amendment to the State constitution to the voters was for the
first time introduced in the Legislature. It was referred to the
Committee on Privileges and Elections in the House and the
Legislature afterwards adjourned until July. In the meantime
the women worked to secure pledges from the members of the
committee to report the bill favorably and 14 of the 16 gave
their promise to do so. Instead of this it was "postponed in-
definitely." The women did not rest until they persuaded the
House to compel a report and then a hearing was granted to
them. Among those who worked in the Legislature were the
legislative chairman, Mrs. O. R. Hundley; Mrs. Jacobs, the State
president; Mrs. Chappel Cory, president United Daughters of
the Confederacy; Miss Mollie Dowd, representing the wage
earners, and Miss Lavinia Engle of Maryland, field organizer
for the National Association. The bill came to a vote late in
the session, when Representative Joe Green, who had asked for
the privilege of introducing it, spoke and voted against it. The
vote stood 52 ayes, 43 noes, a three-fifths majority being necessary to submit an amendment. As the Legislature meets only
once in four years this was the only action ever taken on a State
amendment.
At the State convention, held in Tuscaloosa in February of this year, reports were made from 19 auxiliary branches and the organization of 23 non-auxiliary branches was reported. The address of Dr. Shaw, the national president, gave a great impetus to suffrage work in the State. Mrs. Jacobs and the other officers were re-elected, except that Mrs. Frederick Koenig was made auditor.
On Feb. 9, 1916, the State convention was held in Gadsden and the evidences of the growth of the suffrage movement were most heartening, 26 local associations sending reports. Mrs. Parke was chosen for president, Mrs. Jacobs having been elected auditor of the National Association.
The State convention was held in Birmingham Feb. 12-13, 1917, and the officers re-elected except that Miss Worthington was made recording secretary. It was followed by a "suffrage" school conducted by representatives of the National Association, who generously gave the valuable help that a course of study
