esident of the Baltimore Woman's
Christian Temperance Union. As the vice-president of the association,
Dr. Annice Jeffreys Myers of Oregon, who was to respond, had been
delayed en route. Dr. Shaw took her place, saying in answer to certain
of the greetings: "In all my experience I have observed that those
people are most likely to have their prayers answered who do
everything they can to help God answer them; so while we may try by
prayer to bring about the highest good not only in the State but in
education and philanthropy, we hope to add to our prayers the
citizen's power of the ballot.... We have never had a more generous
welcome or a warmer hospitality offered to us and we thank you with
all our heart. Whatever may happen while we are here, nothing can take
away from us the beauty of the sunshine and the kindliness of your
welcome."

The first evening session was opened with prayer by the Rev. John B.
Van Meter, dean of the Woman's College, Baltimore, and music by a
chorus of two hundred voices under the direction of William R. Hall.
Governor Edwin Warfield made an eloquent address in which he said: "A
man who would not extend a welcome to such a body of women would not
be worthy the name of Maryland, which we consider a synonym of
hospitality. Our doors are always wide open to friends and strangers,
especially strangers. We are delighted to have you here. While I may
not agree with all your teachings, I recognize one fact, that there
never has been assembled in Baltimore a convention composed of women
who have been more useful in this country and who have done more for
the uplift of humanity. It was proper for you to come to Maryland, a
State that was named for a woman, whose capital was named for a woman
and whose motto is 'Manly deeds and womanly words.'" He paid glowing
compliments to the splendid public service of Maryland women and said
he would not have been elected Governor but for their kindly
influence. He declared that he had been almost persuaded by the
charming words of Mrs. Howe and said his wife was a "convert" and he
"had been voting as a proxy for some time." He believed "the final
solution of the question would be a referendum to the women
themselves."

Dr. Shaw could not resist saying when she rose to introduce the next
speaker: "So many have told us, as the Governor has, about being
proxy-voters, that we think it is time they should be relieved of
that role and have an opportunity to do their