The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-05
MRS. BLAKE.

the next legislature. and then comes
the broader task of campaigning for
the votes &C the multitude. At the
earliest the question cannot come up
al the polls until November, 1896. and
that being a presidential year, the
!. Eomeneleaders may deem it adVisa bic
- postpone it until the fall of 1897,
When the voter will have less to think
of, and can be more easily persuaded
10 take up the question Of suffrage,
seriously.
The women who will manage this
campaign, which is fraught with so
much interest to suffra gists the world
over form an interesting group. They
appreciate the gravity of the work,
knowing that if it is successful in New
York it will have great weight in in
fiuencing legislation favorable TO the
cause in other states.
1t will be of interest to suffra gists
throughout the land to know sorle-
thing of the women who will general
the fight in this state. The most
unique figure in the group is Mrs.
Blake, who has, perhaps, done more TO
propagate the doctrine of equal stuff
rage than any OCner woman enlisted
in the cause in New York. OF course,
Susan B. Anthony is more widely
known as a suffragist, but her work
is distributed over the whole country,
forts upon a more limited area. In
brief, Mrs. Blake is laboring for suff-
rage first in her own state, while Miss
Anthony labors for the whole coun-
Try.
The Plan of Campaign.
Speaking of the nature of the cam
paign before them. Mrs. Blake said:
I'VE will take a most active part in
the work of the next election. We af-
!
for or against the individual candi-
date, according to the stand he takes
on the suffrage question. We must
see 10 it that no man is elected to
the next legislature who is antagon-
iStic to our cause. In every district
throughout the state we wiz have
committees who, long before the nom-
nations have been made by the rival
parties. will keep track of all possible
!. candidates and sound them on the
question If a candidate is
unfavo4 able we shall do everything
possible 10 prevent his nomination.
Should ne be nominated, then we will
devote our energies to defeat him at
the polls. In this way we hope %
make sure of the next legisl allure. and
then will come the Narder task of
getting the votes OF the people.
Mrs. BIake's Work.
Mrs. Blake has been a worker for
suffrage since 1869. Today she is a
handsome woman of fifty odd years
with white hair and plenty of activity.
From 1879 until 1880 she was presi-
dent of the State association, and for
the last nine years has been presi-
dent of the city association. Her first
work of consequence in behalf of
women was in 1873, when she began
the struggle to have Columbia Col
7, Ill
mas an hereditary interest in the col
lege and she has two daughters to
whom she wanted to give its educa-
fiouai advantages. Mrs. Blake's
-great-grandfather, the Rev. Or.
Esa,,,llel Johnston, rector of old Trim
5tv churCh. was the first president of
the college, which was then called
Kings college. DR.. Johnston WenO~to
England and obtained its charter.
This was prior to the revolution At
ter the long war the name was changed
10 Columbia college, and upon the
death of DR.. Johnston his son, VIII
Ham Samuel Johnston, became its
president Mrs. Blake was success
TIl in having the college opened 20
women.
Mrs. AImy's Success.
Mrs Martha R. Amy is a woman
who just at this time is of great in
4erest to the friends of suffrage. 1t
was Mrs. Amy who conducted the
work of getting the bill through both
Houses of the legislature, a work
which is regarded as the greatest VIC |
tory in the history of the cause in
New York State. Mrs. Amy spent
three months in Albany. working
among the legislators, and although
a novice in campaigning did the work
singuiarly well.
Her home is in jamestown, Chau-
tauqua county, where she has a hus-
band and several children. It was the
fact that she was a typical home
woman, a wife and mother that in
duced her associates to send her to
many to impress upon the legislators
tlf@saet that even the home class of
erdfien were in favor of suffrage.