History of Woman Suffrage/Volume 6/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
IDAHO.[1]
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 144 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE berlain, Miss Bernice McCoy, Miss May Scott, Miss Grace Shep- herd, 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 Mc- Fadden, Mrs. Carrie Harper White. RATIFICATION. Governor Davis called a special session to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment Feb. n, 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 ratifica- tion: 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. 1 1 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.
- ↑ 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.