Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/393

NEBRASKA 379 House the middle of February by the magnificent vote of 73 to 24 in the presence of an audience of applauding women that filled the galleries. In the Senate the bill went to the Committee on Privileges and Elections, which granted a hearing on Febru- ary 15. After a luncheon with enthusiastic speeches the entire body of 250 women, including 65 from Omaha, marched to the State House, where even the aisles were already crowded with women. Among the speakers were George W. Howard, the eminent professor of history in the State University, and a number of prominent Nebraska men and women. Six "antis" were present and their spokesman was Miss Bronson of New York. The hearing lasted three hours. The bill was held two months in the committee and finally was reported out and passed by a vote of 20 to 13 on April 19. It was signed by Governor Keith Neville on the 2ist and gave women the suffrage for presi- dential electors, all municipal and most county officers. 1 The opponents immediately started an initiative petition to have the law submitted to the voters and on July 22 it was sus- pended in operation by the filing of a petition for a referendum on it by the Anti-Suffrage Association. Mrs. Barkley with others after inspection concluded it was not a bona fide petition. Ac- cordingly she summoned her board to discuss taking the proper legal steps to prove that it was fraudulent and invalid. There no money in the treasury with which to undertake expen- litigation and there were those who thought it wiser not to attempt it. The courage and determination of Mrs. Barkley were the deciding factor and it was the same brave and persistent effort that finally won the long-drawn-out legal battle. A full unt was given by Mrs. Draper Smith in the Woman Citizen of which the following is a part : r the larger part of the session in 1917 the Senate had been under great pressure from the public and the press t<> pass the hone dry law that the House had almost unanimously adopted. Nineteen mrmhrrs of the Senate belonged to the clique led by represent.-! 1 In M.irrh under the auspices of the National Association suffrage schools v< re In 1<I in Omaha and Lincoln. Thr instructor* w< Shulcr, rli.-iinn.ui nf /ation, Mr*. Halsey W. Wilson, its recording secretary, and Mrs. T. T. Cot n am and taught were Suffrage History and Argument. Organi/.-iti"ti. Iv.Mj, ry Raining and Parliamentary Law. Of the ninetren schools held by tin National Association in various Stair-; rune was larger. By request night schools were opened with a crowded Attendance at all sessions.