The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-25
MONEY FOR SUFFRleS7S
Continued from First Page.

l
listed in our cause.
IN West Virginia, Maryland and New
Jersey Mrs Anna L. Diggs did valiant
| service In awakening conservatism and
new friends were found to Join our stand
ard. Mrs. Lide Meriwethcr also added
clubs to our association through her able
service in Arkansas and Tennessee. Our
hest Southern work was done In South Caro-
| INA, where constitutional convention had
| been called. The good work accomplished
was made possible by the corporation OF
the president, Mrs. Virginia ID. Young and
the vice president, Mrs. A. Viola Eeblett.
A BAKERS DOZEN AUDIENCES.
Nearly all the towns visited had never
heard suffrage speech, and the subject
| was regarded as one of doubtful standing.
Yet curiosity prompted the ATTENDANCE OF
| large audiences. At Charleston, reputed
| to be the most conservative city in the
South and where we had been assured there
would not be a bakers dozen In attend
ancc, the editor of the leading paper after
ward said, 1T was the most distinguished
audience which had gathered in that city
Tor years. The newspapers of the State
gave glowing accounts of the meetings.
Mississippi and West Virginia had no
organization when We began. Several
clubs were organized in Mississippi. We
had no money with which 10 hold State
convention as we wished TO do IL. and ii die
not seem just TO discriminate D-tween sew :
eral good workers in the State and appoint
one a temporary president. In consequence.
IL still has no State association. but 1t is
Tor all that la much better condition OF or
CaniZation than some other OF the Southern
States that have State associations. We
regard the work in West Virginia as our
greatest triumph of the year.
The work in the South was not SO
fruitful OF organization as we had hoped.
While a good many clubs were reported by
the organizers. many OF them failed 10 sur
vive the ridicule and persecution with which
they were welcomed by their townspeop!c.
The history OF many OF these clubs was pa
thetic in the extreme. and many made
heroic efforts To Withstand the tide of oppo-
sition. We must consider the Southern
work of this year as pioneering and the
tours OF our representatives rs merely
blazing the way for that which is to follow.
We have found new friends and helpers.
We have given encouragement and hope to
many 4 faithful soul. We have enlisted TN
der our standard some Of the strongest
and best people OF the South. If We will
persistently follow the path thus blazed and
made plain the South will yet be organized
and the votes of the fifteen States now
solidly opposed tn woman suffrage in Con-
gress will be changed through the influence
our advocacy.
THE ORGANIZERS.
ITO summarize the years work, we may
say that fourteen persons have served as
organizers under the auspices OF our COM
mittee. Five hundred and ten meetings have
been held. Nine State conventions have
been held under our supervision and ten
STATE associations have been organized. Aid
in fitf accumulation Inns been piyen
TO thirty -one States. Over one hundred clubs
have been organized, which we believe at
this writing to be alive and active. The
work has been Gone with bold strikes in
an effort to lay u foundation for perfect
orga nization. IL remains for the future to
build upon it and To increase It's strength
and usefulness.
We recommend the observance of Eliza
beth Cady Stanton's birthday as i tit
ting occasion for the diffusion or SGffrag &c
sentiment. The Bulletin gave sugges-
tions OF programs and announced the
preparation OF souvenirs which might add
a flavor of sentiment to the celebrations.
1t is impossibl<io state the exact number
or clebratioGs which were held, but at
least one hundred clubs held some kind Of
exercises in its honor. Ten thousand On
the souvenirs were distributed from Maine
TO California and are doubtless still priced
in the homes of those who received them.
t..It is an old proverb that 'hindsiSht is
better that foresight Our plans have
not all been carried out. We did not find
conditions AS we expected The results are
not those we anticipated. Yet, taking
conditions as we have found them. we have
performed earnest and conscientious SER
vice in an endeavor to bring forth the best
results possible. To the national officers
from whom we have received the most
sympathetic cooperation, and to the many
friends of the cause, who have stood at
all times ready to help bear the burdens OF
The year we feel a more tender gra titude than
it Is possible for words TO express. To the
many, many suffragists, who have aided
the work financially during the year. we
are heartily grateful, and trust an eNanina-
ton of the work accomplished will satisfy
them the money was well expended.
Our committee are more than ever con-
WINGED that it is possible to bui,d great
orCa nizaticn based upon the one plat
form OF the enfrarchisenent OF women
With harmony, cooperation and deter
mination, we shall yes build an GrgaDiza-
ton OF such numbers and political strength
that through the power OF constituency II
can dictate at least one plank in the plat
form of every political party and. secure
an amendment from any legislature it pc
tiiioDs We believe it Will yet have its
auxilaries in every village and hamlet,
township and school district, to influence
ma ioritics when the amendment is sub
m,tted. More, we believe ere many years
its powers will be so subtle and widespread
it can besiege the conservatism OF Con-
gress itself and come away with the laurel
wreath OF victory"
Mrs. Gait was frequently interrupted by
applause while reading her report. and a
hearty appreciation of her work in rrepar-
inc, tho rpiurt was accorded at the close OF