Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/277

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HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

MARYLAND 263 in 1905 with Mrs. Edward O. Janney as president. In the spring of 1909 this league, in order to broaden its scope, became the Equal Suffrage League of Baltimore. Mrs. Elisabeth King Ellicott was elected president and filled this office with wisdom and rare executive ability until her death in May, 1914. The league, as a branch of the State Suffrage Association, sent Miss Julia Rogers as a delegate to the national convention held in Seattle in 1909. This year a mass meeting was held in McCoy Hall, Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Thayer of the Medical School presiding. Miss Ethel Arnold of England was the speaker and made many converts. In 1910 the league had a bill introduced in the Legislature giv- ing Municipal suffrage to "every bona fide resident of the city of Baltimore, male or female, 21 years of age. . . . (a) If such person is qualified to vote for members of the House of Dele- gates; or (b) can read or write from dictation any paragraph of more than five lines in the State constitution; or (c) is assessed with property in said city to the amount of $300 and has paid taxes thereon for at least two years preceding the election. . . ." The league was fortunate in securing as attorney Judge Jacob M. Moses of the Juvenile Court. He conducted a hearing on February 16 in the House of Delegates attended by both branches of the Legislature. Six hundred women and men went on a special train to Annapolis, carrying a petition for the bill repre- senting 173,000 names. The speakers were Dr. Howard Kelly of Johns Hopkins, president of the Men's League; Dr. Mary Sherwood of the medical department; Judge Moses, Mrs. Ellicott. Mrs. Ida I lusted Harper of New York, Miss Janet Richards of. Washington, Misses Julia Rogers, Mary E. Lent, Ellen La Mott and Sarah Brookes. The House committee reported eight to one in favor. The advocates in the House were Robert H. Carr, who introduced the bill, H. Pairo, R. E. Beacliam and Mr. Henderson. It received 67 noes, 24 ayes and did not come before the Senate. Three other woman suffrage bills ere defeated this In io/>'- Donald R. 1 looker, chairman of the Lecture tnittee, vn<; instrumental in securing many noted speakers public meetings. In <>o she formed the Just Government