Iditarod pioneer., 1916-12-23
FIRST WOMAN CONGRESSMAN IS KNOWN AS WORKER
 IN BEHALF OF SUFFRAGE

phant, and the color of his hide.
 Miss Jeanette Rankin, the first woman
 to be elected to congress, lives almost 1T the shadow of the elephant. This is the reason, she says laughingly, that she be came Republican. Environment has it: effect in the determination of ones politics as it has upon character.
 Miss Rankin was elected in the face of z l Democratic landslide in Montana. The state cast its electoral vote for Wilson anc chose Democratic governor, senator anc a representative in congress. Miss Rankin went before the entire state electorate, as the commonwealth has no congressional dis trcts, electing its representatives at large How She Entered Politics l Perhaps if it had not been for an illness which caused Miss Rankins physician to send her to California to convalesce, after her work in the preparatory school in Mis- soula, she might never have entered poll tics. On the road to recovery Miss Rankin read a great deal. It was in the period so glibly termed the "era of undertaking" Contemporary literature was full of the struggle against corruption, interruptions big business, the scheming politician, and the social exploiter Miss Rankin became interested She resolved to see for herself if these things were true. When she be- came well and strong again she entered social work in San Francisco and her field assignment was the famous Telegraph hill
 After the election, at her home on the North side-the old families live there she traced the steps that led her into social work, then into the suffrage movement, and finally into the arena of politics.
 Residence Well Known
 Any Missoula man can point out the Rankin residence It is two-story brick structure set few paces back from the sidewalk in yard of fruit trees. It IS sober, almost somber, in appearance, and maintains an authentic air of age and dig nity. But inside, in Miss Rankin's study, there is brightness and modernity
 Books range themselves on two walls. In a corner stands businesslke looking desk, with telephone near. Letters and papers are piled high on the desk top. Wicker fur niture, rugs that please the eye, and nu- merous framed pictures of real persons tho Horse Fair" or "Monna Lisa" or Whis- slers "Mother') complete the interior.
 Books, like friends, are hallmarks of character If this be true, then the vol umes ranged in such orderly fashion on the study shelves are indices of Miss Ran kin's interest. There are many on DO litical and social science and economics Ely, Ross, Tausseig these are names to conjure with. Then there Is work of Tom L. Johnson and Henry Georges Progress and Poverty"
 Plans in the Making
 Don't quote me" said Miss Rankin def nitelv, Con political subjects. Unless there is an extra session it will be some months before the representatives in congress con vene It is too early to say what l shall do and how I shall vote.'
 Miss Rankin indicates, however, even now, that she will take 8 great desl of interest in the Susan B. Anthony amend ment for suffrage It is not letting the cat out of the bag to say that this Is one of her supreme interests. See her record in the advancement of the suffrage amend ment.
 She campagned in California and Wash ington when the suffrage amendments were before the people. She organized Montana for the suffrage cause and won brilliant victory in that state. She was the first woman to lobby for suffrage throughout the session of the assembly in New York. She has been successful field secretary for the National Women's Suffrage Association md representative of the Congresslonal Union at Washington. For five years she worked tirelessly in the interests ot votes for women. Needing vacation, she went for an ocean voyage to New Zealand. Mss Rankin had now become interested Tn the study of political and social conditions and was a visitor in Auckland for several months. When she returned to Missoula candidates were entering the state primary race. Friends urged her to be 8 candidate and she cast the die.
 Women Respond Molly
 q don't know what 1 should have done without the help of my brother and my sisters" said Representative-elect Rankin in her study Friday, when the election was no longer in doubt 'The women of the state responded Loyalty. am very grate- full to my supporters, men and women.
 Mrs. Oscar sedman of Bisbee Ariz.; Mrs Herbert Bragg of Cclfax, Wash; Mrs Thomas E. Kinney of Worland, Mont, and Miss Edna Rankin, student in the state university at Missoula-the sisters Rankin went on the stump for Jeanette, aided in work, and became almost as skilled as veterans in things political before the end of the campaign.
 "She won because she works hard, un- derstands people and politics. and had the united support of the women exercising the suffrage in state election for the first time this year." was the manner in which a prominent Missoula Democrat summed up her victory.
 Born in Missoula
 Miss Rankin was born and raised in Missoula. She is in her early 3Os, and 1t may we'll be that she Is the youngest rep resentatve in congress as we'll as the only woman in the house. She is slender, her features are regular, in each cheek there IS a bit of rose, and her eyes are full of ln- terest intelligence and humor.
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