1917. The resolution was adopted in the House February 21 by 112 ayes,
35 noes; unanimously adopted by the Senate February 22. In signing it
the next day Governor Carl E. Milliken said to the suffrage leaders:
"You have appealed to reason and not to prejudice. Your campaign has
been a very fine example of what a campaign should be." The amendment
was defeated at the polls in September.

1919. In March an Act granting women the right to vote for
Presidential Electors, prepared by George H. Allan, was introduced in
the Senate by Guy P. Gannett of Augusta and in the House by Percival
P. Baxter of Portland. The joint committee by 8 to 2 reported "ought
to pass." The hearing before the Judiciary Committee was called one of
the best ever held. Lewis A. Burleigh of Augusta, editor of the
Kennebec _Journal_, and Professor Frank E. Woodruff of Bowdoin College
made the principal speeches. Telegrams were read from U. S. Senator
Fernald and Representatives Ira G. Hersey, John A. Peters and Wallace
H. White, Jr., urging the passage of the bill. The "antis" were
present in force and made a hard fight. They were fully answered by
Mrs. Nancy M. Schoonmaker of Connecticut. An effort was made to attach
a clause to the bill referring it to the voters but it was thwarted,
Senator Leroy R. Folsom of Norridgewock making a strong speech against
it. In the House a still more determined effort was made to secure a
referendum but it did not succeed. Speeches were made by Frederick W.
Hinckley, Percival F. Baxter and Elisha W. Pike, legislators, and Mrs.
Katharine Reed Balentine, chairman of the Legislative Committee, and
Miss Mabel Connor, president of the State Suffrage Association. On
February 26 the bill passed the Senate by a vote of 25 ayes, 6 noes.
On March 19 it passed the House by 85 ayes, 54 noes.

The favorable vote was obtained after six months of quiet, continuous
and intensive political work by the Legislative Committee. Members of
the Legislature worked for the success of the bill; the Governor
supported it and the press was largely in favor.

The anti-suffragists immediately announced their proposal to bring the
Presidential Suffrage Law before the voters under the initiative and
referendum, upon petition of at least 10,000 legal voters filed within
a specified time. The effort to secure these names lagged and without
doubt would have been given up had it not been for Frank E. Mace,
former State Forest Commissioner, who orga