Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/392

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HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE try again. The board which had served throughout the cam- paign was re-elected. When it had begun there were not fifty clubs in the State; when it ended there were nearly 500 and it was desired to hold them together as far as possible. The oppo- nents had insisted that women did not want the ballot and it was arranged to have an enrollment under the direction of Mrs. Wheeler. This was continued until the names of 30,000 women had been enrolled as desiring the suffrage. The press work was continued and the never-ending effort to educate the people. The convention of 1915 was held at Columbus in October, was well attended, with a good program. Mrs. Edna M. Barkley was elected president. In October, 1916, the convention was held at Hastings. Mrs. William Jennings Bryan was guest of honor and gave the opening address on Sunday evening in the Congregational church. Mrs. Catt, now national president, was present and remained two days. The association expected to appeal to the voters again in 1918 for full suffrage and she thought it was in good condition to do so. Her inspiring pres- ence and her very able address given to a large evening audience made this one of most notable conventions. Mrs. Barkley was re-elected president. 1 In January, 1917, the National Association was beginning the "drive'* to obtain partial suffrage from the Legislatures and Ne- braska was urged to undertake it. The board agreed to concen- trate on a bill which would be constitutional and would permit women to vote for all officers not specificed in the State consti- tution and upon all questions not referred to in it. The bill was introduced by Senator C. E. Sandell of York county and Representative J. N. Norton of Polk county. Mrs. Barkley was chairman of the Legislative Committee and no meas- ure ever had more careful and persistent "mothering" than she gave this one, watching over it for months. The bill passed the 1 Besides those mentioned the following served on the official board : Miss Lincola S. Groat, Mrs. Alice I. Brayton, Mrs. Stearns, Mrs. Myrtle W. Marble, Dr. Emma War- ner Demaree, Mrs. Ida Ensign, Mrs. Rosa Modlin, Mrs. F. B. Donisthorpe, Mrs. Mary P. Jay, Mrs. Theresa J. Dunn, Mrs. Margaret J. Cams, Mrs. Julia N. Cox, Mrs. Ada Shafer, Mrs. Frank Harrison, Mrs. E. L. Burke, Miss Ida Robbins, Mrs. M. Bruegger, Mrs. E. S. Rood, Mrs. Lydia Pope, Mrs. Jessie Dietz, Mrs. J. H. Corrick, Mrs. Halleck F. Rose, Mrs. H. C. Sumney, Mrs. Dietrich, Mrs. Ellen Ackerman, Mrs. Ella I. Brower, Miss May Gund, Mrs. . F. Bell. Miss Edith Tobitt, Mrs. Kate Chapin House.