Volume VI Part 5 (1/2)

Johnson refusing to ask for reconsideration.

The members of the suffrage lobby toured the State, telling the story of the legislative defeat and showing what would be the benefits of a direct primary law. During the Chautauqua meeting in the Yosemite in July, through the efforts of a.s.semblyman Drew of Fresno, an entire day and evening were granted for an excellent suffrage program of a strong political flavor with Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Coffin and Mrs. Gamage in charge.

1910. The reform element in the Legislature did succeed in enacting a direct primary law, which, although imperfect, enabled the voters for the first time in the history of the State to speak for themselves.

Stimulated and encouraged the Republican State convention of 1910 met in San Francisco and was dominated by the progressive element. The good government forces had been successful in Los Angeles and had unanimously included the suffrage plank in their county platform, J.

H. Braly a.s.sisting in this result. Santa Clara county under the leaders.h.i.+p of Charles Blaney had done likewise, and the delegates came to the State convention prepared to force its adoption. It needed that solid front of eighty-three votes from south of the Tehachapi and the militant argument of the st.u.r.dy Santa Clara delegation to bring the San Francisco leaders into line. The amendment plank was taken up by the Resolutions Committee, of which Harris Weinstock was chairman, and given the same careful consideration accorded every other proposed plank. The women attended the convention in numbers but were not required to go before this committee, which adopted it unanimously. It was adopted as part of the platform by the convention with three cheers. Thus it became a man's measure and the policy of the Progressive Republican party. To the regret of many prominent supporters of the amendment in the Democratic ranks the convention of that party failed to endorse it. The reason was simple--the ”machine”

forces which had hitherto dominated the Republican conventions now concentrated their strength on the Democratic. A progressive Legislature was nominated and a man for Governor who had sufficient courage to carry out a progressive program--Hiram W. Johnson--the women contributing to his success in not a few counties. The election was a Progressive victory and the chairman of the Republican State Central Committee called a meeting of its members and the members elect of the Legislature for 1911 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco and appointed committees for a.s.sisting the legislators in carrying out the promises of the platform. A committee of the leading legislators was appointed to see that a woman suffrage amendment to the const.i.tution was submitted.

1911. The action taken in 1911 has been described.

In 1915 the Legislature by unanimous vote of both Houses pa.s.sed resolutions 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 Amendment was hanging in the balance in Congress, a pet.i.tion from the State Federation of Women's Clubs was sent to the Legislature through Mrs.

Alfred Bartlett of Los Angeles that it would memorialize Congress on the subject. Without a dissenting vote the following pa.s.sed both Houses in just twelve minutes: ”Whereas, the women of the United States are being called upon to share the burdens and sacrifices of the present national crisis and they are patriotically responding to that call, be it Resolved by the Senate of California with the a.s.sembly concurring that the denial of the right of women to vote on equal terms with men is an injustice and we do urge upon Congress the submission to the Legislatures of the States for their ratification of an amendment to the U. S. Const.i.tution granting women the right to vote.”

RATIFICATION. Governor William D. Stephens called the Legislature to meet in special session Nov. 1, 1919, for the one purpose of ratifying the Federal Amendment, which had been submitted June 4. The Women's Legislative Council had unanimously urged this action in convention.

More than a hundred members of the various suffrage societies went to Sacramento and before the vote was taken they gave a luncheon for the legislators, which was attended by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and State officials. The speakers were the Governor and the presidents of many State organizations of women. The ratification was not a matter of controversy and the vote in favor was unanimous in the Senate, 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 by women and the positions held by women in the universities, which the lack of s.p.a.ce compelled to be omitted. In 1918 for the first time four were elected to the Legislature and received important committee appointments and there have been a few other women legislators. In San Francisco a Doctor of Jurisprudence of the University of California, Mrs. Annette Abbott Adams, was the first in the country to hold the position of U. S. District Attorney. In 1920 another, Miss Frances H.

Wilson, was a.s.sistant district attorney. On the teaching force of the State University at Berkeley were ninety-three women in December, 1919, including Dr. Jessica Peixotto, full professor of economics, three a.s.sociate and seven a.s.sistant professors and two a.s.sistant professors in the medical college. At Leland Stanford Junior University are one woman professor emeritus (psychology); two a.s.sociate professors, eight a.s.sistant professors--over 40 women on the teaching force.

FOOTNOTES:

[10] For the ”a.s.sembling” of the different parts of this chapter and much of the work on it the History is indebted to Mary McHenry (Mrs.

William) Keith, president of the State Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation; for Legislative Action to Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, chairman of the State Legislative Committee; for matter on Southern California to Miss M. 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 as corresponding secretary and treasurer. Others who held State offices during the years were Mrs. Chapman, Mrs. Corbert, Dr. Minora Kibbe, Mrs. Alice L. Park, Mrs. Osborne, Dr. Charlotte Baker, Miss Belle Angier, 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. Therese S. Speddy, Mrs. Coffin, Mrs. Ella Mitch.e.l.l, Dr. Minerva Goodman, Mrs.

Francesca Pierce, Mrs. Lucretia Watson Taylor, Mrs. Helen Moore, Mrs.

Lilian Hough, Mrs. Lehman Blum, Mrs. Martha Pierce, Mrs. Augusta Jones.

[12] While in San Francisco Miss Anthony found time to give one sitting for a large oil portrait by William Keith, which was completed after her death in the spring of 1906 and looked down upon the audience from the chancel of the Unitarian church in San Francisco at the memorial services for her on Palm Sunday, April 8. It was s.h.i.+pped to her home in Rochester, N. Y., the day before the earthquake of April 18, but it escaped destruction by fire only to meet with mishap after the death of Miss Mary S. Anthony, to whom it had been presented by the wife of the artist. Miss Anthony was shown seated near an open window from which a beautiful sunset was seen; a lavender robe and a crimson 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 that during the years that led up to the campaign and in the campaign her contributions 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 Pyle Little, Mrs. Sarah Wilde Houser, Mrs. Josephine Marlett, Mrs. Alice E.

Brodwell, Mrs. Mary A. Kenney, Mrs. Mary Alderman Garb.u.t.t, Mrs. Martha Salyer, Miss Margaret M. Fette, Mrs. Cora D. Lewis.

[15] Among the names that constantly occur in the State work as speakers, writers, on committees, etc., besides those specially mentioned, are Mrs. Emma Shafter Howard, Miss Mary S. Keene, Mrs. J.