xt78cz325071 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt78cz325071/data/mets.xml  Kentucky Equal Rights Association 1914 Minutes and reports from the annual conventions and other meetings of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. Includes the following titles: Minutes of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association; Minutes of the Annual Convention of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association; and Report of the Annual Convention of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. JK1883 .K4, 24 volumes. annual reports  English Louisville, KY: C. T. Dearing Printing, Co. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Equal Rights Association minutes and reports Women -- Suffrage -- Kentucky -- Periodicals Women -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Kentucky -- Periodicals Report of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Convention of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association Held at Owensboro, Kentucky, November 6, 7 and 8, 1914. text Report of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Convention of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association Held at Owensboro, Kentucky, November 6, 7 and 8, 1914. 1914 2019 true xt78cz325071 section xt78cz325071 V L—_—___.;_————__———_————-—___——_‘-—_—_.‘——_———-————_‘—————3 :1
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‘ ' i REPORT , i
K . OF TH; I I
Twenty—Fifth Annual Convention h
g . or THE ii
Kentucky Equal Rights
’ _ Association .
i “if '4 . HELD AT i‘
" ~ " ' Owensboro, Kentucky F .
i ‘ , November 6, 7 and 8, 1914. ii
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I I “If ye abide in my Word " * ye shall know the Truth, _
‘y , and the Truth shall make you Free",
,_ " ‘4 ‘ c. r. DEARINO rmmm 00. fig?» Loursvim. Kan-mom . ‘ '

 GENERAL OFFICERS i
or THIS
Kentucky Equal Rights Association ’
PRESIDENT ,-'
Mrs. Desha Breckinridge, Linden Walk. . . . . . . . - - . . . . . . . . . . Lexington 1‘
FIRST VICE—PRESIDENT i
Mrs. E. L, Hutcliinson.................. ..................Lexington
SECOND VICE—PRESIDENT
Mrs. Charles Firth.......................................Covington '
THIRD VICE—PRESIDENT
Mrs. J. D. Hays.........................................Owensboro ,.-‘
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY d
Miss Laura Clay, 189 North Mill Street. . .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . . ..Lexington
RECORDING SECRETARY
Mrs. R. A. McDowell, First and Magnolia. . . . . . . . . . .. ... . . . Louisville
TREASURER
Mrs. J. B. Judah, 2115 Murray.............................Louisville A 1
AUDITOR ' ‘
Mrs. Samuel C. Henning, Cherokee Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louisville .
MEMBER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, N. A. W. S. A. ‘
Mrs. T. J. Smith..........~-..............................Frankfort
HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS. 3
Mrs. Mary B. Clay........................................Richmond
Mrs. Susan Look Avery...................................Louisville i
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5! PROGRAM .
Thursday, November S—Afternoon.
, Reception given by Daviess County Equal Rights Association, to
i delegates and visitors, at the home of Mrs. \Villiam }I. Brannon, from
., 4 to 6 p. m.
Headquarters for delegates—Rudd House.
j All meetings to be held at Settle Memorial Church.
. Opening Program—Thursday, 8 P. M.
, Address of Welcome: For the citizens of Owensboro, Dr. J. H.
- Hickman, Mayor; on behalf of the business community, Mr. E. W.
. Smith, president of the Chamber of Commerce; for the Daviess County
Equal Rights Association, Rev. J. A. Gallaher; response for the Ken—
tucky Equal Rights Association, Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson, first vice-
” president.
Address: “Southern States Woman Suffrage Conference,” Miss
- Kate Gordon, New Orleans. “work of Louisville women for School
‘- Commission,” Mrs. Samuel Henning, president Louisville Woman Suf-
frage Association.
Friday, November 6. ‘
; 9:30 a. m.—Plan of \Vork Committee.
10:30 a. 1n.—Convention opens.
. Report of Executive Council~Miss Laura Clay. .
f" Report of general officers.
d, Report of Legislative work—Mrs. J. B. Judah, Mrs. R. A. McDowell.
Appointment of Committees—On Credentials: on Courtesies; on
Resolutions; on Subscriptions to W'oman’s Journal, Sale of Literature
and Supplies.
Reports—Plan of \Nork Committee: Discussion. From local
leagues.
‘ i Friday, 2 P. M.
' l Reports from State Committces——Congressional Committee, Mrs.
J Murray Hubbard, Covington; Education Committee, Mrs. Lee Bern- ‘
. lieim, Louisville; Prize Committee, Mrs. Morris Bartlett, Lawrence—
~ . burg; Press Committee, Mrs. Dow Husbands, Paducah; Self-Sacrifice
Day, Mrs. John Graham, Louisville; Universal Suffrage Day, Mrs.
E. L. Hutchinson, Lexington.
Address—“Suffrage in England.” Mrs. James Leech, Louisville.
i Greetings from fraternal delegates.
‘, Friday, 8 P. M.
‘ Music—Miss Susanna Cassett, organist.
l Introduction of Judge Henry S. Barker, by Mr. L. S. Pettit.
I “A Lawyer’s View of Woman Suffrage,” Judge Henry S. Barker. '
:, president State University of Kentucky. .
{ Introduction of Miss Ingram, by Miss Laura Clay. l
i “Conditions and Needs of Working Women in Kentucky,” Miss , ,
~, Frances Ingram, head resident, Neighborhood House, Louisville. E
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 j Saturday, November 7, 10:30 A. M.
Report of Credentials Committee.
Reports from organizers and institute speakers—Mrs. James Mit—
chell, Bowling Green; Mrs. C. M. Freeman, Ashland; Mrs. Charles
P. \Veaver, Louisville; Mrs. Catherine Collins Cobb. Covington; Mrs.
Charles Firth, Covington; Miss Lily Ray Glenn, \Vashington, D. C.; ,
Miss Ruth Van Pelt, Frankfort. l
Election of officers and of National delegates. !
Saturday, 2 P. M.
Forward Movement—W'ork of 1915.
Miscellaneous business. ‘
Report of Resolutions Committee.
Saturday, 8 P. M.
Music.
Introduction of Rabbi \V. H. Fincshriber, by Mr. L. S. Pettit.
Address—Rabbi \V. II. Fineshribcr, Memphis, Tenn.
President’s Address—Mrs. Desha Breckinridge.
Adjournment. ' i
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MINUTES OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
OF THE KENTUCKY EQUAL RIGHTS ASSOCIA-
TION, HELD AT OWENSBORO, KY. ‘
" The first session of the convention was called to order by the
president, Mrs. Breckinridge, on November 6, 1914, at lo a. 111.. in the
i auditorium of the Settle Memorial Church.
Reports of the general officers.
i The secretary reported the meetings held during the year and the
. principal business.
The first vice—president reported $260 sent to Ohio as the prin-
cipal work which the Emergency Committee had done.
. The second vice-president reported the suffrage work done at the
Southern Conference in Louisville.
Miss Clay made a verbal report of the Executive Committee.
Mrs. Firth moved that these reports he accepted.
Report of legislative work done at Frankfort, by Mrs. McDowell.
Mrs. Smith moved to accept Mrs. McDowell’s report, with thanks.
7 Report of the National Executive Committee member, by Mrs. .
Smith.
Mrs. Bennett offered the following resolution:
i “Resolved, That we petition Congress to protect woman by appro-
} priate legislation against State denial of the right of citizens of the
1 United States to vote for members of Congress, Presidential electors
and United States Senators in the States wherein they reside, upon ,
l the same terms that men are authorized to exercise this right.” .
i Carried.
f The following committees were appointed:
' On Credentials—Mrs. Judah, Mrs. T. C. O’Connell, Miss Laura ‘
, White. ,rv" "
E On Courtesies—Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. Hays, Mrs. Dean.
On Resolutions—Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Rudy, Mrs. Leach.
J, On VVoman’s Journal and Sale of Literature and Supplies—Mrs.
. Washer, Mrs. Drake, Miss Hostetter, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. \Villiams,
3' Mrs. Freeman, Mrs. Forgy.
3 Reports of Local Leagues—For Kenton county, by Mrs. Blauvelt;
? for Fayette county, by Mrs. Drake.
Mrs. Smith moved to accept these reports. Carried.
Adjournment until 2 p. m.
The second session of the convention called to order by the presi- »
dent, Mrs. Breckinridge, on November 6, 1914, at 2 p. m. .
; Fraternal Greetings—Mrs. Thixton gave greetings from Mrs. La—
i cey, president of the Kentucky Federation of VVomen’s Clubs. saying =
3 that the State Federation endorsed suffrage for women as also the -
National Federation. Mrs. Conant read greetings from Mrs. Beau-
champ, president of the Kentucky W. C. T. U.
1 Miss’ Clay moved that the speaking privileges of the floor be ac—
} corded the fraternal delegates during the convention. Carried.
i Miss Laura \Vhite read an address on “Peace and Arbitration.” 4
Miss Clay moved that Miss VVhitc’s time be extended. (Carried)
i Mrs. Smith supplemented Miss White’s address by a report of a 3
l peace symposium held in Frankfort in the summer. v‘
i Miss White moved that each local suffrage association appoint i
' a local peace committee. I
‘ Mrs. Leach moved an amendment, that these resolutions be turned l
, over to the Resolutions Committee. (Carried as amended.) ,
1 Mrs. Breckinridge recommended that every one read the epoch- i
j making books, “The Great Illusion” and Olive Schreiner’s "Woman g
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l and Labor.” She further recommended that all local associations buy
i these books.
3 Mrs. Rudy gave a verbal report from the Daviess County League,
. stating that their first work was to offer prizes in a high school con- ,
test. Three county high schools entered the contest and a final con- 1
test was held at Owensboro High School. This attracted a great deal i
of attention and caused the formation of a county oratorical society. ‘
Thirty—five dollars were distributed in prizes. Their next work was a .
May 2d celebration, when Mrs. Weaver spoke. About 35 membership
cards were signed. In June Mrs. Breckinridge spoke at the Princess
Theatre and about 25 cards were signed. Later on the VVoman’s
Club joined with the suffrage league in a reception to the county in- ,
stitute teachers, and Mr. McDowell spoke to them on suffrage.
About 35 people signed cards. She stated that the VVoman’s Club
voted to endorse suffrage at the Middlesboro meeting. They sent
$10 to the campaign States.
Mrs. Bartlett’s report from Anderson county was handed in by
Mrs. Smith.
‘ Mrs. Overby gave a verbal report from Henderson county. Brought ‘
greetings from Mrs. R. H. Soper, president of the VVoman’s Club,
who expressed regret at not being able to attend. Mrs. Overby said
that the increased sentiment in favor of woman suffrage was the most 1
encouraging feature of her report. Of the 200 members of the \No— ,
man’s Club there had been about three outspoken suffragists and that ‘
today—by an overwhelming majority—they would endorse suffrage. l
The Suffrage League inaugurated debates in every school. Miss Laura ‘
Clay made the first address on suffrage in Henderson, and next came i
Mrs. Breckinridge. Miss Glenn reorganized, with new officers. They 1
now have 250 members. At the first meeting they enrolled 50 mem— g
bers. She closed her report by saying that they are going to get i
their Congressman to express his attitude. ' ,
Miss Buhr gave a verbal report from Hancock county, saying that ’
Miss Glenn reorganized and Mrs. Henning was elected president. 1
After her death, Miss Buhr was elected to fill her place. They have 1
35 or 40 members. Held a May 2d demonstration, when Miss Van- i
arsdale, of Louisville, spoke and a young girl sang; also had some }
one to blow the bugle. Mrs. \Veaver addressed the teachers institute. 1
Miss Buhr gave several girls prizes to sell suffrage buttons. About ;
10 or 15 more members were enrolled. The Hancock League sent $2.40 1
to the Self—Sacrifice Day Fund. i
Mrs. Bunger, from Hardin county, presented a written report. I
Mrs. Withers, from Meade county, presented a written report. i
Mrs. Fowler, from Christian county, gave a verbal report. She, / ;
stated that she was elected president. Mrs. Mitchell spoke during 1/ ‘1
their teachers’ institute. They have 70 members. Mrs. Breckinridge }’
spoke during the summer. g
(These written reports are printed in full in these minutes and fol—
' low later.) i
Mrs. Leech gave an interesting address on ”Suffrage in England.” 1
After speaking a word on peace, she said, “I do wish only, however, i
to say one word about the first martyr. You know that many of the J
women did stiffer terribly in prison. and Emily Wilding Davidson i
was perhaps the one who suffered most, because, curiously enough, i
as a graduate of college, she had a most active imaginative brain ,
and she could think of more things to do to disturb her prison keeper ‘3
than any other woman. They turned into her cell cold water, and
from the chill of that underground cell. with this cold water all over i
the floor, she had pneumonia. and in her raging fever seemed to be i
ready to lose any balance of mind that may have been left, and she j
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 only had the strength of mind left to find out which was the king's
horse in the races and to stop him at the risk of her life. She did it
to prove this one thing—that in England property is cared for better
than human life and human interests. That her life as first martyr .
1 would make a change in sentiment is true. There were many other
i women unbalanced by their suffering. They put back the passage of
; any 'law granting suffrage to women so that no one can now tell
i when such action will be taken. In the militant movement there are
some 15,000 women, in three societies. Less than 100 have been guilty
of breaking the laws, but over and over, under different names, they
have done it. The women who felt it was putting back our cause
tried to stop it.
' “I was in England at the time of the great pilgrimage. The women
who had little babies said, ‘We can only march this afternoon.’ One
old woman wrote, ‘I am eighty and I am afraid I will not have another ,
chance for a pilgrimage. Would you mind if I supplied a cart to ride?’
In every town they would have a meeting, distributing literature say-
ing, ‘We do not believe in militant methods.’ Six hundred women
. going out of Manchester were preceded by one lone santlwich man
who carried a sign, ‘Women do not want the suffrage.’ Everybody
they met was handed out a little slip which said, ‘That is just what '
, we are working for.’ July 25 they gathered in London and all over ‘
the city were meetings. They did not know whether or not Mrs.
i Snowden would be mobbed. After they got to the meeting 100 pil-
‘ grims came in, footsore and singing and bearing their banners. One ‘
l labor man, who marched with them, spoke; one elegant gentleman
! who worked in that district spoke with them. Then they had their l
, own Mrs. Snowden, who claims to be in heart half American. "
3 “I wore an American flag for protection. There was some drunk—
enness but we were not molested. The next day thousands of peo—
‘ ple gathered in Trafalgar Square to watch the parade and hear the .
5 speeches. There were about 3,000 marchers. An American man
, came up and said to me, ‘I wish I could march with you, but the
i police won’t let me, and I will walk in the gutter.’ He kept his word
‘1 and walked all the way.
i “I saw nothing that was not respectful and interesting. One hun-
j dred thousand people listened to the speeches from nineteen plat- ,
i forms. Mrs. Catt made a magnificent speech, and when you heard
1 the cheering for the American lady you would have been thankful
i in heart that her message of peace and quiet and good will, and her ,
i persistence in what she believed andwhat she stood for, would help ‘
f every man and woman in that English nation. It was a wonderful ,
E sight. I did not think anything about the two mile march. Who
é cares whether you are conspicuous so that you are a part of history? &
‘v We in America are too modest to do things to attract attention. :
3 Remember that a color stands for more than words.” (Here she
‘ showed the colors of the non-militants of England, the cockade she
1 wore in the parade and last of all a long yellow “Votes for Women”
1 streamer.) :
1‘ “When we consider what that has meant to England, we are glad
i to know that our great body of American women, the Geneial Fed-
: eration of Women’s Clubs, has for the first time this last year passed
i a resolution endorsing equal franchise for men and women. That 1,
i thrills you, and every woman who was not there I am sorry for, be-
cause I think that day was the greatest triumph of womanhood I f,
‘ have ever seen on any question anywhere. The self—control of the j:
.; women themselves—‘We want to give no offense—we want to take ‘
1 with us those that we can win.’ If you had heard the president of a g
i Southern federation say, ‘We met the day before and discussed it— i
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there is no use in raising any opposition—it is going to pass, and we
do not think we ought to seem to be opposing a measure whether we
endorse it or not.’ When you think of Miss Addams, as she stood
I. with the tears on her cheeks—when you think of the hands stretched j
‘ across the aisle from States North and South, meeting together, and ‘
l more than that, no woman had by her word committed herself to ‘
any opposition, you can see that the victory was great. Dr. Shaw has 1
‘ said she believed it was quite equal to the gaining of a State, be- g
cause it meant that everywhere the largest and most conservative 1‘
body of women—thoughtful, not extreme—had endorsed suffrage with I
no split and with no antagonism aroused, then we may believe that
the better day is not only dawning, but has dawned.” l
Adjourned at 3:30 for an automobile trip around the city. ;
, The convention was called to order Saturday morning, November '
7, at 10:30 a. m.
Miss Clay moved that the first business of the day be the disposi—
tion of unfinished business from the program of yesterday. (Carried)
i Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson made a report on the celebration of Uni—
versal Suffrage Day. Mrs. Hutchinson also supplemented the report
of the Executive Committee, reporting that the committee joined the f
“buy-a—bale” movement by purchasing a bale of cotton, which has ‘,I
. been on display in a show window in Owensboro for several weeks,
will be drawn in the parade during this convention on the automobile ‘
fire truck of the city of Owensboro, taken to the station and shipped
to Louisville for display in the window at local headquarters.
Mrs. Henning, president of the Louisville \Voman Suffrage As- ‘
sociation, filed her written report without reading, and gave her time
to Mrs. J. B. Judah, who made an interesting report on the local
headquarters of the association at Louisville. She described their
show window and gave many suggestions useful for local leagues. i
The report of the Credentials Committee was made by Mrs. Judah,
showing that 55 delegates were qualified to vote in the convention.
The Committee on Resolutions announced that it was ready to
report and its report was read by Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Smith, chair—
man, as follows:
RESOLUTIONS. ‘
“We, the Kentucky Equal Rights Association, at our twenty-fifth
annual convention in the city of Owensboro assembled, reaffirm our .
belief in the justice, expediency and necessity of extending the fran— ;
chise to women. 7
;’ “We rejoice in the securing of full franchise by the women of ' 1
Montana and Nevada. ‘
“Hence be it i
“Resolved, That, believing there is no question of greater import— :
ance to the people of Kentucky than the political freedom of her I
- women, the Kentucky Equal Rights Association calls upon the Gen— ‘
eral Assembly in 1916 to submit a Constitutional Amendment, giving l
to the women of Kentucky full suffrage. ,
“Resolved, That we petition Congress to protect women by ap— j
propriate legislation against State denial of the right of citizens of 3
the United States to vote for members of Congress, Presidential ‘
electors and United States Senators in the State wherein they reside, 1
upon the same terms that men are authorized to exercise this right. ;
“Resolved, Since the labor inspection of Kentucky is inadequate
to the needs of the State, we hereby urge the Commissioner of Agri— ,
culture to appoint an additional assistant inspector, as provided by ‘
law. ,
“Resolved, That inasmuch as the children of a country are its ‘1
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‘ greatest asset, and as the life and morals of these children are of
greater interest to the women of Kentucky than any enterprise, the
Kentucky Equal Rights Association will be further encouraged to
. promote the cotton industries of the South in every possible way if
. it can have the assurance of the mill owners that they will bring to
pass, as soon as humanly possible, the most advanced Child Labor
legislation. ¢
, “Resolved, That since women have always been the conservers of
i life, and the peace loving half of humanity, the ballot in the hand of
l the women of the world will be the greatest factor in bringing about
i general disarmament with an international congress and court of
l arbitration with proper police force for preserving the peace.
; “Resolved, That the appreciation of the convention be extended to
l the Daviess County Equal Rights Association, to the Owensboro
Chamber of Commerce, to the officers and members of the Settle
' Memorial Church so appropriately decorated, to the florists, to the
i Home Telephone Company for telephone in convention headquarters,
. to Mr. and Mrs. Brannon for their gracious hospitality, to those
friends who offered their automobiles for the delightful drive, and
to every co—worker who has helped to make this convention a great
i and complete success. We also extend our thanks to the press.
l, “CAROLINE A. LEECH.
“KATHERINE F. RUDY.
“ELISE BENNETT SMITH, Chairman.”
Upon motion the resolutions were unanimously adopted.
‘ Mrs. Judah moved that a prize of $25 be offered by the association .
in 'high schools and other schools for a Kentucky poster. (Carried)
Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson moved that Kentucky Equal Rights Associa—
tion urge each branch association in the State to give a cotton enter—
, tainment and request of their members that each one buy a bolt of
cotton material to help relieve the congested state of the cotton mar-
ket. (Carried)
Miss Clay moved that the election of officers be proceeded with at
once. (Cari-ied.)
Mrs. S. C. Henning was nominated for auditor by ballot, receiving
52 votes. Miss Clay moved that the nominating ballot be made the
election ballot and that the secretary cast one ballot for Mrs. Henning.
The ballot was cast by the secretary and Mrs. Henning declared
elected. ‘ .
, Mrs. J. H. Hays was nominated for third vice-president to fill out i
. ' unexpired term of Mrs. Judah, who resigned to become treasurer. f
‘ receiving 55 votes. Miss Clay moved that the nominating ballot be .
i made the election ballot and that the secretary cast one ballot for y
- Mrs. Hays. The ballot was cast by the secretary and Mrs. Hays was ‘
. declared elected.
‘ Mrs. Heniiing moved that delegates to the National convention be
“ elected by acclamation. (Carried) '
‘ The following were elected delegates and alternates: .
' DELEGATES—Dr. Louise Southgate, Covington; Mrs. James
3 Bennett, Richmond; Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson, Lexington; Mrs. R. A.
i McDowell, Louisville; Mrs. Edmund Post, Paducah; Mrs. Charles .
, Firth, Covington; Miss Laura Clay, Lexington; Mrs. George Rudy, ;
1 Owensboro; Mrs. W. T. Fowler, Hopkinsville; Mrs. C. M. Freeman, '
I Ashland. ‘ ~ 7- ' " -,.. ;
ALTERNATES—Miss Alice Floyd, Maysville; Mrs. J. A. Dean, :
t Owensboro; Mrs. A. G. Weidler, Frenchburg (delegate); Miss Anna
3 Hord, Ashland; Miss Dow Husbands, Paducah; Mrs. F. J. Smith, ,
; Frankfort; Mrs. J. J. Brooks, Louisville; Mrs. Overby Henderson; j
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Miss Gertrude Fitzhugh, Dramond Springs; Miss Hettie Adams,
Somerset, Mrs. R. M. Carrier, Louisville; Miss Floretta Buhr, Hawes—
ville; Mrs. T. S. Bullock, Lexington; Mrs. R. H. Cunningham, Hen—
? derson; Miss Rebecca Averill, Frankfort; Mrs. Murray Hubbard, Ft. 1
Thomas; Mrs. James Mitchell, Bowling Green.
’ M155 Clay moved that the president be empowered to fill any
3 vacancies occurring in the delegation, provided no alternate be pres-
: cut to take the vacant seat. (Carried)
Mrs. Smith offered the following resolution with the endorsement i
of the Board, to-wit: ‘
“Resolved, That we accept Proposition E (one-eighth of column)
of the National Association relative to VVoman’s Journal. The cost
to be 63 cents per week—$33 per year. The press work to be referred
. to Louisville headquarters under the press chairman, Mrs. John
Graham.” (Carried)
Mrs. James Mitchell, of Bowling Green, made her report of
. organizer. ,
' Mrs. J. B. Judah, treasurer, reported:
Receipts $3,24654
Disbursements 2,814.26 1
‘ Balance on hand $432.26
DUES PAID FOR 1914. i
Ashland, $6; Franklin, $3.50; Hopkins. $2.75; Lewis, $2.10—35; Carter, .
35 cents; Hardin, $3.60; Henderson, $3.50; Daviess, $7; Carlisle, $1.40; 1
Bowling Green, $3; Madison, $35; Fayette, $35; Covington, $35; Louis-
ville, $3 . :
The auditor, Mrs. James A. Leach, reported that she had examined
all vouchers and checks and found same to be correct. 3
Meeting adjourned until 2 o’clock p. m. 1
Convention called to order at 2 o’clock p. m. l
Mrs. Smith moved that the association purchase a banner to be
used by the delegation at the National convention. (Carried) l
The following organizers made interesting reports, which will be i
found in the published minutes: Miss Ruth Van Pelt, Mrs. C. M. ,‘
Freeman, Mrs. Chas. Firth, and Miss Lilly Ray Glenn. The piesident l
summed up the work of all organizers, some volunteers, some em- I
ployed. showing the total of new members secured during the year ‘;
.1 to be 4,776, making present membership 10,744. ,1
‘ Mrs. Breckinridge reported contributions on Self—Sacrifice Day 1
were $252.65, and $260 was sent to Ohio campaign fund. l
Miss Clay was called to the chair at 4 o’clock.
Forward work of 1915 was generally discussed.
, Miss Laura White moved that the convention minutes be approved
by the Board. (Carried) ‘
Adjourned to meet at 7:30 p. m. ,
At the evening session after the regular program, contributions to 1
the president’s fund were received as follows: Mrs. Chas. Firth, $25; .
Mrs. E. L. Hutchinson, $25; Mrs. R. A. McDowell, $25; Miss Laura J
White, $25; Mrs. S. C. Henning, $25; unknown, Louisville, $25; Mrs. i
Ballard, $25; Mrs. James Bennet, $25; Mrs. Drake, $25; Mrs. Breck- j
inridge, in honor of Miss Clay. $25; Madison County Equal Rights 1
Association, $25; Miss Laura Clay, $25; Mrs. T. J. Smith, $5; Mrs. E
J D. Judah, $5; Henderson County League, $5; Mrs. C. M. Free- ‘ ’
man, $5, and Miss Chloe Jackson, $5. 3
There being on further business the convention adjourned sine die. 1
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' PRESIDENT’S REPORT.
In November, 1912, when, to quote Clara Barton, I had “the honor .
and the pain” to be elected president of the Kentucky Equal Rights
1 Association, there were 1,779 members, with organizations in eleven
counties. In November, 1913, we were able to report 4,655 members.
We are now able to report 10,577. For each of these we have a card,
bearing the original signature at State headquarters. Of the 120
I counties of Kentucky we have completely organized suffrage leagues
. in 64; partially organized leagues (a chairman and roll of members)
in 23; a roll of members, but as yet no local organization in 32 coun—
ties; and but one county in the State (Casey county) in which we
have no “signed and sealed" believer in woman suffrage. That does
not mean that there are none in Casey county. The woods in Ken-
tucky are full of convinced and instinctive suffi‘agists, All that we
have to do is to reach them and to' offer them a tangible method of
coming out and standing for the truth to have them do it.
’ Organizers Obtain Nearly Five Thousand Signers.
i Our summer’s work shows this. Since March we have had an
: organizer loaned us by Mrs. Medill CcMormick, chairman of the
Congessional Committee of the National Woman Suffrage Associa-
tion. For parts of the summer, varying from three weeks to two
months, we have had five other organizers. Their principal work has
3 been to address teachers’ institutes and occasional citizens’ meetings.
‘ In answer to the invitation extended at these meeting, 4,700 persons
1 have signed membership cards. ‘
3‘ Ninety-four counties were covered by suffrage speeches made at
the teachers’ institutes, and fifty citizens’ meetings were addressed
‘ by our organizers. Forty-eight full organizations were effected by
them, and fourteen semi—organizations. This work was done at an
5 expense to the State Association of approximately $400 for salaries
: and $400 for expenses.
l Work for School Elections.
1
i In addition to our work for full suffrage, our local leagues have
i done much work to increase the interest of women in the schools.
,' Between ten and twenty thousand leaflets on the school law were
I sent out last summer from the State headquarters to the local leagues
l for distribution in the country districts before the school trustee elec-
'; tions. Splendid work was done by the Louisville Woman Suffrage
3 Association in re-electing the members of their non-partisan School .
i Commission. ’
t Legislative Work. ‘,
A bill drawn by Mr. R. A. McDowell, of Louisville, was presented
in the last Legislature. It did not pass. The two amendments to I
, the State Constitution previously voted by the people and not prop— {
erly advertised by the Secretary of State were re-passed and only ‘
. two can be passed by any one Legislature. But these gains were
1 made: A special committee on woman suffrage was appointed in the ‘
1 House (a thing worked for but not yet obtained in the Lower House .
, of Congress), to which the bill was referred. Both this committee ,
.l and the Senate committee reported the bill out and reported it favor- .
; ably—a thing that has never happened before in Kentucky. Of the
’ thirteen members of these two committees, but two members voted
5 against a favorable report and one voted to report only without
‘ ’ favorable expression. Hearings on suffrage were granted by the
‘ House of one and one-half hours; by the Senate of one hour. The :1
1 members of both Houses were invited to attend each of these hear— 1
11
I! y.
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«s
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. ings and most of them did attend. The House was addressed by Miss l
l Laura Clay and myself; the Senate by Dr. S. P. Breckinridge, of J
: Chicago.
, At considerable expense headquarters were maintained at the Cap- 1'
‘ itol Hotel throughout the legislative session, with one or more of I
our workers always in attendance. Much educational work was ac- .
complished thereby. i
This report would not be complete without acknowledgement of
the great services rendered us by the Hon. John G. Miller, of Paducah,
who presented our suffrage bill in the Lower House and ably spoke
for it, and by Senator J. H. Durham, of Franklin, who presented it
in the Senate.
Primary Law.
Amendments to the new primary law were obtained that leave no i
doubt in the future of a woman’s right to vote in the primary election
for County Superintendent. This right was not only in doubt the year
1 before, but was denied in many counties. A favorable opinion of the
Court of Appeals was obtained. but the new primary law, if un— ,
amended, would have abrogated this right or at best left it again doubt—
ful. .-
. Propaganda Through Literature. 1
Trial four months subscriptions were sent to all candidates to the i
Legislature of 1914, through the generosity of Mrs. S. M. Hubbard.
They have also been sent to forty—three newspaper editors who have I
promised to clip from the Journal and publish; and to fifty-seven I
presidents or chairmen of local leagues. and five persons designated by .
them who were not subscribers. A little more than a dollar’s worth
of literature and sample copies of the Woman’s Journal have been
presented by the State Association to each one of our eighty-seven .
local leagues, in addition to much literature distributed by our organ- .
izers and sent out from headquarters by mail to individual requests. 3
Suffrage Work at Fairs and Chautauquas. 5
By the courtesy of the Kentucky Federation of \Vomen‘s Clubs 3
we were allowed to use their tent at the State Fair as headquarters 'I
of our suffrage work. One day was specially featured by our women ‘
as suffrage day. Headquarters were maintained at the Bluegrass Fair. l
by the courtesy of the Lexington Herald, in its tent. Suffrage work I
was done at a number of other fairs and also at the Chautauquas.
5 At a half—dozen of the Chautauquas, suffrage addresses from Mrs. 1
Grace \Vilbur Trout, of Chicago, were provided by the management. ,‘
In each place our suffrage workers made the most of the occasion by i
' the distribution of literature and getting signatures to membership .
cards. ,
- The President Pleads Guilty. .
I must admit that my duties as a member of