Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/551

OKLAHOMA 535 Saturday it was reported that a member of the State Elections Board in Oklahoma City had called up some chairmen of county elections boards, asking that they open the sealed returns and send a second report counting from the "stubs/* which would include the mutilated and spoiled ballots, so as to increase further the number of the "silent votes." At that time the suffrage head- quarters had received returns from 63 out of 77 counties, showing a majority of 2i,cxto of the votes cast on the amendment, about 10,000 over the "silent vote." The publication of these attested returns prevented any further attempt to get them from "stub" books. When all other resources failed, the anti-suffragists filed a protest against certification by the State Elections Board. There were really two campaigns in Oklahoma one to win the ballot and the other to hold it. Mrs. Shuler remained in the State until November 14. On that day the Oklahoman printed the statement by Governor Williams that on the face of the returns so far suffrage had won. Miss Beveridge, who had charge of one of the most difficult sections of the State and had carried it, remained in Oklahoma until December 3, when Governor Williams finally called for the suffrage returns and without certification by the Elections Board, proclaimed it carried. The vote stood 106,909 ayes, 81,481 noes, a majority of 25,428 votes on the amendment and of 9,791 over the total vote cast at the election. This latter requirement had always been counted on to defeat any measure that the party "bosses" did not want carried and the politicians now asked, t where was the 'silent vote'?" The answer came when a map of the State was shown almost obliterated with tiny red stars and they were told, "Every star represents a suffrage committee working since last January." Organization had reduced the "silent vote" to five per cent, and won the suffrage for the women of Oklahoma. [End of Mrs. Shuler's report.] RATIFICATION. With the successful closing of the campaign the county chairmen answered the call of Mrs. Shuler to meet in !uma City and formed a Ratification Committee to carry on the work of ratifying the Federal Suffrage Amendment when it >hould be submitted to the Legislatures. This committee was