the joy of their Oregon sisters. But hope for confirmation in 1897 of the 1895 act died in the hearts of the latter when the legislature in a quarrel over the election of a candidate to the national Senate, failed to organize.446 1899 marked the thirtieth year of effort and the perse. vering workers breathed in relief when ratification of the 1895 measure was given by a vote of 25 to 1 in the Senate and 48 to 6 in the House.447 Yet alas for 1900! The "antis" from abroad, and the Oregonian press, the organ of the opponents at home which daily "insulted, derided, slandered and belittled" the suffragists, won the victory, and this was in spite of financial aid from the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association and the National organization. Still, there was a ray of light in the gloom for the defeated ones in the fact that though the population in the cities had more than doubled since 1884, the date of the former defeat, the "No" vote of the state had increased only by 226, while the "Yes" vote had augmented by a total of 15,032, standing 28,402 "Nays" to 26,255 Ayes448 or within less than two per cent of a majority vote. In 1902 initiative petition of the people as a means of amending the Constitution became a reality and the way to the polls seemed cleared for women. The next year, 1903, in an extensive law on "Public Ways" the legislature granted the suffrage at district road meetings to "any citizen of this state, male or female, who is twenty-one years of age who has real property in the district, the title to which is in his or her own name on which he or she is liable or subject to pay a tax" 449 With great hope in their hearts for a victory at last, the leaders of the suffrage movement in Oregon, extended an invitation to the National American Woman Suffrage Association to hold its annual convention in Portland in 1905, the year of the Lewis and Clarke Exposition, as this seemed to offer a happy opportunity to "awaken a new interest and be the means of a campaign in Oregon" 450 When the National Association accepted the invitation, a strenuous effort to increase the state membership was made by the Oregon Association, and resulted in great

success.

During the convention assemblies, it was voted to assist the Oregon campaign financially and to leave the National Past President, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, in charge to cooperate with the Oregon Executive Committee. Nearly every state in the Union withheld requests for help from the National body that year that all its energies might be concentrated on the West. Slightly more than $18,000 was raised and expended by the National Committee on the Oregon campaign.451 Great was the disappointment when the vote in 1906 stood approximately 37,000 yeas to 47,000 nays.452 Mrs. Duniway who protested against the participation of the National officers in the Oregon campaign ascribes the defeat to the methods they used.453 But "Woman Suffrage and Politics" reproduces a circular of the Brewers and Wholesale Liquor Dealers sent out to retail liquor sellers which urge every individual to influence his friends to vote against Woman Suffrage for "it will take 50,000 votes to defeat it" 454

The Report of the Convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association for 1907 says that a more systematic and organized campaign had been made against equal suffrage in Oregon in 1906 than ever before in any other state and that the combine formed against it was said to have been the strongest ever effected against any public measure in Oregon, yet the amendment received a larger vote than ever before.455 There is no doubt that the belief generally held throughout the country that Woman Suffrage would be but an entrance wedge for prohibition estranged men not financially interested in the liquor traffic. Mrs. Duniway charged that the W. C. T. U. had flown suffrage "as a tail to the prohibition kite" and this resulted in an open rupture between the suffrage and temperance organizations. "Freedom" not "force" was the Suffragists' goal. Defeated but not annihilated they prepared for the 1908 campaign. The returns from this were more discouraging than ever, for suffrage lost and the antis gained in votes.456

FOURTH PERIOD.

Up to this time legislative and initiative measures had asked that sex be not a qualification of a voter. When preparations for the 1910 election were being made it was proposed that "taxation without represen tation" be made the reason for the demand.457 It was hoped that men would be aroused to view it from a new angle, and women interested who had refused to consider it at all. The amendment as submitted made every citizen of the United States, twenty-one years of age and upwards, and every person of foreign birth, twentyone years of age and upwards, six months a resident of the state immediately preceding the election, who shall have declared his intention of becoming a citizen of the the United States one year preceding the election entitled to vote at all elections authorized by law. It was expressly provided that no citizen who was a taxpayer should be denied the right to vote on account of sex. But "professional prohibition leaders and the voting adherents of the liquor interests" again brought defeat with another loss in the yes vote which this time stood at 35,270 and an increase in the no vote to 59,065.458

"Abigail Scott Duniway Day" had been one memorable honor accorded the Oregon Suffrage Movement leader at the Lewis and Clark Exposition in 1905 but her years and her hard labors were beginning to wear out her energy. Hence at her request, Mrs. Viola M. Coe had been appointed State President of the Suffrage Association and through her management the measure in the 1912 election received 61,265 ayes and 57,104 nays.459 This was a decrease in the "nay" vote at the general election for the first time in the six attempts of the past twenty-eight years. The aye vote had increased decidedly, about 26,000.

Various influences acted together to make the 1912 campaign so decided a success. California had been given equal suffrage in 1911. Thus Oregon stood, the only one of the Pacific coast states in which women did not have the vote. The "taxation without representation" idea had a stronger appeal than the sex disquali

fication did. The perseverance of the women undoubtedly convinced men voters that they might as well grant suffrage for women would give them no rest until they did. Mrs. Duniway claimed that the campaign was the greatest and most enthusiastic ever seen for equal suffrage in Oregon.463 The newspapers now always cordial in the past, supported this final attempt and the "longest continuous organized struggle for enfranchisement ever made in this country" was ended.400

EFFECTS OF SUFFRAGE.

Some of the results predicted if women were given full suffrage were the removal from the statute books of laws unjust to women, the enactment of social legislation, which, it is claimed, men are prone to overlook, the seeking of political offices and of jury duty by women, and prohibition of the liquor traffic.

By 1912 there were few laws in Oregon which placed women at a disadvantage with men as far as rights to contract, to control their separate property, their children, and to sue in the courts were concerned. All professions were open to them. They were and still are at a disadvantage as far as equal pay for equal work is concerned, and may be for some years to come, in positions outside of legislative control. The one occupation which could be regulated was that of teaching. In 1915, therefore, a law was passed which decreed that "in the employment of teachers no discrimination should be made by School Boards between males and females and the same compensation should be paid taking into consideration the years of successful teaching experience in the district where the teacher is employed" 461

As for social legislation the prediction was well founded. A full list of women's activities for the past twelve years would be an impressive testimonial to them. The outstanding acts according to legislative years are:

1913-The Industrial Welfare Commission which has power to establish maximum hours, minimum wages and

clean and healthful conditions of work for women and

minor employes of the state.

Retired Teachers' Pension Law.

Making non-support of a wife a felony.

Establishing an Industrial School for Dependent

Girls.

Establishing Juvenile Courts.

Permitting courts to decree concerning the maintenance and custody of children.

1914 Women were a great factor in obtaining partial prohibition and the abolition of the open saloon. 1915 (1) A Mothers' Pension Law.

(2) Equal pay for men and women teachers. 1917-Eight months the minimum term of school. 1919-(1) A minimum salary of $75.00 a month for teachers.

(2) A two mill tax measure for support of schools.

(3) Regulation of the narcotic evil.

1921—(1) A bill for the commitment of the feebleminded.

(2) Jury duty made optional with women.

OFFICE HOLDING.

There has not been anything resembling a "rush" of women to office holding outside of the educational field. Half of the thirty-six county superintendents are women, where there were none before 1912. Four women have been elected to the legislature, one in the House of Representatives, and one in the Senate in 1915; one in the House in 1917 was re-elected in 1919 and served in the special session of 1920; one in the House in 1921 was nominated for the Senate in 1922 but was defeated. There is one Town Manager, Mrs. R. E. Barrett of Warrenton. Seaside had a woman physician, Dr. Lena R. Hodges, as Health Officer before suffrage was granted, 1909-1911, and the woman member of the School Board, an elective position which she held from 1901 to 1911,