nt which is
forever and unalterably opposed to any move in the direction of suffrage
for women, represented the dominant financial and political power in the
greatest metropolis in America, whose ramifications extend to every
city, village and cross-roads in the State. With its money and its votes
this element can make and unmake politicians at will, and under present
conditions, with the ballot in the hands of men only, it is virtually an
impossibility for a candidate to be elected if this organization exert
its influence against him. How to persuade the parties and the
individual men to risk defeat until they succeed in the enfranchisement
of women, which alone will destroy the absolute domination of this
oligarchy, is a problem yet to be solved. That the women of New York
dared attempt it, showed courage and determination of the highest order.

This necessarily had to be a campaign of education, of forming new
public sentiment and putting into definite shape that which already
existed. This could be done in four ways: by organization, by petitions,
by literature and by speeches. The petitions were put into circulation
in 1893.[89] As it would be necessary to use every dollar to the very
best advantage, the Anthony home in Rochester was put at the service of
the committee in order to save rent. Practically every room in the house
was called into requisition. The parlors became public offices; the
guest chamber was transformed into a mailing department; Miss Anthony's
study was an office by day and a bedroom by night; and even
the dining-room and kitchen were invaded. Here Mary S. Anthony,
corresponding secretary, and Mrs. Martha R. Almy,
vice-president-at-large, with a force of clerks, worked day and night
from December, 1893, to July, 1894, sending out thousands of letters,
petition blanks, leaflets, suffrage papers, etc.[90] The letter boxes
were wholly inadequate, and the post-office daily sent mail-sacks to the
house, which were filled and set out on the front porch to be collected.
Hither came every day the State president, Mrs. Greenleaf, who toiled
without ceasing from daylight till dark; and into this busy hive Miss
Anthony rushed from the lecture field every Saturday to get the report
of the work and consult as to the best methods for the coming week. It
is not possible to describe in detail the vast amount of labor performed
at these headquarters, but it is thus summed up in the report of the
corresponding s