The History of Woman Suffrage Volume VI Part 14

They frequently conferred with Judge Isaiah T. Greenacre, counsel for the Teachers' Federation, and Joel F. Longnecker, a young lawyer active in the Progressive party, both of whom donated their services.

There was a long delay in the Supreme Court and during this time it was vitally necessary to demonstrate that the women wanted the ballot by bringing out as large a registration as possible for the munic.i.p.al election to be held in April, 1914. The opponents were saying: "Women down the State have voted because they are interested in local option but not 25,000 women will register in Chicago." It was, therefore, of paramount importance to arouse the Chicago women. This work was in charge of Mrs. Edward L. Stewart, a.s.sisted by Mrs. Judith Weil Loewenthal, members of the State Board. Mrs. Stewart called upon every organization of women in the city to a.s.sist. Valuable help was given by Mrs. Ida Darling Engelke, city chairman of ward organization for the Chicago Political Equality League; Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen, president of the Woman's City Club, and Mrs. James Morrisson, president of the Chicago Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation. There were public meetings in every ward, and a ma.s.s meeting the Sunday before the election in the Auditorium Theater, which seated over 4,000 people, but overflow meetings were necessary. As a result of this united effort over 200,000 women registered in Chicago alone and thousands more throughout the State.

On May 2, 1914, was held the first large suffrage parade in Illinois.

It was managed by the State a.s.sociation and its affiliated Chicago clubs. Mrs. Trout, with the members of the Board and distinguished pioneer suffragists, led the procession, and Governor Dunne and Mayor Carter H. Harrison reviewed it. The city government sent to head the parade the mounted police, led by Chief Gleason, called "the beauty squad," only brought out on very special occasions. Nearly 15,000 women, representing all parties, creeds and cla.s.ses, marched down Michigan Boulevard and hundreds of thousands of people lined both sides for over two miles. Captain Charles W. Kayser of Wheaton planned the procession with military skill. The Parade Committee, including the heads of divisions and numbering over a thousand women, was invited immediately after the procession to the Hotel La Salle by Ernest Stevens, manager and one of the owners, where they were guests of the management at supper, which was followed by music and speaking.

In June the General Federation of Women's Clubs held its biennial convention in Chicago and the question uppermost in the minds of all club women was, would the president, Mrs. Percy Pennybacker, refuse to allow a woman suffrage resolution to be presented, as her predecessor, Mrs. Philip Moore, had done in San Francisco at the preceding biennial, and also would it receive a favorable vote if presented? The State Board, realizing that with the suffrage law still hanging in the balance in the Supreme Court, it was vitally important to have the endors.e.m.e.nt by this convention, representing 1,500,000 members, appointed Mrs. Trout to secure favorable action if possible. The Federation Board on request of Mrs. Pennybacker appointed a special committee to confer with her and as the result of co-operation the following resolution, presented by Mrs. Lucretia L. Blankenburg of Philadelphia, 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 s.e.x.

There were between 1,700 and 1,800 delegates present, representing all sections of the country. The vote was viva voce and so overwhelmingly in the affirmative that it was not counted. The Chicago _Tribune_ said: "The anti-suffragists made no fight against the resolution on the floor of the convention, probably realizing they were hopelessly outnumbered. There was a considerable chorus of nays when it was put, but not enough for any one to demand a count." Afterwards the Illinois members recommended Mrs. Trout as an honorary member of the General Federation and she was unanimously elected.

By an interesting coincidence the day the suffrage resolution was pa.s.sed by the Biennial the State Supreme Court p.r.o.nounced the Suffrage Law const.i.tutional. A banquet had already been planned by the State a.s.sociation for that evening to be held in the Gold Room of the Congress Hotel in honor of the General Federation, and it proved to be a memorable occasion. Over a thousand women were present and nearly as many more could not find room. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Miss Mary Garrett Hay and other well known suffragists, as well as the officers of the Federation, made speeches.

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

The State convention was held in Chicago in 1914 and Mrs. Trout was again re-elected president. During this year the Chicago Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation did excellent educational work by establis.h.i.+ng cla.s.ses in citizens.h.i.+p in the Woman's City Club and by publis.h.i.+ng catechisms for women voters in seven different languages.

At the annual convention held in Peoria in 1915 Mrs. Trout positively refused to stand again for president and Mrs. Adella Maxwell Brown of Peoria was elected. Four State conferences were held during the year and Mrs. Brown represented the a.s.sociation at the National Suffrage a.s.sociation at Was.h.i.+ngton in December; the Mississippi Valley Conference at Minneapolis the next May; the National Council of Women Voters at Cheyenne in July and the National Suffrage a.s.sociation at Atlantic City in September. In June, 1916, the State a.s.sociation, a.s.sisted by those of Chicago, took charge of what became known as the "famous rainy day suffrage parade," held in that city while the National Republican convention was in session. Mrs. Brown was chairman 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 the women would vote at their first presidential election in November, 1916. As their ballots were put into separate boxes they could be distinguished and they were as follows: Republican, 459,215; Democratic, 383,292; Socialist, 17,175; Prohibition, 16,212; Socialist Labor, 806.

Much important legislative work was to be done in the next session of the Legislature and at the State convention held in Springfield in October, 1916, Mrs. Trout was persuaded to accept again the presidency. Delegates were present from every section and the policy for the ensuing year was thoroughly discussed by Mrs. McCulloch, Senator Magill, Lewis G. Stevenson, Secretary of State; Mrs. George Ba.s.s, and others. The consensus of opinion was that owing to the great difficulty of amending the State const.i.tution the only practical way to secure full suffrage for women was through a new const.i.tution. This convention, therefore, voted in an overwhelming majority to work in the Legislature of 1917 for the calling of a const.i.tutional convention. The Citizens' a.s.sociation, composed of leading men of Chicago and the State, had been trying over thirty years to obtain a new State const.i.tution and as soon as they learned of this action they sent Shelby M. Singleton, its secretary, to request of Mrs. Trout and Mrs. McGraw that the work be directed by the leaders of the State Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation, to which they agreed. They went to Springfield at the beginning of the session in 1917 and a struggle followed that lasted over ten weeks.

[Mrs. McGraw prepared a very full account of the work in the Legislature to have it submit to the voters the question of calling a convention to prepare a new const.i.tution. Representatives of all the leading organizations of women a.s.sisted at Springfield from time to time. The resolution had the powerful support of Governor Frank C.

Lowden, Congressman Medill McCormick, Roger C. Sullivan and other prominent men, but the Citizens' a.s.sociation in an official bulletin gave the larger part of the credit to "the tireless and tactful work of the women's lobby." After Senate and House by more than a two-thirds majority had voted to submit the question to the voters the State a.s.sociation organized an Emergency League to establish centers in each of the 101 counties and an immense educational campaign was carried on. Over a thousand meetings were held in the summer and fall preceding the election Nov. 5, 1918, when the proposal for a convention received a majority of 74,239. The next year delegates to the convention were elected and it met in Springfield Jan. 6, 1920. One of its first acts was to adopt an article giving the complete suffrage to women. Before the const.i.tution was ready to submit to the voters the women were fully enfranchised by the Federal Amendment.]

After the victory was gained in the Legislature and just as all plans were laid for the campaign in the spring of 1917 the United States entered the war against Germany. Mrs. Trout was appointed a member of the executive committee of the Woman's Council of National Defense and all the members of the board immediately engaged in Liberty Loan, Red Cross and other war work. During this period of strenuous activity another attack was made on the const.i.tutionality of the suffrage law by the liquor interests and the case was again brought before the Supreme Court. The State Board engaged James G. Skinner, an able lawyer, formerly a.s.sistant Corporation Counsel, and in December the law was again p.r.o.nounced const.i.tutional.

The State convention was held in the autumn of 1917 in Danville and Mrs. Trout was re-elected. The a.s.sociation now had affiliated societies in every senatorial and congressional district with a members.h.i.+p of over 200,000 women. Mrs. Trout was soon called to Was.h.i.+ngton by Mrs. Catt to work for the Federal Suffrage Amendment and spent many months there while Mrs. McGraw directed the organization work of the State a.s.sociation. She secured the co-operation of Mrs. R.

M. Reed, legislative chairman of the Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs; they appointed two workers in each congressional district and nearly every woman's society in the State had const.i.tutional convention programs. In the spring of 1918 Governor Lowden appointed Judge Orrin N. Carter, of the Supreme Court, chairman of a state-wide committee that worked in co-operation with the state-wide committee of women. The annual suffrage convention was held in the latter part of October, 1918, in Chicago, and Mrs. Trout was re-elected.

RATIFICATION. When Congress submitted the Federal Suffrage Amendment June 4, 1919, Mrs. Trout and Mrs. McGraw immediately went to Springfield where the Legislature was in session. They had already made preliminary arrangements and without urging it ratified the amendment on June 10. The vote in the Senate was unanimous, in the House it was 135 ayes, 85 Republicans, 50 Democrats; three nays, all Democrats, Lee O'Neil Browne, John Griffin and Peter F. Smith. A minor mistake was made in the first certified copy of the resolution sent from the Secretary of State's office at Was.h.i.+ngton to the Governor of Illinois. To prevent the possibility of any legal quibbling Governor Lowden telegraphed that office to send at once a corrected, certified copy. This was done and the ratification was reaffirmed by the Legislature on June 17, the vote in the Senate again being unanimous and one Democrat, Charles F. Franz, added to the former three negative votes in the House.

Owing to a misunderstanding of the facts for a short time there was some controversy as to whether Illinois was ent.i.tled to first place, as the Wisconsin Legislature ratified an hour later. Attorney General Brundage prepared a brief showing that the mistake in the first certified copy did not affect the legality of the ratification on June 10, as the mistake was made in copying the introductory resolution and not in the amendment itself. This opinion was accepted in the Secretary of State's office at Was.h.i.+ngton. So Illinois, the first State east of the Mississippi River to grant suffrage to its women, was the first to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment. In celebration a jubilee banquet was held on June 24 at the Hotel LaSalle, Mrs. Trout presiding, with Governor and Mrs. Lowden the guests of honor. Among the speakers were the Governor, prominent members of the State Legislature and the leading women suffragists.

In October the State convention was held in Chicago, with delegates present from every section, and Mrs. Trout was re-elected president.

It was voted to continue to work for the speedy ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment in other States and if this was not obtained in 1920 to work for the full suffrage article in the new const.i.tution when it was submitted to the voters. At the convention of the National American a.s.sociation in St. Louis the preceding March the Illinois a.s.sociation had extended an invitation to hold the next one in Chicago, which was accepted. The State board called together representatives from the princ.i.p.al organizations of women, which were appointed to take charge of different days of the convention and various phases of the work. Mrs. Trout and Mrs. McGraw were made chairman 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 large convention in February, 1920. [Full account in Chapter XIX, Volume V.]

A meeting of the State Board was called and a committee formed to get as many women as possible to vote in November at the election for President. Mrs. Trout was elected State chairman, Mrs. McGraw vice-chairman, and Mrs. Albert Schweitzer, a member of the board, was appointed Chicago chairman. The Woman's City Club, of which Mrs.

Joseph T. Bowen was president, took an active part in the campaign and was the headquarters for the Chicago committee. In August in the midst of the campaign came the joyful news that the 36th State had ratified the Federal Amendment. A call was issued for the State convention to be held in Chicago October 7-9, when the Illinois Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation, its work finished, disbanded, and its members formed a State League of Women Voters, with Mrs. H. W. Cheney of Chicago as chairman.

FOOTNOTES:

[42] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. J. W. McGraw, eight years on the Board of Directors and six years Legislative Chairman of the Illinois Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation. She is under obligations for many of the facts relative to the campaign of 1913 to Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout, State president for seven years.

[43] The State a.s.sociation always did everything possible to cooperate with the National Suffrage a.s.sociation. On March 1, headed by Mrs.

Trout, 83 women left Chicago by special train for Was.h.i.+ngton. In the big suffrage parade there on the 3rd they wore a uniform regalia of cap 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 woman out-rider, Mrs. W. H. Stewart, on a spirited horse. Mrs. Trout led, carrying an American flag, and the Illinois banner was carried by Royal N. Allen, a prominent member of the Progressive party and the railroad official who had charge of the special train.

[44] "Captains" had been appointed among the members and each furnished with a list and it was his duty to see that the men on it were in their seats whenever the bill was up for discussion. The following Representatives served as "captains" and rendered important service: William F. Burres, Norman G. Flagg, Edward D. Shurtleff, Homer J. Tice and George H. Wilson, Republicans; John P. Devine, Frank Gillespie, William A. Hubbard, W. C. Kane, Charles L. Scott and Francis E. Williamson, Democrats; Roy D. Hunt, J. H. Jayne, Medill McCormick 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 a suffrage a.s.sociation in 1851 there were long periods when it was inactive but there were others when it flourished. In 1851 a const.i.tution was adopted whose provisions for women were probably more liberal than existed in any other State and they did not feel a pressure of unjust laws; co-education prevailed from an early date and all occupations were open to them. Thus they were not impelled by personal grievances to keep up a continued fight for the suffrage.

After 1900 there was a period of depression which the National American Suffrage a.s.sociation tried unsuccessfully to relieve. Finally in May, 1906, it called a convention to meet in Kokomo, where one of the old societies had continued to maintain an organization, and delegates were present from societies in Indianapolis, Logansport, Tipton and Montpelier. Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, treasurer of the National a.s.sociation, 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 a.s.sociation affiliated with the National body and always remained an auxiliary. Mrs. Davis left the State during this year and there seems to be no record of anything done by this board.

In April, 1908, Mrs. Upton wrote to Mrs. Noland begging her to call a convention. Acting as president, secretary and treasurer and supplying the funds from her own purse, Mrs. Noland sent hundreds of letters over the State asking for names of people interested in suffrage and from the names she formed committees to interest others. Her only a.s.sistant was her husband, Dr. J. F. Noland, who helped in leisure hours. In October the work of organization began by Mrs. Noland and Miss Pearl Penfield. A convention was called to meet in Logansport, March 16-17, 1909. Fifteen clubs had paid small dues but only seven sent delegates. It was welcomed by Mayor George P. McKee. Much interest and a great deal of publicity resulted. The _Reporter_, a Logansport daily paper, published a suffrage edition March 17, one page edited by a committee from the a.s.sociation. Mrs. Ella S. Stewart of Chicago, Miss Harriet n.o.ble of Indianapolis and Mrs. B. F. Perkins of 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; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Bessie Hughes, Logansport; recording secretary, Mrs.

Wood; treasurer, Mrs. Barnard; auditors re-elected; member National Executive Committee, Mrs. Perkins. During the year Sullivan, Terre Haute, 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 const.i.tution by striking out the word "male" was presented to the Legislature, drafted by Mrs.

Leach. It pa.s.sed the House committee unanimously, went to third reading and was shelved because of a proposed plan for a new const.i.tution brought out by Governor Thomas R. Marshall. The Munic.i.p.al League composed of the mayors and councilmen of all the cities in the State invited the Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation to provide speakers for the annual meeting at Crawfordsville June 20 and Mrs. Noland, Miss n.o.ble and Mrs. Leach responded. They were courteously received and heard with much applause. The convention was not interested in woman suffrage but the press gave much publicity. A State suffrage convention was held at this time. In August a monthly journal called the _Woman Citizen_ was established in Indianapolis by the a.s.sociation with Mrs. Leach as editor, its columns open to all suffrage organizations, and published for two years. New Albany, Jeffersonville, Markleville and Valparaiso clubs were added to the State a.s.sociation. The New Albany society was large and active and gave suffrage much prominence in southern Indiana. Mrs. Noland reported 5,000 letters sent out in 1911.

On June 28, 29, 1912, Logansport again entertained the State convention. Mrs. Noland acted as publicity chairman. The Call was sent broadcast; press notices in every daily and weekly paper; large posters put up at the cross roads in every county; banners stretched across Broadway announcing the date. On the Sat.u.r.day before the meeting circulars announcing it and a parade were dropped over the city from an air s.h.i.+p. Every business house was beautifully dressed in suffrage colors. Mayor D. D. Fickle gave an address of welcome. The princ.i.p.al speaker was Dr. B. O. Aylesworth of Colorado. The parade was viewed by more than 50,000 people and Pathe made films of it. The convention was widely noticed by the press. Eleven new societies were added to the State a.s.sociation. Mrs. Noland was re-elected. Other officers were: Mrs. O. P. Smith, Logansport; Mrs. Anna Ca.s.sangese, New Albany; Mrs. Margaret Williamson, Red Key; Dr. Emma G. Holloway, North Manchester, vice-presidents; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Katharine Hoffman, Logansport; member National Executive Committee, Mrs. Leach; standing committees, Legislation, Mrs. Leach; Church, Mrs. Alice Judah Clark, Vincennes; Endors.e.m.e.nt, Mrs. Harriet Houser; Press, Mrs. Neff, both of Logansport.

A publicity campaign was begun. Billboards were covered with posters and barns, fences and stones along the country roadways were decorated with "Votes for Women." Free literature was distributed and handbills were given out at every opportunity. Sunday afternoon meetings were held in picture show halls in many towns. Booths were secured at county and street fairs. Tents were placed on Chautauqua grounds with speakers and all kinds of suffrage supplies. This program was kept up until the World War called the women to other duties. The Gary Civic Service League affiliated with the a.s.sociation 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 labor leader. Both had attended the meeting at Kokomo in 1906, since which time Judge McConnell had been a legal adviser of the a.s.sociation. Mr.

Smith was a member of the legislative advisory committee. Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky, Dr. Frank Stockton of Bloomington and Miss Florence Wattles of Kokomo were the princ.i.p.al speakers. Miss Clay was made an honorary member. Mrs. Mary P. Flannegan, secretary-treasurer, was the only new officer; new committee chairmen, Mrs. McConnell, Mrs. L. E.

Sellars, Mrs. E. B. De Vault, Miss Wattles. The secretary's report showed 28 affiliated societies. It was voted to cooperate with the Legislative Council of Women and work for Presidential suffrage. Mrs.

Noland, as chairman of the committee, was in Indianapolis from the time the bill was introduced until the a.s.sembly adjourned.

In February, 1915, Mrs. Noland went before the national convention of miners in Indianapolis and secured a unanimous resolution favoring State and national woman suffrage from the 1,600 delegates. In the summer the State a.s.sociation sent Miss Wattles for two months'

speaking in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania suffrage campaigns. In July the Munic.i.p.al League held its annual meeting in Logansport and the a.s.sociation, again called upon for speakers, sent Mrs. Noland, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Sellars. The enthusiasm with which they were received and the discussion by the delegates which followed showed a marked change since the meeting at Crawfordsville in 1911. At the State convention in the fall a committee was appointed for interviewing candidates before the spring primaries, especially those for 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 const.i.tution was referred to the voters and the a.s.sociation placed women at all polling places in the cities and large towns. In the small towns and country the voters received literature and letters asking them to vote in favor. It was lost but the work gave the women a new zeal and with the enlightenment of the voters the effort seemed more than worth while.

At the State meeting in October it was decided again to join hands with the Legislative Council to work for a partial suffrage bill and to cooperate with the Woman's Franchise League in legislative work if a mutual decision could be brought about. The a.s.sociation all over the State was very zealous in behalf of the bill and Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Noland and Mrs. Stimson worked continuously in the State House until the Governor signed it on February 28.

To the Legislative Council of Women belongs much of the glory for the final suffrage victories in Indiana. Formed in 1914 to work with the Legislature it was composed of the following State organizations representing 80,000 organized women: Federation of Women's Clubs, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Mothers' Congress, Woman's Franchise League, Woman's Press Club, a.s.sociation of Collegiate Alumnae, Consumers' League, Woman's Relief Corps, Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation. These organizations represented an influence that could not 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 president and one delegate from each organization and Mrs. S. C. Stimson of Terre Haute was chairman. The Council was financed by these organizations, a.s.sisted by churches, business men's clubs, ministers', teachers' and farmers' a.s.sociations and individual contributions.

The Act was ruled unconst.i.tutional in October but the women had a taste of citizens.h.i.+p, for all over the State they had registered and in some places they had voted on prohibition and public improvements.