t the Constitutional Convention with a
memorial, which was referred to the Committee on Elections. It
contained the signatures of 1,592 men and 1,228 women. A hearing was
granted Jan. 13, 1897. Mrs. Emalea P. Warner, Mrs. Margaret W. Houston
and Miss Emma Worrell made addresses. Mrs. Chapman Catt was the chief
speaker. Only two members of the committee were absent. A vote was
taken February 16 on omitting the word "male" from the new
constitution, and the proposition was defeated by 7 yeas, 17 nays,
with 6 not present.

A national conference was held in Wilmington April 22, 23.
Mrs. Chapman Catt and the Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, national
vice-president-at-large, were the principal speakers, and Mrs.
Elizabeth G. Robinson, Mrs. Elizabeth Walling and Mrs. Houston
assisted in making the meetings a success. On Sunday Miss Shaw
preached in the Union M. E. Church in the morning and the Delaware
Avenue Baptist Church in the evening.

The third State meeting took place at Wilmington, Dec. 2, 1897, with
addresses by Miss Diana Hirschler of Boston and Mrs. C. O. H. Craigie
of Brooklyn.

There was no convention in 1898, but the State association held a
meeting in the Unitarian Church, in Wilmington, Dec. 15, 1899, which
was addressed by Mrs. Chapman Catt.

After the national convention in February, 1900, Mrs. Bradford made a
few addresses in the State. The annual meeting took place in
Newcastle, Nov. 15, 1900. Among the speakers were Mrs. Ellen H. E.
Price of Pennsylvania and Professors William H. Purnell and Wesley
Webb.

Mrs. Martha S. Cranston has been president of the State association,
and Mrs. Margaret W. Houston vice-president, since its beginning.
Others who have served in official capacity are Mrs. Margaret H. Kent,
Edward Mullen, Miss Emma Lore, Mrs. Mary R. De Vou and Mrs. May Price
Phillips. Among those not previously mentioned who have given valuable
assistance are Chief Justice Charles B. Lore and Mrs. Gertrude Nields.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION AND LAWS: No bill for woman suffrage has been
presented to the Legislature since 1881.

On the petition of women a law was passed in 1887 requiring employers
to provide seats for female employes when not on duty.

In 1889 a police matron was appointed for Wilmington.

In 1893 the Bastardy Law, which compelled the father of an
illegitimate child to pay fifty cents a week for its support during
seven years, was repealed; $3 a week for ten years were asked, but the
law made i