El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-26
SUFFRAGE WORK
GAINSSTRENGTH
e. Paso Equal Franchise
League Has Strong Mem
bership; Progress Made.
BY MRS. FANNIE FENNELL.
President Of FL PnSO Equal Franchise
League.


~ January. 1915. a few women met
in the parlor Of the Orndorff hotel
Il ana made the first step in the for
nation OF a suffrage league in FL Faso-
In the first flush of enthusiasm and
the newness of the idea many !oined
tine organization expecting startling
Developments and thrilling scenes OF
rsbid deuunciation OF the terrible
creatures who were, supposedly, Keep
ing poor helpless woman from her
rights The writer well remembers her
first day at the fifth meeting II
seemed that Fl Paso was in most De
plorable condition Vice ilourlslec
rampant. and treachery Of politicians
and uuWorthiucss of everyone IN any
kind of authority hung over our sun
shine city like a pail and obscured It's
beauty If thrills and shudders were
wanted. there certainly were plenty
that day However, few who reaiIy
realized what the true meaning OF tHe
organization meant gradually brought
the members to see that reforms are
not brought about by denunclauon' or
the franchise granted by sOrcible means
Workers Appear; IdlerS Vanish
I'd 10 this time there mad been no
work accomplished. no real formation
Of an organization. no election or o.
ficers or appointment Of committee
This was gradually accomplished. tho
and the novelty seekers TO disappear
Before the new president had had time
TO shape her course or declare her pol
icies i'll health forced her TO resign
and the writer fell heir 70 tne position
With the help OF some OF Fl PasO s best
and most intelligent women polcF OF
education was undertaken as advocat-
ed by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait rather
than the very militant methods that are
carried on by the Congressional union
First Year Difficult
The first year Of the organization was
a difficult one. for 10 be seen wearing
the suffrage button, or TO acknowledge
being q Suffrager. was 70 be met ~
the average person with smile
Of amusement or q boot OF derision-
Then. TOO. on every side members were
greeted with the question w nat are
You doing for RI PaSOr What does the
Franchise league mean to the city. any
way Il was not enough that the mem
bers were taking up the study or gov
eminent. We're having splendid suffrage
programs. We're gaining strong menu
hers ara keeping in touch and helping
the state work all that a small and
week organization could Speeches and
debates b- some Of FL Paso,s prominent
men were not enough. Why don't YOU
do something" was the cry
Took Charge OF Baby show.
About the time this cry became so
insiSrcnt. a health conference for the
city was planned. and the president OF
the league. with the heads o. other
wonen's orGa MIA tious Of the city We're
invited TO be present at the first meet
ing There We're four women present,
two from the Womeu's Charity Orgau nj
cation and two from the league. During
the meeting IL rranspired that n baby
show had been planned for the confer
ence but there vas no one 70 take
charge OF it, The league committee Of
fered the help OF the organiza tion,
which was accepted
First Scientific Infant Conference.
II was the first baby conference ever
held in FL PasO conducted along scien-
tific lines Three hundred and sixty
nine babies were examined. 10 doctors