and
Mrs. Colby. Miss Sarah A. Brown, as chairman of the committee,
reported a resolution urging the Legislature to confer Municipal
Suffrage on women, which was unanimously carried, and the most
determined purpose to secure its passage by the Legislature then in
session was manifested. Mrs. Johns was elected president, an office
which she held eight consecutive years.

The bill passed and became a law February 15. The next annual meeting
took place in Newton, Oct. 13-15, 1887, with the usual large
attendance.[266] Miss Anthony, Mr. Blackwell, the Rev. Miss Shaw and
Rachel G. Foster (Avery) were the speakers from abroad. Two notable
events were the appearance of Kansas' first woman mayor, Mrs. M. D.
Salter of Argonia, and the reading of a carefully compiled statement
relative to the first vote of women in the towns and cities at the
election the preceding April. This paper was the work of Judge Francis
G. Adams, for many years secretary of the State Historical Society,
and a lifelong friend and helper of woman's enfranchisement. It
answered conclusively the question whether women would vote if they
had an opportunity.

This convention was followed by a very successful series of meetings
in many cities to arouse public sentiment in favor of Full Suffrage,
under the management of Mrs. Johns and Mrs. Letitia V. Watkins, State
organizer, with Miss Anthony, Miss Shaw and Miss Foster as speakers.
Considerable attention was given to the speech recently made by U. S.
Senator John J. Ingalls at Abilene, vigorously opposing woman
suffrage.

Mrs. Mary A. Woodbridge of the National, and Mrs. Rastall of the
Kansas W. C. T. U., also made an active canvass of the State. These
organizations united in a strong appeal to women to be equal to their
new responsibilities, which was supplemented by one from the national
president, Miss Frances E. Willard.

The State convention met at Emporia, Nov. 13-15, 1888, with Miss
Anthony as its most inspiring figure. A notable feature was the
address of Mrs. Johns, the president, in which she said:

And this brings me to speak of our attitude toward political
parties. Whatever may be the individual preferences of the
officers of our State Association, _our organization is
non-partisan_. I have hitherto regarded it as necessary that it
should be strictly non-partisan, just as I have believed that it
must remain non-sectarian, so that no one of any faith, political