by charter after a
vigorous campaign. Columbus undertook to put this in its charter and a
bitter campaign took place. It was the house to house canvass and the
courageous work of the Columbus women and State suffrage officers
which brought the victory when it was voted on at the election in
August, 1917. Sandusky was not successful.

A partial poll of the Legislature on the subject of Presidential
suffrage for women in 1915 had shown that it would be futile to
attempt it but after endorsements of woman suffrage by the national
party conventions in 1916 it was determined to try.

The Legislature of 1917 was Democratic and Representative James A.
Reynolds (Cleveland) met the State suffrage workers upon their arrival
in Columbus for the opening of the session and informed them that he
was going to sponsor their bill. On January 16 Representative Pratt,
Republican, of Ashtabula and Mr. Reynolds, Democrat, each introduced a
measure for Presidential suffrage. By agreement the Reynolds bill was
chosen and he fought the battle for it against great odds. He was the
one anti-prohibitionist who worked for it, considering it his duty and
his privilege, and, because of his standing and because his party was
in power, he was the only one perhaps who could have carried it
through. He stood by the suffragists until Tennessee had ratified and
the contest was over.

On Jan. 30, 1917, the bill to give women a vote for Presidential
electors was reported favorably from the House Committee on Elections,
and on February 1 it passed the House by 72 ayes, 50 noes, fifty-five
per cent. of the Democratic members voting for it and sixty-nine per
cent of the Republicans. In the Senate the leader of the "wets"
introduced a resolution for the submission of a full suffrage
amendment in the hope of sidetracking the Reynolds bill but the latter
reached the Senate February 2, before the Holden bill could be
considered. The suffragists, wishing to expedite matters, did not ask
for a hearing but the "antis" did and at Mr. Reynolds' request the
former were present. At this hearing the women leaders of the "antis"
and the liquor men occupied seats together on the floor of the Senate.
The next morning the bill was reported favorably from the Federal
Relations Committee and passed on February 14, by 19 ayes, 17 noes.
Immediately the leader of the opposition changed his vote to yes in
order to move a reconsideration. This he was not permitted to do
because