Congress for
an amendment of the Federal Constitution was begun with Miss Williams
chairman of the committee and 10,386 signatures were secured. Mrs.
Philip Snowden of England lectured in Lincoln during the session of
the Legislature and many of the members heard her. The annual
convention was held in Lincoln November 18, 19. Mrs. Andrews had gone
to Minneapolis and Dr. Inez Philbrick of Lincoln was elected
president. A lecture tour was arranged for Dr. B. O. Aylesworth of
Denver for the autumn of 1909 and again in 1910; Men's Suffrage
Leagues were organized in Omaha and Lincoln and many new clubs formed
of people of influence. The convention was postponed to March, 1911.
The regular convention of 1911 was held in Lincoln November 20-22.
Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst was the speaker and the audience filled the
largest assembly room.

The convention of 1912 met in Omaha December 4-6, and it was decided
to go into an active campaign to secure the submission of a
constitutional amendment by petition in 1914. The Initiative and
Referendum Law had been adopted the preceding month, which required
the signature of 15 per cent. of the total vote cast at the last
election, the signers coming from two-fifths of the counties. This
meant 37,752 names from thirty-eight counties. Nebraska has
ninety-three counties and an area of 77,520 square miles. Officers
elected to serve throughout the campaign were: Henrietta I. (Mrs.
Draper) Smith, president; Mrs. Kovanda, vice-president; Miss Williams,
corresponding secretary; Miss Daisy Doane, recording secretary;
Gertrude Law (Mrs. W. E.) Hardy, treasurer; Mrs. Grace M. Wheeler,
first and Elizabeth J. (Mrs. Z. T.) Lindsey, second auditor; committee
chairmen; Mrs. Wheeler, Education; Mrs. A. E. Sheldon, Finance; Mrs.
Hardy, Publicity; Mrs. Edna M. Barkley, Speakers; Mrs. A. H. Dorris,
Press.

Headquarters were opened Jan. 3, 1913, in the Brandeis Theater
Building, Omaha, and maintained through the winter of 1912-13. Mrs.
Draper Smith had at once assumed her duties as president and appointed
Mrs. W. C. Sunderland chairman for the second congressional district,
including Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. She had asked Mrs.
Lindsey to be chairman of Douglas county in which Omaha is situated,
who soon had ten precincts organized under capable chairmen, and a
little later every ward in Omaha and South Omaha. On February 8 Dr.
Shaw, the national president, arrived in Omaha for a conference with