CALIFORNIA.[10]
The first ten years of the new century--Woman's Century--were years of
laborious effort in California to educate the public mind and
familiarize it with the idea of "votes for women." At the beginning of
the second decade the State had given them the complete suffrage and
at its close the women of the entire nation were enfranchised by an
amendment to the Federal Constitution.
A resubmission of the question in California could not be expected for
several years after the defeat of a constitutional amendment in 1896,
although no subsequent Legislature met without discussing the subject
and voting on some phase of it. The liquor interests continued a
persistent opposition but the suffrage association had a powerful ally
in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, with its franchise
department and its well organized army of workers, and, although
somewhat discouraged for a few years, held its annual convention and
reorganization was gradually effected. The State convention of 1900
met December 14, 15, in Golden Gate Hall, San Francisco, with the
president, Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, in the chair. A resolution was
adopted commending the former State president, Ellen Clark (Mrs. Aaron
A.) Sargent, for instituting suit against the tax collector for the
return of her taxes paid in San Francisco under written protest. [See
Volume IV, page 504.] The members were urged to file a protest when
paying taxes because they had no representation. It was declared that
the time was opportune for organized effort to have the Legislature
again submit an amendment to the voters. A vote of thanks was given
to Miss Clara Schlingheyde for her success in obtaining donations for
the national suffrage bazaar in New York and appreciation expressed
for the generous response of California people, especially for the
donation of William Keith, the artist, of his picture, Spring in the
Napa Valley. Mrs. Swift having served four years as president declined
to hold the office longer and Mrs. Mary S. Sperry retired as treasurer
after serving seven years. The following board was elected: Honorary
presidents, Mrs. Sargent of San Francisco and Mrs. Ellen Knox Goodrich
of San Jose; president, Mrs. Annie R. Wood, Alameda; first, second and
third vice-presidents, Mrs. Lovell White, San Francisco, Mrs. E. O.
Smith, San Jose, Mrs. Annie K. Bidwell, Chico; corresponding
secretary, Miss Carrie Whelan, Oakland; recording secretary, Mrs.
Dorothy Harnden; treasurer, Miss Schlingheyde, both of San Francisco;
auditors, Mrs. A. K. Spero and Mrs. Keith.
A visit in 1901 from Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the
National American Suffrage Association, greatly encouraged the clubs.
Acting upon her urgent request, Mrs. Keith revived the Berkeley club,
which soon doubled its membership and with the Oakland and Alameda
clubs became a strong influence. There were three clubs in San
Francisco and an active organization in Santa Clara county, made up of
San Jose, Palo Alto and other clubs. Mrs. May Wright Sewall, president
of the International Council of Women, came for an extended course of
lectures in the interest of women's advancement. Women's organizations
urged many changes in the unjust community property law, the W. C. T.
U., the Women's Parliament of Southern California and the State
Suffrage Association sending representatives to plead with the
legislators. A School suffrage bill passed the House and was defeated
by only seven votes in the Senate and there was constant agitation.
The State convention this year was held at San Francisco in Yosemite
Hall, Native Sons' Building, October 18, 19, with a large number of
delegates and an interesting program. Executive board meetings had
been held throughout the year and it was reported that eighty papers
were publishing suffrage matter sent them. Mrs. Leland Stanford in an
interview in the San Francisco _Examiner_ had declared herself in
favor of woman suffrage and a letter of appreciation was sent to her.
The annual convention met October 24, 25, 1902, in Century Hall, San
Francisco, with a large attendance and many excellent speakers, among
them Dr. David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University, and B.
Fay Mills, the noted revivalist. Greetings were read from Miss Susan
B. Anthony, Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, the national treasurer, and
Mrs. Caroline M. Severance, the loved pioneer, now in her 83rd year,
who had come from the East to Los Angeles over twenty years before.
The reports showed that the board had been in constant communication
with the national officers; an organizer, Mrs. Florence Stoddard, had
been engaged; the treasury receipts were increasing; eighteen new
clubs were recorded and there was general progress. Miss Vida
Goldstein, a prominent suffrage leader of Australia, had been the
guest of the association and a letter was sent to the Woman's Council
of Australia, expressing gratitude for the assistance she had been in
the United States. Australia's recent enfranchisement of her 800,000
women with eligibility to the national Parliament had given great
encouragement to those of California. Mrs. Sperry was persuaded to
take the presidency.[11] An interesting event reported was a suffrage
meeting of the Sierra Club of mountain lovers one summer evening in
King's River Canyon, where it was encamped. In the audience of over
two hundred prominent men and women were Professor Joseph Le Conte,
John Muir, William Keith, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, head of the U. S.
biological department and Dr. Gannett, of the geological department.
The State convention of 1903 met in Golden Gate Hall, San Francisco,
November 18, 19. Among the addresses of welcome was one by the Rev.
Bradford Leavitt of the Unitarian church and one by President Benham
of the city Labor Council. Mrs. Sargent and Mrs. E. O. Smith paid
tributes to the memory of the association's honorary president, Mrs.
Sarah Knox Goodrich, a devoted supporter of the cause for the past
thirty-five years. Greetings were read from Miss Anthony, Henry B. and
Alice Stone Blackwell, Mrs. Upton and Mrs. L. F. Darling, president of
the State Federation of Women's Clubs. Miss Gail Laughlin, a young
lawyer from the East, who was now State organizer, was among the
speakers, and Albert H. Elliott, a San Francisco lawyer, gave an
instructive talk on California Laws for Women. The executive board
made the excellent appointment of Dr. Alida C. Avery of San Jose as
historian. One hundred dollars were sent to the national board for use
in the New Hampshire campaign. The State association endorsed Mrs.
Sargent's protest against a referendum vote on the issuing of San
Francisco's city bonds in which women were not allowed to take part.
A question considered at many board meetings had been the advisability
of trying to obtain from the Legislature another submission of an
amendment. The Los Angeles Suffrage League was waiting to know what
action would be taken. Mrs. Catt had written that it might be well to
make the effort and so a resolution was unanimously adopted to ask
this of the session of 1905. A letter had been sent by Mrs. Catt
suggesting plans of work to this end for the coming year and one was
received from Miss Anthony asking that Mrs. Stanton's birthday be
celebrated on November 12.
The Los Angeles Equal Suffrage Society had not affiliated with the
State Association because of the long distance to San Francisco and
the announcement by Mrs. Sperry that the affiliation had now been made
was enthusiastically received. The movement had been active in
Southern California, where federations, parliaments and societies of
many kinds flourished, and the Woman Suffrage League had held monthly
meetings. Besides Mrs. Severance, another pioneer suffragist had come
there from the East many years ago, Mrs. Rebecca Spring, now past 90
and still alert and interested. Mrs. Clara Shortridge Foltz, Mrs.
Alice Moore McComas and Mrs. Almeda B. Grey were still among the
capable and valued workers.
In answer to an invitation from the Los Angeles city and county
suffrage leagues the State convention of 1904 was held in the Woman's
Club House, October 6, 7, with three sessions daily. Articles of
incorporation had been drawn by George C. Sargent of San Francisco and
filed with the Secretary of State, and the State organization had been
incorporated under the name of the California Equal Suffrage
Association. The convention was welcomed by Mrs. Ada J. Lingley and
Mrs. Mabel V. Osborne, county and city presidents. Mrs. Sperry in
responding expressed her great pleasure that Northern and Southern
California would now work together for woman suffrage. The report of
Miss Laughlin, State organizer, showed that fifty-two new clubs had
been formed and that the membership had more than doubled in the past
year, and the treasurer, Miss Schlingheyde, told of $2,063 contributed
for organization work. Subscriptions to the amount of $1,110 were
made, Mrs. Keith leading with $500. Miss Amanda Way, an Indiana
pioneer, now of Whittier, made her offering. Mayor M. P. Snyder, Judge
Waldo M. Yorke, the Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes and a long list of able
speakers addressed the evening meetings. Strong resolutions presented
by the chairman of the committee, Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn, were
adopted. Mrs. Severance and Mrs. Spring were made honorary presidents.
The work for the coming months was to secure a large petition to the
Legislature for the submission of a woman suffrage amendment and Mrs.
Osborne was appointed chairman of the committee. Heading the 15,000
names which were eventually obtained were those of Governor George C.
Pardee, President David Starr Jordan, U. S. Senator George C. Perkins,
W. S. Goodfellow, T. C. Coogan, Fred S. Stratton, A. A. Moore, George
A. Knight, Henry J. Crocker, William H. Mills, Lovell White, M. B.
Woodworth, Congressman James G. Maguire, Judge Carrol Cook and F. J.
Murasky, all men of influence. The amendment was endorsed by the State
association of 1,000 teachers. With the aid of the National
Association 10,000 copies of Mrs. Catt's leaflet, Do You Know? were
circulated.
The suffrage leaders made a vigorous effort at Sacramento at the next
legislative session in 1905 but the measure was defeated in both
Houses. California's full delegation of fourteen was in attendance at
the annual convention of the National American Suffrage Association in
Portland, Ore., in June. On the way from Portland Miss Anthony, Dr.
Anna Howard Shaw and several other eastern delegates stopped at Chico,
the home of Mrs. Bidwell, vice-president of the State association,
where Miss Anthony spoke at the dedication of a magnificent park of
2,200 acres which she was presenting to the town. They were royally
entertained in California, beginning with a public reception at the
Sequoia Hotel in San Francisco. This was followed by others in
Oakland, East Oakland and Berkeley, attended by hundreds. A mass
meeting of 1,500 was arranged by the Equal Suffrage League in the
Alhambra Theater, San Francisco.[12] Similar meetings and receptions
awaited them in Southern California and they addressed an audience of
10,000 at Venice, the noted seaside resort.
The State convention met in Wheeler's Auditorium, San Francisco, in
October. Deep interest had been felt in the campaign for a woman
suffrage amendment carried on in Oregon during the summer and the
association had wished to assist with money, organizers and speakers.
For this purpose the entire contents of the treasury, about $500, were
contributed and clubs and individuals sent more than that amount. Mrs.
Keith gave $1,000 in the name of the State the following year.
The year 1906 opened auspiciously. In all parts of the State the clubs
were holding public meetings, supplying columns of suffrage matter to
the newspapers, now largely willing to publish them, and preparing for
a siege of the next Legislature. In April the city was almost
destroyed by fire and earthquake. One month afterwards the State board
of officers met with a full quorum, ready to begin the effort to
obtain woman suffrage planks in the platforms of the political parties
at the approaching State conventions. This was accomplished in all but
that of the dominant Republican party. The work was continued
throughout the State of securing resolutions of endorsement from
various kinds of organizations and by the end of the year these
included a dozen State associations, and with societies other than
suffrage in the different cities the list filled two pages of a
leaflet sent out from the headquarters. The annual convention was held
in Calvary Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, October 5, 6, with an
attractive program of men and women speakers. The initial number of
_The Yellow Ribbon_, a monthly magazine edited by Mrs. Katharine Reed
Balentine in the interest of woman suffrage on the Pacific coast, was
distributed among the delegates.
The State convention of 1907 met in October in the Ebell Club House of
Oakland, where excellent arrangements had been made by the various
committees, and it was the most satisfactory yet held. There was a
program of very good speakers, well-known men among them, and Mrs.
Maud Wood Park of Boston was a guest of the convention. The chairman
of the Press Committee, Mrs. Mabel Craft Deering, reported that 203
newspapers were using all the suffrage matter sent them. The chairman
of the State Central Committee, Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, said that
all the labor leaders were standing for woman suffrage. It was
announced that headquarters for pushing the submission of an amendment
would be established in Sacramento as soon as the Legislature opened
in January. There was a resolution on the death of Mrs. Laura de Force
Gordon, the pioneer lawyer and suffragist. The work conference
conducted by Mrs. Coffin was a valuable feature of the convention.
Over 5,000 clubwomen outside of the suffrage clubs had now declared
for suffrage.
In January, 1908, Mrs. Maud Wood Park was invited to address the
students of the State University in Berkeley at the Friday morning
meeting and Professor Morse Stephens said he never heard as able a
presentation of any subject in so short a time. She organized branches
of the National College Equal Suffrage League here and at Leland
Stanford University. All conventions during the year were asked
through Mrs. Keith's committee to adopt woman suffrage resolutions and
many of them did so. Steps were taken through the State Central and
Legislative Committees to interview candidates for the Legislature
and pledge them after they were elected. The convention was held at
the California Club House, San Francisco, October 2, 3. The work
conference was conducted by Mrs. Keith.
In 1909 strenuous work was done with the Legislature but it again
refused to submit the suffrage amendment, which it was the general
opinion the voters would adopt if given an opportunity. The official
board sent a telegram to President Roosevelt asking him in the name of
10,000 California women to recommend woman suffrage in his last
message to Congress but without effect. Committees were appointed for
Northern and Southern California and a chairman in each county to
collect signatures to the petition of the National Association to
Congress to submit a Federal Amendment. The State convention was held
in Stockton September 30-October 2, one of the largest on record. It
was welcomed by the Mayor and the president of the chamber of commerce
with a response by Mrs. Sperry and there were greetings from a number
of organizations of various kinds. The addresses were of a high order
and among the speakers were Franklin Hichborn, J. N. Stuckenbruck,
member of the Legislature; Mrs. Sturtevant Peet, for sixteen years
president of the State W. C.T. U.; Thomas E. Hayden, president of the
San Francisco Board of Education; Mrs. Elinor Carlisle of the Berkeley
board and Mrs. James B. Hume, president of the State Federation of
Women's Clubs. Mrs. Sperry, who had filled the office of president for
seven years, insisted upon retiring and Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson, a
minister, lecturer, writer and philanthropist, president of the Santa
Clara Club, was prevailed upon to accept the office. Mrs. Sperry, Mrs.
Swift, Miss Sarah Severance and Dr. Jordan were added to the list of
honorary presidents. A full delegation had attended the national
convention at Seattle in July.
After the earthquake and fire in 1906 headquarters had been
established at 2419 California St., conveniently fitted up in part of
a dwelling house adjoining the residence of Mrs. Sargent, who presided
and dispensed hospitality at the monthly board meetings. By 1910
larger and more central accommodations were needed and commodious
headquarters were secured in the Pacific Building, corner of Market
and Fourth Streets. Here the increasing business of the association
was transacted and free lectures were given. Mrs. Alice Park, as
chairman, superintended the wide distribution of literature throughout
the State. The association's committees on Child Labor, Education,
Peace and other public questions were actively at work. The committee
on Petitions to the Legislature for the submission of a woman suffrage
amendment to the voters, of which Mrs. Sperry was chairman, secured
14,000 signatures. Mrs. Lowe Watson said in her report to the national
convention that splendid work was being done in organization through
the generous financial aid of Mrs. Keith and Mrs. Charles D. Blaney.
House to house canvasses were being made and assembly district and
precinct clubs formed. Mrs. Keith gave $100 a month during 1909 and
1910 to this and other headquarters work, largely financed the
legislative work and frequently bore the principal expense of State
conventions.[13] Space was freely granted in most of the newspapers
and many were giving editorial endorsement. The College Women's Equal
Suffrage Leagues were active and the subject of the universities'
intercollegiate debate for the year was: Resolved that the ballot
should be extended to women. Men's Auxiliary Leagues were formed in
Northern and Southern California. A Votes for Women business club and
a Wage Earners' club were organized in San Francisco and did important
work. There were five downtown suffrage headquarters. Most of the
women's clubs had introduced a civic section. Mrs. Lowe Watson
lectured before labor unions, church societies, W. C. T. U.'s, "native
daughters," women's clubs and suffrage clubs. The throng on
Socialists' "woman's day" filled one of the largest halls in San
Francisco and at the close of her address gave a unanimous standing
vote for equal suffrage.
The annual suffrage convention took place Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 1910, in
the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, the 40th that had been held in the
State. The long program of prominent speakers, fraternal greetings,
committee and club reports, showed the gathering weight and importance
of the movement. J. Stitt Wilson, Mayor of Berkeley and Socialist
candidate for Governor, made a most encouraging address and J. H.
Braly, an influential citizen of Pasadena, came to tell of what was
being accomplished in Southern California. The visits of the national
officers, Professor Frances Squire Potter, Mrs. Florence Kelley and
Mrs. Ella S. Stewart had greatly inspired the workers and the
favorable action of the next Legislature seemed almost certain.
For the past year California had been in the midst of a crucial
political campaign. The State government for forty years had been the
servant of a powerful political "machine" controlled by large public
service corporations. The people had tired of it and public opinion
was ripe for a change. The "progressive Republicans," as they were
called, came into power at the election of November, 1910, and Hiram
W. Johnson was elected Governor to carry out their reforms, woman
suffrage being one of them.
The Legislative Committee was composed of Mrs. Coffin, Mrs. Blaney,
Mrs. Edson and Mrs. Arthur Cornwall Juilliard. Senator Charles W. Bell
of Pasadena had continuously stood for woman suffrage in the face of
the opposition of the Senate and in the organization of the
Legislature he was made chairman of the Republican caucus. Assemblyman
A. H. Hewitt of Yuba City, also a staunch friend of years' standing,
took charge of the amendment in the House and when elected Speaker he
placed it in the hands of Assemblyman Cattell of Pasadena, who made it
his chief interest. The Anti-Suffrage organization of women for the
first time maintained a lobby at the Capitol. The amendment was
introduced in both Houses the first week of the session. The Judiciary
Committee of the Senate granted a hearing on the evening of Jan. 18,
1911. The crowd was so large it had to be held in the Senate chamber,
and gallery, aisles and lobby were filled. Mrs. Katharine Philips
Edson of Los Angeles introduced the speakers and Mrs. Elizabeth
Gerberding of San Francisco made the opening argument. Miss Maude
Younger spoke in behalf of the working women; Miss Ethel Moore and
Mrs. Cornelia McKinne Stanwood of the College Equal Suffrage League
represented the children and the women of the State; Mrs. Coffin,
speaking for the State Suffrage Association, urged the legislators to
stand by the suffrage plank in their party platforms. Mrs. Shelley
Tolhurst closed the appeal. Then Mrs. George A. Caswell of Los
Angeles, representing the women anti-suffragists, read a paper of
fifty minutes.
Possibly there was no measure before the Legislature in which deeper
interest was manifested or which had the urge of stronger public
sentiment. Lieutenant Governor A. J. Wallace of Los Angeles was a true
friend and Senator A. E. Boynton of Marysville, president pro tem.,
had for years loyally supported it. The Los Angeles delegation with
but few exceptions were pledged in favor. Many opponents of years'
standing, feeling the pressure of popularity, were prepared to
capitulate. Senator J. B. Sanford of Ukiah, who had long been a thorn
in the flesh of the suffrage lobby, attempted to block it but was
prevented by Senator Louis Juilliard and a spirited debate was led by
Senator Lee C. Gates of Los Angeles, a leader of progressive measures.
On January 26 the amendment came up for third reading and final
passage. There was no need of further debate but each Senator seemed
desirous of paying his tribute. It received 35 ayes and the opposition
could muster only five votes. The Senate resolution was submitted in
the Assembly and voted on February 2. Gallery and lobbies were
thronged and only time limited the oratory. It received 66 ayes, 12
noes. Governor Johnson had insisted on the submission of the amendment
as a party pledge.
Pink roses were sent by the committee to Mrs. Johnson, wife of the
Governor, and violets to Mrs. Wallace for their helpful cooperation.
Cordial appreciation was expressed to the wives of Senators and
Assemblymen who did yeoman service, among them Mrs. Bell, Mrs. Gates,
Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher Brown, Mrs. Miguel Estidillo and Mrs. Cattell.
After the adjournment of the Legislature a conference was called by
the Progressive leaders to outline the plan of campaign for the many
amendments which had been submitted and it was decided _not to mention
the suffrage amendment_, as much needed contributions had been made on
this condition lest it might cause some of the others to be defeated.
There was strenuous objection to this plan by some of its friends but
the majority prevailed. Governor Johnson was present at the meeting
and carried out its program during the entire campaign, not referring
to the suffrage amendment in his speeches. It was said that he
expected it to lose and did not want to jeopardize the amendments
which would enable the voters to take the law-making power into their
own hands and secure all desired reforms. A notable exception among
the official speakers was Francis J. Heney, who never failed to
include it with the others in his appeals to the voters.
The general political situation in California at the time, however,
favored the suffrage campaign. The five parties had put a woman
suffrage plank in their platforms and the voters could concentrate
their attention on the twenty-three proposed constitutional
amendments, for which a special election was called October 10. There
were but eight months for what would have to be a "whirlwind
campaign." The president of the State association, Mrs. Lowe Watson,
said in her report to the next national suffrage convention:
The situation was very different from that of 1895-96. Not only
were the suffragists better organized but as a result of the
previous campaign, in which the National Association largely
participated, there were earnest suffragists in every kind of
association in the State, in the Federated Women's Clubs; the W.
C. T. U., with a franchise department in every local; the
Socialist party, the State Grange and the ever-growing Labor
Unions. We determined to make a strenuous effort to get into
touch with every progressive element. Our State Campaign
Committee, with headquarters in San Francisco, consisted of
chairmen of the ten departments of work.... In addition we had an
Advisory Council composed of picked men and women over the State.
During the two preceding years the State association had been
carrying forward organization work under the able supervision of
Mrs. Helen Moore as chairman but there still remained much to be
done. Our territory was large, a portion of it immensely
difficult. It was conceded that a house to house canvass was of
the utmost importance, particularly in the large cities.
The suffragists of Southern California, whose work with the
Legislature had been of incalculable value, led by J. H. Braly,
president of the Los Angeles Political Equality League, assumed
the responsibility of caring for the ten counties south of the
Tehachapi Pass and nobly did they fulfil all expectations. We
realized that the great "interests" were arrayed against us.
Untold money was at the command of our enemies and they were
schooled in political methods. We had little money and less
political experience but we had consecration of purpose and we
gave ourselves to the work, North and South, with unbounded
enthusiasm....
There was scarcely a corner of the State unvisited by good
speakers. Under the supervision of Mrs. Rose M. French, the State
association issued 3,000,000 pages of literature, while the
College Women's Equal Suffrage League and other organizations in
the North, and the Political Equality League of Los Angeles, also
published countless thousands of leaflets, besides ordering many
from the National Association. Under the tactful management of
Mrs. Ringrose, 50,000 Catholic leaflets were distributed at the
doors of Catholic churches. The picture slides and stereopticon
talks, superintended by Mrs. Lucretia Watson Taylor, were very
effective, particularly in the outlying districts. Posters,
pennants and banners played a conspicuous part in the campaign.
The attendance at the meetings held in theaters, churches, halls
and on the street corners was surprisingly large and in many
instances splendidly enthusiastic. The attitude of the public
generally was respectful and often profoundly sympathetic. Our
country clubs and county organizations followed closely the plans
recommended by the State association. It was purely an
educational campaign, without one shadow of partisanship or
militant methods. The victory in the State of Washington in 1910
and the manner in which the enfranchised women used their newly
acquired power contributed much to the success in California. The
pulpit and the press were also largely with us. We worked hard to
make sure of these two great instrumentalities for the education
of the people.
Our inland co-workers largely financed their own special lines of
propaganda. The generous contributions of the National
Association and the smaller personal donations through that body,
amounting altogether to about $1,800, and the noble work of the
national vice-president, Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, were a
large factor in our success. The Woman Suffrage Party of New York
sent us able speakers. Among our many good fortunes was the
coming of the National Education Association convention to San
Francisco. Miss Gail Laughlin was of immense service as a speaker
and as chairman of the Election Committee....
The State association disbursed about $10,000, not counting the
expenses in Southern California. Mrs. Keith contributed $3,000
within the year; Mrs. Anna K. Bidwell $1,000 through the State
treasury, besides assisting her own county organization. Mrs.
Charles D. Blaney gave generous sums, while others in an equally
liberal spirit donated from $200 down to one, according to their
means; and others again, having no gold or precious stones, gave
what was best of all, themselves, nobly, untiringly, out of their
love for justice.
* * * * *
No active work in suffrage was done in Southern California for some
years after the defeat of 1896. In November, 1900, the State
president, Mrs. Mary Wood Swift, went to Los Angeles, a parlor meeting
was held and later a public address was given by her at the Woman's
Club House. Here it was determined to revive the Woman Suffrage League
and an executive committee was appointed, Mrs. Sarah Burger Stearns,
a veteran suffragist, formerly of Minnesota, chairman. On December 1 a
meeting was called by this committee and the league was re-organized;
President, Mrs. Caroline M. Severance; vice-president, Mrs. Shelley
Tolhurst; secretary, Mrs. Lenore C. Schultz. Monthly meetings were
held for several years at the Woman's Club House, the money for the
rent being given by Mr. Wilde, whose sympathy was strong for suffrage.
The years from 1900 to 1910-11 were just years of "carrying on" and
well the pioneers did their work.[14] They kept the fires burning and
gradually all kinds of organizations of women became permeated with a
belief in suffrage for women and were ready for the final campaign.
The work of John Hyde Braly in Southern California deserves a place by
itself. A prosperous business man and public-spirited citizen, when
the call came to assist the movement to enfranchise the women of the
State he saw the necessity of interesting men of prominence. From
early in January, 1910, he worked to secure the enrollment of one
hundred names of the leading citizens of Los Angeles and Pasadena.
Finally he arranged a mid-day banquet on the fifth of April and about
fifty responded. Organization was perfected with a charter membership
of one hundred influential men under the name of the Political
Equality League of California and the following compact was signed:
"We hereby associate ourselves together for the purpose of securing
political equality and suffrage without distinction on account of
sex." The officers elected were: J. H. Braly, president; Judge Waldo
M. Yorke, first vice-president; Hulett Merritt, second; J. D.
Bradford, secretary and treasurer. Enthusiastic speeches were made and
Mr. Braly said that they were initiating this movement at the
psychological time, for the progressive fever was in the California
blood. It was a man's job to take a hand in the enfranchisement of
women, since it was the men who must decide it by their votes. The
league was pledged to work to induce the legislators to submit the
amendment to the voters. Nine men were organized in a Board of
Governors and it was decided to have women become associate members
of the organization, they to select nine women to be governors with
the men. The movement was thus popularized and desirable men and women
of all classes rapidly joined it.
Headquarters were established in the Story Building and systematic
work begun. Judge Yorke was chairman of the legislative and political
department. The 850 delegates and the audience at the Los Angeles
County Republican convention in Simpson Auditorium in August were
enthusiastically for woman suffrage. Eighty-three delegates went from
that convention to the State Republican convention of 430 delegates in
San Francisco. Mr. Braly was not only one of these delegates but also
a member of the platform committee. The suffrage plank went into the
platform and was received with the same enthusiasm apparently as in
Los Angeles. After a progressive Legislature was elected in the fall
of 1910 the Political Equality League gave a banquet at the Alexandria
Hotel in honor of the southern legislators, the State officers-elect
and their wives, with nearly 600 present. Mr. Braly said of this
occasion: "We all felt that we were making history and casting bread
upon the waters that would surely return to us in a day of need,
which, thank God, it did, for without it I think the suffrage bill
would not have been passed."
The organization's express purpose was to use all legitimate means to
influence the Legislature to submit the amendment and every legislator
of the nine southern counties went to Sacramento pledged to vote for
it. After the Legislature had submitted the amendment the Political
Equality League held its annual election. It was felt that it would be
unjust to ask Mr. Braly to have charge of the details of the strenuous
campaign and with expressions of the highest appreciation he was made
president emeritus and Mrs. Seward A. Simons, president. Mr. Braly
arranged to have Mrs. McCulloch of Chicago make a speaking tour of
Southern California in company with a party consisting of himself and
wife, Judge Neely, Judge W. S. Harbert and Senator Lee C. Gates, at
his own expense, as was all of his work. Mrs. Edson wrote to him after
the campaign: "Without the platform pledges of the Republican county
and State conventions we could never have held the legislators and to
you the women of California are indebted for making this possible."
Mrs. Simons in her comprehensive report said in part:
In the southern part of the State the work from the beginning was
undertaken with the understanding that everything possible should
be done to counteract the effect of the probable San Francisco
vote and the California Political Equality League concentrated
its attention on Los Angeles and the country districts throughout
the State. The Executive Board, composed of the following
members, Mrs. Simons, president; Mrs. Tolhurst, chairman of the
Speakers' Committee; Mrs. Berthold Baruch, of the Meetings
Committee; Miss Louise Carr, Literature; Mrs. Edson,
Organization; Mrs. Martha Nelson McCan, Press; Mrs. John R.
Haynes, Finance; Miss Annie Bock, secretary, concerned itself
with effective publicity work--public meetings, the distribution
of literature and the press....
Leaflets and pamphlets that appealed to every type of mind were
printed to the amount of over a million.... Votes-for-Women
buttons to the number of 93,000 and 13,000 pennants and banners
added their quota to the publicity work.... One of the most
effective means of publicity was that of letters of a personal
nature addressed to members of the various professions and
vocations. A letter was sent to 2,000 ministers asking their
cooperation; 60,000 letters were sent through the country
districts. Leaflets in Italian, German and French were given out
at the street meetings in the congested districts of Los Angeles.
A circular letter was sent in September to every club and
organization asking that they give an evening before the election
to a suffrage speaker to be supplied by the league. Suffrage was
presented to every class from the men's clubs in the churches to
the unions' meetings in the Labor Temple.
The importance of getting the endorsement of large bodies of
women was recognized. A few of these endorsing were the Woman's
Parliament of 2,000 members; State Federation of Women's Clubs,
35,000; Federated College Clubs, 5,000; State Nurses'
Association, 800; State W. C. T. U., 6,000; Woman's Organized
Labor, 36,000, and the Los Angeles Teachers' Club, 800. All of
these endorsements were secured at conventions held in Southern
California and the Northern women pursued the same policy. These
do not include those made by organizations of men, or of men and
women or of clubs for suffrage alone and these in the South
exceeded fifty. In a large measure success was due to the
inestimable assistance given by the eminent speakers, among them
supreme court judges, prominent lawyers, physicians, ministers,
noted educators and philanthropists and by men and women from all
callings and occupations....
During the last two months meetings were arranged in all the
towns of the southern counties where it was possible. When a hall
could not be had they were held in the open air. The last month
from fifty to sixty meetings a week were planned from the league
headquarters, speakers supplied and literature sent. These did
not include those arranged by local organizations in smaller
towns nor the many street meetings which were held by every one
who could command an automobile. The climax was in the largest
theater in Los Angeles on the evening of September 30 when over
4,000 people listened to the best speakers of the campaign. In
addition another thousand gathered in Choral Hall for an overflow
meeting, while many hundreds were turned from the doors. It was
the largest political demonstration in the history of Southern
California.
The most important phase of the publicity work was that of the
Press Committee, formed of active newspaper women. Miss Bess Munn
was made secretary and her time was devoted exclusively to
supplying material to the local press and the country newspapers.
Double postals asking individuals their opinion of the suffrage
movement were sent to the members of the Legislature; to city,
county and State officials from San Diego to Siskiyou; to judges,
lawyers, merchants, bankers, physicians and all prominent
visitors within the gates of the city. Their answers were from
time to time printed in the form of interviews. Letters went to
club women in every town asking for cooperation in securing space
for suffrage material in the local press. Personal letters were
sent to all the editors informing them that a weekly suffrage
letter would be sent to them from the headquarters of the league.
This contained nothing but the shortest, pithiest items of
suffrage activities and enclosed were the leaflets which were
often printed in full. At the close of the campaign more than
half of the papers of the State regularly used the letter either
as news or as a basis for editorial comment. In Los Angeles alone
more than 10,000 columns were printed on suffrage. In monetary
value this amount of space would have cost $100,000. The last
week before election a cut of the ballot showing the position of
the suffrage amendment was sent to 150 newspapers of the South
with a letter offering the editor $5 for its publication but many
printed it without compensation....
The majorities from the country districts won the victory by
counteracting the immense majority rolled up against the
amendment in San Francisco and thus proved that the country
residents are most satisfactorily reached by the country press.
The anti-suffragists made a more open fight in California than ever
before. A month preceding election a Committee of Fifty was organized
in Los Angeles composed of the reactionary elements, men representing
"big business," corporation lawyers, a number connected with the
Southern Pacific R.R., some socially prominent. The only one known
nationally was former U. S. Senator Frank P. Flint. The president was
a Southerner, George S. Patten, who wrote long articles using the
arguments and objections employed in the very earliest days of the
suffrage movement sixty years ago. They claimed to have thousands of
members but never held a meeting and depended on intimidation by their
rather formidable list of names of local influence.
The Women's Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage was more active. It
was formed in Los Angeles, with Mrs. George A. Caswell, head of a
fashionable school for girls, as its president. It organized also in
Northern California with Mrs. C. L. Goddard president and Mrs.
Benjamin Ide Wheeler heading the list of honorary presidents. Both
branches had a long list of officers, some with social prestige, and
maintained headquarters. They also claimed to have a large membership
but held only parlor and club meetings. The National Anti-Suffrage
Association sent its secretary, Miss Minnie Bronson, to speak, write,
organize and have charge of headquarters. Mrs. William Force Scott
came as a speaker from New York. The association was not an important
factor in the campaign.
Theodore Roosevelt lectured in California in the spring of 1911. He
had been in the State twice in preceding years and each time had
referred disparagingly to woman suffrage. During the present visit he
spoke in the Greek Theater at the State University in Berkeley to an
audience of 10,000 on March 25 and the San Francisco _Examiner_ of the
next morning said in its report:
Here is what Colonel Roosevelt said on the burning question of
woman suffrage:
"A short time ago I was handed a letter from the president of an
Equal Suffrage Association asking me to speak in behalf of it. I
have always told my friends that it seemed to me that no man was
worth his salt who didn't think deeply of woman's rights and no
woman was worth her salt who didn't think more of her duties than
of her rights. Personally I am tepidly in favor of woman
suffrage. I have studied the condition of women in those States
where that right is exercised but I have never been able to take
a great interest in it because it always seemed to me so much
less important than so many other questions affecting women. I
don't think the harm will come of it that its opponents expect,
and I don't think that one-half of one per cent. of the good will
come from it that its friends expect. It is not a millionth part
as important as keeping and reviving the realization that the
great work of women must be done in the home. The ideal woman of
the future as of the past is the good wife and mother, able to
train numbers of healthy children."
There were flourishing suffrage societies in all parts of the State.
An Equal Suffrage League had been formed in San Francisco from a
consolidation of suffrage clubs, with a large membership of men and
women, Mrs. Mary T. Gamage, president. With its various committees it
was an active force throughout the campaign. Great assistance was
rendered by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, as had been the
case in 1896. During the fifteen years' interval it had been carrying
on a steady work of education through its local unions and their
members were among the most active in the suffrage clubs also. So
complete was the cooperation that they took off their white ribbon
badges toward the end of the campaign to disarm prejudice. Mrs. Keith,
president of the Berkeley Club, hired a house in the central part of
town for eight months as headquarters and Mrs. Hester Harland was
installed as manager. An advisory committee was formed of Mrs. George
W. Haight, Mrs. John Snook, Mrs. Fred G. Athearn, Mrs. Irving M.
Scott, Jr., Dr. Helen Waterman, Mrs. Samuel C. Haight, Mrs. Aaron
Schloss, Mrs. T. B. Sears, Mrs. C. C. Hall, Mrs. Frank F. Bunker,
assisted by many others toward the close of the campaign. Mrs. J. B.
Hume and Miss Blanche Morse toured the State as speakers and
organizers. Mrs. Keith herself spoke on a number of special occasions.
Mrs. Watson spoke night and day for three weeks in Sacramento Valley;
at Chico to an audience of 3,000.[15]
The Central Campaign Committee was created in July, three months
before election, consisting of one member from each of the five
principal campaign organizations in San Francisco doing State work.
Mrs. Watson Taylor, daughter of the president, represented the State
Equal Suffrage Association; Mrs. Aylett Cotton, the Clubwoman's
Franchise League; Mrs. Robert A. Dean, the Woman Suffrage Party; Miss
Maud Younger, the Wage Earners' League and Mrs. Deering the College
League. This committee was formed at the suggestion of Mrs. James
Lees Laidlaw of New York, who visited San Francisco with her husband
in January, for the purpose of having all the organizations share in
the money and workers sent by the New York Woman Suffrage Party. Over
$1,000 were received from it, of which $500 came from General Horace
Carpentier, a former Californian and ex-mayor of Oakland, sent through
Mr. Laidlaw. The Men's New York League sent $200; the Rochester
Political Equality Club, $280; Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt $300. New York
suffragists also paid the railroad expenses of the three organizers
and speakers whom they sent and Chicago suffragists paid the
travelling expenses of Mrs. McCulloch, who contributed her services.
From outside States came Miss Helen Todd, former factory inspector of
Illinois; Miss Margaret Haley of Chicago; Miss Jeannette Rankin of
Montana; Mrs. Helen Hoy Greeley, Mrs. A. C. Fisk and Mrs. John Rogers
of New York; Mrs. Mary Stanislawsky of Nevada; Mrs. Alma Lafferty,
member of the Colorado Legislature. These speakers were sent
throughout Northern California.
The chairman of the Press Committee, Mrs. Deering, had been carrying
on the press work steadily for the past five years and hundreds of
papers were ready to support the amendment. Before the end of the
brief campaign, under her efficient management, almost every paper of
prominence either endorsed it or remained silent. The Los Angeles
_Express_, Sacramento _Bee_, _Star_ and _Union_, the San Jose
_Mercury_, the Oakland _Enquirer_, the San Francisco _Bulletin_ and
the _Daily News_ were especially helpful. James H. Barry, editor of
the _Star_, was an unfailing advocate. The _Call_ made a sustained
fight for it and the _Examiner_ and _Post_ advised a vote in favor.
The German papers were outspokenly opposed. The _Chronicle_ in San
Francisco, owned by M. H. De Young, and the _Times_, in Los Angeles,
by Harrison Grey Otis, were relentless opponents. Much assistance was
rendered in the Legislature and the campaign by E. A. Dickson, a
prominent journalist of Los Angeles. The women connected with the
press were sympathetic and helpful.
A most important feature of this remarkable campaign was the work of
the College Equal Suffrage League of Northern California, which had
been organized in 1909 for educational work among college women. When
the suffrage amendment was submitted in February, 1911, the league
decided to go actively into the campaign. The officers elected in May
were as follows: Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney (Wellesley), president;
Dr. Adelaide Brown (Smith), first vice-president; Miss Caroline Cook
Jackson (Cornell), second; Miss Lillien J. Martin (Vassar), third;
Miss Belle Judith Miller (California), recording secretary; Miss
Genevieve Cook (California Woman's Hospital), corresponding secretary;
Mrs. Genevieve Allen (Stanford), executive secretary; Dr. Anna Rude
(Cooper Medical College), treasurer; Dr. Rachel L. Ash (California),
delegate to Council. Directors: Miss Ethel Moore (Vassar); Mrs. Mabel
Craft Deering (California); Miss Kate Ames (Stanford); Mrs. Carlotta
Case Hall (Elmira); Miss Frances W. McLean (California); Mrs. Thomas
Haven (California); Dr. Kate Brousseau (University of Paris); Mrs. C.
H. Howard (California).[16]
Altogether $2,075 were sent to the league from the East. Its total
receipts were $11,030 in fixed sums and the personal donations of its
working members in telegrams, postage, car fare, expressage, use of
automobiles, etc., amounted to thousands. At a meeting held in Oakland
Miss Sylvia Pankhurst spoke to more than a thousand persons who had
paid for their seats.
Every legitimate method of campaigning was used, beginning with the
printing of 900,000 leaflets. There were posters and all kinds of
designs; city circularizing of the most thorough kind in many
languages; pageants, plays, concerts and public social functions; the
placarding of city bill boards over miles of country; advertising of
every possible kind; huge electric and other signs; long weeks of
automobile campaigning in the country and the villages; special
speakers for all sorts of organizations; a handsome float in the labor
day parade; speaking at vaudeville shows--there was no cessation of
these eight months' strenuous work. The campaigning in Sacramento was
in charge of Mrs. Mary Roberts Coolidge, assisted by Mrs. E. V.
Spencer, against great odds, but the city gave a small favorable
majority, due chiefly to the union labor vote.
During the last six months the College League held more than fifty
public meetings in halls in San Francisco, the audiences at the larger
ones varying from 1,300 to 10,000 with hundreds turned away. The Rev.
Charles F. Aked, the brilliant English orator, had just come from New
York and he made his first appearance outside of his pulpit at a
suffrage mass meeting in Savoy Theater, donated by the John Cort
management, and afterwards he could not refuse to speak at other
meetings. His debate with Colonel John P. Irish in the Valencia
Theater just before election was one of the great features of the
campaign. One of the most important meetings, with 1,500 present, was
addressed by the eloquent young priest, the Rev. Joseph M. Gleason,
with the boxes reserved for prominent Catholics. Rabbi Martin H. Meyer
was one of the strong speakers. At the meeting in the beautiful new
auditorium of Scottish Rite Hall Mrs. Alexander Morrison, president of
the National Collegiate Alumnae, was in the chair and among the
speakers were Dr. Aked, William C. Ralston, U. S. Sub-Treasurer; Mrs.
W. W. Douglas and Albert H. Elliott. In the Italian theater was held
the largest meeting of a political nature known to that quarter,
addressed by Emilio Lastredo, a prominent banking attorney; Ettore
Patrizi, editor of the daily _L'Italia_; Mr. Elliott, Miss Margaret
Haley and Mayor J. Stitt Wilson of Berkeley. A second great suffrage
meeting assembled there again, at which Mme. Adelina Dosenna of La
Scala, Milan, sang. The culmination was the mass meeting in Dreamland
Rink, the largest auditorium in the city. Mrs. Lowe Watson, president
of the State association, introduced by George A. Knight, was in the
chair. There were 6,000 in the audience and 4,000 on the outside, whom
Mrs. Greeley and other speakers kept in a good humor. These were Mrs.
McCulloch, Dr. Aked, John I. Nolan, union labor leader; Mr. Wilson,
Miss Todd, Miss Laughlin and Rabbi Meyer.
The campaign closed with a "business men's meeting" in Cort's Theater
from 12 to 1:30 p. m. the day before election. The theater was crowded
and it was necessary to begin before noon. For several hours the
speakers held forth to an audience changing every half hour. Mr.
Elliott presided and the speakers were F. G. Athearn of the Southern
Pacific R. R.; Dr. Aked, Mr. Wilson, R. C. Van Fleet, Miss Todd and A.
L. Sapiro. Then came the climax to the campaign when Mrs. Ernestine
Black stepped forward and announced that Mme. Lilian Nordica would
speak for woman suffrage and sing in Union Square that evening!
The great prima donna had come to San Francisco to sing at the
ground-breaking for the Panama Exposition and in an ever-generous
spirit agreed to give her matchless services to the cause in which she
was deeply interested. The crowds were packed for blocks in every
direction and suffrage speakers were addressing them from automobiles
when Madame Nordica stood up in masses of flowers in Union Square
opposite the St. Francis Hotel and very simply made her plea for the
enfranchisement of California women. Then her glorious voice rang out
to the very edges of the throng in the stirring notes of the Star
Spangled Banner. The campaign was over.
* * * * *
The amendment went to the voters Oct. 10, 1911. It was most important
to watch the vote in San Francisco and Oakland, as their expected
adverse vote would have to be counteracted by the rest of the State if
the suffrage amendment carried. Oakland was put in charge of Mrs.
Coolidge, who had a corps of efficient helpers in the members of the
Amendment League, composed of old residents of Oakland, who had been
engaged for many years in church, temperance and other social work,
among them Mrs. Sarah C. Borland, Mrs. Agnes Ray, Mrs. A. A. Dennison,
Mrs. Emma Shirtzer, Mrs. Jean Kellogg, Mrs. F. M. Murray and Mrs. F.
Harlan. Of these league members 240 stood at the polls twelve hours,
not half enough of them but they were treated with the greatest
respect and undoubtedly they helped reduce the adverse majority. This
work was paralleled in Berkeley, Alameda and other places around the
bay.
Four weeks before election two representatives of each of the nine
suffrage associations of San Francisco met and placed in the capable
hands of Miss Laughlin the difficult task of looking after the
election in that city and this committee of eighteen acted as an
executive board for carrying out her plans. Her management received
the highest commendation from political leaders. Dr. Mary Sperry and
Misses Miriam and Julie Michelson were a permanent office force and
Miss Schlingheyde, Mrs. Chapin and Miss Sullivan carried much of the
work. The Woman Suffrage Party gave the use of its headquarters in the
Lick building. The State association and the clubs of San Francisco
contributed about $1,500. A captain was appointed for each district
who selected her precinct captains and was supplied with an
automobile. Connection was established with the chairmen throughout
the counties and all were charged to "watch the count." On election
day and the next day $94 were spent for telegrams. To nearby places
experienced workers were rushed when the word came of dishonest
election officials. There were 1,066 volunteer workers in San
Francisco, 118 of them men. On election day hundreds reported for duty
before 6 o'clock and after standing at the polls twelve hours many
went into the booths and kept tally of the count until midnight. In
Oakland Pinkerton men were hired to watch it and in San Francisco the
vault where the ballots were deposited was watched for two days and
nights.
The vote in San Francisco was 21,912 ayes, 35,471 noes, an adverse
majority of 13,559, and even the imperfect watching of the women
detected a fraudulent count of 3,000. In Oakland there were 6,075
ayes, 7,818 noes, an adverse majority of 1,743. Berkeley alone of the
places around the bay came in victorious with 2,417 ayes, 1,761 noes,
a favorable majority of 656. Los Angeles, which in 1896 had given a
majority of about 4,600 in favor, returned 15,708 ayes, 13,921 noes, a
majority of only 1,787. On election night and for two days following
the suffragists judged from the vote in the cities that they were
defeated but the favorable returns from the villages, the country
districts and the ranches came slowly in and when the count was
finally completed it was found that out of a total of 246,487 votes
the suffrage amendment had been carried by 3,587, an average majority
of one in every voting precinct in the State.[17]
With the winning of this old, wealthy and influential State the entire
movement for woman suffrage passed the crisis and victory in the
remaining western States was sure to be a matter of a comparatively
short time. As soon as the result was certain Mrs. Watson, the State
president; Mrs. Sperry and Miss Whitney, representing Northern, and
Mr. and Mrs. Braly, Mrs. Ringrose and Mrs. French, Southern
California, went to Louisville, Ky., to carry the report to the
convention of the National Association, of which this State had
forty-five life members, more than any other except New York.
No State convention had been held in 1911 but one was called to meet
in San Francisco in January, 1912, and it was decided to maintain the
State association to assist the work in neighboring States. Mrs.
William Keith was made president and the officers and executive
committee held all day monthly meetings in her home for several years.
After the National League of Women Voters was formed in 1919, when
Congress was about to submit the Federal Suffrage Amendment, a meeting
was held on Feb. 12, 1920, and a California branch was formed with
Mrs. Robert J. Burdette as chairman.
* * * * *
The demand of the newly enfranchised women for guidance and knowledge
was met at once by the College League, which reorganized in November,
1911, and became the California Civic League for social service,
education for citizenship and the promotion of just legislation. The
excellent work of Miss Charlotte Anita Whitney was recognized by
continuing her as president of the new league from 1911 to 1914. It is
composed of about twenty-five centers in the cities and towns of
Northern California, with a membership of nearly 4,000 and many
centers wield a strong influence in municipal affairs.
The Women's Legislative Council of California was organized in
December, 1912, the outgrowth of the Legislative Committee of the
State Federation of Women's Clubs. This council, which is
non-sectarian, non-partisan and non-political, is in reality a Central
Committee of State, county and some local organizations--about sixty
in all--representing a membership of over 100,000 women. Its purpose
is to coordinate the efforts and concentrate the influence of women's
organizations behind a legislative program, especially for the benefit
of women and children. A list of at least thirty excellent laws since
the enfranchisement of women have been either directly sponsored by
this council or greatly aided by the efforts of women.[18]
Space can not be given for local societies but the suffrage history of
California seems to require the mention of one--the Susan B. Anthony
Club. It was formed in the hour of defeat In 1896 in honor of the
great pioneer, who had worked with the California women through all
that long campaign, and in order to hold together some of those who
had shared in the toil and the disappointment. The club was formed in
the home of Mrs. Mary S. Sperry in San Francisco and she was its
president many years. Other presidents were Mrs. Sargent, wife of U.
S. Senator Sargent, who in 1878 first introduced the Federal Suffrage
Amendment; Mrs. Swift, wife of John F. Swift, Minister to Japan; Mrs.
William Keith, wife of the distinguished artist; Mrs. Isabel A.
Baldwin and Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn, all officers of the State
Suffrage Association also at different times. Dr. Alida C. Avery was
its treasurer and Mrs. Sarah G. Pringle its press representative for a
number of years. Its membership comprised many influential women, it
held regular meetings and was a liberal contributor to suffrage work
in California and other States. In 1911, when all the suffrage clubs
were disbanding, this one remained in existence and continued to hold
social meetings for many years.
In 1916-17 the Committee of Political Science of the State Federation
of Women's Clubs, Mrs. Seward A. Simons, president, made a Survey of
the results of five years of woman suffrage in California, which was
widely circulated. It was a most valuable résumé of the registration
and the vote of women, the legislation they had obtained, the offices
they had held, their service on juries, their political work and the
effect of the suffrage on women and on public life. A very complete
report was made also by Mrs. Coolidge, president of the Civic League.
LEGISLATIVE AND CONVENTION ACTION. 1901. A bill for School suffrage
was defeated.
1905. A resolution to submit a constitutional amendment was defeated
in both Houses by large majorities. A bill legalizing prize fighting
was passed the same day.
1906. A Suffrage State Central Committee of twenty-one competent
workers was organized, Mrs. Lillian Harris Coffin, chairman, Mrs.
Katharine Reed Balentine, secretary, and it continued its activities
in behalf of an amendment to the State constitution for the next five
years. The plan was to secure its endorsement by all conventions and
organizations and have it incorporated in the platforms of the
political parties and the Central Committee was divided into
sub-committees with representatives in every part of the State. The
Executive of this Central Committee, Mrs. Mary S. Sperry, Mrs. Nellie
Holbrook Blinn, Mrs. Helen Moore and Mrs. Coffin, were the delegates
to the State Republican convention in Santa Cruz in 1906, which was
completely under the control of the "machine." It was at this
convention that the "insurgent" sentiment began to crystallize into
the "progressive" movement. Woman suffrage was not put in the
platform. James G. Gillette, nominated for Governor, approached the
women and pledged himself, if elected, to do all he could to carry
through the amendment. Later, at Sacramento, the Democratic
convention, under the leadership of Thomas E. Hayden, Albert Johnson,
Max Popper and John Sweeny, incorporated the amendment in the
platform. It was placed in the platform of the Labor party, Miss Maud
Younger and Mrs. Francis S. Gibson assisting the Legislative
Committee.
1907. The Legislature of this year was the last under the complete
domination of the corrupt political forces. The graft prosecution in
San Francisco was in full swing, the result of which was an awakened
public conscience. Every legislator had been interviewed and the San
Francisco delegation was pledged in favor of the suffrage amendment.
It was introduced by Senator Leroy Wright of San Diego and in the
House of Grove L. Johnson of Sacramento the first week of the session.
Mrs. Coffin, Mrs. Moore and Thomas E. Hayden, an attorney retained by
the State association, were the lobby maintained in Sacramento during
the entire session. The amendment was reported favorably out of
committee in both Houses. When the roll was called in the House it was
discovered that the San Francisco delegates had received orders and
the entire delegation voted "no." The result was a bare majority and
not two-thirds. On demand of the suffrage lobby Mr. Johnson obtained
reconsideration. When the vote was next taken it showed that the San
Francisco delegation had been again instructed and voted solid for the
amendment, giving the necessary two-thirds, 54 to 16. Thus was this
city able to control every measure.
Then began the long struggle in the Senate. President pro tem. Edward
I. Wolf of San Francisco and Senator J. B. Sanford of Ukiah,
Republican and Democratic senior Senators, were bitter opponents of
the amendment of long years' standing. After weeks of effort, with a
deadlock of constantly changing votes and always "one more to get," it
was decided to appeal to Governor Gillette to redeem his pledge of
help and Mrs. Coffin and Mr. Hayden called upon him at the Capitol. He
received them without rising or inviting them to be seated and wholly
repudiated the promises he had made to the women at the Republican
convention, saying he was only fooling! The amendment went down to
defeat, lacking two votes.
1908. The Democratic convention in Stockton in 1908 again incorporated
the amendment in the platform. The Labor convention did likewise, Mrs.
Edith DeLong Jarmuth rendering valuable service on the committee. The
convention of the Republican party, the dominant one, was held in
Oakland. The Suffrage State Central Committee opened headquarters at
the Hotel Metropole simultaneously with the Republicans, much to their
chagrin. Rooms were also opened in the Bacon Block, financed by the
Oakland Amendment League, who were coming to lobby. Three hundred
women marched in the first suffrage parade in the State behind a
yellow silk suffrage banner, with the State coat of arms richly
embroidered on it by Mrs. Theodore Pinther, who carried it to reserved
seats in the front of the gallery of the McDonough Theater, where the
convention was held. Mrs. Sperry, Mrs. Pease of Colorado and a
committee of eight women representing as many separate interests had
spoken before the Resolutions Committee the evening before, with two
minutes allotted to each. Mrs. Josephine Manahan, Miss Younger, Mrs.
LaRue, Mrs. Barron and Mrs. O'Donnell composed the labor committee.
Filling the galleries and boxes the suffragists waited for the result.
In lieu of a suffrage plank the Republican chairman stepped forth and
in his pleasantest manner thanked the women for their attendance,
assuring them that by their grace and beauty they had contributed
materially to the success of the convention. Mrs. Pease, who was
seated in the front row, rose and answered that the women were not
there for bouquets but for justice and declined their thanks.
1909. This year the amendment was in the middle of the stream. It had
the promise of support from individual members but the party leaders
had declined assistance. The Progressives felt topheavy with reforms
and feared to be overbalanced if it were adopted as part of their
program. They had the majority in both Houses but failing to secure
any part of the organization they were left off of all important
committees and were on the outside. Apartments for the suffrage lobby,
under the care of Mrs. E. L. Campbell, were opened near the Capitol.
Delegates from many parts of the State were constantly arriving to
relieve the others, with the exception of Mrs. Coffin and Mrs. Moore,
who were in constant attendance and with other members of the
committees and Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson, the president, carried the
burden of the work. Assemblyman Johnson again introduced the
amendment. A ruling was made, aimed at the women, that no lobbyists
should be permitted on the floor of the Assembly. To the amazement of
every one the women began to secure votes. The Judiciary Committee
recommended the amendment and it came up as a special order. Speaker
Philip A. Stanton was an avowed opponent, as was Assemblyman J. P.
Transue, floor leader, both of Los Angeles. The San Francisco
delegation, under the direction of Assemblyman J. J. McManus, lined up
with them. The debate lasted an hour. Assemblymen Otis, Telfer,
Juilliard and Hinkel were among those speaking for the amendment. The
atmosphere seemed favorable but at 12 o'clock, when the vote should
have been taken, to the amazement of its friends, Mr. Johnson moved
for a recess until one o'clock. In that hour every possible pressure
was brought to bear against the amendment. When the session reconvened
the galleries were packed with persons there in the interest of the
race-track bill and the suffrage lobby were compelled to sit on the
steps. Without preliminaries the amendment went down to defeat, Mr.
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 Assemblyman 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 assisting in this result. Santa Clara county under the
leadership 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 sturdy 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 assisting 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
constitution was submitted.
1911. The action taken in 1911 has been described.
In 1915 the Legislature by unanimous vote of both Houses passed
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 petition 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 passed 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
Assembly 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. Constitution 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 space 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 assistant 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 associate and seven assistant professors and two assistant
professors in the medical college. At Leland Stanford Junior
University are one woman professor emeritus (psychology); two
associate professors, eight assistant professors--over 40 women on the
teaching force.
FOOTNOTES:
[10] For the "assembling" 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 Association; 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 Mitchell, 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 shipped
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 Garbutt, 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.
A. Waymire, Mrs. Isabel A. Baldwin, Mrs. Ella E. Greenman, Miss Mary
Fairbrother, Dr. Sarah I. Shuey, Miss Anna Chase, Mrs. Abbie E. Krebs,
Miss Ina Coolbrith, Mrs. Nellie Blessing Eyster, Mrs. Frances
Williamson.
The comprehensive booklet published by Miss Selina Solomons, "How We
Won the Vote in California," preserves scores of these names and
contains a wealth of details in regard to this interesting campaign.
[16] After the election was over the College League at a general
request issued a pamphlet of 139 pages, edited by Louise Herrick Wall,
describing in detail its many activities during the campaign, every
page of which is a record of marvelous work.
[17] The consideration of Secretary of State Frank Jordan was
appreciated in placing the amendment on the ballot with an explanatory
footnote that would prevent any one from not recognizing it. The
victory was partly due to this advantage.
[18] The very complete résumé of the activities of these organizations
made by Miss Martha A. Ijams, Council Secretary, had to be much
condensed for lack of space.