Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/650

 634 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE reading and debate, those opposed imitating the style of the leading "antis" at hearings. Third. A very successful mass meeting at the Hancock Opera House with good speakers. Fourth. Introduction of the House Joint Resolution for a suffrage amendment, signed by twenty members, including some who had opposed it in 1915. Fifth. Mass meeting in the House of Representatives the night before the amendment came to a vote, invitation for this being extended by resolution of the House. Speaker F. O. Fuller presided and House and gallery were crowded. Sixth. Introduction of the Primary suffrage bill in the Senate and House. Seventh. Introduction of the Presidential suffrage bill. Eighth. Speakers touring the State and keeping the cities and towns aroused ; a constant stream of letters to organizations and individuals and from them to Representatives. Ninth. Press work, a weekly news letter to those papers which would reach the legis- lators ; getting in touch with reporters and editors of the large daily papers in the State in Austin for the session. First, last and all the time work at the Capitol, interviewing members of the House and Senate, Speaker, President, and public men who could and if asked nii^ht help a little here and there. This work was carried on daily for nearly three months. It is my judgment that the Presidential suffrage bill could have been passed (anticipating the Governor's veto though) but for the fact that the closing clays of the session were taken up by the investi- gation of the Governor on charges preferred in the House. On January 31 the Primary suffrage bill was favorably reported by the Senate committee but was not taken from the calendar. On February 6 the resolution to submit an amendment to the voters received 76 ayes, 56 noes in the House, lacking the required two-thirds. It was not acted upon by the Senate. On February IQ the Presidential suffrage bill was referred to a Senate com- mittee and on the 26th was returned with a favorable minority report but not acted upon. Early in 1917 the misdeeds of Governor Ferguson culminated and a great campaign was begun to secure his impeachment. 1 le was the implacable foe of woman suffrage and of every great moral issue for which women stood, therefore at the very begin- ning of the campaign word was sent to the committee in Austin that the State Equal Suffrage Association had abandoned all other work temporarily and placed its entire resources at their command. The offer was accepted at once and the character and value of the services which the women performed may be judged