vocacy on the part of the papers was purely a
free-will offering and represented the honest and courageous sentiments
of the editors. It is deemed especially worthy of notice because there
was never anything like it in previous suffrage campaigns. Toward the
end, when the influence of the opposition began to do its fatal work,
these papers were closely watched and in not one instance was there a
defection.

Notwithstanding this splendid support of the press, Miss Anthony was
firm in her decision that she would not remain through the campaign
unless the amendment could secure the endorsement of the political
parties, and every energy was directed toward this point. Several of the
Republican county conventions declared for it, and a number of
Republican leaders who were visited, announced themselves in favor of
the plank. The State Convention was to be held May 5. On May 3, the
Sunday edition of the San Francisco Call, the largest and most
influential Republican paper in the State, came out with flaming
headlines declaring boldly and unequivocally for woman suffrage! The
sensation created was tremendous, and amendment stock went up above par.
The Monday and Tuesday editions continued the editorial endorsement,
declaring that the Republican party stood committed to woman suffrage,
and that the Call constituted itself the champion and would carry it to
victory.

Tuesday morning the Republican convention opened at Sacramento. The
woman suffrage delegation, consisting of Mrs. Sargent, Mrs. John F.
Swift, Mrs. Blinn, Mrs. Austin Sperry, Mrs. Knox Goodrich, Miss Anthony,
Rev. Anna Shaw, Miss Hay, Miss Yates, Mrs. Harper, opened their
headquarters at the Golden Eagle Hotel, decorated their parlor with
flowers, spread out their literature and badges and waited for the
delegates. They had not long to wait. With the influence of the Sunday
Call, a copy of which had been laid on the seat of every delegate in the
convention hall, they had a prestige which found favor in the eyes of
the politicians. The visitors came early and stayed late; they went away
and returned bringing their friends to be converted. The Call account
said: "They went in twos and threes, in large groups and in entire
delegations, to pay homage to their more modest workers and apparently
to beg the privilege of serving them." The rooms were crowded until
after midnight.

The delegates put on the badges, and when the convention opened 250 of
them were wearing t