the convention,
lest the chances for Statehood might be imperiled, that they compelled
a compromise and it was directed that the first Legislature should
submit the question to the voters. They did incorporate a clause,
however, that women properly qualified should be eligible to any
school office and should vote at any election held solely for school
purposes. This applied merely to school trustees, as State and county
superintendents are elected at general and not special elections.

The constitution was ratified by the voters in 1885, with a provision
that "the Legislature should at its first session after the admission
of the State into the Union, submit to a vote of the electors at the
next general election, the question whether the word 'male' should be
stricken from the article of the constitution relating to elections
and the right of suffrage."

Congress at that time refused to divide the Territory and thus the
question remained in abeyance awaiting Statehood.

In 1889, an enabling act having been passed by Congress, delegates
were elected from the different counties to meet in convention at
Sioux Falls to prepare for the entrance of South Dakota into
Statehood. This convention reaffirmed the constitution adopted in
1885, and again submitted it to the voters who again passed upon it
favorably, and the Territory became a State, Nov. 2, 1889.

The first Legislature met at once in Pierre, and although they were
required by the constitution to submit an amendment for woman suffrage
a vote was taken as to whether this should be done. It stood in the
Senate 40 yeas, one nay; absent or not voting, 4; in the House 84
yeas, 9 nays; 21 absent.

On Nov. 11, 1889, Miss Anthony, in response to urgent requests from
the State, made a lecture tour of twelve cities and towns and
addressed the Farmers' Alliance at their convention in Aberdeen, when
they officially indorsed the suffrage amendment. On her return home
she sent 50,000 copies of Senator T. W. Palmer's great woman suffrage
speech to individual voters in Dakota under his frank.

A State Suffrage Association had been formed with S. A. Ramsey,
president, Alonzo Wardall, vice-president, the Rev. M. Barker,
secretary, and Mrs. Helen M. Barker, treasurer and State organizer;
but the beginning of this campaign found the women with no funds and
very little local organization. Mr. Wardall, who was also secretary of
the Farmers' Alliance, went to Washington and, with Rep