two great political parties, the Republican and
People's, that they put a suffrage plank in their platforms; but
instead, simply allow the amendment to go before the electors on
its merits--that is to say, repeat the experiment as it has been
made and has failed eight times over....

The one and only sure hope of carrying the amendment in Kansas is
to have on its side all the aid of the political machinery of its
two great parties. My one object in consenting to go into your
campaign for May and June, was to create so strong a public demand
as to make sure that every delegate elected to the State nominating
conventions of the Republican and People's parties shall be
instructed by his constituents, in county convention assembled, to
vote for a woman suffrage plank in the platform. The moment your
committee abandons this aim, I shall lose all interest in your
work. You say: "Prominent Republicans are besieging us to relieve
their party of the embarrassment of this demand." So did they
besiege us twenty-seven years ago. No; not for a moment should you
think of relieving the politicians from the duty of declaring for
this amendment. If you do, you are unworthy the trust reposed in
you. I surely never would have promised to go into your campaign,
or begged the friends to contribute, had I dreamed of the
possibility of your surrendering to the cowardice of political
trimmers.

If the convention which meets first do not endorse the amendment,
then the other will not; in which event, its discussion will not be
germane in either party's fall campaign. On the other hand, if the
first put a plank in its platform, the other will be sure to do so;
and then the question will be a legitimate one to be advocated in
the meetings of both parties and this will ensure the presentation
of our cause to all the voters of the State.

By this means the two parties will run your amendment campaign, and
you will not be compelled to make a separate suffrage campaign.
That you can not do in any event, because (1st) you can not get
either the speakers or the money necessary; and (2d) if you could
get both, you would have only women in your meetings, and defeat
would be just as certain as in the eight States which have had such
separate woman's campaigns. Therefore, if yo