“ Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, gave addresses in six cities in the State, arrangements for which were made by local suffragists, and a great deal of interest was aroused. In 1903 a business conference was held in Jackson, at which Mrs. Butt and three other women were present, to consider whether anything could be done for the cause of woman suffrage. In 1904 enrollment cards were distributed in a limited and unsystematic way, letters were sent to members of the Legislature, State officials and others and literature was distributed. ”

“ The retiring and incoming State officials were almost to a man outspoken in their advocacy of ratification. Governor Theo- dore G. Bilbo, the retiring Governor, instead of having the clerk of the House read his farewell message, according to time honored custom, delivered it in person. Woman suffrage was its conspicuous feature and after a profound argument for ratification of the Federal Amendment, he closed his remarks with the solemn statement: "Woe to that man who raises his MISSISSIPPI 339 hand against the onward march of this progressive movement !" ”

“ Delegations of women came to urge their represent at ives to vote for ratification. Nine influential women came from Landerdale county bringing a petition of 2,100 names of prominent people HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE obtained in a day and a half and begged their representatives to vote for the amendment but not one of them did so. Many of the State's leading newspapers were in favor of ratification. The Daily News of Jackson, in keeping with its policy for years, gave editorial support and generously of its space. ”

“ It is a fact not generally known that Mississippi was the pioneer State in securing to married women the right to own and dispose of property. This was done by an Act of the Legislature on Feb. 15, 1839. RATIFICATION. Congress submitted the Federal Amendment in June, and the Ratification Committee was organized in Novem- ber. It opened its headquarters in Jackson at the beginning of the legislative session in January, 1920, after having made a whirlwind campaign. ”

“ Thompson, spoke for the suffragists. Letters were sent to the Mississippi members of Congress urging them to vote for the Federal Suffrage Amendment and to President Wilson, pleading for his favorable consideration. Motion pictures were utilized in three ways suffrage plays were shown, local clubs selling tickets received a part of the proceeds and suffrage slogans were thrown on the slides between pictures. The State convention was held in the Senate Chamber of the new Capitol at Jackson in April, 1913. ”

“ Mrs. Somerville chairman of Petition and Press Work; Mrs. McClurg chairman of Finance. By request the National Association sent into the State its organizers, Miss Watkins of Arkansas and Miss Peshakova of New York. Mrs. Cunningham, president of the Texas Equal Suffrage Association and a national worker, also came to assist. Petitions were circulated, leaflets published and distributed, news- papers enlisted and legislators systematically interviewed. The organization thus speedily effected worked during the session of 1920. ”

“ During the last three weeks of the session Senator Mixon introduced a bill giving the right of suffrage to women in the event of the ratification of the Federal Amendment by thirty-six Legislatures, thus enabling them to vote in the August primaries, and Representative Whit- worth introduced two bills, one giving suffrage to women in primary elections and the other in general elections, both con- tingent upon ratification. ”

“ The State League of Women Voters was organized at this time with Miss Blanche Rogers chairman. It had been the hope for years to have an endorsement of woman suffrage from the Federation of Women's Clubs, a strong and popular organization numbering over 3,000 of the State's leading women. During its annual meeting in 1916 Miss Orr, president of the State Suffrage Association, had introduced a favorable resolution and with Mrs. ”

“ Twenty-one agreed to publish them, only two openly declining. Among the friendly editors were L. Pink Smith of the Greenville Democrat, J. R. Oliphant of the Poplarville Free Press, Frank R. Birdsall of the Yazoo Sentinel, C. E. Glassco of the Cleveland Enterprise, Joseph Norwood of the Magnolia Gazette, James Fan Ik of the Greene County Herald. ”

“ Thompson recommended that the association ask the Legislature to submit to the voters a State constitutional amendment giving women the ballot, and this was unanimously adopted. The Rev. E. T. Edmonds of the First Christian Church of Jackson spoke on Woman Suffrage in New Zealand, where he had been a resident. Letters to the president and secretary from U. S. Senators John Sharp Williams and James K Vardaman were read in reply to appeals that they r the Federal Amendment. Senator Vardaman said that when the amendment came up lie 33 2 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE would "be glad to vote for it." ”