Volume VI Part 18 (1/2)

W. T. Johnston, auditor, and eight district presidents.

During the months that followed, educational work and helpful interest in States having campaigns was carried forward. At a meeting in Emporia, April 3, 1914, the measures to be supported in the next Legislature by the a.s.sociation were chosen and a study of the political situation was made. The candidates for Governor, Arthur Capper (Republican), George H. Hodges (Democrat) and Professor George W. Kleihege of Washburn College (Socialist) presented the principles of their parties. Henry J. Allen (Progressive) sent greetings and Dean Relvix of Ottawa University explained the tenets of this party. A legislative school followed, attended by women from many sections of the State. A rally to help the campaign in Missouri was held in Kansas City October 15, with a banquet and speeches on the Missouri side and an all day and evening meeting on the Kansas side. The princ.i.p.al speakers were Dean Sophonisba Breckinridge of the University of Chicago and Justice J. S. West of the Kansas Supreme Court. The annual convention met in Lawrence Dec. 19, 1914, and Mrs. Bullard was elected president.

In 1915 the convention was held in Topeka. As war problems were filling the hearts and minds of the people, only a business meeting was held. The usual resolution urging the delegation in Congress to use all honorable means to put through the Federal Suffrage Amendment was pa.s.sed.

In 1916 the convention was held in Memorial Hall, Topeka, and the name Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation was restored. Governor Capper commended the women for their good influence on legislation. Mrs. Catt, president of the National a.s.sociation, reviewed its activities, and urged Kansas women to work for the Federal Amendment and go to the national political conventions. Money was raised for the Iowa campaign. There had been several attempts to organize a ”militant” suffrage society in Kansas under the name of the Congressional Union and a number of men and women had been innocently led into it. A ”question box” conducted by Mrs. Catt did much to clarify the situation, making it plain that there was no chance of united work by the two organizations as they were diametrically opposed in methods. She addressed the Commercial Club at a noon luncheon and many business men testified to the good results of woman suffrage. Mrs. W. Y. Morgan was elected president.

The Kansas members of Congress, all of whom were in favor of the Federal Amendment, were continuously urged to press for its submission. About fifty Kansas women marched in the great suffrage parade in Chicago at the time of the Republican national convention in June.

The convention met in Topeka June 21, 1917, and Mrs. Morgan declining re-election, Mrs. Charles H. Brooks of Wichita was made president. The annual meeting of 1918 was held in Wichita June 12. The money had been raised to send two envoys to the Southern States and then on to Was.h.i.+ngton, Mrs. Henry Ware Allen and Mrs. Yaggy, both of charming personality and belonging to the Democratic party, to obtain the help of Congressmen from the South, and it is gratifying to remember that the securing of the last necessary votes in the House in January might be attributed to the efforts of these two women. It was voted to send money and speakers to help in the Oklahoma campaign, where the liquor interests were making a strong fight against the amendment. Mrs.

Brooks' excellent work soon brought results. It was hard to raise money for anything except winning the war but she never lost sight of the fact that winning votes for the Federal Amendment was winning democracy for the world. Almost without exception the officers of the a.s.sociation represented families with men in uniform. The suffragists sold in the Third and Fourth Liberty Loans $20,000,000 worth of bonds and they worked in every ”drive” through the Woman's Committee of the Council of Defense. Mrs. Brooks and her entire board were re-elected.

As guests of the Wichita Equal Suffrage Society delegates and visitors were 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 had been elected president of the National League of Women Voters and the Kansas a.s.sociation loyally changed its name to the State League of Women Voters. A largely attended ”victory dinner” was given at the La.s.sen Hotel. Mrs. Brooks was succeeded by Mrs. Henry Ware Allen, who later resigned, and the Executive Board in November called on the well beloved veteran, Mrs. Catharine A. Hoffman, again to take the presidency. A special meeting of the a.s.sociation and a citizens.h.i.+p school were held in Wichita Jan. 19-25, 1920, the latter conducted by Miss Marie B. Ames of St. Louis, the regional director of the National League of Women Voters.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION. After an amendment to the State const.i.tution was defeated by the voters in 1894, women asked for full suffrage only now and then, but encouraged by Henry B. Blackwell of Ma.s.sachusetts they made special efforts after 1900 to obtain the vote for presidential electors.

1901. The Presidential suffrage bill pa.s.sed the Senate by a vote of 22 to 13, but the next day the vote was reconsidered on motion of Senator G. A. Knofster and the bill defeated by 23 to 13. It died on the House calendar. On January 14 Representative J. A. Butler of Wyandotte county introduced a bill the purpose of which was to deprive women of Munic.i.p.al suffrage. A storm of protests began at once to pour in and it was estimated that 10,000 letters were sent to members by women from their home districts. The bill was twice killed in committee and received less than ten votes, amid derision and laughter, when its author tried to have it placed on the calendar.

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

1905. Governor Edward W. Hoch in his message to the Legislature recommended full suffrage for women and a committee of seven on the Political Rights of Women was appointed in the House. Early in the session the politicians stated that no full suffrage measure would be introduced. Later I. W. Crumley, chairman of the committee, introduced a bill for Presidential suffrage, which pa.s.sed the House, 65 ayes, 50 noes, and was killed in the Senate.

1907. A House concurrent resolution to submit a const.i.tutional amendment died in Committee of the Whole and no action was taken in the Senate.

1909. The House bill conferring Presidential suffrage was reported favorably, 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 Henry Block, and all available s.p.a.ce on the floor and in the galleries was filled during the discussion. It pa.s.sed on February 7 by 94 ayes, 28 noes. The Senate resolution introduced by Senator George H. Hodges was pa.s.sed on February 11 by 27 ayes, 12 noes. A two-thirds majority is required to pa.s.s an amendment resolution and Senator Frank Travis cast the last and deciding vote. It was signed by Governor Stubbs. The amendment went to the voters Nov. 5, 1912, and received a majority in favor of 16,049.

1913. The att.i.tude of the Legislature this year was in marked contrast to that of previous sessions and those who feared that women would lose influence by being enfranchised were certainly undeceived.

Judging from the number of welfare bills introduced without their solicitation it seemed that the members were vying with each other as to who should champion the most. Instead of dodging or ignoring the requests of women's committees their advice and wishes were sought.

1915. The following resolution was pa.s.sed unanimously by both Houses: ”Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas, the House concurring therein, that it is the judgment of this Legislature that the granting of the right of suffrage to the women of the State, so long withheld from them, was not only an act of justice to a disfranchised cla.s.s, but that it also has proved to be of great good to the State and to the women themselves.” This was approved March 15 by the Governor and sent to Congress, and similar resolutions were pa.s.sed by each Legislature until the Federal Amendment was submitted.

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

Among the women who were active in legislative work were Mesdames Lillian Mitchner, C. C. G.o.ddard, 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 the Legislature for the purpose of ratifying the Federal Suffrage Amendment eleven days after it had been submitted by Congress on June 4, 1919. Representative Minnie J. Grinstead introduced the joint resolution and it was pa.s.sed unanimously on June 16 by both Houses and approved by the Governor and forwarded to the Secretary of State on the 17th.

FOOTNOTES:

[52] The History is indebted for this chapter to Lucy B. (Mrs. William A.) Johnston, president of the State Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation when the victory was won. She is under obligations to H. G. Larimer, legislative reference and bill drafting department; Miss Henrietta Alexander, legislative reference librarian; L. J. Pettyjohn, Secretary of State; Miss Lorraine E. Wooster, State superintendent of public instruction; 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 labor department; 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, the Hon. Geo. Waters, the Hon. C. C. Gafford, the Rev. Festus Foster, the Rev. 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.