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the story of a pioneer-第51部分
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with the results we had achieved。
‘‘It goes to you with my love;'' she wrote; ‘‘and
my earnest hopes for further successnot the least
of this a crowning of your faithful; earnest; splendid
work for our beloved Cause。 How blessed it is that
you are our president and leader!''
I had talked to this woman only twice in my life;
and I had not seen her for years when her first check
came; so her confidence in me was an even greater
gift than her royal donation toward our Cause。
XIV
RECENT CAMPAIGNS
The interval between the winning of Idaho and
Utah in 1896 and that of Washington in 1910
seemed very long to lovers of the Cause。 We were
working as hard as everharder; indeed; for the
opposition against us was growing stronger as our
opponents realized what triumphant woman suf…
frage would mean to the underworld; the grafters;
and the whited sepulchers in public office。 But in
1910 we were cheered by our Washington victory;
followed the next year by the winning of California。
Then; with our splendid banner year of 1912 came
the winning of three statesArizona; Kansas; and
Oregonpreceded by a campaign so full of vim and
interest that it must have its brief chronicle here。
To begin; we conducted in 1912 the largest num…
ber of campaigns we had ever undertaken; working
in six states in which constitutional amendments
were pendingOhio; Michigan; Wisconsin; Oregon;
Arizona; and Kansas。 Personally; I began my work
in Ohio in August; with the modest aspiration of
speaking in each of the principal towns in every one
of these states。 In Michigan I had the invaluable
assistance of Mrs。 Lawrence Lewis; of Philadelphia;
and I visited at this time the region of my old home;
greatly changed since the days of my girlhood; and
talked to the old friends and neighbors who had
turned out in force to welcome me。 They showed
their further interest in the most satisfactory way;
by carrying the amendment in their part of the
state。
At least four and five speeches a day were expected;
and as usual we traveled in every sort of conveyance;
from freight…cars to eighty horse…power French auto…
mobiles。 In Eau Clair; Wisconsin; I spoke at the
races immediately after the passing of a procession
of cattle。 At the end of the procession rode a wom…
an in an ox…cart; to represent pioneer days。 She
wore a calico gown and a sunbonnet; and drove her
ox…team with genuine skill; and the last touch to
the picture she made was furnished by the presence
of a beautiful biplane which whirred lightly in the
air above her。 The obvious comparison was too
good to ignore; so I told my hearers that their women
to…day were still riding in ox…teams while the men
soared in the air; and that women's work in the
world's service could be properly done only when
they too were allowed to fly。
In Oregon we were joined by Miss Lucy Anthony。
There; at Pendleton; I spoke during the great
‘‘round up;'' holding the meeting at night on the
street; in which thousands of horsemencowboys;
Indians; and ranchmenwere riding up and down;
blowing horns; shouting; and singing。 It seemed
impossible to interest an audience under such con…
ditions; but evidently the men liked variety; for
when we began to speak they quieted down and
closed around us until we had an audience that filled
the streets in every direction and as far as our voices
could reach。 Never have we had more courteous or
enthusiastic listeners than those wild and happy
horsemen。 Best of all; they not only cheered our
sentiments; but they followed up their cheers with
their votes。 I spoke from an automobile; and when
I had finished one of the cowboys rode close to me
and asked for my New York address。 ‘‘You will
hear from me later;'' he said; when he had made a
note of it。 In time I received a great linen banner;
on which he had made a superb pen…and…ink sketch
of himself and his horse; and in every corner sketches
of scenes in the different states where women voted;
together with drawings of all the details of cowboy
equipment。 Over these were drawn the words:
WOMAN SUFFRAGEWE ARE ALL FOR IT。
The banner hangs to…day in the National Head…
quarters。
In California Mr。 Edwards presented me with the
money to purchase the diamond in Miss Anthony's
flag pin representing the victory of his state the
preceding year; and in Arizona one of the high…
lights of the campaign was the splendid effort of
Mrs。 Frances Munds; the state president; and Mrs。
Alice Park; of Palo Alto; California; who were carry…
ing on the work in their headquarters with tre…
mendous courage; and; as it seemed to me; almost
unaided。 Mrs。 Park's specialty was the distribu…
tion of suffrage literature; which she circulated with
remarkable judgment。 The Governor of Arizona
was in favor of our Cause; but there were so few
active workers available that to me; at least; the
winning of the state was a happy surprise。
In Kansas we stole some of the prestige of Champ
Clark; who was making political speeches in the
same region。 At one station a brass…band and a
great gathering were waiting for Mr。 Clark's train
just as our train drew in; so the local suffragists per…
suaded the band to play for us; too; and I made a
speech to the inspiring accompaniment of ‘‘Hail to
the Chief。'' The passengers on our train were great…
ly impressed; thinking it was all for us; the crowd
at the station were glad to be amused until the great
man came; and I was glad of the opportunity to
talk to so many representative menso we were
all happy。
In the Soldiers' Home at Leavenworth I told the
old men of the days when my father and brothers
left us in the wilderness; and my mother and I cared
for the home while they fought at the frontand
I have always believed that much of the large vote
we received at Leavenworth was cast by those old
soldiers。
No one who knows the conditions doubts that we
really won Michigan that year as well as the three
other states; but strange things were done in the
count。 For example; in one precinct in Detroit
forty more votes were counted against our amend…
ment than there were voters in the district。 In
other districts there were seven or eight more votes
than voters。 Under these conditions it is not sur…
prising that; after the vigorous recounting following
the first wide…spread reports of our success; Michi…
gan was declared lost to us。
The campaign of 1914; in which we won Montana
and Nevada; deserves special mention here。 I must
express also my regret that as this book will be on
the presses before the campaign of 1915 is ended; I
cannot include in these reminiscences the results
of our work in New York and other states。
As a beginning of the 1914 campaign I spent a day
in Chicago; on the way to South Dakota; to take my
part in a moving…picture suffrage play。 It was my
first experience as an actress; and I found it a taxing
one。 As a modest beginning I was ordered to make
a speech in thirty…three secondssomething of a
task; as my usual time allowance for a speech is one
hour。 The manager assured me; however; that a
speech of thirty…three seconds made twenty…seven
feet of filmenough; he thought; to convert even a
lieutenant…governor!
The Dakota campaigns; as usual; resolved them…
selves largely into feats of physical endurance; in
which I was inspired by the fine example of the state
presidentsMrs。 John Pyle of South Dakota and
Mrs。 Clara V。 Darrow of North Dakota。 Every day
we made speeches from the rear platform of the
trains on which we were travelingsometimes only
two or three; sometimes half a dozen。 One day I
rode one hundred miles in an automobile and spoke
in five different towns。 Another day I had to make
a journey in a freight…car。 It was; with a few ex…
ceptions; the roughest traveling I had yet known;
and it took me six hours to reach my destination。
While I was gathering up hair…pins and pulling my…
self together to leave the car at the end of the ride
I asked the conductor how far we had traveled。
‘‘Forty miles;'' said he; tersely。
‘‘That means forty miles AHEAD;'' I murmured。
‘‘How far up and down?''
‘‘Oh; a hundred miles up and down;'' grinned the
conductor; and the exchange of persiflage cheered
us both。
Though we did not win; I have very pleasant
memories of North Dakota; for Mrs。 Darrow ac…
companied me during the entire campaign; and took
every burden from my shoulders so efficiently that
I had nothing to do but make speeches。
In Montana our most interesting day was that
of the State Fair; which ended with a suffrage parade
that I was invited to lead。 On this occasion the
suffragists wished me to wear my cap and gown and
my doctor's hood; but as I had not brought those
garments with me; we borrowed and
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