The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-13
MORE WORKERS..
National Suffrage Association
Will Make an Effort
To Double It's Membership and
Aid Evolution.

Washington, Feb. 13.-At an infor-
NAL meeting of the National Woman
Suffrage association today held previous
to the calling together of the regular
convention, the subject of organization
and advancement of the cause of wo-
man suffrage was discussed. Mary G.
Hay of New York presided. She said
two of the New York state officers had
remarked that woman's suffrage would
come just the same if there was no or
ganization; that it would come through
the process of evolution. This state
ment caused a number of the delegates
to announce that they wished it known
that they entertained no such sentiment
and asked for the names of the two
state officers but Miss Hay declined TO
give them. Organization, Miss Hay ar
gued, was necessary to success. She ad-
viSed all present to join clubs with the
idea of sowing little suffrage seed" She
declared that evolution might bring suf-
frage but it would be accomplished
quicker if evolution were helped along.
A number of the delegates urged in
creased activity in the matter of MEM
berships.
Mrs. Gait said she would be glad if
resolution would be introduced in the
convention to double the membership
and thereby set everybody to work. TWO
years ago Mrs. Gait explained, after the
convention had adjourned, a request
was sent throughout the nation to try
to double the membership but some
people felt that it did not receive the
inspiration it would have done had the
convention endorsed it.
The members at once acted upon the
suggestion and declared it to be the
sense of the organization that all should
join in an effort to double the member
ship
When the association proper was call
ed to order by President Gait for it's sec
ond days session, there was but slight
falling off in the attendance notwith-
standing the intensely cold weather.
Reports from the committee on Gre
dentials, board of auditors and the cor
responding secretary were read and ap-
proved. The report of Harriet Taylor
Upton, treasurer, was then submitted
and showed the financial condition of
the association to be as follows:
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton of Warren,
Ohio, submitted her report as treasurer.
1t follows
Receipts for the year were $13,5s1;
balance $3.50: Three bequests were
Green, of Virginia, 800; DR.. Helen ].
Underwood, of California, 500; Mrs.
Charlotte A. Cleveland, Of Perry, N. Y,
81, 600.
New York contributed more money
than any other state, giving $3.50. The
five states paying the largest dues and
therefore having the largest societies.
Pennsylvania. The largest percentage
of gain was made by Kentucky where
Miss Laura Clay is president. The
membership of the association hats in
creased, and the outlook for future
growth and development is most en-
couraging.
Susan b. Anthony at this point sta
ted that she had a little scheme for get
ting some money out of Uncle Sam. 1t
was that when Mrs. Gait spoke before
the committees of congress on Tuesday
of next week she should deliver a por-
ton of her annual address and then ask
..leave to print BY this means, she
said, the government will print the en-
tire speech and it can be sent under
governmental frank to every state of
the union.
Miss Upton announced that the rail-
roads had granted an unusual conces-
sion in extending the date of the tick
cts to February 2S.
Mrs. French, of Rhode Island, gave
notice of an amendment to the bylaws
providing that whenever 25 members of
any state petition the executive COM
mittee that any question shall be re-
ferred to the states for consideration
such question shall be so referred and
if majority of the states vote in fa-
vor of the same it shall become a law.
Henry B. Blackwell, chairman of the
committee on presidential suffrage, urg
ed every woman in every state to petit
ton their legislature asking for the
right to vote for presidential electors.