The San Francisco call., 1896-05-05
FOR EQUAL SUFFRAGE.
The Fair Delegation at Sacramento
Confident of Success in the
Convention.


SACRAMENTO, CAL, May 4.-One of
the most unique situations probably ever
seen at a political convention is
that presented by the presence OF
the woman delegates representing the
the Woman's Suffrage movement. While
they have taken the trouble to come
to Sacramento, they nevertheless are play
ing the part of the mountain, while the
regular delegates to the State Convention
are so many Mohammeds; and the noun
tain in this case is not expected to, nor
does it, go to Mohammed.
Scarcely did they put up their placard
in the lobby of the Golden Eagle, stating
their headquarters were in parlors Q, u
and on the third floor, than they began
to be visited by the gentlemen delegates.
They went in twos and threes, in large
groups, and sometimes entire delegations
went to pay homage to their more modest
workers and to apparently beg the privi-
lege of serving them. Large numbers of
Sacramento ladies identified with the
cause of Woman Suffrage also visited the
Woman's Suffrage headquarters and left
many a choice collection of Sacramento's
magnificent roses and other flowers as a
token of their good wishes.
The last of the delegation arrived to-
night. It's complete personnel is as fol-
lows: Mrs. A. A. Sargent of San Francis
co, president of the California Woman's
Suffrage Association; Mrs, Austin Sperry
OF San Francisco, treasurer of the organi-
Zation Mrs. Rnox- Goodrich of San Jose,
one of its board of directors; Miss Susan
B. Anthony, president OF the National
Association; Rev. Anna Shaw; Mrs. Mary
Hay, National organizer: Mrs. Ida A.
Harper OF Oakland, chairman of the press
committee of the State association.
Mrs. Harper and, in fact. all the women
present in the headquarters when they
were visited by CALL representative,
beamed with pleasure and satisfaction
over the prospects of their cause as indi-
Gated by their experience here to-day. On
this subject Mrs. Harrer said:
"This is not by any means our first eff
fort on the material that is to comprise
the Republican State Convention. For
number of weeks we have been interview
ing delegates and we are much encour-
aged. We have also been working up
sentiment by means of petitions. We
sent out 600 petition books all over Cali
come back. Four hundred are vet ont.
These were all sent out in March, and the
200 that have been returned contain over
10000 signatures, half of these by men
and half by women, all over q years of
age, who ask for the adoption of woman
suffrage in California. There are vet two
thirds of the books 10 be heard from, and
we shall be disappointed if we do not OBJ
tain in all more than 100000 votes. 1t
must further be remembered that most of
this work was done before there was any
great agitation on the question in this
State, and was done by volunteers with
out compensation.
This monster petition will be pre-
sented to the State Convention as a partial
basis for our claim to plank on woman
suffrage in its platform. Miss Anna Shaw
will present our case to the committee on
platform and we have every reason to hope
that she will be successful. We have
adopted THE CALLS editorial suggestion
as to what the plank will be, and shall ask
for its incorporation in the platform. 1t
is as follows (reading from THE CALLS
columns):
Resolved, That this convention heartily in
the State constitution of California to extend
the suffrage to women on equal terms with men.
I'VE are passing our time in part in
mailing copies of Sundays CALL to all
parts of the State and the Union to those
most prominent in our cause. You. can't
say too much for us in praise of THE CALLS
noble stand. Our work is being done very
quietly and we avoid all obnoxious
methods. We have met with no active or
organized opposition to our cause, and, on
the contrary, have met only with respect
full consideration On every side. This
makes US SO hopeful of ultimate success.
"Of course we know that this is only
preliminary to the real success of the cause,
which must, after all, be decided by the
votes of the people at large at the coming
election. But success at this point means
much to US.
1--WE are counseling with the prominent
men of the convention and are careful to
take no sides on any of the other issues to
como up before the main body. Miss
Anthony is more than ordinarily anxious
to have US win woman suffrage in Cali
fornia, as she considers California very
important State to win, and this is the
last State campaign in which she will take
active part. Her efforts in the cause here
after will be confined entirely to National
matters"