Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/305

MASSACHUSETTS attorney for the Anti-Suffrage Association. Miss Blackwell usually replied for the petitioners. In recent years the suffra- gists had influential politicians of both parties to speak at the hearings, thus making woman suffrage a political question. 1901. The State association asked for the Municipal and Presidential franchise and for the submission to the voters of a constitutional amendment giving full suffrage. At the hearing on the latter, held February 18, the crowd broke all records and members of the committee who came late had to reach their seats by walking on top of the long table. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt was among the speakers. 1 The measure was defeated March ii by a vote, including pairs, of 156 to 53. Individuals peti- tioned for Municipal suffrage for women taxpayers, which was referred to the next Legislature without a roll call. 1902. The association's petition for a constitutional amend- ment was debated in the House on March 5 and defeated by a vote (including pairs) of 153 to 61. Petitions from indi- viduals for Municipal suffrage for taxpaying women and that women qualified to vote for school committee might vote in the primaries on the nominations for it and a petition of the Yoman's Christian Temperance Union that women might vote on licenses, were all rejected, after lively hearings. The Anti- Suffrage Association opposed all of them. The great legislative triumph of 1902 was the passage of the Equal Guardianship bill. Ever since Lucy Stone in 1847 began to urge the amendment of the old law, which gave the father 1 Many of the same persons appeared at these hearings year after year. Among tho,.- not mentioned who spoke for suffrage between 1900 and 1910 were Mrs. I.mia Anns Mead, Henry B. Blackwell, the Rev. Charles G. Ames, Mrs. Fanny H. Sarah Cone Bryant, the Rev. Charles F. Dole, Mrs. Anna Christy Fall. Mrs. Campbell. Miss Mary Ware Allen, Miss Eva Channing, Mrs. Al.hy Morton Dia/. Mi Lillian Fr< eman Claikr, Mrs. Maud Howe Elliott, Frank B. Sanborn, Mrs. Kliza K. Whiting, Mrs. Mary Kcnney O'Sullivan, Mrs. A. Watson Lister, of Australia; ex-Gov- ernor John I). Long. Letters in favor were read from Professor Borden P. Bowne, of Boston University; U. r. ex-Governor George S. Boutwell, Dr. Withrow < .: -irrh. Com-: .::iud W. Mi-Call. 1'rofcssor W. O. Crosby of the Massachusetts I'latt Decker, president ral Federation of Women'H Clubs, M: president of the . Shiek, president of the Wyoming Federation, and Judge ng those who s, Professor William T. Sedgwick of the Massachusetts IT logy and Mrs. Sedgwick, Mrs. A. J. George, Mra. Bar- Vemlell, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Foxcroft and Dr. Lyman Abbott of New York. A number of women spoke every year who opposed the suffrage because it would take women into public life.