Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Mr. Blackwell, chairman of the committee on Presidential suffrage,
said in his report: "This is the open door for woman suffrage in every
State in the Union. Any Legislature at any session by a majority vote
of both Houses, either separately or in joint session, without any
change of State constitution, can empower women to help select the
presidential electors on the same terms as male citizens. The power is
absolute and unqualified. Let women in every State petition their
Legislature to enable women to take part in this most important form
of suffrage known to the American people. It is objected to our demand
for woman suffrage that women do not want it and will not exercise it
if granted. This is now the only method of testing women's wish to
take part in their government. If by a general exercise of the right
they show their public spirit, the Legislature by submitting an
amendment to the State constitution can afterwards extend suffrage to
its citizens in State and local elections. This step will be the most
conservative way of procedure. The control will remain, as now, in the
hands of a Legislature elected by men alone. If it prove
unsatisfactory to the men of the State any subsequent Legislature can
repeal the law."
A report of the International Suffrage Conference, which had been in
progress during the convention, and the forming of a committee to
further permanent organization, was made by its secretary, Miss
Goldstein, and the convention voted that the National American Woman
Suffrage Association should cooperate with this committee. The
nominations for office were made as usual by secret ballot and as
usual were so nearly unanimous that the secretary was instructed to
cast the vote. The only change in the present board was the election
of Mrs. Mary J. Coggeshall, for many years prominent in the work in
Iowa, as second auditor in place of Dr. Eaton, whose professional
duties required all her time. Invitations for the next convention were
received from Niagara Falls, Detroit, St. Louis, Denver, Baltimore and
New Orleans. The Board of Trade, the Era Club and the Progressive
Union united in the one from New Orleans, which was accepted and
cordial thanks returned for the others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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