The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-02
WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN INDIANA.
Official Report of the Work Ct the Association
"A Complete Organization Effected.
,ci., to the Indianapolis journal.

spsciaI to the indianapolis journal
LAFAYETTE. Ind. JAN Mrs. Helen M.
Cougar, of this city, president of the Indians
National woman's Suffrage Association, thia
morning issued the following as the official re-
port or record OF the progress made by tie ASSOC
citation in the State:
..For the frs. time in the history of Indiana
it can be said that the State is organized for
efficient and systematic effort toward woman
suffrage legislation. Pursuant TO the tnstruc.
lions of the national association adopted
and to the instructions of the execu.
tive Commute of the State, adopted last May ae
Indianapolis, have the honor a. the presiaent
of the Indiana National Woman Suffrage Asso.
citation, to report all orders faithfully obeyed.
Since the 4th day of November last conventions
of not less than two days: duration have been
held in the thirteen congressional districts OF
the State, and societies have been ORGANIZED In
each. have been assisted in all OF these con-
ventions by Miss Susan B. Anthony who gem
erously donated her valuable services for thirty
four consecutive DAYS. This. added to hfe-Iona
service of self-sacriice the part or Miss
ful 20 her. Mrs Zerelda G.. Wallace, properly
called the webster of the Platform, added her
motnerly craftsmanship TO five OF the conven-
tions donating her services Mrs. May Wright
Sewall, always correct, cultured and logical.
gave her presence to five of these gatherings,
winning converts and golden opinions wherever
she appeared.
tary is due unlimited praise for her zeal in cor
responding and preparing places for the recep-
ton of the conventions. There Is no more dif1-
cult Office to fill, nor one where ineficiency
works greater disaster to the whole outcome OF
the suffrage cause than that OF secretary. Mrs.
Harpers duties were the more onerous from thG
fact that we went. not where people invited us.
but where, in our Judgment, we thought best to
60. We aimed TO select the most important
towns in each district. or towns where the least
woman suffrage work had been done. Some
idea may be gained from the statement that ~
took nearly three hundred letters on the part Of
Mrs. Harper. in the course OF ARRANGEMENTS,
plans and instructions, for the thirteen conven-
tions not withstanding Mrs. Harper writes most
concise and business-like letters. models for
secretaries of ali degrees of trust
Handsomely printed posters, 24x36 inches,
announcing tn time. place. and speakers OF each
convention, were sent to all county-seats ana
sands of small hnnd-bills, giving the countiek
comprising each district. time, place and speak
ers of that special district convention, were
furnished to each place. and sent to all editors
in the district In addition to these. thousands
of neatly printed circulars, setting forth the pur
poses of these gatherings. were cent out In each
community. and TO the press of the State. It
gives pleasure to state that the press was
Uniformly kind in publishing all notices sent out
Posters hand-bills and circulars were printed
and donated to the several committees. at the
expense of the State treasury. In addition to
this, the local papers of each town were most
generous in donating notices, we'll as givine
most excellent reports of the conventions when
held. Many of the leading papers, both Repub-
llcan and Democratic, gave editorial indorse-
ment of the work in hand.
I'm every place we had the assistance of more
or less of the pastors, and in several towns the
majority of them, and in almost every city the
uses of the convention Whenever a Sabbath
interviewed, an afternoon or evening mass tenn
rerance meeting was held or addressed by one
more of the speakers, who frequently hlied
the pulpits in the morning hour on the same
subject. At Terre Haute the citizens generous
ly donated the of the opera house. at an ex-
t. law ynef-
convention of the series Wherever it was for
the interest or success of the gatherings to hold
the sessions in a pubic hall or opera-house and
local committees did not feel like assuming the
financial responsibility, the bills were assumed
by us, and paid from the State treasury.
"Thirtv thousand leaflets were distributed
freely; 126 subscriptions to the Woman's Trlb-
uue taken; thirteen sets of the Woman Sur.
frage History were disposed of; 246 annual mem
berships to the State and national associations,
at ST. EACH and six life memberships to the
State association at $40 each were taken. Two
hundred and fifty dollars were given our treas
ury in donations.
the exception of three evenings, the small fee OF
10 cents was charged at evening sessions This
fee acts as first-class police; keeps nobody ont
side who is OF any value inside. and goes a long
way in paying the heavy expenses incurred.
ut is gratifying to be able to state that these
conventions were held at an expense OF $500 l6:
and the income has been sufficient to pay all
bills, to lift old debt of $l05, to pay the aux
i.iary fee of $75 due the national treasury, and
state treasury.
81 am thus explicit in giving details that other
States that may be hindered from effective organ
izafon account of the financial feature. may
see how it is DONE and may go and do like
wise.' Woman suffrage sentiment. like the snow,
is laying around every where. It only needs to
be rolled up and hurled at the heads and hearts
of legislators to be made effective in legislation.
At meeting Of the executive committee, held
at Indianapolis. the 10Th inst, full repors
of the conventions held was heard, adopted and
spread on the minutes. 1t was decided to
xb1 ..r,H call riz
county-seat and other important town in all Of
the districts. Three pamphlets will be issued at
once; one s,ane ane ,onaI oa the d 's ~.
relation which each club holds TO the State aud
national organization. Another will give COM
plcte plan of work for 1882 the methods to be
adopted for obtaining sixteenth amendment
from Congress-. and for securing municipal suf-
frage from the next Indiana Legislature. The
third paper will give in detail. supported by
statistics the practical workings Of municipal
suffrage In Kansas, the only State where it has
ever been tried. AS soon issued these three
documents will be sent to all members of the
suffrage association in the State. vote OF
thanks was rendered the Indianapolis Journal
and Chicago Inter Ocean for space given daily,
reporting these conventions. Mrs.. Nj. E. NJ
Price, of Kokomo, was made superintendent OF
the State press work and district press editors.
s.Any reputa Bile speaker. with the consent or
the executive committee. may organize auxiliary
clubs subject to plans of work laid down by the
State; all organizers are expected to urge sub
scriptions to the Woman's Tribune, OF Beatrice,
NeO.: Womana news, OF Indianapolis, dnu
Womans Journal. of Boston.
1.-THE roster of names shows that those who
have accepted Office and become members OF the
association are among the best people IN the
various communities. judged by the standard of
intellect wealth and social standing. The fact
that in one month nearly 81. 600 have been raised
and expended in the cause of woman suffrage in
Indiana, shows the vital interest felt in this
movement The advocates of this question have
become acquainted, united aad strengthened,
and thousands of converts have been made. The
prospects of success very encouraging, ard
the work will be carried forward with vigor and
nersistence until the women of Indiana are per-
mitted to have O voice in making the laws that
they are called upon to obey"
AS Usual
North American Review
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