November 3, 1912. Speaking most of the day. In the afternoon to the Italians at the Teatro Verdi. I wore all J.’s Messina medals, my best dress and jewels. After my speech, one of the Italian managers said to me, “When I saw your rings I knew that you were a true lady!”
Pleased to find that while at the earlier Italian rallies there were only a handful of Italian women present, at the later ones there was a large representation of them. Our women are being educated politically at a great rate, but they still have much to learn. Who has not? During my reading of Mr. Wilson’s derogatory remarks about the Italians, a man in the audience called out:
“Porco lui!”(A pig he!)
After the sins of the Republicans had been described, a stout Italian woman summed the matter up with the words:
“Sono majaille!” (They are swine!)
In the evening to the First Baptist African Church. Impressed with the quality of the audience. They were fine-looking, well-dressed, prosperous looking people. Julius Mitchell, the colored member of our committee, made one of the best speeches of the day.
November 2, 1912. Governor Hiram Johnson arrived at Providence on a special train. I met him at the station with a car. At the head of a long procession of motors, we drove about the city and finally to the Opera House. I had voted for a free show and had opposed the rest of the committee who were for charging an admission, well as I knew our need of funds. Governor Johnson was very angry when he heard that an admission fee had been asked. Both the men and women workers sat on the platform. The house was only fairly filled in the beginning.
I heard Governor Johnson’s secretary say to him, “It looks like a frost!”
It wasn’t, for Mrs. Algeo, Miss Hanscom, and some of the others went out and brought in people enough to crowd the Opera House. The advertisement in the Providence morning papers had been forgotten, which accounted for the slim house in the beginning. Johnson was very fine and his address noble and uplifting. For me, both Gillette and Burke Cochran had been more convincing. Hurried to Boston for a meeting to raise money for the Greeks. Gave one of Mother’s precious gold pieces to start the Greek fund. Bishop Lawrence presided.
November 5, 1912. Yesterday, election day, was very busy. From morning till night in a motor speaking at the mill gates and street corners. Dear J. roared himself hoarse calling through the megaphone, “Vote for Roosevelt!”