ue of Jackson, Mrs. J. W. Tucker, with
her assistants, announced the hearing over the telephone, the
legislators spread the story and when the women who were to speak
filed into the House on that memorable morning of January 21 they
found all available space occupied and the galleries overflowing. An
invitation was sent to the Senators to come over but so many had
already deserted their posts for the House that there was not a quorum
to vote on the invitation. Hilary Quin of Hinds county, Speaker of the
House, presided, introducing the speakers and extending every possible
courtesy. They were Mrs. McClurg, Miss Kearney, Miss Orr, Miss Gordon,
Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Dent and Mrs. Somerville. The speeches made so
profound an impression that hardly had the last word been spoken when
there came a loud and insistent call from the enemies for adjournment.
The bill was presented next day. Emmett Cavette of Noxubee county
strongly championed it and Speaker Quin left the chair to make a
speech in its favor. Representative S. Joe Owen of Union county
vigorously led the fight against it and it was lost by 80 noes, 42
ayes.

In 1916 the women's organizations united in a bill making women
eligible to serve as county school superintendents and on the boards
of educational and benevolent institutions. During the session of 1918
the suffrage association being in the midst of war work took no
initiative in behalf of legislation but Senator Earl Richardson of
Neshoba county on his own account introduced in the Senate a
concurrent resolution to amend the State constitution. The members of
the Equity League gave assistance; Mrs. Isaac Reese of Memphis was
invited to come to the Capitol and on the day the vote was taken she
and Miss Kearney made brief speeches before the Senate. On motion of
Senator P. E. Carothers the question was submitted without debate,
which was a disappointment to its friends, H. H. Casteel of Holmes
county declaring that he had remained up nearly all of the night
before preparing his speech. The vote was a tie, 21 to 21. The House
took no action.

Through the years the officers and members of the State and local
suffrage associations united with those of other women's organizations
to obtain laws. The age of consent was raised first to 12, then to 16
and in 1914 to 18; better child labor laws were secured; the law
permitting a father to dispose of the children by will at his death
was repealed. It is a fact not gener