e
platform.

Mrs. Blake reported the work done by the Platform Committee in having
suffrage resolutions endorsed by a large number of Labor Unions. Miss
Sara Winthrop Smith had been equally successful in Granges and
branches of the Knights of Labor. Dr. Frances Dickinson, Dr. Lucy
Waite, Mrs. Corinne S. Brown and Mrs. Colby had visited the National
Convention of Locomotive Engineers and secured the endorsement of a
suffrage petition. They obtained also the cordial approval of T. V.
Powderly and the Knights of Labor, and of Samuel Gompers and the
Federation of Labor. The Illinois Trade and Labor Assembly endorsed
their petition. All of these bodies circulated suffrage petitions
among their members, as also did the Illinois Farmers' Mutual Benefit
Association and the Grand Army Posts, a number of which were reported
as heartily recommending the enfranchisement of women. Signatures
representing millions of voters were thus obtained.[84]

In addition to the resolutions adopted by the convention bearing
directly on suffrage, there was a demand for women on school boards
and as physicians, matrons and managers in all public institutions
containing women and children; and for a revision of the laws on
marriage and property.

On Sunday afternoon a great audience assembled for the closing
exercises. The sermon was given by the Rev. Caroline J. Bartlett from
the text, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand." It had been
said on the preceding Sunday that the sermon of Miss Hultin could not
be equalled. The verdict now was that the honors must be evenly
divided.

FOOTNOTES:

[82] A complete report of the able addresses made by specialists in
these subjects was prepared by the new corresponding secretary, Mrs.
Rachel Foster Avery, and placed by Miss Anthony in the large libraries
of the country.

[83] The Central National Society for Women's Suffrage; the Women's
Franchise Leagues of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bedford, Bridgeport,
Leicester, Nottingham and York; the Bristol Woman's Temperance
Association; the International Arbitration and Peace Society; the
Woman Councillors' Society; the Women's Federal Association of Great
Britain.

[84] The funds necessary for this work were furnished by J. W.
Hedenberg of Chicago, who also made a personal appeal to many of these
bodies; but he claimed possession of the petitions, and for some
reason never permitted them to be presented to Congress.

CHAPTER XII.

NATIONAL-AM