Volume IV Part 65 (1/2)

[168] The others who have held office in the State a.s.sociation since 1896 are--first vice-presidents, Mesdames Frank M. Smith, C. R.

Randolph, H. J. D. Chapman, Mary Wood Swift, second vice presidents, Mrs. Annie K. Bidwell, Mrs. E. O. Smith, third vice-presidents, Mrs.

Elmira T. Stevens, Mrs. R. H. Pratt, Mrs. A. K. Bidwell, corresponding secretaries, Mrs. Harriet E. Cotton, Miss Mary E. Donnelly, Dr. Amy G.

Bowen, Miss Carrie A. Whelan, recording secretaries, Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn, Miss Mary G. Gorham, Mrs. Henry Krebs, Jr., Mrs.

Dorothy Harnden, treasurers, Mrs. Mary S. Sperry (six years), Miss Clara M. Schlingheyde; auditors, Mrs. Lovell White, Mrs. George Oulton, Miss Mary S. Keene, Dr. Alida C. Avery, Mrs. Mary Mc. H.

Keith, Mrs. Anna K. Spero.

[169] Among those who have been officially connected with the work are Col. P. T. d.i.c.kinson, Col. George and Mrs. Olive E. Babc.o.c.k, Drs.

Alice Bush, Susan J. Fenton, Kellogg Lane, Carra B. Schofield, Rev. C.

W. Wendte, Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Howard, Mr.

and Mrs. Maurice Woodhams, Mesdames A. E. S. Banks, S. C. Borland, J.

C. Campbell, Ella E. Greenman, L. G. Judd, Mary McHenry Keith, A. A.

Moore, M. B. Pelton, Emily M. Vrooman, C. L. Wood, J. A. Waymire, John Yule; Misses Mollie E. Connors, Mary S. Keene, Mary Snell, Winifred Warner, Carrie A. Whelan.

[170] Among the most active members are Mesdames M. B. Braley, Fred L.

Foster, Sarah Knox Goodrich, J. H. Henry, H. Jennie James, A. K. de Jarnette (Spero), E. O. Smith, Laura J. Watkins, Alice B. Wilson.

[171] Immediately afterwards the ladies said to one of the members, ”Why did you break your pledge to us and vote against the bill?”

Without a moment's hesitation he answered, ”Because I had a telegram this morning from the Liquor Dealers' a.s.sociation telling me to do so.”

[172] Chairman, Ellen Clark Sargent; vice-chairman, Sarah B. Cooper; corresponding secretary, Ida Husted Harper; recording secretary, Harriet Cooper; treasurer, Mary S. Sperry; auditors, Mary Wood Swift and Sarah Knox Goodrich.

State Central Committee: Mrs. Sargent, Miss Anthony, Mrs. Swift, Mrs.

Sperry, Mrs. Blinn, with Mary G. Hay, chairman.

[173] Later Mrs. Ida Crouch Hazlitt of Colorado, Mrs. Laura M. Riddell of San Diego and other State women were added to the organizing force.

[174] Dr. Elizabeth Sargent was chairman of the Committee on Pet.i.tions for Northern and Mrs. Alice Moore McComas for Southern California. As the names had to be collected in the winter months preceding the spring campaign, the distances to be covered were long and the labor was the free offering of busy women, it is surprising that the list was so large. It by no means represented the suffrage sentiment in the State.

[175] Alameda had sent in the largest pet.i.tion for woman suffrage of any county in the State, and San Joaquin afterwards gave a big majority vote for the amendment.

[176] A number of young women who were engaged the greater part of every day in teaching, stenography, bookkeeping, etc., gave every hour that could be spared to the work at headquarters, a free will offering. Among those who deserve special mention are Misses Mary, Louise and Sarah Donnelly, Mary Gorham, Clara Schlingheyde, Effie Scott Vance, Evelyn Grove, Mrs. N. W. Palmer, Winifred and Marguerite Warner and Carrie A. Whelan. Mrs. Lelia S. Martin also contributed five months' time.

[177] Los Angeles County gave a majority of 4,600 in favor of the amendment.

[178] Many personal incidents and anecdotes of this campaign will be found in the Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony, Chap. XLVII.

[179] This portion of the chapter was prepared by Mrs. Alice Moore McComas, former president of the Los Angeles Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation and chairman of the Southern California press committee during the amendment campaign of 1896. A considerable amount of s.p.a.ce is given because it presents so admirable an example of the manner in which the work in such a campaign should be done.

[180] The first paper to establish a Suffrage Column was the Los Angeles _Express_, in 1887, H. Z. Osborne, editor. This was conducted by Mrs. McComas for three years.

[181] Among the many were Gertrude Foster, the young California actress, who added attraction to many programs with her brilliant readings, and Jessie, daughter of Superior Judge Waldo York, who won the prize of $75 offered by Dr. Ella Whipple Marsh, superintendent of franchise of the Southern California W. C. T. U., for the best essay on woman suffrage, one hundred young people of both s.e.xes competing.

An oratorical contest for young college men--original orations on woman suffrage--resulted in a $20 prize to Edwin Hahn of Pomona College, five young men partic.i.p.ating. Clare, daughter of Judge C. C.

McComas, gave highly-appreciated recitations on the woman question, and Miss Nina Cuthbert, the young teacher of elocution, delighted many audiences with her readings and wonderful imitations.

[182] Prominent among these were the Single Tax Club, Royal Arcanum, Foresters, Native Daughters of the Golden West, Socialist League, Y.

M. C. A., Carpenters' Union, Woman's Relief Corps, Y. W. C. A., Friday Morning Woman's Club and the Fraternal Brotherhood.

[183] It is regretted that the carefully compiled list of these papers, sent by Mrs. McComas, is too long to be used. [Eds.