kening in the opposition with the gain of a
vote here and there, but the southern part of the State remained
solidly opposed. On March 23 Senator Thomas F. Gormley (a "wet"
Democrat) introduced a bill providing for the submission of every
constitutional amendment to the electorate before ratification or
rejection by the Legislature, which was defeated by 9 noes and 5 ayes.

The date for the vote was finally fixed for March 31 and as its defeat
seemed certain, Assemblyman Hart, who, according to the rules, must
agree to have it brought up, held off heroically under political
threats and intimidations of every kind and at last left the Capitol
for home. After a conference with "anti" members, Representative Lloyd
introduced an exact copy of the Hart resolution. Mr. Hart then brought
up his resolution the next day, April 1, and it was defeated by 23
noes to 9 ayes, with 2 not voting. Meanwhile the lobbying went madly
on. Much of the opposition came from notable "wets"; and many of the
opponents were connected with the Pennsylvania railroad.

The Republican State convention met in Dover April 20 and the Equal
Suffrage Association made one of the most remarkable demonstrations
the State had ever seen. Every road was ablaze with decorated
automobiles and hundreds of suffragists arrived on every train. They
marched and they talked and in themselves they constituted the best
argument that could be made for ratification. American flags and
suffrage banners were used all over the town. With Mrs. Ridgely
presiding, speeches were made all day on the green in front of the
State House, and from an automobile in front of the Republican
convention hall Miss Shuler and others spoke. Long petition sheets
with the names of 20,000 Delaware women asking for ratification were
exhibited. The crowning feature of the day was a parade of "suffrage
children"--the children of suffragists--a long line mounted on ponies
and bicycles down to the babies in the "go carts."

The speech of the permanent chairman of the convention, a staunch
suffragist, Robert Houston of Georgetown, Sussex county, was a strong
appeal for ratification and it called out the greatest outburst of
enthusiasm of the day. The convention unanimously passed a resolution
calling on the Legislature to ratify the amendment. On the table was a
vase of jonquils, and when the president of the anti-suffrage
association rushed to the platform and demanded that they be removed
or that r