's Party was obliged to mention the
amendment, and it was avoided as an issue in the campaign; the State
Central Committee permitted each speaker to say what he pleased
personally, but he was not allowed to commit the party or to urge men
to vote for it. Nearly every one, however, advocated equal suffrage.

"The Republicans, in convention at Tacoma, adopted the following:
'Firmly believing in the principle of equal rights to all and special
privileges to none, we recommend to the voters of the State a careful
consideration of the proposed constitutional amendment granting equal
suffrage;' and this always was published as part of the platform. A
few of the leading Republican orators advocated the amendment and none
spoke against it. Its defeat is commonly attributed to the fact that
20,000 of the People's party did not vote upon it, and that _the
Republicans passed the word a short time before election to vote
against it_.

"Mrs. W. Winslow Crannell, who was sent out by the Albany (N. Y.)
Anti-Suffrage Association, did not hold a meeting of women or a public
meeting in the State. She conferred with men whom the anti-suffrage
representative, Alfred Downing of Seattle, already knew, and her
coming tended to arouse the loyal support of the suffragists.

"The Prohibition party gave official indorsement. The Social
Democratic party and the Socialist Labor party both inserted suffrage
planks in their platforms. The latter claims 9,000 votes in the
State."

The Fusion party was everywhere successful and the Legislature of 1897
was composed of reform elements. Mrs. Peters had charge of the Equal
Suffrage Bill, which was introduced on the first day of the session by
the Hon. J. P. de Mattos, and proposed to amend the constitution by
striking out the word "male" from the suffrage clause. This passed the
House on February 4 by 54 ayes, 15 noes. The bill was amended in the
Senate and was strongly supported by Joseph Hill and W. V. Rinehart.
The amended bill passed the Senate on February 25 by 23 ayes, 11 noes,
and was returned to the House.

Here it reached a vote March 11, the last day before the close of the
session, only through Mrs. Peters' slipping up to Speaker Charles E.
Cline's desk and whispering to him to recognize L. E. Rader, who
wished to present it. As the Speaker was a staunch suffragist he did
so. The bill passed by 54 ayes, 15 noes, and was sent back for the
signature of the President of the Senate and then re