They went from the
hearing into one of the committee rooms of the Capitol and decided to
form a woman suffrage society. The same women with a few others met in
the home of Mrs. Markwell that evening. Miss Julia McAlmont Warner
was made chairman and the following officers were elected: President,
Miss Mary Fletcher; vice-president, Mrs. W. P. Hutton; secretary, Mrs.
Jennings; treasurer, Miss Warner, and the name adopted was Woman's
Political Equality League. It started with $20 in the treasury--of
which $3 were paid by men--Dr. J. W. Markwell, Mr. Boyer and Clio
Harper.

The semi-monthly meetings were first held in the public library, one
in the afternoon, the other at night, so that working women, teachers
and men might attend. The president soon went to Europe and the work
passed into the capable hands of Mrs. Hutton. One of the most valuable
helpers was Rabbi L. Witt, who always attended and helped out many a
program. Leagues were formed in Hot Springs and Pine Bluff and these
were the only three prior to 1913 when a State association was
organized.

In October, 1913, Mrs. O. F. Ellington was elected president of the
Little Rock League. At that time it was holding its meetings in the
Chamber of Commerce and few people would climb two flights of stairs
to hear a subject discussed in which there was little interest, so the
executive board secured the parlors of the City Hall. If the women
could accomplish as much in the offices of the City Hall as they did
in the parlors no fair-minded person would have objected to their
occupancy. Important local, State and national affairs were studied
and discussed and prominent State and national speakers addressed that
eager body of women.

Under the auspices of the league the first national suffrage May day
was observed in Little Rock with speeches from the steps of the Old
State House. Seventy-five letters were sent out to prominent men in
the State, asking them to make five-minute speeches and after ten days
Dr. L. P. Gibson, the well-known physician, was the first to accept.
The next morning the _Arkansas Gazette_ told that Dr. Gibson of Little
Rock would be one of the speakers and then every man who could arrange
to be in town that day accepted his invitation. Among the women who
spoke were Mrs. George Pratho, Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. C. E. Rose, Mrs. T.
T. Cotnam, Miss Julia Warner, Miss Josephine Miller, Mrs. George E.
Cunningham, Mrs. Terry, Mrs. S. S. Wassel, Mrs. E. W. Gibb