Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
From time to time wholly unwarranted attacks were made on the effects
of woman suffrage in Colorado in order to prevent its adoption in
other States. During 1908-9 the misrepresentations became so vicious
there was a general feeling that as the men voters largely outnumbered
the women they should not remain silent. Through the efforts of
Assistant District Attorney Omar E. Garwood the Equal Suffrage Aid
Association of men was formed with former Governor Alva Adams
president; Isaac N. Stevens, vice-president, and Mr. Garwood
secretary. Prominent men joined it and it rendered such excellent
service in giving authoritative information that in a few years the
attacks and misrepresentations almost wholly ceased. Mr. Garwood went
on to New York, where the National Men's League for Woman Suffrage was
organized with James Lees Laidlaw of New York City as president and
Mr. Garwood as secretary. He aided in forming similar leagues in other
States and for several years participated actively in the suffrage
campaigns of Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South
Dakota, and lectured as far south as Mississippi, finding much
interest in Colorado's experiment. It was believed that the men's
organizations, actively taking the stand for the enfranchisement of
women, contributed substantially to the ultimate success of the
movement. In 1915 and following years an obscure lawyer employed by
certain vested interests in Colorado and elsewhere went into eastern
States where suffrage amendments were pending and scattered false
statements about the situation in this State. The newspapers of the
East were flooded with denials by Colorado men, women and
organizations and when they published these he filed suits for libel
but never allowed one of them to come to trial.
Again and again the Legislature has given official testimony in favor
of woman suffrage when it would be helpful. On Jan. 2, 1919, when the
U. S. Senate was about to vote on submitting the Federal Amendment,
Mrs. Hosmer, president of the State Association; Mrs. Anna M. Scott,
first vice-president, and Mrs. Sarah K. Walling, a member of the board
of directors, went before the Legislature at the opening of the
session, asking for a memorial to the Senate urging favorable action.
In less than an hour the rules had been suspended in both Houses and
the following resolution passed unanimously:
Whereas, Colorado has long enjoyed the help and counsel of its
women in all political matters of citizenship and by these years
of experience demonstrated the benefit to be derived from equal
suffrage; and whereas, there is now pending in the Senate of the
United States a constitutional amendment providing for national
woman suffrage; therefore be it
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