LOUISIANA. PART I.[57]
The history of woman suffrage in Louisiana is unique inasmuch as it
records largely the activity of one club, an influence, however, which
was felt in the upbuilding of sentiment not alone in Louisiana but in
almost every Southern State. When in 1900 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt on
her accession to the presidency of the National American Woman
Suffrage Association called for conventions in the Southern States it
was found that in Louisiana the State Suffrage Association, formed in
1896 by the union of the Portia and Era clubs, had lapsed because the
former was no longer in existence. The Era Club, however, was
flourishing under the stimulus and prestige gained by the successful
Drainage, Sewerage and Water Campaign of 1899.[58] Mrs. Catt decided
that, while it was a new precedent to recognize one club as a State
association, it would be done in this case. Mrs. Evelyn Ordway was
made president, Mrs. Caroline E. Merrick, vice-president; Miss
Jeannette Ballard and Miss Jean Gordon, secretaries, and Mrs. Otto
Joachim, treasurer of the new association at a meeting in May, 1900,
at New Orleans. It went on record at this first meeting as a State's
rights organization, which Mrs. Catt ruled was permissible under the
dual character of the National Association's constitution.
The secretary entered into active correspondence with individuals in
all sections of the State known to be favorable to suffrage, but all
efforts to secure clubs were unsuccessful. The Era Club, therefore,
extended its membership over the State in order that representation in
the national suffrage conventions could be state-wide. It had a
standing Legislative Committee and for thirteen years its activities
constituted the work of a State association. In 1904, Mrs. Merrick,
Louisiana's pioneer suffragist, was made honorary president; Miss Kate
M. Gordon, president; Mrs. James McConnell, vice-president; Mrs.
Armand Romain, corresponding secretary; Miss Jean Gordon, recording
secretary; Mrs. Lucretia Horner (now Mrs. James McBride), treasurer.
There was no change in this board until 1913 except that on the death
of Mrs. Romain in 1908 Mrs. Judith Hyams Douglas was appointed in her
place.
Clubs were formed during the years in various towns, but did not
survive, until in 1913 a league was organized in Shreveport which did
excellent work under its presidents, Mrs. S. B. Hicks, Mrs. S. P.
Weaver and Mrs. J. M. Henry. The first State convention was held Nov.
12, 1913, in New Orleans, and the following officers were elected:
Miss Jean Gordon, president; Mrs. George Wesley Smith, Rayville; Mrs.
James C. Wooten, Monroe; Mrs. Louis Hackenjos, Alexandria,
vice-presidents; Mrs. R. M. Carruth, New Roads, corresponding
secretary; Miss Lois Janvier, New Orleans, recording secretary; Miss
Olivia Munson, Napoleonville, treasurer; Mrs. Fannie Wolfson,
Coushatta, auditor.
This board was unchanged until 1915, when Mrs. Clarence King of
Shreveport became treasurer and Mrs. M. H. Lawless of Garden City and
Mrs. D. C. Scarborough of Natchitoches, auditors. There was no further
change until 1920, when Mrs. McBride became treasurer and Mrs. Horace
Wilkinson took Mrs. Scarborough's place. State conventions met in
Alexandria in 1914 and in Shreveport in 1915. Conferences were held in
twenty-five parishes in anticipation of the proposed constitutional
convention of 1915. A convention was held in Alexandria in July, 1918,
and chairmen were appointed in forty-eight parishes in preparation for
the State amendment campaign.
In reviewing the history of woman suffrage in Louisiana three factors
stand out prominently as influences that molded a favorable public
opinion. These are the national suffrage convention in 1903; the
inauguration of charity campaigns on the lines of political
organization and the forming of the Southern States Woman Suffrage
Conference, the object of which was to place the Democratic party on
record for woman suffrage in this Democratic stronghold of the "solid
South."
In public opinion woman suffrage was largely associated with the
Abolition movement. In 1900 Miss Gordon had accepted an invitation to
address the convention of the National Association in Washington on
the famous Sewerage and Drainage Campaign of women in New Orleans.
Then and there she decided that the most important work before
Louisiana suffragists was to bring this conservative State under the
influence of a national convention. In 1901 she attended another
convention and was elected corresponding secretary of the National
Association. In 1903 she brought its convention to New Orleans and it
proved to be one of the most remarkable in the history of the
association.[59] So impressed was Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president
at large, with the possibilities in the South that she volunteered a
month's series of lectures in the next autumn and many places in
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas came under the spell of her
eloquence.
The influence of this convention was immediately seen in the
increasing membership of the Era Club. Its leaders recognized that the
best policy to rouse both men and women to the value of suffrage to
the individual and the community was by applied politics in social
service. It had already secured a partial franchise for taxpaying
women and its achievements in the following years made it an
acknowledged power.[60] In 1910 a great charity and educational
benefit was launched for the Anti-Tuberculosis League and the Woman's
Dispensary. A complete plan of organizing with Era Club members as
ward and precinct leaders taught them political organization.
By 1913 the movement for a Federal Suffrage Amendment was growing so
insistent that southern women who were opposed to this method felt the
necessity of organizing to combat it and to uphold the State's rights
principle of the Democratic party. Through the initiative of Miss
Gordon a Call for a conference was sent in August to leading women in
every southern State and signed by twenty-two from almost as many
States asking the Governors to meet in New Orleans for a conference.
It said:
We are united in the belief that suffrage is a State right and
that the power to define a State's electorate should remain the
exclusive right of the State. We recognize that Woman Suffrage is
no longer a theory to be debated but a condition to be met. The
inevitable "votes for women" is a world movement and unless the
South squarely faces the issue and takes steps to preserve the
State's right the force of public opinion will make it mandatory
through a National Constitutional Amendment....
While as Southerners we wish to see the power of the State
retained, yet as women we are equally determined to secure, as of
paramount importance, the right which is the birthright of an
American citizen. We, therefore, appeal to you gentlemen vested
with the power largely to shape conditions to confer with us and
influence public opinion to adopt woman suffrage through State
action. Failing to accomplish this, the onus of responsibility
will rest upon the men of the South if southern women are forced
to support a National Amendment, weighted with the same
objections as the Fifteenth.
It was not expected that the Governors would come, but the desired
publicity was secured and several of them sent representative women.
At the invitation of the Era Club the conference was held in New
Orleans Nov. 10-11, with an excellent attendance. The Southern States
Woman Suffrage Conference was organized with Miss Gordon president. On
May 1, 1914, headquarters were opened in New Orleans in charge of Mrs.
Ida Porter Boyer of Pennsylvania, as executive secretary, who had had
long experience in suffrage organization and press work. For the next
three years Miss Gordon went regularly to these headquarters and gave
her entire time to the promotion of the Southern Conference without
financial remuneration. In October a 20-page magazine, the _New
Southern Citizen_, made its appearance, which became self-supporting
and proved to be a most valuable factor in the work of the conference.
The first convention was held in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Nov. 10, 1914,
just before that of the National American Association in Nashville,
which its delegates attended. It was welcomed by the Mayor, the
president of the Chamber of Commerce and many club presidents.
Delegates were present from twelve States and in addition a number of
distinguished visitors. Mrs. Oliver H. P. Belmont brought with her
Miss Christabel Pankhurst of Great Britain and both made addresses.
About $1,500 were pledged.
Miss Gordon said in her president's address: "The Southern States
Woman Suffrage Conference has for its immediate object to make the
Democratic party declare itself in favor of votes for women in its
next national platform. This, we southern suffragists believe, is the
first step in what will prove a veritable landslide in the South. The
conference therefore recommends to the suffragists of the South the
adoption of a policy of concentration upon the Democratic party to
declare itself."
In December, 1915, a national conference was held in Richmond, Va.
Smaller conferences were held in Atlanta, Greenville, S. C., and
Little Rock. Miss Gordon visited most of the cities of the South to
organize the women. In July, 1916, an executive meeting was held in
St. Louis at the time of the national Democratic convention. Its
Resolutions Committee gave a hearing to the representatives of the
conference, Miss Clay, Mrs. O. F. Ellington of Little Rock, Mrs.
Boyer, Mrs. Wesley Martin Stoner of Washington. Miss Gordon made an
extended appeal for an endorsement of woman suffrage in the party
platform and presented a resolution to "secure for women
self-government while preserving to the State a like self-government."
This was not adopted, but the platform did recommend "the extension of
suffrage to the women of the country by the States."
Although the principal object of the conference had been attained, its
leaders hesitated to dissolve it because of its excellent magazine and
work yet to be done. It was maintained until May, 1917, when the
entrance of this country into the World War made its discontinuance
seem advisable.[61]
LEGISLATIVE ACTION. Prior to 1904 it was an unheard of thing for women
in Louisiana to take an active part in legislative procedure. A
woman's club, the Arena, had been instrumental in obtaining the first
"age of consent" legislation, but a Unitarian minister had entirely
managed the Legislature. Therefore the tyros who formed the first
Legislative Committee of the Era Club showed their ignorance and
enthusiasm when their program included at least twelve bills which
they proposed to have enacted into law in one session.[62] Without any
friends at court it was with considerable relief that they followed
advice to put them all in the hands of an influential lobbyist. Reform
bills were not in his line and the session was drawing to a close with
nothing done when the Gordon sisters cast precedent and propriety to
the winds, telegraphed to the Senator from their district for an
audience, boarded a morning train for Baton Rouge and descended upon
the Capitol. Article 210 of the State constitution adopted in 1898
made women ineligible to serve in any official capacity. One of the
first acts of the Era Club had been to try to have it amended so as to
allow the appointment of a woman to fill a vacancy on the School
Board. The surprised Senator met them on their arrival, learned the
object of their visit and they will never know whether sympathy,
amusement or curiosity actuated the Committee on Judiciary to whom he
appealed for a hearing, but a few minutes after their arrival they
were pleading their cause before its members. They then called on
Governor Newton Blanchard, who offered to have Article 210 amended to
enable the appointment of a factory inspector, but in their zeal for
the larger object they declined.
1906. Wiser by two years' experience, the Legislative Committee was
glad to accept Lieutenant Governor Jared Y. Sanders's offer of an
amendment for the above purpose, and Miss Jean Gordon was appointed
factory inspector for the city of New Orleans. It was not long before
she realized that the Child Labor law, under which she must operate,
was not worth the paper on which it was written. She then studied the
child labor laws of every State and selected what was best suited to
southern conditions, and put it into form for submission.
1908. The legislative program was limited to the attempt to amend
Article 210, pass a School suffrage bill and the Child Labor bill. The
School suffrage bill, under the skillful management of Senator R. E.
Gueydan, assisted by Senators Albert Estinopal and James Brady and
Lieutenant Governor Thos. C. Barrett, passed the Senate but failed in
the House. The Child Labor bill passed the House but not the Senate.
1910. Senator Gueydan introduced the amendment of Article 210.
Representative S. O. Shattuck introduced the first resolution to
strike out the word "male" from the State constitution, with
instructions from the women to substitute a School or Municipal
suffrage bill if a favorable report was more likely to result. By this
time the women had sufficiently progressed to address a joint suffrage
committee hearing in the House in the presence of an immense audience,
Miss Belle Van Horn, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Douglas, Miss Gordon and labor
representatives presenting suffrage arguments. The School suffrage
bill was substituted and received a unanimous favorable report, but
not the necessary two-thirds vote.
1912. The amendment to Article 210 was introduced by Martin Manion in
the House and William Byrnes in the Senate. In the interim between the
sessions Mrs. O. W. Chamberlain, legislative chairman, had rolled up a
monster petition from all sections of the State and the favorable
report of the committee was followed by the required two-thirds vote
in the House. There seemed no hope in the Senate, but Miss Gordon
appealed to Senator Byrnes to call it from the calendar. There was
active lobbying among the opponents, but it finally passed and was
sent to the voters! In the campaign for it the Newcomb College
Alumnae, the State Nurses' Association and the Federation of Women's
Clubs were very active, but it was defeated.
An interesting phase of this year's session in connection with the
suffrage amendment was the presenting of the idea of Primary suffrage
for women by Miss Gordon at the hearing. She had grown so tired of
hearing from the opponents of woman suffrage that their objection
rested solely upon the fact that negro women would be enfranchised,
that on the part of the Legislative Committee she offered as a
substitute for the full suffrage bill one limiting it to the white
primary elections. This novel offer was received with great applause
by the assembled members of the two Houses, but was not accepted. [See
Arkansas and Texas chapters for Primary suffrage for women.]
1914. The full suffrage bill was introduced by Representative Manion
and a quiet committee hearing held, with representatives from the
State Suffrage Association and the Woman Suffrage Party. It received
60 ayes, 41 noes in the House, but not the necessary two-thirds.
Amending Article 210 had become a city administration measure and was
slated for success. A donation towards a Tuberculosis Hospital in New
Orleans had been made by Mrs. John Dibert and the gift was
municipalized by a condition which required a certain annual revenue
from the city. She desired to be a member of the hospital board, but
was ineligible under this article. The Era Club gave notice that it
would challenge her eligibility and she supported its position. The
long desired amendment was on the way to a successful passage, but
went on the rocks because of the club's campaign against a financial
measure for refunding the city debt known as the Nine Million Bond
issue, in which the provisions for the public schools and the
teachers' pay were totally inadequate and it was to be in effect for
fifty years! The Era Club and the Mothers' Co-operative Club protested
and worked against this political-financial alliance. In retaliation
twenty-four hours before the election the order went to the voters to
defeat the amendment to Article 210, which would have made women
eligible to serve on school and charity boards, and they did so.
1918. Governor Ruffin G. Pleasant recommended in his message the
submission of a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitution.
The State association had a resolution for it introduced in the House
by Frank Powell; the Woman Suffrage Party one in the Senate by Leon
Haas, and it passed in both.
CAMPAIGNS. There have been two campaigns in the interest of woman
suffrage in Louisiana, one for preparing for an expected
constitutional convention which would have met in 1915, and the other
in 1918 to amend the State constitution by striking out the word
"male." A special session of the Legislature in 1915 proposed a
convention to revise the constitution and submitted the question to
the voters. Immediately Miss Jean Gordon, president of the State
Suffrage Association, accompanied by Miss Lilly Richardson and Mrs.
Ida Porter Boyer, visited the various parishes and formed working
committees in 40 of the 63. The enthusiastic reception wherever they
went was practical testimony to the sentiment for woman suffrage that
they knew existed and could be utilized if the politicians could be
made to submit the amendment to the voters. The latter rejected the
proposal to hold a convention, but the work done by the women laid the
foundation for the campaign three years later.
In 1918 there was finally submitted for the first time the long
desired amendment to the State constitution to enable women to vote.
To Governor Pleasant is due a great debt of gratitude, for every
influence that he could bring to bear was exerted, not alone to secure
its submission but also its ratification. He had particularly urged in
his Message at the opening of the Legislature the great importance of
the South's realizing the danger threatened from the proposed
submission of the Federal Suffrage Amendment. The State Suffrage
Association was in the midst of opening the campaign when the Woman
Suffrage Party announced that they would retire from all suffrage
activity and devote themselves to Red Cross work. Robert Ewing, member
of the Democratic National Committee, owner of the New Orleans _Daily
States_ and Shreveport _Times_, and a political power, offered his
support if the Woman Suffrage Party would unite with the State
association and leave the Federal Amendment question entirely out of
the campaign. They finally agreed to this and a joint committee was
formed of the president and three capable women in each organization.
Headquarters were opened in New Orleans; the parish committees which
were organized in 1915 were found to be ready for active work. A
petition to be signed was sent to each with a strong official letter
from the Campaign Committee. A bitter three-cornered Senatorial fight
was under way and the women were asked to delay action until after the
September primaries, which they consented to do.
All was ready for beginning a whirlwind campaign on October 1, when
suddenly just before that date the influenza epidemic broke out and no
assembling of people was allowed. To add to the difficulties, instead
of the usual dry, clear weather of this season there came a deluge of
rains that lasted for six weeks and the condition of the roads made it
wholly impossible to do any work in the outlying districts. Thus there
was practically no campaign in the way of making personal appeals to
the voters, but in New Orleans and other cities thousands received
urgent letters from Miss Gordon and other leaders. Notwithstanding
these adverse conditions, the majority against the amendment was only
3,600, nearly all of it in New Orleans, where it was the result of
direct orders from Mayor Martin Behrman, through the ward "bosses" of
a perfectly controlled "machine." From parish after parish in the
State came reports of precincts not even being opened on account of
the epidemic and the weather. There is no doubt that others which
reported an adverse majority were really carried for the amendment. At
a public meeting of protest immediately after Miss Gordon made an
address recalling the glorious history of the Democratic party and
comparing it with this election which had repudiated its highest
principles.
In 1920 the State Suffrage Association stood alone in again having a
resolution introduced for amending the State constitution, all the
other suffrage societies concentrating on the ratification of the
Federal Amendment, which had been submitted by Congress on June 4. It
was presented in the Lower House by L. L. Upton, in the Senate by J.
O. Stewart. They were followed immediately by Representative S. O.
Shattuck and Senator Norris C. Williamson with one to ratify the
Federal Amendment. At the close of the session Miss Jean Gordon issued
the following statement:
To the Friends of Woman Suffrage:
Now that the smoke of battle has cleared ... as president of the
State association I feel that an unbiased statement of facts
should be given in order that the history of woman suffrage in
this State may be correctly recorded. Having been at Baton Rouge
from the opening day of the Legislature until its adjournment I
can give all the facts and some of the reasons for one of the
most remarkable controversies ever held in Louisiana.
The proposed amendment to the State constitution having been
defeated in 1918 by the malevolent influences of the influenza
throughout the State and Mayor Behrman in New Orleans, it was
necessary to have another sent to the voters in 1920.
Congress having submitted a Federal Amendment to the Legislatures
it was to be expected that men and women who believe in
centralizing the voting power in Congress would work for its
ratification, but that those who claimed to be ardent suffragists
would work to defeat State submission after they found the
sentiment for ratification amounted to almost nothing in both
Houses seems incredible. The fact remains, however, that while
the actual defeat of the State amendment was due primarily to
personal animosity on the part of Senator Leopold of Plaquemine
parish, when he realized what he had done he said that if it was
possible to have it re-introduced he would vote for it, thus
giving the necessary twenty-eight votes. After all arrangements
for re-consideration had been made, Senator Louque, a faithful
suffragist of many years' standing, provoked because one of his
bills had been defeated, slipped away and it was again deprived
of the one vote needed.
In the Senate Chamber were those nine Senators who proclaimed all
through the session their intense belief in woman suffrage--so
intense that they wanted the women enfranchised immediately and
they wished to help all the women of the United States--these and
many other reasons were given by them for standing firmly for a
Federal Amendment but they voted against State submission,
knowing the Federal Amendment had been killed overwhelmingly.
Therefore the real defeat of the State amendment must be
accredited to the following nine Senators: Bagwell, Brown,
Cunningham, Hood, Johnston of Bossier, Lawrason, Wear, Williamson
and Wood....
Very different was the spirit among the proponents of the Federal
Amendment in the House. Men who have always been suffragists
voted for both Federal and State suffrage.... When Senators
Craven, Johness, Johnson of Franklin and Durr saw the Federal
Amendment was hopelessly defeated they voted for State
submission. When Mayor Behrman caught the vision of how a Federal
Amendment could help him in the September primary, he had
Senators Davey, Thoele and Roberts vote for it, though it was
reported that all had said no power on earth could ever make them
do it. After it was defeated they continued to vote against the
State amendment. The interpretation put upon their attitude was
that they would not help it because its success would be
considered a victory for Mr. Ewing, as his _Daily States_ had
been the only city paper to stand for State submission. Be it
said to the credit of Senators Boyer, Butler, Clinton, Doussan,
Domengeaux, Dugas, Weil and Wilbert that although avowed
anti-suffragists, they worked hard to secure the submission of
the State amendment while so-called ardent suffragists worked
overtime for its defeat.
LOUISIANA. PART II.[63]
Louisiana had no State organization for woman suffrage when in March,
1913, Mrs. A. B. Singletary of Baton Rouge organized there the State
Equal Suffrage League,[64] and in April Mrs. John T. Meehan organized
the Woman Suffrage Party of Louisiana in New Orleans.[65] Both
enrolled men as well as women, affiliated with the National American
Suffrage Association and worked harmoniously for the enfranchisement
of Louisiana women by State and national legislation. Later the League
became the Sixth District branch of the Party. When the Woman Suffrage
Party was organized its platform contained only a pledge to work for
an amendment to the State constitution, but after affiliating with the
National Association it was pledged to work also for a Federal
Suffrage Amendment, and this was fully understood by the members.
By June 15 the Party, with Mrs. Edgar M. Cahn as State chairman, had
enrolled 300 members. It held open air rallies, organized by
legislative districts, which are known as "parishes," and in the
seventeen wards of Orleans parish congressional chairmen were
appointed by the beginning of 1914. This year the Teachers' Political
Equality Club and the Newcomb College Suffrage Club became branches of
the Party, and the Orleans Parish Branch was organized. Delegates were
sent to the national suffrage convention at Nashville in November.
The first State convention of the Party was held in April, 1915, at
Baton Rouge and Mrs. Meehan was elected chairman. Throughout the
summer suffragists of all groups campaigned vigorously for the
recognition of woman suffrage in the State constitutional convention
expected in the autumn, but the convention itself was voted down at
the polls. A Men's League was formed and among its members were Dr.
Henry Dickson Bruns, W. A. Kernaghan, M. J. Sanders, Solomon Wolff,
Oscar Schumert, I. A. Strauss, J. J. Fineran, Lynn Dinkins, James
Wilkinson, Louis J. Bryan, Captain James Dinkins, L. H. Gosserand,
Rabbi Max Heller and Rabbi Emil Leipziger.
In 1916 the resolution for a constitutional amendment to eliminate the
word "male" again failed to pass when introduced by Frank E. Powell of
De Ridder in the Lower House, though asked for by all the suffrage
organizations, which now included a new group--the Equal Rights
Party--formed by Miss Florence Huberwald. Owing to the absence of Mrs.
Meehan, Mrs. H. B. Myers, vice-chairman, was active head of the party
most of the year. In November Mrs. Lydia Wickliffe Holmes of Baton
Rouge was elected State chairman at the annual convention in New
Orleans. Under her leadership all the groups in accord with the policy
of the National Suffrage Association were merged before the close of
1917, so that the Woman Suffrage Party now included the Equal Suffrage
League, the Equal Rights Party and the Louisiana League for Equal
Suffrage, formed the winter before in New Orleans by Mrs. W. J.
O'Donnell. At the annual convention in New Orleans Mrs. Holmes was
re-elected.
State headquarters, known as Suffrage House, were established in New
Orleans in February, 1918, a large house on St. Charles Avenue, which
was furnished largely through the efforts of Mrs. O'Donnell, who was
in charge. In May a resolution for a State suffrage amendment,
introduced in the Upper House by Senator Leon Haas of Opelousas, was
combined with one brought by Representative Powell in the House, and
passed on June 18, to be submitted to the voters in November. Active
campaigning for its adoption at the polls began in September under a
Joint Campaign Committee of the Woman Suffrage Party and the State
Suffrage Association. In spite of the influenza epidemic thousands of
signatures were obtained to a petition asking Governor Ruffin G.
Pleasant to issue a proclamation calling on the electors to vote for
it. This he did and those in the State at large responded favorably,
but their voice was nullified by the adverse votes cast in the
machine-controlled wards of New Orleans at the behest of Mayor Martin
Behrman, and the amendment was lost by 3,605 votes. The annual
convention held at Suffrage House in New Orleans after the election
chose Mrs. Holmes again for president.
In the winter of 1919 an attempt was made to secure such a
modification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment before Congress as
might meet the objections of southern opponents by removing the fear
of federal interference with elections. An amendment was devised by
Assistant Attorney General Harry Gamble and National Committeeman
Robert Ewing, which would leave its enforcement to the States. They
went to Washington accompanied by Mrs. Holmes and obtained the consent
of the officers of the National Suffrage Association. Senator Gay of
Louisiana introduced it and it was unanimously reported out of the
Committee on Woman Suffrage, but the session was just closing and
consent for a vote on it was refused.
On the social side an "inquiry" dinner dance given at the Country Club
in New Orleans in May to discuss why Louisiana women were not yet
enfranchised was attended by the Governor and many other prominent
politicians from all parts of the State. The annual convention was
held in the autumn at the headquarters, now removed to 417 Royal
Street, and Mrs. Holmes was elected to her fourth term.[66]
The Woman Suffrage Party conducted a vigorous fight for ratification
of the Federal amendment from the opening of the Legislature May 10,
1920, until its defeat on June 15. The final vote for ratification was
given by the Legislature of Tennessee in August, which insured the
complete suffrage for women in all the States. At the annual
convention of the Woman Suffrage Party in New Orleans, December 8-9,
its formal dissolution took place, followed immediately by the
organization of the State League of Women Voters, a branch of the
National League, with Mrs. Philip Weirlein as chairman. The Party's
seven years of work for the enfranchisement of Louisiana women by
State and national legislation were fittingly recognized at a dinner
in the Restaurant de la Louisiane, at which the men and women who had
aided the cause in various ways were honored. Prominent men predicted
happy results of woman's political freedom. Gifts in appreciation of
services were made to Martin H. Manion, Marshall Ballard and Norris C.
Williamson. General Robert Georges Nivelle, the hero of Verdun, was
present and congratulated the women, expressing the hope that ere long
the women of France would gain their political liberty. A silver vase
was presented to the retiring chairman, Mrs. Holmes, from her fellow
workers, and she was unanimously chosen honorary chairman of the new
league.
RATIFICATION. On the eve of departure for the national convention in
February, 1920, Mrs. Holmes, chairman of the Woman Suffrage Party,
went to John M. Parker, who had just been nominated for Governor by
the Democratic party, and asked: "If the thirty-sixth State ratifies
the Federal Suffrage Amendment while we are in Chicago will you send
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt a telegram of congratulations?" To this he
answered: "You write a message and sign my name to it--I'll stand for
anything you may say." "If, however, the amendment is not ratified and
it becomes necessary for Louisiana to make the fight for it," Mrs.
Holmes continued, "what must I tell Mrs. Catt you will do?" "Just say
to her," he replied, "that I am a suffragist, and she will
understand." Mr. Parker had joined the Progressive party in 1912 and
in 1916 he had made a campaign as its candidate for vice-president on
a platform that strongly endorsed the Federal Suffrage Amendment, so
his support of ratification was fully expected.
On their return from the convention the leaders of the Party began to
line up the important men of the State by letter and by personal
interviews. Beginning with the ex-Governors, they secured the
endorsement of L. E. Hall, H. C. Warmoth, N. C. Blanchard, Jared Y.
Sanders and W. W. Heard. Against these, however, was the present
Governor, Ruffin G. Pleasant, who took an aggressive stand for State's
rights, although at a public banquet eight months earlier he had told
the women that 'if Louisiana women could not obtain the ballot by
State enactment he would favor Federal action.' Among those who
declared for ratification were J. J. Bailey, Paul Capdeville, F. R.
Grace, T. R. Harris, A. V. Coco, Semmes Walmsley, Rufus E. Foster,
Howell Morgan, Percy Saint, E. N. Stafford, Phanor Breazeale,
Donaldson Caffery and many other men of affairs. The New Orleans
_Item_ had always advocated woman suffrage and the Federal Amendment
especially; the _Times-Picayune_ now approved ratification, as did
nearly all the papers in the State. The Orleans Democratic
Association, which had put Governor Parker in office, passed a
resolution endorsing it. The State Central Committee chairman, Frank
J. Looney, and the National Democratic Committeeman, Arsene Pujo, were
in favor, and North Louisiana was almost solid for it. The opposition
was chiefly in New Orleans, where certain elements under ward-boss
leadership were opposed to woman suffrage in any form.
Mrs. Holmes had a number of interviews with Governor-elect Parker
alone, with other women and with Marshall Ballard, editor of the
_Item_, one of his valued supporters. She was always led to believe
that he would help when the time for it came, although some of his
strongest adherents were opposed to ratification. It was deemed best
to make the fight along non-partisan lines, and so he was asked if it
would be wiser to have two of his own supporters take charge of it or
to have one who had opposed him in the primary campaign. He advised
the latter course and Norris C. Williamson of East Carroll parish, his
opponent, was selected to introduce the bill in the Senate, and S. O.
Shattuck of Calcasieu, a supporter and the introducer of the first
woman suffrage bill in the Legislature in the Lower House. The day
Mayor Martin Behrman came out for ratification, Mr. Parker said to
Mrs. Holmes: "I have always been for woman suffrage any way it could
be obtained and I have never understood a suffragist's taking any
other stand."
Early in March Governor-elect Parker told a group of suffragists that
the women should get together on a program for the Legislature if they
wished to be successful. Acting on this suggestion the Party publicly
invited all suffrage organizations to come together and form a Joint
Ratification Committee. Men and women from all parts of the State
attended this meeting on April 7 and one of the speakers, Charles
Rosen, pledged Parker to ratification, while Marshall Ballard vouched
for the authenticity of his statement. The bodies that composed this
committee were the Natchitoches Equal Rights Club, represented by Mrs.
S. J. Henry; the Shreveport Suffrage Club by Mrs. J. D. and Mrs. W. A.
Wilkinson; the Louisiana branch of the National Woman's Party, by Mrs.
M. R. Bankston, Mrs. E. J. Graham, Mrs. Rosella Bayhi; the Woman
Suffrage Party by Mrs. Joseph Devereux, Mrs. J. E. Friend. Mrs. Holmes
was made chairman, headquarters were taken in Baton Rouge and 46
lobbyists were at the Capitol day and night during the session.
On reaching Baton Rouge the women saw the "anti" forces lining up with
the "State's rights" advocates and witnessed the curious spectacle of
women who had worked for woman suffrage for a generation allying
themselves with the paid organizers of the National Association
Opposed to Woman Suffrage, headed by Miss Charlotte Rowe of Yonkers,
N. Y., its field secretary. Ex-Governor Pleasant and his wife came out
as leaders of the opposition, assisted by the Misses Kate and Jean
Gordon and other advocates of State action.[67] It was early seen that
the fight for the Speakership might endanger the ratification program
and the women were careful to take no part in it. R. F. Walker was
chosen, an unfortunate choice for the suffragists, for he leaned
strongly toward the "anti" side in his rulings, as did Lieutenant
Governor Hewitt Bouanchaud.
Although in his campaign speeches in the autumn Mr. Parker had
repeatedly said: "I am for suffrage; it is almost here, and we must
have it," his platform as sent into some of the parishes had contained
a "State's rights" plank, designed, with or without his knowledge, by
some of his backers, to placate those who feared the Federal Amendment
on account of its supposed effect on the negro question. This was not
known to the ratification leaders and therefore he created great
consternation by announcing shortly before his inauguration that he
"was going to keep his hands off the suffrage fight; that it was a
matter for the Legislature." After the Speakership contest was over he
refused to receive a delegation of women and declined to allow any
member of the Ratification Committee to approach him. On May 10, 1920,
the General Assembly convened in Baton Rouge and on the 11th the rival
woman suffrage bills were introduced. Representative L. L. Upton
presented the State amendment in the House. The Federal amendment
measure was a joint resolution. The attention of the country was
centered on the fight in Louisiana. Thirty-five State Legislatures had
ratified and the Republicans were claiming the credit. Democratic
leaders were very desirous of having it for the final ratification.
Appeals were sent out to prominent Democrats within and without the
State for help in putting it through. Colonel William J. Bryan was
one of the first to respond, urging it to help the Democratic party in
the coming campaign. Senator Williamson called on the new "convert,"
Mayor Behrman, and he appealed to the New Orleans "organization"
Senators, but was not entirely successful.
On May 13 Governor Pleasant submitted the Federal Amendment to both
Houses, with a message which filled several columns of print, urging
them not to adopt it but to pass in its stead the resolution for a
State amendment. On the 16th, Senator N. C. Simmons, a former leader
of the anti-suffrage forces, issued an appeal for ratification,
ridiculing Governor Pleasant's "negro peril" bugaboo. This same day
Mrs. George Bass, chairman of the Women's National Democratic
Committee, came to Baton Rouge at the request of the Joint
Ratification Committee and addressed a large meeting in the Istrouma
Hotel in favor of it.
John M. Parker was inaugurated Governor May 17. The next day he
received a telegram from President Woodrow Wilson which said: "May I
not very respectfully urge your favorable interest and influence in
the matter of the Federal Suffrage Amendment? It seems to be of the
deepest national significance and importance." The Governor answered
that he found a great difference of opinion among the legislators,
large numbers opposed to any form, and, all being Democrats, any
dictation on his part would be unwise.
Efforts made by the "antis" to force an immediate vote on the Federal
Amendment failed and it was decided that all suffrage bills should
take the usual course and be referred to committees for hearings.
Women thronged the capital. On June 2 the House passed the Upton bill
for State suffrage by 93 ayes to 17 noes. That same night a hearing
before the Joint Committees on Federal Relations was held, which
lasted five hours, with some notable speeches. S. O. Shattuck, Phanor
Breazeale, Percy Saint, Judge Rufus E. Foster, Congressman Jared Y.
Sanders, Mrs. Holmes, Mrs. Bass, Mrs. E. J. Graham, Miss Florence
Huberwald, Mrs. Joseph Devereux and Mrs. M. R. Bankston appeared for
the Federal Amendment, while the opposition was voiced by Senator
Stewart, ex-Governor Pleasant, Miss Kate Gordon, and Miss Charlotte
Rowe. On June 4, the Federal Amendment was reported favorably in the
Senate. "Get suffrage out of the way" became the slogan, but neither
side was ready to risk a vote. The Federal bill was passed to third
reading. On June 8 former Speaker of Congress Champ Clark addressed
the General Assembly and urged its ratification as an act of justice
to women and a great benefit to Louisiana and the Democratic party.
The next day the vote on ratification was indefinitely postponed by a
vote of 22 to 19 in the Senate while the Upton bill was returned to
the House calendar.
On June 14, Homer Cummings, chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, wired Behrman urging his help on the ground of party
advantage, to which the Mayor replied that he was doing all he could.
On June 15 the ratification of the Federal Amendment was defeated in
the House by a vote of 67 noes to 44 ayes, and Representative Jordan
then introduced a resolution definitely rejecting it, which was passed
by 60 ayes to 29 noes. The House declined to hear Congressman John E.
Raker of California on the ground that they had heard enough on woman
suffrage. The Upton bill for a State amendment was defeated in the
Senate by 23 noes to 16 ayes on June 17.
On June 18, Representative Conrad Meyer sought to re-introduce the
Federal measure but permission was refused by 61 to 18, while a motion
to re-consider the Upton bill passed the Senate by 18 to 12. Every
possible pressure was brought to bear by the Governor's forces to
secure its passage. All kinds of tactics and tricks were employed but
on July 7 it was again defeated, lacking one vote of the necessary
two-thirds. Those who were making the fight for the Federal Amendment
finally appealed to Governor James M. Cox of Ohio, Democratic nominee
for President, to use his influence. On July 7 he sent a telegram
urging the ratification and saying that "the Legislature owed such
action to the Democratic party." A strong effort was made to obtain
another vote but it failed by 46 ayes, 52 noes, and the Legislature
adjourned on July 8 with the record of having defeated both
ratification and a resolution to let the voters decide on amending the
State constitution for woman suffrage. Senator Williamson issued a
statement saying: "There was never a time during the entire session
when Governor Parker could not have had the Federal Amendment
ratified and he is the only man in the State who could have done it.
He had control of both House and Senate and when he went after
anything with all his force he did not fail to get it."
The last day of the session Mrs. Holmes, chairman of the Joint
Ratification Committee, went to Governor Parker and told him that she
would place the blame where it belonged; that the women had helped put
him in office and he had not stood by them, to which he answered: "Go
to it." She therefore issued a statement on July 15 saying in part:
"The responsibility for the failure of this Federal Amendment to
enfranchise 27,000,000 women, including those of Louisiana, rests on
Governor John M. Parker. This assertion is borne out by every woman
who lobbied at Baton Rouge and by all the fair-minded men. It was in
his power to secure ratification the day the session opened; it was in
his power the day Woodrow Wilson wired and asked his support; it was
in his power when Governor Cox sent his request. The women, who, in
their zeal for a broad-visioned progressive leader of clean, honest
characteristics, did all in their power to elect him Governor--those
are the women who in sorrow today must realize that it is the only
thing he stood for that he did not 'put across.'" ...
FOOTNOTES:
[57] The History is indebted for this chapter to Miss Kate M. Gordon,
corresponding secretary of the National American Woman Suffrage
Association from 1901 to 1909; president of the State Suffrage
Association from 1904 to 1913; president of the Southern States Woman
Suffrage Conference from its founding in 1914 to its end in 1917.
[58] The gaining of partial suffrage for taxpaying women and this
campaign are fully described in the Louisiana chapter in Volume IV of
the History of Woman Suffrage.
[59] For full report see Chapter III of Volume V.
[60] Among the accomplishments of the Era Club were the following:
Publication of the assessment rolls of New Orleans; admission of women
to the School of Medicine in Tulane University; first legislation in
the State against white slavery; the Southern States Woman Suffrage
Conference; equalized division of Tulane scholarships between boy and
girl students.
[61] Further matter on the Conference will be found in Vol. V, Chapter
XXI.
[62] Among those specially identified with legislative work were Mrs.
Celeste Claiborne Carruth, Mrs. McBride, Mrs. Hackenjos, Mrs. Fred W.
Price, Mrs. Wooten, Mrs. Wallace Sylvester, Mrs. George Wesley Smith,
Mrs. Lawless.
[63] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Miss
Ethel Hutson, chairman of publicity for the State Woman Suffrage
Association from its organization in 1913 to its close in 1920.
[64] Other workers were Mrs. Lydia, Wickliffe Holmes, Professor W. O.
Scroggs, Mrs. C. C. Devall, Mrs. C. Harrison Parker, Mrs. Horace
Wilkinson, Mrs. Elmo Bodly, Mrs. D. R. Weller, Alma Sabourin, Nellie
Spyker.
[65] Among charter members of the Woman Suffrage Party were Mrs. E. C.
G. Ferguson, Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Chamberlain, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Myers,
Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Graham, Mrs. Rosella Bayhi, Mrs. M. M. Reid, Mrs.
Margaret Hunt Brisbane, Miss Florence Huberwald, Edward Wisner,
Marshall Ballard, James M. Thomson, Lynn Dinkins, Mr. and Mrs. J. E.
Edmonds, Trist Wood, Ethel Hutson, Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Cosu, all of New
Orleans; Mrs. J. R. Mouton, of Jennings, Katherine Channelle and W. E.
Krebs, of Lake Charles, Mrs. M. M. Bodenbender of Covington.
[66] Among other officers and workers were: Mrs. H. Aschaffenburg,
Mrs. Eva C. Wright, Mrs. J. G. Skinner, Mrs. C. A. Meissner, Mrs. C.
G. Robinson, Mrs. Lee Benoist, Miss E. J. Harral, Mrs. W. W. Van
Meter, Miss Anna Morrell, Mrs. L. B. Elliott, Mrs. J. E. Friend, Mrs.
J. E. Wilkinson, Mrs. A. F. Storm, Mrs. James M. Thomson, Mrs. Reuben
Chauvin.
[67] For their further efforts see Tennessee chapter in this volume.