fluence by reason of this very disfranchisement
which it was struggling to have removed. At every political convention
all matters of right, of justice, of the eternal verities themselves,
are swallowed up in the one all-important question, "Will it bring
party success?" And to this a voteless constituency can not contribute
in the smallest degree, even though it represent the Ten Commandments,
the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule, the Magna Charta and the
Declaration of Independence.

Paradoxical as it may seem, notwithstanding the refusal of the
Resolutions Committees of all these national bodies to grant even an
indirect recognition of woman suffrage in their platforms, its
advocates never before found such a general sentiment in its favor
among the individual delegates. In a number of instances they were
told that a poll of delegations had shown a majority of the members to
be ready to vote for it. It was demonstrated beyond doubt that the
rank and file of the delegates, if freed from hostile influences among
their constituents and granted the sanction of the political leaders,
could be won to a support of the measure, but that at present it must
wait on party expediency. As every campaign brings with it national
issues on which each party makes a fight for its life, and which it
fears to hamper by any extraneous questions; as the elements most
strongly opposed to the enfranchisement of women not only are fully
armed with ballots themselves but are in complete control of an
immense force similarly equipped; and as the vote of women is so
problematical that none of the parties can claim it in advance, it is
impossible to foresee when and how they are to obtain political
freedom. The one self-evident fact is, however, that in order to win
it they must be supported by a stronger public sentiment than exists
at present, and that this can be secured only through a constant
agitation of the subject.

A return to Miss Anthony's report will illustrate other methods
adopted to bring this question to the attention of the public. "During
the year I have also sent petitions and letters to more than one
hundred national conventions of different sorts--industrial,
educational, charitable, philanthropic, religious and political.[149]
Below are the forms of petition:"

_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Fifty-sixth
Congress of the United States:_

The undersigned on behalf of (naming the asso