IDAHO.[40]
Idaho women have been voting citizens for twenty-four years and during
these years much has been accomplished for the making of a bigger and
better State, especially along educational lines. The women came into
their suffrage sanely and quietly, working shoulder to shoulder with
men in everything vital to their country. State and local politics has
been materially improved since women have been electors. No strictly
suffrage association has been maintained since the franchise was
granted, but when the National League of Women Voters was instituted
in 1920 a branch was formed in Idaho with Dr. Emma F. A. Drake
chairman. Work heretofore had been done through the Federation of
Clubs, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and other organizations
of women. Political leaders always consider what women will think of a
candidate before he is nominated and it is constantly demonstrated
that nothing puts the fear of God into a man's heart like the ballot
in the hands of a good woman. The women vote in about the same
proportion as the men and there never is any criticism of it. Women
have worked for many good laws and have seen the most of them passed.
The women are not ambitious for office, but they fill regularly,
without question, the following: State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, County School Superintendent, County Treasurer, City
Treasurer and, in many counties, Auditor and the appointive offices,
Law Librarian and assistant, Traveling Librarian and assistant. In
January, 1920, Governor D. W. Davis appointed Mrs. J. G. H. Gravely on
the State Educational Board. The following women have filled the
office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction: Miss Permeal
French, Miss Belle Chamberlain, Miss Bernice McCoy, Miss May Scott,
Miss Grace Shepherd, Miss Ethel Redfield; of Law Librarian: Mrs. Mary
Wood, Mrs. Arabella Erskine, Mrs. Carrie A. Gainer, Mrs. Minnie Priest
Dunton, Mrs. William Balderston; of Traveling Librarian: Mrs. E. J.
Dockery, Miss Louise Johnson, Mrs. Marie Schrieber, Miss Margaret S.
Roberts.
Only six women have served in the Legislature, all in the Lower House:
Mrs. Hattie F. Noble, Mrs. Clara Campbell, Dr. Emma F. A. Drake, Mrs.
Mary Allen Wright, Mrs. Lettie McFadden, Mrs. Carrie Harper White.
RATIFICATION. Governor Davis called a special session to ratify the
Federal Suffrage Amendment Feb. 11, 1920. It was carried unanimously
in the House, after Dr. Emma F. A. Drake, the only woman member of the
House present, made a strong and logical speech introducing the
resolution. It was carried in the Senate but had six opposing votes.
The following are the names of the men who were proud to vote against
the ratification: Elmer Davis of Boise county; C. B. Faraday of
Elmore; Ross Mason of Shoshone; R. T. Owens of Oneida; E. W. Porter of
Latah; John S. St. Clair of Owyhee.[41]
FOOTNOTES:
[40] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Margaret S.
Roberts, Librarian of the Idaho Free Travelling Library. A full
account of the winning of woman suffrage in 1896 will be found in
Volume IV, History of Woman Suffrage.
[41] If "happy women have no history" those of Idaho are fortunate, as
the above is all that could be obtained for the State chapter.--Ed.