The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-08-15

SASSbOH VI "OTUdnS nt9nlS AStIaNGo
Since the Days of 1850 and Every
Advance Step Was Due to Strenuous
Efforts on the Part Of Women Of
Spartan MoId-Terse Review Of the
Growth of the Movement.
A correspondent wrote the other
day, How did it happen that Ohio
women got so far on the road so sud-
denly?' OF course l replied politely.
Nothing in the history of the Ohio
Woman Suffrage Association was a
happening. Every advance step was
the result of effort On the part of
women, and sometimes heroic effort.
In 1850 women gathered from diff
ferent parts of the United States in
convention at Salem, O. This body
memorialized the constitutional con-
vention to grant women political and
other rights, and now some one says
80 suddenly" Sixty-two years ago!
Only two delegates to that convention
seriously considered this question, and
one Of them, Mr.. Gray of Lake county,
outlived every other delegate and saw
women demonstrate their fitness for
citizenship. The debates on the me-
mortal to the convention were so low
that it was voted to strike them from
the minutes.
The question of woma1's s rights con-
tinued to be agitated till the slavery
question overshadowed everything.
Then Ohio women, like most other
women, lent a hand in the cause of
the emancipation of the black man.
After the war was over a state asso-
citation was formed which worked for
time and died. In the meantime
women were appearing before legisla-
lures demanding or plea ding, accord
ing to temper and condition, for the
betteTmcnt of laws.
In 1855. Frances NJ. Easement of
Painesville, with others, reOrganized
the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association,
which has been at work ever since.
| Ezra B. Taylor was elected president,
Mrs. Easement vice president. Judge
Taylor could not serve because of con-
| gressional duties, and Mrs. Easement
launched the work. She is now hon
orary president of the association and
| is working actively in the campaign.
School suffrage was granted to the
women of Ohio in 1894, and Caroline
Mccullough Everhard was president
af hot Che Tlaunnnla
secretary, and Mrs. Ccit, treasurer,
were among those who worked hard
for the passage of this law.
Efforts Rewarded.
The years of 1911 and 1912 will
never be forgotten by OHIO suffragists
From the announcement of the first
candidates as delegates to the consti-
tutional convention till it adjourned,
nothing was left undone to further
| the cause of our amendment. Candi-
dates were interested before election
| and a committee was in Columbus
watching everything closely. A hear
ing was had before the committee on
equal suffrage, which was attended
| by the full committee, and this was
not true of any other hearing. There
was standing room only and on the
day when the association opposed to
| the further extension Of suffrage for
women addressed the committee, that
body reported. the vote being 20 for,
| against.
In the beginning 40 delegates were
for us, while 60 we're needed to carry.
The night before we went to vote,
our poll showed IS for, and not one
of these 76 changed their minds. Two
other readings were had in the fol
lowing weeks, each time the number
against being Jess. On the fourth
reading the vote was "A to 81, exactly
two to one.
=! Every effort was made to put our
measure on ballot by itself or on
ballot with the license amendment
but with no avail. We now occupy
a place in the middle Of the list, with
every chance of winning. We need
only to have a majority of the votes
cast on the question. The number OF
our amendment is % and the vote
will be taken Sept. 3.
In the history of the suffrage move
ment, no campaign has attracted sc
much general interest IN the east as
has this. No victory could ever have
such far-reaching influence as this
Two enemies are working against
us-a band of ignorant and futile
women, very few in number, and tbs
federated forces of evil. The formel
makes no impression, for although i
gathers the opposed together, 1t awak
ems the Indifferent to action on oul
| side. The other is powerful and viii
grow more powerful as the days ad
| vance.
Hundreds of Ohio women are Civ
/ ing all their time through these he
summer days, not one receiving
, cent of salary and most of them meet
: ing their own expenses. Traine'
. workers from the east and west hav'
J been in service, with little or no ex
, pense to us.
Mrs. Gait once said to me in al
sincerity: 81 would be glad to di'
; for the woman's cause and | replied
'T woulG not; life's too sweet to me
| want to live sor woman's cause.
and this love for life ana action SEEM
, to fill the hearts of Ohio women. IT.
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