that he did not mean to accept
any. He added: "I represent no organization, anything more than an
informal gathering of ladies, and as for the numbers I can not state.
But I do not come here basing my claim to be heard on the numbers of
those who have asked me to appear. It is the justice of the cause
which I speak upon that entitles me to a hearing, as it would if there
were no one but myself."

Later twelve remonstrances were sent in, signed by 748 women. For
suffrage there were 210 petitions from 186 towns and cities
representing 133,111 individuals, men and women.

The opposition, alarmed by the large affirmative vote of 1894, this
year put forth unprecedented efforts. Daily papers were paid for
publishing voluminous letters against suffrage--sometimes of four
columns--and an active and unscrupulous lobby worked against the bill.
For the first time in history an anti-suffrage association was formed
within the Legislature itself. Representatives Dallinger, Humphrey,
Bancroft of Clinton, Eddy of New Bedford, and others, organized
themselves into a society, elected a chairman and secretary and
worked strenuously and systematically, making a thorough canvass of
the House and pledging as many members as possible to vote "No."

The suffragists made the mistake of devoting their attention mainly to
the Senate, where it was expected that the bill would come up first,
and where it was believed that the main difficulty would be, but on
March 5 the Municipal Suffrage Bill was brought up in the House. Every
inch of space was crowded with spectators. After much discussion the
bill was defeated by 137 yeas, 97 nays.

On March 13 a bill to raise the "age of protection" for girls from 16
to 18 years was defeated by 108 yeas, 55 nays.

On May 17 Senator Wellman's bill for a "mock referendum" was adopted
by the Legislature. It proposed to take a vote of the men and women of
the State on the question "Is it expedient that Municipal Suffrage
should be extended to women?"

THE MOCK REFERENDUM: This is called by the advocates of equal rights a
"mock referendum" because it was to have no legal validity and was to
give the women nothing even if it should be carried in their favor.
The _Woman's Journal_ said:

Two years ago an amendment was added to the Municipal Suffrage
Bill providing that it should become law when ratified by a vote
of the majority of the men and women of the State. Nearly every
opponent in t