The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-09-21

women in other western States, en-
tered upon this campaign with tre-
mendous energy and determination.
When the legislature decided to sub
NIT a constitutional amendment, Civ
ling women the right to vote, to a
referendum vote on October 10. it
did not find the women of the State
lunprepared.
More than two years ago the first
step was taken to prepare the women
of California for just such an emer.
gency. 1t was Mrs. James Lees Laid
law, chairman of the Women's Stuff
rage pdty Of New York city, who
by her individual efforts induced the
women of California to organize fo1
the purpose of making a fight for
suffrage. The ground was well pre-
pared and, when the legislature vot-
ed for the submission of the WON.
ems suffrage amendment to the State
constitution, the organized women OF
this State were ready to begin the
| battle.
Fully realizing the Importance OF
a thorough and energetic campaign
the women of California sent out an
appeal to the friends of women's
suffrage throughout the United States
and elsewhere. Nobly did their
friends respond to the appeal. From
all parts of the world came encour-
aging letters from men and women
interested in the success of the wom-
en- of California fighting for their
rights. J. H. Brady of Pasadena, a
retired business man of great wealth,
organized under the name of The
Political Equality League a power
full body of prominent men and wom-
en- bound together by the common
desire to aid the women's suffrage
movement.
In every state of the Union where
there are friends of woman's suffrage,
meetings were held, resolutions were
passed, giving moral support to the
battling suffragists in California and
funds were contributed to help the
women of this state in their great
struggle. The women of New York,
headed by Mrs. Laidlaw, willingly
came to the assistance of their Sis
ters on the Pacific coast. Miss jean
nette Rankin, sent by Mrs. Laidlaw;
Mrs. Helen X, Hoy-Greeley, Mrs.
Archibald G. Fisk and other distin-
guished leaders and organizers of the
woman's suffrage movement in Great
er New York, came to California to
help by word and deed in the cam
paign. Large sums were raised dur
ing the week of self-denial, when
men and women, anxious to help the
women in California, denied them
selves some luxuries and contributed
the money thus saved to the cam
paign fund.
The energetic, businesslike and eff
fective manner in which the women
of this state have conducted their
campaign has been a revelation to
such men even who have made poll
tics business for many years and
have grown gray in it. There was
no uncertainty about the methods
employed and everything was thor
oughly up-to-date. The women
throughout the State were thoroughly
organized and everywhere meetings
were held, speeches were made and
literature distributed. In many
places house-to-house canvasses were
made by special committees of wom-
en- and all men favorable to the move
ment were enlisted in the campaign.
The opposition, which includes
many distinguished and powerful
men, like Gen. Harrison Gray Otis,
former United States Senator Frank
P. Flint, Oscar P. Lawler, former as
sistant United States attorney gem
eral in the department of the in
terror; former United States Senator
Cornelius Cole, President BENJAMIN
Ide Wheeler of the University of CAL
ifOrnia and many others, has by no
means been idle and is still carrying
on it's campaign in all parts of the
State, counteracting the efforts of the
suffragists with great shrewdness and
ability. The outcome is still doubt
full, but the women are confident of
snccesS !