Volume IV Part 83 (1/2)

B. Newcomer and W. H. Barnhart, editor of the _Advocate_.

[251] In 1901 the suffrage societies had a similar bill before the Legislature, supported by a large pet.i.tion. It was pa.s.sed by the House on March 5 by 52 ayes, 35 noes. Enough votes to carry it had been pledged in the Senate, but the night following its success in the House hurried consultations were held and the element which fights woman suffrage to the death issued its edict. The next morning the vote was reconsidered and the measure defeated. It was therefore unnecessary to bring it before the Senate.

[252] Mrs. Gougar's argument in full, with authorities cited, was published in a pamphlet of sixty pages.

[253] In 1901 the Political Equality Club of Indianapolis put up a woman candidate who polled over 4,000 votes but was not elected.

[254] The women who have filled this office are Sarah A. Oren, 1873-75; Margaret F. Peelle, 1879-1881; Elizabeth O. Callis, 1881-1889; Mary A. Ahern, 1893-1895; Mrs. E. L. Davidson, 1895-1897.

At present the first and second a.s.sistants are women.

[255] For particulars of this unique inst.i.tution see Vol. III, p. 970.

[256] A Monograph on the a.s.sociated Work of Indiana Women, prepared in 1893 by Mrs. Ida Husted Harper for the Columbian Exposition, showed about twenty county and city orphans' home entirely controlled by women, and also a number of Homes for the Friendless, Old Ladies'

Homes, Children's Aid Societies, etc.

[257] Some of the highest legal authorities in the State declare that this is not the law and that it will be so decided whenever the question is presented to another Supreme Court. If this should happen then women could practice law only by an amendment of the const.i.tution. What then would be the status of the cases in which Mrs.

Leach and other women had acted as attorney?

CHAPTER x.x.xIX.

IOWA.[258]

For thirty years the women of Iowa have been pet.i.tioning its legislative body for the elective franchise. Any proposed amendment to the State const.i.tution must pa.s.s two successive Legislatures before being submitted to the voters, which makes it exceedingly difficult to secure one. Throughout the State, however, there has been a steady, healthy growth of favorable sentiment and the cause now numbers its friends by thousands.

The Iowa Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation was formed in 1870 and ever since has held annual conventions. That of 1884 took place in Des Moines, November 27, 28, Mrs. Narcissa T. Bemis presiding. The report of the vice-president, Mrs. Jane Amy McKinney, stated that Miss Matilda Hindman of Pennsylvania had been employed two months of the year, besides working several weeks upon her own responsibility. She had delivered seventy-two lectures, formed about forty organizations and obtained many hundreds of names to pledges of help. Mrs. Helen M.

Gougar of Indiana had given fifteen addresses, distributed 3,000 tracts and secured 500 subscribers for her paper, _Our Herald_. Mrs.

Mariana T. Folsome, financial secretary, had gone from town to town, arranging her own meetings and visiting many places where no suffrage work ever before had been done. Mrs. Margaret W. Campbell, State organizer, had addressed 139 meetings and a.s.sisted in organizing ten counties. Letters urging a Sixteenth Amendment to the Federal Const.i.tution had been written to all the Iowa members of Congress.

The convention met Oct. 21, 22, 1885, in Cedar Rapids, and elected Mrs. Campbell president. Lucy Stone and Henry B. Blackwell delivered evening addresses, while among the delegates was Mrs. Carrie Lane Chapman (Catt). Mrs. Mary J. Coggeshall, chairman of the executive committee, reported that each of the eleven congressional districts had been given in charge of a vice-president of the State a.s.sociation, local societies had been formed, numerous public meetings held and seventeen counties organized. Pet.i.tions were in circulation asking the Legislature to amend the const.i.tution of the State so as to enfranchise women, and others that women be excused from paying taxes until they had representation. About forty weekly papers had columns edited by the press committee. At the State Agricultural Fair this committee had, as usual, a large amount of literature in a handsomely decorated booth, which was crowded with visitors from all parts of the State.

In the autumn of 1886 the annual meeting convened in Ottumwa. During that year funds had been raised and a permanent cottage erected on the State Fair grounds to be used as suffrage headquarters. There was also established in Des Moines a State paper, the _Woman's Standard_, with Mrs. Coggeshall as editor and Mrs. Martha C. Callanan as business manager. This paper, an eight-page monthly, issued its first number in September.[259]

The State Convention of 1887 was held in Des Moines, and that of 1888 in Ames. At the latter Miss Susan B. Anthony gave an inspiring address. The State Agricultural College is located at Ames, and Capt.

James Rush Lincoln of the military department tendered the delegates an exhibition drill on the campus of Company G, which was composed entirely of girls.

The annual convention took place in Oskaloosa, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1889. A letter of approval was received from George A. Gates, president of Iowa College. Mr. Blackwell and Lucy Stone were present and added much to the interest of the meetings. Mrs. Campbell was for the third time elected president.

On Dec. 4, 5, 1890, the a.s.sociation again a.s.sembled in Des Moines, with Miss Anthony in attendance. The resolutions recommended that the suffragists make an effort to place women on all the school boards, and that they work for the election of legislators favoring Munic.i.p.al and School Suffrage for women.

The society was incorporated under the State laws Nov. 7, 1891, as the Iowa Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation. The twentieth convention was held at Ames, December 3, 4. Three departments of work were arranged--fair, press and oratorical contest--and a superintendent of each was appointed. Reports were received from all parts of the State which indicated an increasing growth of sentiment and it was decided to place another organizer in the field. The delegates were invited by President William Beardshear to visit the State Agricultural College.

Upon their return they pa.s.sed a resolution declaring that ”the Legislature ought to provide a suitable hall for women students.”

Margaret Hall has since been erected, a commodious building designed for their exclusive use.

The twenty-first annual meeting was called at Des Moines, Sept. 22, 1892, in connection with the Mississippi Valley Suffrage Conference.

There were present Miss Anthony, president of the National a.s.sociation, Mr. Blackwell, Senator M. B. Castle and Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch of Illinois, Miss Laura Clay of Kentucky, Mrs. Sarah Burger Stearns of Minnesota and many others from different States. The report of Mrs. Eliza H. Hunter, chairman of the executive committee, said:

In no previous year has the demand upon our workers been so great, and never has the response been so quick and hearty. Mrs.