Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/605

 SOUTH DAKOTA 589 with a hearty response and plans were made which proved so effective that the amendment resolution was the first measure to pass the Legislature, almost before the opponents knew the suffragists were on the ground. The poll had been so quietly and carefully taken that the committee knew its exact strength in both Houses almost before the resolution was on the calen- dar. Governor Frank M. Byrne gave his valuable assistance, as he had done when a member of the Senate in preceding years. Mrs. Byrne also was an excellent ally. The members of the Legislature always referred to this legis- lative work as "the campaign of Committee Room 2," as this room beside the elevator in the House side of the Capitol had been placed at the disposal of the suffragists. Their committee quietly stayed there while members were summoned one by one, interviewed and pledged if possible. Unsuspecting members, sup- posing they were summoned by some State official, would come and then would consider it such a good joke that they would say nothing and wait for their neighbor to get caught, so that nearly the entire membership was interviewed before the men began to compare notes. Among many amusing incidents was the following: The suf- frage question could always be depended upon to fill the gal- leries and call forth floods of oratory. When it was up for discussion at this time Senator James Mather of Brown county rose and announced in no uncertain terms that he was unalter- ably opposed; he did not believe in woman suffrage; it would afford him great satisfaction, indeed he craved the opportunity, to be recorded as voting against it. The roll-call started alpha- betically and it went Aye-Aye-Aye down to M. When the name Mather was called the Senator, looking decidedly embarrassed, d to be excused from voting. Protests came from all sides. Senator Norbeck (afterwards Governor) in stentorian tones de- <lcd that since the Senator had craved the opportunity to record his opinion he should do it now. Senator Mather meekly the only dissenting vote and never was returned to the islature. In the Lower House the vote was 70 ayes, 30 noes. The campaign of 1914 received most important and highly valued assistance from Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of