ed president and
continued to serve until the Federal Suffrage Amendment was adopted in
1920. The question was not again brought to the attention of the
Legislature until 1913. During the summer of 1911 Mrs. Pyle called a
conference at Huron. It seemed advisable to change the method of
procedure and the name of the organization, which became the Universal
Franchise League. An incident of this conference--amusing now but very
serious then--was the earnest discussion of the newly introduced
slogan, "Votes for Women," brought over from England. Several precious
hours were spent considering whether this was dignified and whether
women would not be considered "unladylike" if they adopted it. There
was much protest also over being called "suffragettes" when they were
really "suffragists," the former being the English for "militants." At
this meeting the State was divided into four districts for campaign
purposes. Mrs. May Billinghurst of Pierre was chairman for the
northeast; Miss Susie Bird of Belle Fourche for the northwest; Mrs.
Edith M. Fitch of Hurley for the southeast and the Rev. Katherine
Powell of Custer for the southwest, to organize branch leagues in
their districts.

Their stories of trying to organize, especially in the western, thinly
populated sections of the State would make an interesting volume. Miss
Bird, with a horse and buggy, drove hundreds of miles, sometimes forty
from one house to the next. There were almost no railroad facilities
after leaving the Black Hills district but armed with suffrage
literature she drove her trusty steed from place to place, spreading
the gospel of suffrage at school houses, private homes or wherever the
opportunity presented and organizing little groups.

In July, 1912, Mrs. Pyle called a convention at Huron, where the
decision was made to ask the Legislature of 1913 to submit a full
suffrage amendment. Officers were re-elected, Mrs. Nina Pettigrew of
Belle Fourche took charge of the northwest district in place of Miss
Bird, who had resigned, and the president was directed to select her
Legislative Committee. It consisted of the Rev. Katherine Powell, Mrs.
Billinghurst, Mrs. Ruth B. Hipple of Pierre, Miss Bird for the State
Franchise League and Mrs. Simmons of Faulkton; the State president,
Mrs. Ruby Jackson of Ipswich, and Miss Rose Bower of Rapid City for
the W. C. T. U.

In January, 1913, Mrs. Pyle and her lieutenants met at Pierre, the
capital, prepared for action. T