Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Hard and conscientious work was shown in the reports of the chairmen
of all the committees: Legislation for Civil Rights, Mrs. Lucretia L.
Blankenburg; Peace and Arbitration, Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead; Presidential
Suffrage, Henry B. Blackwell; Libraries, Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer;
Literature, Miss Alice Stone Blackwell; Enrollment, Mrs. Oreola
Williams Haskell; Membership, Miss Laura Clay, and others. Miss Clay
urged that the organization of the political parties be taken as a
model by the suffrage societies. As usual the State reports were among
the most interesting features of the convention, for they gave in
detail the nation-wide work that was being done for woman suffrage. At
this time that of Oklahoma, Mrs. Kate L. Biggars, president, had a
prominent place, as the association had been helping its women during
the past year in an effort to have the convention which was framing a
constitution for statehood put in a clause for woman suffrage. A corps
of able national workers was there for months while the most strenuous
work was done but the only result was the franchise on school matters.
The report on Oregon was read by the corresponding secretary, Miss
Gordon. The campaign there for a woman suffrage amendment to the State
constitution was possibly the most strenuous that had ever been made
for this purpose and the National Association had given more
assistance, financial and otherwise, than to any other, a number of
its officers going there in person. Among them were Miss Clay and Miss
Gordon, who made full reports.[55]
The report of Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, national treasurer, showed
that the receipts of the association for 1906 had been $18,203 and it
had expended on the Oregon campaign $18,075, a sum equal to its year's
income. A portion of the money, however, was taken from the reserve
fund and $8,000 had been subscribed directly for this campaign by
individuals and States. The total disbursements for the year had been
$25,933. The power of the association to rise above defeat and its
courage and determination, so many times shown, were strikingly
illustrated on this occasion when the convention voted to raise a fund
of $100,000 and pledged $24,000 of this amount before it adjourned.
The Resolutions presented by Mr. Blackwell, chairman of the committee,
covered a wide range of subjects, among them the following:
In view of the fact that in only 14 of our States have married
mothers any legal right to the custody, control and earnings of
their minor children, we urge the women of the other States to
work for laws giving to mothers equal rights with fathers.
The traffic in women and girls which is carried on in the United
States and in other countries is a heinous blot upon civilization
and we demand of Congress and our State Legislatures that every
possible step be taken to suppress the infamous traffic in this
country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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