istinguished suffrage pioneers, Mrs. Elizabeth
Kittridge Churchill. Mrs. Tingley, Arnold B. Chace, Mr. Blackwell and
the Rev. Mrs. Spencer, the speakers on this occasion, had been present
when the association was formed and they added to the pleasure of the
meeting with personal reminiscences. Miss Florence Garvin, president
of the College Equal Suffrage League, spoke of the debt of the young
women to the pioneer suffragists. The State association enrolled
thousands of names for the National Association's petition to Congress
in behalf of the Federal Amendment and used its influence to obtain
for it the support of the Rhode Island members of Congress.

In 1909 at the annual meeting Miss Elizabeth Upham Yates, who had
recently come to the State, was elected president. This year was
marked by distinctive propaganda through the efforts of Mrs. Oliver H.
P. Belmont of New York. The lectures given at Marble Palace, her home
in Newport, by Dr. Shaw and Professor Charles Zueblin interested a new
and influential class and gave a substantial impetus to suffrage work
throughout the State. Increasing calls to discuss the question before
clubs, granges, church societies and other organizations were an
encouraging sign of a popular awakening to its importance.

In 1910 a debate on woman suffrage between Brown University and
Williams College was won by the former in the affirmative. Mrs. Anne
M. Jewett, who had served acceptably as recording secretary for ten
years, resigned. Miss Mary M. Angell was elected at the annual meeting
and gave a like term of years of devoted service. Mrs. Dewing was made
honorary president. In 1911 a lecture on Woman's Ballot by Professor
Henry S. Nash of Harvard University, well known as a lecturer, before
the Providence Biblical Institute, greatly strengthened the cause
among conservative people. Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst gave a lecture
under the auspices of the State association and the College League.
This year the first anti-suffrage society was organized by a group of
wealthy and prominent women, among whom were Mrs. Charles Warren
Lippitt, Mrs. Rowland Hazard, Miss Louise Hoppin, Mrs. Herbert Maine
and Mrs. Henry T. Fowler. Miss Yates and Mrs. Lippitt were invited to
hold a debate before the Jewish Women's Council.

In January, 1912, the College League and the State association opened
headquarters in Butler Exchange at Providence and engaged Miss Louise
Hall as organizer. President M. Carey Thomas o