Among many amusing incidents was the following: The suffrage question could always be depended upon to fill the galleries and call forth floods of oratory. When it was up for discussion at this time Senator James Mather of Brown county rose and announced in no uncertain terms that he was unalterably opposed; he did not believe in woman suffrage; it would afford him great satisfaction, indeed he craved the opportunity, to be recorded as voting against it. The roll-call started alphabetically and it went Aye-Aye-Aye down to M. When the name Mather was called the Senator, looking decidedly embarrassed, asked to be excused from voting. Protests came from all sides. Senator Norbeck (afterwards Governor) in stentorian tones demanded that since the Senator had craved the opportunity to record his opinion he should do it now. Senator Mather meekly cast the only dissenting vote and never was returned to the Legislature. In the Lower House the vote was 70 ayes, 30 noes.
The campaign of 1914 received most important and highly valued assistance from Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National American Suffrage Association; Miss Jane Addams, its vice-president; Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, Mrs. Ella S. Stewart and Mrs. Florence Bennett Peterson, all of Chicago, and from many others. One of the best educational forces was the South Dakota Messenger, a weekly paper controlled and edited by the State organization. It had a wide circulation and was able to reach into the farthest corners of the State. Other papers clipped freely from its editorial and news columns. On November 3 the amendment received 39,605 ayes and 51,519 noes, lost by nearly 12,000. For the fifth time the men of South Dakota had denied their women the right of representation in the government.
The suffrage leaders were not in the least daunted or discouraged and a convention was very soon called at Huron to decide whether or not resubmission should be asked of the Legislature the next year and the unanimous decision was that it should be. The district plan was abandoned and county organization adopted. A "budget" was prepared and each county assessed according to its population, which plan was generally successful.
In January, 1915, the Legislative Committee, this time composed of Mrs. Pyle, Mrs. Etta Estey Boyce of Sioux Falls and Mrs. Paul Rewman of Deadwood, assisted by a number of Pierre suffragists for the Universal Franchise League and Dr. Mary Noyes Farr of Pierre and Miss Rose Bower for the W. C. T. U., once more climbed the steps of the Capitol to ask for another referendum. Once more the request was granted—in the Senate by 29 to 15, in the House by 57 to 40—during the first two weeks of the session. A reception was given by the committee and Pierre suffragists to the members of the Legislature, the State officers and the ladies of their families in the ballroom of the St. George Hotel, said to have been a social event second only to the inaugural ball. Later in the session a bill to give women a vote for presidential electors, county and municipal officers, which could be granted by the Legislature itself, received 59 ayes and 40 noes in the House; 18 ayes and 24 noes in the Senate.
During the summer of 1916 for the first time the women "antis" deemed it necessary to do active work. They established headquarters at the capital with a manager in charge and made an open campaign. To answer their old stock argument, "Women do not want the vote," a state-wide plan of petitions by the women of each county was adopted and every one where the work was well done showed a good majority in favor. On November 7 when the first election returns came from those counties that usually indicate the result of the whole State, the Associated Press sent the news broadcast that South Dakota had been carried for woman suffrage by a large majority, but again it was the same old story, principally the foreigners, especially the Germans, had once more denied to American women the privilege which they, themselves, had acquired so easily. The returns showed 53,432 in the affirmative; 58,350 in the negative, an opposing majority of less than 5,000.
Each campaign had shown a growth in favorable sentiment and there seemed every reason to believe that another one would be successful. The National Association agreed with the State in this opinion and were ready to cooperate, so it seemed best to ask the session of 1917 to give one more opportunity. The Legislature was well trained by this time and willingly passed the resolution, the Senate by 31 ayes, 12 noes; the House by 66 ayes, 27 noes. After it had adjourned and before definite plans for a campaign were completed the country was plunged into the World War and misgivings arose in the minds of the executive board as to the wisdom of an undertaking which would make demands on the time of the women. After much prayerful deliberation the unanimous decision was reached that since this war was being fought for the establishment of world democracy and this question was undoubtedly one of democracy, there must be no turning back, but that the campaign must be managed in such a way as to require the services of as few women as possible. No further effort was made to organize county leagues but a committee of three was elected in each county to look after its interests except in those already well organized. Not much was done this year beyond laying a foundation for the necessary work of the next year.
In January, 1918, Governor Peter Norbeck called a special session of the Legislature to consider important State affairs, one being to change the clause in the constitution relating to citizenship. Its framers, to render settlement of a new, undeveloped country attractive, made the requirement such that a foreigner might become a qualified elector after having merely declared his intention of becoming a citizen, without having sworn allegiance to the United States. Thousands of aliens had taken out their first papers, filed on government land, proved up and established their homes, failed to complete their naturalization and yet were fully qualified to vote. This had long been considered a menace to the government and suffragists knew that it was principally to this class of voters that they owed their many defeats. The war developed great disloyalty among this class and the Governor announced that the situation was intolerable and the requirements for citizenship must be changed. In order to do this it was necessary to amend the section of the constitution which stated the qualifications of a voter and which was the same section that it was sought to amend for woman suffrage by striking out the word "male." It was finally decided that the only way was to have the two matters submitted as one amendment. The word "male" was stricken out and full naturalization and a five years' residence were required before the privilege of voting should be granted and this was substituted for the original suffrage amendment.
In the course of a report made to the national executive board Mrs. McMahon, one of its organizers, said:
There was a conference in the headquarters at Huron and Mrs. Pyle faced the situation and took up the burden. The National Suffrage Association had sent two field workers—Miss Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon and Mrs. Albert McMahon. To the latter was given charge of the organization department and together the two women set to work with the State officers to district the State and organize in each county a campaign committee. Eventually there was an organizer for every six districts, each comprising from twelve to fourteen huge counties. Each worker as she came into the State had to be carefully instructed in everything that touched upon the constitutional provisions for voting, the status of the alien, the reason for putting the citizenship clause into the suffrage amendment, the effect its passage would have upon the aliens, etc., because these questions were constantly met. Much new literature had to be prepared and all the posters changed to fit new conditions.
What won the State? Persistent, intensive, quiet work. We had few meetings of our own but we used those of every one else, from women's aid societies to Rotary clubs, political rallies and Fourth of July celebrations. We did not plan parades, but wherever patriotic sentiment expressed itself through a parade we were in it. We circularized the voters in groups again and again—lawyers, business men, farmers, etc., with literature adapted to each group. We circulated a petition and 95 per cent. of the women to whom it was presented signed it. We sent every organizer we could command into delinquent counties, having the cooperation of the local women. In the evening street meetings were held. The workers left literature in every home and posters placarded on every wall space. They left suffrage stories with the newspapers and the spoken word in the ear of all who would listen and they left the morale of the local workers at high water mark. The signed petitions were printed and mailed to the voters in each county with our final circularization. Ninety-eight per cent. of the newspapers were favorable and in spite of paper shortage and the demand for war publicity they never failed the women. In addition to news stories, editorials, etc., they universally used the plate material which the National Association furnished. As much as any other one thing perhaps, this plate material helped to win the campaign. All political parties endorsed the amendment, Republicans and Democrats making it a part of their platforms.
In June Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, corresponding secretary of the National Association, came to South Dakota and with Mrs. S. V. Ghrist, vice-president of the State League, and Mrs. McMahon, a school of methods was held in the principal towns. The women were taught how to organize and were grounded in the new aspects of the campaign. Mrs. Catt was ill and could not come, which was the greatest blow the campaign had; however Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, national recording secretary, took her place very acceptably.
Among the organizers Mrs. McMahon mentioned Mrs. R. E. H. Stevens, Miss Stella Crosley, Miss Gertrude Watkins, Miss Josephine Miller, Miss Liba Peshokova and Miss Ida Stadie and said: "But this efficient, faithful little band could not have won the campaign alone. South Dakota State women will perhaps never realize how much they owe to Mrs. John L. Pyle, president, who gave herself absolutely to the winning of their political freedom. She was at her desk from early in the morning until 11 o'clock and later at night. Nothing was allowed to stand in the way of her complete service. The best there was in her she gave to the cause and she has the gratitude of those for whom and with whom she worked. Ably seconding her efforts were Mrs. Ghrist, vice-president; Mrs. Frank Meyer, office secretary; Mrs. Rewman and Miss Alice Lorraine Daly in the finance department; Mrs. Lewis L. Leavitt, chairman of the Minnehaha committee; Miss Harriet Grant of Huron and Mrs. R. H. Lewis of Mitchell. The whole structure rested on the county workers. There was never a Fair that was not covered nor a Teachers' nor a Farmers' Institute nor a political meeting. Everywhere that voters gathered, there they were."