n kept out of the controversy as a body, but its members as
individuals took sides as their personal views dictated.

In 1889 Gov. Oliver Ames, for the third time, recommended women
suffrage in his inaugural, saying: "Recent political events have
confirmed the opinion I have long held, that if women have sufficient
reason to vote they will do so and become an important factor in the
settlement of great questions. If we can trust uneducated men to vote
we can with greater safety and far more propriety grant the same power
to women, who as a rule are as well educated and quite as intelligent
as men."

The convention met January 29-31. Among outside speakers were Mrs.
Ellen Battelle Dietrick of Kentucky, Prof. William H. Carruth of
Kansas, and the Hon. Hamilton Willcox of New York. Col. Thomas
Wentworth Higginson presided at the May Festival and Mrs. Howe's
seventieth birthday was celebrated. Mrs. Laura M. Johns of Kansas,
Mrs. Mary Seymour Howell of New York, Mrs. Emily P. Collins of
Connecticut, and many from other States were present.

An organizer was kept in the field eight months and a State lecturer
two months; summer meetings were held at Swampscott, Hull and
Nantasket. Two quarterly conferences took place in Boston between the
State officers and representatives from the eighty-nine local leagues.
A great Historical Pageant was given under Miss Pond's supervision in
May and October, which netted $1,582; the _Woman's Journal_ was sent
four months to all the legislators, and leaflets to all the students
of Harvard and Boston Universities; 15,000 leaflets were given to the
South Dakota campaign. The State Farmers' Institute, held at West
Brookfield, adopted a woman suffrage resolution almost unanimously.

In Boston 10,051 women voted and the Catholic candidates for the
school board were again defeated. The Independent Women Voters elected
all their nominees, and candidates who had the joint nomination of
both Republicans and Democrats were defeated.

Ex-Gov. John D. Long was one of the speakers at the convention of Jan.
28, 29, 1890; also Miss Elizabeth Upham Yates of Maine. In April an
evening with authors and composers was arranged, chiefly by Miss Lucia
T. Ames. Well-known authors read from their writings and musicians
contributed from their own compositions. In the same month a week's
fair called The Country Store was held, Miss Charlotte H. Allen
supervising the arrangements, with gross receipts, $2,346. The