ctober 10-12. Mrs. Belden was unanimously re-elected
and $1,500 were raised.

The convention of 1900 was held in Des Moines, October 16-18, with
Mrs. Chapman Catt in attendance. During the year Mrs. Nellie Welsh
Nelson had done organization work in northwestern Iowa, and Miss Hay
and Dr. Frances Woods lately had held a number of meetings and formed
several clubs. One thousand dollars were pledged to continue the State
headquarters. Mrs. Belden was again elected to the presidency, and
the association entered upon the new century bearing the banner it had
followed for thirty years, with the inscription, "Never give up."[261]

Year after year the executive committee have visited the State
conventions of all the political parties asking for a plank in their
platforms indorsing equal suffrage, but without success. Many of the
prominent officials and political leaders, however, have openly
declared in favor of the enfranchisement of women.[262]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION AND LAWS: From its organization in 1870 the State
association has had a bill before every Legislature asking some form
of suffrage for women. This usually has passed one House but never
both at the same session. The petitions accompanying these bills have
varied from 8,000 signatures in 1884 to 100,000 in 1900. In 1884 the
measure was carried in the Senate but lost in the House.

In 1886 a bill for Municipal Suffrage was introduced by Representative
J. A. Lyons, amended to include School Suffrage and recommended for
passage, but it never came to a vote.

In 1888 a bill for Municipal and School Suffrage was lost in the House
by 11 ayes, 80 noes. This was presented in the Senate also but never
voted upon.

In 1890 a bill for School Suffrage was recommended for passage in the
House but did not reach a vote. A bill for Municipal Suffrage at the
same session was not reported. Both were killed in the Senate
committee.

In 1892 a bill allowing women to vote for Presidential Electors was
introduced in the House but was unfavorably reported and indefinitely
postponed. In the Senate it was referred to the Committee on Suffrage
and never reported.

In 1894 a bill for Municipal and School Suffrage was favorably
reported in the House. It was made a special order and, after being
amended so as to give women the right to vote _only when bonds were to
be issued_, it was returned to the Judiciary Committee. They reported
it without recommendation for the reason that they w