aces en route.

The State convention was held at Decatur in October, 1911, and Mrs.
Stewart, wishing to retire from office after serving six strenuous
years, Mrs. Elvira Downey was elected president. Organizing work was
pushed throughout the State. Cook county clubs for political
discussion were formed by Miss Mary Miller, a lawyer of Chicago. In
the winter a suffrage bazaar lasting five days was held at the Hotel
LaSalle, under the management of Mrs. Alice Bright Parker. Many of the
younger suffragists took part in this social event. Every afternoon
and evening there were suffrage speeches and several Grand Opera
singers contributed their services. It was an excellent piece of
propaganda work and aroused interest among people who had not been
reached through other forms.

At the April primaries in Chicago in 1912, through the initiative of
Mrs. McCulloch, a "preferential" ballot on the question of suffrage
for women was taken. This was merely an expression of opinion by the
voters as to whether they favored it, which the Democratic Judge of
Elections, John E. Owens, allowed to be taken, but it had no legal
standing. The State association conducted a whirlwind educational
campaign immediately before the election. Unfortunately,
Prohibitionists, Socialists and many independent electors who favored
it were not entitled to vote. The result was 135,410 noes, 71,354
ayes, every ward giving an adverse majority. In October the State
convention was held at Galesburg and Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout was
elected president. Mrs. Trout had been on the State board for two
years and during this time had served also as president of the Chicago
Political Equality League, which under her administration had
increased its membership from 143 to over 1,000 members. She began at
once to strengthen the State organization for the legislative campaign
of 1913. There were still Senatorial districts in which there were no
suffrage societies, and, as the time was short, competent women were
immediately appointed in such districts to see that their legislators
were interviewed and to make ready to have letters and telegrams sent
to them at Springfield.

During the Legislature of 1911 Mrs. Trout had twice accompanied Mrs.
McCulloch to Springfield and the antagonism manifested against woman
suffrage made her realize that new tactics would have to be employed.
Mrs. McCulloch after many years of service had asked to be relieved
and Mrs. Elizabeth K. Bo