7-8-9. 

 Wood, Judge William H, 419. 

 Woodall, Amelia R, 126; 129; 132. 

 Woods, Dr. Frances, in Ariz, 11; Okla, 521-2. 

 Works, U. S. Sen. John D, 575. 

 Worrell, Emma, 87-8; 89; 90. 

 Wright, Edna, 408; 705. 

 Wright, Harriet G. R, 60-1. 

 Wyoming, see St. Chapter, 709; university confers doctor's degree on Mrs. Catt, 712. 

 Y

 Yaggy, Laura Reed, 202-3. 

 Yates, Elizabeth Upham, 242; work for wom. Suff. In R. I, see St. Chapter, 568; tribute to, 577. 

 Yorke, Judge Waldo M, 31; 40-1. 

 Yost, Mrs. Ellis A, work in West Va, see St. Chapter, 687; 697. 

 Youmans, Theodora W, work in Wis, see St. Chapter, 704 et seq. 

 Young, Brigham, 645; 647. 

 Young, Clara A, 368-9; 371-2. 

 Young, Rose, in New York, 469, 473, 481. 

 Young, Virginia Durant, 579; 582. 

 Younger, Maud, 38; 45; 55; 398. 

 Yukon Territory, grants wom. Suff, 764. 

 Z

 Zueblin, Prof. Charles, 567; 660; 702. 

 * * * * *

[Transcriber's Notes:

The transcriber made these changes to the text to correct obviouserrors:

 1. P. 105 Assocation --> Association 2. P. 110 acompanied --> accompanied 3. P. 110 Washingon --> Washington 4. P. 135 affiliat??? --> affiliated 5. P. 145 Assocation --> Association 6. P. 150 memberehip --> membership 7. P. 223 enthusiatic --> enthusiastic 8. P. 266 Fn #78, mentiond --> mentioned 9. P. 319 typwritten --> typewritten 10. P. 340 committe --> committee 11. P. 378 specificed --> specified 12. P. 429 over held --> ever held 13. P. 531 acount --> account 14. P. 537 joint --> join 15. P. 538 ratianal --> rational 16. P. 541 Christion --> Christian 17. P. 578 ocasion --> occasion 18. P. 581 progagandists --> propagandists 19. P. 585 activites --> activities 20. P. 605 Footnote anchor #168 missing; placed at most appropriate place. 21. P. 641 acompanied --> accompanied 22. P. 648 ocasionally --> occasionally 23. P. 706 thoughout --> throughout 24. P. 753 ristory --> history 25. P. 787 shoud --> should 26. P. 795 reportd --> reported 27. P. 805 geting --> getting 28. P. 834 sacraficing --> sacrificing 29. P. 839 demonination --> denomination 30. P. 840 annnounced --> announced 31. P. 842 beginnning --> beginning 32. P. 843 Annnie --> Annie 33. P. 843 Colocel --> Colonel 34. P. 845 magnificest --> magnificent 35. P. 858 responsibilties --> responsibilities 36. P. 859 adress --> address 37. P. 863 elibility --> eligibility 38. P. 891 Milsaps --> Millsaps 39. P. 893 Parmalee --> Parmelee

End of Transcriber's Notes]