History of Woman Suffrage/Volume 6/Chapter 13

 

CHAPTER XIII.

INDIANA. PART 1.^[1]

Although Indiana was one of the first States in the Union to form a suffrage association in 1851 there were long periods when it was inactive but there were others when it flourished. In 1851 a constitution 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 Association 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 Association, 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 association 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. INDIANA 167 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 assistant was her hus- band, 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 association. Mrs. Ella S. Stewart of Chicago, Miss Harriet Noble of Indian- apolis 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 constitution by strik- ing out the word "male was presented to the Legislature, drafted frs. Leach. It passed the House committee unanimously, went to third reading and was shelved because of a proposed plan a new constitution brought out by Governor Thomas R. Marshall. The Municipal League composed of the mayors and "iincilmen of all the cities in the State invited the Equal Suf- o Association to provide speakers for the annual meeting at fordsville June 20 and Mrs. Noland, Miss Noble and Mrs. 1 They were courteously received and heard with much applause. 'I lie convention was not interested in woman suffrage but the pr< < much publicity. A State suffrage convention was held at this time. In August a monthly al called the ll'tninui Citizen was established in Indianapolis issociation with Mrs. I. each as editor, its columns open l68 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE to all suffrage organizations, and published for two years. New Albany, Jeffersonville, Markleville and Valparaiso clubs were added to the State association. 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 Satur- day before the meeting circulars announcing it and a parade were dropped over the city from an air ship. Every business house was beautifully dressed in suffrage colors. Mayor D. D. Fickle gave an address of welcome. The principal 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 association. Mrs. Noland was re-elected. Other officers were : Mrs. O. P. Smith, Logansport ; Mrs. Anna Cassangese, New Albany; Mrs. Margaret Williamson, Red Key; Dr. Emma G. Holloway, North Manchester, vice-presidents; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Katharine Hoffman, Logansport ; mem- ber National Executive Committee, Mrs. Leach; standing com- mittees, Legislation, Mrs. Leach; Church, Mrs. Alice Judah Clark, Vincennes; Endorsement, Mrs. Harriet Hotiser; Press, Mrs. Neff, both of Logansport. A publicity campaign was begun. Billboards were covered with posters and barns, fences and stones along the country road- ways 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 association and Mrs. Kate Wood Ray, its president, was made press chairman. On Oct. 12-14, I 9 I 4 the annual convention was held in INDIANA 169 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 association. Mr. Smith was a member of the legislative advisory committee. Miss Laura Clay of Ken- tucky, Dr. Frank Stockton of Bloomington and Miss Florence Wattles of Kokomo were the principal 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 Yattles. 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 introduced until the Assembly adjourned. In February, 1915, Mrs. Noland went before the national con- vention of miners in Indianapolis and secured a unanimous resolu- tion favoring State and national woman suffrage from the 1,600 delegates. In the summer the State association sent Miss Wattles for two months' speaking in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania suffrage campaigns. In July the Municipal League held its annual meeting in Logansport and the association, again called upon for i 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 11:4 -it Crawfordsville in 1911. At the State convention in inmittee was appointed for interviewing candidates pring primaries, especially those for Governor and the Legislature and Congress. Mrs. Ray, Mrs. h and Mrs. Xoland composed the committee. In the fall of 1916 the question of a new State constitution referred to the voters and the association placed women at all jx>llr in the cities and large towns. In the small - and country the voters received literature and letters asking t<> vote in favor. It was lost hut the work gave the women w /.eal and with the enlightenment of the voters the effort nore than worth while. At the State meeting in October I7O HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE 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 deci- sion could be brought about. The association 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 fol- lowing State organizations representing 80,000 organized women : Federation of Women's Clubs, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Mothers' Congress, Woman's Franchise League, Wo- man's Press Club, Association of Collegiate Alumnae, Consumers' League, Woman's Relief Corps, Equal Suffrage Association. These organizations represented an influence that could not be ignored. The officers were as follows : President, Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter (later Mrs. Fdward 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 Com- mittee was composed of the president and one delegate from each organization and Mrs. S. C. Stimson of Terre Haute was chair- man. The Council was financed by these organizations, assisted by churches, business men's clubs, ministers', teachers' and farmers' associations and individual contributions. The Act was ruled unconstitutional in October but the women had a taste of citizenship, for all over the State they had regis- tered and in some places they had voted on prohibition and public improvements. The Legislative Council sent out 75,000 registra- tion cards. Municipal authorities had appointed women to places of trust. The Suffrage Board formulated a plan for the study of citizenship, of the United States and State constitutions, methods of voting, etc., which has since been on the program of study for the local societies. In July, 1917, Mrs. Noland and Mrs. Ray were again asked to speak at the annual meeting of the Municipal League and the following was adopted with enthusiasm : "Resolved ; That the INDIANA 171 Municipal League of Indiana does hereby recommend full and equal suffrage for women in both State and nation." By a vote of the local societies it was decided not to call a con- vention during the war, as every woman was engaged in war work, but monthly board meetings were held in different towns in 1917 and 1918, keeping the busy women in touch with suf- frage work. During the Legislature of 1919 other organizations seemed desirous of pushing the suffrage work and the association voted to give them a free hand. It assisted the effort for the ratification of the Federal Amendment by sending letters and having resolutions passed by organizations. It has at this time (1920) 29 affiliated societies, 500 dues-paying members and over 6,000 non-dues-paying members. INDIANA. PART II. 1 During the early years of the present century there was no definite campaign for suffrage in Indiana but the partial success of repeated efforts to influence the General Assembly to pass various suffrage bills showed a large body of interested if unor- ganized favorable opinion. The State had never been entirely organized but there were several centers where flourishing asso- ciations kept up interest. In 1901 the State Woman Suffrage Association under the presidency of Mrs. Bertha G. Wade of Indianapolis engaged chiefly in legislative work but it gradually ceased effort. There were attempts toward its re-organization in the following years, assisted by the National Association, but interest proved to be not sufficiently keen or widespread. The Indianapolis Fqual Suffrage Society, organized in 1878 under the direction of Mrs. May Wright Sewall, had never sus- pended activities. Dr. Amelia 1. Keller was its president in 1909 and in order t> stimulate interest and give an outlet for the -y of its members, assisted by Mrs. Grace Julian Garke, Mrs. Felix T. MeYhirter. Mrs. John F. Barnhill, Mrs. W. T. Barnes. Mrs. Winfield Scott Johnson and Dr. Rebecca Rogers ry is indebted for this part of the cl- i kin. Lenore TIanna Cox. an hinc League from its ln-Rinnin K in ion until its wo, k finithcd in 19^0, 172 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE George, she formed the Women's School League on October i, "to elect a woman to the school board and improve the schools of Indianapolis." Dr. Keller was made president and the other officers were, vice-presidents, Dr. George and Mrs. McWhirter; secretary, Mrs. Julia C. Henderson; treasurer, Miss Harriet Noble; directors, Mrs. Clarke, Mrs. Barnhill, Mrs. Arthur B. Grover, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Linton A. Cox, Mrs. Laura Kregelo, Mrs. Edgar A. Perkins, Dr. Mary A. Spink, Miss Belle O'Hair and Miss Tarquinia Voss. Many of these names become familiar in the later records of suffrage work. The first part of the league's program succeeded and a woman was elected to the school board of Indianapolis. At the same time the women of Terre Haute, where under a new law the school board was elective, made a like attempt through the Woman's Club and the local suffrage society and were also successful. These were the only places where school boards were elective. Many women showed themselves eager to work for a woman on the school board who were indifferent to the larger aspects of suffrage. It was soon clear, however, that the schools could not stand alone in municipal affairs but where boards were not elected it would be necessary to vote for Mayor and councilmen to influence school conditions, therefore on April 21, 1911, the organization dropped the word "school" from its title and became the Woman's Fran- chise League of Indiana. Dr. Keller continued as president and associated with her as officers were Mrs. Meredith Nicholson and Mrs. McWhirter, vice-presidents; Mrs. Henderson, secretary; Mrs. Barnhill, treasurer. A State convention of the league was held in Indianapolis April 12, 1912, and one took place annually after that date, always in the capital. At this convention Dr. Martha Griffiths of Crawfordsville and Dr. Adah McMahon of Lafayette were added to the directors. This year the league affiliated with the National American Woman Suffrage Association. 1 By May, 1 From 1912-1919 the following women served as vice-presidents, some for several terms: Mrs. Meredith Nicholson, Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter, Mrs. Ovid B. Jameson, Mrs John F. Barnhill, Mrs. Julia Fried Walker, Mrs. Isaac Born, all of Indianapolis; Mrs. Lenore Hanna Cox, Mrs. C. M. Curry, Miss Helen Benbridge, Mrs. Leon Stern, of Terre Haute; Mrs. Fred McCulloch, Mrs. Olaf Guldlin, of Fort Wayne; Mrs. Horace Stilwell, Anderson; Mrs. R. M. Johnson, Franklin; Mrs. A. D. Moffett. Elwood: Adah E. Bush, Kentland; Mrs. A. H. Beardsley. Elkhart; Mrs. Charles J. Gill, Muncie; Mrs. Chester Evans, Bloomington; Miss Betsy Jewett Edwards, Shelbyville. INDIANA 173 1916, there were sixty branch leagues and 3,000 members; in May, 1919, there were 300 branches and 16,000 members. Dr. Keller continued as president until the convention of 1917, when Mrs. Richard E. Edwards of Peru was elected and served two years. At the convention of 1919 Miss Helen Benbridge of Terre Haute was chosen. The Franchise League was exceed- ingly fortunate in its three presidents, who gave the most of their time, thought and effort to its demands without salary. Dr. Keller organized it largely through the force of her own personality and was able to gather around her other strong and determined women through whom the idea of suffrage was car- ried out into the State. Mrs. Edwards took up the work of more intensive organization of the State outside of Indianapolis and succeeded, with Miss Benbridge as State organizer, in multiply- ing the branch leagues and the members by five. Miss Ben- bridge's work as president was that of consolidating these gains and directing the women in the use of the vote which they thought they had won. The list is too long to be given of those who deserve special mention for years of devoted service. From the spring of 1917 to the autumn of 1918 the members of force and character were drawn upon for war service and the league suffered the temporary loss of some of its best workers, who were filling executive positions in the many war cies. Of the directorate Miss Adah Bush worked first in Washington with the Woman's Council of National Defense- and later went to France with the Young Women's Christian Asso- ciation; Mrs. Fred McCullodl was State chairman of Liberty Loans; Dr. McMahon went to France on the staff of the Women's Oversea Hospitals; Mrs. Henderson was chairman of the "l'.iir minute speakers" lio at their own expense- c over the 5 eaking for Liberty Loans, Red Cross, etc. ( nder the able direction of Miss Benbridge the league con- tinued to increase until there were but four counties in which it had no representation. The i handed status of members from Mrs. Julia C. Henderson, seen i to 1917, was succeeded by Miss Dora Bosart, both of Indianapolis; Mrs. John C. Morrison of Lafayette, and Mrs. Richard wards, of Peru. Miss Harriet Noble, the first treasurer, was succeeded by Misses Eldena and Sara Lauter, both of Indianapolis; Miss Adah E. Bush; Mrs. Mindwell Crampton Wilson, Delphi; Mrs. Charles J. Gill. 174 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE suffrage workers to voters necessitated a different sort of activ- ity. Organizers were still employed to some extent and suffrage propaganda used in the more remote counties but the stress was laid upon teaching women to use the vote intelligently and appre- ciate the power it gives. A Citizenship School of the nature of a Normal School was held in Indianapolis in October and women from all over the State attended a five days' session and heard talks on the nature and various functions of the government and the duties of citizens, by men and women who were experts in their various lines. They took back to their own towns the inspiration received and these schools were carried on quite generally. The State Superintendent of Education sent out a bulletin asking the teachers to give their aid and recommending that the public schools be used for this work. A monograph entitled An Aid to the Citizen in Indiana was prepared by Miss Martha Block of Terre Haute and published by the league. This movement to train the new voters commanded the respect of educators and several professors in educational institutions offered their services as teachers in the schools of citizenship. The convention of April, 1920, was the end of the Franchise League. With the near ratification of the Federal Amendment work for suffrage seemed to be finished in Indiana. As a Presi- dential suffrage bill had been passed by the General Assembly the women of the State were already partial voters, so the league disbanded and in its place was formed the State League of Women Voters, with Mrs. A. H. Beardsley of Elkhart as presi- dent. The branches became auxiliaries and the leaders realized that the task of getting the vote was nearly accomplished that of using it had just begun. LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1901. Through the efforts of the Equal Suffrage Association a resolution for an amendment to the State constitution to strike out the word "male" in the suffrage section was introduced. In the Senate it was buried in committee. In the House it received a vote of 49 ayes, 33 noes a two-thirds majority being necessary. Later it was reconsidered and passed by a vote of 52 to 32. This vote was also recon- sidered and the amendment laid on the table. 1907. Municipal suffrage bill was defeated by the Senate. INDIANA 175 1911. A similar measure was reported favorably out of com- mittees but lost in the Lower House by 41 ayes, 48 noes, and no action was taken by the Senate. 1913. A resolution to submit a woman suffrage amendment was held up in committees. The Senate passed a School suffrage bill by 27 ayes, 10 noes, but there was no action in the House. 1915. A Presidential suffrage bill passed in the Senate by 37 ayes, 3 noes, was held up in the House. 1917. This year will long be remembered by suffrage workers as one of triumphs and defeats. The legislative session was a continued triumph and showed that public opinion was in favor of granting political rights to women. A great help was the agitation for a new constitution. The present constitution was adopted in 1851. An early court decision that an amendment in order to carry must have a majority of all the votes cast at the election made amending it a practical impossibility and for a long time there had been a widespread demand for a new one for the sake of many needed reforms. The suffragists joined the agitation for it, as this seemed the only way to get the vote by State action. The General Assembly of 1917 was carefully selected to pass the Prohibition Amendment and was known to be favorable to the calling of a constitutional convention. While the suffragists placed their hope in a new constitution yet in order to leave no means untried the Legislative Council of Women was formed at the suggestion of Mrs. Grace Julian Clarke, composed of rep- resentatives of eight or ten State organizations, of which the Women's Franchise League was one. Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter was made president and it was decided to present a Presidential and Municipal suffrage bill similar to the one passed by the Illinois Legislature in 191^ and sustained by the courts. The Council had quarters in the State House granted by the Governor; the Women's Franchise League immediately estab- lished a bureau there by his consent with Mrs. John F. Barnhill and Miss Alma Sickler in charge and all the women labored dili- gently for the success of the measure. The work over the State necessarily done largely by the I ranchise League, as it had the local societies necessary. The Council secured the aid of Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, a lawyer of Chicago, who had been closely identified with the Illinois law. For the first time in the history of Indiana's struggle for equal suffrage there was active opposition by women. Nineteen, all of Indianapolis, appealed to the Senate Committee on Rights and Privileges, which had the bill in charge, for a hearing in order to protest. 1 This was granted but it resulted in an enthusiastic suffrage meeting. The "nineteen," who asserted that they spoke for 90 per cent, of unorganized women in Indiana, were represented by Mrs. Lucius B. Swift, Miss Minnie Bronson, secretary of the National Anti-Suffrage Association, and Charles McLean of Iowa, who was in its employ. Mrs. McCulloch, Meredith Nicholson, Mrs. Edward Franklin White, now president of the Council, former Mayor Charles A. Bookwalter and a number of others spoke for the bill.

The calendar of suffrage events in the Legislature of 1917 was as follows : On January 23 the bill for a constitutional conven- tion passed the House by 87 ayes, 10 noes; on the 3ist it passed the Senate by 34 ayes, 14 noes, and on February i was signed by Governor James P. Goodrich. On February 8 the Presidential- Municipal suffrage bill passed the Senate by 32 ayes, 16 noes. It also provided that women could vote for delegates to the constitutional convention, were eligible to election as delegates and could vote on the adoption of the proposed new constitution. On the 22nd it passed the House by 67 ayes, 24 noes, and was signed by the Governor. The Legislature also voted to submit a full suffrage amendment to the electors.

Although it was early apparent that these laws would be car- ried into the courts preparations were at once made by the women for registering. The Franchise League opened booths in tha shopping districts in the cities and urged the women in the coun- try to go to the court house and register when in town. They sent out women notaries with blanks to register the women. 2

1 Mesdames Lucius B. Swift, William Watson Woollen, George C. Hitt, L. H. Levey, S. A. Fletcher, Harry Murphy, Edward Daniels, Samuel Reid, H. H. Harrison, William H. H. Miller, S. B. Sutphin, F. G. Darlington, Philamon A. Watson, Henry Scott Fraser, E. C. Atkins, A. Bennett Gates, Evans Woollen; Misses Caroline Harrison Rowland and Josephine Hershall. 2 Issued by the Campaign Organization Committee of the Woman's Franchise League and circulated by the thousands. This is a Statewide campaign drive, so do your part by fully carrying out the following INDIANA 177 In Vigo county, of which Terre Haute is the county seat, 12,000 registered, more than the average number of men who usually voted at elections. In all parts of the State the registration of women was very large and the women were studying political questions and showing much interest in their new duties. Meanwhile the action of the Legislature was taken into the courts. On June 25 Judge W. W. Thornton of the Marion County (Indianapolis) Superior Court gave a decision that the Legislature had no authority to call for an election of delegates to a constitutional convention and no right to grant to women the privilege of voting for such delegates or any constitution which might be submitted to the voters. The case was at once appealed to the State Supreme Court, which on July 13 sustained the decision. Chief Justice Erwin wrote the opinion and Justices Spencer, Harvey and Myers concurred. Justice M. B. Lairy filed a dissenting opinion. There was a wide difference of opinion among the lawyers of the State. This decision did not affect the limited suffrage law, which gave women the right to vote for (i) Presidential electors; (2) all State officers not expressly named in the constitution, includ- ing Attorney General and Judges of the Appellate, Superior, Criminal, Probate and Juvenile Courts; (3) all city, township and county officers not named in the constitution. The law was referred to as nine-tenths suffrage. Action was brought in the Superior Court of Marion county for a decision on this law. The Court gave an adverse decision but it embraced definitely only the Municipal suffrage. On Octo- ber 26 the Supreme Court upheld this decision concerning Muni- cipal suffrage and implied that the entire Act was invalid. The sel for the suffragists, including some of the foremost law- program: i. On Saturday. June 30, an auto tour must be made in < ;u h r.umty. Start these tours in every town where there is an ornaiiizt-d leagur ".! pi.m-ed through the county, distributing flyers, posting hills and making trn-mir. <s in every town and village. 2. Sunday, July i. is Woman Citizen's Sunday throughout the State. Aik that forceful appeal be made fn.m all pulpits urging every woman to recognize and

• T her new citizenship duty. The clergy of all denominations del the impor-

tance of this step you will tm<l tlicm ready and willing to cooperate. 3. Push rcgis- of women during the week of July 4 as a patriotic im-a- < favorable n of woman suffrage in all speeches. 4. Close the week's campaign by a mass meeting of all local women's organizations, including clubs, lodges and church societies. S. Secure all the newspaper space possible for this patriotic week. Publish this entire program and report its progress daily to your local papers . . . 178 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE yers in the State, with Eli Stansbury, Attorney General, and Mrs. McCulloch, presented masterly arguments. The decision of the Supreme Court was condemned by many besides the suffragists. The hearing was not held before a full bench and the decision was not unanimous, Judge Lawson J. Harvey hand- ing down a dissenting opinion, so that two men virtually decided this momentous question. By Jan. i, 1919 the Federal Suffrage Amendment had passed the Lower House of Congress and was pending in the Senate and the first act of this year's Legislature, convened in joint session before either House had organized, was to adopt a reso- lution with but one opposing vote calling on the U. S. Senate to submit the amendment, which was signed by the Governor and forwarded to Washington. There still remained from the legislation of 1917 the amend- ment to the State constitution, which in order to be submitted to the voters had to be passed also by the Assembly of 1919. The result of the election of 1918 in the State had been an over- whelmingly Republican victory. Since the party had the Gov- ernor and a majority of both branches of the Assembly, it wished to put through a program of legislation that called for amending the constitution and the leaders requested the women to withdraw the suffrage amendment, as while one was pending another could not be introduced. Feeling that withdrawal with a friendly majority was better than defeat and enmity, the board of the Franchise League consented. One of the rewards for this sacrifice, which meant a delay of two years in presenting a State amendment to the voters, was the Presidential suffrage bill, which passed on February 6 with six dissenting votes out of a membership of 150. Three of these were in the Senate, Erskine of Evansville, Haggerty of South Bend and Kline of Hunting- ton; three in the House, Sambor, Bidaman and O'Neal, the last two from Terre Haute, Sambor from Indiana Harbor. The vote to submit an amendment was unanimous in both Houses. RATIFICATION. When the U. S. Senate finally voted on June 4 to submit the Federal Suffrage Amendment the Legisla- ture of 1919 had adjourned. The question of ratification was of course uppermost in the minds of the leaders of the Franchise INDIANA 179 League and there would be no regular session until 1921. Gov- ernor Goodrich came to the rescue by promising to call a special session, probably in August or September of the present year, and sent out an invitation to other Governors of States similarly situated to join him in securing enough special sessions to ratify the amendment at an early date. The Governor of Indiana has power to call a special session but can not restrict its action. Owing to internal affairs of the State which developed the Gov- ernor postponed indefinitely calling the session, assuring the suffragists, however, that it should be held in time for them to vote at the general election of 1920. Finally after repeated im- portunities he announced on December 30 that he would call the special session for Jan. 15, 1920, if a two-thirds majority of the Legislature would agree to consider only ratification. Although both political parties had declared in favor of ratify- ing the amendment yet the women were expected to secure these pledges and it was no small task but it seemed to be the only way. The suffragists looked to the Franchise League for action and it assumed the burden. Miss Helen Benbridge, its efficient president, soon made the politicians see the wisdom of a special session. Under her skillful management letters from the Gov- ernor were sent immediately to all the legislators enclosing this agreement : "I hereby pledge myself to attend a special session of the General Assembly limited to the ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment and to vote for adjournment immediately rwards." The Franchise League opened headquarters in Indianapolis and every pressure, political and other kinds, was brought to bear on the members and answers began to come in as early as Janu- ary 4. It certainly was a surprise to the politicians when on the afternoon of January 13 Miss Benbridge was able to take to crnor Goodrich signed pledges from 35 Senators and (*~ Representatives, a two-thirds majority in each House. The Gov- ernor at once issued a call for a special session on January [6i allowing two days for members to reach Indianapolis. That many legislators were willing to lay aside party prejudice and meet for a non-partisan purpose speaks volumes for the per- sonnel of the General Assembly of [919, Recognition is due l8o HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE especially to the Democratic members, as the Republicans were obeying the call of their chief but the Democrats, on the sum- mons of a Republican Governor, laid aside their convictions and acted solely in the interest of the women of their State. The Assembly convened at 10 a. m. on Jan. 16, 1920, and more than a hundred suffrage workers from all parts of the State were present to see the fruition of their hopes. Miss Ben- bridge, president, and Mrs. Edwards, past president of the league, sat on the rostrum in the Senate Chamber beside Lieu- tenant Governor Edgar D. Bush, and in the House beside Speaker Jesse Eschbach, while the vote was being taken. The Senators enjoyed what was termed "the last wail" of the three anti-suffra- gists who voted no Kline, Haggerty and Franklin McCray of Indianapolis. Forty-three votes were cast in favor. The reso- lution was then taken to the House, which had organized and was waiting, and, after suspension of the rules so that the three necessary readings might be had in one day, it was passed by the unanimous vote of the 93 members present. It was signed at once by the presiding officers and at half past four of the same afternoon by Governor Goodrich, who wished in this way to show his agreement, though his signature was not legally neces- sary. Mrs. Goodrich, Miss Benbridge, many officers of the Franchise League and other interested suffragists witnessed the signing. With this act the long struggle for political rights for women which began in Indiana in the middle of the nineteenth century was finished. A large and enthusiastic meeting of the board of the Franchise League was then held and there was general congratulation. Miss Benbridge, who presided, said: 'The work that assured the special session and the result achieved was done, not by the little group of women in the Indianapolis headquarters, although their work was well done, but by the women over the State. Much credit for the success belongs to the Franchise League mem- bers everywhere, who have won the sentiment of their localities for woman suffrage."

 

1. The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Mrs. Anna Dunn Noland, president of the State Equal Suffrage Association.