e highest social circles in the Islands. Among them were
Mrs. John W. Dorsett, Mrs. A. P. Taylor, Mrs. Castle-Coleman,
Miss Mary Ermine Cross and others who had heard of my activities
in "the cause" and importuned me to hold meetings to try to
arouse a keener interest. I would have consented at once but for
the fact that almost the first person I saw in this beautiful
land was the field-secretary of the Massachusetts Association
Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women. I had a feeling
that if there was not already an anti-association here there
would be one the moment I began any serious work and so I advised
waiting, promising to do my best for them as soon as it seemed
wise, and so, while I was indeed sorry that the serious illness
of a relative obliged her to depart for home at a very early
date, it was amusing to say the least that while she was sailing
out of the harbor I was holding my first suffrage meeting in the
home of Mrs. Dorsett. I held meetings on two successive days, one
attended mostly by the middle class and the other by high caste
Hawaiians and the "missionary set," which, perhaps, we might
style their "400." My talk was in the form of a discussion and I
was surprised and delighted at the fluency of all who spoke,
their wide knowledge of world affairs and desire for the
franchise. Many months had passed since the departure of Prince
Kalanianaole and so they begged me to investigate as soon as I
returned home. This I promised to do and wrote at once to Mrs.
Catt all that I heard.

Mrs. Catt sent Mrs. Pitman's letter to Mrs. Maud Wood Park, chairman
of the Congressional Committee of the National Suffrage Association
and she took up the question with Senator John F. Shafroth, chairman
of the Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico. The Delegate from
Hawaii, who was deeply interested, welcomed this new force to assist
in pushing the bill, which had simply been neglected. On May 21, 1917,
he presented still another resolution from the Territorial Legislature
asking for it and on June I Senator Shafroth introduced the following
bill:

_Be it enacted_ ... that the Legislature of the Territory of
Hawaii be, and it is hereby, vested with the power to provide
that in all elections ... female citizens possessing the same
qualifications as male citizens shall be en