t might have carried, but the bitter competition of
politics soon produced many complications and, although the suffrage
question was kept absolutely non-partisan, it could not escape their
serious effects. The demand for free silver had made such inroads on
the Republican party that it was threatened with the loss of the
State, and it was soon made to understand by the liquor element that
its continued advocacy of the suffrage amendment would mean a great
loss of money and votes. It was found that the chairman of the State
Central Committee, Major Frank M'Laughlin, was notifying the county
chairmen not to permit the women to speak at the Republican meetings,
and it became very difficult to persuade the speakers of that party
to refer to the amendment, although an indorsement of it was the first
plank in their platform.

The Populists and Democrats found themselves in accord on financial
questions and in most localities a fusion was effected. While the
former, for the most part, were loyal to the amendment they could not
fully control the speakers or platforms at the rallies and it was kept
out of sight as much as possible. The A. P. A. was strongly organized
in California and was waging a bitter war against the Catholic Church,
and both feared the effect of the enfranchisement of women, although
at the beginning the former seemed wholly in favor.

The women made a brave fight but these political conditions, added to
insufficient organization, too small a number of workers, lack of
necessary funds, the immense amount of territory to be covered, the
large foreign population in San Francisco and the strong prejudices in
general against the movement, which must be overcome everywhere, made
defeat inevitable. The final blow was struck when, ten days before
election, the wholesale Liquor Dealers' League, which had been making
its influence felt all during the campaign, met in San Francisco and
resolved "to take such steps as are necessary to protect our
interests." One of these steps was to send to the saloonkeepers, hotel
proprietors, druggists and grocers throughout the State the following:

At the election to be held on November 3, Constitutional
Amendment No. Six, which gives the right to vote to women, will
be voted on.

It is to your interest and ours to vote against this amendment.
We request and urge you to vote and work against it and do all
you can to defeat it.

See your ne