rsed it?" Mrs. Graham, president of the State W. C.
T. U.; Mrs. John Winters Brannan and Mrs. Pearce Bailey, representing
the Equal Franchise Society; Miss Mills, speaking for the State
League; Leonora O'Reilly, presenting the resolution of the Women's
Trade Union League of New York for the amendment; Mrs. Dexter F.
Rumsey, speaking for Mrs. Nettie Rogers Shuler, president of the
Western New York Federation of Women's Clubs; Mrs. Lillie Devereux
Blake, a pioneer suffragist, president of the Legislative League; Mrs.
Florence Kelley, executive secretary of the Consumers' League; Mrs.
George Howard Lewis of Buffalo, a well known philanthropist; Mrs. Maud
Nathan, president of the New York Consumers' League; Mrs. Rodgers and
Mrs. Gabrielle Mulliner, lawyers--all urged the legislators to submit
the question to the voters. Dr. Shaw held the audience spellbound
until 6 o'clock. John Spargo, the well known socialist, spoke
independently with much power, demanding the vote especially for
working women. The use of the Assembly Chamber was granted for an
evening suffrage meeting which attracted a large audience. The
Legislature took no action.[129]

Members of the large legislative committee met weekly during the
session of 1910 at the State headquarters in New York to assist in
promoting the work. All the workers as usual contributed their
services. Mrs. Crossett and Miss Mills remained in Albany. A notable
meeting was held there at Harmanus-Bleecker Hall, with excellent
speakers. The boxes were filled with prominent women, who had invited
many of the State officials as guests; seats were sent to all the
members of the Legislature, most of whom were present, and the house
with a capacity of 2,000 was crowded. Mrs. Clarence Mackay defrayed
most of the expenses. On January 22 Governor Charles E. Hughes granted
a hearing to George Foster Peabody, Oswald Garrison Villard, Mrs. Ella
H. Boole, Mrs. Villard, Mrs. Crossett, Mrs. Frederick R. Hazard and
Miss Anne F. Miller, who urged him to recommend the submission of an
amendment. He seemed much impressed by the statements made but they
had no effect. The hearing on March 9 broke all records. The Assembly
Chamber was filled to the utmost and surging crowds outside tried to
get in. Members of both Houses stood for hours listening to the
speeches. Jesse R. Phillips, chairman of the Assembly Judiciary
Committee, presided. The suffrage speakers were headed by the eminent
lawyer, Samuel Unter