not hesitate to do anything they thought they could get away
with." The Governor demanded that the returns be sent to Lansing at
once. When at the end of three weeks the official count was published
it showed that the amendment had been defeated by 762 votes, ayes,
247,373; noes, 248,135. Clear evidence of fraud was apparent in Wayne,
Kent, Saginaw and Bay counties. The State association engaged the best
legal talent and in Genesee county the courts threw out the vote on
the amendment. It developed, however, that there was no law allowing a
recount in a vote on a constitutional amendment and in the face of
glaring fraud the defeat had to be accepted.

No State convention was held in November, 1912, because of the stress
of campaign work but a postponed convention was held Jan. 15, 16,
1913. Indignation ran high over this defeat and an immediate
resubmission of the amendment was decided upon as the result of
favorable answers to questionnaires which had been sent to all county
chairmen and the heads of all cooperating societies. During the
campaign no open or organized opposition among women had been in
evidence. A legislative hearing was arranged by the suffragists and
the State and College League presidents on starting to Lansing found a
special car attached to their train bearing about thirty prominent
women members of a new Anti-Suffrage Association. Their only speaker
was Miss Minnie Bronson of New York, secretary of the National
Anti-Suffrage Association. As Mrs. Arthur rose to answer her hour's
speech she remarked that for the first time the voice of a woman was
heard in this State in protest against her own enfranchisement and she
rejoiced that it was not the voice of a Michigan woman.

Despite determined opposition the proposal passed both Houses to be
voted on at the spring election just five weeks ahead. Owing to the
social position of the "antis," the State press gave much prominence
to their association, published pages of the members' pictures and
quoted their reasons for organizing it. Branches were at once formed
in ten adjoining towns; State offices were opened on Woodward Avenue,
near the suffrage headquarters, books opened for registration and
great quantities of literature sent over the State. Several debates
were attempted but few materialized, as they had no home talent.[89]

A placard printed in English and German and posted in saloons in
various parts of the city by the Michigan Staatterbund ann