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aisle and were given seats of honor directly in front
of the platform。
All we could see of them were the brilliant feathers
of their war…bonnets； but we got the full effect of
their reception in the music and the cheers。 I dared
not look at Miss Anthony during this remarkable
scene； and she； craning her venerable neck to get a
glimpse of the incident from her obscure corner；
made no comment to me； but I knew what she was
thinking。 The following year these Indians would
have votes。 Courtesy； therefore； must be shown
them。 But the women did not matter； the politi…
cians reasoned； for even if they were enfranchised
they would never support the element represented
at that convention。 It was not surprising that；
notwithstanding our hard work； we did not win
the state； though all the conditions had seemed
most favorable； for the state was new； the men
and women were working side by side in the fields；
and there was discontent in the ranks of the political
parties。
After the election； when we analyzed the vote
county by county； we discovered that in every county
whose residents were principally Americans the
amendment was carried； whereas in all counties
populated largely by foreigners it was lost。 In cer…
tain countiesthose inhabited by Russian Jews
the vote was almost solidly against us； and this not…
withstanding the fact that the wives of these Rus…
sian voters were doing a man's work on their farms
in addition to the usual women's work in their
homes。 The fact that our Cause could be defeated
by ignorant laborers newly come to our country was
a humiliating one to accept； and we realized more
forcibly than ever before the difficulty of the task
we had assumeda task far beyond any ever under…
taken by a body of men in the history of democratic
government throughout the world。 We not only
had to bring American men back to a belief in the
fundamental principles of republican government；
but we had also to educate ignorant immigrants；
as well as our own Indians； whose degree of civiliza…
tion was indicated by their war…paint and the
flaunting feathers of their head…dresses。
The Kansas campaign； which Miss Anthony； Mrs。
Catt； Mrs。 Johns； and I conducted in 1894； held a
special interest； due to the Populist movement。
There were so many problems before the people
prohibition； free silver； and the Populist propaganda
that we found ourselves involved in the bitterest
campaign ever fought out in the state。 Our desire；
of course； was to get the indorsement of the differ…
ent political parties and religious bodies； We suc…
ceeded in obtaining that of three out of four of the
Methodist Episcopal conferencesthe Congrega…
tional； the Epworth League； and the Christian En…
deavor Leagueas well as that of the State Teachers'
Association； the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union； and various other religious and philanthropic
societies。 To obtain the indorsement of the polit…
ical parties was much more difficult； and we were
facing conditions in which partial success was worse
than complete failure。 It had long been an un…
written law before it became a written law in our
National Association that we must not take partisan
action or line up with any one political party。 It
was highly important； therefore； that either all
parties should support us or that none should。
The Populist convention was held in Topeka be…
fore either the Democratic or Republican convention；
and after two days of vigorous fighting； led by Mrs。
Anna Diggs and other prominent Populist women；
a suffrage plank was added to the platform。 The
Populist party invited me； as a minister； to open
the convention with prayer。 This was an innova…
tion； and served as a wedge for the admission of
women representatives of the Suffrage Association
to address the convention。 We all did so； Miss
Anthony speaking first； Mrs。 Catt second； and I
last； after which； for the first time in history； the
Doxology was sung at a political convention。
At the Democratic convention we made the same
appeal； and were refused。 Instead of indorsing us；
the Democrats put an anti…suffrage plank in their
platformbut this； as the party had little standing
in Kansas； probably did us more good than harm。
Trouble came thick and fast； however； when the
Republicans； the dominant party in the state； held
their convention； and a mighty struggle began over
the admission of a suffrage plank。 There was a
Woman's Republican Club in Kansas； which held
its convention in Topeka at the same time the
Republicans were holding theirs。 There was also
a Mrs。 Judith Ellen Foster； who； by stirring up op…
position in this Republican Club against the in…
sertion of a suffrage plank； caused a serious split in
the convention。 Miss Anthony； Mrs。 Catt； and I；
of course； urged the Republican women to stand by
their sex； and to give their support to the Republi…
cans only on condition that the latter added suffrage
to their platform。 At no time； and in no field of
work； have I ever seen a more bitter conflict in prog…
ress than that which raged for two days during this
Republican women's convention。 Liquor…dealers；
joint…keepers； ‘‘boot…leggers；'' and all the lawless
element of Kansas swung into line at a special con…
vention held under the auspices of the Liquor
League of Kansas City； and cast their united weight
against suffrage by threatening to deny their votes
to any candidate or political party favoring our
Cause。 The Republican women's convention finally
adjourned with nothing accomplished except the
passing of a resolution mildly requesting the Re…
publican party to indorse woman suffrage。 The
result was； of course； that it was not indorsed by
the Republican convention； and that it was defeated
at the following election。
It was at the time of these campaigns that I was
elected Vice…President of the National Association
and Lecturer at Large； and the latter office brought
in its train a glittering variety of experiences。 On
one occasion an episode occurred which ‘‘Aunt
Susan'' never afterward wearied of describing。
There was a wreck somewhere on the road on which
I was to travel to meet a lecture engagement； and
the trains going my way were not running。 Look…
ing up the track； however； I saw a train coming
from the opposite direction。 I at once grasped my
hand…luggage and started for it。
‘‘Wait！ Wait！'' cried Miss Anthony。 ‘‘That
train's going the wrong way！''
‘‘At least it's going SOMEWHERE！'' I replied； tersely；
as the train stopped； and I climbed the steps。
Looking back when the train had started again；
I saw ‘‘Aunt Susan'' standing in the same spot on
the platform and staring after it with incredulous
eyes； but I was right； for I discovered that by going
up into another state I could get a train which
would take me to my destination in time for the
lecture that night。 It was a fine illustration of my
pet theory that if one intends to get somewhere it
is better to start； even in the wrong direction； than
to stand still。
Again and again in our work we had occasion to
marvel over men's lack of understanding of the
views of women； even of those nearest and dearest to
them； and we had an especially striking illustra…
tion of this at one of our hearings in Washington。
A certain distinguished gentleman （we will call him
Mr。 H） was chairman of the Judiciary； and after
we had said what we wished to say； he remarked：
‘‘Your arguments are logical。 Your cause is just。
The trouble is that women don't want suffrage。
My wife doesn't want it。 I don't know a single
woman who does want it。''
As it happened for this unfortunate gentleman；
his wife was present at the hearing and sitting beside
Miss Anthony。 She listened to his words with sur…
prise； and then whispered to ‘‘Aunt Susan''：
‘‘How CAN he say that？ _I_ want suffrage； and I've
told him so a hundred times in the last twenty
years。''
‘‘Tell him again NOW；'' urged Miss Anthony。
‘‘Here's your chance to impress it on his memory。''
‘‘Here！'' gasped the wife。 ‘‘Oh； I wouldn't
dare。''
‘‘Then may I tell him？''
‘‘Whyyes！ He can think what he pleases； but
he has no right to publicly misrepresent me。''
The assent； hesitatingly begun； finished on a sud…
den note of firmness。 Miss Anthony stood up。
‘‘It may interest Mr。 H；'' she said； ‘‘to know
that his wife DOES wish to vote； and that for twenty
years she has wished to vote； and has often told him
so； though he has evidently forgotten it。 She is
here beside me； and has just made this explana…
tion。''
Mr。 H stammered and hesitated； and finally
decided to laugh。 But there was no mirth in the
sound he made； and I am afraid his wife had a bad
quarter of an hour when they met a little later in
the privacy of their home。