Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
When the bill came up in the Senate Walker Smith of Magnolia led the
opposition, although several days before he had promised Mrs. Head and
Mrs. Ellington to vote for it. Senator Houston Emory of Hot Springs
guided it to a successful vote on February 27--17 ayes, 15 noes.
Senators George F. Brown of Rison, George W. Garrett of Okolona, H. L.
Ponder of Walnut Ridge, J. S. Utley of Benton and R. Hill Caruth of
Warren aided materially in passing the bill. The first time during the
session that every man in the Senate was in his seat to vote was when
the Primary bill came up. Two Senators unalterably opposed to woman
suffrage had been expelled for bribery and this made its success
possible.
The Senate slightly amended the bill and returned it to the House,
which accepted it March 6. Never did a man serve the cause of suffrage
more loyally or more efficiently than John A. Riggs and the women of
Arkansas owe him a lasting debt of gratitude. Governor Brough signed
the bill in the evening at a public meeting amid great enthusiasm.
The Legislature met Jan. 13, 1919, after thousands of women had voted
at the Primary election. Not one member had been asked to present a
resolution proposing a constitutional amendment for woman suffrage. In
fact the women were following closely the advice of the National
Association and were ardently hoping to avoid a State campaign. They
were reckoning from past experiences but times had changed.
Twenty-five men came ready to propose a full suffrage amendment;
Representative Riggs, the father of the Primary bill, was the first
man on the floor after the House was organized and his bill got first
place on the calendar. It passed the Senate January 30 by 27 to one,
and the House February 3 by 73 to three. In November it went to the
voters and was defeated. It received the largest favorable vote of any
of the amendments submitted but not a majority of the largest number
cast at the election, as required by the constitution. The women had
felt certain that this would be impossible. In August, 1920, full
suffrage was conferred by the Federal Amendment.
FOOTNOTES:
[6] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. O. F. Ellington,
president of the State Woman Suffrage Association, 1914-1917, and Mrs.
T. T. Cotnam, State treasurer during these years and chairman of the
State Suffrage Central Committee from 1917.
[7] The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mrs. Ellington;
secretary, Mrs. Gibb, Little Rock. Finance Committee: Chairman, Mrs.
Cotnam; Mrs. C. C. Cate, Jonesboro; Mrs. Land, Mrs. William Ells,
Texarkana; Mrs. W. H. Connell, Hot Springs. Committee that framed
constitution: Mrs. Fuller, Magazine; Mrs. Head, Mrs. Blaisdell, Hot
Springs; Congressional chairman, Mrs. Ada Roussans, Jonesboro; Mrs.
Fitzhugh, Mrs. H. E. Morrow, Mrs. Head, Mrs. W. L. Moose, Mrs.
Drennan, Mrs. Garland Street, district chairmen.
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