ibits, etc. The Federation of Women's
Clubs has obtained laws for free traveling libraries and has united
with other organizations in various States in efforts for equal
guardianship of children, school suffrage, women on school and library
boards and the abolishing of child labor. Other associations have
joined in one or more of the above lines of work and have had
independent measures of their own, such as prison reform, social
purity, the assistance of different races--as the negro and the
Indian--village improvement, kindergartens, public playgrounds, etc.

It would not be possible to draw a distinct line dividing the
legislative work of one association from the others, except that it
may be said the suffrage societies have made the franchise their chief
point, believing it to be the power with which the rest could be
gained, and the temperance unions have made their principal attack
upon the liquor traffic, considering it the greatest evil. The objects
of the various bodies are indicated in the last chapter of this volume
on Organizations of Women, but whatever these may be, if they include
any direct, practical work their promoters usually find themselves at
the door of the Legislature asking for help. Here they get their first
lesson in the imperative necessity of possessing a vote, and seeing
their measures fail because asked for by a disfranchised class, to
whom the legislators are in no way indebted, they frequently become
ardent advocates of suffrage for women.

As it would be wholly impossible in the small space which can be
allowed to include an account of all the legislative work done by
women, mention is made principally of that for the franchise. While
the successes have been few compared to the number of bills presented,
the record is valuable as indicating that determined and persistent
effort will not be relaxed until it is granted in every State.

Under the head of Legislation is related also the attempts to get from
Constitutional Conventions an amendment striking out the word "male"
as a qualification for suffrage. It includes, besides, graphic
accounts of the campaigns made in behalf of such amendments when
submitted to the voters by the Legislatures. Those who have not
closely followed these events doubtless will be surprised to learn the
amount of effort which has been expended by women to obtain the
franchise. It is infinitely greater than has been put forth for this
purpose by all other cla