Mrs. Emma Smith DeVoe of Illinois was sent by
the National Association to canvass the State with the help of the
local workers. As a result a convention was held at Reno, October 29,
30. Mrs. DeVoe and Mrs. Frances A. Williamson were the principal
speakers, and the ten minutes' addresses by the delegates from various
counties were very clever and acceptable. A State Equal Suffrage
Association was formed with Mrs. Williamson as president; Miss Clapp
and Dr. Eliza Cook, vice-presidents; Fannie Weller, corresponding
secretary; Phoebe Stanton Marshall, recording secretary; Elda A. Orr,
treasurer; Kate A. Martin and Alice Ede, auditors; Annie Warren, press
work; Mary A. Boyd, State Fair work; Emma B. Blossom, superintendent
of literature; Marcella Rinkle, member national executive committee.

The president, who was also chairman of the legislative work
committee, was in the lecture field four months. She had to act as her
own advance agent, but during this time she spoke in every city and
town in the State and organized numerous clubs. Her meetings were well
attended, and great interest was manifested. The second convention was
held at Reno, Sept. 24, 1896, with every county represented. Mrs. Elda
A. Orr was elected president and Mrs. Williamson, State organizer and
lecturer. Mrs. Orr has ever since been continued as president, and to
no one person in Nevada is the cause of woman suffrage so much
indebted for hospitality, financial aid and valuable work.

The public meeting called on November 9 to greet Miss Anthony and Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Catt, chairman of the national organization committee,
was very successful. Miss Anthony gave a _resume_ of the exciting
campaign just closed in California, and made an object lesson of its
critical points which greatly amused the audience. Mrs. Chapman Catt
followed in an able argument on woman suffrage as the best and safest
means to secure and maintain good government.

In order to give the movement a more pronounced individuality Mrs.
Williamson and her daughter, M. Laura Williamson, founded the _Nevada
Citizen_, a monthly paper devoted to the social, civil and industrial
advancement of women. They edited and managed it, publishing it at
their own risk, and it received a liberal patronage. After a
successful existence of two years, business called both from the State
and it was discontinued.

In 1897 Mrs. Williamson again canvassed the various counties, and the
most prominent men a