hort time ago I was handed a letter from the president of an
Equal Suffrage Association asking me to speak in behalf of it. I
have always told my friends that it seemed to me that no man was
worth his salt who didn't think deeply of woman's rights and no
woman was worth her salt who didn't think more of her duties than
of her rights. Personally I am tepidly in favor of woman
suffrage. I have studied the condition of women in those States
where that right is exercised but I have never been able to take
a great interest in it because it always seemed to me so much
less important than so many other questions affecting women. I
don't think the harm will come of it that its opponents expect,
and I don't think that one-half of one per cent. of the good will
come from it that its friends expect. It is not a millionth part
as important as keeping and reviving the realization that the
great work of women must be done in the home. The ideal woman of
the future as of the past is the good wife and mother, able to
train numbers of healthy children."

There were flourishing suffrage societies in all parts of the State.
An Equal Suffrage League had been formed in San Francisco from a
consolidation of suffrage clubs, with a large membership of men and
women, Mrs. Mary T. Gamage, president. With its various committees it
was an active force throughout the campaign. Great assistance was
rendered by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, as had been the
case in 1896. During the fifteen years' interval it had been carrying
on a steady work of education through its local unions and their
members were among the most active in the suffrage clubs also. So
complete was the cooperation that they took off their white ribbon
badges toward the end of the campaign to disarm prejudice. Mrs. Keith,
president of the Berkeley Club, hired a house in the central part of
town for eight months as headquarters and Mrs. Hester Harland was
installed as manager. An advisory committee was formed of Mrs. George
W. Haight, Mrs. John Snook, Mrs. Fred G. Athearn, Mrs. Irving M.
Scott, Jr., Dr. Helen Waterman, Mrs. Samuel C. Haight, Mrs. Aaron
Schloss, Mrs. T. B. Sears, Mrs. C. C. Hall, Mrs. Frank F. Bunker,
assisted by many others toward the close of the campaign. Mrs. J. B.
Hume and Miss Blanche Morse toured the State as speakers and
organizers. Mrs. Keith herself spoke on a number of