inia
Stevenson. Under a canopy of gold cloth, which cast a glow over the
group below, there stood at the top of the steps "Liberty," posed by
handsome Mrs. O'Neil. Grouped about her were thirteen women dressed in
white representing the twelve equal suffrage States and Alaska.
Farther down on the steps were the States in which only partial
suffrage had been granted, impersonated by women dressed in gray. At
the bottom were figures in black, representing the States where women
were wholly disfranchised, extending their manacled arms to Liberty. A
mass meeting was held later in the day in the auditorium of the
Museum, when Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, William Jennings Bryan, U. S.
Senator John F. Shafroth and Mrs. Miller addressed large and
enthusiastic audiences. The Town Club, an organization of women, gave
a dinner with covers laid for 300, which was followed by music and
speaking in front of the Jefferson Hotel. On the same night there was
street speaking on the principal down town corners for two hours, one
speaker relieving another as the crowds called for more. Miss Scott
brought out an impressive number of the _Missouri Woman_ during the
convention. William Burns, a well-known artist on the _Post Dispatch_,
designed an attractive and significant cover and Miss Marguerite
Martin illustrated a story by Mrs. Blair; editors of the St. Louis
dailies, Louis Ely, Casper Yost and Paul W. Brown, contributed
editorials and William Marion Reedy, editor of the St. Louis _Mirror_,
wrote a charming article. The edition of 10,000 was sold at the
bookstands and by volunteers who acted as "newsies." The business men
advertised generously.

The result partially of all the hard work and enthusiasm was a woman
suffrage plank in the platform according to the Democratic principle
of State's rights, which, though not entirely satisfactory to the
suffragists, was regarded as a decided victory.

The entrance of the United States in the World War in 1917 acted as a
deterrent of suffrage activities, as the various organizations threw
themselves whole-heartedly into war work. Mrs. Leighty, State
chairman, Mrs. Stix, chairman of the St. Louis League, and other heads
of suffrage societies throughout the State, had the difficult task of
directing their activities in war work and at the same time keeping at
the front the idea that, while working to make the world safe for
democracy abroad, the cause of democracy at home demanded the speedy
enfranchis