bers, was held strictly to a
non-partisan basis.

Both Republicans and Populists having declared for the submission of a
woman suffrage amendment, the Legislature of 1893 passed a bill for
this purpose, championed by Representative E. W. Hoch and Senator
Householder. From that time forward, Mrs. Johns, Mrs. Diggs and
hundreds of Kansas women of both Republican and Populist faith labored
with untiring zeal for its success. Nothing was left undone that human
wisdom could plan or human effort carry out.

On Sept. 1, 2, 1893, a mass meeting was held in Kansas City at which
Mrs. Chapman Catt ably presented the question. Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe
of Illinois agreed to raise $2,000 in the State. Mrs. Thurston, at the
head of the press bureau, announced that hundreds of papers were
pledged to support the amendment; the State Teachers' Association
passed a strong resolution for it; the Grand Army of the Republic was
in favor; Miss Helen L. Kimber related much success in organizing, and
from every county came reports of meetings and debates.

Mrs. Johns, State president, went to the National Suffrage Convention
in Washington in the winter of 1894 and made a most earnest appeal for
assistance in the way of speakers and funds, both of which were
promised by the association. She was appointed chairman of the
amendment committee with power to name the members,[267] and they
opened up with energy the long campaign of agitation, education and
organization. They started enrollment books, appointed polling
committees and undertook to put people to work in every one of the
2,100 voting precincts. The National Association contributed $2,571
and also a number of speakers. A constitutional amendment campaign was
in progress in New York but Miss Anthony made many trips from there to
Kansas, and spent months in canvassing the State, donating her
services during the entire time.

Work was continued without cessation for the purpose of creating a
public sentiment which would be strong enough to compel the delegates
to the political State conventions of 1894 to adopt a plank supporting
this amendment, just as in 1892 they had adopted one asking for it.
But in 1892 the Populists had swept the State, and in 1894 the
Republicans were determined to regain possession of it at all hazards.
The amazement and grief of the Republican women was beyond expression
when they learned early in 1894 that their party was going to refuse
indorsement at its conven