The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume VI — John Shaqi
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume VI
History
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume VI
Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
The first State-wide Primary election in which women had the right to
vote was held in May, 1918; between 40,000 and 50,000 voted and all
papers commented on the intelligence of the new electors. The State
Democratic convention met in Little Rock on July 10 and for the first
time women delegates were present from many counties. Fifty were
seated and more were present in proportion to their representation
than were men. They attended in force all minor committee meetings and
controlled the action of some of these committees. The _Arkansas
Gazette_ of July 11 commented: "It may safely be said that nothing was
put over on them by the wily politicians. There wasn't a chance--not a
chance in the world." There were women on the platform, the
resolutions and all prominent committees. The suffrage plank, as
written by the women, was unanimously adopted and for the first time a
woman was elected member of the State Central Committee, Mrs.
Brizzolara. The one appointed as a member of the Democratic Women's
National Committee was Mrs. Head, chairman of her congressional
district for the suffrage organization.
On January 14 resolutions were introduced in the Senate by Senator Lee
Cazort and the House by Representative J. D. Doyle, memorializing the
Senate of the United States to submit the Federal Amendment. They
passed unanimously and later were read into the Congressional Record
by Senator W. F. Kirby.
RATIFICATION. As soon as the Federal Amendment passed, letters were
sent to legislators asking them to agree to a call for a special
session. In less than one week answers were received from a majority
expressing willingness and even eagerness to hold the ratification
session. Many offered to pay their own expenses and waive the regular
per diem. With this support in hand a committee of fifty women went to
the State House and asked Governor Brough to call a special session.
This he agreed to do and set the date for July 28. While the
suffragists were never in doubt of ratification they were genuinely
surprised to find a few real enemies in the House and to hear some of
the moss-grown arguments of 1911. The Senate ratified by a vote of 29
to two and the House by 74 to 15. Henry Ponder of Lawrence county
introduced the resolution in the Senate and said he believed his
children would be prouder of that act of his than of anything else he
might ever do. An identical resolution was introduced in the House by
Representatives Riggs, Joe Joiner, Carl Held, Neil Bohlinger and J.
D. Doyle. The Senate resolution passed first and went over to the
House. The two Senators who voted against it were W. L. Ward, Lee
county, and W. H. Latimer, Sevier county. Many women came from over
the State to this special session and filled the galleries.
On Dec. 3, 1919, at the second annual meeting the Equal Suffrage
Central Committee was merged into a State League of Women Voters and
Mrs. Cotnam was elected chairman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account