Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/184

I7O HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE it was decided again to join hands with the Legislative Council to work for a partial suffrage bill and to cooperate with the Woman's Franchise League in legislative work if a mutual deci- sion could be brought about. The association all over the State was very zealous in behalf of the bill and Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Noland and Mrs. Stimson worked continuously in the State House until the Governor signed it on February 28. To the Legislative Council of Women belongs much of the glory for the final suffrage victories in Indiana. Formed in 1914 to work with the Legislature it was composed of the fol- lowing State organizations representing 80,000 organized women : Federation of Women's Clubs, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Mothers' Congress, Woman's Franchise League, Wo- man's Press Club, Association of Collegiate Alumnae, Consumers' League, Woman's Relief Corps, Equal Suffrage Association. These organizations represented an influence that could not be ignored. The officers were as follows : President, Mrs. Felix T. McWhirter (later Mrs. Fdward F. White), Indianapolis; vice-presidents : Miss Vida Newsom, Columbus ; Mrs. Flora Millspaugh, Chesterfield; Mrs. A. D. Moffett, Elwood; secretary- treasurer, Miss Dora Bosart, Indianapolis. The Executive Com- mittee was composed of the president and one delegate from each organization and Mrs. S. C. Stimson of Terre Haute was chair- man. The Council was financed by these organizations, assisted by churches, business men's clubs, ministers', teachers' and farmers' associations and individual contributions. The Act was ruled unconstitutional in October but the women had a taste of citizenship, for all over the State they had regis- tered and in some places they had voted on prohibition and public improvements. The Legislative Council sent out 75,000 registra- tion cards. Municipal authorities had appointed women to places of trust. The Suffrage Board formulated a plan for the study of citizenship, of the United States and State constitutions, methods of voting, etc., which has since been on the program of study for the local societies. In July, 1917, Mrs. Noland and Mrs. Ray were again asked to speak at the annual meeting of the Municipal League and the following was adopted with enthusiasm : "Resolved ; That the