Source: http://www.kancoll.org/khq/1943/43_3_caldwell.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 02:13:14+00:00

Document:
August, 1943 (Vol. 12, No. 3), pages 300 to 326.
digitized with permission of the Kansas State Historical Society.
THE woman suffrage campaign of 1911 and 1912 was one of the hard-fought campaigns in Kansas history. For over fifty years Kansas women had been striving for political equality and twice, in 1867 and 1894, equal suffrage amendments had been defeated at the polls. From the beginning of statehood the women of Kansas had exercised the privilege of voting at district school elections.  This small concession granted by the first legislature in 1861, largely through the efforts of Mrs. Clarina I. H. Nichols,  was in advance of any other state with the exception of Kentucky whose legislature had passed a limited school suffrage law in 1838, allowing widows with children of school age to vote for trustees of school districts.  The Kansas Equal Suffrage Association was formed in 1884, and the pressure from this organization became so strong in 1887 that the legislature offered a sop of municipal suffrage. Kansas was again the first state to make women legal voters at municipal elections.  The defeat of the suffrage amendment in 1894 produced sort of a paralysis among the suffragists and no attempt was made to go to the voters again for some time. The suffrage association, however, continued its work, held annual conventions, and in 1910, its president, Mrs. Catharine Hoffman, decided that the time was right to make another appeal to the legislature. On December 9, she called her officers together and outlined a plan of action. Headquarters were set up in one of the State Historical Society's rooms at the state house with Mrs. Lilla Day Monroe as superintendent. Mrs. W. A. Johnston, Mrs. W. R. Stubbs and Mrs. C. C. Goddard were appointed a legislative committee.  Governor Stubbs' friendliness toward the issue gave the women much encouragement.
The suffrage issue was now to. be decided at the general election of 1912. The Kansas Equal Suffrage Association held its annual meeting in Representative hall at Topeka on May 16, 1911. It was of unusual importance for the women were for the third time entering upon a campaign to secure political privileges. A new constitution adapted to the needs of the campaign was adopted. Officers of the state organization and the district presidents were selected.  These together with the chairmen of the several committees became the board of management.
schools. The essay contest, which Miss Graham thought would provide an excellent chance to make converts of the parents, was to be one of elimination. The essays written by the children in the district schools were entered for county prizes; the county winners entered the district contests, and the winners in the districts competed for the state prize.  Debates between the schools were to be arranged also. Mrs. C. A. Hoffman, chairman of the press department, furnished suffrage articles to the many state papers, thus reaching the remotest parts of the state.
Many of the county-seat towns put on the play, "How the Vote Was Won." Minstrels and picture shows were also popular ways of raising funds. Some farm women donated hens or fries to the cause. Mrs. C. W. (Lizzie) Smith of Stockton wrote: "I have sold two dozen eggs, ten pounds of butter, one peck of crab apples, and engaged two pecks more. This goes to the suffrage fund."  Some women also did their own work and saved the servant hire. Self denial weeks and "tag days" were held.
received orders for balloons from Massachusetts and inquiries from all parts of the United States.
two helpers she might do one-third the district.  Later Mrs. Cora G. Lewis and others gave her the needed assistance. Dr. Helen Brewster Owens, a Kansas girl living in New York, offered to pay her way to Kansas and give eight weeks of her time to the work, providing her expenses in the state were paid.  She came in November and proved a most efficient organizer. The next year she returned and was paid by the national association. Mrs. Johnston spent much time in the field helping the untrained organizers with their first counties.
I want you to know some of the embarrassments I am meeting. The editor of one of our papers ridiculed me . . . until I have had plenty of indignation to spare. I either had to take him over my checkered apron or challenge him to debate & I chose the latter-he hasn't answered yet.
If you have not already heard, you are wondering about our meeting at Leavenworth on Dec. 20th, I know, but I have been too ill and worn and worried to get you a line before this. . . . I wish with all my heart that it might be my privilege to write you that the meeting at Leavenworth was a success and that a good strong county organization was effected at the meeting-even as I myself had so fondly hoped-but the meeting was not a success, generally speaking-every thing seemed to go wrong that day. In the first place the weather could hardly have been worse-a steady down pour of rain and sleet all afternoon and evening. The ladies insisted upon calling the meeting off at the last moment, but it was too late to stop Dr. Owen from coming, so I insisted upon a meeting. Every body was crazy-busy with Christmas work-telephone and telegraph messages got mixed, trains were late-no one wanted to assume the task of entertaining Dr. Owen at such a busy time,-Mrs. Goddard could not-her maids brother had just died-and so after many trips to station, and getting soaked and splashed and ruining some good clothes, I caught Dr. Owen on the 7-30 P. M. electric car at Lansing and Mrs. Codding very kindly entertained us there. We reached the Art League rooms at about eight forty five, and found a few faithful ones waiting-a little conference meeting was held, with no attempt at organization. I paid for telegraph messages also telephone, and gave Dr. Owen five dollars out of my own pocket . . . and came home next day with a very severe cold utterly worn out, only to find husband with a badly injured hand-cut while he had been directing some work in pruning apple trees the morning before.
Helen Brewster Owens is a darling. . . . I promised to write you the results of her visit here. First the county is organized with a complete set of officers District & Co. The first . . . that she has left in that condition. I used the telephone for about 80 calls and am now a dead paralized defunct woman. . . . It rained, snowed & blizzarded but she had as good an audience at the Court House in eve as we would have expected had the weather been good. . . . She organized a club of 21 members.
The president elected is antiquated spavined & ringboned but she is broke to harness & will pull if you use the whip- It was a case of her or none & she came into dock in reasonably good shape. Please send any literature & all literature that we are entitled to [as] if you were missionaries & we blind heathen- We will see to collection of dues etc. as soon as the president is recussitated & prods up the other officers. For Heavens sake send what we need we don't know!! . . .
The state convention, held at Wichita on May 7-9, was the "biggest, most enthusiastic suffrage convention ever held in the state."  The state officers were unanimously re-elected; many campaign pledges were made, and the convention voted to again unite with the national organization. The district presidents and department chairmen gave encouraging reports. The principal speakers were Miss Jane Addams and the Rev. Olympia Brown Willis of Wisconsin who had campaigned for suffrage in Kansas in 1867. At least 1,400 people crowded into the Crawford theater to hear Miss Addams' plea for the recognition of women. At two street meetings she stood on the rear seat of an automobile and spoke in a street packed with men. An evening reception at the Masonic Temple closed the convention.  Miss Addams also addressed large crowds at Wellington, Winfield, Arkansas City, Pittsburg and Girard. The Rev. Olympia Brown Willis went from Wichita to Junction City to speak. The visits of these women greatly inspired the workers and made many votes for the cause.
I have been traveling for seven weeks in the Seventh District, have gone over 200 miles overland, made many speeches in towns and school houses, and I trust have many converts to my credit.-Mrs. Lillian Mitchner.
A suffrage parade and open air meeting at Holton, June 22nd was a great success. I have spoken nine times within five days in Jackson County, in all to 800 or 900 people. Now for Troy, Hiawatha, Sabetha, and Seneca.-Dr. Helen Brewster Owens. Mrs. Baldwin will speak for us on the Fourth. On July first we give a playlet in the airdome. This will be repeated in the surrounding towns in Johnson County. Merchants, grocers, and laundry men, one day in the week, put a suffrage leaflet into each package sent out. A suffragist stays in each store on that day to assist.-Mrs. Angeline Allison.
We left a rainbow flyer and Congressional speech in every mail box between Topeka and Lawrence. We decorated the car with balloons before we started and at every house' we tooted our horn and when the people came running out, we gave them literature-Mrs. C. Charles Clark, Rosedale, State Chairman of Finance.
House to House Canvass well under way in Riley County, 600 members. Enrolled 58 members after a talk to the Institute June 25th. . . . In two blocks canvassed only one opposed. Mrs. Matie Kimball, Pres. Fifth District.
Douglas County is wide awake. North Lawrence has practically completed the canvass. Very few are opposed. Miss Laurenia Shaw and her lieutenants are working among the teachers in the Institute. She is driving all over the county organizing the school districts. We expect soon to give the play "How the Vote Was Won"--Dr. Alberta Corbin.
I am sending you a report of our first meeting, that you may know that we are at work, and that you may see that I am wearing the "martyr's cap, dyed with my own blood," to quote Savonarola. I simply had to take hold, for there was no one else, and the woman who had promised to be Press lady was too lazy to do anything, and told me there was absolutely no work to the office, or she would not have taken it, and that she only took it to help out Mrs. B-.
Just what I will be able to do with it I cannot say, but it is a lead pipe cinch that I have not the same allusion about the office as the lady who preceded me. But send along a bunch of bulletins. I have absolutely nothing new, and Mrs. L- did not turn over any to me when she left town.
We have a problem here. Mr. 's editor-a nice little man with a sweet little wife-the pair of them think they invented matrimony-was very much of a suffragist until his sweet little wife took a decided stand against it, and now he is so overcome with her arguments that he won't see the other side. Mrs. B- and I are going to labor with him tomorrow. . . .
This neck of the woods surely looks like a big desert to us, if you will excuse the mixed metaphor, and we do not promise anything. I have been asked to talk before the County Institute this week, and will do my best, but so few people will do anything. We are all so busy. . . .
Much credit for the success of the campaign was due to suffrage workers from other states who generously answered the call for personal service. Miss Jane Addams, the Rev. Olympia Brown Willis and Dr. Helen Brewster Owens have been mentioned. Doctor Owens came to Kansas in November, 1911, and worked six weeks.
Other out-of-state workers were Mrs. Kate Chapin House of Peru, Neb., Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby of Portland, Ore., Dr. Julia Riddle of Wisconsin, Mrs. Edwin A. Knapp of Parkville, Mo., Miss Mary Graham Rice of Norwalk, Ohio, Mrs. C. C. Holly of Colorado, David R. Smith of Arizona, Mrs. Augusta Zehner of Dallas, Tex., and S. J. Brandenburg of Ohio. The favorable Catholic vote was due partly to, the work of Mrs. Mary E. Ringrose and her sister, Miss Catherine Fennessy of California, who came the last week of September and stayed until October 22.  The militant methods used by English suffragists were banned and no speakers who employed them were invited to the state.
Just "arrove" and have had a lunch. We have starved since we left Santa Fe. We were not entertained anywhere else. . . . My face is almost blistered, but I organized. It was a great trip and I have at all places tried to open the way for Miss Burtis. . . .
Stubbs' car returned to Topeka, and in Mrs. Hoffman's car the four proceeded on their tour of the fifth district including ten counties. The local suffrage associations made preparations for them in each place, "and when the suffrage car came honking into sight way down the main street, it was followed by the majority of the voters of the village."  They spoke from their car, in schoolhouses, theaters, parks, tents, public halls, in private homes, on soap boxes and stumps. At Minneapolis they attended a circus and spoke under the tent. Never just sure of what kind of a reception they would receive, they usually approached a town with some "trepidation," but they always rode away "as gay and happy as a band of school girls."  "Everywhere we had bouquets; no where did we have cabbages," said Mrs. Johnston. The trip covered over 1,000 miles, included forty towns and reached 10,000 people.  At Stockton Mrs. Lizzie W. Smith, president of the sixth district, took charge of Miss Clay who continued her speaking tour, and the rest of the party returned home.
Miss Clay entered the "big seventh" district around October 1, and spoke at a street meeting in Harper. Mrs. Shriver sat with her during the speaking and Miss Neff secured Mrs. A. G. Washbon, wife of the leading attorney, to occupy the other seat. "No two women in town," wrote Miss Neff, "could have lent more prestige and both of the other ladies are larger than Miss Clay so it's no wonder the tire flattened during the speech."  From Harper Miss Clay went to Kiowa for a celebration on October 3. She then spoke at Wichita and Emporia and reached Topeka on October 6.
The work increased in intensity as the campaign progressed. At state headquarters two secretaries and three stenographers and the president "broke all the minimum wage and maximum hour laws in trying to keep pace with the activities throughout the state."  Early in October the president appealed to the clergy of Kansas to reciprocate woman's helpfulness in the church by preaching a sermon October 13 on the subject, "Woman and Her Place in the World's Work."  Reports to headquarters showed that the ministers throughout the state responded liberally. Members of the men's league engaged actively in the work, giving several weeks to speaking tours. Among these were U. S. Guyer, John MacDonald and W. Y. Morgan. "The more I have worked, the more interested I become," wrote W. Y. Morgan. "In fact, I am not interested in anything but the amendment, and I will go any where I can do any good in the next few days."  The Good Government Club of Topeka, working independently of the Suffrage Association, conducted a campaign in Topeka and surrounding towns.
in the name of the women of Kansas. Doctor Shaw's tour across the state was a continuous ovation. Everywhere she spoke to large audiences and thrilled them with her eloquence. Doctor Corbin was enthusiastic over her visit to Lawrence, writing to Mrs. Johnston: "At the morning service she stirred the soul of every man and woman present and made even the commonplace faces shine. Her two hours' lecture at the Bowersock in the afternoon was magnificent, and only Champ Clark has had so large an audience."  Doctor Shaw's visit was a fitting climax to the strenuous campaign.
Dr. Anna Shaw telegraphed: "First authentic returns from suffrage vote in Kansas victorious. The national welcomes the seventh star."
Other reasons for success were that Kansas women, had had school suffrage for fifty years and municipal suffrage for over twenty years. Thus the women of Kansas were already voters and had only asked for promotion.
1. General Laws of the State of Kansas, . . . 1861, Ch. LXXVI, Art. 111, Sec. 2, p. 261.
2. A brief biographical sketch of Clarina I. H. Nichols was published in the Kansas Historical Collections, v. XII, pp. 94, 95.
3. Nathan G. Goodman, "The Extension of the Franchise to Women," The Historical Outlook, Philadelphia, Pa., April, 1927, pp. 157, 158.
5. Harper, Ida Husted, ed., The History of Woman Suffrage (1922), v. VI, pp. 195, 196. This chapter on Kansas, pp. 193-206, was prepared by Lucy B. (Mrs. William A.) Johnston.
6. Laws, Kansas, 1911, p. 597.
7. The officers were as follows: Mrs. W. A. Johnston, president; Mrs. W. R. Stubbs, first vice-president; Mrs. Cora W. Bullard, second vice-president; Miss Gertrude Reed, corresponding secretary; Miss Helen N. Eacker, recording secretary; Mrs. S. A. Thurston, treasurer, and Mrs. William A. White, auditor. The district presidents were consecutively: Mrs. Cora W. Bullard, Mrs. Genevieve H. Chalkley, Mrs. P. H. Albright, Miss L. C. Wooster, Mrs. Matie E. Kimball, Mrs. Anna C. Waite, Mrs. W. Y. Morgan and Mrs. Nannie Garrett. Later three district presidents resigned, and Mrs. Magdalen B. Munson was appointed to the third, Mrs. H. C. Wirick to the fourth and Mrs. Minnie J. Grinstead to the seventh. Mrs. Catharine A. Hoffman was made chairman of the press committee, Dr. Alberta Corbin, chairman of the membership extension, and Miss Effie Graham, chairman of education. A department of finance was created in 1912 with Mrs. Pansy (C. Charles) Clark as chairman. History of Woman Suffrage, v. VI, pp. 196, 197.
9. Topeka Daily Capital, November 3, 1912.
10. "Echoes From Suffrage Headquarters," Topeka, August 19 [19121, p. 2.-Mimeo graphed bulletin.
12. Dr. Emma W. Demaree to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, October 7, 1912.
13. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston to Mrs. Chrystal MacMillan, London, Eng., November so, 1912.
14. "Lessons From the Kansas Campaign," by Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston.-Typewritten statement dated at St. Louis, Mo., April 2, 1913.
15. Mrs. Minnie J. Grinstead to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, August 23, 1911.
16. Dr. Helen Brewster Owens to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, June 24, 1911.
17. Mrs. Magdalen B. Munson to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, August 28, 1911.
18. Mrs. Catharine A. Hoffman to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, November 13, 1911.
19. Mrs. Magdalen B. Munson to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, August 28, 1911.
20. Mrs. Minnie J. Grinstead to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, November 27, 1911.
21. Mrs. Catharine A. Hoffman to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, October 31, 1911.
22. Mrs. Mattie B. Hale to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, December 2, 1911.
23. Dr. Helen Brewster Owens to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, December 1, 1911.
24. Mrs. Cora Wellhouse Bullard to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, December 26, 1911.
25. Mrs. Ella W. Brown to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, December 20, 1911.
26. Mrs. Matie Kimball to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, December 23, 1911.
27. Mrs. Minnie J. Grinstead to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, December 29, 1911.
28. Mrs. Lizzie W. Smith to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, February 8, 1912.
29. Mrs. May J. (W. T.) Johnston to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, April 19, 1912.
30. The suffrage amendment in 1894 was endorsed by the Populist party and conse quently was opposed by both the major parties.
31. Mrs. May Johnston to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, April, 1912.
32. "Lessons From the Kansas Campaign," by Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston.
33. Circular letter, n. d.-Mimeographed.
84. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston to Thomas Hardy, June 12, 1912.
36. History of Woman Suffrage, v. VI, p. 198.
36. Miss Jane Addams to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, April 5, 1912.
37. Ibid., April 13, 1912.
38. Dr. Anna H. Shaw to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, April 30, 1912.
39. Miss Jane Addams to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, April 5 and 13, 1912.
40. Dr. C. Charles Clark to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, May 7, 1912.
41. Dr. Alberta Corbin to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, May 18, 1912.
42. History of Woman Suffrage, v. VI, pp. 198, 199.
43. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston to Dr. Anna H. Shaw, May 11, 1912.-Carbon copy.
44. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, "What Will It Profit Us If We Gain the Vote and Lose the Gallantry of Men! V"-Typewritten speech dated about 1913.
45. Topeka Daily Capital, November 3, 1912.
46. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston to Co-workers, August 10, 1912.
47. Headquarters' bulletin, August 12, 1912.-Mimeographed.
48. Topeka Daily Capital, November 3, 1912.
49. Headquarters' bulletin, October 28, 1912.-Mimeographed.
50. Mrs. Mary E. Ringrose to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, September 26, October 22, 1912.
51. Miss Helen N. Eacker to Co-workers, September 12, 1912.-Mimeographed letter.
52. Mrs. Minnie J. Grinstead to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, July 13, 1912.
53. Headquarters' bulletin, August 12, 1912.-Mimeographed.
54. Ibid., September 9, 1912.
55. History of Woman Suffrage, v. VI, p. 200.
56. Mrs. Laura Reed Yaggy to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, September, 1912. 57. Headquarters' bulletin, June 1, 1912.
58. The Woman's Journal, Boston, Mass., September 21, 1912.-"Equal Suffrage Scrapbook."
59. "The Topeka Daily Capital, September 9, 1912.
60. Ibid., September 20, 1912.
61. Mrs. Lucy Johnston, "Lessons From the Kansas Campaign"; Topeka Daily Capital, September 20, 1912.
62. Headquarters' bulletin, September 16, 1912.-Mimeographed.
63. Miss Maggie Neff to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, October 2, 1912.
64. Mrs. Magdalen B. Munson to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, October 2, 1912.
65. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston to Alice Stone Blackwell, February 9, 1912.-Carbon copy.
66. Topeka Daily Capital, November 3, 1912; Effie Graham, circular letter.
67. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, "History of Suffrage Organization."-Typewritten manuscript.
68. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, "Lessons From the Kansas Campaign."
69. Cowper, Mary O., "A History of Woman Suffrage in Kansas" (1914).-Typewritten thesis, Library, Kansas State Historical Society; W. Y. Morgan to Miss Helen Eacker, October 28, 1912.
70. Topeka Daily Capital, October 14, 1912.
71. Mrs. Laura Reed Yaggy to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, September, 1912.
72. History of Woman Suffrage, v. VI, pp. 200, 201.
75. Dr. Alberta Corbin to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, October 28, 1912.
76. Miss Helen Eacker to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, November 16, 1912.
77. Mrs. Edwin A. Knapp to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, November 6, 1912.
78. Dr. Anna H. Shaw to Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, November 6, 1912.
79. History of Woman Suffrage, v. VI, pp. 201, 202.
80. Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston to Mrs. Chrystal MacMillan, London, Eng., November 30, 1912.

References: Art. 111
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.