Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 4.djvu/918

 Devereux Blake. Mrs. Mary Seymour Howell and Mrs Caroline Gilkey Rogers addressed a joint committee of the Legislature urging that women delegates should be permitted to sit in this convention. Mrs. Blake also prepared a strong written appeal which was sent to every member. Gov. Roswell P. Flower in his message in 1892 made a similar recommendation. Again Miss Anthony, Mrs. Blake and Mrs. Howell made a plea for women this time before the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

The original bill provided for a certain number of delegates to be appointed by the Governor, among these four to represent the Prohibitionists, three the Labor Party and three the Woman Suffrage Association. The power of the Governor to appoint was afterwards declared unconstitutional. A ball allowing three women delegates passed the Assembly, but was defeated in the delegates should be elected, and that there should be two representatives each for the Prohibition, Labor and Socialist parties. None was granted to the Suffragists; but the law said: "The electors may elect any citizen of the State above the age of twenty-one years."

The following was then sent to each of the political party conventions, through properly accredited delegates:

Among other duties incumbent upon the members of your honorable body is that of nominating delegates-at-large to the convention called for the revision of the State constitution. As women are eligible to these positions we offer you the names of three who have been selected by the executive board of the State W. S. A. as their choice of delegates for that convention, with the hope that you will accept them as candidates of your own.

The names presented were those of Miss Anthony, Mrs. Howell and Miss Emily Howland, the last a large taxpayer and an excellent businesswoman. The ladies were courteously listened to by the Democrats, and refused an opportunity to speak by the Republicans. Similar efforts were made in district conventions.

Both Republicans and Democrats, however, refused to nominate any women, the compensation of $10 per day. in addition to the political power conferred, making the positions entirely too valuable to give to a disfranchised class. The name of even Susan B. Anthony was declined by the Republicans of her dis-