Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/519

 NORTH DAKOTA 503 seemed to know but they got into the constitution. They meant that the suffrage referendum must poll a majority of all the votes cast at the election and not just on the measure itself. If the ballot was not marked at all it was counted in the negative. The official returns gave the affirmative vote on suffrage 40,209 ; blanks and noes together 49,348, making a total of 89,557, or 251 more votes than were cast for Governor, who polled the largest number. It was generally conceded that if the unmarked ballots had not been counted against the measure it would have been carried. The entire western part of the State went for suffrage. The chief opponents were the German Russians in Emmons and surrounding counties and a handful of anti-suffra- gists who came from outside the State. The same Legislature that sent this bill to the electors also submitted a woman suffrage amendment to the State constitu- tion, which would be more secure than a law. This resolution had to pass two Legislatures but it required only a majority at the polls of the votes actually cast on the question. The suffragists felt sure that the Legislature of 1915 would pass for the second time this resolution for an amendment but it refused to do so. They soon sustained a great loss in the death of Mrs. Darrow, the much loved president, on April 23, 1915. She had sacrificed her life in her ceaseless work for woman suffrage. Her husband, Dr. E. M. Darrow, a pioneer physician, two daughters and three sons ardently supported her efforts. On account of the campaign the convention of 1914 had been postponed. It was held at Valley City in June, 1915, and Mrs. Grace Clendening of Wimbledon was elected president. Un- daunted the suffragists made plans to hold together the converts won during the campaign. The organization had been of mush- room growth and they now had to strengthen it. The annual convention was held at Minot Oct. 10, 1915, and Mrs. Clendening was re-elected. Extensive educational work done the following year, at Chautauquas by holding "suf- frage days," and through booths maintained at the Fargo ami (1 Forks fairs, with a wide distribution of literature. The Votes for Women League and the Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union opposed Governor II anna and Lieutenant Governor