Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/686

 670 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE Nora Houston and Mrs. Munce, all of Richmond. The Federal Suffrage Amendment having now passed the Lower House of Congress, a resolution urging the U. S. Senate to take favorable action on the Federal Amendment was introduced but it did not come out of committee. The Hon. William Jennings Bryan stopped over trains to pay his respects to Governor West- moreland Davis. He was escorted to the Capitol by members of the Equal Suffrage League and made a brief address to the Assembly in joint recess, urging ratification of the Federal Amendment if submitted in time for action at this session. 1 RATIFICATION. The Legislature assembled August 13, 1919, in special session for the purpose of meeting the federal appro- priation for good roads. The Federal Suffrage Amendment hav- ing been submitted to the Legislatures for ratification on June 4 was due to be presented by the Governor. As the special session had been called specifically for good roads, the State Equal Suffrage League intended to await the regular session of 1920 to press for action but to test the legislators a questionnaire was sent to them. Answers proved that it would be well-nigh impossible to obtain ratification at this time, even though sub- stantial petitions from all sections of the State were shown to men representing the localities from which these came. Spurred on, however, by efforts of the National Woman's Party to secure action at any cost, the opponents succeeded in having a Rejection Resolution railroaded through the House without debate ten minutes before adjournment in the second week of the session. The Senate refused to sanction such tactics and by 19 to 15 voted to postpone action until the next session. 1920. The State league's committee on ratification was com- posed of Mrs. Valentine, Miss Clark, Mrs. Bosher, Mrs. Jobson, Miss Houston and Miss Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon. 2 Miss Jose- phine Miller, an organizer for the National Association, was sent into the State toward the end of the campaign. There were 1 By act of the General Assembly of 1918 women were admitted to William and Mary College. They were admitted to the graduate and professional schools of the University of Virginia by act of the Board of Visitors in 1920. 'Miss Pidgeon was appointed by the National Association in November, 1919, for organization to prepare for ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment. After its defeat the next February she continued until June 15, organizing citizenship schools throughout the State. The expense to the association was $1,792.