[359] Mrs. Colby gives this interesting bit of description: "Our husbands were both in the Senate. We had apartments in the same house, where, hobnobbing over our partnership housekeeping, we planned our public work. Our husbands each had a spell of sickness at the same time, and while our functions of State presidency were temporarily exchanged for those of nursing, our enemies took advantage of us and killed that bill, on the very day, February 15, that Gov. John A. Martin signed the bill under which the women of Kansas have ever since enjoyed the municipal ballot."
CHAPTER LII.
NEVADA.[360]
The question of equal political rights for women always has been a subject of discussion in Nevada. Through the efforts of Miss Hannah K. Clapp and a few other women a suffrage bill was passed by the Senate in 1883, but was defeated in the House. Miss Mary Babcock was one of the most efficient of these early workers. Many party leaders, whenever opportunity permitted, have referred to the justice of enfranchising the women who with the men braved the dangers and endured the hardships of pioneer life, and are equally interested in the material development and political well-being of the State. After the organization of the Nevada Woman's Christian Temperance Union the superintendent of the franchise department distributed literature, brought up the topic at public meetings, urged it as a subject of debate in clubs and schools and thus secured a steady gain in suffrage sentiment.
The first step toward associated effort was taken by the women of Austin, Nov. 30, 1894, in forming the Lucy Stone Non-Partisan Equal Suffrage League. One or two others were organized that year, and a general agitation was begun through press and petition work by the suffragists in every community.
In the spring of 1895 the visit of Miss Susan B. Anthony, president of the National Association, and the Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, vice-president-at-large, who were on their way to California, created such widespread enthusiasm that a new impetus was given to the movement. A little later Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe of Illinois was sent by the National Association to canvass the State with the help of the local workers. As a result a convention was held at Reno, October 29, 30. Mrs. DeVoe and Mrs. Frances A. Williamson were the principal speakers, and the ten minutes' addresses by the delegates from various counties were very clever and acceptable. A State Equal Suffrage Association was formed with Mrs. Williamson as president; Miss Clapp and Dr. Eliza Cook, vice-presidents; Fannie Weller, corresponding secretary; Phoebe Stanton Marshall, recording secretary; Elda A. Orr, treasurer; Kate A. Martin and Alice Ede, auditors; Annie Warren, press work; Mary A. Boyd, State Fair work; Emma B. Blossom, superintendent of literature; Marcella Rinkle, member national executive committee.
The president, who was also chairman of the legislative work committee, was in the lecture field four months. She had to act as her own advance agent, but during this time she spoke in every city and town in the State and organized numerous clubs. Her meetings were well attended, and great interest was manifested. The second convention was held at Reno, Sept. 24, 1896, with every county represented. Mrs. Elda A. Orr was elected president and Mrs. Williamson, State organizer and lecturer. Mrs. Orr has ever since been continued as president, and to no one person in Nevada is the cause of woman suffrage so much indebted for hospitality, financial aid and valuable work.
The public meeting called on November 9 to greet Miss Anthony and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, chairman of the national organization committee, was very successful. Miss Anthony gave a résumé of the exciting campaign just closed in California, and made an object lesson of its critical points which greatly amused the audience. Mrs. Chapman Catt followed in an able argument on woman suffrage as the best and safest means to secure and maintain good government.