1915. The advertising was properly done for this year and the resolution came up for second passage in January, introduced by Senator Blanchard H. White and Assemblyman Robert Peacock, both of Burlington county. A hearing was held January 25, Mrs. Philip McKim Garrison chairman and speakers Dr. Shaw, E. G. C. Bleakley, city counsel of Camden; Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Feickert. The Senate passed the resolution by 17 ayes, 4 noes, and the Assembly by unanimous vote.
1916. A bill for Presidential suffrage for women was introduced by Senator Charles O'Connor Hennessy of Bergen county and was lost by a vote of 10 noes, 3 ayes—Senators Hennessy, Austen Colgate of Essex county and Carlton B. Pierce of Union county. No effort was made to press the bill in the Assembly.
1917. Another bill for Presidential suffrage was introduced by Senator Edmund B. Osborne of Essex county and Assemblyman Roy M. Robinson of Bergen. In both Houses the presiding officers were strongly opposed to woman suffrage and put the bill into unfavorable committees, who refused to report it for action. A hearing was held with Mrs. Robert S. Huse chairman and Mrs. Antoinette Funk the chief speaker. Finally by using what is known as the "rule of fifteen," in the Assembly its friends got the bill out of committee on March 15 but with an unfavorable report. Majority leader Oliphant moved that the House concur and Speaker Edward Schoen of Essex county ruled that the motion was carried. Many members demanded a roll call but the Speaker paid no attention to them. Pandemonium reigned, members shouting and banging their desks until finally he declared a recess and fled to his private room.
1918. It was hoped that the Federal Amendment would be submitted in the spring and it was decided not to complicate ratification by introducing a Presidential suffrage bill. In February a bill providing that the Legislature should not act on the ratification of Federal Amendments until after they had been referred to the voters was introduced by Assemblyman Arthur N. Pierson of Union county. It was designed especially to prevent action on the Prohibition Amendment but would also apply to the one for woman suffrage. The Legislative Committee went at once to Trenton, where the Anti-Saloon workers were already busy. Sufficient force was brought to keep the bill in committee for three weeks, at the end of which time 46 votes were pledged against it and it was killed in committee at the request of its introducer. In 1919 a similar bill was introduced by Assemblyman David Young of Morris county but the suffragists made so strong a demonstration against it that it was killed in committee.
FOOTNOTES:
[118] The History is indebted for this chapter to Dr. Mary D. Hussey, a founder of the State Woman Suffrage Association in 1890 and continuously an officer for the next twenty years.
[119] Afterwards Mr. Riley became president and Arthur B. Jones, secretary. Among the League's prominent members were the Hon. Everett Colby, Governor John Franklin Fort, J. A. H. Hopkins, Jesse Lynch Williams, Charles O'Connor Hennessy, the Hon. John W. Westcott, the Rev. Dr. Arthur E. Ballard, the Rev. Edgar S. Weirs, Colonel George Harvey, the Hon. Edmond B. Osbourne, the Hon. Ernest R. Ackerman, Emerson P. Harris, Richard Stevens, the Hon. James C. Connally and Mayor Victor Mavalag of Elizabeth. They passed resolutions "reaffirming their sympathy with the great world movement for woman suffrage"; "heartily approved" of the Federal Amendment; pledged their "untiring support" of the State referendum; spoke at legislative hearings; raised money; addressed meetings; appointed a State committee of 63 members which met monthly; appointed a committee with George M. Strobell, chairman, that marched in the parade in Newark, Oct. 25, 1913; held a mass meeting in Elizabeth at which Mayor George L. LaMonte and Mrs. Forbes-Robertson Hale spoke, and helped in many ways.
[120] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Lillian F. Feickert, president of the State Woman Suffrage Association 1912-1920.