Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Under the able direction of Miss Benbridge the league continued to
increase until there were but four counties in which it had no
representation. The changed status of members from suffrage workers
to voters necessitated a different sort of activity. Organizers were
still employed to some extent and suffrage propaganda used in the more
remote counties but the stress was laid upon teaching women to use the
vote intelligently and appreciate the power it gives. A Citizenship
School of the nature of a Normal School was held in Indianapolis in
October and women from all over the State attended a five days'
session and heard talks on the nature and various functions of the
government and the duties of citizens, by men and women who were
experts in their various lines. They took back to their own towns the
inspiration received and these schools were carried on quite
generally. The State Superintendent of Education sent out a bulletin
asking the teachers to give their aid and recommending that the public
schools be used for this work. A monograph entitled An Aid to the
Citizen in Indiana was prepared by Miss Martha Block of Terre Haute
and published by the league. This movement to train the new voters
commanded the respect of educators and several professors in
educational institutions offered their services as teachers in the
schools of citizenship.
The convention of April, 1920, was the end of the Franchise League.
With the near ratification of the Federal Amendment work for suffrage
seemed to be finished in Indiana. As a Presidential suffrage bill had
been passed by the General Assembly the women of the State were
already partial voters, so the league disbanded and in its place was
formed the State League of Women Voters, with Mrs. A. H. Beardsley of
Elkhart as president. The branches became auxiliaries and the
leaders realized that the task of getting the vote was nearly
accomplished--that of using it had just begun.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION. 1901. Through the efforts of the Equal Suffrage
Association a resolution for an amendment to the State constitution to
strike out the word "male" in the suffrage section was introduced. In
the Senate it was buried in committee. In the House it received a vote
of 49 ayes, 33 noes--a two-thirds majority being necessary. Later it
was reconsidered and passed by a vote of 52 to 32. This vote was also
reconsidered and the amendment laid on the table.
1907. Municipal suffrage bill was defeated by the Senate.
1911. A similar measure was reported favorably out of committees but
lost in the Lower House by 41 ayes, 48 noes, and no action was taken
by the Senate.
1913. A resolution to submit a woman suffrage amendment was held up in
committees. The Senate passed a School suffrage bill by 27 ayes, 10
noes, but there was no action in the House.
1915. A Presidential suffrage bill passed in the Senate by 37 ayes, 3
noes, was held up in the House.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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