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achieving their ends； it is much more so on the part
of women； for women never appear to less advan…
tage than in physical combats with men。 As for
militancy in America； no generation that attempted
it could win。 No victory could come to us in any
state where militant methods were tried。 They are
undignified； unworthyin other words； un…Ameri…
can。
The Washington convention of 1910 was graced
by the presence of President Taft； who； at the in…
vitation of Mrs。 Rachel Foster Avery； made an
address。 It was understood； of course； that he was
to come out strongly for woman suffrage； but； to
our great disappointment； the President； a most
charming and likable gentleman； seemed unable
to grasp the significance of the occasion。 He began
his address with fulsome praise of women； which was
accepted in respectful silence。 Then he got round
to woman suffrage； floundered helplessly； became
confused； and ended with the most unfortunately
chosen words he could have uttered： ‘‘I am op…
posed；'' he said； ‘‘to the extension of suffrage to
women not fitted to vote。 You would hardly expect
to put the ballot into the hands of barbarians or
savages in the jungle！''
The dropping of these remarkable words into a
suffrage convention was naturally followed by an
oppressive silence； which Mr。 Taft； now wholly
bereft of his self…possession； broke by saying that
the best women would not vote and the worst women
would。
In his audience were many women from suffrage
stateshigh…minded women； wives and mothers；
who had voted for Mr。 Taft。 The remarks to which
they had just listened must have seemed to them a
poor return。 Some one hissedsome man； some
womanno one knows which except the culprit
and a demonstration started which I immediately
silenced。 Then the President finished his address。
He was very gracious to us when he left； shaking
hands with many of us； and being especially cordial
to Senator Owens's aged mother； who had come to
the convention to hear him make his maiden speech
on woman suffrage。 I have often wondered what
he thought of that speech as he drove back to the
White House。 Probably he regretted as earnestly
as we did that he had made it。
In 1912； at an official board meeting at Bryn
Mawr； Mrs。 Stanley McCormack was appointed
to fill a vacancy on the National Board。 Sub…
sequently she contributed 6；000 toward the pay…
ment of debts incident to our temporary connec…
tion with the Woman's Journal of Boston； and did
much efficient work for us； To me； personally；
the entrance of Mrs。 Stanley McCormack into
our work has been a source of the deepest grati…
fication and comfort。 I can truly say of her what
Susan B。 Anthony said of me； ‘‘She is my right
bower。'' At Nashville； in 1914； she was elected first
vice…president； and to a remarkable degree she has
since relieved me of the burden of the technical
work of the presidency； including the oversight of
the work at headquarters。 To this she gives all her
time； aided by an executive secretary who takes
charge of the routine work of the association。 She
has thus made it possible for me to give the greater
part of my time to the field in which such inspiring
opportunities still confront uscampaign work in
the various states。
To Mrs。 Medill McCormack also we are indebted
for most admirable work and enthusiastic support。
At the Washington （D。C。） convention in 1913 she
was made the chairman of the Congressional Com…
mittee； with Mrs。 Antoinette Funk； Mrs。 Helen
Gardner of Washington； and Mrs。 Booth of Chicago
as her assistants。 The results they achieved were
so brilliant that they were unanimously re…elected
to the same positions this year； with the addition
of Miss Jeannette Rankin； whose energy and service
had helped to win for us the state of Montana。
It was largely due to the work of this Congress…
ional Committee； supported by the large number of
states which had been won for suffrage； that we
secured such an excellent vote in the Lower House
of Congress on the bill to amend the national Con…
stitution granting suffrage to the women of the
United States。 This measure； known as the Susan
B。 Anthony bill； had been introduced into every
Congress for forty…three years by the National
Woman Suffrage Association。 In 1914； for the
first time； it was brought out of committee； debated；
and voted upon in the Lower House。 We received
174 votes in favor of it to 204 against it。 The
previous spring； in the same Congress； the same bill
passed the Senate by 35 votes for it to 33 votes
against it。
The most interesting features of the Washington
convention of 1913 were the labor mass…meetings
led by Jane Addams and the hearing before the
Rules Committee of the Lower House of Con…
gressthe latter the first hearing ever held be…
fore this Committee for the purpose of securing a
Committee on Suffrage in the Lower House to
correspond with a similar committee in the Sen…
ate。 For many years we had had hearings be…
fore the Judiciary Committee of the Lower House；
which was such a busy committee that it had neither
time nor interest to give to our measure。 We there…
fore considered it necessary to have a special com…
mittee of our own。 The hearing began on the
morning of Wednesday； the third of December； and
lasted for two hours。 Then the anti…suffragists were
given time； and their hearing began the following
day； continued throughout that day and during
the morning of the next day； when our National
Association was given an opportunity for rebuttal
argument in the afternoon。 It was the longest hear…
ing in the history of the suffrage movement； and one
of the most important。
During the session of Congress in 1914 another
strenuous effort was made to secure the appoint…
ment of a special suffrage committee in the Lower
House。 But when success began to loom large be…
fore us the Democrats were called in caucus by the
minority leader； Mr。 Underwood； of Alabama； and
they downed our measure by a vote of 127 against
it to 58 for it。 This was evidently done by the
Democrats because of the fear that the united votes
of Republican and Progressive members； with those
of certain Democratic members； would carry the
measure； whereas if this caucus were called； and
an unfavorable vote taken； ‘‘the gentlemen's agree…
ment'' which controls Democratic party action in
Congress would force Democrats in favor of suffrage
to vote against the appointment of the committee；
which of course would insure its defeat。
The caucus blocked the appointment of the com…
mittee； but it gave great encouragement to the suf…
fragists of the country； for they knew it to be a tacit
admission that the measure would receive a favor…
able vote if it came before Congress unhampered。
Another feature of the 1913 convention was the
new method of electing officers； by which a primary